Kaleidoscope

Footprints in the snow

2010-06-08T10:48:00.000+10:00

For university English I was very lucky as I got to study the poetry of Ted Hughes. One poem in particular means a lot to me and this evening while I was out in the garden in the sleet in the frost... (my son is helping with a garden remodel) this poem came into my mind.

The Thought Fox

I imagine this midnight moment's forest:
Something else is alive
Beside the clock's loneliness
And this blank page where my fingers move.

Through the window I see no star:
Something more near
Though deeper within darkness
Is entering the loneliness:

Cold, delicately as the dark snow
A fox's nose touches twig, leaf;
Two eyes serve a movement, that now
And again now, and now, and now

Sets neat prints into the snow
Between trees, and warily a lame
Shadow lags by stump and in hollow
Of a body that is bold to come

Across clearings, an eye,
A widening deepening greenness,
Brilliantly, concentratedly,
Coming about its own business

Till, with a sudden sharp hot stink of fox
It enters the dark hole of the head.
The window is starless still; the clock ticks,
The page is printed.

- This is Tara, a blogging friend's siamese, not Pyewacket. :)

Pyewacket - specially for Nancyhol

2010-06-03T08:19:00.002+10:00

At the Auto Italia Car Show

2010-04-18T15:57:00.003+10:00

Giancarlo and Erika.

Auto Italia Car Show, Canberra, Australia - 2010

2010-04-18T15:02:00.006+10:00

The top two photos are Giancarlo's Fiat X1/9 - that I used to own many years ago. There was a photographer there who said he was going to put its pic in the next issue of Torque magazine.

Trixie on the cat scratcher

2010-04-18T12:47:00.002+10:00

I moved two of them about - so they were all new to Trixie!
She had a lovely play.

My Cozy Collection

2010-04-14T10:01:00.009+10:00

What is a "cozy"? Well, the crimes take place off scene, there is usually a cat, a cup of tea and hot, buttered toast. And they are often set in an English village. There is another definition here and a list of great cozy authors from A to Z.

I was asked about my cozy collection so here some of it is:

Lilian Jackson Braun - the Cat Who series. Qwilleran is in his 50s and inherits a fortune. He has a pair of siamese cats and he solves mysteries. They are my favorites I have read them several times and I now listen to them.

Sara Paretski - the Private Investigator, V.I. Warshawski series set in the US.

Katherine Hall Page - the Body in the.... series. She is married to a minister, has 2 children, is a caterer and solves mysteries.

Jonathan Gash - the Lovejoy series. Set in East Anglia, an antiques series with mysteries.

Jill Churchill - the Jane Jeffries series. She is a mother who is an author, and has a friend she solves mysteries with.

Earlene Fowler - a mystery sort of quilting series. She doesn't talk about the quilts much actually. The character is Benni Harper.

Colin Dexter - the Inspector Morse series.

Carolyn Hart - the Death on Demand bookstore mystery series.

Marcia Mueller - Private Investigator Sharon McCone series set in San Francisco.

Patricia Wentworth - the Miss Silver series, like Agatha Christie's Miss Marple.

Agatha Christie.

Mary Stewart - the mystery books.

Dorothy Gilman - the Mrs Polifax, Spy series.

M.C. Beaton - the Agatha Raisin Private Investigator series set in the Cotswolds.

M.C. Beaton - the Hamish Macbeth mystery series set in Scotland.

Diane Mott Davidson - the Goldy Schulz catering mystery series set in the US.

Rhys Bowen, the Evan policeman series set in Wales.

Joanne Fluke - the Hannah Swensen cookie catering series set in the US.

John Grisham - a lawyer series set in the US and Italy. More action than cozy actually.

Nevada Barr - Anna Pigeon is a Park Ranger in the US who solves mysteries.

Nancy Pickard - mysteries set in the US. The Jenny Cain and Eugenia Potter series.

Amanda Cross - the Kate Fansler university series set in the US.

Patricia Moyes - the Inspector Henry Tibbett policeman series.

Sue Grafton - Kinsey Milhone series set in the US, titles go from A to Z.

Karen Kijewski - the Kat Colorado mystery series.

Nancy Atherton - the wonderful Aunt Dimity series set in England.

Gerald Hammond - two series set in England - the Keith Calder books and the Three Oaks dog series.

