FRIDAY PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT - ORNAMENT.

 OK, I'm running very late due to life getting in the way, but here goes.

As we have hot Christmases here in Oz, I don't go to town on decorations, but do have a few favourites that come out each year & I'm still debating as to having a tree up or not.

Atop the wood burner a small tree DH fashioned for me a couple of years ago & I painted.  The little figurine is also timber & I've had it for a long time.  The lovely candle arch was purchased in an arcade in  Skipton, Yorkshire back in 2016 & always has pride of place somewhere prominent.

Many moons ago I purchased the gold filigree sleigh & popped this bundle of goodies into it and it comes out each year to grace the diningroom table and of course on a table mat I made from Christmas fabric.

My lovely Madonna vase that I've probably had since the early 80's and definitely needs a nicer arrangement to brighten her up a little.  If we are able to find somewhere local with bits'n'bobs I'll attempt something prettier.

Nothing wonderful for the front door in the way of fresh greenery as if we have "very" hot days, they completely wither & wilt, so a little something I made to be a bit festive.  A closeup below.

Now Jak prompted me to take a photo of my printers' tray with a lovely handmade Christmas card sitting on top and even though the printers' tray has been on before, I thought it looks good with the 3D card and it's small items.

My lot done hurriedly I'm afraid and hope I can still link this up.  Thanks to Astrid for hosting these and I'm already trying to work on this Fridays.

Take care all and hugs from down under.

Susan.

FRIDAY PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT - SCHOOL

 Linking with Astrid for the Hunt and this week's word is "School", which I really struggled with, but here goes.  

A lovely old school in the south east corner of Victoria.  I took this photo last year when we had our 4 day break away in an unlockdown period and was greatly appreciated.

A new school being built on the new estate near to us last year and it is now in operation.  What a contrast to the one above which was built in 1877.  

Now for a couple of photos from the 60's.

The non digital age of listening to radio programmes broadcast across Australia for schools, especially vital for children in remote areas who did all their learning via School of the Air.  I did have all 4 from my Primary School years 1958-1961, but I can  only find these two.  Once in High school it was all very different.

My two younger brothers and myself at the beginning of the school year in 1964.  G (on the far left), in his uniform ready to start High school for his first year and it was to be my last year at school.  My youngest brother (middle), not in uniform always went to a Special school due to being intellectually disabled.  Look at the daggy uniform I have on.  You ought to have seen our summer hat & winter beret!  Oh...........and black stockings in winter too.

OK, my lot for this week and found I didn't have the photos I thought would be good.  Remembered that I lost a lot of my schooling years memorabilia in my parent's basement flood a long time ago.

Not sure I'm going to be in for next week's hunt as DH doesn't like Pizza, so never on the menu.  We'll see if I can think outside the box..................

Take care all, stay safe and hugs.

Susan.

FRIDAY PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT - STARTS WITH "S"

Linking with Astrid for this Fridays word photo hunt.

 I am a bit early, but on Friday I have to attend a hospital appointment for a minor procedure, so thought I'd do this on Thursday afternoon.  It is a little photo heavy, because I kept thinking of all sorts.

The letter "S" stands out for me, as all of my names begin with this letter, so I am "SSS".................

SILO.

One of the many painted silos here in Victoria and  now other states in Oz too.

SOLAR PANELS.

The solar panels on the roof of our home helping us be a little green.

SEASIDE

I could have used many photos, but chose this looking out to sea over the beach huts at Mornington.

SWANS

A paddock full of black swans on the east coast of Victoria.

SHEEP

Sheep & some beautiful lambs, taken not long ago when we had a rare break from being in lockdown.

SPIDER

A huntsman spider on the wall of the Superintendent's Home at the Quarantine Station on the Mornington Peninsular which was another rare day out in January when we actually got to see DD and family.  We had a lovely day and another would be rather nice.  

SHELLS

A few shells I've collected over many years.  Taking a photo this afternoon was difficult once again with very cloudy skies, with little light coming into our house.

SEWING & SKATES.

Sewing, particularly my quilting is keeping me sane and the little quilt above was started many years ago as a mystery QAL, but running out of 2 of the fabrics at the beginning meant I put the few blocks I'd made aside.  Early this year I did some sorting & weeded out a few old projects & put them together as small quilts which I'm giving away as baby gifts.  My old skates which I've had since my teenage years haven't been used for a long time as my feet have changed shape & they don't fit anymore.  I was last on the ice in 2018 with my granddaughter & had to use hire skates.  It was great to be on the ice again.

STUDIO.

Something I miss is my old studio, which I'm showing below in its very messy state, as I've no other photos.

Most of these photos are from my archives and I'm sure I could have found many more, but as I'm a little on the STRESSED SIDE (um...a couple more S's) I have hopefully fulfilled this word hunt.

OK, that is my lot for today and if someone can tell me how I can get these 2 photos to go side by side, I'd love to hear from them as I've spent at least 15 minutes trying.

Thanks for reading if you get to the end.

Take care all, stay safe and hugs from down under.

Susan.

FRIDAY PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT. - DELICIOUS.

