Monday, June 27, 2016

CHILLY DAYS


Hello, and welcome to Winter, Queensland style.
After approximately 10 months of very hot Summer,
we are now enjoying those short, sharp, very cold days of brief Winter weather.
And Loving It.

Mr C took me to the Wild Canary Garden Centre, for a bit of R&R.
I have had the flu again, twice in one year, most unusual for moi.
That passionfruit strawberry sponge cake was the business...


as was the spiced pumpkin loaf, with curd and nasturtium..


We thought about the chocolate rose cake, but it was a bit early in the day...


They have a little bee hive in the garden, for little native Australian bees.
Cute.


Sculpture for sale..




Meanwhile, back in the Red Cardinal Garden of Neglect,
the runaway nasturtium has had a flower:


I give it an A for effort - remember this is high above the ground, wandering about without soil or proper feeding..


In other soothing activity, I am spending a few minutes each day stitching teeny tiny pearls, pink sequins, and crystals onto my lace dress for The Wedding in Ireland.


Over the past weeks I have learnt a new word:
'Intermeddle'.
It sounds quite Olde English to me, but is alive and well in the business of Execution of Wills.
As one of the Executors of my father's estate, I am feeling a wee bit stressed by it all.  So much to learn, so many strong feelings.

Mr C would like his distracted wife back now, thank you.
He suggested a concert, and we went off to hear one of my all-time favourites, Aaron Copland's 'Appalachian Spring' Suite (1944), with the QSO Chamber Players. 
Here is a taste of the most popular theme, an old Shaker melody 'Simple Gifts', which we sometimes sing at my Choir of Ladies of a Certain Age.



Enjoy the lovely pictures of America by the great Ansell Adams.

And have a beautiful week.

XXXXX

22 comments:

  1. The R&R looks like the perfect thing. I'm the executor for my Mom's estate and can relate to what you are going through. It should be easy but it is not! It has been 6 months and I'm still not done and won't be anytime soon. I can't wait to see your lace dress when you have finished adding the sparkle.

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    1. I am sure you can relate to Estate matters, Darla. I think we will be at least one year, and unfortunately quite possibly longer. Adding sparkle is very enjoyable, relaxing stitching.

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  2. The R&R looks like the perfect thing. I'm the executor for my Mom's estate and can relate to what you are going through. It should be easy but it is not! It has been 6 months and I'm still not done and won't be anytime soon. I can't wait to see your lace dress when you have finished adding the sparkle.

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  3. Sorry to hear you have been ill again...poor girl!
    I am sure that cake lifted your spirits...
    I love what you are doing with your dress!! My son is getting hitched at the end of October, and I have NO IDEA what to wear! I am thinking of a Pant Suit...do they still call them that?? hahaha!
    Show us when you are done...
    Hope you are feeling better and better...give that Nasturtium a "High Five" for persistence!!
    Enjoy your week...
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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    1. Thanks Linda, most unusual for me to keep getting the 'flu. Must be the stress effect. Yes, I still call them Pant Suits - and I suspect Hillary does too, ha ha
      I am having a silk coat made to wear over the lace for the outdoor ceremony. Yay for the Nasturtium!

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    2. OH dear god....not like Hilary's! Puleeeeze!

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    3. Definitely not like Hilary's:))

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  4. Hi Trish! So sorry to hear you're ill again...you need to kick that business once and for all! Make sure you're getting plenty of rest and taking care of yourself. I'm sure the stress of handling your father's estate business isn't helping either.

    The desserts and the garden center goodies look wonderful! ;) I love that suite music too. So beautiful. I bet that was a wonderful concert. Stay warm and cozy and feel better soon dear Gal. xoxo

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    1. Hi Carrie, Despite the flu jab, here I am again - very unusual for me. Trying hard to take care, and have made little bags of fruit to take with me for the Estate working day. Glad you liked that music - very much of the States in feel. Freezing here today, so rugging up well.

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  5. Oh dear, I hope you are 100 percent very soon!
    I love this post, that little flower trying so hard, we need to learn from it!
    Take care. xx

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    1. Thank you Kay, the cough is almost gone. So true, let us all be stoic like the little yellow flower :)

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  6. I hope that you don't get any more winter bugs and that this flu is soon gone. Enjoy your sewing time. I hope that you will manage to settle things with your Dad's affairs without too too much stress. I am cheering the nasturtium on to reach the ground!

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    1. I hope so too, Amy, not at all like me to succumb in this way. The Estate affairs should settle into some predictable pattern once we sort out all that we will need to do (which is quite a lot!) As I like to be an organised person, I am finding the unpredictability of knowing which day the next week I will need to spend the day travelling to his old town for meetings quite unsettling. Can't make any appointments for myself! Eventually I might get excited about the inheritance at the other end, but not yet :)

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  7. I'm sorry to hear you are unwell again - I think it is the sudden onset of the icy weather. And the stress of the will - I have never had to do this, and I would guess neither have you. So it is all a learning thing, or rather a bit of a muddle through with a hope that all will end well one day. Beading sounds like just the right sort of activity during both the weather and the will activities.

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    1. Thank you Sarah Liz, I have always enjoyed the soothing activity of beading, and am very happy to have a reason to do it just now. Yes, it is the first time I have been an Executor, although have watched it first hand when HB has done it a couple of times. This one is complex, and will go on for a long time. I hope I have the strength!
      It certainly has been icy around here too - we thought Winter would never come!

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  8. Your dress is going to look so lovely for the wedding, Patricia. Love the lace and sequins and pearls. Oh my, that chocolate rose cake looks delectable. The garden center is so pretty, and the girl statue is charming. Would love to have that in my own garden. Yes, I am a bit distracted with this and that at the moment too. Let's try to enjoy this week together, my friend.

    love, ~Sheri

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    1. I hope my outfit all works out, Sheri. We are both going through the same thing! And it is distracting, yes? We have to look after ourselves too. Have a good week.

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  9. Oh no, the flu again, Trish. Feel better soon! What a lovely scenic restaurant. The food looks amazing. Beautiful part of America that in sections time has forgot. I hope we have the good sense to leave it alone. There's not a lot of jobs and sometimes the folks whose families have owned the land sell the lumber or allow coal mining which stripes the landscape. Then it is lost forever! Hopefully we'll think long term because we are only Stewards of the earth.

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    1. Hi Debra, thank you for telling us a bit more about the Appalachian area. The pictures certainly show a beautiful place, and I hope it is preserved for future generations. The issue of coal mining and its effect on the landscape is of great importance in our state, Queensland, too.

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  10. I'm so sorry to hear you've been struck by the flu again, Patricia. Twice in one year seems terribly unfair. Hopefully the R&R has done the trick and you are feeling better. It must be nice to have the cooler weather. You are the opposite of us. We have cool weather for about 10 months of the year and hot weather for two. :-)

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    1. Hi Kristie, Yes, not fair at all, especially as I had the dang flu jab (and got unpleasant side effects). Feeling OK now, and a bit more relaxed about Dad's passing and the estate business. Yes, we both have 10 x 2 weather - I've noticed that with my daughter and her family.

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  11. Coins are too expensive which is use in festivals and also others family functions. And coins (gold, silver, platinum, antique) also use in traditions. But sometimes when it’s too many and you are scared to lose it then why you don’t sell it and get paid. All kind of coins sell and buy in here.
    Coin Buyer

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