Happy Wednesday 10th November 2010

Happy Wednesday


This is one of the beautiful boxes Vintage Mum made for me as I love snowmen. The inside is full of tiny snowmen like the big one on the lid.





I also love jewelery, and I have had a ring made from 2 of my old rings. Picked it up yesterday and I love it.

I am still trying to get my blog back to the way it was when I first started blogging but even though I try, I can't seen to get it to load any different wallpapers. I will persevere. :-)
I have persevered and changed it a little bit. please let me know what you think of it.
We are having some much needed rain today and the gardens and plants are sending their thanks.
Speaking of snowmen I must say I love Christmas as much and have started my Christmas shopping already. I bought 2 pressies today and 3 more tomorrow. I try and theme my day and this year it is Red & White and the shops are thinking the same as me as there seems to be lots of red decorations and nick-nacks I should not have much trouble going overboard as usual:-)
Don;t work too hard all you workers, I am on leave this weeek so will sign off and do a bit more around the house and hope to hear from you
Barbara :-)

A drive for a sunset and another walk around the garden

I can't believe the colours of the flowers especially the pansies and the wisteria. Thought you might like to see them. The sunset was last Sunday. We are having the best weather at the moment. It even got to 28 degrees (86 degrees Fahrenheit) last week. We have a public holiday here tomorrow so my other half is going for a cycle ride and I am making Christmas cards.

sorry about the graffiti but what a lovely sunset :-)

My other half has booked a shopping weekend away for me to Melbourne at the end of November so should get some lovely photos again, and some great bargains at the direct factory outlets and markets.

to Vintgage Mum, let your daughter know there is a small parcel on its way :-)

will say goodbye now and everybody look after yourselves. will blog soon

Barbara

A walk around the garden. Saturday 18th September

Hi
As I walk out of my kitchen door I go out into a new world of flowers which have opened just in time for spring. The pansies are looking beautiful all in a row on the window-ledge of the kitchen so I can see them whilst I am in the kitchen. This leads to the patio with a table (which will be used for bar-b-ques in the summer) with a lovely watering can and a bowl with some tulip bulbs which hopefully will bloom. (watch this space for more pictures)

The white flower is a Camellia which I would have to say is next to being my all time favourite flower after the rose. The other flowers are Azaleas, the white one with pink around the edges is aptly named lipstick. The whole patio is abloom with colour but thought I would just show a few of the nicest. The small purple flower is a wisteria which has not yet come into full bloom, but still shows promise of being spectacular again this year.

The ordeal with my eye is hopefully over. The surgeon is happy with the laser treatment and I don't need to go back till next year to see him. Some good news on the job front, I have been made permanent in my role (I was on a secondment for 1 year) so I won't need to worry what will happen at the end of the year now.

Just off to make myself a cup of tea, so will sign off and say happy blogging to all

Barbara :-)

Special birthday wishes to Vintage Mum's son. Hope you had lots of fun at the zoo and looking forward so some pictures of the family.


You might ask why an eye? Well I had to have laser surgery on Thursday for a tear in the retina in my left eye. It was not the most pleasant of procedures but the surgeon says that the success rate is over 95% so fingers crossed.My sight is still blurry so if there are any spelling mistakes in this I apologise.

Can't spend too long on the computer so will say bye for now and post some more news next week
barbara x.x.x.

Everyone knows it's windy Sunday 11th July 2010

well!!! Winter is finally here. We have waited 3 weeks for the weather to break and break it has. Gale force winds and howling rain, but as nearly every West Australian will say, "we need the rain so we won't have restrictions next summer"

I have just come home from an Engagement brunch. Lovely finger food and champagne and orange juice. She had a beautiful solitaire diamond ring, and the wedding is in Bali sometime in the near future.

What went wrong with my blog: Friday 2nd July 2010

Computers, who would have one. just joking. I have lost my side pictures and want to change the font and look of my title but can not find out how to do it. Jumping up and down now, so going to bed and will look another day when not so tired. 23.10

A quick drive to the City Sunday 13th June

Hi
Where do the days go. Sunday again already and nearly half way through June. Still no rain this month yet but they promise us some soon.
Your Vintage shop looks good Cate. I have just logged on and I am the first follower. The boxes look just like shop bought. Very clever. I always knew you could do things like that. I have made some more greetings cards this week, and if I can I will take photos so you can see them. Your blog is getting very professional loooking and you are geting more and more followers.

You said you wanted to see other cities. Not sure if you remember this Cate.Perth skyline from Kings Park, hot off the camera just for you.

The Long Weekend

Hi
Thanks to all who replied to my blog. It's nice to know I am not the only one out there. I had a lovely time in Melbourne, spending lots of time in the factory outlets and markets, picking up some great bargains. Something on the way for you Cate :-)
I took some photos on a tour of the city, and whilst I was walking around. They sort of speak for themselves so hope you like them.

The only ones sitting on the bench at the Queen Victoria Markets were the leaves.


This is outside the Arts Centre in the centre of the City.







