Cherry Blossom time at our place ....

Apples, Pudding, Flowers, Birds, Painting - sharing my week!

Hello there, I hope your week is going well.

All good here.  Lots of things to do this past week or so and, as I'm no good at multi-tasking anymore, I've had to go slow on my blogging... both posting and visiting,  but I'm getting there!

Hubby harvested his lovely apples last week:

and so I got stuck in and peeled lots, well, 16 to be precise: (Update!! Hubby just read this and said there's 17 apple cores ;D))

Diced and cooked ready for the freezer for future apple crumbles!

... but, after that little effort, someone started whingeing and holding her arm, looking for sympathy and making lots of whimpering sounds!
Upshot is that hubby jumped online and ordered a "Magic Peeling, Coring and Slicing Machine"  which arrived yesterday.  It's a beauty too! (That was not an advertisement ... just sharing my joy :D))

So, with all those perfect slices, we can use the Food Dehydrator to make apple snacks for later.... plus, no sore arm because it will be MD hubby who'll be turning the handle ;D) (lol, win-win as they say!)

Before getting off the subject of apples.  With the cooler weather we're experiencing in our part of the world, we're a bit partial to a steamed pudding ... here's a pic of one I made last year with my own twist of diced apples, brown sugar and cinnamon:

Thought I'd share the recipe... it's so easy and quick:

Autumn rains fell yesterday and so I had a little fun indoors photographing the one remaining Protea flower for the season.  I'd had it in a vase for a quite a while - they last for ages.

Here it is in front of the rain-drenched kitchen window:

... and on the table:

This one is a pic I took the previous season.  I always love them wet with dew or raindrops.

... and, it seems to me, that the Little Wattlebird is the perfect accessory to the Protea (notice those matching pink wattles!)

Linking to Riitta's Floral Bliss - where so many lovely bloggers share their most magnificent blooms which never cease to delight:

Physio appointment this week, and I'm sharing one of the cute little drawings Ethan does as a reminder for me to actually do the exercises!!  (Spoilt or what!)... I love that all the faces he draws have smiles, here's one of them:

While we were there, and having time to kill before the appointment, I took some pics of the lovely artwork on the walls:

By Jan Davidson in 1984
It's such a detailed ink drawing - I couldn't take my eyes off it.

Update:  I've added some closeups of Jan's drawing:

Also, this huge tapestry:

This magnificent woollen tapestry is truly mind-blowing and is in
tribute to all the people involved in the workings of the Hospital.

and finally,

I've asked no one's permission to put these pics in my blog, but have respectfully done so because I admire them very much.  They're on public display at the hospital, and I've credited each artist.

Then we had a lovely lunch  afterwards - both vegetarian meals as it happened, very delicious too.

tasty relish on the side - yummy

Some birds in trees just outside the house which we've had the pleasure to see during the past week:

The Spotted Dove sheltering in the Ti Tree from the rain

A Bower Bird enjoying a rest on the Lilly Pilly tree.

A Blue-Cheeked Rosella gorging on the Lilly Pilly fruits

"yum yum" 

Linking to Stewart's Wild Bird Wednesday - where bird lovers all over the world take pride in sharing their bird discoveries every week:

I've finally finished my painting which I'd originally started some 3 years ago!

"In a Jar - Geraniums"
Watercolour and inkpen on 180gsm coarse grain paper

... and some progress pics:

at this stage I needed to hit it with the inkpen but
was so hesitant ...  kind of lost confidence for a little
while, but, here goes.........

I do that all the time, hesitate before going in with the pen!
But, once I got started it's fun!!  Gosh, it's only a painting when
all said and done ;D)

The progression!

My portable card table desk with a view.

Linking to Eva and Kristin's Paint Party Friday - a welcoming spot for everyone, whether you paint, create or not... have a look by clicking on this image:

It's a wee bit damp here

Rain, rain and more rain.
Fortunately though it's coming slowly enough to flow through the rivers and into the lakes system and out to sea.

Look who I saw just outside our window.  Sooky's not happy

Just the weather for some comfort food.  Spaghetti Pie

I collect Pyrex cookware from Op Shops, and recently found theses two dishes.
Just the thing for my "one to eat, and one for the freezer" recipes.

In between showers, I roamed (squished) around the yard yesterday...

These pretty Correas certainly brightened up the day!

I have a real fascination
for these beautiful Tribouchina. 

Our resident tennis player.
He endures all weather and doesn't chuck a wobbly when things go wrong!

Squelching on, forgot to put on my rubber boots - ah well, now that sneakers and socks are saturated, I may as well keep going.
Down to the Orchard now .....

The Mandarins are beauties - our first crop.

MD's grapevines also had their first year.
They have endured hailstorms and all manner of bad conditions, however, they
continue to thrive.
Only 2 more years until we have grapes on the table.

Looking through a Grevillia at the grapevines

Back inside with my supply of fruit ... 

I also raided our lemon tree - its first year of production
and I've stripped it already.
We like to start the day with some lemon juice in warm water...  lol, have
forgotten why now, but we're in the habit and it's beaut having our own lemons.
There'll be a lot more next year I'm sure.

My two pampered succulents.
Bought them for $1 each at the Lakes Entrance Markets recently - love a bargain!
Will put them outside when the weather is warmer.

Oh and finally, here's Froggie - I've already shown this pic a long time ago, but he did remind me that HE had the good sense to at least wear a raincoat outside when its wet.

That's it for today.
Keep your tootsies dry to those in this part of the world.
Stay cool for those in the Northern parts!
Cheerio now :D)