Digital scrapbook layouts of Italy

2010-04-11T11:10:00.000+10:00

Positano Lion and Ozymandias

2010-04-11T10:54:00.004+10:00

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed.
And on the pedestal these words appear:
"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Angels in the architecture

2010-04-09T18:35:00.001+10:00

Staying in San Gimignano

2010-04-08T07:20:00.006+10:00

I'm booked in at La Cisterna Hotel later in the year for 9 nights and the look on a colleague's face when I told her was priceless. You see, she lived in bustling Rome for three years.

If you have stayed there, have wandered the tower-shadowed streets in the golden early morning before the day (two-hour) trippers pop in to have lunch at a reviewed restaurant and to buy a bottle of wine...

When we go up to the Fortress at 8am, we only have to share the view with a resident cat or two.

Only the two main streets are tramped by the ever-changing tour groups, and only really between mid morning and late afternoon. All the rest of the town - the myriad of side streets, the walks along the town walls - are left to the inhabitants.

Now when one looks at the photos, which are all in main squares of the town, can you play "spot the tourist"? - No, just me! Honestly - it's heaven on Earth.

Capri Cat

2010-04-06T19:20:00.004+10:00

Giancarlo has been gardening

2010-04-05T09:38:00.002+10:00

Roses from San Gimignano

2010-04-03T16:58:00.002+11:00

More of the Brandy Rose

2010-03-31T22:21:00.001+11:00

It's standing alone, in all its scented splendor, in a small dark green Asti Riccadonna bottle, which I am using as a bud vase.

You can click on the image to make it larger.

Giancarlo's new wheels going on

2010-03-31T14:06:00.000+11:00

Posting these here for Giancarlo...

My Brandy Rose

2010-03-28T07:39:00.003+11:00

From my kitchen counter this morning.

Guess where I am going?

2010-03-27T17:31:00.003+11:00

Because nine times... is not enough.

This is at Zoagli, up above Rapallo, near Santa Margherita Ligure, on the Ligurian Coast.

It's me!

2010-03-24T21:23:00.002+11:00

This was made for me by a very special friend from my forum on The Digital Scrapbook Place, known as Evergreen100. It's my new favorite thing!

Journalling reads:

About Leslie: Leslie likes nothing better than to live a quiet and simple life. She derives pleasure from her two lovely boys, her cats, her home and garden. She entertains us in the Granny thread with quirky stories of her daily activities, such as her icecream making hobby, and of the special little dishes in which she serves herself just a tiny portion each time, such as the life and times of her front porch garden with sagas of baby lemons and strawberries and more recently of her foray (with the help of her son Giancarlo) into the garden at large. I love her tales of her “blind” men, her cats’ antics, how she puts on a face for the Colesonline delivery. I love her *chortles* *sniggers* *snorts* and more. I know she is a great Mum, a dedicated declutterer, a fantastic blog keeper. I know she loves Italy, her laptop, books, ploppers, DVDs of her favourite TV series. Leslie has been a special cyber friend to me and I have had the good fortune of having met her in real life.. a very special pleasure!

Sold!

2010-03-21T18:16:00.003+11:00

At auction - Giancarlo's Erika sold her first house! Um, and it was her own home.

Capri - window shopping

2010-03-20T21:10:00.001+11:00

Those were the days

2010-03-20T20:45:00.003+11:00

Those were the days my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We'd fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way.

My gosh I was young here, I was just 21. I'm the one on the right.

List of my roses

2010-03-14T16:46:00.009+11:00

The Fairy - 1932.

Light pink, small clusters of flowers.
Polyantha, a standard.

Diamond Jubilee - 1947

Light yellow, strong fragrance.
Hybrid Tea. Is in a terracotta pot.

Amber Flowering Carpet

Amber flowers, slight fragrance.
Procumbent. Ground Cover Rose.

Brandy

Deep apricot, fragrant.
Hybrid Tea. Tall.

My front porch today

2010-03-14T14:29:00.002+11:00

My wishlist of roses

2010-03-13T15:57:00.002+11:00

Dear Trixie

2010-03-13T15:56:00.002+11:00

My new rose

2010-03-11T20:26:00.003+11:00

Or - what is will look like, when it grows up. You see, mine is only new, with one fat bud on it. I prefer this one!

