T&G Tuesday - Dead Tree Hill

Taken while driving through the Yarra Valley.

All the vineyards are displaying lovely brown rows at the moment.

They still look cool though.

I HAD to stop and take a photo of this old tree sitting up there on the hill amongst the rows of grape vines.

I didn't even notice that cloud until I was editing the photo.

I'm liking it!

~ Ky x

Snippets of Sunday - Chilly Smoke

I smell like smoke. NO! I haven't been smoking, I've just been standing near a fire.

My darling decided to burn the great pile of rose bush clippings that I had made a few months ago. Let me just say, I've been asked oh so politely not to do that again.

I won't. I promise!

Anyway, today is a clear, sunny, windy and very cold day. Having this fire burning on such a winters day made me feel nostalgic. I was transported right back to the years I spent as a kid, growing up on 13 acres in the bush. Riding pushbikes. Riding motorbikes. Roaming the bush in search of some mischief to get up to.

I loved Sunday afternoons in winter out there. The trees casting long shadows early in the afternoon. There was usually the echo of a chainsaw happening somewhere on a neighbouring propery. Sometimes it was the sound of Dad using the chainsaw or even the tractor to mow the grass.

And there was always the smell of smoke. Be it from our chimney or from Dad or a neighbour burning off.

Yep, this afternoons mix of chill in the air and smell of smoke took me right back to that carefree time of my life. 

It's no wonder some people live in the past.

Nostalgia is a powerful emotion.

I think I'm just going to stay there for the rest of today.

~ Ky x

When Ms G Was Here

Ya'll know I love her.

Some of you know that we got to hang mid February.

I just came across this photo and thought I'd put it out there. After all, Ms G did mention our outings on her blog.

She's a Melbourne girl at heart. I just know it!

I just wish she'd move here.

Here we are, having a cuppa at the Camberwell Markets.

If you click here, you can see what Ms G has been up to lately.

She'd love to hear from you.

~ Ky x

I had a relaxing weekend. Did you?

The quiet and serene Gough's Bay.

I'm rather partial to weekends spent in the country.

Way too cold to go in any deeper.

Dirty pigs!

 I'll never understand why people can't take their rubbish home and put it in the bin.

Just in case your not sure where the lake is.

Oh, and girls, Country Road top was $3.

Our li'l family.

Back at the house was our own private waterfall.

Kept these two entertained for ages.

We even had some visitors of the feathered variety.

Hope you had a great weekend too!

~ Ky x

Just Be

Life gets so busy. It gets stressful. It can very easily unbalance our perspective.

There is a reason that God gave us the Sabbath.

 A special day of the week that we can spend quality time with Him, with our family, with our friends without the worry of work or bills or all things stressful. A day EVERY week where we can regroup.

 He also gave us nature which helps that process. Almost nothing is more relaxing than a sunny afternoon by the water (although I could easily do without the sand). Except maybe being in the green, lush country on a sunny day.

It's the time and a place that puts life back into perspective.

A moment in time when you can just be.

~ Ky x

Sunday Market Finds

Sunday morning saw the kids and I following our neighbours to a GREAT flea market. The Camberwell Rotary Markets. Wow! I have found my nirvana!

It's really big. Lots and lots of stalls of all sorts of things. Antiques, vintage, clothes, furniture. You name it, it was there.

Of course I didn't walk out of there empty handed. We walked out of there after nearly 3 hours of browsing and if we didn't have 4 kids between us to keep an eye on, we could easily have been there another 2 or 3 hours.

So, here are some of my finds.

A lovely, big, crystal vase ($10) sitting atop a cute '50's printed tablecloth($5).

Some teacups and saucers. The two smaller ones I bought for little girls to have their own 'tea' in. I also bought some cheap 'made in japan' teacups and saucer cos they were so pretty. I normally will only buy 'made in england' or any other european country, but I couldn't resist them at such a low price.

The collection is growing quite nicely.

And this gorgeous bag. The BEST bargain of the day!

 I saw it in a box on the ground out of the corner of my eye as I was walking past. I stopped and picked it up. It's in perfect nick and is very good quality. I peeked inside to check out the condition and saw the name tag sewn inside. It says 'Mimco'. Nice!

I asked how much. The lady said $5. I'll take that thank you very much!!! I couldn't get that $5 out of my purse fast enough!

I also stumbled across a cute glass bottle and didn't realise until I got home and had a good look at it that its actually a really old baby's bottle. It's got the ounces markings on one side. It's currently got bleach soaking in it as it was very dirty. I tried the old baking soda and vinegar trick, but that didn't work. I'll put a photo up of it when it is clean...if I ever get it clean.

Next time, I am going WITHOUT the children so that I can have a good look through the racks and racks of clothes. So many fabulous bargains to be had.

Georgie, you MUST be here on a weekend when you do eventually get down here. I am taking you there and you will have a ball!

~ Ky x

What I Did On Sunday

We went to Phillip Island to watch the MotoGP. What a fun day! What a muddy day! There was no one going home clean from the race. NO ONE!

We sat up on the hill  near corner one and enjoyed the view until the first race started. On the right top of the photo is open ocean. Over the horizon is the antarctic. Pretty cool, huh?

My boys just hangin' out. The big boy bought himself a Rossi cap. He was in heaven...so to speak.

She was just hangin' out too.

I was doing as I was told and having my photo taken with the track in the background.

125cc bikes.

The water was just gorgeous. Looked good enough to swim in...and then jump straight back out of.

My little dude wanted a photo with his Mum.

A little something to try and keep them amused.

Look at me Mummy!

Looking through the green makes everything more fun.

Casey Stoner...the Aussie champion.

Go!

I'm amazed I even got this photo. They go so unbelievably fast along this straight. Imagine being on one of those bikes doing 330km/h. You can barely see them when they go past.

I love how that guy has planted himself in front of the big screen to watch the race when the track is right behind him.

It was a great day, even with all the mud. I think it will become an annual family tradition.

We will be going back to Phillip Island one day soon just to explore it. It's such a beautiful place. So many photo ops. Stay tuned for those.

~ Ky x

Let It Snow!

It snowed!!! I was so excited to have snow falling on me! Fresh, powdery snow. Bliss! Pure, freezing cold bliss!

I bought a peaked cap to wear under my hood so the snow didn't build up on my glasses.

*Note to self...wear contacts next time!

We tobogganed.

  Just so you know, I don't actually have a hump back. I was wearing a hoodie underneath my snow jacket. Just wanted to point that out.

We had snowball fights.

We sat.

He threw snow at Mummy.

I sat and enjoyed the powder.

Some tourists asked to have photos with the kids.They were so excited when we said yes.

I was in awe of gumnuts covered in snow and ice. Something I had never seen before.

Then we warmed ourselves by the fire when we got back to the house.

A most fabulous weekend indeed!!!

~ Ky x