colour me pretty: purple tuesday

Purple is a challenge for me, not one of my favourite colours. For Christmas recently I was given these two new perfumes, 'G' by Giorgio Beverly Hills from my mother and the 'Wish' by Chopard from my mother-in-law and they are both purple and are gorgeous scents to wear. Check over at Curious Bird for the list of other 'color me pretty' participants.

colour me pretty: blue monday

Leya over at Curious Bird has organised a week of colour for this week and wouldn't you know it both sets of camera batteries were flat so now I'm ready to get started only 4 days late! I'm so looking forward to kids returning to school and some routine returning to this household! These little fragments of blue and white china were all found recently down by the river, so many different patterns and vessels. Keep checking back as I have to catch up on purple, yellow and pink, then stripes or plaids.

Pumping surf

All was quiet in the neighbourhood and Surfer Boy was sorting out his fishing tackle anD loading up his new fishing box ready for a weekend of fishing after school yesterday. A big bite to eat and off he went to check the surf............minutes later he came screaming in the back door "THE SURF'S BL##%Y PUMPING" he yelled (please excuse his language, I've never heard him swear before either), I asked "who's out there" in disgust he yells back "EVERYONE"! Needless to say seconds later he's in his wetsuit and racing out the door, board under his arm..............back he comes to remove his denture then he's gone for the next hour and a half. Darling Daughter went down and had a go with my tele lens trying to capture big brother in action. A bit fuzzy mostly but this is the best shot, not sure if Surfer Boy thinks it shows his 'immense' talent enough (remember he's 16 1/2 years old!) but I can't even stand on a board for more than a few seconds so anything he can do with it is miraculous to me. Have a great weekend everyone, weather's looking fabulous so I'll be out and about with roving reports to follow later.

Green everywhere

I've been having fun using my macro setting and shooting anything that's growing and green in my garden this afternoon. Click for a closer look and you will see little green aphids on my roses............need to go and toss some soapy water of them quick smart. There are no other colours showing their faces yet but it's looking promising for later in the spring and summer.

Picasa 3

You can now download the free Google Picasa 3 photo managing program, it has some great new features as demonstrated in this youtube video. Give it a go, I've always used Picasa and now I'm even happier with it.

Zoom, zoom and more zoom

A nice sunny afternoon on the veranda studying my camera and it's manual

Up the road and across to streets

Sorry neighbours up the road I hope you weren't walking around in your home naked

The island behind the point is 5km away

This makes the next village seem very close indeed

Technically not really spying on 'my girls'

A very absorbed Surfer Boy watching the box

Not long ago I decided to get in and buy some extra lens for my camera before they become unavailable now the new model camera is out. I bought a zoom and a wide angle and here are the first few playing around shots with the zoom. The principle reason for needing extra zoom was a request from Surfer Boy for better shots of him in action on the waves and that seems like a real possibility when I get used to all the extras and remembering to change the settings on the camera for each lens, I didn't remember this point when I heard a southerly blowing and there were 5 kite surfers making great use of our local beach! I did catch the action but the focus was a bit fuzzy.....very annoying.

Autumn is about

I think the end of the long hot start to autumn is finally over. The last rose is in full bloom and dinner on the veranda tonight was so pleasant. I'm personally looking forward to a cooler and possibly wet Easter at home, wonderful for creating! Time to start knitting in earnest..............hot weather and knitting just don't go together.

Summer holidays

I haven't been getting out of the house much but here are a few things I have seen lately at home and in the neighbourhood. Won't be long and we will be enjoying fresh sweetcorn and new lettuce seeds are in the making, summer vege gardens are full of interest.

Meet Fang

This is my new helper in the kitchen. 'Fang' is a Venus Fly Trap carnivorous plant that will hopefully do his bit to keep the little house flies out of our kitchen. Actually he is my daughters newest pet, I have had him hiding in my sewing room window for a few weeks and yesterday I remembered him, he should have been wrapped for Christmas a few days back...........what a dill I am. Anyway Darling Daughter loves him and can't wait to see him snap up a fly. I watered him this morning and one of his jaws snapped shut thinking he had trapped lunch only to find it was only a splash of water, very interesting plant for us all to observe.

Melbourne through my eyes

Flinders Street Station is a standout landmark of this wonderful city.

Roof top gardening at it's quirky best near the Queen Victoria Markets

Melbourne is definitely the style and fashion capital of Australia, hands down.

Melbourne's own 'Diagon Alley'

The Leafy Sea Dragon lives just off the coast of Australia, what a beauty!

It's tiring living in an exhibit!

Nemo resides in Melbourne Aquarium too

A tough job but someone has to do it!

The tapestries at the Museum Victoria say so much about Australian culture and history


A very dry continent it is, except Melbourne when you holiday there!

