backyard tennis, sparkler blombs and more

We had a lovely christmas on the north coast. Here are some snaps.

Rexy enjoyed custard A LOT!


Toby and Harry and Roo fashioned a tennis ball sparkler one night.



After that was MUSIC NIGHT!


Wishing you well

christmas suits

We had a lovely time collecting the cicada's christmas suits and giving them a spruce up. Then we put them back in the melaleuca for Xmas day...


Mum told me she and her brother collected cicadas and played 'prawns' with them when she was young. Mmmm 'prawn sandwich anyone'?

My place and yours: I jump...

am participating in My Place & Yours over at Meet Me At Mikes this week! The theme is 5 minutes peace....

Where do you retreat to for that sanity-regaining break? I'm interested

in what or where in your home your sanctuary is...


As well as 'sit and read', or 'sit and sip', I just LOVE TO JUMP.
It is such a great aerobic exercise, and as I challenge myself to step up to front-drops (oooooH!) and the like, it is also working heavy on my mind and my confidence.

I love to jump :)

play

What are these hats made of?


Come on a surf safari with me
Surfing Nelson Bay

Feels like home

We got back this week after Sh!tstar's exceptionally ridiculous service. That is enough said about that!

The poolSSS were as good as predicted, Rex is quite the otter.

On return - we felt like a good old homecooked meal last night. Italian Sausage Penne is the winner here at our place, here for some more inspiration. Note I am not the 'details' driven cook....
1 x canned Italian tomato
Garlic
Onion
4 x cooked italian sausages
Penne
Basil
Parmiagano

then

Cook.
Eat.
Home....

Here are some holiday snaps.







And here are some other snaps - why we love coming home.




There is a man and a staffy in the rockpool at the bottom of the cliff. Can you see them?

For my 100th post....

I am going to rant....

As long as there have been wars, persecution, discrimination, and intolerance, there have been refugees.

Refugees are refugees and are not illegal or criminals. We should be ashamed of our apparent national voice. Let's try at being human and share the wealth of what we have right here in Australia. Can it be more simple?

More here and here

what if this was you and yours?

holiday whims

At the very very last minute decided we're tagging along with Richie who is at a conference in Bali today - can't wait for this. Will let you know how terribly lucky i am when we get back!

I've packed swimmers.

different and unusual - I am having ISSUUUUES kimmy

Sorry words only for this week's theme, as my camera has gone on holiday. Only thing weirdo about our house are the cuphooks in the ceiling above the bathtub... Many of them. No order or purpose suggested.

Any ideas?

I wish I could say - out bathroom is so UNUSUAL it looks like the Park Hyatt Seoul...

What other australianism's have PRAWN in it? help pls...

So I am part of the kidscraftweekly cardswap this year, Rex has diligently made lots of bits and now I stick them together.... Hmmmm

So I was inspired by the capsicum packaging, after I made nana Ceil's soup,


and I wanted to christmas card the red net somehow....

I got back to beachy themes, and what is more aussie christmas than a paper wrapped parcel of prawns down by the river, you eat them, you peel them style. I have only learned to love them recently, and used to be quite bemused by my Mum and Dad and their looooove for the prawn on bread roll. Now am loving it too~!

Anyhoo, these are turning out well so far,

Step 1: the ocean (thanks Rexy)
Step 2: The prawn
Step 3: Embellish the prawn
Step 4: Catch the prawn!




Step 5: Choose a favourite one... I love this one. His name Noel.


But now I am a bit stunned with how to incorporate the very obvious christmas prawn relationship for our northern hemisphere penpals who will think the whole thing perfectly odd? Have you got any great aussie prawn stories?

bye

& big congrats to miss Jane who has sprung forth with a little Elodie yesterday at sundown. Can't wait to meet you gorgeous! Well done JK

not by the hair of my ......

Had some visitors last week - will post so you can see them all - lots of the peoples will be familiar with Josh and Kirsty and their boys....

