Friday, April 27, 2012

I wish I'd see a field below

In an effort to ease my current grumpiness (I am enduring a rather problematic and traumatic root canal treatment which I have just discovered is going to take approximately 1 year and thousands of dollars to treat (if it works at all). Yeah 'grumpy' is probably an understatement.) I have just made myself a cup of tea, some Vegemite toast, and will now share with you some prettiness from my collection of prettiness folder.








I adore everything about this bedroom



 Love the glamor of this bathroom



Go check out Ginny and Harriet on Etsy. They have lots of lovely stuff for sale but I also just love the studio where the photos are taken. So Inspiring.



Have been eying off these canisters for a while now



How great is this?!



and this.


I would love to paint this stunning woman.

Well, I feel a bit better now. Nothing like tea and beautiful things to rest the soul a little.
Hope you are happy and well!
~Love E xo

remembering Adelaide...

As I patiently try to await my first trip back to Adelaide after moving home pregnant, my thoughts drift to certain good times.

That, and I was re-reading a magazine article all about how fantastic Adelaide is.

 Central Markets. The delectable delights. Lemon and chocolate - need I say more?
The black and white shot above was taken in queue for Lisa Mitchell concert. It's a really good shot of us I think. Natural. We hadn't really long known E, Z and Elishia's brother N? Okay, well Nathan, not sure if an initial suits him. Despite the newness of the formed friendship, I think we all knew it was a keeper.

It's beautiful how the city of Adelaide decided to grow poppies in the middle square.

The shot of well, admittedly, mostly green grassy hills, (the famous beautiful Barossa) I just had to share because it sort of represents what my mind's eye sees when the word "Adelaide" pops up. Does anyone else do that? I have this colour connection with Australian States. NSW=blue/grey VIC=Pinky/Red QLD-Golden NT=Dark Orange/Red WA=Dark Red TAZ= Deep Blue and SA= Green Green Green. Not sure if this came about when I was young learning the states and they were the colours on the map I was looking at...but I also think it suits the feel and weather of each place. While we lived in Adelaide, at least, it was remarkably green. The rain fell so much you wouldn't know there were water restrictions in place. In fact there was even flooding and summer storms - which I thought was normal being from Sydney, but was told in Adelaide it certainly was not!

Now Adelaide is a Chocolate Heaven. Haighs the best of the crop I tasted, although E had told me about a chocolate and wine tour which well, just sums up Adelaide right there now doesn't it?

The last two shots were when my very good friend who I don't remember ever not knowing, Natasha, popped down for a visit. We spent the day mostly in the city enjoying the old amongst new which is constantly on offer everywhere in Adelaide.


Some snippets of beauty from the Real Living article.
Now I just have to make it to May to experience more Adelaide goodies and share them with you!

eagerly awaiting
bxx

Friday, April 20, 2012

a bushel and a peck

Ever since watching 'Julie & Julia' I've been in love with this song. I'm trying to decide which version to download on itunes...sigh...perhaps I shall just purchase all of these beautiful versions!


 


Doris Day - this is the version from the movie. Crisp, clear lovely voice as usual!

The Andrews Sisters - I just love these girls! Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy was a masterpiece and their harmony and strength come through with this song and I'm taken!

Betty Hutton & Perry Como - Okay what's not to love about the great Perry Como? I admit I hadn't heard of Betty Hutton before now, but will surely look into her as I was mightily impressed by her voice.


Don't you just love 1950's songs? I adore their innocent ways of touching on the well, not so innocent.
And if you're wondering what a bushel and a peck are, well the simplest way to put it is: they are old units of measure. A bushel being a lot, a peck being a little (so many pecks make a bushel).

Hope this song makes you smile today!
bxx

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Fleeting Favourites?











keepers? or will I be over them in a week?
at least for now, LOVE!

bxx

Tribute "Lillian May"


In the past year, both of my cherished grandmothers passed away. I've been working on a tribute to Nanna for months now between everything else and have finally "finished" typing. It's not perfect, I know the tenses get all muddled up, but I wanted to put it out there. So here goes.
 
‘Ding Dong’

Orchid leaves brushed our hair as we ran down the side of her house, hoping she didn’t catch a glimpse through the open kitchen window. Giggling, Tamara and I huddled close behind any bush or object we could find, rising only for a peek – had she come? Had she known it was us, did she know we were hiding? Perhaps we needed to ring the old bell again?

Mum and Dad walked casually down the narrow path and right to the front door.

‘Get back!’ Tamara commanded in a forceful whisper.

‘Get back! We’re hiding!’

I giggled some more and motioned for mum and dad to hide.

It didn’t work.

Dad rings the bell again and bellows something out to his mother, our Nanna, who has come to the door. Sloppy kisses are exchanged and soon Nanna is “wondering” where we are.

“RAA!”

“Surprise!”

We shouted and ran to Nanna, sure she had no idea we were coming. More sloppy kisses, cuddles are exchanged all around, and we entered with great grinning faces.

