Re-dressing my sideboard summer to winter!

Wouldn't you think that will all that is happening in our lives here at the moment that I would just not even think about changing my kitchen sideboard..............but it is always a way to relax for me......but THEN it leads to other things like the cutlery draw and the pots & pants cupboard. O! yes very good for the soul doing a kitchen change around.

The summer look on my sideboard was Johnson Brothers Jamboree dinner set that belonged to my grandmother. She only had a few pieces left when she passed away but still I just loved them so much and had to add to the settings over time, until now I can seat at my summer table ALL! the family each with their own favourite colour. My colour growing up and growing to grans to visit was the Burgundy and still to this day I simply must eat from that colour.

Today all that has changed and now I look at my sideboard and see the most wonderful scenes from the pattern called Johnson Bros Friendly Village.

I was shopping on line one day and looking at pieces that had covered bridges from New Hampshire on them and I came across the friendly village set "well! was I hooked" the different scenes and the beautiful snow scape's showing the bridges covered in the winter snows of New Hampshire................I started to collect and now also have enough to serve my whole family that is 21 settings, I may have to still add to that but gosh! I will just have to do it!! couldn't have a grandchild missing out on a "covered bridge"

So my sideboard for winter looks like this! (smiles)

I could have a Spring and Autumn change as well! I have them as well BUT! that is another story for another day.

My darling husband is doing well we are however waiting to see the surgeon next week as the school holidays are on here at the moment and he apparently went away with his family. Rob is feeling very uncomfortable but is looking forward to next week and the time the operation will be set for.

Our new darling grand daughter and her family are doing wonderfully and she is a good little sweetie for her mum, her smallest big sister is only 19 months old so is taking this all very well. Our daughter is back home and putting into place a routine now for her big family. We are so proud of them and Love them all.

This is my Friday! Not at work! not even made the bed yet!!!

but loving being "home" pottering!

Thank you all for the kind comments and wonderful emails in the past week I adore hearing from you all very much.

A darling has arrived into this world!

My dear blogger friends

Emerald Dawn our beautiful grand daughter has arrived into this world.

at 4.25pm on July 3rd 2009

Both mummy and baby are so well and we are the grand parents of another beautiful little girl. How wonderful.

I am going down today to help look after the other three so will share with you some of the photos that have been taken of this beautiful little girl and her big sisters and brother.

Big brother!

Biggest sister!

Mummy and her four!

Poppi Rob and his darling grandchild!

And proud Nanni and her grandchild and daughter

what a blessing!

this is our 10th darling and we love them all SO! MUCH!

This is my Sunday - blessed from head to toe!

We are having a new grand child tomorrow!! (smiles)

Yes!

Our darling grandchild is being born tomorrow

We are all very excited and look forward to the safe arrival of this little darling into our family.

Our daughter and Her husband are having number four! and the new little darlings big brother and both the big (little) sisters are sure it will be fun to have another sister or brother in the family.

We are so proud of our daughter and her husband they are both beautiful parents and are bringing their children up with so much love in their hearts.

We are so lucky to be the grandparents to such lovely children and are very blessed AND! so thrilled this will be number 10!

Also thank you to everyone who has left a comment about my darling man Rob, we are waiting now for the surgeon to see him and then he will be operated on quickly after that.

Rob is doing well and we pray for a full recovery.

This is My Thursday

filled with hope!! for the future

A little bit of bad news!

(here we are at the 1859 victorian evening)

Look we are not worried

Well we are trying not to worry

Ok!

I am more worried then my darling man!

The doctors have found three lumps in his thyroid

One is rather large and he is feeling unwell.

He will be visiting a surgeon this next week and the specialist wants it out straight away thyroid and all.

Please think of him when next you have a moment to spare.

I truly cannot think of anything else to talk about on this

My Sunday!

Stained glass of life

Today started in a very special way even, if it is telling you there is ruff weather on its way.

Its winter in Australia

So with it comes frosty mornings and cold days.

BUT!

I love the start of today especially and had to share it with you - this my Friday!

Looking through the beautiful stained glass to another day beginning

Mother natures church windows

6.47am

6.52am

7.03am

7.08am

7.14am

7.19am

Now you can see our day unfolding and how beautiful it is!

Life is filled with adventures some huge and some small but the simple ones are the most important of them all.

So getting up early and rushing out to view the beginning of this crisp cold day through the stained glass window of nature is such a wonderful feeling.

This is just beginning!

Of this my Friday!

A drip in a bucket.

O! what a wonder of the world.

Here it is just 8.42am on Tuesday morning in Australia

and this small drip of rain fallen into my bucket.

