Bon Voyage!

Good - Bye lovely (LOVELY) peoples!

To all of you I wish a very Merry Christmas and 

an adventurous & special New Year.

I have decided to leave all blogging until I return

(you know..... a vacation from it ALL)

I will have so much to share but it will have to wait and even 

though I consider my posting a most relaxing affair it seems

fitting to "vacate" from all tasks and simply "be"

Much love and light to you all...

And as all us true Aussies like to say....

"Catch ya later mate!"

***********

What to do... what to do?

Do you suppose it's a tad dramatic to want to lock up

a condiment before you embark on a holiday overseas?

Perhaps I can hid it in my sock drawer?

Darn.... 

Now I can't because I told you where it would be!

Silly me.

Think, think... think.

Well it looks like I'm just going to have to open a safety deposit box

in Zurich. Lady Vida... you have missed your calling... seriously.

Methinks you need to contact David Jones or Donna Hay or some such.

You see if EVERY-body could devour your jam on toast for breakfast EVERY-day....

Well there'd be no wars, no fighting, no angst. Just sticky happy smiling faces.

And so my Christmas has begun peoples!

Already I have received delights beyond imagining....

Like these two tweets who moved in last night.... Thank you Lord David & Lady Jill!

(and the lovely image above is from a Christmas card hand delivered by dear

friends whilst we were out - Thank you Lady Rachel!)

Sigh... now I have to, have to,  have to, 

HAVE to start packing....

But I'd rather do this ....

Mixed Lollies on Monday...

So a well known super model 

 walks into a bar and asks the bartender for a drink that will both

"wake her up & mess her up"

Apparently.

(to be precise the legend does not say she used the word mess, 

 indeed she opted for slightly more vulgar terminology... apparently)

But as is the case with many celebrity stories who knows how accurate they really are.

What I can say for sure is that the cocktail made for her 

was made for me on Saturday...

(to kick off festivities with my Hubby's family)

.... and my brother in law nailed it. 

Truly the scrummiest cocktail I've had in a long time.

Known as a Vodka Espresso (or Espresso Martini) and elegantly presented in their 

funky "no stem" martini glasses.

Thanks Crash! You are the man!

My father in law prepared Calamari in the wood fire oven and suffice to say there was not a 

tentacle left! The wine flowed, the laughter escalated and the pizzas were illegally tasty

(as always)

Our contribution was a Christmas Panettone. 

Basically you hollow out one of these babies and fill it with ice cream that you have blended

with cranberries, ginger, all spice and pistachios.

I then topped it with white chocolate and cashous to add a little festive flair.

There are many variations and you can certainly improvise to suit your taste.

For a climate where Christmas day is usually spent perspiring it makes for a sensible 

and flexible festive desert.

The afternoon was filled with smiles and giggles as we played 

with the little dudes in their backyard. 

I'd like to add that if there was no food I would've eaten the kids.

Seriously - they are the kinda cute that just makes your heart ache.

Young Prince has such a way with the little people.... 

..... and I think it's fair to say that ...

... even if we'd forgotten the gifts....

.... the kids would've survived (just!)

However gifts were NOT forgotten and I do believe that NOBODY was as blessed

as I was to have received such thoughtful and carefully chosen delights. 

My in laws gave me a voucher to my most favourite store Mr Sparrow 

(Thank you for remembering M & C!!)

&

my sister and brother in law gave me this cushion (DIVINE right?) from an Etsy

store called My Bearded Pigeon and I literally had heart palpitations trying to decide where it would live. I have since decided that in fact it needs to travel all around the house - 

thereby increasing the many vantage points

 from which to gaze upon its loveliness. The journey begins on my study chair.

Gnomes - I am so chuffed and so grateful that you took the time to find something handmade.

Thank you!

Hubby received a set of Vintage Coffee mugs, all with various branding

on the front. So sweet that I may have to perform the sacrilegious act of 

drinking tea from a coffee mug... indeed I shall.

Back at the ranch.... my girls are doing well even though 

their brood of babies have moved away. 

They are laying again and I spent 2 hours 

sowing seeds and laying fresh hay to reward them for all their egg-cellent work

(I know... I know - heard that one before I'm sure)

But really... have you ever seen such a lovely sight?

Not the dirty fingernails 

(a farmers work is tough ya'know!)

...  but the perfection of an egg.

I'm having one poached for breakfast today and the yolk is 

a resplendent yellow... deeeelish!

With all the wet weather we've experienced the garden is looking 

spectacular. All the Jacaranda trees are in full bloom leaving our streets looking

magical and carpets of lilac snow to brighten your morning walk.

My lilies have bloomed too and I'm so chuffed to have such

graceful flowers to place around the house.

Unfortunately I'll miss my Agapanthus blooming

(we'll be away) so I'll have to remain content with the promise

of their unique cheerfulness and stature - last year there were purple

ones that stood taller than me!

Our citrus trees are also covered in fruit and the notion of 

all the recipes I can tackle when I return has me giddy with

lip smacking anticipation!

My evening will be spent packing and crafting.

I have more bunting to finish - this lot is for 3 little girls

so there will be quite a bit of pink methinks!

and then I have some plans with these ribbons...

... am I the only one who gets goosebumps when it comes to ribbon?

