Gardening Tips For Reluctant Gardeners

I've mentioned I hate gardening.  But, strangely, I have found myself compelled to garden - stumbling toward the patio doors like a zombie, eager to tear out more weeds and get more bugs stuck in my hair.  While gardening, I complain non-stop.  Even if I'm alone.  If I hate gardening, why is it so addictive?!? <br /><br />Maybe because I employ these strategies:<br /><ol><li>I reward myself with chocolate.</li><li>I let gardening count as my daily dose of exercise.</li><li>I remind myself that my backyard is an outdoor room, not a vacant lot I can ignore.</li><li>I count the imaginary money we will make on the sale of this house, attributed to my weed pulling and bug flicking efforts.</li><li>I compare my efforts with my neighbours' and score our respective gardens.  Gardening is more fun if I can "win".</li></ol>Right now I'm not winning.  Well, I'm beating a few people.  But you should have <em>seen</em> the garden when we bought the townhouse.  Cats got lost in the thick weeds.  Well, here's a record of the garden today.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2pp5m13AGo_U5engeCRA2lb0QbVL5cpIbss0ip8Po9TZamMN1Da14kj4vMJONQytSiCjnx7nHWSEd7op9SjzuLfe0XUgfjEytJh3ndoXgiHvpc5nOtYyy4yLEIq1OeFdDk9GULLTFJChG/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2pp5m13AGo_U5engeCRA2lb0QbVL5cpIbss0ip8Po9TZamMN1Da14kj4vMJONQytSiCjnx7nHWSEd7op9SjzuLfe0XUgfjEytJh3ndoXgiHvpc5nOtYyy4yLEIq1OeFdDk9GULLTFJChG/s640/001.JPG" t8="true" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In dire need of attention but an IMPROVEMENT</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJKHNc40Pm4sImVRmX8Rllrmnb_6cYXBqbDDCJPOWemUxSz2iy1TVza8szGtbMvwzLgj9Pq8CdC_5JxqG6OzRgBRgXwBh-H-nPpoE1SqcgqaRFgOWpi3A3bCF2tno33psvqpa6JYfmniN/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJKHNc40Pm4sImVRmX8Rllrmnb_6cYXBqbDDCJPOWemUxSz2iy1TVza8szGtbMvwzLgj9Pq8CdC_5JxqG6OzRgBRgXwBh-H-nPpoE1SqcgqaRFgOWpi3A3bCF2tno33psvqpa6JYfmniN/s640/005.JPG" t8="true" width="480" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4i0ZEXJ1Q0SaSEyfZzRaQQm5zTZ-yNMvKj6TrjWiignIH3-QVzO5W3JPp4DuahWJAKkQ6YwghPpmvN3PaspDLlm9ztI3ngA02MMC2SDdkbFREbk1k01IPGwW4veZpwXQEjSKwaR_ljkKq/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4i0ZEXJ1Q0SaSEyfZzRaQQm5zTZ-yNMvKj6TrjWiignIH3-QVzO5W3JPp4DuahWJAKkQ6YwghPpmvN3PaspDLlm9ztI3ngA02MMC2SDdkbFREbk1k01IPGwW4veZpwXQEjSKwaR_ljkKq/s400/002.JPG" t8="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I removed all of the weeds from the patio.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4IsTwR5SPf3gCAY31za7IayKpZrmVb9cydsrIMyVOxluh6WQZ6r6c0gPGTVVTveZsNCwXmMk3VI8L9dqqCa493W0ZRUCvTylY6iREPbauh33SsgS6WMqpCS7Ozj_I_iQsHEhH9XgBTF2/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4IsTwR5SPf3gCAY31za7IayKpZrmVb9cydsrIMyVOxluh6WQZ6r6c0gPGTVVTveZsNCwXmMk3VI8L9dqqCa493W0ZRUCvTylY6iREPbauh33SsgS6WMqpCS7Ozj_I_iQsHEhH9XgBTF2/s400/006.JPG" t8="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice new patio furniture!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />On the bright side, the Lily of the Valley I "acquired" last year (one bunch I swiped from my grandparents, the other was mailed to me by my mother-in-law) both transplanted nicely.  My absolute favorite flower.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGqMs8E1Y77_1Ka3RvtprRoUBFZ7rv_oq8O4p42FtkIAvohQDE0qo4SZS7a6Rxy8SuK9ynPC8DfM82dA9I0neNkQhCnQadZCl4h0leiW804hUhMkprn6znIT9KVEbdqUeEC1qyMGoEQqQQ/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGqMs8E1Y77_1Ka3RvtprRoUBFZ7rv_oq8O4p42FtkIAvohQDE0qo4SZS7a6Rxy8SuK9ynPC8DfM82dA9I0neNkQhCnQadZCl4h0leiW804hUhMkprn6znIT9KVEbdqUeEC1qyMGoEQqQQ/s640/010.JPG" t8="true" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My front yard looks better . . . </td></tr></tbody></table>

Gardening Tips For Reluctant Gardeners

I've mentioned I hate gardening.  But, strangely, I have found myself compelled to garden - stumbling toward the patio doors like a zomb...

