Celebrations and Blue Skies

Last weekend saw us skipping down to the New South Wales south coast for a family celebration.
We enjoyed ourselves immensely and it is always great to catch up with far flung family members. The weather was perfect if just a little bit windy and chilly.
Just look at our brilliant blue Australian sky...glorious.

In the blink of an eye the weekend was over and it was time to fly home with our memories.

Hope your weekend was lovely too

Annie xx

Thank You

Thank you one and all for making my first blog anniversary special.

The lovely comments you posted made my heart sing.

Annie xx

A Bouquet

Beautiful palest pink roses used in a bouquet for a bridal fashion shoot which was styled by my talented daughter.

This photo is on the sidebar temporarily so I couldn't resist including it on my blog to share their sheer beauty and keep the memory forever.

Perfection.

Which leads me to ask...'which is Your favourite coloured Rose'?

Annie xx

Frangipanis and Frizz

The frangipani tree is blooming and I'm ecstatic. Every garden should have a frangipani I say. Of course this edict only applies if one lives in the appropriate climate.

I have taken to grabbing a flower or two on the way to my car and shoving them in my 'do'. The fragrance is divine and my head smells delicious.

Apologies for the photo quality, I'm getting lazy and resorting to using the phone camera and the results are not always great (slaps self on hand).
The humidity in my region is woeful and my hair is struggling to maintain a semblance of order. Flyaway bits and frizz are commonplace.


Who knew taking self-portrait type photos of the back of one's head would be so difficult?
Are you in the habit of plucking a bloom from the garden and adorning your locks with said bloom like moi?

The heat can be brutal and I really should be wise to the fact that to purchase blooms and expect them to live in these conditions is ridiculous. These roses I snapped the day after purchase, the heat just knocked them for six!

How are you coping with weather conditions in your part of the world?

xx

Flowering and Pruning

Happiness is a flowering Agapanthus. Or at least for me as I've never grown them before which is rather daft considering I've lived in the perfect aggie growing climate for many years.

The blooms are not fantastic but they are showing potential!

When the heat ramps up for us southern hemisphere gals and my hair gives me the heebie jeebies I launch into it with my trusty old hairdressing scissors. Goodbye several inches. Now I feel lighter and cooler and if I regret this impetuous decision next week, no problem, hair grows. At least I left enough length to still manage an 'up do'.

Gee it's been hot in my neck of the woods today!


Annie xx

Colourful considerations

Black and white are my signature colours but spring and the abundance of colour is cheering to my soul. At the moment I'm obsessed with snapping these brilliant colours for blogging. I'm working on my photography skills (or lack thereof ) and having oodles of fun in the process. 

Not a flower but colourful and a popular childrens treat in Australia. Buttered bread sprinkled with hundreds and thousands (confectionery). Affectionately known as Fairy Bread and served at many a birthday party. The name is thought to derive from a poem of Robert Louis Stevenson's named 'Fairy Bread'. Or so Wikipedia informs me so I hope this is correct.
Freshly made today by my darling daughter as a contribution for her friends 21st birthday tea party.
Who says we have to 'grow up' upon turning the magical 21!

Do you treat yourself to a glass of wine and cheese and bikkies while preparing the evening meal? It's nice to reward ourselves after the days adventures. I'm rather partial to an Australian Havarti or Brie cheese and a chilled Pinot Grigio

The reason I designed a large kitchen island bench...is it obvious? Messy cook, that would be me. This display is from two cakes let alone dinner. The quick mix cakes book is my cake baking bible. The pages are spotted with grease smudges etc, the pages are dog eared and it's literally falling apart. Circa 1993.
Have been looking at the front cover since 1993 and avoiding whipping up this piece of fabuliciousness. I should just Do It.

This little Ronson hand mixer is quite old now and she does not owe me a cent bless her but I am seriously considering upgrading to the queen of mixers, can you guess what model I'm interested in?
Every blogger who owns one absolutely loves theirs to bits so that's a great recommendation. Serious consideration is being given to choice of colour. Hmmm....black and white kitchen, should I play safe or strike out, live dangerously and purchase one of the bright shades to sit on the benchtop?
Suggestions appreciated.

Enjoy your Saturday night, I'm off to pour a wine and create kitchen mess.
xx