Pirate Day

"Har Har Me Hearties!"

"It's Pirate Marley!"

"....With a Hawaiin lai? And er... a cowboy scarf?  Oh and a babies knit jumper? Oh well we can't be fussy about these things.... so... just pretend I'm a pirate okay!

PS. (Just in case you're wondering...no I don't sit around dressing up my doggies hee hee...I have a littlie here that loves to do that.)

"Pupcakes"

They look like cupcakes, they sounds like cupcakes but they're not.

They're PUPCAKES...

YUM!

What Big Eyes You Have

 "Jasper, What Big Eyes You Have"

"All The Better To See You With"

"Marley, What Big Ears You Have"

"All The Better To Hear You With"

"Jasper, What Big Teeth You Have"

 "All The Better To EAT You With!"

 "HELP!"

A Quick Read

I didn't want to add this to my "What I'm Reading" side bar gadget because I finished reading it in one day so it felt hardly worth it. However, it was still a very good read so I wanted to share it with you all.

I saw this book in a bookstore yesterday and immediately thought of a friend in Melbourne who has a Golden Retriever named Sandy. I bought the book for her to read while she is recovering from surgery at the moment. But...then I felt tempted to read it myself first before sending it just in case it wasn't any good.

It's based on a true story of a Golden Retriever named Cormac who is lost/stolen and the harrowing weeks of sleuthing it takes for his owner to track down what happened to him. I won't tell you the ending or that will spoil it. If you do get the chance to read it I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Zazzle - Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Mouse Pads

Here's the Link!

This one is around $19 but I remember only paying $12 so it may have gone up a bit. There are over 440 to choose from. Yes! You heard me right. Over 440 Cavalier Mouse Pads to choose from. It might take you awhile. Have fun!

Oh...and let us know which one you choose. I can't decide which blenheim one I like best. I'm thinking of sending away for a "Cavaliers Corner" banner photo mouse pad for the office.

http://www.zazzle.com.au/cavalier+king+charles+spaniels+mousepads

What's This?

Do you know what this is?

It's not a photo of Jasper by the way. Just another gorgeous Tri-Colour Cavalier.

It's my new Mouse Pad! Isn't it cool. I found it on the internet awhile ago. Silly me deleted the web site and now I can't remember where I found it. I want to get another one for the office computer with a Blenheim Cavalier like Marley. The company who makes these allows you to send in a photo of your own pet too if you like. Must try and find it again.

No Marley!

I can see some food up there.....mmmm...I can smell it. It's that yummy Turkey Breast that Mummy eats on her protein only day. I wonder how I can get some?

Give it up Marley! You know she's not going to share it with you. "You've already had your breakfast!" "You'll get fat!" "This is Mummy's breakfast and on Mondays it's all I eat!"

Blah...Blah...Blah... she always says the same thing.

Maybe if I give her those big eyes she'll feel sorry for me and cave in.

"Look Mummy I'm so starving...my cheeks are sunken, don't you even care?"

"PLEEEEEEEEESSSSE!"

Wordless Wednesday

Theatre Buff

I grew up in the very multicultural city of Melbourne. In High School I developed a love for Art Galleries and Stage Productions, particularly Musical Theatre. I would go to see every new show that came to town. Fiddler on The Roof, Oliver, West Side Story, Beauty and the Beast, Oklahoma to name but a few. But by far my favourite of all time and one I saw four times was Phantom of the Opera with Anthony Warlow playing the Phantom. - What a voice!!! In my 20s I moved to Sydney and continued my theatre going there and included ballet and live orchestra too.

Thirteen years ago my husband and I moved to regional Queensland and we went to see Les Miserables at the Lyric Theatre in Brisbane. At the time I was heavily pregnant with our first child. Since then theatre has been a non-entity in my life and I've missed it so much.