Then just two minutes later it is being seen around the world on my blog.

Yes as I said the wonder of the world.

This rain were did it come from? and once it has been greatfully splashed over my plants were will it go?

I know the world goes around and around but so do many things within the world, like the rain that now falls here could have very well touched your umbrella as you rushed to work all those months ago or splashed your feet on the footpath.

I like to think this very drip landed in your bucket where ever you are and it was used to quench the thirst of your garden before it arrived here for me.

so thank you for this "drip of rain"

NATURE IS A WONDERFUL THING!

If you are wondering yes it took me over thirty photos to capture this one drip!!

And this one too!! It could have fallen in the ocean or in the dry lakes of Australia but it didn't it fell right here for me to use as I wish!!

And this one! much smaller!! but just as important as them all!

Just a little fun today on my blog something I should do more often and something that is so important to us all, water (one drip at a time)

sharing! a wet Tuesday in Australia! with You! my friends!

A day at home...........with husband

Today is The Queens Birthday public holiday here and so this winter Monday is the end of a three day holiday for us AND! it is the first time in such a long time since my husband and I have done nothing!!

It is very cold now and the rain has been falling almost all weekend, so it has been sleeping in weather, open fire weather, walking around our jungle we call our garden weekend, but most of all doing nothing other then relaxing and making plans for our future.

I thought I would show my blogger friends some of our "doings" for this weekend. Nothing exciting but ever so much fun.

We went for a walk only across the front of our property.

and
Here is the view across the road to the elm trees now all bare and waiting for spring.

This photo is looking west with the grey clouds filling the sky and the rose hedge looking very sad. But the fresh air fills you with hope of the new seasons ahead. I do love winter and still enjoy walking in wet grass.

Yes! this is looking East along the front of our property yes! that is my husband sadly looking over our fence with the must cut the paddock look on is face. He thinks the picture makes him look like he is........well! he wasn't!! (smiles) The old abandoned hotel behind him is the edge of our property and it is looking so run down now and in danger of falling.

Here is a photo of it out the back. It has a wonderful history and has been part of the town for over 150 years but is in private hands and is simply left to fall down.

Our children when they were young used to get in there and look around and bring home all kinds of "bits" it was such a simple time back then when fun was made by the children not offered to them.

At least the sheep still get to play in and around the old "pub" as we call hotels.

Can you see the little lambs enjoying a search in the old out buildings watched by their mother.

I just love living in the country! how many of you have sheep for neighbours?


Here is my husband getting some more fire wood to put on the fire. He doesn't want me to but this photo in but it is part of our day and I am not sure why he doesn't want it in my blog other then the fact he feel he looks so old!!! His orchard is behind him looking sadder then the roses out front but you know having an orchard is very special and we know in a very short time the little buds of new leaves and fruits will soon appear.


Now I think I should even introduce you to our dog.

Please Say hello to "Makida" (named after Makita tools)

She is a lovely blue healer and has been part of our family now for about 10 years and still acts like a puppy..................with no manners and a lot and lots of loyal love especially for my husband Rob.

She was on her lead today because we have no fence out the front of our house at the moment and when we walk around she goes crazy running onto the road so here she is looking very upset with us because she had to stay put and be on her chain. Sitting up on her box is her form of a lounge chair I am sure.

I know exactly what she was thinking "came a little closer mum and I am going to put mud all over you!!!!"


This is a nice photo but she was giving us her "best side" to take a photo of just before we let her back off her lead.

Blue healers are very strong dogs and so her leather collar has to be strong and big and her lead looks like it would hold and elephant put but it has been broken before today by Makida.

Many will not come into our property with her barking because she would protect us and our home with her life that is what blue healers are very loyal dogs. but gentle as lambs around their family.

So now you have met our dog Makida.



I want to today also give many hugs to a dear friend Gina from patra's place I have not seen her for such a long time and wish I could just rush on over to hug her in person. She sent me a lovely gift, a book mark that is in use as we speak and the most beautiful cupcake soap I have ever seen. I don't think I could ever wash with it. Thank you Gina dear friend thank you. I will put photos of them both on my blog next time. It was a thrill to get them in the post, it truly was.





On a very sad note;

To our friend and Masonic brother Gus




On a much sadder note this weekend we were very upset to hear of the passing of the dear wife of one of our lodge members.

As he would often say when he introduced her to new friends "my beautiful wife"


So Gus please know your beautiful wife is in our prayers now and always. She is at peace after a huge battle that she tried so hard to win

Teressa will be remembered always.


This is My Monday "Queens birthday! Holiday!"

May your day be filled with the joy of the simple things in life!
Please hug your family and friends tonight!!