Journaling:
Classic, long pointed buds unfurl into high centered, exhibition style blooms of clear, soft pink. The large blooms are very fragrant. Winner of the Portland Gold Medal. Upright, bushy plant with dark, glossy, leathery green foliage. Somewhat winter tender.
Continual Bloom
Fragrance: Very Fragrant
Year patented: 1963

Hummingbird webcams

2010-03-08T10:38:00.006+11:00

There are two great webcams on right now. This one is Phoebe, and she lives in a rose bush. She has two eggs, the size of tic tacs, and her next is the size of a golf ball. The eggs are almost ready to hatch.

This one is Buzzie Bea, and she currently has two babies that are almost ready to fly off and leave her. Her babies are called Zipper and Velcro. This nest is also in a rose bush.

They are located in Orange County, in California. The two nests, and webcams, are ten miles apart.

Evening in Potts Point - by Stuart Flavell

2010-03-06T13:45:00.002+11:00

Evening in Potts Point

She would be there that evening
hushed her voice over the telephone
down from Canberra for a city stay.
He poured another glass of wine
watching numerous yachts’ silent
erect masts through his windows.
Like clumps of young, white bark
gums bobbing in a softened bush
they gathered as moths around buoys.
Saracen swords now, proud tribes of
colour gliding close together boasting
horizons and mysterious things to come.
Clashes of images as dusk and bottle’s
end searched flattened roof tops for her
arrival through the bright crowded streets.
The moon sat crooked still over the Harbour
islands with pigeon wings sounding too loud
at that moment when the telephone rang again. –

by Stuart Flavell

My view - rosellas

2010-03-06T10:01:00.002+11:00

These rosellas have been coming daily since they noticed the seed bell I put out for the delightful little sparrows. The idea was for "cat TV" - but... the cats rarely tune in, I just watch it by myself.

Anyhow, the sparrows jump up and down underneath the gigantic crimson rosellas and wait impatiently for them to be gone.

A peaceful place

2010-03-05T11:46:00.003+11:00

For a blogging friend, Bush Babe.

This is Torcello, where Venice began...

Growing pains

2010-02-28T19:23:00.001+11:00

Click on the picture to make it larger.

One got better and...

2010-02-28T18:21:00.008+11:00

Click on the picture to make it larger.

Twice Times by A.A. Milne

There were Two Little Bears who lived in a Wood,
And one of them was Bad and the other was Good.
Good Bear learnt his Twice Times One -
But Bad Bear left all his buttons undone.

They lived in a Tree when the weather was hot,
And one of them was Good, and the other was Not.
Good Bear learnt his Twice Times Two -
But Bad Bear's thingummies were worn right through.

They lived in a Cave when the weather was cold,
And they Did, and they Didn't Do, what they were told.
Good Bear learnt his Twice Times Three -
But Bad Bear never had his hand-ker-chee.

They lived in the Wood with a Kind Old Aunt,
And one said "Yes'm," and the other said "Shan't!"
Good Bear learnt his Twice Times Four -
But Bad Bear's knicketies were terrible tore.

And then quite suddenly (just like Us)
One got Better and the other got Wuss.
Good Bear muddled his Twice Times Three -
But Bad Bear coughed in his hand-ker-chee!

Good Bear muddled his Twice Times Two -
But Bad Bear's thingummies looked like new.
Good Bear muddled his Twice Times One -
But Bad Bear never left his buttons undone.

There may be a Moral, though some say not;
I think there's a moral, though I don't know what.
But if one gets better, as the other gets wuss,
These Two Little Bears are just like Us.
For Christopher remembers up to Twice Times Ten ...
But I keep forgetting where I put my pen.*

* So I have had to write this one in pencil.

Rome

2010-02-24T13:18:00.001+11:00

My sister and I were in Rome last October.

My students in computer club helped me make this layout today.

Capri - window shopping

2010-02-20T15:09:00.001+11:00

Lanyon Homestead in Canberra

2010-02-19T18:37:00.002+11:00

Alessandro

2010-02-18T14:56:00.002+11:00

Chocolate sauce

2010-02-14T19:38:00.003+11:00

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 2/3 cups white sugar
1 1/4 cups water
1 tbls butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Boil the water, sugar and cocoa powder for two minutes, let cool a little and add butter and vanilla.

I will make half this at a time. It's for my new batch of vanilla ice cream. And I have started storing my recipes on here so I don't lose them.

Gingerbread

2010-02-13T14:45:00.004+11:00

Just talking to myself here as I type on the kitchen counter. I converted this recipe to Australian ingredients, used treacle instead of molasses for example. Posting it here so I don't lose it. Now, I halved it. And I will serve it sliced up with butter on it.