Harvey

Max

kids on the buoy what Josh saved for me... Rex loloking particularly happy about sharing:

Harvey took this:

and this:

and this:


All in all a lovely summer's day in the backyard!

Collections

The 'my place and yours' theme this week is collections.... Not so much to contribute but awesome to look.

Aside from rocks at the front door, 'erbs' at the back door, shoes almost everywhere, I must admit mine collections aren't numerous. Have started on red enamel teapots which I loves, but this is the thing i am keen to see find me:



Really bad giveaway money boxes... If anyone else collects these, please enthuse me. Rosalea on King Street suggested it was a good way to save. Have an OWL for the couch, a BANK for the table, a PIG for the armchair etc

I am also trying to find all the Richard Scarry BIG books for little Rex, and have been doing some Roger Duvoisin research. I would love to collect all his works:

'more animals daddy'

We braved the zoo on Friday and LOVED it.
So hot but so sweet.
What a fantastic way to see Sydney (oh and the animals)




We had a super time. Rexy loved/hated the 'crottodiles'.

My place and yours: Through the front door

This week I am starting 'My Place & Yours' , I would like to be a contributor not simply a creepy onlooker-er! Pip chose Shelley from Femme de Montmartre to be Theme Queen this week and Shelley chose “Through the Front Door” as this week’s theme. If you want to have a go, join: is easy i did!

Here's what we look at when we are 'steppin out':



and when we return:



We tend to be bringing a few more 'treasures' home from Dudley beach southside each time we visit the beach. There is bookend rock, a shiny shell and a 'mars bar' rock this week. And percy the 'possum'. Please note no removal of shoes upon entry - this is what leads to the state of sandy horror and resulting wild campaign cleaning... Note also the cane lovely from my Grandma Hilda which (attempts to) contain the extra shoe explosion at entrypoint. I'd love to know how normal people contain the entrypoint - especially the mail, which is why this week I opted in.

it's a jumpaline

Rex has had a haircut in the last month - he went from this:



to this:




Note: glasses are optional although he thinks they make him jump higher. Rex loves the 'jumpaline' and spends most of his time there. Note the lack of pads/nets and other safety paraphenalia... Rex is very content staying away from the 'big hole' edge and is not yet attempting somersaults. So we can exhale. For now...

The last pic is one taken in a training class last week, with one of the students delivering teachback via interpretive dance. The topic, if it isn't obvious, was REGRESSION... (as in Y = f(x))... There will only ever be one Annie. I have decided next time I teach the class stats they will ALL be wearing a pair of the harry potter glasses and embracing the inner geek.

when is a banana bread really a cake....

So I was looking for a different banana bread recipe, having tired of Bill's... so I found this site:

My idea of a bread would be something you could substitute for weetbix without needing to ride to work to pay it off... Mine had butter (bad), sugar (bad), apples (mmm) and after toasting, more lashings of Nuttelex olivey spread... Was delicious. Saved up and road to the markets in Newcastle today to pay it ALLL off. Things got so bad I told Rex there was none left (then ate the last slice when he was sleeping).



I do like the Not Quite Nigella-land, site, particularly for when we travel and eat in Syds. Anyone know any vietnamese close to home (i.e. Newie?)

design school

I am loving this re-use recycle action at coffee pitstop in Hamilton NSW:

dairyfarmers stool
energyaustralia cable table
chep pallet stools
love it love it love it


And some artses:


we love newy

Wo up and enjoy

Sometimes there is just so much happening that it takes a look back at the month's photos to remind yourself what is lovely and delicious and worth savouring.

Rex's birthday that just kept giving - our favourite present was the bag they came in:




At the markets enjoying 'Ebony Ray':


The house on Christmas Bush that I covet covet coveted with every walk past to the beach. SO very simple and lovely. WHo would need a mansion?


The beach:


Poetry:


Urban visual management: The record of the boy who surfed 100 days in a row.


Snuggling in fresh towels straight from the line to the ground:


I hereby promise to 'wooooohhhh up' horsey and live for the moment.