Port Willunga

Not sure how I did this but like the effect from the Iphone.

This is what happens when you turn 55

Everyone loved transforming themselves into a blonde diva at Al's birthday...especially the birthday boy.

Bodhi's first rowing race

Go Pembroke!

Shaez's in charge of the nuts

Market day again and enchanting as ever. Always an opportunity to run into friends.
Today I got to sniff a fresh truffle (mushroom) the size of a walnut and selling for $56.

Misanthrope

State theatre's first production for the 2011 season, a play by Moliere, entertained us all. 
"Alceste is a famous playwright disillusioned and angry with the hypocrisy, vanity and choking shallowness of the modern world. Vowing to reject society and to tell it like it is, his plans are derailed when he falls madly in love with Jennifer. An ambitious American film star and darling of the social scene, who proves to be his biggest challenge yet" 
Quite clever rhyming dialogue.

Art in the bush

Time's up for Katharina

With only a couple more days left

it's time to try to fit in

all that is Adelaide.
So a trip to Mt Lofty Summit
is definitely on the cards.

Yakka Yakka

Covered in bees

the zantheria spikes

are piercing the skies

Moonlight yoga

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Getting up at 6.00 am for dawn yoga is difficult, especially when it's dark except for a pale glimmering moon, but watching the yoga studio light up with the rising sun and listening to the birds wake is wonderful.

Because a heart beats under a covering of hair, of fur, feathers or wings, is it, for that reason to be of no account?
Jean Paul Richter

Does a caterpillar even have a heart?

Glamorous predators

These guys are driving me crazy chomping through my fuchsias until they kill them. I know I should love and respect all animals, but what about they respect my plants!!!!!

The Chubsters

Creativity exposed

This amazing dress (handmade and designed by Chris) has panels all with words that describe Shaez. What talent! The dress and numerous performances were evidence of that on Saturday.

How to travel the Silk Route & Central Asia by train | Train times & information

How to travel the Silk Route & Central Asia by train | Train times & information

Inspiration from Nelson Mandela to celebrate Shaez on the day of her 21st

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us: it's in everyone. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
— Nelson Mandela

The art of giving...and chatting

Despite her huge schedule and responsibilities at the Heart Foundation, Wendy still finds time to spend an hour or so at the blood bank donating her precious life blood...and having a good old catch up with her old mate (me).

Morality consists not in following the well beaten track, 

but in finding out the true path for ourselves and in fearlessly following it.

Mahatma Gandhi

Swimming carnival... giving it a go.

One of the things I love about Pembroke, or maybe it's just Bodhi's attitude, is the fact that everyone is encouraged to have a go...and they do. Whether they come first or last, no one is given a hard time. The atmosphere at the swimming carnival today was great and despite the seeming chaos, everything ran perfectly. Pity Smith only came 5th out of the 8 Houses. Oh well, it wasn't for lack of enthusiasm.

Botanic Gardens

Here Carl Linneus is enjoying the summer delights of the Adelaide Botanical gardens. 

Famous for developing "taxonomy," he named these....daisies.

 

“Serenity is not freedom from the storm, but peace amidst the storm”

Adelaide luckily dodged the storms that lashed Murray Bridge and the Riverland tonight. 

The clouds over the hills however still look ominous.

Sprucing up

Our beautiful blue spruce on the balcony is joy to look at and shelter under its shade...but a nightmare for needles and pollen.  Like the spruce life is a balance of good and bad.

The girls are in business

After only a wee period of settling in our girls are in production. One dozen tiny brown eggs already.

Blackberry Time 12/02/11

Summer in the hills, perfect for blackberries. So today while out the bike, seeing blackberries lining the roadsides everywhere, I decided that there could be no more perfect way to spend the afternoon than picking blackberries with the kids. So armed with  containers and protective clothing of sorts, Rosanna, Anja, Bodhi and I hit the prickles alongside the beautiful burbling Onkaparinga river in Mylor, and with a little toughen-up-cream we were able to collect 4 ice-cream containers, jammed full with luscious black juicy berries ready for baking. Unfortunately we spent so long doing so while listening to music from the car, we flattened the car battery and had to call the Maeder Emergency Roadside Assistance to get home. All in a day's adventuring.

 

Reds face their soccer nemesis 11/02/11

United faced their nemesis Melbourne Victory tonight at Adelaide Oval, a scene of fanatic fans, flares, fun and finally...fulfilment, as the Adelaide took the three points to retain third spot on the ladder and head into the finals with a 2-1 win! Yay!

Divine yoga

Yoga is like music. The rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind and the harmony of the soul, create the symphony of life.

BKS Iyenga.

Holiday Planning 10/02/11

Preparations have begun in ernest for Trish's 60th birthday celebrations on the Adriatic in September this year. Our gathering of potential participants to talk itinerary with Nevan was very exciting. 

 

Favourite things

How can it get any better, than dining on our home-made mosaic table on the deck by the light of a golden, glowing sunset, surrounded by good friends and family. 

I LOVE summer and alfresco dining.

"Reality is only seen when the mirror is clean." 9/2/11

With that in mind and after another few thousand kilometres on the tyres i decided it was time to clean the car and see if I could find some reality. 
How cathartic and worthwhile to see it gleam, even if only for a short while.

Keeping cool inside 8/2/11

Phew it's been so hot here recently that we've had to hoist the umbrella inside. It works a treat.

Gotta love summer without air-con.

"Men always say the most important thing in a woman is a sense of humour. You know what that means? He's looking for someone to laugh at his jokes."
Sheila Wenz : Wild words from wild women

Adelaide snaky summer at the beach

While hanging out at West Lakes we had the opportunity to explore the beach and bike track. Wonderful! Ok, so a walk on the beach in summer in Adelaide can be a little tricky. 

The tree of yoga

The first thing on which we should meditate is our precious and fleeting human life.

Hard to obtain and easy to destroy.

Give it meaning.

BKS Iyenga

West Lakes Shore horses

A date with Julian Assange in my office

The Wikileaks saga has transfixed the world, with politicians and punters alike stunned by the intriguing revelations from the leaked US embassy cables. Today we watched Julian Assange, Wikileak's founder, speak via videolink to Aussies at an event in Federation Square, Melbourne. 

With only 4 days before Assange faces court on extradition charges, this was an opportunity to hear directly from the man at the centre of the Wikileaks controversy plus other eminent journalists, lawyers and politicians speaking on his behalf.

Cyclone Yasi hits northern Queensland 2/2/11

Queenslanders tonight are preparing to face one of the largest cyclones recorded and thousands have been evacuated to ensure their safety. Tidal surges and huge rainfalls are also expected which will cause more damage to the already flood ravaged state. Here in the safety and comfort of our homes we can only watch the images as they appear, hoping that the estimations af damage to life and property are much less than anticipated.Scary stuff. Do we still believe that all these "one off events" are not a sign of rapid climate change?