Day 224 in a Year of my Life

A very successful garage sale today.

We sold lots of stuff that we didn't think we would ever sell .. some of which, we had in our last garage sale, and nobody even looked twice at, but just about everybody who walked up the driveway in the first hour, took something with them when they left.

We still have two lounge suites, the tv cabinet and the dining suite left .. so I'll phone Lifeline on Monday and they can have them.

My trike also didn't sell ... surprisingly.  I'll hold onto that til the right person comes along.

So today, I've taken some photos of the new lounge room and hallway, since the repairs and everything that was damaged has now been replaced.

In the middle of writing this, the sun set behind some interesting cloud, which produced a bit of colour, so I rushed across the road to the lagoon with about 3 minutes to spare before the colour disappeared ...

I didn't have time to grab my camera bag with the other lenses, or the tripod, so this is taken hand held.

Today, I am grateful to Adoring Husband for dealing with all the people today.  You know, there are some days when you just don't have the mental/emotional energy to deal with a bunch of strangers .. that was me today.  So thank you AH.  You done good :)

Nite all.

Day 223 in a Year of my Life.

It's not even 9.30pm and I am struggling to stay awake, so I'm afraid this is a short post again tonight.

Tonight, at the Club, I promised that I would share this very funny story, written by an ABC journalist from 'The Drum'.

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/4736642.html

I laughed so hard, and could relate to his words.  I guess it's extra funny when you are a big 'State of Origin' fan.  Maybe not so funny if you don't care about football.

I don't have any photos to share tonight.

I DID take some photos because I pedalled to the lake this morning, which I haven't done for about a year.

I'm so glad that I did because I found Rainbow Bee Eaters, Fairy Wrens, Pardolotes, Honey Eaters and Finches.  I even found two nests of Finches, but they are up too high in the tree for me to get any good photos.

They are all birds (in case you are wondering).

A local was walking along the path that goes around the lake and she stopped to have a chat.  At that point, I had only seen a white egret on the edge of the lake.

While she was chatting, I spotted a Fairy Wren in the grasses behind her .. luckily I had my sunglasses on and she couldn't see that I was looking over her shoulder, instead of at her face!  I was so excited, I couldn't finish the conversation fast enough!

After she walked away, it was like she had opened a gate and suddenly all these birds appeared!

I got photos of all of them, but I haven't had a chance to look at them properly yet, so hopefully I can share them tomorrow.

Right now, I am off to bed.  I might even wake up early enough to try a sunrise tomorrow!

I just can't stay awake any longer.

Today, I am grateful to a local man, who told me that the lake behind my town had had some maintenance done to it and that the path was clear to ride on.  If he hadn't stopped to tell me that, I would never have found the birds.

So many of my favourite birds in one spot, just waiting for me to visit!

Nite all.

Day 222 in a Year of my Life

Home made chicken soup tonight for dinner ... and that is why you make a huge batch of it and freeze it ... for nights like this when you just couldn't be bothered about going to any effort.

For dessert, I have mixed some Gluten Free vanilla 'Home' Ice cream with a tablespoon of crushed hazelnuts and a tablespoon of peanut butter - talk about heaven!

I don't usually buy ice cream, but when I saw 'gluten free' on the box ... well you know?

Just one photo to share, from the baby shoot last month.

I might have to do the June 'photo a day' challenge, to force myself to use my camera for things other than pelicans and birds.

I'm feeling a bit lazy tonight, after doing quite a lot of housework during the day.  Vacuuming, mopping, three loads of washing, dusting and toilet cleaning .. that's a LOT for me and it's very unlike me .. all a bit much for one day.

I've decided that clean floors are virtually impossible when you have three dogs living inside.  Ugh!

So today, I am grateful for gluten free ice cream :) that is all.

Nite all.

Day 221 in a Year of my Life

This is a very short post because we have been out all night and have just returned home.  It's 11.20pm and I'm heading to bed.

Just wanted to say 'Congratulations' to all of the Blues supporters out there.  It was a good game and you won fair and square.  Be prepared for the next game of the series because I think it's going to be a corker!

In the meantime, I'm adding this link that I hope you will go to and read.  Vegan Chickie emailed it to me this evening and when I read it, it really hit home.  I think all of you will relate to it and I really hope that you take the time to read it and click on the bottom bar, to read the entire article.

http://m.dailylife.com.au/life-and-love/parenting-and-families/when-your-mother-says-shes-fat-20130604-2nnxq.html

Tonight I am grateful for an evening of football and no alcohol ... because if I'd had alcohol, I may have  said some bad things to some angry, negative males in my presence.  I'm grateful to have risen above it and found the happy place inside my head for most of the evening.

Nite all.

Day 220 in a Year of my Life

It's pelican time.

It's that time of year when not a lot is happening.  Nature has gone to sleep for Winter, so photographic opportunities are few and far between.

