HOLIDAY SNAPS

Max and I had a great few days away at Lorne.

We went from one side of Port Phillip Bay to the other, about a 2 and a half hour drive.

Click on some of the links to check out the history of the area

Great Ocean Road Monument

Sparrow on the Pier at Lorne

This is the view from our balcony to the beach

12 Apostles
Giant rock stacks that rise majestically from the Southern Ocean and are the central feature of the rugged Port Campbell National Park


This was our appartment

Thought that some of you "Shabby Pink Girls' would love this little boat

Something for the 'Lovers of Rust'

This gorgeous Swing Bridge was just up the beach from where we stayed

Max's yummy Big Breakfast

Erskine Falls - 312 steps to get down there and what felt like more than 312 steps to get back up

How sweet is this little bird

I should have cropped this photo so you could have a better look at this sweet bird, so why not just click on the photo to enlarge it

Sunrise from our loungeroom on our last day

Moonlight walk on the beach on our last night at Lorne

OFF TO LORNE

Time for a break.

Max and I are just about to jump in the car and go to stay at Mantra Lorne

We come back Tuesday afternoon

GRANDMA

During the school holidays I was babysitting all 3 grandchildren.

Usually I only have the littlest Riley for 2 days a week (and Lachlan and Chloe occasionally after school) but as you can see by his little face in the photo below he was sick.

Chloe and Lachlan sat with him on the sofa watching TV. They had my Gran's crocheted rug on their knees.

It got me thinking about my Gran and the influence she had on my life.

Here is a photo of her in the mid 1960's. She died in 1968 when I was 14

I visited her nearly every day as she lived just around the corner and had a wonderful relationship with her

She was always busy making something.

She crocheted this lovely rug

I remember her pulling about old sweaters and washing and rewinding the wool to use in the rug. Many a time I sat at her feet with my hands out stretched to wrap the wool.

She also made this hexagonal quilt that sometimes lays at the bottom of my bed

Most of the fabrics in this quilt were from clothes that could no longer be repaired, scraps from sewing even the occasional tie. I love looking at it and remembering which fabric came from my own clothes

Such lovely colours

I love seeing her hand stitching.

So many memories. She used to have newspaper templates that the fabric would then be hand stitched onto. Then the hexagons would be sewn together . Once it was finished the newspaper would be pulled out.

I beleive that her love of creating influenced me with the crafts I enjoy today

I can only hope that my grandchildren will remember me with as much love as I remember my Gran

WHITE WEDNESDAY

It's White Wednesday over at Faded Charms again.

So many lovely whites to see. Click on Faded Charms and go have a look.

Today I have shown my Family Photo Wall

Love all of the White Frames and the lovely White Family Frame

The three grandchildren are in the photos under 'Family'

With 2 new babies due in December I'll have to redo the wall to fit them in.

This candelabra is one of a pair that is on a butlers tray.
They were a brassy look metal that I painted white and used on tables at Amy's wedding last year

This sweet little angel sitting on my dressing table was a gift from my sister

This is also one of a pair that sits on my dressing table.

I have lots of candle holders scattered around the house

So pop over to Faded Charms and check out White Wednesday

WHITE WEDNESDAY

I know it's Thursday here in Australia but over at Faded Charm it is White Wednesday

There are lots of wonderful blogs to visit and see lots and lots of Wonderful Whites.

Here in my entry from the mirror above a half circle table you can see my other little white entry table with some white goodies on it. There is also a mirror above that table. On the table I have white candlesticks, shells and a glass urn full of sea glass and a candle in the middle

There is a birdhouse you can see refleected on the left hand side of the mirror

Click on photos to enlarge
Here is the birdhouse, at night I have a battery operated tealight candle flickering inside

I love the detail on this wall sconce that is in my lounge room

This is also on top of the table refelcted in the mirror of the first photo

FISHERMAN'S BEACH MORNINGTON

After a cold Winter morning there is nothing like going to a local beach for a stroll in the afternoon sun

Below is a photo of Fisherman's Beach in Mornington (5 minute drive from home)

It is a lovely little beach.

Always seems to be seagulls sitting there waiting to see what the fishermen throw their way

Looks like they are just about walking on water here

They are such amazing birds

This one was a bossy boots, squawking at and chasing away any other birds that came near us.

We enjoyed our afternoon thawing out in the sun.

BREAKFAST & SUNSET

This morning Max and I met my sister and brother-in-law for breakfast to celebrate my BIL's birthday. As we live 93km(58miles) away from each other I found this lovely nursery/cafe that was nearly in the middle. It is called Warran Glen Garden Centre and Cafe and is Warrandyte, Victoria. So any of you Melbourne girls looking for somewhere to meet your friends then this is the place.

The entry was so pretty with lots of rusty metal.

See on the wall to the left pretty cut out panels that had lights behind them.

The urns at the front looked fabulous

If you click on the photo to enlarge it you can see that the cafe is at the back of the main building

Just look at this gorgeous urn

It was a cold frosty morning and there was frost on the top of the urn

See the cut out sections on the roof & side panels. So pretty and the sun shining through them onto the wall below looked wonderful
There was also a great gift section

There were some amazing huge water bowls/pots there

Loved the outdoor Living Section at the back

Wish I had a yard big enough to have this water feature


SUNSET at Mt Martha Beach

The winds were really strong so it was perfect conditions for the Wind Surfers

See the ship on the right of the setting sun

There's that ship again - now it's on the left of the sun

I don't know how these guys manage to control the boards.

A tough workout, they were going so fast.

SUNSHINE AND RAIN

AFTERNOON SUNSHINE

After our weekend rain the sun was beautiful this afternoon

I just love the afternoon sunshine streaming through my bedroom window.

Creating beautiful shadows as it streams through the lace curtains.

After 6 years of sunshine coming through these windows my toile drapes need replacing. I think this time they might just be white.

Click on photos to enlarge - they look better that way

Love the lacy shadows created by the afternoon sun

With our Winter weekend rain there were some gorgeous raindrops around the garden

This pretty Iceberg Rosebud with a hint of pink looked so pretty with it's raindrops

Love the way the drops of rain glisten

Drip, drop.

Love the frosty look of this rosebud

Such a soft and pretty look

Loving the big droplet just hanging and waiting to fall

Love how this is just hanging on the tip of the branch

All in a row

These I adore, looking like little glass balls

Not many blooms left on my climbing Pierre de Ronsard

Ready to drop off the tip of this lemon tree leaf

The rain was wonderful for our Victorian gardens