A FEW PLANS AND CHANGES

The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship.

William Blake, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell

 
 

Love this pig R sent me

How quickly the holidays are going!! I haven't done half of the things I'd planned.  Peter and I are booked to go away camping for a few days to Umina Beach from 1st Feb to the 5th Feb. I am looking forward to that.

 On Wednesday, Peter and I drove up to Stanwell Park, so Peter could see his GP. This is quite a distance since Peter lives in Berkeley, but she is very good and very thorough.

 A treat on the way home is stopping at the Gateway near Bulli Pass to have gelato and coffee.

 I always look forward to this. The range of gelato is wonderful.


Peter and I have been bike riding again along the bike track at Towradgi.

 I am still a bit nervous even though I have my new bike. I have only fallen off it once and that was the day I first got it. I really need to be going more often than we do, but life and the weather seem to get in the way.




I have been stocking up for next Christmas. Trees and decorations have been for sale in Woolworths and cheap shops at giveaway prices.

 Now I just have to find somewhere to keep them. I am hoping I will have redecorated my house by then and can really decorate for Christmas. You can see my Christmas Decorating Pinterest board here.

I have finally begun painting my walls, or to be more precise, Peter has started. I am painting walls and trim in off white. I am planning a sort of modern shabby chic style. I plan to paint a lot of the furniture light grey. You can find my Pinterest Decorating board here.

We began painting in the dining room. I put a light tablecloth on the table to cover up the dark glass top and added a few blue glass bits and pieces that have been presents over the years.

I love toadstools and my elder daughter J, gave me some miniature toadstools which I hung on a branch.

 

My younger daughter painted the frog many years ago, and all the frog ornaments were given to me as presents by J and R. Peter likes bananas so I keep a supply on the table.

Jasper, my grand-dog has been enjoying the warm weather at my daughter and son-in-law's place.

 You can see the lettuces growing behind him. If you would like to see more about the establishment of their garden and some of their hobbies go over to Beanstuff.
 
Interesting sites

1.

 Pyramidal cottage in Iceland

Click here to check out this pyramidal cottage in Iceland.



2.

 World's smallest pop-up camper.

Photo source

This is a pop-up camper you can pull with your bike.
Click here to see more. 




3. 

 Wind power in Texas

Photo source

Texas has spent billions developing its renewable power grid, and has built up double the wind generation capacity of any other US state. Click here to read more.

Week 1 Of The New Year

If opportunity doesn't knock... build a door.  

Milton Berle

The first week of the New year is over. 

I have changed some medication a few weeks ago and am feeling really good so I am trying to get a lot of stuff done around the house.

Trees pop up in my garden. Some of them I keep and try to keep small. The Macrozamia palm has outgrown its position in my garden at the front as it is knocking the retaining wall down so I attacked it and a eucalypt getting out of hand, with my chainsaw.

My wonderful Peter then got stuck in and began maneuvering it out using an adze, shovel, spade and lever.

 It is taking some maneuvering and Peter is still working on it.

By chance I went to a couple of shops selling Christmas trees at really low prices so I have bought some Christmas trees ready for next year.

For the last few years I have used a branch but I am redecorating my house and decided I wanted a more traditional look for next year.

Peter and I have been doing some bike riding. Mainly along the bike track at Towradgi.

 I am a bit nervous. I started falling over when my bike was stopped, so Peter bought me this new retro bike which has made all the difference. But I am still a bit nervous. I need more practice. A few days of rain  stopped my practicing.

 

 

I became the mother of a 36 year old this week. My elder daughter turned 36. I am not supposed to write about her here but she has had a life long struggle with clinical depression and continues to fight it. She is an artist and I am very proud of her. If you put Jade Pegler  into Google, you will be able to read about her and some of her work although not much of her recent stuff. She is currently involved in buying second hand silk kimonos from Japan and using these to make patchwork she which turns into clothes. Don't tell her you read about her here!

My other younger daughter and her husband are setting up their back yard with very limited finances. My son-in-law has started a YouTube Channel so you can read about them here. It would be great if you subscribed.

 

  Interesting sites

1.

 Restored house truck

Photo source

 A restored house truck used as a guest accommodation in Golden Bay, New Zealand. Click here  to read more.

 

2.

  Gediminas Pranckevicius

Photo source

 Conceptual artist and illustrator Gediminas Pranckevicius has a wonderful imagination.His landscapes, as seen here, are rich in detail, creating impossible juxtapositions of water, land, and haphazard architecture. Click here to read more.

3.

 Beautiful reflections

Photo source

 Click here to see photos of beautiful reflections.

 

WILBUR

I read a blog called Daisies and Bruises:The Art of Living With Depression. Living with depression is certainly an art. Medication takes the edge off my depression and then I try to make my life as positive as possible. When I was first diagnosed with chronic major depression 20 years ago, I didn't tell anyone. I even went to a chemist in another suburb so my local pharmacist didn't know!