 

Ah!  Friday again & time for our photo hunt with I live, I love, I craft I am me.  What could I put for delicious as I'm not a particularly good cook, so I really needed to think outside the box.                            Wednesday evening just as I was closing the curtains I noticed something, camera grabbed & I had my photo for today.

Berries, tomatoes and squash which I'm sure you'll agree most of us relish.

BUT..........

                                                                 So do these!

Can you spy the visitor to my veg bed?  Yes a King Parrot feasting on my little yellow plum tomatoes.

The photo is not the best as I was trying not to disturb him so I could get the photo, but as I tried to get a better one, he flew off.  It is a male as they have the red head & the females still have the very red breast, but are much greener on top.  I still want them to come to my garden, but just not eating the veg, which I hadn't realised they liked.  They like the seed in bird feeders too.

Below you can see he had quite a meal from the empty top truss.

Not much from me today, but with thanks to Kate for these word hunts, it keeps me motivated with photography & watching out for what is all around us to be grateful for.  I'll link up later and see what the others have come up with too.

Take care all, stay safe & huggles from Susan.

CHRIMBLY COUNTDOWN 4TH DECEMBER.

     Today I'm linking with the lovely Kate at I live, I love, I craft, I am me, instead of our usual Photo Hunt and am hoping I'm not too late.  We've somehow or another had a busy week in some funny ways.  Shed finishing, picking blueberries, having a day out to visit someone & now car club newsletters which were running late & threw me off course completely.

OK here goes.  Today's lot are DECROATIONS...............................

The wreath I crafted & I know it's simple (been told a few times), but in a country that can have scorching weather around this time of the year, I think it's sensible.

The wall hanging I put in the hallway near the front door which I designed & made many years ago, called Criss Cross Christmas Geese.  I should think about another one that I could put up on alternate years. 

My sleigh which I bought then filled with Christmassy bits and comes out each year to grace the table, except it was being used yesterday for the newsletters, so is shown atop the piano.  I realised later that the baubles have all moved around, so must remember to fix.

Seeing our woodburner doesn't need lighting at this time of year, I've placed this beautiful timber ornament on top with a lovely red rose from my garden.  This particular item was bought in an arcade in Skipton, North Yorkshire back in 2016 when we were over visiting family & friends.  I was surprised to see Christmas decorations out in September for sale.

My lot done now and off to "hopefully" still be able to link.  I think I've already visited everyone & really appreciated all that have joined in with their lovely decorations.

Take care all, stay safe & huggles from down under.

JUNE SCAVENGER PHOTO HUNT.

Linking up with the lovely Hawthorn at  I LIVE, I LOVE, I CRAFT, I AM ME.

1.  STONE.

Stone sculpture.

We holidayed in outback New South Wales in 2008  and visited a Sculpture Trail in Broken Hill. which (if we remember rightly) were commissions from sculptors for the Millennium.

2.  VIEW.

Kata Tjuta, formerly The Olgas near Alice Springs.

This time I've trawled even further back into the archives to feature something different.  In 1996, we travelled to Central Australia with the Morris Minor Touring Club of Australia in our Morris ute.  At this stage we still camped in  a three man tent, and had loads of fun.  I scanned this one from a photo as I didn't have digital camera back then, so hope the quality is OK.

3.  SKY.

Morning sky.

I took this photo the morning before Hawthorn put the June Hunt list up.  Wasn't I lucky with SKY as one of our pics..  It looked as though someone had dragged a huge paintbrush across the horizon.

4.  TREES.

Dead trees in the Hume Reservoir.

Again, one from the archives.  Not sure about that date, but this a large dam near Albury on the Victorian/N.S.W.. border into which the Murray River flows.
I should do a geography lesson on Australia or put on a map at the top of my page if I knew how!!!

5.  WATER.

Powlett River.

I've shown this river before not long ago on a day out, but we have water in the river and waves breaking on the beach behind, from Bass Strait.  You may have to click on this to view larger.

6.  DWELLING.

Old Farmhouse.

I took this last week.  We have been passing by this house since we moved here in 2004,  on trips to the coast and watching it slowly decay.  We often say it needs some TLC, but it would now be very major work.

7.  GARDEN.

Wishful thinking!

Ballarat Botanic Gardens in summer, early 2015.

8.  GATE.

Must be done.

This was taken on the same trip as No. 2, at a camel farm east of Alice Sptings.

9.  LEAF.

Yes, a leaf.

I have a small collection of Carltonware (much reduced these days) and made this my leaf photo, to show I can think outside the box.

10.  MY CHOICE.

Different, but similar, one being an Australian mammal and the other English.

Echidna.

Hedgehog.

The photo (right) is an Echidna photographed on a day out a few years ago near the south coast of Victoria.  I sat quietly for it turn around and then it even came over and sniffed me, before waddling away.  Their long snout finds ants in nests, which they feed on.









This photo(left) was taken whilst walking in woodland at Parceval Hall gardens in Yorkshire.  A little ball rolled down onto the path near my feet and then uncurled itself and lo and behold it was a hedgehog.  Again I stood quietly as hubby took a pic.







OK,  that's my lot.  Hope you enjoy and I'll endeavour to answer any questions you may have.
Have a great weekend all and take care.
Susan.