* 1 cup s.r. flour, sift before measuring
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoons cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* 5 tablespoons dark brown sugar
* 1/2 cup dark molasses
* 1/2 cup buttermilk
* 1/4 cup melted butter

Cook at 180 degrees for about 40 minutes. Oh and grease and flour a loaf pan to cook it in.

Sorrento, early morning

2010-02-13T13:32:00.002+11:00

From my third floor balcony overlooking the beach...

Calle de la Rasse, Venice

2010-02-13T10:23:00.002+11:00

When I think of Venice...

2010-02-12T21:02:00.002+11:00

I often think in shades of pink...

Pyewacket is three!

2010-02-02T14:19:00.006+11:00

Here is dear little Pye, when she was brand new...

Here is the majestic Pyewacket of today...

Welcome Elizabeth!

2010-01-31T08:05:00.006+11:00

Dear Trekcapri, may you have so much enjoyment from Elizabeth's company for a very long time. :)

What a beautiful pale apricot tabby!

Snickerdoodles

2010-01-22T14:33:00.006+11:00

Posting this here so I don't lose it, it's a US recipe that I have adapted to Australian ingredients.

Ingredients

* 1/4 cup butter, softened
* 1/4 cup oil
* 3/4 cups white sugar
* 1 egg
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/2 of almond essence (optional)
* 1 1/2 cups s.r. flour
* 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

* 2 tablespoons white sugar
* 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C.
2. Cream together butter, oil, 3/4 cups sugar, the egg and the vanilla and the almond essence. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape the dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.
3. Mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Roll the balls of dough in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets.
4. Bake 8 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets. Don't let them go brown. I store them in the freezer.

2010-01-22T13:28:00.001+11:00

Giancarlo has rebuilt the Fiat X1/9. It used to be mine many years ago. All I recognise are the wheels that I personally chose. Body kit, new engine, new interior, new paint job, new everything...

New lettuces

2010-01-21T14:37:00.003+11:00

A new addition for my front porch container garden, to go with the lemon tree, the petunias, the geraniums and the pot of strawberries.

The new lamp

2010-01-21T14:17:00.001+11:00

Very subtle, very pretty.

Nancy Drew

2010-01-16T10:43:00.001+11:00

Where to keep my list? On here of course. The only place I won't lose it.

The Password to Larkspur Lane
The Clue of the Broken Locket
The Clue of the Leaning Chimney
The Clue of the Black Keys
The Secret of the Golden Pavilion
The Clue in the Crossword Cipher
Hits and Misses
Deadly Intent
Diamond Deceit
The Winking Ruby Mystery
Trouble in Tahiti
High Marks For Malice
Danger in Disguise
Fatal Attraction
Rich and Dangerous
Playing With Fire
Stay Tuned For Danger
The Haunted Lagoon
Secrets Can Kill

Smart parking in Rome

2010-01-16T09:15:00.003+11:00

And the last one, it's blue and partly hidden by the cool sports car:

October 09

Portofino - October 09

2010-01-11T18:40:00.002+11:00

I was talking to a wonderful Australian blogger

2010-01-07T22:08:00.008+11:00

... known as Bush Babe, about Portovenere, just south of the Cinque Terre.

I went there on a recent trip with my sister.

Campo Santa Maria Formosa cat, Venice

2010-01-07T15:29:00.004+11:00

I was resizing these to send them to the cat's owner, and I thought they were so gorgeous I just had to share.

Chicken tacos

2010-01-07T14:58:00.000+11:00

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken-Tacos/Detail.aspx

Pot of strawberries

2010-01-07T13:58:00.001+11:00

On my front porch, next to the petunias.

This year's petunias

2010-01-07T13:47:00.002+11:00

Giancarlo and Erika gave me these.

The beach at Camogli

2010-01-05T14:03:00.002+11:00

A rose by any other name

2010-01-02T20:54:00.002+11:00

From my sister's garden.

The Italian Riviera - Santa Margherita Ligure

2009-12-30T18:50:00.004+11:00

I've stayed here three times now, right on the beach, overlooking the main street. Up on my third floor balcony, counting the ferraris as they roar past...

But this photo was taken as we walked out the front door, off to have that first delicious cappuccino of the day.