As depression has become more talked about and more accepted, I have shared my experiences and especially tried to help those with similar problems. There is hope but you have to work at it. I thank God that I was diagnosed when I was.

It's not all gloom and doom but living a productive, successful life with depression does take work.

Looking at the positives is part of the answer, and enjoying the small moments in life. So I write my blog to share some of these positives and small moments. It helps me focus on the good things in my life.

Often these things may seem trivial but I try to enjoy all the small things. Life has taken a few unexpected turns leaving me not so well off financially as I once was. Being suddenly made redundant meant that my lifestyle has changed quite markedly, although I am eternally grateful for my pension. My life now tends to be made  up of smaller, quieter things. I may be money poor but I am time rich and really enjoying it.

Lovely P:-) cleaned out my gutters for me on the weekend. I live in the trees and my gutters continually fill with leaves, but I love it.

This was the view from my ensuite. It was so pretty I decided to add a few more shots.

I love the view from the back of my house. I love being part of the bush, yet I am right on the edge of the city and 10 minutes from Wollongong CBD.


I have a plain silver wreath that I decorated, sticking with my theme of silver and gold, and hung it on my front door.

P:-) and I went to church and the stage was decorated with mini-lights set in the shapes of Christmas tree. It was very pretty. We sang some carols which really gave the feeling that Christmas is coming.

And lastly.....
I bought myself this little piglet called Wilbur. I just couldn't leave him in the shop.

I called him Wilbur after the pig in Charlotte's Web. I loved that book. My daughter R has the middle name of Fern, after the little girl in the story.

No doubt you will see more of Wilbur in posts to come.


I'll leave you with a lovely Christmas photo.

Interesting sites

1.

 Houses in the trees

Photo source

Architect Peter Bahouth built a series of houses in the trees connected by wooden bridges in Atlanta. Inspired by his love for nature and his childhood memories of boyhood treehouses, environmentalist Peter Bahouth created this grown-up fort in his Atlanta backyard. The three rooms of this treehouse have been named ‘Mind,’ ‘Body’ and ‘Spirit’ by its owner. A suspension bridge connects the living room to the bedroom that includes a platform bed which slides out for a better view of the tree canopy. Click here to see more.


2.

 Lighthouses

Photo source

The lighthouse is a near-universal symbol of safety and guidance that has helped mariners find their way home since ancient times. Although they are gradually outliving their usefulness, they are still epic monuments to human ingenuity and to their own resilience. Click here to see some interesting photos.

3.

Photo source

Here are 10 of the most bizarre shark species. Some of them are downright alien-like (like the frilled shark seen in the photo above), but rest assured — all of these creatures are real and can be found in our oceans! Click here to see more.

CHRISTMAS DECORATING

You wake up one day & the storm is over.

Limewindow

I have been enjoying the run up to Christmas.


Last year, because I was made redundant, I didn't know if I was going to have to move out of my house. I didn't really know where I would be going. So I got rid of a lot of my Christmas stuff. (I have a few health problems and I ended up receiving a pension which meant I could keep my house.) So this year my decorations are a little low key and somewhat home made.


I found some gold spray paint in the garage and gave some pine cones and leaves a spray.

Then I hung them on my branch tree. I found my branch out in my yard and decided on gold and silver and white decorations.

I made a special friend this little mouse in a stocking to hang on her tree. She loved it and hung it on a door knob where it would be more easily seen.

It is hand sewn using felt.
You can find the tutorial for it here on Molly and Mama Makes.


The Cat Birds have been back, perched on the branches of a swamp oak outside my window.

It is interesting to note that the Cat Bird is actually a member of the Bowerbird family. They make a mewing sound just like cats - hence their name. 

I love the birds that come to my yard. The lyrebird has been around a bit on my back deck but seems quite skittish and I haven't been able to take many photos of him. But I managed one this morning. He was perched on my deck going through his repertoire of bird calls, which sounds very pretty.

I'll leave you with one of my lovely Christmas pictures with toadstool.

Interesting sites

1.

Environmental Advantages of Green Rooftops

Photo source

Extensive planting within cities is now widely recognised as a means of improving air quality. Therefore, green roofs contribute to the reduction of a number of polluting air particles and compounds not only through the plants themselves, but also by deposition in the growing medium itself. Green roofs have a number of advantages. Click here to read about them and see some interesting photos.


2.

 Thought-provoking art 

Photo source

Pawel Kuczynski is an artist from Poland who creates thought-provoking art. At first sight, his illustrations might seem funny, but when you look closer, they actually depict some serious problems of today's world. Can you decrypt Kuczynski's messages through his art? Read More: http://www.whydontyoutrythis.com/2014/05/at-first-it-looked-like-normal-painting-when-actually-thought-about-it-wow.html

 Pawel Kuczynski is an artist from Poland who create thought-provoking art. At first sight his illustrations may appear funny, but when you look closer, they actually depict some serious problems of today's world.
Can you decipher Kuczynski's message through his art?