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a strange Sunday morning vehicle sighting...

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Across the road from Richard's house this morning...</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVgMtthJO23e6ycqD-NGQBrOoSxPX3itucz8vAOB3T3hHyHlGUlGbIfbhfcpQvF4qlJ3Tzd9NxrN3SfUVyia4OIXGTYnj2FwhwK2DKZKJ6t-q2CyzsMU_f46qbKBHyfWHf1t4-sLie33xh/s1600/kombi+van+ute.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVgMtthJO23e6ycqD-NGQBrOoSxPX3itucz8vAOB3T3hHyHlGUlGbIfbhfcpQvF4qlJ3Tzd9NxrN3SfUVyia4OIXGTYnj2FwhwK2DKZKJ6t-q2CyzsMU_f46qbKBHyfWHf1t4-sLie33xh/s640/kombi+van+ute.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A kombi van converted into a ute...and a dual cabin one at that...only in Australia! And a huge surprise in conservative old Canberra. It must have taken a wrong turn somewhere :)</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Put a smile on my face anyway.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">image by a tranquil townhouse</span><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85794/tranquiltownhouse/6aa76c55681784d717c463ecc754d7c5.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

a strange Sunday morning vehicle sighting...

Across the road from Richard's house this morning... A kombi van converted into a ute...and a dual cabin one at that...only in Australia...