A very pretty tree lined street in the centre of the city also. love the autumn colours of the trees






The tallest building in the Southern hemisphere. If you feel brave you can stand in a glass cube in 88th floor and look 360 degrees. Not for me !!!!

Thats all from me tonight (9.30pm). Happy blogging

Barbara :-)

Sunday, sunny Sunday

Happy weekend.

Thought you might like to see my very first of the year Camelia. Her name is Marge Miller and she is a rare weeping variety.

I made these banana and honey muffins this morning whilst the man in my life pruned a tree. Can't you just smell them straight from the oven?

Tried to get in the mood to do more but decided to blog instead.

HI Vintage Mum, you asked about getting rid of Mare's tail. I Googled it and this is what I got from here in Aus:- sorry it is a bit long winded but hope you can understand it and maybe it will help you.

Horse or Mares Tail
Horse or Mares Tail, Equisetum Arvense is, in my opinion, public enemy number one. It looks like it belongs in Jurassic Park and, unchecked, spreads like wildfire.
In spring, brown green shoots appear with small cones at the tips that produce spores. (Arghh – millions of ‘em) and it grows away from creeping thin brown roots that you can hardly see as they are soil coloured. Digging out these roots is not feasible – they go down into the soil for up to 1.5 metres – yes, 5 feet.
Later the ‘leaves’ or tails appear. These will die off as autumn turns to winter and the roots sit there waiting for spring. The leaves have a waxy coat, which makes the plant highly resistant to weedkillers.
Crushing the leaves to break up the coating helps weedkiller to penetrate and become absorbed but in large areas it is not so easy to crush all the leaves . However, glyphosate weed killer will have an effect and eventually kill the plant. You will probably need 5 or more applications. Knock it back, it re-grows and you repeat.
I don’t think you can clear this in less than one season.
Ammonium Sulphamate seems to be a far more effective weed killer. It can kill it in one application but may well need two. It used to be available as Amicide but now you need to look for a brushwood killer that incorporates it like Rootout or Deep Root. Just check the packet for ammonium sulphamate.
I’d recommend NOT digging where there is horsetail until it is dead for sure. Otherwise it just starts springing up from the root cuttings. Drying or drowning the roots prior to composting is a must.
I've been contacted by Mr Charles Bailey who points out that Horestail is correctly applied to the weed growing on land whereas Marestail is correctly applied to the weed growing in water.
He also puts forth an organic control method, which he says is effective.
Without resorting to chemicals you can control/eradicate horse tail by digging/forking through the soil when it is in the right condition: ie not too wet and sticky!
Once you have removed as much as possible, any that shoots is easily dealt with. Before it reaches 3 ins/7cm high, hoe off an inch below the surface.
Eventually the food supply in the root is exhausted. Let it get bigger than stated and food begins to be stored in the roots again, and round and round you go ad infinitum.
Never touch Horsetail with a mechanical cultivator. If you do you will understand why it has been around for 60 million years

We have all heard of tulips from Amsterdam, but what about these Chrysanthemums from Germany. Aren't they just beautiful?

I hope you enjoy this. Will sign off now and look in later

B :-)

Introducing the Zo in kuma-zo

You may be wondering what kuma-zo means.
Well it is japanese for bear and elephant. As I love all bears and elephants I thought my blog name should represent these lovely creatures. I already have the bear as my image so this is a good time to introduce the elephant.
Meet Dumbo, the cutest elephant in the world and a great partner for Harry the bear.






Cate:- I have put a comment on your blog
keep well and talk to you soon
love B x.x.x.x.

Sunday 9th May 2010

Today is mother's day in Australia so I would like to wish a very happy mother's day to all the mums, with a beautiful chocolate rose.

This is a photo of one of our Azaleas








My wheelbarrow taken today. What a difference 4 weeks makes

Sunday in the garden

For months now I have wanted to start a 'cottage' style theme in my garden. I have seen wheel-barrows in garden centres and thought how nice they looked and decided I wanted one as well. Lo and behold we have found a 2nd hand barrow on the verge across the road and planted it with seedlings this morning. Fingers crossed they all take.

This is a Royal Cape climber with a bird feeder just in front. This is about 3 years old and is gradually taking over the fence which is nice. The native birds love it.

We went for a lovely drive tonight to see the sunset. Thought you would like to see it.

Stunning yes?

In about 5 minutes it went from this one on the right to the one on the left.

Thought you might like to see some of the craft I have been involved in.

These are some of the clowns I have knitted for different people.

The one with the musrooms on his head was entered into the Royal Agriculture show and received 3rd prize. The picture was taken on our patio which runs down the side of the house.

The One Man Band was knitted for someone at work who is very musical.

I will take some photos of the greetings cards so you can see what I have made. Vintage Mum would have received some of the cards :-)

Easter Monday hello

Hi
I am just about to get ready to go to work as I am on afternoon shifts. I finish shift work next week and start a new job as an admin assistant, still with the same company but in a different location. Hope you had a lovely Easter and well done on the blogging thing. I thnk I am getting better also as I have changed my photo and added a few things.
will send another blogg soon
love me :-)

My very first blog

My first blog