Pawel Kuczynski is an artist from Poland who creates thought-provoking art. At first sight, his illustrations might seem funny, but when you look closer, they actually depict some serious problems of today's world. Can you decrypt Kuczynski's messages through his art? Read More: http://www.whydontyoutrythis.com/2014/05/at-first-it-looked-like-normal-painting-when-actually-thought-about-it-wow.html

Pawel Kuczynski is an artist from Poland who creates thought-provoking art. At first sight, his illustrations might seem funny, but when you look closer, they actually depict some serious problems of today's world. Can you decrypt Kuczynski's messages through his art? Read More: http://www.whydontyoutrythis.com/2014/05/at-first-it-looked-like-normal-painting-when-actually-thought-about-it-wow.html

Click here to see more. 


3.

 17 unusual beaches

Photo source

Here are 17 beaches that, in one way or another, might not be anything like the beaches you’re used to.

One of the most striking differences in many of these beaches are the different sand colors. Sand is generally formed out of whatever the waves happen to be banging against the shore, be they rocks, shells, corals, or glass. Rare green beaches can contain olivine, which is a remnant of volcanic eruptions, and black beaches are also generally formed by volcanic remnants. The pink beaches of Bermuda are colored by coral remnants.

Click here  to see them. 

DECEMBER - MY FAVOURITE MONTH

 Don’t slip into mediocrity by living your life based solely on popular opinion.

Joshua Becker

I love December. It is my favourite month. I love Christmas and everything to do with it. For various reasons most of my family don't. For one family member it is a link with sadness in the past. For another it is the fact that our family is broken and we won't all be together as in times past. And for one it is just the total stress of so much socializing. A bit sad really - but I don't let it stop me - and luckily my Mum likes Christmas so I have at least one ally. P:-) enjoys Christmas.
 

December 1st and I have chosen my branch in the backyard that I will use for a Christmas tree. This is a tradition going back many years. P:-) thinks it is a bit odd. For a few years we had a big artificial green tree when my younger daughter R asked for a ' real plastic tree like everybody else.'

 

So far my branch has a single bird on it.

I couldn't resist this pretty bargain priced bird when shopping for craft supplies.  I plan to trim my tree in silver, gold and white.

Summer is the time for Jacarandas and my Jacaranda tree has laid a carpet of purple flowers in my backyard.

The purple contrasts nicely with the green of the garden plants.


My daughter R has been painting these beautiful shells for presents and I am hoping I may end up with some for Christmas.

And I can't resist adding this kookaburra we spotted at P:-)'s place, perched on the wires looking for prey in the grass below.

Heart Lamb and Lentil Soup

We enjoyed this soup last night. Every time I cook a leg of lamb I put the bone in the freezer until I am ready to make this soup. It means you can use every scrap of meat and the soup makes 3 meals for P:-) and me. It is very economical and makes one leg of lamb do quite a few meals.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large or 2 small onions

1 large carrot

2 cloves crushed garlic

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

450 gram tin chopped tomatoes

1 1/2 cups dried soup mix

left over lamb bone with a small amount of scrap meat on it

6 cups water

4 teaspoons stock powder

Method

1.    Heat oil in pan.

2.    Whizz carrot and onion in food processor and add to oil. Stir for 3 minutes.

4.    Add garlic and paprika and stir 1 minute.

5.    Add tin tomatoes and stir.

6.    Add soup mix and lamb bone.

7.    Add water and stock powder.

8.    Simmer covered for 1 1/2 hours until rich and thick.

9.    Remove bone and remove meat from bone.

10. Chop meat finely add to soup and simmer for 5 more minutes.

Makes 6 serves.
Freezes well.

I began writing this blog to help me look at the positives in my life. Since I enjoy December I am going to try to write a few more posts this month. So keep an eye out.

Love this tree!!

Interesting sites

1 .

A lot of Tiny Houses

Photo source

Click here to checkout a whole lot of Tiny Houses .


2.

 Wooden Beetle exterior

Photo source

71-year-old Bosnian retiree Momir Bojic has crafted a completely wooden Volkswagen beetle exterior from over 50,000 pieces of hand-carved oak.Click here to read more.


3.

 Use Chemistry to solve everyday problems

Photo source

Regardless of how you feel about chemistry class, you’re putting chemical reactions to use in your life all the time. Knowing just a bit more about how these reactions work can make many things in life just a little easier, and a new YouTube series produced by the American Chemical Society promises to help you use chemistry to solve everyday problems. Click here to read more.