Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Fresh Air


IMG_1978, originally uploaded by FranW.

I am nearly at the end of my "Summer Holidays at The Beach" and having done absolutely nothing for the first 4 weeks I decided that the effort of sorting out and bringing all the black and whites would have been a total waste of time if I didn't do something with them. Well I started last week and I would really like to get another 32 blocks done in the next day or so, sighhhh!
Staying in bed until 10 AM doesn't help and here it is now mid-day and I am still in my nightie etc.
I do have pea 'n ham soup boiling away on the stove, another reminder that Christmas holidays are almost over - when the ham bone (2nd one) is ready for soup!

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Australian's All Let Us Ring Joyce!


IMG_1970, originally uploaded by FranW.

It's Australia Day today which means we get a long weekend, but seeing how January has been one long weekend for me seeing I've been at Bridport (the beach) it's just another day!
We don't have a flagpole, so the flag is hanging on a line under the veranda.

Scatterday N


Scatterday N, originally uploaded by FranW.

Today's Scatterday has been bought to you by the letter N and a great deal of thought!
Another B...week where we're given a colour as one of the topics, yech!!!!
Navel Orange or orange on a navel, whatever!
New potatoes - potatoes were originally from South America, did you all know that? These are growing in the old compost heaps from our neighbour here at Bridport.
Nasturtiums - well more the seeds from them that make those awful tasting seeds called capers. Apparently they're good for you, well that's what I get told when I pick them out of food!

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Dad's Army


Dad's Army 22 Jan 08, originally uploaded by FranW.

When you're this old, you need to travel with company! Besides, Jo is a whippersnapper at only 83, has a mobile phone (walky talky) and knows how to use it. Frank 86 (Dad) is the driver - a good one and Lloyd 89 - well he knows everyone too, still has his license as well and cares for his wife who is blind. They all should wear hearing aides but don't and just shout at each other!
They're an amazing lot and go off often, exploring.
Today they went to check out the remains of a huge bushfire we had last week nearby. It went through a block of Dad's and many other's.
Anyone who is invited to accompany them is sure to travel on roads they've never been on before.

Am I loosing "IT"?


IMG_1950, originally uploaded by FranW.

You know you're getting old when your father brings you vegetables instead of flowers from an old flame! (CArbon footprint - nil - after all they were free!)

Dad's Army went off today to see where the bush fires had been. 2,600 acres razed along a lovely coastline about 20 minutes from Bridport (home for the summer). Dad lost 300 acres. Whilst feeling sad for those who lost "property" (no houses, but a pine plantation and 4 dumped cars) he was a bit pleased as this part of the bush hadn't had a fire for a long time. He's on old bushman, they know the value of fires for regeneration!

I love it when they get together and talk. I just sit back and listen, I just wish I could remember it all and have a tape recorder going.

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Scatterday U


My creation, originally uploaded by FranW.

Uuuuuummmmmm, that's what I thought when the letter and categories were announced!
What was I going to do. Even as I type this I am still thinking! Cartoon Character starting with U????
I Googled and found there was one called "Unfit" but no photo of it. Maybe I'll get dad to pose under and Umbrella and call him "Mr Unfit Umbrella man" but he still wouldn't be a cartoon character even though he is a character! I have even peeked at a few of the blogs before I do mine - unheard of, I have NEVER done that before, and I find that Google let me down, not a mention of Uncle Scrooge, Underdog or The Unicorn!
I should have paid more attention when I did a Paint Shop Pro class and then I could have drawn my own!
I am afraid I'm going to have to call "Uncle" on this one.

As for a street starting with U - not ONE in Bridport and I wasn't going any further afield for that, so I am presenting an Unmade Street! Being a small but growing seaside village we have a lot of these, named of course but uncompleted.

Things people pay a lot of money for - well I can quickly think of plenty in our house - Umpteen Useless if not Unique Items! I collect Royal Winton China in the Tartan and Quilt patterns. Now I know this plate rack is a sight to behold, BUT when am I going to use it? Never! Who does afternoon teas these days? None-one!

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Carbon Footprint - nil

We didn't grow them but they come from 2 minutes away!


Saturday, January 12, 2008

Jamdrops on noses...


Jamdrops on noses..., originally uploaded by FranW.

There was a market at the Local CWA Hall today - I bought Jamdrops for dad and I and a jar of Kentish Cherry jam for G. This is summer!
Later I went to the beach for a swim with neighbour Lindy - she swam and I paddled. It's still not warm enough for me. It's a lovely beach in the Brid River, tidal, no waves and very shallow so is a very popular spot for families with small children. It's also a dog area but I would rather they took them further along the river and away from families! Most do, this one decided he liked this spot with the children.

Scatterday E

Today's Scatterday is bought to you by the letter E and 5 knives. (note to self - bleach handles next time you do the tea cups)

Do you know that White eggs are becoming scarcer? I went through quite a few and they're all brown, because customers believe that brown eggs are better for you so they feed the chooks "something" to make the shells darker. Having that thrown in my way I pondered for a bit, thought of looking through "Chambers Concise 20th Century Dictionary" that was Mum and Margaret's handbook in the days of the great Scrabble challenges, and then spied an Envelope on the desk! Hah!!!!
Plant world - I missed wonderful opportunity as I didn't take my camera with me when I visited my aunt and uncle on Wednesday - 89 & 87. Their back patio is full of Erigeron growing up in every crack. I will take one next week - it's a jungle and wonderful. This one was taken at Margaret's, mum's best friend who is still hanging in although she has dreadful Emphysema.
Terriffying things - (above is but no pics) Nothing is more scary to me than my father without his teeth and asleep! This picture was particularly terrifying as we'd shampood the carpets and I'd put the Glory Box onto his bed, just another 60cm and it would make a good coffin!!!! Eightysix and not out!

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Sign


IMG_1801, originally uploaded by FranW.

Today I bought 2 large punnets of mixed berries (boysenberries, lingonberries and loganberries) and a newly pulled bunch of carrots. Just for a short month I am reminded what carrots should taste like when they come straight from the ground and into the pot.

Tom's Veg Shed


IMG_1800, originally uploaded by FranW.

One of the lovely things I enjoyu for my 5-6 weeks at Bridport are the gardeners who offer thier produce from home. We have 4 available here withing a few minute's drive - the taste of new beans, carrots and potatoes are another sign of summer.

Apricot Jam


IMG_1802, originally uploaded by FranW.

Apricot jam- a sure sign that summer has arrived here in the deep south. It's a few years since I made apricot jam as a lot of the trees have 2-3 yearly fruiting cycle - frosts late, winds and rain in spring - lots of excuses, but when they do ripen and they're home grown, it's really special!

3 pounds of apricots gives me this many jars. Raspberry and boysenberry will be the next ones and then we will have enough for the year - yum!

Of course I ran out of jam covers so 3 jars have Gladwrap on them as well as their lids, will that matter? We will eat those first!

Friday, January 4, 2008

Scatterday V


Scatterday V, originally uploaded by FranW.

It's a conspiracy!!! Here I am at beautiful Bridport and what do we get but Car parts, office items and In The Kitchen!!!!

Car Parts - Valve and Ventilated Disc Brakes

Office Items- Vintage Vegetarian Filing System (Dad's office) I could also show the plastic boxes and cardboard boxes as further filing systems! Oh, and the wardrobes in the shed.

In the Kitchen - Vitamins, Vanilla, Vege Chips, Valencia, Vinaigrette and Vegetable