Face It

The generations have always had a gap.

But of each of us has belonged and owned every generation as we move into them.

Are they so different?

Is each successive one really unique?

Some of the faces from china finds from the yard over the past 18 months, indeed dating and spanning several generations. Can you guess the oldest and the youngest?

Upon Reflection...

October, be gone with you!

It's been a month of extreme highs and lows.

We started the month of with a party and catered for a beloved aunt's 90th birthday. A wonderful celebration shared with seventy family and friends. Craig closely guards his salt & pepper squid recipe but I swear NEVER again for that size crowd. I think I said that last time we did it. It's a real crowd pleaser and often asked for but if anyone asks ever again, I'm handing them the recipe and they can do that one themselves!

A measure of our love for you dear Mae/Miss Mamie/Nin xxx

We did get a couple strides forward in the garden...

And in the house...

I got to work with some amazing ladies to bring together a High Tea for 100 people with Fashion Parade as a fund raiser for Kidney Health Australia. Not only did we raise funds but the guest speaker from "Donate Life" educated our guests about organ donation and we boosted the profiles of four local small businesses. I would like to thank Wysteria Lane of Longford, Miss Nicola, Blue Illusion and Gazman of Launceston for providing a top notch parade and givig so much of their time and prize donations too. I would also like to thank the models from Sue Rees Modelling who also gave up so much of their time for a good cause.

My heart swells thinking of so much generosity and support.

I don't wish to dwell on the down side but their is a lesson here to be learnt though.

Many of us pooled our resources and loaned fine china and silverware to enhance the high tea experience. Unfortunately some of the precious china went "missing". A set of 6 to be exact. I don'y want to talk about karma because that feels so hollow. Let's just say lesson learnt while we try to swallow down the disappointment.

As I left for the Kidney fundraiser that morning, the waters were once again rising after a significant rainfall over night. I phoned the shearer when the event was over bar the shouting to learn things were not good at home. I abandoned the washing up and made haste towards home....

until the engine light came on.

I pulled over and checked the oil of my tired old engine and debated whether to spend precious minutes turning the car out of the wind in order to fill it. Another lesson learned. I gambled and tried to shield the oil stream from gusting winds with my body.

Snort! I'm wide but not that effective as a wind shield. The oil spilled onto the engine and you can guess...

it caught alight.

I carry a pair of pyjama bottoms for a rag so I must have looked a right sight flailing these trying to smother the flames between the radiator and engine. Anyway, long story short, the shearer came to rescue me but it was a sorry sight back at home. 

While it didn't make it all the way into the house, the out buildings were all flooded as the water rose very quickly. Luckily our daughter and SIL were up for the weekend and able to take quick action.

Our losses could have been much greater than our three oldest ladies. Poor girls, the cold water rose so swiftly that by the time they realised the danger and it was up to their belly feathers they weren't able to jump into the trees for shelter. 

Huge thanks also to our neighbours who came swiftly to our aid and got a lot of things to dry land and housed our ride on mower in their garage. Big love.

So October, you've been great, tumultuous and trying, exciting and busy but I'm glad to be moving into November. 

Memories Of Blue

(Scroll to the bottom and hit the play button so you can listen while you read)

My father is visiting from interstate in a couple of weeks so he can visit with all the family here one last time and meet his great grandson, Julien.

Julien was also his father's name.

The blue china on the dresser is called "Envoy" by Royal Doulton and very popular after the second world war and often sold by door-to-door salesmen. This is the set that my grandmother used everyday and the one that my father grew up with. It holds memories for me and must do for him too I'm sure. I've also mixed it with some of the white Hutschenruther china that he gave me for a wedding present.

It's so good to be getting familiar things unpacked and the Matthew Simms doll has finally found her home. I bought her just before we moved thinking she would fit so well with our Georgian cottage. 

Matthew Simms is a local artist/eccentric and he paints and makes these extraordinary dolls by hand.

Here is an extract from his site

"With a hand saw I cut blocks of willow wood, split them and stack to season. 
Then I cut the dolls to shape with an axe, finishing off with a rasp and pocket knife.  
The legs and arms are put on, clothes made with a hand sewing machine.  The clothes, in almost every instance, are silk, linen, cotton or wool.  These dolls are not copies, nor are they unlike dolls from history."

Memories Of Blue by Vangelis

Lost and Found

Spring is bursting out in glorious blossom at our new home. Bees are pollinating "surprise" fruit trees as I impatiently wait the swell and bud and delight as the soft breeze lifts the petals like drifting snow flakes. 

Although there is still snow on the mountains, the days are definitely lengthening and the ckooks are contentedly laying again. We have the beginnings of our produce garden mapped out and spring planting is under way.

At the northern end of our property are the ruins of two working mens' cottages from the mid 1800's. This area contains lots of treasure still I'm sure. Certainly there are lots of interesting bottles and several old files.

Lost....

A little grave made from salvaged stone and inscribed in the sandstone headstone,

"Teddy Bear xxx"

The grave is tiny and I'm sure Teddy was probably one of the previous owners cats.

Found...

fragments of china to excite this china enthusiast 

and what a find!

A penny token!

Before currency when the colony was so new, some businesses commissioned the manufacture of penny tokens for their stores. These were made in England.

This particular token was commissioned by Thomas White of the White House in Westbury and bears the date 1855.

I suspect this garden will keep us engaged and excited for many years to come.

An Autumnal Change

Easter Monday has been distinctly autumnal here today so we have had a change of decor to welcome in the season. 

Starring.... 

My new favourite pumpkin the "Turks Turban"

Nan's cracked, repaired and chipped cookie jar

Craig's new find, a lone Merino Ram pepper shaker that he found for $3 last week in a sensational little shop at Wynyard (Tas) called Mother Hubbard's, check it out if you are in the neighbourhood.

And St Joseph also makes a come-back.

All backed by a glowing cast of orange, copper and amber with warm leathers and old wooden boxes, scented throughout with ground coffee beans in the vintage coffee grinder collection.

It's a folly but at least everything gets a good thorough dusting.

Pink and Aqua for Spring

Thanks everyone for a great discussion yesterday.

even last night at our Better Living Group it was further debated.

But now for something inane and trivial....

I give you Spring.....

With something for the sheep shearer....

This could turn out to be the theme for Christmas this year I think.

See that rabbit coming out of the hat? It's a toothpick holder (for my olives for Martinis don't you know) Isn't he nifty, I love Alessi design 

Kaleidoscope of Colours

The dresser has been changed....

Cornish blue....

Soft pastels....

Bright yellow....

Pastel pink and heart-warming orange....

Solids, stripes and florals.....

It's fun, happy and welcoming for Easter family celebrations to come.

The sideboard too.....

We'll look back in years to come and laugh about the year that we mixed orange and pink....

Just waiting for the Easter Bunny....

Inspired by these happy Asters, old fashioned pink papery Statice and delicate perennial favourite, Baby's Breathe.

(just $3 from the Perth (TAS) growers' market)