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cool retro caravans

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm not much of a one for caravaning...although I did enjoy my armchair travels with <a href="http://letsgomoerkabout.blogspot.com/">the Moerks</a> very much!</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9322pvcrlmZfgV9lOG9bd1DINCks-pC88BV2y2uZnRH0WyGdEZ5_2VS8wj1GQt-g3WZrHC3tunCRjWItWvADs39I4P7yr8yEAdIvZ_94fBRRZpT-b6qVwKREyc6dpw1dR_BxsIVE7LFLL/s1600/caravan+book+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9322pvcrlmZfgV9lOG9bd1DINCks-pC88BV2y2uZnRH0WyGdEZ5_2VS8wj1GQt-g3WZrHC3tunCRjWItWvADs39I4P7yr8yEAdIvZ_94fBRRZpT-b6qVwKREyc6dpw1dR_BxsIVE7LFLL/s640/caravan+book+cover.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My friend Terry (husband to the <a href="http://tranquiltownhouse.blogspot.com/2010/06/ive-had-visit-from-chandelier-fairy.html">chandelier fairy</a>) got this book for his birthday last month (actually it was August but let's not quibble) and was kind enough to let me have a borrow...it is aptly named! Caravans that are cool on the inside...</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJnaNydMqw5RsmKXjPGwlTZtJ7tPxMZX9dn_OoxbHmtV8v0UxnZUc6qkMBm1hoLk5Bk8jihnPJ_42GYIo4YsU_5M4_NRXDNLloTELT1M6Dby4vLppJx4s1OQFJfnTrdXO-8KD5F7QSiJ0g/s1600/caravan+book+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJnaNydMqw5RsmKXjPGwlTZtJ7tPxMZX9dn_OoxbHmtV8v0UxnZUc6qkMBm1hoLk5Bk8jihnPJ_42GYIo4YsU_5M4_NRXDNLloTELT1M6Dby4vLppJx4s1OQFJfnTrdXO-8KD5F7QSiJ0g/s640/caravan+book+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">as well as the out...</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD6VJghjB7m2GUmtQRkIFR7AdCQvBgyaIIotzaljN26jyu1MfVePo4Uf0URtmRi1F-WnVWCJ9h9Y_TVoa4ZMHJd_67G0gey1pXv329dl6NHXYuWkxeyLLwwULj-jQBMvX-tVO-XHIa_Vt1/s1600/caravan+book+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD6VJghjB7m2GUmtQRkIFR7AdCQvBgyaIIotzaljN26jyu1MfVePo4Uf0URtmRi1F-WnVWCJ9h9Y_TVoa4ZMHJd_67G0gey1pXv329dl6NHXYuWkxeyLLwwULj-jQBMvX-tVO-XHIa_Vt1/s640/caravan+book+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrX5NQ1obphLdxGbqIiqyP0aD0TNKLGOLtEW_K7g8yLv9l4Xdxi5RackbQX0_PtV86IZt3XG0MUv-LfFXe3v94cZYbvNSjo0CF2S_u3buZLYyU22T7LRk-_Y1cB3bkiixtrgJpQsjBG_tQ/s1600/caravan+book+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrX5NQ1obphLdxGbqIiqyP0aD0TNKLGOLtEW_K7g8yLv9l4Xdxi5RackbQX0_PtV86IZt3XG0MUv-LfFXe3v94cZYbvNSjo0CF2S_u3buZLYyU22T7LRk-_Y1cB3bkiixtrgJpQsjBG_tQ/s640/caravan+book+3.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They have names...this one's Diddy (not as in P...)</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJsTvl3HXoW_oy2tYziFf8o3zTVjT2p1JUyxBn0qaqDH8j-pB86HB4RWRxGUOX3JD2ZcPAsTQIzsWpgWoU8JWzFDKCZPzm7oi__bVY2ViujRkHVNugr6yTB3rJ0Es-vCr1LfZZvZdTu2L/s1600/caravan+book+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJsTvl3HXoW_oy2tYziFf8o3zTVjT2p1JUyxBn0qaqDH8j-pB86HB4RWRxGUOX3JD2ZcPAsTQIzsWpgWoU8JWzFDKCZPzm7oi__bVY2ViujRkHVNugr6yTB3rJ0Es-vCr1LfZZvZdTu2L/s640/caravan+book+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Say hello to the 1954 Winchester Pipet...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDyMsfaIkGAAfNFt75ubYXmqHYfgxRSlIJZz9drBVhaQKEOCry0kFtFVbl4daGrLa0vc7rVTgE7_sZ8aHTw0fyTdqLyOBQHvLnxsle_0iNEpj6FIDrtpY1LXM9ZA_8w-tVOFuKdJR4zrcY/s1600/caravan+book+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDyMsfaIkGAAfNFt75ubYXmqHYfgxRSlIJZz9drBVhaQKEOCry0kFtFVbl4daGrLa0vc7rVTgE7_sZ8aHTw0fyTdqLyOBQHvLnxsle_0iNEpj6FIDrtpY1LXM9ZA_8w-tVOFuKdJR4zrcY/s640/caravan+book+5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Freeman...well yes, probably...