FUNDRAISING SILENT AUCTION

Mari over at her blog Carpe Quiltem is having a Silent Auction to raise money for the people suffering from the disaster in Pakistan. The funds raised will be going to Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors without Borders.

BOOK FAIR

This is the stash of books I got recently at one of our local second-hand book fairs. Sometimes I go & find great hoards of books, other times I come home with not much at all. This lot of books cost me $50 and there is more than is pictured here as the kids had taken theirs and I also got a few DVDs & a couple of talking books(always good on long road trips)

The Green Cleaner book was a book I had years ago, lent it to someone and usual story-never returned. I was pleased to find another copy of it as it has some handy recipes in it, specially one for liquid detergent that I use to make frequently when the children were young. Also got quite a few Earth Garden & Grass Roots Magazines for my collection which is good as I nearly have a complete set right back to the early 70's. Loads of cook books (Yippee!! one of my fav finds) plus some novels and other groovy finds.

I love buying second hand books and it is such a good way to save!! I can get a boxful of books for the price of maybe only one or two.

Do you buy any books secondhand or do you prefer to buy new out of the bookshop??

Hope you had a lovely weekend
Caroline

THE BIG PADDOCK

(Photo @ "Crail" Roma, QLD)

And the bush has friends to meet him,

and their kindly voices greet him

In the murmur of the breezes and the river

on it's bars,

And he sees the vision splendid of the

sunlight plains extended,

And at night the wondrous glory of the

everlasting stars.

A.B. (Banjo)Patterson

from 'Clancy of the Overflow'

WRONG SIDE OF THE WORLD

Australian Country music star Beccy Cole wrote POSTER GIRL (wrong side of the world) as a response to a letter she received from a fan after she spent 2wks visiting Australian Soldiers overseas.

The fan wrote that he would be taking her poster off his wall and would not be listening to her music anymore.

Beccy was quoted as saying "That when I met the troops I become patriotic and really proud. I met young, enthusiastic Australians that just want to keep terrorism from reaching our home shores so that Australians can keep the life of peace & freedom"

She also says she did not know what her stance was until she went over there. People are quick to judge these situations without knowing fully what it's all about. Prior to that she said she would have said she was staunchly anti -war -but then again aren't we all

Please take the time to listen & have a great day

Caroline xoxoxo

MARY, A BOY AND AN X-BOX

I went downstairs to the kids t.v room the other day & this is what I was greeted with...

Lane playing X-Box with his little Silkie bantam, Mary snuggled up on his lap. She looked so contented bundled up in the rug. I didn't have the heart to move anyone of them. So they contentedly sat there for many hours till Lane's eyes began to square from to much of a good thing.Well good for him anyway specially as it's not even his X-Box.

We went over to Soldier Boys house the other day and seeing as he is deployed at the moment Lane thought he might just have to borrow (read take) his x-Box home to our house just to give it some exercise(you know how it is)

It was such a beastly day that day, no good for playing outside anyway. This time of year we get strong (read -gale force) cold westerly winds. Yesterday was a lovely day though it felt just like a warm spring day. Today it is raining we have had 9mls this morning so I hope it keeps up as I won't have to water the veggie patch.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend

Caroline xoxoo

EVER REMEMBER.......

Feeling like this?????


So pregnant you think you really couldn't get ANY bigger.(and then you do)

Lane is monitoring her closely, cause in the way of a 13y.o boy he thinks she might just burst
(he also described it in only the way a 13y.o boy could-gore & all)

As for me I have sworn to dear little Rosie pig that I will never let her get in the mothering way again.

Hope your all having a better day than Rosie

Caroline xoxox

PLANTING SEEDLINGS & UNI

This is what I've been up to.(Yesterday)

We had about 2 1/2 inches of rain on Wednesday and Thursday so with this garden bed sitting empty and the place having had a good soaking I decided to plant some more veggie seedlings.

In this bed I put a mixture of beans, assorted lettuces and Asian greens, a few squash and of course and as always Marigolds.

Today I took Emerald to the USC (University of the Sunshine Coast) Open Day. They ran a really good day. Plenty of demonstrations,exhibits and information lectures on anything & everything they offer. We now feel a lot more prepared for next year now.

A busy but productive weekend here. What did you get up to??

Caroline xoxo

ABBEY MEDIEVAL FESTIVAL 2010

My youngest son had been wanting to go to this for the last few years. I didn't think it was quite my thing!! but what do you know I had a fantastic time AND I would go again. Lane is absolutely Knight mad and being autistic he has the classic trait of becoming well and truly obsessed with anything he takes a fancy to.

.

One of the added bonuses for me and impressed me very much was the absence of plastics. EVERYTHING was made from Wood, Metal, Leather, Hides & Paper. Even the majority of the food was served in this way including the use of disposable/recyclable bamboo utensils. Very impressive and no mean feat when feeding 50 000 people.

It was held at the ABBEY MUSEUM which houses wonderful collections spanning the last half million years of humankind. Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome, Middle Ages, Renaissance and Baroque Europe as well as China, Japan, India & The Islamic World.

FANTASTIC!! Highly recommend going to anyone.

Caroline xoxoxo

I BELIEVE IN .........

all living species living together in harmony

(yes even black cats & ultra cute Guinea pigs)

It's a bleak cold rainy day here, good day for the veggie patch though & for snuggling up with some "Soul Food"

Caroline xoxoxo

LOVING DAUGHTERS & MISSED SONS

Your Smart & Sporty

Your popular with your peers but it hasn't gone to your head

BECAUSE......

Your Compassionate & Caring

not to mention hilariously funny

very practical with heaps of Commonsense

but just enough TEENAGE in you to make you a

DRAMA QUEEN

But best of all today you bought me

"MUMMY CHOCOLATES"

I Love You Emerald

From Mummy xxxxxxxxxxooooooooo

On a sadder Mummy note. My deployed Soldier Boy rang home yesterday while I was out. He got to talk to his sister though which was good but I was a little upset when I got home & heard I missed him. The last time we talked the line was so bad we ended up screaming our I Love You's down the phone & hanging up. So if you check in with my blog Soldier Boy remember WE all Love You and can't wait for your safe return.

EASY APPLE SLICE

340g Pkt Vanilla Cake Mix

3/4 Cup Melted Butter

400g Tin Pie Apples

200g Sour Cream

Preheat oven to 180c. Mix butter & cake mix to a dough. Spread evenly into a paper lined rectangular baking dish (I use a small Pyrex dish) Bake for 15Min's.

Combine apple & sour cream, spread evenly over cooked cake base and finish with a light sprinkle of cinnamon. Return to oven and cook for a further 15Min's. Cool in fridge & serve cold.

YUMMY!! and EASY!!

Caroline xxxooooo