When the sun shines.....

....then it's time to take a stroll to my local - coffee shop, that is.

 

I love living in a small village.  Life is so casual.  I don't have to dress up, just saunter down the road in my daggy trackies (now that is definitely an australianism - translation - tracksuit that's seen better days).

 

The local butcher has his santa flags flying outside his shop.  Nice and cheery.

 



 

 

 

 

Oh good, plenty of spots to choose from.  One in the sun please.



 

 

This one looks good.



 

 



 I wanted to put in a photo or two of my barista Daniel making my coffee, but he went all camera shy on me...drat.

When I go on a coffee stroll, I like to pack my bag with the essentials.  Check.

 

 

 

 

You can tell I like to hang on to my British Edition Country Living mags - just look at the date on that one!

 



 

 

 

and of course, I always have my little sketchbook on hand, with pencil inside, ready to jot down any brilliant ideas I get, brought on by the coffee high.

 

 



 

 

 

But basically, just to doodle away in.  Always a folk artist at heart.

 

 

 

And to plan my little shop space I have at the local Cheese Factory.  They rent spaces out to different people (for an extremely reasonable amount, and I don't even have to be there to mind the shop.) which gives it a real 'emporium' effect.

 

 

 

I've got some photos of the space in my camera.  I'll show you in a few days time what I did with it.  In fact, it now looks very much like the sketch above.  I want to paint up a shop name sign to hang on the wall.  And I have to make a lot more stock, but, as usual, time is the issue.

 

 



 

 

Thanks for sharing my stroll with me.

 

 

cheers

Fi

I wandered lonely as a cloud.....

....but first of all....

found...

...'nuff said.

Ok, moving right along.

I've had this for a few weeks, but, because of the issue with the aforementioned implement, I haven't shown you.

Dearest Claire, from over at Sweet Birdy Love, made me this beautiful, and much appreciated item.  I saw a similar one in one of her posts about her market stall.  That one had blue check fabric on it, which I adored, but knew I had to have it in green. 

 

"And then my heart with pleasure fills

and dances with the daffodils."

W. Wordsworth.

I ordered one, and within a couple of days, it was in my letterbox, would you believe.  Boy, that girl is quick!  But don't think that she sacrifices quality... oh no, this is one well-made item, lined and everything.

Thankyou Claire.

On another note, this is what the weather looks like today.

 

 

After nearly two years of no summer (to speak of), this Spring is already shaping up to be sunny, and it's only 4 days in!

 

 

Happy Spring all you Ozzies,

 

Cheers

Fi

Sorry, can't talk..........

....... because of this.

After complaining and whining all summer about the miserable weather, I'd better take advantage of this glorious Autumn day, by actually getting outside in it.

So........see you when I get back from my walk with dog, which may or may not end up under an umbrella at the local cafe.

'nuff said.

cheers
Fi

A Village View - the Old Cheese Factory

The week before Christmas, I took a little stroll 'uptown'.

This is the Old Cheese Factory building, which houses various businesses.  On the odd Saturday morning, we like to saunter up there, hoping to find a new little treasure or two.

Is it just in the Southern Highlands, or is all of Australia determined to plant every driveway and edging with Aga-flippin'-panthus?

It's not that I don't like them.  They are just everywhere.

Anyway, remember me telling you up the little shop that Zoe and her mum have, up here at the 'cheeso'?  Well, they have moved into a bigger shop (still in the cheese factory) - and it looks great.

I never seem to be able to visit without buying something.

Note the angel sitting in the window.

You might recognise her from my previous post, as she is now sitting on my dresser, next to my 'old' nativity set.

Foxgloves are one of my all time favourites.

We stopped in to a local cafe for a cool drink and a spot of crochet.  This is the beginning of my star garland - yes, it did come from the Royal Sisters.

I hope you are all having a calm and restful boxing day.

I am. 

Cheers

Fi

Around the house with Izzy

I've been very busy this week, as I have just enrolled at TAFE (not sure what it's called overseas - technical college, advanced education???)

I'm doing a Certificate 1V of Aromatherapy. (I already have a Diploma of Remedial Massage, so have a lot of course credits.)

My plan is to go on to do an Advanced Diploma of Aromatic Medicine.  I love herbs and essential oils, they are so good for so many health issues.

So I thought I would just share a few random images of roundabout the place.

This is my Rayburn woodburning stove.  I love it.  It's the best for making scones, baking/roasting meats, etc.  And for just general all round cosiness.

That's Nate in the photo when he was 3 - cuddling his Mr. Doobee.  Australians will know who I'm talking about if they are old enough to remember Romper Room.

And I love this image - it's not real clear as it's taken through a glass door. If I had thought, I would have opened the door first........

I thought I would sit down and do a bit on the ripple, but.....

Izzy didn't like that idea.

And she made it painfully clear that she didn't.

Mummy!!!!!!   Look at me!!!!!!! Me!!!!

I am going to spread myself out on as much of you as I possibly can mummy - so don't even bother trying to find that crochet hook.

Now, play with me.

Cindy - this one's for you - see Miss Marple on the laptop?

Also please note the fashion statement of the year - pyjamas underneath an apron.

These are some of my Sarah London appeal squares.

So, when you're crocheting in your pyjamas, you obviously need to get out the Royal Albert China.

....... those muffins are the HEALTHY variety......

Cheers

Fi



Down to the beach - again

My sister-in-law and brother-in-law took my husband, myself and mother-in-law out for lunch last week.

So off the mountain we came again.

It wasn't that long since we were down here having lunch, but who's complaining.......

This is the restaurant (to the right of the picture) that we ate at.

The view across the table, through the window.

Hubby wishing that he was still......

And the view along the beach.

But, surprise, surprise, we must have taken a wrong turn or something on the way home, because look where we ended up!

Naturally, I was FORCED to buy something.....



Cheers

Fi

Too hot, too cool, too darn cheeky

When I was a young school girl in Scotland, many moons ago, my best friend and I used to dream of moving to a flat in London, having curly shoulder length hair, and wearing Laura Ashley dresses.



We moved to Australia when I was 15 and the Laura Ashley dresses never did eventuate (although I did get a Laura Ashley jacket when it was on sale).

So, naturally, I was thrilled, enchanted, delighted and excited when I received this gift from sister number 4 -

 

My very own Laura Ashley wellies!!!

Here they are sitting in my herb garden.

Don't they just look adorable?



While we are in a red mood, (the weather is exceptionally hot here today, too hot to be outside in my garden, where I would really like to be, or even too hot for a craft project) I thought I would show you some granny squares that I am planning to send to Sarah London's flood appeal blanket thingy.

The colours make me think of chillies.

And my favourite kitchen appliance, my kitchenaid mixer, is hot.

And now for the too darn cheeky -

While I was out photographing my wellies in the herb garden, look who I ran into.

No, they are not my hens.

They are the marauding strawberry thieves from next door.

They seem to prefer my garden to their own home these days - and they lie in wait for me to lift the net off the strawberry patch, and, quick as a wink, there in!

And do you think they care when I try to shoo them off....... no way.  (You can sort of tell that from the 'talk to the backside 'cos the face ain't listening' type of stance.....)

To add insult to injury, this is what I found as I left the herb garden -

Pardon me while I dig holes in your garden and have myself a dust bath - after all, what's a girl to do when it's too darn hot!

Not to be outdone, her girlfriend was digging her hole under the table.

Im off to look up chicken pie recipes ....

Cheers

Fi