Our Ned

Old Melbourne Gaol

The State Library is bursting up through the footpath

A Christmas Tradition, the Myers windows, you have to see this years which is the story of Uno's Garden by Melbourne author Graeme Base

A night at the Princess Theatre, highly recommend!

Fitzroy Gardens, peaceful city oasis

Preserving the old Coop's Shot Tower

I guess you get the picture now, I love Melbourne, always have and I think I always will. We took our kids on a surprise trip to Melbourne last week. After dinner on Monday evening we told them they wouldn't be going to school for the rest of the week and to pack their bags for a 6 day getaway to an unknown destination and be ready to leave at 6.30 am Tuesday, great excitement followed. Off we went over the mountains by car to an airport then we flew into 37 degree heat and settled ourselves into our hotel, Nomad Industry around the corner from the Queen Victoria Markets and one block from the Melbourne City Circle free tram service. We spent our time in the cbd basically exploring all things cultural, historical, educational and fun we could find. The weather was crappy, but that is Melbourne for you, 4 seasons in one day literally! The food was fantastic especially the salted chili calamari I had in China Town. Kids loved the Little Italy area which is Lygon Street in Carlton, great gelato. I loved the shop windows, so much to take in and too much to consider, didn't do much shopping at all. If you get the chance go to Melbourne you will have a great time and it is a very friendly city that is so easy to get around. Just do it!

Click on any of my photos for a closer view.

Bluey has taken up residence

This little friendly guy has moved into the retaining wall of our raised garden bed out the back. Now I don't have to worry about putting snail bait out, he will do a much better job. He is a bit timid at the moment and darts back into his hole which takes him inside the wall which would be a lovely warm place for him to reside. One day I will capture a shot of his very blue tongue. Click on his photo for a closer look at his details.

Another day at Jerrabatgulla

How lucky am I? This week I made my return trip to the most wonderful property over the mountains to teach felted bag knitting with a very enthusiastic friendly group of country women. Captain Peacock must have been exhausted after a day of showing off his tails feathers, he was the perfect catwalk model this visit, pivoting and prancing perfectly for the lens. I took so many photos of this bird it was very difficult to choose just one to show you, he was in peak condition and so proud of his lady friend who is sitting on their eggs at the moment.

Now did I mention how well country women can cook.................morning tea in the courtyard when I arrived was just delicious and then lunch, I felt thoroughly spoiled. There is nothing that compares with country hospitality and I have to say thank you to all the women who made me feel so welcome and part of their fabulous group. Kitty's garden is a magical place it was filled with lots of different friendly creatures that make a house a home. One day I hope I find a little shack in this beautiful part of Australia that I can retreat to when I need a sanity break, it brings back very fond memories of my childhood in a similar area in the North East of Victoria.

I spent the afternoon in the laundry felting the wonderful collection of bags that were knit over the two lessons and will do a further post including some before and after photos once I get to the 'Airing of the Quilts' exhibition that is on over the weekend 24th ad 25th of November in Braidwood. The completed bags will be on show at the St. Andrews Anglican Church, also a couple of my quilts will be on show there also at the request of the ministers wife. Braidwood is a very historic town and when you see quilts hanging from all the verandas in the main street on Saturday you are in for a real treat. Make a day of it, take a car load of girlfriends and enjoy all Braidwood has to offer. There will be stalls filled with Christmas baked goodies that I can highly recommend because I have met some of the wonderful cooks and heard whispers of the recipes they are using. You must also buy some tickets in the raffle for a Christmas Quilt made by the Gundillion Women's Craft Group, it is a superb group quilt project. The money's raised are used for the upkeep of their beloved hall which is a great example of traditional Aussie architecture.

Roses are red

A girlfriend emailed me this photo last night it is just glorious, I love the red of this rose, it is about the colour of the new red knitted and felted bag that is washing away as I type. Love it! I am so envious she has bought a new camera and it is the newer model of mine! She also has children who are photography enthusiasts so we can look forward to some more great photos from this family.

Captain Peacock

Yesterday I had the great pleasure in meeting a very hospitable group of country women at the most beautiful property over the mountains from where I live on the coast. When a came to a halt at the front gates 'Captain Peacock' loudly announced my arrival to everyone in the district. What an amazing doorbell and guard. 'Proud as a Peacock' is exactly how you would describe the Captain, he strutted his stuff so gracefully around his semi formal garden but try as we might we couldn't encourage him to show us his tail feathers, so luckily his owner sent me the second photo today. He certainly seemed very camera shy with me yesterday but I was told if you can wolf whistle just right he will proudly display himself for you. I will be back up there in a fortnight to continue teaching my knitted and felted bags with this group and I will be doing my best to learn how to wolf whistle between now and then.

Next trip I also hope to take some photos of the garden to show you, it was magnificent and sprawling even with the drought the strong have survived and are flourishing. It is so refreshing to drive through the countryside and to meet some of Australia's real characters of the bush, some days I feel so lucky that my work allows me to do so.