</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1a6pm8MVeBsicEB5ezXLVVlXzQVRfx_qI33ftl8CODRlEmI9-_IlTV7uZANjDy234AVAZV2p7u-tDE4bupm2fBNRANBJqZS-HrOkZ4UU1d7PsMUKpQnJbaL52aTz8NAif3UFEscb5gMH/s1600/caravan+book+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="505" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1a6pm8MVeBsicEB5ezXLVVlXzQVRfx_qI33ftl8CODRlEmI9-_IlTV7uZANjDy234AVAZV2p7u-tDE4bupm2fBNRANBJqZS-HrOkZ4UU1d7PsMUKpQnJbaL52aTz8NAif3UFEscb5gMH/s640/caravan+book+6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is a Ralph Lauren wallpaper and a caravan chandelier...a carandelier perhaps??</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECd_XQe5zDSztR1Io58wAI505TKSjZTvXlHU9DJ2qPxW603rHcbbeU3X9cPrCrqsZJNz6YF0CSEzuFokmm9V5CT0EsHfkFVO38c1ij8Xh95tQjuTYzYeQ59l0_vACojwe1O9xcu1UKPp2/s1600/caravan+book+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECd_XQe5zDSztR1Io58wAI505TKSjZTvXlHU9DJ2qPxW603rHcbbeU3X9cPrCrqsZJNz6YF0CSEzuFokmm9V5CT0EsHfkFVO38c1ij8Xh95tQjuTYzYeQ59l0_vACojwe1O9xcu1UKPp2/s640/caravan+book+7.jpg" width="396" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">a 1970s monza 1000...I hope this is meaning something to you...it makes no sense to me I'd have to say...</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjskVHLOScRllEUyxbXCBmJAzrrGhgYVbZUZYe32yqjCUeviSmCAS4cd6MrbcZIphFk0LFTPwIwqJCx8XmAbPktqwusgbqy4PesVl5ifpVyw_ttn_6yZ4qGwHveW_bLALIRbg6lFMgel44r/s1600/caravan+book+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="553" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjskVHLOScRllEUyxbXCBmJAzrrGhgYVbZUZYe32yqjCUeviSmCAS4cd6MrbcZIphFk0LFTPwIwqJCx8XmAbPktqwusgbqy4PesVl5ifpVyw_ttn_6yZ4qGwHveW_bLALIRbg6lFMgel44r/s640/caravan+book+8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is Mr Smith's caravan. Mr Smith? I think not with that shagadelic interior!</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzUUxT34Q8pFjX8A7zrD-UjjLo8on47J5GB341t132G5wElK0XnUPTWRrWHw-dN48iWGLMCjSg53LdxUzLC2gmlRZ1DyBrpYFGgrlh9wIA9vZBFB4Yp2p7eL6taOsRZF8aPpTeTlOXdSn/s1600/caravan+book+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzUUxT34Q8pFjX8A7zrD-UjjLo8on47J5GB341t132G5wElK0XnUPTWRrWHw-dN48iWGLMCjSg53LdxUzLC2gmlRZ1DyBrpYFGgrlh9wIA9vZBFB4Yp2p7eL6taOsRZF8aPpTeTlOXdSn/s640/caravan+book+9.jpg" width="608" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And this may be familiar to you...Roald Dahl's gypsy wagon that inspired his story Danny the Champion of the World...</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKBQ_lFdmgJbtSildNq5aF7c0sAGyUFeVzO70a5n99jAFR4q_l2avgUYpZA78QgXtTz01VWrYyr7Z06JtXIzop5VIq_ZSHLtNJmtdfzXQqyqkRm6cPXsGFLK5Sk0X1FOJviEljDZLB4wPb/s1600/caravan+book+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKBQ_lFdmgJbtSildNq5aF7c0sAGyUFeVzO70a5n99jAFR4q_l2avgUYpZA78QgXtTz01VWrYyr7Z06JtXIzop5VIq_ZSHLtNJmtdfzXQqyqkRm6cPXsGFLK5Sk0X1FOJviEljDZLB4wPb/s640/caravan+book+9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm quite taken with this newly built shepherd's hut...</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxC5Iv8ifErkWJyl9vpm7z0w-duv16myCe1jKq2pvg_cLVxCYnae-6X_z7Z9QdaZ0fzXqkfRilyyOEjRp21-SJ-q88-qkzvhRVKXrNI4k50BEHv-Ky7n285qvuesZ8M3eM-LUSyl7Iz1q/s1600/caravan+book+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxC5Iv8ifErkWJyl9vpm7z0w-duv16myCe1jKq2pvg_cLVxCYnae-6X_z7Z9QdaZ0fzXqkfRilyyOEjRp21-SJ-q88-qkzvhRVKXrNI4k50BEHv-Ky7n285qvuesZ8M3eM-LUSyl7Iz1q/s640/caravan+book+10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is a 'canned ham' caravan for obvious reasons. Not sure about its inhabitants.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiISwhgUa1whF9oSW5z0nON3DYsMcEIzsS3nGq5ehXV6-9qyAPXw8cEObOFj6ahI58_OgRz0v1cOy6GKLOmzNlaoWSc22WImezoYZMxd0wpa3XP1kRnA6jNCT8xC-jvttogHuBTtfbdYOIF/s1600/caravan+book+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="457" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiISwhgUa1whF9oSW5z0nON3DYsMcEIzsS3nGq5ehXV6-9qyAPXw8cEObOFj6ahI58_OgRz0v1cOy6GKLOmzNlaoWSc22WImezoYZMxd0wpa3XP1kRnA6jNCT8xC-jvttogHuBTtfbdYOIF/s640/caravan+book+11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...but I'm quite loving the interior...