I notice Nanna has few more of those long funny chin hairs, but being Nanna, it doesn’t really bother me for long.

After some commotion, a discussion on how the old-style bell works, and friendly reminders to not forget the umbrella that’s being left at the front door, we move swiftly  through Nanna & Alan’s old Willoughby house down on Alexander St – around the corner from the park with the swings.

Catch up tales are told, yet all Tamara & I can think of is “Where are the butterfly cakes!?” She almost always makes them! Eyes are bench top level, we search until –

“I know what you’re looking for!”

Nanna’s no fool.

She hands us a plate and instructs us to take them to the lounge and offer them to the family. We follow with great obedience but our faces grow solemn as we realise our precious cupcakes are getting fewer with each person’s selection. Finally, when it’s our turn we dive in leaving but crumbs. Nanna returns and is shocked how we’ve demolished them. Before the last two have been claimed, she promptly licks them over, declaring “Right. These are mine for when I’m done cooking".

We pretend to be disgusted, but really find the whole thing quite funny and start imitating immediately, licking our respective cupcakes.

Ah, children.

Following, we sit up at the table in the dining room – itching to play the piano which displays the family photos nearby. Alan, always a stickler for fine manners, teaches us the “proper” way to use cutlery. Tamara and I try; we really do, but soon enough, due to hunger, revert to our knife swapping technique. After all, who could wait when it came to Nanna’s baked dinner. The ‘from the garden mint sauce’, gravy, ooh and the onions! Unusually for me, I even ate the pumpkin! Of course it was delicious – although I must admit my curiosity as to what waited in the kitchen for dessert was what drove me to finish my meal. Whatever it was, it would surely have cream!

Soon discussions would trail and the sound of the Sydney Swans playing weekend football made for background noise as we started new conversations in the lounge room. Teas were had and we girls rejoiced as the fire place was lit. When allowed, we poked and prodded, watching the fire grow and dim, grow and dim, until our eyes became sore from staring.

It was too cold to play our usual ‘bowls’ game kept in the “grandchildren draw” tucked neatly away in the back sun room. Instead we took out scrabble and headache and set up under Alan’s table, our new hideaway. When that became boring, we set out spying. We studied EVERYTHING in that back room. We memorised poems on wall tapestries, titles of Readers Digest books, crocodiles on the table and – 

‘Don’t you girls touch anything!’

Alan was rather protective of his long table with all his collections spread out upon it. We asked then, if we could play the organ and he kindly agreed – as long as we weren’t too loud.

The adults closed those glass and wood doors and I secretly glowed. I loved doors like that, almost French like but with glass allowing for you to only see shapes and colour on the other side.

So we played and sang and created little ditties until fighting over whose turn it was brought mum out with a simple “enough now girls”.

Back in the lounge, Nanna taught us how to make little ‘pompoms’ something in which we took great delight. This kept us entertained for a while, especially as we could listen to their conversations and even add our own innocent view point where we thought it would really count.

Next, after failed attempts to borrow nanna’s hand drum, we sat down with her on her orange lounges and an atlas in hand, she explained how she travelled out to Australian from England. To this day I’m not sure if she was 12 or 3 years old or if they sailed this way or that, I have only clues left by others.

Whatever her story was, this is mine. The Tale of Visiting my Nanna.

B

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Seven Years

It was our seventh anniversary yesterday and we managed to take a few days to wander around our beautiful city and spend some time pottering around at home. 
Fresh flowers are essential at any time but especially on an anniversary~









What I wore~ Singlet from a boutique in Tasmania, skirt and sunglasses thrifted, backpack was a gift, and shoes from.. erm.. a shoe shop on Rundle mall which I can't seem to remember the name of.

We started the day off with a trip to the Adelaide Farmers Market where we had a very yummy breakfast. It was our first time there and we have decided we should make it a regular 
once a month treat.

After that we wandered around Adelaide and stumbled across this wonderful cafe named Galaxy Lartay. I'm astounded that I've only just found it as it is so very my type of place.






Check out the beautiful old cash register!



This lovely lady prepares all the food on this tiny bench with much care. Each dish is fresh and healthy (except for maybe the gooey sour cherry, chocolate flan. But that type of thing is healthy for the soul so its all good to me)


Everything on the menu looked amazing but I decided on this Chicken, Spinach and Coconut soup.
SO. GOOD.


All the pieces of fruit lying around the place minded me of a Caravaggio still life.
I've found another blogger who posted from here if you want to see more of the place



I'm looking forward to going back one afternoon on my own with plenty of time and a sketchbook.



Song of the day~ Walk on the Wild side by Lou Reed

The next day we had this sweet omelet with glaceed figs, goats cheese, thyme and maple syrup.




 I pottered away on this painting for a bit then we went for a stroll around Stirling, got Thai takeout and watched The Help. 

Life is good!

~Love E xo
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