Love is in the Air.

Good morning everyone here we are with a brand new week stretching out in front of us.

It is a glorious morning here in my little part of Queensland. Cool and clear bright blue skies and luvverly Sunshine. I hope you all had a great weekend.
Mine was very quiet as I am still at odds with this virus but I did venture out for a special occassion. It was freezing cold 6 degrees which is freezing for us sun lizards up here but with lovely food and good company we soon warmed up. You see......

My lovely nephew announced his engagement to his sweetheart and we went along to help them celebrate.

They are a lovely couple and have been an item for a very long time. So hooray! At last!

The happy couple and the "old Aunty". Congratulations you two!
The rest of the weekend was resting up by the fire watching Miss Marple and stitching.
I did want to show you before I go what I have managed to grow.....this is a minor miracle as it was cut off several times in it's beginnings by the notorious "Dr Hackin-a-bush" that I live with and his evil whipper snipper. I had to put a wall of bricks around it, feed it copious amounts of 'worm tea', talk very nicely to it....I even held it's one remaining little leaf and gave it Reiki (its ok the neighbours already think I'm nuts) Well have a look at her now.....

My Paw-Paw tree or Papaya as it is know elsewhere is tall and laden with fruit. I am hoping they hold off ripening until the warmer weather when I will be here to enjoy them. My house sitters don't like them but they are under strict instructions if they ripen while I am away to distribute them to some grateful friends.
How clever is Mother Nature.
Enjoy your day.
Blessings,
Michelle xxx

Favourite Things Friday with Shay

Good Morning everyone from overcast and damp Queensland. Firstly I just want to say
HOORAY FOR QUEENSLAND ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT......1 down 2 to go! 

Can you tell we are a bit 'rabid' here in this household when it comes to State of Origin. Here in this little house in the 'burbs Wally Lewis is KING! No discussions about it will be entered into.
Now on to "Favourite Things Friday" with SHAY.  I am going to be boring again and say it is a CD. You may remember in an earlier FTF I mentioned we were on the search for 2 favourite CD'S from our misspent youth from the Sanford Townsend band and that we had managed to get one and were still searching for the other which was our 'super fav!" Well that is my favourite thing this Friday......"WE GOT IT!" YAY!
We are now grooving away to "Smoke from a Distant Fire" and it is fantastic.

I have been working on block 10 of my Baltimore, Ring of Roses of Sharon and it has been quite time consuming. It didn't look that way but there is quite a bit of work in it. Still a ways to go yet.

Still lots of leaves and the smaller pink layer of roses and centre circles to go. The 8 gathered rosebuds were fun but took a little while to complete. I have also been doing a little secret sewing. But have 2 sneaky peeks......

And then there is this one.....

Hhhhmmmm! Intrigued???
As I have been managed to succumb to some lurgy at the moment my tissue box and I cannot be parted and my PJ's are my daily uniform. I will be taking it easy over the weekend apart from a family engagement party.
I wish everyone a great weekend doing whatever you love doing. Of course it wouldn't be Friday if I didn't finish with a little quote I love.....
"To be upset over what you don't have......is to waste what you DO have." by Ken Keyes Jr.
Blessings,
Michelle xxx

GO QUEENSLAND!!!!!

GOOD LUCK TO THE MIGHTY MAROONS TONIGHT IN MELBOURNE FOR GAME ONE OF THE 2012 "STATE OF ORIGIN SERIES" 

Queensland is playing for their 7th (yes folks I said 7th) Series win in a row. We are all set here. We have all the hallowed 'Maroon' gear ready.

So to NSW I say "Chewy on your boot!" and to the Mighty Maroons I say "Every tried and true Queenslander is with you  guys tonight!
                                                        "QUEENSLANDER!!!!!!!"
Now that I have that out of my system I shall wish you all a marvellous day.
Blessings Michelle xx

Tuesday's Treasure with Melody

Good Morning All. I thought as how yesterday I went completely over the top with photos perhaps I shall keep it to a minimum today. Being Tuesday it's time to share a Treasure and to link up to Melody's  blog, our lovely hostess.