</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1U5XwtGR4x9WHJUqF61hh6YqAt86CGzB9PwsvucxjwotSWKwZhxfO1-QcYIERFB7ROp0yZrIEEg0k-WNsT8s9znuKyAnbtA7aX01nPATIozv6GxR3Wmk6d1IwSUIRHSQmcuQ-yNCHAWY/s1600/caravan+book+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw1U5XwtGR4x9WHJUqF61hh6YqAt86CGzB9PwsvucxjwotSWKwZhxfO1-QcYIERFB7ROp0yZrIEEg0k-WNsT8s9znuKyAnbtA7aX01nPATIozv6GxR3Wmk6d1IwSUIRHSQmcuQ-yNCHAWY/s640/caravan+book+12.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And of course I had to include an Aussie...although I'm a bit disappointed in its lack of panache. Southern Cross is good though.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9jN0DNPHlTqjd9hu5wvCSQobsOJqbCnLDx8cJ4aDfenjyZnBa1BAj2aX4M9gMNUQIwKiYZbqWNtRVkDWOB_QDR29o2lo-TjP5jCTIVGtH-gIhpZZuP8Ihu6sTEeVJim9za_GTPoQ8-06/s1600/caravan+book+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9jN0DNPHlTqjd9hu5wvCSQobsOJqbCnLDx8cJ4aDfenjyZnBa1BAj2aX4M9gMNUQIwKiYZbqWNtRVkDWOB_QDR29o2lo-TjP5jCTIVGtH-gIhpZZuP8Ihu6sTEeVJim9za_GTPoQ8-06/s640/caravan+book+13.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is called a teardrop...4 foot wide and high and 8 foot long. Sleeps 2 apparently. Cosy. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTDWmbQpHLUgcrRvu1TumAQk0miiUZXSUzGj1rf7QHSGaAN4V0M-3b7B8-ZyaiZSE6rbebJj0kThFW6xVYRMEY6yJLEpdlHJf49jZqxRiY67kxBHBZ2jf9u59DJ5UxQpUWHUrlCBIGAtt/s1600/caravan+book+15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTDWmbQpHLUgcrRvu1TumAQk0miiUZXSUzGj1rf7QHSGaAN4V0M-3b7B8-ZyaiZSE6rbebJj0kThFW6xVYRMEY6yJLEpdlHJf49jZqxRiY67kxBHBZ2jf9u59DJ5UxQpUWHUrlCBIGAtt/s640/caravan+book+15.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Guess who owned this next one? The castle might be a giveaway. Prince Charles and Princess Anne when they were kiddlywinks. A play caravan...just what every (royal) kid needs.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixBOu98K0ThCmMfC_y3hK6i9cp_ZyMy7yV1YJ6gqbIkOyrco-ShMgfZA6HhKz4KWF6gbAolxn6PzkfecWaMNOecLMhcpkyMjJcWATsq-_EJx5ZslOhAUpM39IyJd5pSMfRvWj9C3L3gRG3/s1600/caravan+book+16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixBOu98K0ThCmMfC_y3hK6i9cp_ZyMy7yV1YJ6gqbIkOyrco-ShMgfZA6HhKz4KWF6gbAolxn6PzkfecWaMNOecLMhcpkyMjJcWATsq-_EJx5ZslOhAUpM39IyJd5pSMfRvWj9C3L3gRG3/s640/caravan+book+16.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A nicely padded headboard in a caravan called Daisy. Of course.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKR_hGEGGijdSl7z0xeLucSSDCrnRG2EDBfpKNhKMLbTz4EzPXLthHatjMgmvg5I55OmAQT3jnpBohI5yj6XkKvV7Qs8bVP3I9kPIjKkJ6AZgxNmhMiCGpcxk1B6q9-8jZRmKR9c0pIFHd/s1600/caravan+book+18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKR_hGEGGijdSl7z0xeLucSSDCrnRG2EDBfpKNhKMLbTz4EzPXLthHatjMgmvg5I55OmAQT3jnpBohI5yj6XkKvV7Qs8bVP3I9kPIjKkJ6AZgxNmhMiCGpcxk1B6q9-8jZRmKR9c0pIFHd/s640/caravan+book+18.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But this is my favourite. Cheerful, even though it comes with a cat that looks a lot like the vampire slayer (not shown).</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKrvgi7A6ErnzCv9LiGFOD3MFRxS90GnLunW6cPrWO3eli1krLnzhJPJ0eg_wWMo5opzedD2hfz5hJicuH3YzPQtXR2iMuPvWozafdkDnfnf1jEFGQlgsjNWp6uXndiCGaar61DKe3VDe/s1600/caravan+book+19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKrvgi7A6ErnzCv9LiGFOD3MFRxS90GnLunW6cPrWO3eli1krLnzhJPJ0eg_wWMo5opzedD2hfz5hJicuH3YzPQtXR2iMuPvWozafdkDnfnf1jEFGQlgsjNWp6uXndiCGaar61DKe3VDe/s640/caravan+book+19.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Almost enough to convince me to consider caravaning. I said almost.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sorry about the photos...taken in the fading Canberra light. Daylight saving? Spring? Ha...get a wriggle on good weather! Please and thank you.</span><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85794/tranquiltownhouse/6aa76c55681784d717c463ecc754d7c5.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><br /></a>