A year ago - the formal

2009-12-30T15:52:00.002+11:00

Christmas Day

2009-12-30T15:25:00.003+11:00

Trixie
Pyewacket
Tigger

More of the Formal

2009-12-14T11:36:00.003+11:00

They had a photo shoot done at The Carillion, a bell tower on the lake.

Alessandro and Taysha.

The Formal

2009-12-12T18:15:00.003+11:00

Alessandro and Taysha went to her formal in early December.

Double click on the picture.

Alessandro's blue WRX

2009-12-11T14:44:00.002+11:00

Double click on the picture to make it larger.

Trixie's Christmas stocking

2009-12-06T15:57:00.001+11:00

We just put this year's batteries in it- she has had it for years!

2009-11-30T10:54:00.001+11:00

This is the Campo Manin lion in Venice.

Venice - window shopping

2009-11-29T18:42:00.006+11:00

I really wanted to buy everything. I love these "velvet" shops in Venice. This is another digital scrapbooking kit by Marcee Duggar of The Digital Scrapbook Place.

Oh, the handbag in the middle was 200 euros.

Just on the scrapbooking, I work in Adobe Photoshop Elements 6, and from Marcee's Maisee page kit I used a background, a circular frame (cutting out the picture with the cookie cutter tool), an element of barbed wire and an overlay.

Can you see my sister in the background - taking the photo?

Venice - Campo Santa Maria Formosa

2009-11-29T15:02:00.004+11:00

One of my very favorite squares...

It's only a few yards from the convent hotel and I like to watch all the locals pass by. Very few tourists like me, just locals.

This picture, and the Camogli one under it, are both made from the digital scrapping of the very talented Marcee Duggar of The Digital Scrapbook Place - where I hang out on a forum.

Venice, early morning

2009-11-28T19:15:00.002+11:00

Pashmina weather.

Camogli

2009-11-26T13:08:00.003+11:00

I went to Camogli again this October. One of my very favorite places...

Venice - water

2009-11-25T15:06:00.004+11:00

My students had a lesson today at computer club about two ways to use digital scrapbooking. One is to frame a photo, and the other is to create a piece of personal artwork...

Swarovski crystal tennis bracelets

2009-11-18T20:59:00.004+11:00

These are bracelets I really wanted from our day in Capri - the ones in the centre. There are exquisite pink sapphires, some white, some black diamonds, aquamarines, amethysts, emeralds...

OK, I first saw them in a store in Portofino on the Ligurian coast, on the Italian Riviera. They start at 1700 euros for the cheapest, going up to 3000 euros for the white diamonds. This is for just one of these gorgeous tennis braclets. And they look best with a few on your arm. These in Capri cost even more!

So - being me - I got five. Two pale green peridot colored ones and three brown diamond colored ones. From Sorrento. And mine are Swarovski crystal at a very tiny fraction of that price. I'll never forget the pink sapphires though. My gosh they were gorgeous!

2009-11-15T15:50:00.003+11:00

Leslie's custard ice cream mixture

1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups heavy thickened cream, I use home brand
1 tsp vanilla

I use my Bamix - stick blender and mix it all well.

Turn on hotplate, when hot, put saucepan on top of it and stir for two minutes while it gets hot. Do not boil. Take off hotplate and immediately strain into a bowl. Cool for an hour or so, then gladwrap and place in fridge for 24 hours.

My shortcut that I use every time now, is, when cool, place in freezer, gladwrapped for an hour, with the flavouring (or fruit mixture) added to it, then run it through the ice cream maker.

Takes less than 30 minutes to run it through. Takes a day to set hard.

Butterscotch Sauce for all sorts of good things

1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla or 1 tsp of the good vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

Put in sauce pan and cook while stirring for 5 minutes. Let cool and store in fridge. Can be used to pour over ice cream as a topping, or to make butterscotch ice cream or in milk shakes.

To make butterscotch ice cream you combine the two mixtures and put them through the ice cream maker.

2009-11-13T18:38:00.004+11:00

Click on the image to make it bigger. This was the day we arrived in Venice at the end of September - we always get a water taxi from the airport. This is the convent hotel, Istituto San Giuseppe, which is right near Campo Santa Formosa. And it's only two minutes from Piazza San Marco. You can see the front door of the convent.

There is a supermarket 100 meters away, and it's just so close to everything we like to go to - the Rialto, San Marco, Campo Santa Maria Formosa... Calle dei Fabbri for the shopping!

Italy trip

2009-11-05T20:28:00.004+11:00

We had just arrived in Venice at the start of our trip and this is in Piazza San Marco outside the church.