Confession: when I see the interior of the Pratt Sisters haberdashery (in Lark Rise to Candleford)

I like to pause the vision and scrutinise their luxurious collection. I think I may even have 

Ribbonitis - a condition whereby the mere presence of spooled fabric presents as a distraction.

Oh how it would have suited me to live in an Austen novel.... sigh.

*****

Lovely peoples do you too have things that prove a distraction to you?

Things that present unlimited potential and contain an electrical charge that

 fires the imagination into overdrive... do share.

Graduation.....

I am a part of all that I have met;
Yet all experience is an arch wherethrough
Gleams that untravelled world, whose margin fades
For ever and for ever when I move.

Tennyson

My Young Prince graduates from Primary School today...

Maxwell.... you are my North Star.

This one is dedicated to you

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

Or is it?

Is it just me or does anyone else find these "Inflatable Santas" utterly ridiculous?

Apologies to all the lovers of a Fat Floating Father Christmas - harsh, I know.

 But what is the point in having a festive icon 

loll about drunkenly out the front of every store?? 

I know I sound like Frasier Crane but honestly... Where's the dignity?

I try not to post anything negative on my blog so I 

do apologise for the critical tone.

 In my defense though...

I have seen toddlers run screaming from these monstrous balloon like creatures!

Anyhoo - on a more upbeat tone...

Summer is here!

(apart from the spectacular electrical storm that Perth saw today... Global warming?)

And it is officially HOT!

Saturday and Sunday were a nasty reminder of just how serious Mr Sun gets around here.

We had the evaporative air conditioning on all weekend and still the sweat poured...

I have to keep the bamboo blinds down on the front patio

(for fear of cooking things in the kitchen without a stove)

 I've exchanged all closed shoes with sandals...

and all denim or wool with cotton and linen!

Too hot to garden - so attention is drawn to a bit of decorating...

... a bit of arranging...

... and LOADS of eating. 

I thought I ate more in Winter but truth be told - I eat a lot all the time.

Pictured above: A cheesy-mite scroll - to quote Dorcas Lane from Lark Rise to Candleford - 

"Cheesy-mite scrolls are my one weakness"

Our vegetable/herb patch is looking rather disappointing I must say.

All this wet weather has had the snail & slug numbers increasing.

Still ... we do see some promise in the tomato department.

Yesterday Hubby and I jaunted off to do the last of our Christmas shopping

(All done now! Yay!)

We finished off in Fremantle where the town is hosting the World Sailing Championships.

Cor Blimey! - I said that when I saw all the sail boats lined up on the lawn.

Looked odd seeing so many boats outside of the water.

The atmosphere in Freo is buzzing and although the weather was 

how shall we put it.... sticky ... we had great success gift hunting and I do believe there

ought to be some rather chuffed family members this year.

How has your Christmas shopping gone this year peoples?

I have made a pact with myself ... 

Next year EVERYTHING I give will

be handmade or purchased from

 Etsy/Made-it/Big Cartel etc - where some other great talent will be shared and gifted.

Can it be done?

Can I overcome a silly insecurity that calls me to the stores to 

purchase "worthier" and "more exciting" gifts 

than those I can make myself? 

I'm not sure - but I'd sure like to give it my best shot.

I'd even like to go so far as to gift my own art.

This will require quite an increase in confidence I'm certain.

Somehow that little voice still creeps in and says

"Oooh... but maybe it's not to their taste, maybe they'll hate it, maybe..

maybe... maybe...

****

Tell me what you think?

(and be brutal)

Would you mind receiving art that you have not chosen?

Is it a grey zone?

What if the art were say... small photographs? 

(small photographs of small things? - Can you tell I'm not confident enough to give anyone

a large piece of canvas art?) 

A homage to Slinkachu and Michael Paul Smith perhaps?

Mr Plod - who's spectacles have gone missing - leading to the arrest

of a plant for indecent exposure?

Or perhaps Katie - who has had her heart broken 

by Patrick - the juggler from the circus.

Or even Charles & Patricia - celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary - still as in love today as the day they first met (and decided life without each other would simply not suffice)

What say you peoples? 

I'm thinking tiny little images - perhaps in lockets?

Picture on one side and story on the other?

Heaven on Earth...

Alright peoples.

Deep breath.

If this is what heaven looks like

(which I really hope it might)

Then please .... somebody shoot me now

I'm seated in this chair - I'm looking out at Gods canvas - the Swiss Alps. I have tea, no wine. I'm reading poetry. I'm smelling the fire. I'm wriggling my toes and smiling like a silly puppy. I'm wondering how blessed we are to have dreamers who create spaces for other dreamers. I'm a little emotional, I'm a little excited. I look around and I realise that nature really can provide you with all that you will ever need. I'm in love.

I was sent the December Aesop e-letter and in it there was a link to this place.

Chalet Zannier in the Swiss Alps.

And if you think these images are swoon worthy - then take a sacred moment

to cast your eyes upon this section of their web page - aptly titled "Spirit"

I'm actually now..... speech "less"

******

Please note!

All images taken from the Chalet Zannier website.

(If I was there I doubt I'd even remember to take photos!)

Click on gallery/photos link within website for original image feed