cool retro caravans

I'm not much of a one for caravaning...although I did enjoy my armchair travels with the Moerks very much! My friend Terry (husband to ...

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weekend project ~ that pesky pergola

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><div style="text-align: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The positively persistent pergola painting procrastination is no more. Bet you're glad about that...just so the bad alliteration ends if nothing else. Did you think I'd ever do it? I wasn't sure myself but...I finished painting that bloody pergola yesterday...and here it is...ta dah...well a bit of it anyway.</span></span></span></div></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRgw-TBLi-P-oK5pso0qpn1CdMa3BL1wrhH2a-WSuLUGrtvk2UNtPMI2vf62VQA661cek0ikfc7IkfHFbcUi-_ep17fVjWbeTmMCYLmjg81sqloP2Awq8MGWkxfLl0BEiq9fN1KTVzRn8/s1600/courtyard+and+chair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRgw-TBLi-P-oK5pso0qpn1CdMa3BL1wrhH2a-WSuLUGrtvk2UNtPMI2vf62VQA661cek0ikfc7IkfHFbcUi-_ep17fVjWbeTmMCYLmjg81sqloP2Awq8MGWkxfLl0BEiq9fN1KTVzRn8/s400/courtyard+and+chair.jpg" width="256" /></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While I was up a ladder painting the last almost completely inaccessible parts of the pergola...that is unless you're a circus performer, in which case it would be extremely good practice for your high wire act...it occurred to me why it's taken me so long to finish this. It's because I am <b>scared of ladders</b>!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkb2SNLSuxg8K4bfEhM5sFvhkNcim9WKWrP5cNgn-NDW6a7wQ6KGYhIEPy_ipdPNbd5TD7s4oD99wMLWPNqVdIOla9lKjC99XbJCxm2fbUFpFU4V5EOddC3Xgt2XEzo-50teR7gcH_JE/s1600/ladder+with+ivy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkb2SNLSuxg8K4bfEhM5sFvhkNcim9WKWrP5cNgn-NDW6a7wQ6KGYhIEPy_ipdPNbd5TD7s4oD99wMLWPNqVdIOla9lKjC99XbJCxm2fbUFpFU4V5EOddC3Xgt2XEzo-50teR7gcH_JE/s400/ladder+with+ivy.jpg" width="295" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This, dear bloggy people was a revelation to me. I'm no scaredy cat...I've jumped out of a plane for crying out loud...into shark infested waters no less...yes, really...I may have been pushed, I may have been many years younger, I may have screamed for quite a lot of it, but still...I did that. I've abseiled down the side of quite a tall building as well...gee that was fun (actually it really was)...and I've been at the top of the tallest mast on this ship (the Royal Australian Navy's Young Endeavour) with a microphone and a cameraman, in my old Defence PR days...ok I confess...that WAS scary...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbWz1MLHhpvrZewVmtDWjS3wZ4pi2Hd1-as1KdYLZHs0gPo5ZV3x6HfYCaiyfJISjhFO7STHE0PDkuuG5LB-ESxD7ewYK6O1aPdpX84aj2MZYi1rEQ-YoYmexL-V1JNH5eZTRYiLERzxE/s1600/young+endeavour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbWz1MLHhpvrZewVmtDWjS3wZ4pi2Hd1-as1KdYLZHs0gPo5ZV3x6HfYCaiyfJISjhFO7STHE0PDkuuG5LB-ESxD7ewYK6O1aPdpX84aj2MZYi1rEQ-YoYmexL-V1JNH5eZTRYiLERzxE/s400/young+endeavour.jpg" width="262" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">but when it comes to an ordinary old household ladder...nope, don't like it...don't want to be there. Even when there is a very good view from the top...which I can't show you because the photo I took was crappy...and I'm not getting back up on that ladder for anyone! So here's a picture of a nice gardenia I grew all by myself instead...I'm sure you won't mind...they're pretty and they smell good...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkq779eZdQU8mX9c6wgr1yTCoz3I62KigN5fL1cAdvc2a3ztoFwlrpE2pf6mv0Nwm8m6dzAXjDrIWQXc6XembKyF4CP5f8vag1-5x4VZDmFgJqtxoMdhIoLFzQ6LuoRRVswmrogptfTk0/s1600/courtyard+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkq779eZdQU8mX9c6wgr1yTCoz3I62KigN5fL1cAdvc2a3ztoFwlrpE2pf6mv0Nwm8m6dzAXjDrIWQXc6XembKyF4CP5f8vag1-5x4VZDmFgJqtxoMdhIoLFzQ6LuoRRVswmrogptfTk0/s400/courtyard+011.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And here's what the vampire slayer was doing while I was getting much too closely associated with the large rhododenron bush I had to navigate while reaching those aforementioned inaccessible spots...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKqOYtoQCXW9XL_FlFJXMDgWC_3Fmz-inYFEJzGvQsiy6kddcHr_NQaG5S5BA21igX34els9cbDUsm8D2F7R5Dw3YxeaEOL2qoTF9kYWc_cKF2TuyVDby0xn2zslxuBwW8L1JFrVSZDas/s1600/buffy+under+table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKqOYtoQCXW9XL_FlFJXMDgWC_3Fmz-inYFEJzGvQsiy6kddcHr_NQaG5S5BA21igX34els9cbDUsm8D2F7R5Dw3YxeaEOL2qoTF9kYWc_cKF2TuyVDby0xn2zslxuBwW8L1JFrVSZDas/s400/buffy+under+table.