Basically, there are two options - Sunrises/Sunsets or Seabirds.

Just to mix it up - Pelicans AND Oyster Catchers!

Tonight, I made a layered veggie stack to have with our roast chicken (which I roasted myself, so that the meal would be 'gluten free')

I roasted thick slices of eggplant, red capsicum, zucchini, onion rings and sweet potato on a tray in the oven.

In a loaf tin, I put a layer of raw, shredded wombok cabbage with a thin layer of beetroot pesto on top (you could probably use that beetroot dip instead), then eggplant,  then thick slices of tomato, then roasted zucchini, spread with a thin layer of cream cheese, then a layer of red capsicum (skin removed after roasting) then a layer of rice noodles that I had soaked in hot water.

I also made a hot chilli tomato puree sauce, by blending 440g of tinned tomatoes, pouring it into a saucepan and adding a heaped teaspoon of chilli paste and half a small jar of tomato salsa (you know, the stuff you put on tacos?), a t-spoon of caster suger and about 1/4 of a cup of the chicken juices left on the bottom of the tray when I baked the chicken.  I brought that to the boil stirring occasionally.

I then put a few spoons of the tomato puree sauce over the layer of rice noodles, added the layer of roasted sweet potato and on top of that, I put a layer of stemless mushrooms and grated a small amount of tasty cheese over the top.

I pressed it down as hard as I could and then placed it in the oven at 200C for about 20mins, or until the cheese melted nicely and browned on top.

I served it up with the roast chicken and poured some of the hot chilli tomato puree sauce over the top.

It was delicious - especially because I made it up - and you know how hit and miss, made up meals can be!

I'm sorry that I didn't take photos as I made it, and then of the finished product as well - but I will next time!

Today, I am grateful for successful recipe ideas that turn out better than expected, especially with all of those vegetables, full of vitamins and minerals and healthful goodness!

Nite all.  

Day 219 in a Year of my Life

I missed last night's sunset, which was amazing.

I didn't miss tonight's sunset, which was less than amazing.

It was still quite pretty ... but not like yesterday.

A young child attempted to take my long lens from the back of my trike while I wasn't looking!  I spotted him in the nick of time and he snatched his hand away, made a face and ran off to his parents.

By crikey there'll be trouble!

So I hope that all of you 'Blues' supporters out there are ready for another beating?  Two more sleeps til State of Origin time!

Got myself a new cap and a jacket today, which proudly displays my maroon loyalties!

Today, I am grateful for gluten free lollies ... a whole container full of them from 'Nana's Pantry'.  I must make them last :)

Nite all.

Day 218 in a Year of my Life

I began writing this blog while awaiting the birth of my first grandchild just over two years ago.

In that first post, I mentioned my mother, and how, if she had lived, she would have been there with me and feeling excited about our newest member of the family ...

http://agechallengedrqqzy.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/i-think-im-now-blogger.html

The anniversary of her death has just passed (25th May) and today, in facebook, somebody shared this ...

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I have been working on a special project for a while now and I was so lucky that Sarah Overholt Stinnett was willing to help me and let me tell her story! Meet Sarah, her two beautiful girls, Harper and Reagan and her Mama, Connie. Sarah and her sister, Laura, lost their sweet Mama, Connie, a little over 4 years ago at a very young age. Since then, Sarah has gotten married and had two very beautiful little girls of her own. Sarah strives everyday and all with her mama by her side in spirit! When I asked Sarah to do this, I asked her if there was anything special that had to do with her Mom and her little girls. I cried when Sarah told me that her Mom used to buy her baby books for her future grandchildren (long before Sarah had little ones). This image features such a special book to Sarah and her girls that is called "I Loved You Before You Were Born". I truly believe that Connie has a special bond with these girls even though she is not present on Earth. I know she loved these babies before they born and I am so lucky and honored to be able to showcase this picture! Sarah, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

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I can see that there are many reasons why some people might not like this, but it reminded me of my mother, and I know how proud  she would have been of our little Chicklet.

This year, for the first time, I was NOT feeling melancholy about the anniversary of my mother's death.

I think she may have been offended and made sure that this photo found it's way to me on facebook!

It actually came to me on my 104 photography group page, where one of the ladies shared it with the group.

I was sitting down by the beach this morning and checking my ipad, when I found it.  I became quite emotional, because often when I'm with Vegan Chickie and Chicklet, I imagine my mother close by, in spirit.

Anyway, I just thought I'd share this.  I know that this photographer comes from a small town, but the response to this photo has been huge, so her business may become quite busy in the near future!

I've been working on some photos today too ...

So today, I am grateful to my mother, for visiting me from beyond the grave ... to remind me that it's State of Origin time and she will, once again, help Queensland to win the series, to make it 8 years in a row.

(My mother was fanatical about State of Origin and her team hasn't lost since she died in 2005)

Nite all.