A Garden Tour.....

Yesterday I went for a drive to my parents place,

come with me for a look.
After dropping Alanah at T.A.F.E. I set off to Cooyar, it

is only 90 kms from Toowoomba so it only takes me a bit over on hour to

get there.

Through Crows Nest and straight past

Salt's Antiques which was very hard not stopping

but I used all my willpower, also I had stopped at

the bead shop at Highfeilds and well not alot of cash left after that little stop!!!!!

Cooyar has a pub on one side and shop/post office/petrol station on

the other, blink and you will miss it.

Turn up and drive a bit over the hill and

we are here.....

Looking at the place now you would never know it was on

old hall before, would you......

My parents are really an inspiration to me,

in every thing you see here they have made them selves.

Dad revamped the hall inside and out.
Below is some photos of around the garden

(clicking on the photos will enlarge them)
Left to right

This is looking down to the garden,as you can see

it is very dry as they don't get much rain at all.

Looking from the bottom of the garden up to the house,

and there Bar-b-que area.

When ever Mum sees an idea either her or Dad will
go and make some thing. Dad made all the bird houses for Mum.
The out door seat and trolley to stop and
have a cuppa and work out what cuttings I need.
The wild bird feeder and purple arbour behind it.

A wagon for the front garden with chrysatheums growing around it. A Dove

coat for the side garden, and the most wonderful

garden art yet a rusty ball of barbed wire. I have to make one

of these isn't it fantastic...

Well that is Mums garden, you can see

where I get the gardening bug from.

Remembering that the only water they have is tank water.

Most of Mums garden started with cuttings from my

garden alot of saliva's, lavender, succulents,geraniums,

natives and buddlia tress.

I have to show you the lead light windows in the

Lodge before we end this tour.

The front door.........................The front room ................

Kitchen windows........ windows around top of Lodge...

Being an old Masonic Lodge the windows

are all around the top.
And yes Dad did all the lead lighting as well.

I hope you enjoyed your visit with me

and the tour around my Mum's garden....

Blessings

Mandy

A quiet day today I think...

I managed to survive the week-end of Cassie's sleep over..

The theme was a Pyjama Party.........

My laundry was turned into the dressing room and makeup room. The girls

all dressed up in vintage pyjamas that I had collected from the 2nd hand

shops..We had bed jackets from the 60s, lacy little numbers from the 70s

they had so much fun. They finally went to sleep at 2.30........

Last Autumn I brought this Japanese Maple tree, as I love the colours that it

turns....I'm still waiting for the leaves to turn red on

it though. While at the 2nd hand shops I stocked

up on old blankets and sheets to use on the fruit trees and

hedgers to protect them from the frost...I lost alot of things last year to the

frost and I aren't taking any chances this year...

Tomorrow I am of to Cooyar to visit my Mum and Dad..
I haven't been out there for awhile. I am going to take my camera and
give you a tour of her garden it is so inspiring....
That's Mum below, her house is an old Masonic Lodge that they did up.
It is truly amazing!!!!



Today I have a sick boy home so I won't be getting all
the gardening done I thought I would.....May-
be lots of knitting and cartoons are the order for the day..

Have a great day all....

Blessings
Mandy

25 Today!!!!!

25years seems such along time ago ....

and yet I remember it like yesterday.....

My first baby was born

a beautiful blue eyed, blond, chubby bundle

of joy.

He was only 6months old when he first got on a tractor

with his Grand dad.....I think he is still at

his happiest when he's on the farm on a tractor.....

Only now he can drive it himself....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

DAVID

I hope today is a great day for you...

We are all missing you here at home, today is your your day.

We love you.

Blessings

Mandy

Did you miss me????

I missed you all!!!!

My Internet hasn't been working for the last two days

and boy o boy did I miss it...

I wonder what I did before I learnt about blogging????

I have been busy though, knitting.

My scarf is all finished, and It

is now on it's way to my Mum for

Mothers Day.

I am going to make myself one as well as hubby,

he reckons he'll wear one(we'll see)

I have been busy mulching the garden beds.

There is alot to do when you do them all at once, so

it will take a good week to get them all done.

This is a quick post as Cassie has friends sleeping over

tonight and I have to get ready for that....

To all the Mums out there

have a wonderful

Mothers Day...

Blessings

Mandy

Canal ware.....

For the last month I have

been telling you that I'm doing Canal ware at craft,

so I thought it was time to show you something.........

Canal ware is a very bright form of painting. It reminds me

of gypsy caravans....You paint onto dark back grounds, red, dark green and black.

We just practised yesterday on boards........I am hooked.

The photos were a bit glarey ,sorry about that, it takes away from the bad painting.

Painting has never been one of my things....but I really enjoyed this. It is

different from folk art, not as particular, faster moving and more care free I would

say, which suits me......

I have lots of practising to do, as I can't get the hang of

the daisy's, every-one else found them the easiest to do............

The circles are the start of the roses and then you build your rose up

from there, they are alot easier.........

No guesses as to what I will be doing today?

After the housework of course....

Blessings

Mandy

A ME DAY......................

I have spent my extra day up at my

sewing room. I didn't realize it was a long week-end,

so after a busy week-end with Soccer on Saturday, a barby lunch

with friends on Sunday.......Taking the boys to the airport to look at

all the planes.I spent Monday doing ME things up at

The Old Dairy.

There was gardening to do as everything has taken of. So I did

lots of pruning and weeding. I have to move 2 roses

that are getting crowed out at the front fence, so they will also go

into this garden.........sometime this week.....

I got The Old Dairy cleaned inside and out. I am such a

messy sewer! There was stuff every where. I got

the last of the girls P.Js made, so all are happy and warm in there beds..

Below is my sunny sewing spot, with a clean table I might add.

Some times the sun is so bright I have to move the table back,

which isn't a problem as I put wheels on it for that reason.

After I had finished all my pottering around, I came down to the house

and watched "Gardening Australia" (that I missed Sat night and Sun arvo.)

Tea that night was very simple, Frozen meat pies with mashed potatoes,peas ,corn and

gravy, simple but good...Then Greg and I watched a movie

while I got alot of knitting done,than off to bed.

This morning a feel like I have been away for a weeks holiday, so

I think my ME day did the trick....

To the rest of my fellow Aussies, I hope they enjoyed there long weekend!

To my readers from every where else I'm sorry you didn't

get one!!!! But I bet you had a good weekend any way.

Blessings to all

Mandy

She's Home.....

Fresh from camp and looking

tired and dirty....

Lots of presents to open though.

Have to start with this one first....Now I

have a Pandora just like my big sister....


What is this!!!!!!!!!
What do you mean the dog ate my birthday cake....... Chloe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes the dog really did get the cake,

Chloe put it down outside and then it was gone.

I'm telling you these things can only

happen here.....

Mandy