Bowling anyone?

Last week Hubby took part in a corporate Ten-Pin Bowling do for work.

I was a spectator.... major klutz-oh-rama that I am.

The cool thing is they (as in work mates & Hubby) won the tournament!

As proud as I was of my "dorky shoe touting" beau this is not the primary motivation for this post.

I just loved the venue! 

Cool retro decor...

funky lighting and 80's video clips....

Busy Saturday night?

PS - Houston we have Chickens! Yes that's right! Two stunning black Australorp pullets

(Oooh listen to me and my farming lingo!)

We also recently had a LOT of rain, I mean a LOOOOT...

I'll be posting photos of my feathered friends soon.

All of the above = me giddy with excitement!

Stay cosy!

Now is the Winter of my Utter Content!

Sorry William but in my life there can be no such thing as a "Winter of Discontent" and although I know that these famous lines are filled with irony, I prefer my smug misquote anyway.

This week has been filled with all sorts - cleaning out of sheds, lesson planning for work, being sick, work, being more sick....blaaaaah. Anyway I'm on the mend now and therefore happy to reflect on the events of the week that was....

The most important being our first BIG Winter rain! I dropped my son off at school and we had to wait for a moment for the downpour to cease before he could exit the vehicle. Needless to say we were both giddy with excitement. I went home and made sure that lunch would suitably suffice the days "cosiness levels" hence the soup du jour.....

Organic Soba Noodles, Scallops, Baby Peas and Sweetcorn.

Yum Scrumptious I tell you - and so darn easy.
It took me ten minutes to whip this up and it was so filling.
I made the recipe up with what I had in the pantry so for a similar dish try this.

Hubby then topped off the days culinary successes with this doozy....

Chocolate Heaven
(again tweeked and twiddled by Hub but try this for something similar)

I stopped by at my favourite local Florist  and picked up these spray roses and then shared the bunch amongst my many little vials and vases. I start nesting when the weather gets cooler and I find myself getting excited about the oddest things.....

Like toe socks....

... and wearing my favourite Red Riding Hood coat.

Even my pooch seems more willing to curl up on a couch and do sweet nothing...yawn.

I collected fallen leaves from the garden, made a "Welcome Back Winter" garland; and hung it above the hearth - love that word... HEARTH (no surprise that it contains the word heart in it yeah?)

There's something so sexy about the colours of Autumn.

So even though the weekend was filled with sunshine and butterflies...

I remained blissfully focused on all things cosy, Wintery and wonderful.
Oh and the weekend weather forecast? Cold, rainy and cloudy.
(Happy - Crazy - Nana Gown - Cup O Tea in Hand - Dance)

So have yourselves a super week peoples - the toaster has just popped and the marmalade - Cranberry and Red Grapefruit thank you very much - is calling...
Tooodle Ooooh!

Mixed Lollies

Do you have days (maybe even a few in a row!?) where everything muddles into one?

When your thoughts are all messy and this uncomfortable "fog" settles on the brain?

Mmmm... I do

I usually put it down to things like - not enough sleep, not enough greens, not enough meditation, not enough creating OR too much sugar, too much worrying, too much cake, too much rubbish telly etc...

All extremes and probably not even remotely accurate! 

So what is this mental fogalitis (new word) and why does it occur?

Hazaaa!!

It's withdrawal symptoms from lack of contact with young-uns!

That has to be it - because after a divine Mothers Day picnic, (at Houghtons Winery in the Swan Valley) with little nieces and nephew and precious Prince Max... I am cured!

(Well for now at least)

To be surrounded by so much love....

To have a Mum who rocks!

To see the little ones exploring....

sharing...

and being cheeky monkeys! 

To have a hubby thoughtful enough to pack the camp cooker for fresh tea and of course...

Home baked cake!

Well it's all a gal can ask for in life! Gratitude oozed from every pore and I pondered on all the families who have a Mum that's far away or no longer around. Light and love to you.

My batteries were charged and I was ready for a week of crazy thrifting & creative crafting!

In fact I made my first ever "absentee bid" at  this Auction house 

on a small selection of utterly divine children's books. Outcome?
 SOLD! TO BIDDER NUMBER 8013 (that's me)

Sneak peek...

And a personal favourite 

Huckle and Uncle Willie feeding the chooks on the farm  - Richard Scarry of course

 I took these shots with my phone and so they do NOT honour the illustrations AT ALL.

Therefore a whole post dedicated to my lucky win is soon to follow.

Yes Sir - I am pumped. I bought some material on the weekend too - for fabric bunting.

I scored a whole pile of Golden Hands Pattern books from a thrift store - photos to follow.

I now own a small loom with which to craft flowers and squares using ribbon/wool etc.

The paper bunting is chugging along well.

I plan on enrolling in a knitting class at our local community centre.

And most importantly .... Winter is on it's way! This time for real.

I know this because, this morning, my dash from outdoor shower to the heater indoors would have easily qualified me for the Olympics (and I needed 2 blankets last night)

(Yahooooooo...happy cosy Nana gown dance!!)

Oh and one more FABULICIOUSLY cool tidbit of news...

Magnum PI reruns - Ch11, Midday, Mon-Friday.

If anything you have to check out the shirts... and the hairdont's... and the believable narratives!?

..... and Tom - just do it peoples!

Chicken run and Winter....sun?

Houston we have lift off! 

Well actually we are hoping for quite the opposite - more like Houston we have ... "stay put" 

After a mere 19 months I am happy to announce that the JAm clan have a quintessential chook run. 

It's  a bit wonky (built on a slope mind you) and it's a bit of a jigsaw puzzle but hey... it's gorgeous!

We purchased a cedar chicken coop online - it came flat packed and Hubby put it together....

We then attached Villa Chicken to the existing skeleton of a chicken coop that was already here when we bought our little house in the hills (most of it had to be dismantled since it was falling apart and someone had rudely filled it with builders rubble - Grrrrr!) but we are happier with this more "homely" version anyway.....

Nestled under a beautiful old Callistemon Tree .....

clearly signposted......

.... and brightened with a few colourful wind-wheels!

Methinks these feathered ladies are going to be most satisfied in their new dwellings!

Our dearest friends will be assisting us in the purchase of the most appropriate fowl suited to this humble abode - personally if I was a chook I'd want to live with me! Will keep you posted for sure!

In the meantime I am marvelling at how long dear dear Winter is taking .... sigh...

But at the same time I'm loving the beautiful spring temperatures and the bustle of critters in the garden. No doubt preparing for their hibernation! We have the most stunning tree out the front - not sure what it's called but as you approach it you can actually here it buzzing with activity of a hundred gorgeous bees!

Then there's the scent wafting from the Wattles out the front, so heady and sweet....

& the Hibiscus is still blooming away!

Our Olives are ready for brining....

& the Lemons are still weighing down the branches!

With nothing but colour surrounding us....

It's hard not to smile and be more patient for... yes ... you guessed it...

RAIN!

So here's to Spring just before Autumn? Winter?