Fathers Day

Father's Day was celebrated today in Australia. This year it was just Mr red roses, our son and myself, our daughter is overseas. The emphasis was on super casual for lunch so I threw a cloth on the outside table, threw smoked salmon, chicken, Brie cheese and fresh bread on a platter and we then proceeded to wash it all down with cold beer and chilled white wine.
The beloved grandfathers are now in heaven so we raised a glass to them then sat on our deck and listened to birdsong and gazed up into the treetops.

Chocolate dipped strawberries and coffee finished off our fare and now I am dashing off this post before I collapse on the sofa from overindulging in good food and maybe one too many glasses of good wine.

And here is a thought for a wee giggle...hmm yes haven't most women encountered this!

Annie xx

Perfect Camouflage

At first glance you can be forgiven for not noticing these two visitors in the tree, snoozing the day away.

Standing on our deck and happened to look up and notice these two doing a rather good job of camouflaging themselves.

So serene and beautiful with not a care in the world.
A mother Tawny Frogmouth owl and her offspring basking in the autumn sunshine.

Can you see them?

Mother nature at her best.


Annie xx

Autumn

 A Brisbane Autumn

My favourite season

Annie 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

Meandering

Well yes I am being very naughty and procrastinating today. I should be activating little jobs before we up, up and away to Beijing and Hong Kong but no I sit and stare at the fan whirling around on this rather warm day.
Someone take this smart phone away from me please. Of course I love it to bits but the camera component is a major distraction.
Any excuse to avoid what I should be doing.

So out to the garden I go for a meander....

The agapanthas came with the house (first time around for moi with this flower). Can someone tell me when they will bloom?

Starting to think I should have called this blog Yellow Roses as the yellow bush is leaving the red bush for dead. Come on red rose bush get your act together please.

The transplanted frangipani is going great guns!

The duckies are a permanent garden fixture and both have required surgery to reattach a beak and a decapitated head.

So looking forward to the beams being overhauled. Can you guess what the new colour will be, knowing my penchant for a certain shade?


Enough meandering. This little duck needs to get back to business folks.....


Annie xx

Appreciation

So the plan was to pull weeds from my garden, instead I wandered around, camera in hand snapping pictures of pretties. I don't know about you but I really need to be in the right frame of mind to deal with weeds and today I just wasn't.
As I fluffed around, a genuine appreciation of the beautiful sunny day and my ability to enjoy my garden hit me. Spring is a wondrous season in Brisbane with bursts of colour everywhere. The rain we enjoyed yesterday has rejuvenated  the foliage.

My fluffing also took me to our storage area. Now I figure if I post about my bike I'll get motivated and dust her off, pump up the tyres, drag out my cycling gear and away we go.
Don't you like her colours..grey, white, silver and black. Very Red Roses and Crystal.
Taking up cycling when my son was a teenager was a case of 'if you can't beat em join em'. The two men in my family are avid cyclists so....I got with the program!

Alas several years ago I suffered a nasty foot injury (the culprit was a humble slippery step) and with months of treatment and healing I lost my strength and confidence and invented excuses to avoid taking the plunge back to a pastime and form of exercise I relished. Fear of another injury can really stop us enjoying life.

Maybe it's spring and how this season makes feel alive and appreciative that I'm still able to push those pedals but I'm ready to jump back on the bike and give it a whirl. Come what may.

Wish me luck cause I'm a little rusty!

Annie xx