More Chinese Artwork.

The ducks are specially for my friend Heidi!

and the cockerel is for Tim (not that he will see it) who is now the proud owner of two beautiful cockerels, a Rhode Island Red and a White Sussex, who each have their own little overworked harem of two 'ladies'!!

Jao Tsung-i

We recently went to the Tasmanian Art Gallery to see a most impressive collection of Chinese Artwork, paintings and caligraphy, done by Jao Tsung-i, a 93 year old Chinese man, who is still working on his art. Hope I am as enthusiastic when I am 93!! His collection was entitled The Amalgamation of Mind and Universe'

One less Apostle!

It made the news in the Sunday Paper today, the little 'Apostle' in the middle of my photo disappeared into the sea, there are only seven Apostles left now, good job we got to see it before its demise!!

Its not the cough that carried you off!

On his return from playing croquet in Melbourne Ken bought me the most unusual (and unwanted) gift! A Cough, yes thats right, a cough that takes you quite unawares, makes you catch your breath, keeps you awake as it is always worse at night. Apparently this cough lasts about three weeks, so only two more to go......

Wow - I've got a follower!!!!

Welcome Heidi (Tante) from Hamburg, not to be confused with Heidi from Margate. How nice to think that someone looks in from time to time and even leaves the odd comment. I have told a few people now about my Blog, always seems a bit funny, but it saves saying the same thing over and over again, and quite honestly, I enjoy doing it.

Talking about Germany (were we?) there was a great programme recently on food, and most of it was filmed in Berlin, so I relived my short stay there, and renewed my vow to go back again, there is so much more I would like to see. But first I had better get my bike out and get a bit fitter as that is obviously the way to see Berlin.

More on this topic later.

You are only as old as you feel!!

I have had a really good day, in spite of my advancing age!! I am so lucky to have such a lovely supportive family and friends who phone from far and wide, sister from UK and friends from Germany, thank you to everyone who helped make my birthday what it was!

First came the birthday toast , with Chai of all things, after all it was only 10 o'clock in the morning.

The cake was a weightwatchers dream, a white chocolate cupcake, complete with rose and candle, (AND I even shared it between the five of us, how about that?)

I had to make a wish and blow out the candle and then look at the handmade cards and leucodendron plant for our garden.

Now I am going to put my feet up and watch the latest DVD from the Library, its "South Pacific" tonight so I'm going to wash that man right out of my hair!!

Back to bed!

I'll tell you what, with Ken away its cut down my housework, I now only have to make half the bed!

I am going back to bed now, I've made myself a hot water bottle, got a bit cold sitting here talking to you!!

You may wonder what a magnolia tree has to do with this post, but saw it on my Wally walk and had to show it to you.

Time to go home Wally

As Wally has not really enjoyed his latest fashion accessory (his collar to prevent him licking his leg - see earlier post) I took him for a long walk along the Suncoast track which is all along the clifftop, with spectacular views out over the channel. He likes exploring in the long grass and then we came to a home made sign which indicates that not everyone cleans up after their pooch!! I don't know whether I told you, but it has been raining for the last week (don't feel sorry, we always need the rain) but this has made the terrain very muddy, and Wally, being so low slung, got very dirty. White is not a sensible colour for a little dog!
So when we got home he had to have a footbath, which he did not mind a bit, as you can see.

Footnote (ha ha no pun intended) don't forget to see a photo without your glasses on, just click on it and it comes up BIG. And, if you should ever want to comment (on the Blog) it is quite easy to do, try it sometime, it would show me I am not just writing this to myself!!

Things you do at 4.51 am when your dearly beloved is away and you can't sleep!

Don't you just love that word 'interstate'? Funny you don't say 'intercountry' or 'intertown' if you are in another country or another town!!!

Anyway, that is not the point of this Blog!

By the back gate we have a most insignificant little native called a Boronia. At the moment it is only about 20 cm high, but it has the most delicious perfume! The other day I went out and took some photos, prostrating myself on the path (the neighbours must have wondered what was going on) to get a photo looking up. From above it looks like little brown balls but when you look closer (and get down on the path) you see that the brown balls are, in fact, little brown bells with yellow inside and little brown star calyx's.

It is so small at the moment that I was loathe to cut it to take some indoors, but as you see from the third photo, I managed to select two stems (felt very bad about it) and now I have this beautiful scent indoors as well. Wish there were some way that you could just scratch the screen and smell for yourself!! But once again, you will have to take my word for it.

It is 5.06 am (disregard the time it says on the Blog, I have tried putting it right but to no avail) but it is nice to be able to get up and do things and not have to be quiet in case I disturb DB (dearly beloved)

Wally has gone home and Ken comes home on Monday, he has been in Victoria playing Croquet in the (that word again) Interstate Golf Croquet Competition. By the sound of him (he phones each evening) he is having a good time.

Regressing to my youthful days!!

and now I find myself ordering South Pacific and Singing In The Rain DVDs from the library! Last night I watched Barbra Streisand and Walter Matthau in Hello Dolly and thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the dance routines. Now I have something else in common with my fifteen year old granddaughter, and I pass them on to her to watch before returning them to the Library. She does Hip Hop, a far cry (I would have thought) from Hello Dolly, but she enjoyed it too. Now she has lent me her own copy of Grease, I know I will enjoy seeing that one again, just loved the songs in that!

PS Ken is still away so I can indulge myself!!

 
Kiya came to cook the evening meal last night, we had cheese and onion pie(and it was yummy)