Final day of 2010

Its the last day of the year and looking back its been one full of changes for me.
I have had my down days, many of them, and some really happy days.
But overall I will be glad when this year is over and we all get to start brand new and fresh for 2011.
I hope you all have a very happy and prosperous new year, and I look forward to reading all your blogs and catching up with you all in blog land
See you next year.

Strange sights and sounds

Today I can hear a strange mechanical sound. And because of it, it think, there is a sweet smell in the air. It might have something to do with that strange, large golden orb in the sky.
Oh my goddness, I think the ancient ones called it the sun! And that sound is the sound of all the lawnmowers turning that jungle into lawn again. That sweet smell is the smell of summer, freshly mowed lawn.
Ahh bliss!
see ya

So that was christmas

thank goodness christmas is over for another year! It started christmas eve here at home with he children and their partners over for dinner, and staying over so that I had them all home christmas morning. Very happy mummy was I !!!!
Then after breakfast and chrismas pressies wonderson and girlfriend headed off to her dads house for lunch and babygirls boyfriend off to his mums. Babygirl stayed with us and we were off to the sister in laws for hubbys side of the familys christmas lunch.
More food and pressies and food and off home again to rest and do it all again today at my familys christmas lunch.
This year my brothers two girls, whom we have not seen for about 5 years. A whole other story will tell you about another day, attended the family lunch.
We had all the grandkids and their partners at my parents home and I for one was very happy.
so more food, pressies and more food, and now I am home happy and content.
I hope your christmas was a very happy one too.
see ya

garden trellis update

when you have cut all your triangles out, iron them open and join four together. Try and have a nice mix of colours.

 Join all your blocks together in five rows of four blocks. Again try and mix the colours but it isnt easy on the eyes.  You tend to go a bit cross eyed. lol.

when you have finished joining them all up, have a nice cuppa and relax. now you need to visit the fabric store to pick out your border. Since my fabric shop is closed for christmas I will have to put this project aside for now and work on something else.
Ummmm I wonder what I can work on now?
see ya

A white Christmas

To day on Victorias Mt Hotham there is snow!  It might not sound like a big deal but Mt Hotham is only 1,861 metres or 6,105 feet about sea level, not huge by mountain standards. But the most amazing detail of all this is that we are supposed to be in the middle of SUMMER!!!!!!
The summer solstice is only days away and we have snow on our mountains. Add to that, there are years in the middle of winter that Mt Hotham has no snow and the operators have to use snow making machines for the ski season.
How bizare!!
It is cold and wet and misrable here at the moment and I can only hope the weather picks up for christmas day and boxing day.
How many of us plan to have outside BBQ's and family picnics, its just wrong. I got up at 5.30 this morning and left the house a little before 6.00 to get to gym and I felt that I must of slept in till june it was so cold.
Hello universe we have had enough rain now, please let the sun shine on us again.
see ya

Yummy Jelly rolls

I have fallen in love with jelly rolls. I was inspired by all the lovely quilts I saw at the christmas party we had at craft quarters. So I purchased this book and the garden trellis is the first quilt I am making from it.

The directions are so good even a dummy like me can follow it. It also helps when you have a great teacher like I do, who will go through it all with you to make sure you understand and are confident to proceed on your own.

This is the way we make the squares, you sew two strips together and then iron. You then sew two of those strips together at both sides to make a tube. then you cut out your triangles open at the small end and viola! you have a quare.
As I progress I will post more pics.
The weather here is on the cold side and very wet! So whats a girl to do but stay inside and play with her jelly rolls.
see ya

Fishing for snapper

 while we were driving to Phillip Island I spotted this car. Has anyone seen the National Lampoons Christmas Vacation movie?  It reminded me of one of the scenes in the movie. I laughed really loudly and could hardly take the shot.

 The San Remo bridge, on one side is San Remo and on the other is Phillip Island. Beautifu isnt it?

From the water looking at San Remo, great views from the houses. My brother in law live in one and I just sit in his lounge and watch the water the whole time we are there.

We also had a great day fishing, we caught 7 snapper and had a great laugh. Its a 45 minute drive from our house to here. We left home at 3.30pm and got back at 7.00pm, A great afternoons work!
see ya

Finally looking the christmas

We we have finally put up the chrissy decorations and all the pressies are under the tree.
I have not felt like christmas this year. Its my first christmas with my son living away from home and baby girl doing her own thing most of the time.
she will be home and will spend christmas day with us, but wonderson will visit in the morning and he will spend the day at his girlfriends dads house.
So I think I will stock up on christmas cheer and drink myself happy on the day.
What do you think?
see ya

Drive way makeover

 Hubby is digging up our driveway and we have purchased a truck and trailer load of blue stone to put down.
He will make the driveway tilt away from the house so that next time we get a downpour it runs away into the paddocks and not into the house.

