TURNING OVER NEW LEAVES

 Home, the spot of earth supremely blessed, A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest.

Robert Montgomery

I love my home. There are times when I think I should sell it for various reasons, but I just love it. I love that it is near the bush. I love all the love that has been put into the house and garden. I really feel that to sell it would be to lose a part of myself. Sometimes it is lonely. Sometimes the memories it holds are just too sad. Sometimes what needs fixing on my house seems overwhelming. One day the time will come when I will be parted from it but for now I will keep it.

Vintage flower fairy

Friday

Friday afternoon saw me having coffee at Gloria Jean's in Wollongong Mall. Every now and then I have coffee with Cheryl a client from Manna House, a place at my church where people down on their luck come in once a week for a free meal. Cheryl is 42 and has an intellectual disability. We always meet at Gloria Jeans as it is very public. 

This is the view up the mall from Gloria Jean's towards the west.

Wollongong Mall

Below is Wollongong Mall looking from Gloria Jean's towards the East.

Wollongong Mall

The local council plans to 'redo' the mall. But I think it is fine. I really don't want my rates to go up to prettify a perfectly useful and pleasant place.

Saturday 
 P:-) and I spent quite a bit of Saturday working on our poor little caravan. The skylight has cracked and let lots of water into the ceiling. P:-) has it all under control. We manage to find a new skylight in a catalogue at the local camping store and we ordered it. Hopefully it should come in about a week.


We spent some time pinning and gluing a part of the canvas which was falling down. We plan to go away in about 3 weeks to Davis Town but we haven't quite decided if we will take the caravan or the boat.


This is our little Jayco Finch.

Our caravan

It is a bit of an odd photo but I took it as best I could with the caravan  parked in P:-)'s drive way.




Sunday
Today was a bit of a mixed up day but I found some time to fix a wreath I made a couple of months ago from roses P:-) gave me, which I had dried.


The leaves had shriveled up.

Rose wreath

 I pressed some eucalyptus leaves in the phone book to replace the old leaves which I had just used fresh.

Pressed eucalyptus leaves

I pinned these onto the wreath form.

Leaves on wreath

Then I added the roses.

Wreath with new leaves

If you scroll back to the old wreath, you will see that the new version is infinitely better. I am hoping that having pressed the leaves first they will keep their shape and color.

Interesting sites

1.

Photo credit

 This apartment is fantastic in the true sense of the word. It is a surreal steampunk  apartment in New York.Click here to read more.

2.

Photo credit

  Click here to read about this ice hotel in Quebec

3.

Photo credit

  A horse riding pavilion is made to look like a stork's next. Click here to read more.

ROSES, ROSES, ROSES AND SAD PIGS

 Of course, there will always be more you could do, but you have to remind yourself that perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor.

Anne Lamott  in Bird by Bird p.93

Today I actually went for a walk in the morning - only a short one - I have to get my knees used to walking again gradually. So it was just down the street and back up again. I shall increase it a little each week. I had planned to go  at 6 am but only managed 8.30. But I was quite pleased with myself.

I am lucky they I live in a pretty area. This is the view as I walk out my front driveway.

It is so pretty while the purple jacaranda is flowering.

In the front yard next door is an old gnarled standard rose, with frilly pink blooms.

Look at the diameter of the trunk. I wonder how old this rose is and how big it would have been if it had been allowed to grow at its own rate.

 

The roses grow in large clusters.

My next door  neighbors have professional gardeners to look after their garden. It must make life a lot easier.

I bought the two blue and black cushion covers in the middle for $4.50 each at the two dollar shop. I haven't quite decided if they go with the rest of the cushions in my lounge room.

 

The flash on the camera has made the new satin cushions look very shiny and faded some of the others, so it is a little difficult to get the real idea.

I hung the rose wreath on the wall of my entry hall.

A couple of petals fell down as I put it up so I gave it a good spray with some hairspray and hope that keeps it intact for a while.

This afternoon was bible study at the church. The roses in the garden out the front are beautiful.

Please read this and click on the link

I don't like to finish on a sad note but I have just been reading about the cruelty to factory raised pigs. Pigs actually have the cognitive resources of a 3 years old. I hate cruelty to animals and when I read things such as this I find myself thinking about it for ages. It makes me so sad for these animals. Animals Australia is sponsoring a radio ad to try and stop the cruelty to factory farmed pigs. Please click here and read about the plight of factory farmed pigs in Australia and consider eating free range ham and pork this Christmas.


When I see these things about animals I think of my little Jasper. (Actually my Daughter R's Jasper)

Jasper the Mini Foxie

What if he were treated badly? The pigs are as smart as Jasper. What if he was treated like the pigs?


Every now and then I put something on Facebook, like this, that I am interested in - that I feel strongly about.  I think the last thing was about cluster bombs not being banned by the USA. There was no response. I rarely if ever get a comment or even a 'like'. I have put the plight of the pigs on on Facebook and I will let you if anybody shows the slightest interest.

Sometimes cruelty in the world just seems so overwhelming.

And don't forget to buy free range pork and ham.

 Interesting sites


1.

This artist makes giant sculptures from old bicycle chains. Where does he get them all?  Click here to read more.

2.

  Click here to watch a cute video on  how to make vegan pumpkin  choc chip cupcake muffins.

3.

  This triangular house is quite interesting. Click here to read more about it