Day 305/366

I almost lost all my Trick or Treaters when I commented that I didn't know any of them (because they were so heavily disguised and scary).

On hearing this, they turned to go away...I guess their Mums had told them that they were not to take any treats from people they didn't know.

I had to quickly confess that I knew at least some of them!  Phew!  Otherwise I would have had to find other ways of distributing my basket of goodies.

My Grand Daughter got into the 'spirit' of things too and called around in her purple tutu.  That's what witches wear isn't it?

(Sorry about the revamped photograph...time has been very scarce of late.)

Day 304/366

Yarn bombing has come to Springwood.

Not a good photograph at all.  Once more, only my phone was available so this photo is heavily edited.  I think I will have to go back with my camera and get a better shot.

Oh, and a free ad for Roza Sage, member for Blue Mountains.

Day 303/366

Rescue Helicopter was hovered over our house this morning.

There has been a nasty accident on the highway with a number of people trapped.

The highway has been closed for hours and the helicopter had to land on the highway to fly at least one injured person to hospital.

Sadly this happens way too often on the Great Western Highway which cuts a swathe through the mountain range.

Way too often we are alerted to a rescue with fleets of sirens sounding on the highway or the rescue helicopter hovering overhead.

Unfortunately it has become a way of life for us and always, we hope it's not a local involved. 

Day 302/366

Having lived in Australia all my life (except for a brief period as a five year old), I'm not very experienced with things Halloween.

But since celebration of the festival is becoming more and more popular 'down under', I have taken it upon myself to partake of the  trick or treat festivities. 

Last year I 'forgot' and the younger generation of our little estate by passed our house.

The practice for us is that if we wish to be involved, then we decorate our mail box appropriately as a sign that the children are welcome at that particular house. 

So today, I took some time out to pack little parcels for the children.

I found some little paper cups decorated with skulls at the bargain shop which I filled with lollies and packed into cellophane bags tied with spider web looking thread. 

Then I remembered the Christmas wreath I own and which I freshly decorate each Christmas and decided to decorate it for Halloween and to hang on our front door.

Unfortunately, us poor 'southerners' celebrate all our significant festivals 'out of season', so pumpkin is as rare as hens' teeth and quite expensive at the moment so I don't imagine that we will be carving too many pumpkins around here! 

I suspect, that because we have so little experience with things Halloween, an Australian Halloween will develop with idiosyncrasies that may bewilder Americans or Canadians visiting our shores.

What preparations are you making for Halloween?

Day 301/366

Thanks Costa for allowing me to take your photograph today.

It's a pity that my little Grand Daughter was a bit shy and wouldn't join you in the shot.

But she did recognize you and said to me: Nanna, there's the man on TV. 

If it wasn't for her I may have missed you completely!

I'm really sad that your workshops were sold out and that we could not attend.

I hope that another opportunity presents itself!

At

Festival of the Green

Springwood Public School

At the festival we also saw scarecrows 

one very happy pig

a very unusual hen

a goat or two

rabbits

a guinea pig

and ponies.

We listened to ukuleles, and munched on chocolate cup cakes.

And that was all before going home to a birthday party for our Grand Daughter who turns five next week. 

This year's theme: Octonauts (for the uninitiated, read underwater/animal theme.

(And who said dogs don't belong underwater?)

The birthday cake

the table centrepiece

the jellyfish

the party hats with a difference

the animal infirmary

(yes, that's right, the animal infirmary)

the googly eyed fish piñata 

and for those of you who were wondering what the dyed pasta was for, brightly coloured shells for necklaces

and ten very happy little friends.

Are you tired yet?

I am!

Day 300/366

I took this photo during my lunch break.

Tomorrow, Surry Hills will celebrate with its very own festival.

Workers and stall holders were setting up for the Surry Hills Festival

Some of the post were yarn bombed.  In the background you can see mounds of earth which are from renovations that have been happening in the park over the past four years!

Every year, I promise myself I'll be at the festival and every year the date clashes with something else.

Guess what?  This year it clashes with two events happening closer to home.

Maybe next year?

(Only 66 days to Christmas?)

Day 298/366

Among other things, today I dyed pasta, in readiness for a special family birthday.

Day 297/366

A family of elephants lives in our living room.

Day 296/366

A modern day labyrinth or maze. 

Compact, portable, 

finger tip operation.

Day 295/366

I think summer's truly on its way.

Day 293/366

Buckingham Palace, Surry Hills Sydney.

Day 291/366

Walking On Sunshine.

Day 290/366

The Red Ensign 

Day 288/366

A most unusual moth visited our garden today.

Had it been on a tree trunk, I think it would have been strongly camouflaged.

Day 287/366

Crop and Swap Season Two started today.

I'm a bit annoyed with myself because I was running late and therefore forgot to take my camera along.

There was a record number of swappers today.

So many, that I'm not sure I got around to see everyone.

My favourite produce that I brought home was this sage.

In fact it was free...

My own sage plants have died back so badly this past winter that they are only just starting to produce new shoots.

I love to fry individually picked leaves of sage in hot butter and use as garnish on risotto.

Absolutely delicious.

Day 284/366

Every now and then I make myself this tea to uplift my spirits.

I don't think that it's exotic or anything, but its fragrant aroma give me a boost.

The tea is simple to make; a pot of organic green tea to which I add some dried rose buds or dried rose petals.

If you try this, be sure to use food grade rose petals/buds so as to avoid chemically sprayed roses.

  I buy my rose buds from a tea house in China Town, Sydney.

In each tea cup place a teaspoon full of rose water, pour freshly brewed hot tea over and enjoy.

Heaven!

(This also makes a great iced tea).

Day 283/366

She looks like a plain Jane doesn't she...

Until you look inside, and you see that she's indeed...

A stunner.

Another added to my collection

Purchased from Frou Frou in Springwood.

Quickly becoming my favourite.

Linking to Artful Affirmations  Tea Cup Tuesday.

Day 282/366

I'm having trouble keeping up with life at the moment!  How about you?

But, today is sewing day so here are some butterflies I'm making for my row along quilt which I'm following on Bee In My Bonnet's blog.

I think I'm one row behind?

Anyway, at first I thought this quilt was just  a bit too fiddly for my liking but -  you know what? - it has been great to practise my quarter inch seams.  I think I'm doing them perfectly now.  

Day 281/366

Day 277/366

Isn't it quirky how nature imitates nature?

While raking up leaves from the garden this morning I came across this spent banksia brush. It looked so much like an echidna I just couldn't resist transforming it.