Here I sit...

....in my outdoor room of contemplation, my peace and quiet, my front porch.  Another busy week leading into another busy week, my heart keeps racing and thinking what is next on my list.  I sit and think, have a quiet moment to myself and enjoy the warm breeze and view my beautiful Cape Chestnut that is flowering it's bunches of pink and makes me so happy.

I had a wander around the garden after hanging the clothes on the line and admired what the purple Jacaranda had dropped on the ground, little purple fairy dresses along with matching purple fairy hats of the Duranta.

I also took the opportunity to spy on our resident ringtail possum sleeping in it's nest outside the boys bedroom window with it's tail hanging in the breeze.   He (or she) benefits quite regularly from our old fruit leftovers.

As I sit out the front after my wander I hear the neighbours doing their Saturday morning things, a garage sale down the road where cars are pulling up and people exiting with their bargins.  We didn't find anything worth purchasing, a shame, which lead Donald and I to go on a further search of more garage sales in our local area.  I found a few bargains.  My favourite being some silver goblets at 50c each, which I thought might be safer to use instead of our class and crystal wear for special occasions, the boys can clink till their hearts content.

At another stop I found a bit of reading matter, at $2 each, that might help me relax over the upcoming holidays.  I was very excited and overjoyed at my purchases.

This busy week involved a birthday party for Sam, a few friends over after school, this time a malteser, raspberry ice cream cake with chocolate chip cookie base.  Lots of yummy food and fun with Sam's friends, I must admit they are a fun bunch of boys and tend to make a lot of noise together.

We had a quick visit to the egg farm, it's been a really long time since I went, and a visit to another plant nursery searching for Christmas presents.  We picked up quite a lovely mix of herbs and flowers.

So after this busy week and my busy post I must depart from where I sit in my outdoor room, my front porch.  My neighbour is renovating his boat and the fumes are chasing me away (as well as making me light headed) and my stomach is grumbling for some nourishment, so away I must.

Cheers!

11 candles

....on a pavlova birthday cake

Happy Birthday Gorgeous Boy!!

Colours of today

Red

 pineapple sage

 geranium

Green

maidenhair fern

liquid amber

Pink

rose geranium

cape chestnut

Purple

jacaranda

lavender

Brown

red gum

red gum

Yellow

tecoma stans

silky oak

Proud

...of my eldest

for his origami talent...

..and his ability to shine...by just being himself.

We are so proud of you Sam and love you just the way you are.

A visit

My mum is in town again, she arrived yesterday.  After sorting through our mountain of laundry this morning and jamming the folded clothes in the boys dresser draws we went out for lunch.  It was a very hot day today, 32°C (90°F) so we went to my favourite plant nursery which has a lovely cafe by a pond, sadly we didn't get a table next to it at least we were near some water fountains which was a little cooling.  After lunch we had a little wander around the grounds and the nursery.

They have some ginormous carp swimming in the pond which could probably gobble up a small child in one mouthful.  Although Toby was more worried about the goose that might peck his toes.

It was reasonably pleasant under the leafy willow tree, but very, very hot in the sun.  Lots of lovely flowers on display.  

Unfortunately the hot weather doesn't make me want to get out in the garden to plant things, it just makes me want to hibernate inside in the cool, I'm not quite ready for Summer yet.  We did buy a few plants to pot up for my shady front porch and a couple of Christmasy things that caught my eye.

Remember

In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae 

May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

Poppies grown by our neighbour faithfully every year, a returned Vietnam veteran.

Remember those who have served in the past and those who are currently serving and protecting our shores now.

A glimpse into 2011

 It was Toby's Kindergarten orientation day today.  He met his buddy and got to hang out with all of the other new Kindy kids in the class room for the morning.  Toby looked fantastic and certainly felt the part of being a big school kid.

I think I did alright today, no tears, I mean it wasn't like he was starting for real today, I've still got a little time to prepare myself for the big day next year.  Orientation days are really there to prepare the parents not the kids.

This afternoon when all the boys were home from school Donald decided to share some of his lolly stash (he says it's for work research purposes) these were Wonka's Shockers.  I've never tasted them but by the looks you can probably guess what they were like....

....and they thought they were just getting some treats.  What mean parents are we giving them sour lollies AND taking photo's while they ate them, they did go for a second one so it can't have been too bad.