Winter

We give thanks for the blessing of winter:
Season to cherish the heart.
To make warmth and quiet for the heart.
To make soups and broths for the heart.
To cook for the heart and read for the heart.
To curl up softly and nestle for the heart.
To sleep deeply and gently at one with the heart.
To dream with the heart.
To spend time with the heart.
A long, long time of peace with the heart.
We give thanks for the blessing of winter:
Season to cherish the heart.
~ Leunig

Magnolias

The first blooms.

A wolf in sheep's clothing?

Tim and Tom glam up for a night out at the fairy tale party..bet you can't guess who they're supposed to be.

Mt Lofty Botanical Gardens

We may have been 2 weeks too early for the Magnolia flowers but the colours of the lichen clad magnolia trunks and the surrounding foliage were amazingly colourful.

Snow at Mt Lofty

The longest and wettest winter for 10 years so they say...way too long for me, and way too cold. Walking on Thursday in the blustery conditions seemed even more freezing than usual...and then we heard the news...snow on Mt Lofty.

Sold

Our friends strike a deal at auction and come away with a new home in Forrestville. So much closer for visitors than Middleton.

succulent

These botanical beauties are at their prime in the succulent section of the Gardens...delicate and striking.

Medieval Day

The Medieval Pope...a la Bodhi for the school dress up day, with lots of feasting on traditional medieval foods and traditional games of the time. Lots of fun and the best dressed prize for Bodhi.

August Birthday girls

Rosanna and Anja share their August birthdays.

Master Chef

After a delicious lunch at Jolley's Boat house I make an attempt at my own caramelised shallot and ashed goat cheese tart. A good first effort and more importantly, delicious!

You can't see me

A crab at Middleton beach hides, camouflaged in the grey sand.

Wattle it be.

It's wattle time and the blossoms are brightening the incredibly grey skies giving us some hope for a spring...however distant, to follow. The blossoms are also creating a yellow carpet on the footpaths and making amazing pattens on puddles and lakes.

Deafening

30 women at a 50th birthday lunch translates as deafening!
Happy Birthday Jen...if you can hear me.

Family movie time.

While watching the Source Code thriller, the girls researching swimwear on their lap tops, and Andrew snoozing on the couch, lightening struck and thunder suddenly clapped so deafeningly overhead, that we all just about had heart attacks...except for Andrew who didn't even wake. All lighting and appliances died...luckily however most have returned to functionality...except Tim's heater, Bodhi's computer and the phones. Ouch! Glad we weren't outside.

To Do LIst

I love this to do list and think I may start working through it.

A day at the footy.

For only the second time ever, I had and afternoon watching the Crows play in Adelaide, but this time in the luxury of a "box" with all the good company, wine and food, that accompanies it.

This giant was not interested in moving as we were hiking in Chambers Gully, obviously very content with the succulent grass and familiar enough with walkers not to care.

A quote from Michael Leunig

When you plod, everything seems to take forever and ever, which is a lovely thing once you stop being scared of it.
Strange how something that takes a lot of time can give a feeling that there IS a lot of time...and space...and a good measure of ease.
~Vasco Pyjama and his gargling angel.

This photograph by Yao Wei of bathers at a hot spring in Tibet won a bronze medal at the Royal Photographic society's latest exhibition.
I LOVE it!
Beautiful nurturing women.

Nepal to ban independent trekkers

Nepal to ban independent trekkers.
What a shame!

Mongolian songbird

Unicorns

The hornless unicorn has been sighted near Willunga...and what's more you can buy bags of its poo for only $2

Parkland winter

The parklands have a ghostly beauty at this time of the year but sadly they are still the home to many of our homeless who camp,  and somehow survive these cold wet nights with only the tents provided by the city council, and one hot meal (and possibly a shower) at the Hutt Street centre not too far away.

Winter rains

The heavy winter rains over the last few weeks have meant that the creeks in Belair are flowing and the waterfall is cascading once again,  signalling the first flush of the wild orchids soon to bloom.

Space ships in Arvaiheer

Spaceship lights hover above the beautiful plaza of Arvaiheer.
A moment of blue sky too, to highlight the Mongolian summer world.