 Molly the faithful boarder collie is always ready to lend a hand around the place.

Don has spotted me with the camera and decided to pose for me. Nice one honey!
see ya

Flash Flood

 the water level at my front door

 right up to the door level, any more and it would come in the sliding door

the proble was the roads flooded and it was like a river coming down our drive way.  No matter how fast I moved the water with the big quigie it just kept coming. As soon as hubby got home he got a neighbours machine and built up a barrier and stopped the water coming in off the road. We were then able to sweep the water away. Thank goodness. Now my arms are aching and I am a very tired girl. But hey I kept the water from getting in, so yeah me!!

Christmas Breakup.

 We had our christmas breakup party last night at Craft Quarters where I go for my quilting classes.
Heaps of people turned out and we all got to catch up with eachother and make new friends.

 The shop had 20% off everything so we all spent up big too! The had heaps of lucky door prizes as well and I was one of the lucky ones to win one!

Every year we have a show and tell, and show everyone what we have been working on during the year. This lady is Rae and she is in my Wednesday morning class. Her sister lost her holiday home in the Black Saturday bushfires we had a couple of years ago, so Rae decided to make her this wall hanging with things that were on her block before the fires. Its been a year long project with lots of imput from all of us and it has come up a treat!
Over the next few days I will be posting pics of all the show and tells and Raes wall hanging as well on the Official Craft quarters Blog.
So if you are interested in what a bunch of ladies way down south have been busy producing, pop in and have a look. The link is on my side bar!
see ya

double yoker

 This is the double yoker before next to an average egg the girls usually lay, wasnt sure it was a double yet but would find out very soon.

 

Here it is in the pan, and yes definately a double yoker. 

And here it is on toast ready to eat. Yummy!
My first ever double yoker and I had it for sunday breakfast. Very nice indeed!

Im back

Sorry to be away for so long. 
I have been busy but not if you know what I mean.
The weather has been terrible, with lots of rain, and humidity. I dont like humidity and its making trying to dry the washing very hard.
On the plus side lots of rain means everything is lush and green, but the minus is the weeds have now taken over, again, and looks like I will need huge muscles to be able to pull them out.
Because of all the rain, its pretty wet out the back so we havnt planted in the big vegi patch this year so it looks like it will get a spell.
I had a bit of a meltdown last weekend having cabin fever and wanting to go somewhere, I dont care where, but get me outta this place sort of meltdown.
so hubby took me for a drive to sorrento, we caught the ferrie to queenscliffe and then drove home through geelong and melbourne, stopping only to have some lunch.
This is a shot of the other ferrie coming back the other way, the two cross paths somewhere in the middle of the bay.
I felt much better after that, it was a great day!
Other than that, have been busy getting the chrissy shopping done, and helping hubby at work with getting of parts, delivering of vehicles and catching up with friends before christmas.
see ya

Strange dreams

Last night I dreamt that I was under and enormous tree, which had fruit all over it. As I watched the fruit ripened,  and I realised it was a cherry tree.
As I looked closer I discovered that the whole tree was diseased and the fruit was covered in bugs. I started screaming and yelling for someone to do something because the whole crop would be lost.
So any ideas?
I have non myself so I am asking you all what you think it means.

A tragic day

I would just like to say how sorry I am to hear about the NZ miners today. My heart goes out the families and friends of the miners who lost their lives.
Australia and New Zealand  are like siblings, we love to razz one another and we especially love to beat each other in sports.
But when it comes down to the crunch we always pull together and we always will'.
The ANZAC spitit will always live on.
Please remember all New Zealanders in your prays.

A little secret.

Yes I am up early and on the puter because its the quietest thing I can do. But my secret that I have not shared with you all is that everymorning for the last two weeks I have been getting up very early and going to the gym.
Not a womens only gym, but a real gym.
I know, I was shocked too!
But you know what I am enjoying it. The people who go there this early are all very nice, and there are no gym bunnies with their little gym outfits making everyone else feel fat and ugly.
So there you go, I am getting fitter everyday and yesterday I even ran on the treadmille for a full minute.
Its a miricle I know.
So off I go again. who would of know hey!
see ya

Vegitarians Look away now

 Remember Our Lambs and Cows that we got two seasons ago.