After eight nights in Venice we picked up the hire car, a Mercedes, and drove to Santa Margherita Ligure where we stayed for another eight nights. We went to Portofino twice and went up to Castle Brown and even walked along to the lighthouse.

Castle Brown, Portofino

2009-10-09T19:55:00.005+11:00

We had a great time walking up to Castle Brown above Portofino. We were last here in October '06.

And... we also walked clear around to the lighthouse. This is my sister in front of it.

Oh, and we bought handbags in Portofino.

OK, would you believe THIS is our hire car?

2009-10-09T19:52:00.001+11:00

My sister with the convertible Beamer... we are on the Italian Riviera at magnificent Santa Margherita Ligure.

We are having a ball! Had cappuccino in Rapallo, in Camogli and in Portofino. Oh my, it's a hard life.

Look at our hire car! Cool hey!

2009-10-06T23:35:00.002+11:00

Here is the Hummer.

Second day in Venice

2009-10-06T23:32:00.004+11:00

My sister and I in Venice at Piazza San Marco.

At SS. Giovane e Paolo.

Piazza San Marco.

At a cafe in Campo Santa Maria Formosa.

Arrival in Venice

2009-10-06T23:27:00.004+11:00

My sister at Piazza San Marco first thing in the morning.

Early morning mist near Campo Santa Maria Formosa.

Oh dear, the grocery boat for the supermarket sank and blocked the canal for ages!

Early morning mist outside the convent hotel.

Alessandro

2009-09-12T19:43:00.000+10:00

The white cockatoo

2009-09-09T18:01:00.001+10:00

Cockatoo outside my window

2009-09-07T18:23:00.001+10:00

My kitchen

2009-09-05T08:54:00.002+10:00

Have you had a cappuccino at Quadri Cafe in Piazza San Marco? Then you might recognize that cup - I bought it from there.

Rosellas in Canberra today

2009-08-24T20:09:00.002+10:00

Still crusin' after all of these years

2009-08-14T06:44:00.005+10:00

Happy birthday to me!

Piazza San Marco

2009-08-12T10:38:00.004+10:00

Hail day in Canberra

2009-08-11T18:30:00.002+10:00

Well, OK, so it was in Queanbeyan, the little country town next to Canberra, but we all look on it as a Canberra suburb.

Baby it's cold outside! - for Girasoli

2009-08-08T10:40:00.001+10:00

Driving home from work, I could see why it had felt so cold all day. There was the first, light sprinkling of snow on the nearby ranges.

The next morning there was a lot more. Instead of just a couple of the peaks looking like frosted cupcakes, the snow was more wide spread, clear across the Brindabella Range. It was a wonderful sight and it makes me feel much better about the cold weather. There is a purpose and a reason for it now.

Mouse pie

2009-08-06T20:10:00.004+10:00

I really enjoyed Andasamo's post on the toy mice and I have found two pictures to show her. Click on the pictures to make them larger.

Alessandro at Batemans Bay - down the coast

2009-08-04T11:15:00.005+10:00

Now and then we go stay down the coast to go fishing - just the two of us.

July 9 on the 9th

2009-08-02T20:18:00.003+10:00

My forum started a new challenge this year - 9 photos on the 9th of each month. Here is mine for July. Click on the layout to make it bigger.

Window shopping in Dubai

2009-08-02T08:33:00.002+10:00

From my October 07 trip with Alessandro.

PhotoHunt: Entertainment

2009-07-31T06:55:00.002+10:00

For entertainment, I do digital scrapbooking with The Digital Scrapbook Place. Last week they put on Christmas in July for us. Here are some of the layouts I made.

Inside the Bridge of Sighs

2009-07-20T07:36:00.000+10:00

Batemans Bay

2009-07-17T16:43:00.002+10:00

Alessandro is back from the World Masters Pool Competition

2009-07-13T13:08:00.003+10:00

Double click on the pics to make them larger.

San Gimignano

2009-07-11T15:41:00.007+10:00

Having a quiet weekend - have mom staying (not blogging much)

2009-07-10T17:07:00.004+10:00

Giancarlo is still having the Fiat X1/9 rebuilt.

The Ferrari showroom in Modena, Italy

2009-07-07T09:56:00.001+10:00

Pool Shark

2009-07-06T06:55:00.003+10:00

Alessandro - this picture was in the newspaper.