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...that's right...like a typical cat...abso-bloody-lutely nothing! But then...when it was all finished, she thought she might as well come out from under the table and check out the paint job I'd done...everyone's a critic aren't they?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBOVo1vEJQ0aoFkEDW2ZFLNnq5i8PkWJRopHmucpAD_5pD80zCvnjpCWnIYNyFf3ZHJPBs-ONQslpZbnb_yjt5qx8LgHDLjpvE13lCxf2XrFoycLdU8t8T4uzA7ZcKRZSrJa7TIooOQo0/s1600/buffy+on+table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBOVo1vEJQ0aoFkEDW2ZFLNnq5i8PkWJRopHmucpAD_5pD80zCvnjpCWnIYNyFf3ZHJPBs-ONQslpZbnb_yjt5qx8LgHDLjpvE13lCxf2XrFoycLdU8t8T4uzA7ZcKRZSrJa7TIooOQo0/s400/buffy+on+table.jpg" width="312" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And I have to throw this in because it makes me laugh every time I see it...a bit of good old Aussie improvisation...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNPl5wL0zxE5Y_9TVtB3wW4yyVTT7aEShp5u3b0MpekzfxL4fYP_w1yLcndS6n1lGUB-yPpa4rTkYq5STSwk1AjRrRaJibeG6O_lN2sUztnMZploI0AWX0OS4ApmzQkFhdfYAQ5W8O6HU/s1600/beer+bottle+coil+holder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNPl5wL0zxE5Y_9TVtB3wW4yyVTT7aEShp5u3b0MpekzfxL4fYP_w1yLcndS6n1lGUB-yPpa4rTkYq5STSwk1AjRrRaJibeG6O_lN2sUztnMZploI0AWX0OS4ApmzQkFhdfYAQ5W8O6HU/s400/beer+bottle+coil+holder.jpg" width="267" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One night when a few of us were having dinner in the courtyard and the mossies were coming to join us, we needed somewhere to put the mosquito coil...and this was the solution one of my <s>smart alec</s> clever friends came up with.  A hooped skirt for a beer bottle...I love it!</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So there you have it...quite pleased I am, and now I'm looking forward to the wisteria growing over the pergola so I have lovely white flowers hanging down...and quite probably dropping into the food and chilled beverages, but hey...who cares about that when you're sitting under a particularly pretty painted pergola (sorry, last time!)</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0wloj6vbt570nF1ufvQM1XqGrThMpn7KfE_7uTaU1VpQk4Itx5OpD88f0VYvZzv50zk0zY58Pafg9CL4M0siF7dkz_1tyuHt3UupV2Q9-iSFBBapWS138eN4AyO2yf_N4tSNg7t9Rws/s1600/courtyard+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0wloj6vbt570nF1ufvQM1XqGrThMpn7KfE_7uTaU1VpQk4Itx5OpD88f0VYvZzv50zk0zY58Pafg9CL4M0siF7dkz_1tyuHt3UupV2Q9-iSFBBapWS138eN4AyO2yf_N4tSNg7t9Rws/s400/courtyard+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'll leave you with one last picture of the vampire slayer, because you guys seem to like her...yes, she looks cute...don't believe it!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9R1BmeEwUkVkuEzKL3D7H5BH2x4zrpyPA4HmKLSkcItvo3lChu7K3boXdclRdTKkWZdI_sb4HP9RVVKj9uvFVKXDNiAQPBIGCPjKr2GQuMg52OnevJ6_PMTCdmCqKb1MoB0hp5rhTU6o/s1600/buffy+and+other+things+on+table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9R1BmeEwUkVkuEzKL3D7H5BH2x4zrpyPA4HmKLSkcItvo3lChu7K3boXdclRdTKkWZdI_sb4HP9RVVKj9uvFVKXDNiAQPBIGCPjKr2GQuMg52OnevJ6_PMTCdmCqKb1MoB0hp5rhTU6o/s400/buffy+and+other+things+on+table.jpg" width="400" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Happy week everyone...I've got a busy one.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">all images by me except for No.2 which is from </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37649049@N02/3583112186/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> and No.3 from </span><a href="http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.maritimeworld.net/images/sn/sn_PgNo212_YEY%2520Aerial%2520350.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.maritimeworld.net/sn.asp%3FPageNumber%3D212&usg=__Y9EYrhGZ7Vm6t5lxjRndLLK1AJA=&h=533&w=350&sz=198&hl=en&start=2&sig2=qLgtGZFUItsFPB_7-rDVUw&itbs=1&tbnid=R2eih4RAfyAfgM:&tbnh=132&tbnw=87&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtall%2Bship%2Byoung%2Bendeavour%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=GRSvS6DaINGHkQXYvcGRDQ"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">here</span></a></span><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/117/28135A25BB4AD04683914D04E5ED33B0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