So last Sunday my darling husband sent me to the theatre with one of my BFFs. He would have loved to come too but sacrificed his chance to look after the children with my girl friends husband who is not a theatre goer at all. My girlfriend is a long time friend of many years. We worked together in Melbourne over 25 years ago. A year ago she moved to Brisbane and now I once again have a "Theatre Buff Buddy"

As you've probably guessed we went to see Dr Zhivago. Anthony Warlow played the part of Yuri Zhivago. Still has the most amazing voice. The costumes,  the atmosphere, the voices, the songs, the music.....WOW! I loved every minute of it.

I took some photos of the Brisbane skyline on my mobile phone.

Hard to believe that only six months ago this area was a disaster flood zone. Even the theatre was closed down due to flooding. There were no tell tales signs of disaster that I could see.

 A lot of cleaning up and life goes on. 

While we two girls watched the three hour show our men and children walked around Brisbane city to the Brisbane River Markets to see all the interesting items for sale. Aboriginal paintings on T-Shirts, and beautiful silk scarves.

Interesting street art.

...and a pink sun!

A fourty eight car ferris wheel sits aside the Brisbane River

We love ferris wheels

Even though we are a bit wary of heights

A street busker playing the didgeridoo

Gemstones!

More gem stones....

Aboriginal boomerangs...

Masquerade Masks

...more silks with gorgeous colours and designs...

...handmade jewellery...

Didgeridoo's

Other local Australiana arts and crafts...

And who is this?

 We have no idea!

Some random man who insisted on walking into our photo - so here you are HAPPY now? Hee hee hee!

It was an amazing day for us all finished off by the yummiest Greek Souvlaki at one of Brisbanes local Greek Restaurants.

Home safe and sound!

So now we can sleep peacefully again.

And what's next on the Theatre Agenda? Well...she's flying into Brisbane soon with her umbrella and big carpet bag and sings about "Feeding the Birds." Any guesses who it might be?

Wordless Wednesday

Winter Morning Sun

Wordless Wednesday

Unintentional Bird Collecting

Inspired by our bird bath which attracts lots of little visitors...

..and the two cheeky Willy Wagtails who visited us last year

- you can read about them here

The Tale of Two Willy Wagtails

My husband and I bought these two little birds to decorate our outdoor room.

The plant they guard changes with the seasons, but the birds stay here looking pretty all year around.

Then I found a bird house and added a little bird to sit beside it. Recently I also found some Bird book boxes and have used them around the house for different purposes.

After that my husband made it his mission to start collecting birds made out of all different materials. So the Bird collector in this post has turned out to be - not ME but my dear darling.

This is his favourite so far

A little interesting bird made of wire, must admit I do love it too, so unusual.

This little duck egg blue bird I found at Sam's Warehouse (a cheap $2 shop) for just $1 and it holds a little tea light or small size candle. It's kind of stuck in him since the last dinner party we had...  hmmm...  might have to cut it out soon so I can replace it.

Here's another of the book boxes. There were three inside each other. I got them on sale 75% off at one of my favourite home furniture stores. They were getting rid of all their accessories and ornaments. I had planned on only buying the biggest one for all the loose mail in the office, but when the lady said I could have all three for the price of just one, well I wasn't going to say no was I?

This little 3 dimensional plaque is just gorgeous. It's made of plaster I think. The colours are so vibrant and I love the little saying on it too. Being content with the things we have rather than always having what we want.

 

At another homewares store that was closing down I recently found this little platter. Just big enough for my cup of tea and a treat on the side.

Here is a close up of one of the book boxes.

I found these two bird pictures and seeing that they also had the same duck egg blue colourways added them to our outdoor room.

They remind me of  Japanese influenced painting with the blossoms.

So pretty!

A few weeks ago we visited on of our favourite little craft towns and my "Little Mister" spent his pocket money without me knowing on this gorgeous glass jewellry box. He said "I just had to get it for you Mummy because it has a little Birdie on top." So cute! I love it. It sits on top of my desk.

Then Dear Darling found our most recent bird. A ceramic bird in light green. Love the cut work and texture of this one. I really am spoilt. I don't even need to start collecting myself, the boys in the house have taken it upon themselves to do it for me!