Mirabella, Elfrida and Dolly

About a month ago we welcomed three new ladies into our family, I named Mirabella, Elfrida and Dolly.  These ladies came to us mottled, scraggly and confused, their former life of one year having been spent in a large egg laying facility.  I'm very pleased to say that after a month of nurturing, good food, free ranging on grass, insects and scraps, our ladies are near to having all their feathers again, have learnt how to perch, flap their wings, scratch in the soil, peck for insects and bugs, how to have a dust bath and have enjoyed laying eggs in a bed of straw.  While egg production is sporadic for now, I think they are entitled to have a little bit of a rest from egg laying duties.

One of the less exciting things to have happened this September is a month of being unwell.  Every test under the sun has revealed nothing to substantiate a reason for extreme fatigue and weakness.  While I'm grateful that nothing serious seems to be going on, I'm frustrated I can't address anything to improve my well being and there is a big garden waiting outside crying for my attention.  

Despite ill health, time continues to move along.  I've had another birthday and hubby and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary in the month of September.  We were able to enjoy a lovely lunch to celebrate the occasion and went for a lovely drive to take in views over Port Phillip Bay.

The heads where Port Phillip Bay meets Bass Strait.

 

As we were returning home, driving along a highway we saw these beautiful

 trees in blossom and with the clouds behind made for an impressive display of nature.

On Sunday hubby and I are heading off for a weeks holiday in Cairns to extend our 30th anniversary celebration a little longer.  We hope to see the Great Barrier Reef and if I'm up to it, try snorkeling for the first time to see the coral and tropical finish with my own eyes.  Some warm weather will be most welcome after a cold Melbourne winter.

Anne xx

Flowers and cushions

Hello everyone, how are you?  I've been tip toeing in the garden through the bluebells, azaleas and camellias, not the tulips as I don't have any.  I picked a little posy of azalea blossom and some of the seasons first bluebells to cheer up the window sill near the kitchen sink.  I do look out onto garden when I'm doing the dishes although there aren't too many spring flowers yet.

The vase is a soft drink bottle which I kept from a lunch out one day.  It was so pretty and just the right size for this spot.

The camellias are still flowering which is so lovely.  As I can't see them from inside, I picked some blossom  to enjoy. 

 I love the contrast of the glossy green leaves against the red and pink blossom.

See the fabric behind the vase in the photo below, that is two cushions I made from the fabric that inspired my bright coloured granny square cushion.

Can you see two little paws in the bottom left hand corner?  They belong to Stripey.

I've started making my giant granny square throw in bright colours which is currently about the size of a cushion.  Lots more to do yet to make it big enough for me to snuggle under.

I'll be back soon with a painting update.  Take care,

Anne  xx

Giant choc chip cookie

Miss G., the quirky girl that she is, decided to make a giant choc chip cookie as part of a friend's 18th birthday gift.

An old pizza tray makes an excellent surface to bake a cookie this big!

Beautifully baked

With simple decoration.

 

 

I picked some of my neighbour's Japonica (she doesn't mind), and placed it in the entry.

The colour is a little washed out in this photo.

Better colour representation.

Loving these two colours together.

Have a lovely day everyone,

Anne  xx

Looking on the bright side

Today is Monday, much like any other Monday really when I meet up with one of my best friends for a knit/crochet and natter morning.  We take it in turns to visit each others house which gives us a chance to admire each others gardens, exchange gossip, drink coffee and generally have girl fun.  As we hadn't seen each other for about a month, we had lots to catch up on today.

Monday is also oil painting class day which is in the afternoon.  After a quick lunch, I decided to let the chooks out of their coop to have a wander in their run..  It has been raining and raining here and the ground is very sodden and slippery.  As I was returning to the house, I slipped in some mud and ended up on my bottom feeling rather sorry for myself as my jeans were not only soaked but covered in mud.  As I was sitting on the ground thinking that I was going to be late for my class, I began to think on the bright side.  Here is a list of things I came up with.

I wasn't hurt, a bit tender and bruised, but no broken bones or sprains.

My jeans and undies were the only items of clothing that were muddy and wet.
I had a fresh pair of jeans (and undies) to change into.  All they needed was an iron, the jeans that is.  I don't iron undies, life is too short.  :)

I had plenty of water to soak my jeans in.

I'm planning on washing tomorrow anyway.

While I was in the laundry putting my jeans in to soak, I remembered that the sheets I had put in to wash this morning from last weeks visitors, were ready to be put in the dryer.  No sun for drying clothes outside unfortunately.
The egg I had collected and was carrying in my left hand didn't break when I fell.

I thought it might be fun to blog about something that must have looked so funny when it happened.

I have an awesome camera to document where I actually fell.

When I was outside taking photos of my skid mark, I took the opportunity "to smell the roses" which actually means I looked at some of my winter flowers as there are no roses in bloom.

I photographed my flowers to share with you.
I thought about the wonderful fact that because we have had so much of rain, our dams are now at 60% capacity.  After more than 10 years of drought they did get down to 28% capacity which is quite scary.

How is that for for a list!  Now here are the photos.

My AWESOME skid mark.  :)

My soggy back yard and AWESOME skid mark!

Pretty candy pink Primulas.

 

 

 

Snapdragons hanging on by a thread.

Delicately coloured Hellebores.

Hellebore flowers and buds.

When was the last time you looked on the bright side of something because if you didn't you might just burst into tears?

Have a wonderful evening/day everyone.

Anne  xx

Flower mosaic painting update

Hello everyone.  I thought I'd show you an update on the flower mosaic oil painting I've been working on for what seems forever.  It's nearly finished, thankfully.  When I had the initial idea to do this painting, I totally underestimated the amount of detail and time it would take to complete.  However, now that it's nearly finished, I'm getting excited.

I've had the crochet hook out experimenting with making a coat hanger cover.  I made it a bit long, but for a first attempt it's not too bad.

Some of the Camelias have started to flower out in the garden and it's nice to have a little bit of colour on a dull winter's day.  I picked a couple of blossom and discovered to my delight that the Daphne has started flowering too.  I picked some of that too to put in the bathrooms as well as to add to the Camelia blooms.

On the kitchen window sill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the en suite.  The blossom smells divine.

Off to make chicken and pearl barley soup for dinner.  More on that tomorrow.

Anne  xx