Ice, Ice Baby...

Lots of it Sunday morning at 5:15am! Took me 10 minutes to get my windscreen and backscreen warm enough, with the heaters, to be able to see out. Had to put my side windows down or I wouldn't have seen what the traffic was doing on the highway... 

Wasn't too thick but thick enough to sparkle like diamonds...

In future, when I drive to work at that hour of the morning, I'll cover all the glass surfaces the night before... Would work out much easier, I reckon...

Blessings,

Baklava update...

I learnt allot from making the Baklava... The temperature was too high and as I was on a phone call, I left it in too long...

The outside edge was given to the chooks. The men and I taste tested and agreed it still tastes really great. Lots of lessons learnt. Looking forward to making it for the next community ladies morning tea.

Blessings,

In the Paper...

Earlier this month I made it to the paper again :)

This time it was an article about saving money on power bills... So easy to do. Though from 1 July 2015, it will get harder... Still, an autumn bill of $135 for four people is brilliant in my eyes... They misquoted a little in the start but generally got it right!

Blessings,

Changing around...

The table that I use to make my jewelry was in the way of the dining table.

Yesterday, I asked the boys to help me move a few things around... The table was moved out of the dining area and into the bedroom. The china cabinet from Russell's mum was moved from our room to near the phone. The shoe cabinets are now together...

More decluttering was done at the same time. Needs more attention still...

Love the end result. Had a great time making some earrings and braclets today, in my new space...

Blessings,

I've moved the cabinets down further since this photo was taken. They're now centered ;)

Birthday Boy...

Russell turned 50 today... How time flies...

So many well wishers, so many cards, so many gifts... 

Dinner was done over three courses. We barely got everything in ;)

Love Birthdays... Happy Birthday, Honey...

Blessings,

In Hospital...

This chicky, Henny Penny, got injured today some time. Tim found her and he wanted her inside... To put her in one of the isolation cages would mean she'd be very cold tonight, as it's supposed to get to only about 2 degrees...

So, she's in the laundry, in a 200 litre tub with woodshavings, food and water... She seems totally happy, other than a foot she isn't using. Having a ball scratching and picking at stuff :)

Hope her leg is better soon... She's one of the Ex-Battery hens... At least nothing is broken...

Blessings,

Baclava...

This is my first attempt...

When my family and I came to Australia, we settled in a street that had seven different nationalities...

Our Turkish Neighbour, Auntie Nuran, as we called her, has the best and easiest receipe...

Today, I did it for the first time myself... It's baking now ;)

Can't wait to try it tomorrow...

Blessings,

Jumpers And Jazz...

It happens every year in our main town... Trees get dressed for a ten day festival. Yarn bombing they call it. Loads of buskers, jazz music, fashion parades and plenty of food and atmosphere. People put in entries from as far away as the USA and this year even England...

So much work goes into them. Our own Craft Group also always enters every year!

Here are some of the many trees...

Blessings,

Party Time!!!

Today, our two families got together and celebrated Russell's 50th...

He ended up having a great time. I'm so glad. mussels made the most fabulous Black Forest Cake. It was so tall and tasted so beautiful. Plenty to take home. We had the lunch at our lovely Roses Chinese Restaurant in town. Michael outdid himself! Everyone's food was fantastic!

We were there from noon till 3:10pm and then lingered a while in the car park. Oh, how lovely it was to have everyone there. Only a small number was missing but that couldn't be helped...

I'm so grateful for the effort everyone went to to celebrate Russell's Birthday...

My brother and his family and my Dad and Stepmum then came back to our place, on their way home, for coffee and tea. Was such a lovely afternoon...

Now to celebrate more on Tuesday, when he's actually 50! ;)

Blessings,

Strangest clouds...

It was like a band across the sky. Nearly like a massive disk, across the sky...

So large... So massive...

Blessings,

Egg and bacon pie...

It tasted so good we had it two nights in a row. Done two different ways. One with milk and one with cream... Great way to use up lots of eggs :)

Tim got 10 today, though they weren't all from today...

Blessings,

Citrus Marmalade...

More limes used... The end result is a little too sour for me... More sugar I reckon... Also made in the Thermomix!

Blessings,

Lime Butter...

After mum gave me kilos of limes from her tree, I knew I had to do different things with them...

Josh and Russell washed them all for me. My hand will be eternally grateful...

Lime butter was one such end result... Made in the Thermomix, off course...

Ended up so yellow as I used our homegrown eggs ;)

Blessings,

Hiding...

Jasper was hiding from the cold in Tim's room. Tim likes to have the window open in his room, even when it's the middle of winter...

The pillows where a good place to snuggle ;)

Blessings,

A thoughtful gift...

A friend visited on Monday and somehow she knew that a bunch of lillies would hit just the spot...

And she was right...

Now they're starting to open... Just beautiful...

Blessings,

One just opening...

Today, this one opened fully...

And here's the second one...

Homemade Pizzas...

Loved coming home from a shift at work to the smell of dough in the house. The fire was on and the excitement was in the air. Tim had made the dough and now the boys were decorating their own pizzas! Josh's was even with a cheese stuffed crust! Both where divine...

Love it when the boys cook... Love having them in the kitchen. Russell only gave verbal help this time too. Fantastic end result :)

Blessings,

On goes the tomato paste...

The topping...

Don't forget the pineapple ;)

Tims pizza...

Josh's pizza...

Cheese stuffed crust... 

Helping out...

This is what community is all about, I reckon.

You hear of a need and help... These are to a young lady in our community. Her Dad is in Hospital with Leukemia... I hope this helps him. Hospital food ain't the same as home cooked :)

Blessings 

Gorgeous Boy...

And he knows it...

Blessings,

Goofing around...

Josh and Jasper at it again...

Blessings,

Kloud9 Fun times...

Josh has been before so knew what to expect. You book in by the hour but don't last that long...

Tim said he was sooooo sure he'd be ok for the hour. 5mins in and he was exhausted! Fun, fun, fun...

Boys had a ball... Russell and u had fun watching them :)

Blessings,