Day 152/366

Time - and our newly painted wall.

It took five coats of paint to achieve good coverage.

Just as well I asked Mr Honey Pie to get twice the amount of paint he thought he should buy.

I love the colour.  It is perfect as a background for the television, especially at night.

With the ceiling lights out and one table light on the television screen melts into the wall in the background.

Oh and some of the clocks need batteries, or, winding up.

Day 151/366

"Rum Runner" goes exquisitely with "Teal" don't you think?

Day 150/366

In a fit of passion I urged Mr Honey Pie to paint a feature wall in the lounge-room red.

Well - "Rum Runner" actually.

I'm sick of mundane, I'm sick of safe, I'm sick of predictable.

Life has been overbearing and overbearingly mundane.

Of late life has been brutal, sobering, depressing.

So I've had a wall painted red.

Do you like it?  

The colour reminds me of Old Gold Cadbury Chocolate, Moulin Rouge, pirates, treasure chests, extravagance.

I'm over predictable and safe.

Day 149/366

There's nothing like a new scarf to freshen up any outfit.

Teal has become a huge player in our lives these past few years.

All shades of teal...and it's the first scarf I'll own in the colour.

I'm using a fan lace pattern with a moss stitch border and an Australian made wool ... Shepherd Baby Wool Merino 4ply. 

What I now realise though is that I'm going to need at least double the amount of wool purchased...making this a rather expensive scarf.

Not to worry ... I love the feel of pure wool, especially the smaller ply and think it's worth it.

On Saturday I visited the Blue Gum Market at Faulconbridge and also purchased some home spun wool which I'll also knit up into a scarf.  I'm so liking the pattern of the teal one I'll probably knit the second scarf in this pattern too.

I'll keep you posted ... the second lot of wool is purplish with flecks of light and dark...you guessed it...teal and subtle splashes of terracotta.

  

148/366

Exit

Day 147/366

Middle of the Road II

Day 146/366

Middle of the Road

Day 145/366

Day 144/366

"Bonza" lemons in bonsai pot.

Robyn G photographed lemons too, on day 137.

Check out her photograph here.

Day 143/366

Tea Cup Tuesday

Such simplicity, such elegance.

Just what I've come to expect from Royal Albert.

Doesn't it just remind you of a ballerina's tutu?

Swan Lake I'd say.

Purchased from one of my favourite shops in Springwood, Frou Frou.

My Darling Daughter gave me a gift voucher on Mother's Day.  I should have enough left to buy another trio once Parisa finds some more.

The trio is in perfect condition.

The heavily embossed teaspoons are inherited from my Mother-in-law and are from the Netherlands. 

The handle is classical Royal Albert.

I have linked to Terri's Teacup Tuesday.

Do stop by and see what treasures others are sharing.

Day 142/366

Red-browed Finches are newcomers to our garden.  I don't recall ever seeing them before last summer.

Over the past few months they have been regular visitors and frequent our southern birdbath, along with Bulbuls and Eastern Yellow Robins.

The finches are very shy little creatures and I have attempted, on many occasions, to photograph them.

This is the best result so far.  Perhaps they are becoming a little more comfortable with sharing the garden with us humans.

The Bulbuls like to dive bomb the other birds so at times we witness quite a bit of competition for the use of the bath.

Although there are three birdbaths in the garden, this one seems to be the favourite and I have to check it regularly to ensure that the birds haven't splashed it empty.

Both Mr Honey Pie and I love to sneak into a camouflaged position to observe the antics of the feathered creatures.

Sometimes we can come within a few feet of the birds but, for some strange reason, when a camera is produced they seem to sense its presence and dash away.

The robins seem to be the friendliest of the smaller birds that frequent the garden and at times even seem to follow us around as we do our gardening chores.

Day 141/366

I didn't expect these still very small cyclamen seedlings to flower so quickly; so when I spotted tiny buds in the hanging basket they took me by surprise.

They were sown last year from seeds gathered from an old plant given to me as gift by my neighbour some years back.

By the size of them, I think the flower heads will be miniature.

Mr Honey Pie and I spent a lazy day about the garden.

The weather was quite wishy-washy so it was the perfect day for doing jobs like setting up the new compost bin, establishing a worm farm; and feeding the struggling natives growing along the driveway with home-made compost.

After all the rain dumped on Sydney and its surrounds over summer, this May is turning out to being distinguished for having the driest start in over one hundred years.

Day 140/366

Garden Curlicue

Day 139/366

Central Station - Sydney.

The not-so-attractive-side taken on my mobile phone which makes it even less attractive.

I've been travelling into the city twice a week for work.

Back to my old job while the office manager is on maternity leave.

Day 138/366

Fungus growing in abundance on a fallen tree.

Coriolus versicolor (also known as Trametes versicolor); commonly known as the turkey tail mushroom. 

This fungus is being researched for the treatment of cancer.

Day 137/366

I was feeling restless today.  Mr Honey Pie and I have a few projects on the go and sometimes it feels like nothing is really progressing.  Our Daughter and Grand Daughter dropped by for morning tea which became lunch.  The weather was perfect so off we went, for a walk down the fire trail across the road from our house, in an attempt to try and shake out some of the restlessness.

We found almost a meadow of Diplodium grandiflora, formerly known as Pterostylis grandiflora.  It is a native orchid and commonly known as the Superb or Cobra Greenhood. The orchid flowers from May to July.

The light was very low and not having a tripod photography in the gully was difficult.  No matter, I think it's not a bad photograph, picking up the poor lighting in which the plant seems to thrive.

Day 136/366

Inspired by Helen at Little Flower Blog I've posted my photograph of a tree dahlia which I took on Saturday morning at an open garden.

The garden, Wesenden, at Springwood, is part of the Open Garden Scheme.

I forgot to take the DSLR camera so used Mr Honey Pie's mobile telephone, which has a better camera than mine. Picture has therefore been heavily edited.

I have come across a tree dahlia only once before in my life; in a local backyard garden just last year.

The 'tree' is so tall that it soared above the six foot paling fence of the garden.  

It wasn't until blogger Ian Percy posted

about tree dahlias did I know what a tree dahlia was.

Day 135/366

Reaching Out

Day 134/366

Mother's Day 2012

Mum's the word.

(Niece's baby girl arrived at 10.20 p.m.)

Day 133/366

Camouflage.

Day 131/366

Out with the old.

Australia goes digital-2013.

Day 130/366

In the night garden.

Day 128/366

Sneak Peak Peek.

Day 127/366

Ta da!

Mr Honey Pie is a genius!

Pic colour not totally spot on but this is the closest from a bunch of pics.

Now...what to paint the wall behind?

Hmmm.

Day 126/366

For Lisa

May your passing be gentle.

Day 123/366

Butterfly Cakes.

Day 122/366

Tea Cup Tuesday

It's a girl.

I love the simplicity of this trio. 

A pink splatter underglaze.

Easily co-ordinated I think.

Our talented niece, who is expecting a girl,  baked and decorated the gorgeous cupcakes and mini biscuits for her baby shower.

I picked up this Wade trio at the Glenbrook Rotary Markets.

It's in good condition although the gold edging is a little worn.

I purchased this trio because I liked the colour and condition of the crockery and it was affordable.  

Just in case you're wondering, baby is expected in around three weeks!

Thanks for visiting on Teacup Tuesday.

Don't forget to drop by and say hello to Terri at Artful Affirmations and Martha at 

Martha's Favourites.

I have linked this post to 

Artful Affirmations Teacup Tuesday