I made a small table using old timber....

 

That was the 25th of December.

We feasted on 'fennel and rocket salad with oranges and roasted almonds', 'enchilada bake', ' roasted garlic, potato, pumpkin and lemon wedges'. Then we cracked home-made xmas bon bons. We each were assigned a recipient for whom we had to organise a little gift - small enough to fit inside the cracker. 

 Shortly after we all took a drive to our favorite haunt in the wilds of Warrandyte. 

Rounded a corner to find a mighty strong looking male roo staring at us, but as always these animals seem to be as wary of us as we are of them and they always lazily retreat when we approach. 

 A new gift! For me! 

                             

Kitchen views.

   Camilles' cookies.   

                     Me thinks a sweet little soul has inspired her.                        

And a visitor. Mother blackbird has blessed us with her presence. Up high, safe from the cats.

 

Ambrose is at Torquay today, and sent me this image from Split Point Lighthouse.....

 

Last night , just before the setting of the sun, I picked  some delectable mulberries before the light disappeared. 

 

What a wonderful tree. Very appreciative of the garden planted by the lady that formerly lived here. Has given the family much joy.

A highly energetic kitten....

.....is a challenge to capture. 

Today, we almost had to call in 'john the joiner' as kitten defiantly jumped down beneath the open floorboards in the cupboard and refused to emerge until nearly an hour later. Covered in cobwebs, he made a brief appearance, before quickly returning to the gap in the floorboards and under the house.

All is back in order now. 

 Made myself a cotton top top and a pair of new season pants from a sewing pattern that I downloaded from Tessuti.  Very comfortable indeed. For both garments, I recycled two different cotton / linen blend doona covers that my son no longer wanted. 

 Quiet day. Camille is enjoying herself with friends down at a beach cottage at Blairgowrie. 

Lucky girl. Hope to get down to the wild ocean beaches and walking trails of Mornington Peninsula sometime soon. In the meantime, I've been sewing on the trusty Singer. Made some more improvements on the lounge room curtains by adding  floor length fabric.  

today....

It's Ambys 25th birthday! I made chocolate cake to celebrate.

I took a photo of this vegan double layered cake ( with chocolate buttercream and mirror icing) but it was out of focus, so that description will have to provide the imagination with the details. 

Twenty years ago I purchased a good quality cotton tea towel that still does good service, so I bought more.... but  first, a wash and line dry. 

Kitty cat - cats on the back porch watching me as I photograph them from the kitchen window....

Flourishing garden abuzz with eager insects.

The odd weed, somehow escaped my eye during a clean up, but caught my eye with a camera.

Bees are busy, but the cats....?

 They are about as sleepy as this blog. 

recent days

The garden is flush with parsley going to seed.

Jerusalem artichokes from the local community garden are doing exactly what I read they would do. I wonder if they will become a bit invasive? Looking forward to the yellow flowers though. Here they mingle with the juvenile gem corn plants. 

 A favourite baked breakfast, but this time topped with cashews. Delish.