As you all know I love animals, words and art and I know I have an over active sense of humour and when all these things come together it is real 'treasure' for me. So today I am sharing my love of the amazing artwork of Jane Seabrook called "Furry Logic".Jane is an incredible artist from New Zealand. All the original paintings are in watercolour with the finest details completed using a tiny sable hair brush with just one single hair. These gorgeous animals are accompanied by very humorous and witty quotes which always brighten my day.
This one is a favourite. Now I bet that one was a big surprise!

"The Pick of Furry Logic" is a desk top flip over and sits near my computer so I see it everyday. There seems to be a page for every mood of mine. Do you have a treasure you wish to share. If so pop over to Melody's and link up and share with us.
Have a great day everyone.
Blessings Michelle x

Weekend Celebrations!

We had quite a weekend and I warn you ahead of time there are lots of photos. Mr R. wanted a family dinner for his 60th which included a lamb roast of course. So we decorated the table in a suitable festive manner.

Our Daughter made an awesome cake which tasted as naughty as it looks.

I am sure we all put on 1/2 a kilo a slice with this one.

Mr R. with our children.

And with his very favourite boys.

Oh that's right and then with his 'better half'

Lovely son and daughter in law.

Lovely Daughter and son in law.
We all got up early the next morning and headed out to the Queensland Raceway Racing track where Mr R. thought he would channel some of Brocky's flair in  the Wynn Commodore.

He got all suited up, put on his helmet and then gave us a very excited wave and was off out on to the track.

 I told you he was a hoon at heart and after a few warm up laps he hit his stride. The only disappointment was the Ford went off the track before he could pass it......hhmmmm! Boys!

   Roaring down the straight....

    To a very enthusiastic cheer squad. As DD remarked I bet you don't hear "GO GRAMPY!" very often at the race track.

 Sometimes it was just a little bit loud and special equipment was called for.

And then it was back into pit lane and it was all over.

But I have to say the smile remains....
The thing I loved most about this weekend was the fact that my Husband got to express to all of us just how special it was that we would do this for him and how being with his family meant so much.
If you have managed to stay with me through this marathon I say a big thanks. It is such a gift to reach 60 and I wanted to celebrate and document it for my on line journal.
I hope you enjoy your day. I have managed to catch a very nasty cold so my favourite chair and I will be good mates today.
Blessings Michelle xxx

Birthday Hugs!

Well guess who the Birthday Fairy came to this fine day........

My dear Hubby of nearly 40 years turns the BIG 60 today. Yes we meet when we were babies.

We are having a Family dinner tonight (and cake yay!) and then tomorrow Mr R. is fulfilling a long held dream of tearing around Queensland Raceway in a V8 super car.....Holden Commodore of course! He looks like such a respectable man I know but he is a hoon at heart. So I guess not much sewing here this weekend.
So a great big Happy Birthday and Hugs from the other "mature age & respectable" person who lives in this house. Lots of love xoxo.
Blessings to all,
Michelle xxx

Favourite Things Friday with Shay

I am very late but I know it is still Friday...............

So I may just scrape in for Favourite Things Friday with SHAY
My favourite this week is something called YOGA NIDRA. Those of my followers who practise yoga and I know some of you do will know it well. It is a guided meditation that inspires the release of physical and emotional tension by taking you into a profound state of relaxation but you think you just listening to the nice music and lovely lady guiding you through it. I have several versions on CD and love it. Studies in the USA have shown that Yoga Nidra has helped soldiers returning from Active Duty with stress and insomnia and people suffering from depression. It's continuing benefits are enormous. The good thing is although it  usually accompanies a restorative yoga practice you can use the CD on it's own as a relaxation tool. This is one of my favourite versions which I purchased from www.newearthrecords.com and it is by Terry Oldfield & Soraya Saraswati.

This little CD is my take anywhere relaxation. It is downloaded on to my mp3 player so I can listen to it at anytime. It has a 11 minute track, 20 minute track and a 30 minute track. You can lie on your yoga mat, bed or sit in your favourite chair to do it......it's wonderful. So there you have it 'Yoga Nidra'
Just before I started to write my post I recieved this email from my Daughter and it seemed to fit perfectly with my post for today so I thought I would share it with you as well.

I wish you a weekend of really appreciating yourself because you are unique. There is no other being on this planet as wonderful and unique as you. So celebrate the treasure that is *you*
Blessings,
Namaste,
Michelle xxx