Big family next door

We were taking a stroll, but left the neighbouring mob alone, as they seemed to be having a great time ~ young and old. How may can you see?

Still life with pumpkin

Sometimes the composition occurs naturally, over time.  Winter is coming, the pumpkins are now inside.

James

Rustique Winders

A local view with high dynamic range (HDR) and filter.

James

There & Back Again

It's been quiet here.

But we're back.  I noticed on our return that the crisp all-too-bushfire ready grass made the same crunchy noise at +35 degrees as the snow in Canada did at -2 degrees*.

We'll get a few blog posts together of some of the many highlights and fun things we got to see and do on our Christmas and New Year extravaganza over the next few days and weeks, so check back and please let us know you're stopping by!

James

( * For those still stuck using Fahrenheit, that's 'really hot' and 'just below freezing' - or 308.15 and 271.15 Kelvin.)

Fab! Fabbri

They're back (at the Mediterranean Wholesalers - see here) so we snagged some. We weren't able to go home in a Fabbri truck, seen on the Boston food website here:

But we found some fascinating Fabbri history here and here, the latter being the official website, which has a range of remarkable period advertising here.



Better than roses, pearls?  But of course!

James

Passing Roo

This chap decided to check out our front lawn this Sunday morning.

While people often assume roos actually frolic on Australian high streets, they don't, but a quiet country acreage is certainly fair game.

James

Found Tractor!

Hey, Zach!  We found someone had left this neat little tractor outside the house today.

D'you think we can keep it?

James

Weather Plus

A lot of rain certainly has an effect on some of the flora, while the other, younger, dahlias coped remarkably well.

After a weekend of 35+ degrees C (95+ F) and pretty continuous 40+ km/h (25+ mph) winds, we had 90+ mm (3 & 1/2 + in) in 24 hours. Certainly everything a garden might want, but in excess.

James

Where a flower & flag mean something...

Most Australians would recognise this combination as being the usual result for a newly-minted Australian from the Citizenship Ceremony. It's a two-Aussie and a dog household now.

We were lucky that we had an excellent ceremony, on a special day, hosted by the Kyneton Mayor, and played in by the Kyneton Municipal Band. They were good too. Thanks all!

The mention of Canada in the news report? That's us, that is. And among other salient thoughts, the mayor was at pains to point out that taking Australian citizenship did not mean forgetting where you came from. The wide heritage, is part of what makes Australia what it is.

James

Edge of the weather

One of the neat things about living here is that we often see the 'edge' of the weather; particularly on the local 'mountain'*, where the clouds are forming, or stopping. Strangely, although it often looks imminent, this weather often doesn't get to us, only a few kilometers away. Yesterday was a particularly acute version of this, as we started from a bight dawn and drove under the edge of the cloud into Melbourne and then later in the day back out from under. The attached photo was taken from the car (edited above, unedited below**) and shows the cloud on the mountain folding into the cloud to the side.

Fascinating.

*Only in Australia, the flattest continent. A hill to anyone else.

**Shot on my iPhone and then stitched together as a panorama in the App 'AutoStitch Panorama'. I like both versions for different reasons. The roughness of details in the unedited one adds a certain charm, I think.

James

Well...

...it's been a busy month and a bit, with plenty to blog about, but little chance so far.

It'll be fun to catch up as we go through the photos, reminders and ideas, so stay with us!

The shells seen here were collected from the shore of Endeavour Inlet, South Island, New Zealand, but not brought home. Both Australia and New Zealand are now (rightly) ultra-hot on biohazards, and moving sych things from one country to the other is a big no-no, now.

Still the picture (by Bev) tells a story. We still collect shells on holiday.

Tricolore towels

Tricolore towels

Artichokes II

People have asked that if the normal fate of the artichokes pictured here had come to pass. It had...

And then there was:

Strawberries, also from the garden. As the Kiwis say, 'sweet as...'

James

The Advent of Moomins

A parcel marked PRIORITY, came from beyond the Arctic circle,

Bearing a franked Santa and a Little My stamp, inside of which was the Advent of the Moomins, arriving just in time, all the way from Finland,

To go up on the picture wall and have door ONE opened on the right day,

While others were borne to Northcote and Kingston, and no doubt other places exotic.

James

[Thanks to Bev, Ottobre Magazine, and, critically, Tove Jansson. Pic 3 by Meghan.]

Ductacular

Sometimes you've just got to stretch and beat the wings...

Pacific Black Duck

James

Willie's on the ball

One of out smaller neighbours was having a fly around the front of the cottage on Thursday. One of a few nice portraits of Willie Wagtail from the session.

James

Caught neighbours

Found the neighbours staring over the fence again...

As usual, when caught, they hopped it...

And after losing interest in us, stared at the other neighbours...

But that lot are a bunch of cows.

James

Earth Hour

After dinner dominoes.

James

Sunsets

Seen one...

Osso Buco Dinner

One of the nice things about rainy spring weekends, is you lie on the sofa and read those new cookbooks your husband is always mentioning you keep buying. (To which I can now respond, "But it's my job!" and chuckle madly, clutching the latest.) No, not too many, but some good ones...

A productive visit to the farmer's market netted a glorious slab of osso buco, some small young artichokes, potatoes and a few other goodies.

And the other great thing about spring? Just at the time when you rip out all the leeks before they go to flower, there are buckets of broad beans.

Broad beans preparing - braised leeks with white wine, some boiled potatoes, tossed all together with a very fresh home-grown garlic sprig.


Osso buco on the left, slowly simmering all afternoon in white wine, then finished with a gremolata (lemon zest and parsley). Simple, slow - and fantastic!

All either from our garden or local produce from the area - Trentham spuds (ours aren't ready yet) and the meat from the local Belted Galloway herd, and by buying from the farmers, premium food at a reasonable price.

Good thing there's enough for tomorrow, too.

B