Well here they are on the BBQ. Fresh meat from our land and raised on pasture without chemicals.
It is sad that they had to die, but I am a meat eater and at least I know that they had a good life, were treated well and were trully loved.
Not in the way you think!! Hahahah
I believe that if you eat meat, and you are able, you should take responsibilty for how the animal lives and is butchered.
So this meat was not only extremly healthy, but worked out at less than $5.00 a kilo for the beef and much less for the lamb.
So a tick in every box really.
Ok let the abuse begin.
see ya

Eggs for sale

No these are not the same eggs photographed in three different ways. They are all the eggs I had in the fridge yesterday. And I collected another 12 in the afternoon. Luckily I was able to sell off 4 dozen last night and this morning.
when I let the chooks out a little while ago there were another 6 eggs for me.
At least by selling the excess I now have enough money to go and buy another bag of feed for them.
So anyone else want any eggs?
They are oh so yummy! Think I'll go and scamble some for morning tea.
see ya

Random Shots

Not much to say today, the weather is crazy and is going from over 30 degrees one day to 12 degrees and rain the next.
So here are some pretty pics I took on one of the nice days.
see ya

summer roses

These are some of my roses! I dont know what they are called because they have been in the ground for years now and most anyway were bought cheap at markets and things and they did not have tags.
Roses are so easy to grow, I have not given them any water for about 5 years now and they continue to survive and blossom for me every years. I dont even cut them back every year and they still flower.
I really am a lazy gardener so roses suit me fine.
see ya

Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day is observed on 11 November to recall the official end of World War I on that date in 1918, as the major hostilities of World War I were formally ended "at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month" of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.



Lest We Forget!

the first of the summer berries

I got these strawberry plants from my sister in law just this year. They have been planted in the raised garden bed and are now producing abundantly.
I dont know what variety they are but they are an heirloom variety and they grew from my sister in laws original plantings. They grew so well she had to thin them out and I received lots of plants.
I even tasted one while I was watering them and even though it wasnt completely ripe, it was so sweet. No need to add sugar to these babies.
see ya

Molly

This is my dog Molly. she is a three year old border collie. she is a kind, gentle affectionett dog. She is also very bright and loyal. The only problem is this is how she sleeps! Looks funny doesnt it. Only problem is the first few times I saw here like this I had a heart attack!
Now that I know she likes to sleep like this its not a problem, but you should see the looks on peoples faces when they see her. Her favourite place to sleep in just on the outside of the glass sliding door, which you can see as you walk in the front door. See the problem. She has freaked out a few relatives in the past but now they are getting used to her too.
Very funny indeed.
see ya

Animal Rescue!

As you know I found that cute little turtle in my back yard. What I havent told you yet is that was only the begining.
The next day, the boys found another turtle only this one was the size of a saucer you use under your cup of tea. No one remembered to tell me until a few days later, as I wasnt home at the time.
And no one thought to take a photo, but that turtle too was gently placed in the dam out the back. This was on Wednesday while I was at quilting class.
On the Sunday Hubby and I decided to go and visit with his brother, it had been raining alot, again, and the sides of the road were flooded.
As we were slowly driving along I noticed further up some splashing in the water. I was going to have a look as we drove past but hubby stopped the car and started to reverse. He had noticed splashing as he drove past the spot we just past. I told him about the splashing I saw and decided to check out both spots.
Imagine our surprise to see fish on the road!
He rescued 4 fish, and we think they are silver perch. It looks like someones dam had overflowed, and the perch swam out. They then ended up in the drain buy the side of the road. We live in a rural area and our drains are just ditches buy the side of the road. When they flooded the fish ended up on the actual road.
It sure has been a surprising week here.
How about you? Rescued anyone or thing lately?
see ya

Happy Beltaine

Happy Beltaine to all those in the southern Hemisphere! May your harvests be plentiful and your lives full of abundance.

And to all our friends in the North, a happy halloween to you.

Look what I found!

This morning when I walked out side to let the chooks out I walked over what I thought was a bit of

dog poo. Then I noticed it moved!

 Closer inspection revealed that it was a tiny little long neck turtle. Isnt it cute. Its so tiny Im amazed I even saw it.

I had to wait a while for it to poke its head out then I had to sneak up on it to take this shot.
After taking it to the boys for a show and tell, I put it in our dam. It was heading in that direction only on his own he would of had to dodge the chickens and the geese. At least now he has a fighting chance.
what strange and wonderful creatures have you found in your backyard?
see ya