Dad's 82nd birthday

T'was Dad's 82nd birthday today but we celebrated it in typical Jeffries' fashion yesterday, by having a casual meal together - at Helen's place. Steve and Christine, Darryl, Nicola and Justin and the two great grandkids came along with Jemma, Ashley and Liam, and Ian up from Rotorua.
Nice shot of Darryl and his Aunty Helen.
Mum with Jemma and Ian.
No cake, but a great berry trifle with candles stuck in the top.
Like Mother like Daughter. . .
Mmmmmm, doughnut.
Dad with Jemma's cat Pixie.
My great nephew, Dion and his brother Cohen below.

Crisp fresh early Spring walk

Okay, so come on this early morning amble along toward the path by the harbour with me. All sorts of signs of Spring on the rise.
Gotta love the yellow blooms of the kowhai and the red lush bunches of red berries.
. . . and the profusion of pansies.
and then there's the restful spot to stop and contemplate the sunrise.
and almost my favourite - the tiny white flowers of manuka by the edge of the wild area.

and the coffee and fresh date scone as you read the Saturday Herald, at Fuse cafe.
and I'll finish with these magnificent magnolias all pastel against the pale blue sky.

Receive surprise packages from the States

This was a little earlier in August - got a package from the church in Jacksonville, which we've since opened and had a meeting out of. O how great is organic church life. Lots more to delve into in this lot.

Spring from my studio

Wonderful to see closely what the space of a month will achieve on the leaves outside my studio window. ROLL ON SUMMER.

Melbourne and back

Been here - done the trams!
Done the cycling around the Yarra river. . .
Had the gelato on the way. . .
Cycled cycled everywhere. . .
Eaten all we could handle - Greek et al. . .
Seen where Ned Kelly met his end. . .
Salivated and sampled. . .

Waited for trams
Plate after plate . . . coffee after coffee. . .
grapefruit infused beer after grapefruit infused beer. . .
Never got tired of anything. . . just got tired. LOVED every well spent moment.

The dying swans. . .

It was quite touching really - the demise of the ugliest piece of paper knick knack I've seen in years. Left behind without a pang by the owner of it, after the Pauper party - (see last post). I expected these little beauties to fire up quite fast, but instead I could have played the entire music from Saint Saens' 'Dying Swan' and still it wouldn't have caught properly. VERY satisfying watching the flames transform a piece of tackyness into this flaming winged apparition.
Finally reaching their more gorgeous state. Sans pink, sans baby blue, sans red roses, sans everything. Watch the video below and weep.

Pauper's midwinter Christmas Party

This was held last night at my house - and indeed, everyone turned up in rags with smudges of ash and patches to enjoy a feast of slow-cooked pork and trifle.
My first trifle - from out of Annabelle Langbein's book.
The party group
Enjoying first course.
And then we opened our mystery one dollar gifts - Cathy with her false eyelashes
Gordon and his Thai meal in a cup
Helen with her Sudoku cube
Dave and his elephant mug
John with his Bamboo King of world place mats
Me with my sole massagers
Naomi with her folded paper vase with swans.

Cirque de Soleil last night

A good evening had by all at the dress rehearsal for Dralion last night. Bought my souvenir mug in happy remembrance of the contortions and twistings of those tiny bodies on stage last night. Amazing.
Front of the paper full of some of the spectacle. Wasn't I a lucky girl to get a free ticket?