weekend project ~ that pesky pergola

The positively persistent pergola painting procrastination is no more. Bet you're glad about that...just so the bad alliteration ends if...

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bye bye lovely (long) weekend

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Aren't long weekends fabulous? This one was jam-packed. Went to Sydney on Friday afternoon to spend some time with my gorgeous girl. Bonus, got this fabulous flea market find from the Surry Hill markets on Saturday morning. The first born said this was the definition of a 'cheap thrill'! I have to agree.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOhT5Ssj2pp2kwPiE6G8nOTbY5Xg4_74nGzaZi0KNt_9ngCV6ZQPSdT1X8lSu6I6Ps1dWo04kfO4vaZOD2sysmWAA1zY7z7LoaKhrCdXFnCCSBQKhw0FbZsaCLgP-SC7c5ViXra07ygk/s1600-h/china+bird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOhT5Ssj2pp2kwPiE6G8nOTbY5Xg4_74nGzaZi0KNt_9ngCV6ZQPSdT1X8lSu6I6Ps1dWo04kfO4vaZOD2sysmWAA1zY7z7LoaKhrCdXFnCCSBQKhw0FbZsaCLgP-SC7c5ViXra07ygk/s400/china+bird.jpg" width="376" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Back to Canberra on Saturday night. Managed to get my book club book read on the trip up and back as well. Another bonus.  Must travel by bus more often.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://kimbofo.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451bcff69e20120a4da9417970b-300wi" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://kimbofo.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451bcff69e20120a4da9417970b-300wi" width="258" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A lovely dinner at a new restaurant with the MGM on my return...Japanese...could become a favourite.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lunch on Sunday with a neighbour left me...well let's just say I shouldn't have been in charge of power tools or paint brushes... so not many projects done that day.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Monday (thank you Canberra Day) was full on. Painted my bedroom wall black, yes black.   </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was a tough decision.  Do I? Don't I?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let's just have a little test first...hmm, not sure...oh go on, don't be a baby!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCGLLC-_w_rDK991SwoJzb_lJ6RqZsymqB_3Sw2L-II3OVyL6cKYXMilKhBzILrw6Em0siTgXltBavI59gfFHPULHEpRjiY4dfyiLkgwm_gZJwbXt9p0Nf9L1V68Cklr7eJogR6b8S-s/s1600-h/bedroom+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCGLLC-_w_rDK991SwoJzb_lJ6RqZsymqB_3Sw2L-II3OVyL6cKYXMilKhBzILrw6Em0siTgXltBavI59gfFHPULHEpRjiY4dfyiLkgwm_gZJwbXt9p0Nf9L1V68Cklr7eJogR6b8S-s/s400/bedroom+002.JPG" width="400" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First coat on...too late to stop now</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBJS4Upir5BHADi4Ed57O-fGr7nqZRsxC0cot1D3XX3vJEifS51LXhR8ZpzpWGYQTg76UixMBttSRHh9pp905bEwOQq21HICn5XmOQhjNs3Y3vZD2ovGd5XZ6gmF3hkgWGrPgjC8C5Xjg/s1600-h/bedroom+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBJS4Upir5BHADi4Ed57O-fGr7nqZRsxC0cot1D3XX3vJEifS51LXhR8ZpzpWGYQTg76UixMBttSRHh9pp905bEwOQq21HICn5XmOQhjNs3Y3vZD2ovGd5XZ6gmF3hkgWGrPgjC8C5Xjg/s400/bedroom+009.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And here it is. I completely love it. How good does the white painted screen look against the black? Artwork on the left by Richard Baldwin, on the right by my talented son. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-v5Uo6oQ_oFUnQUunBKE0jaiViQRbjU9GXuesy0CJr7M2cxA1ALlfi_sFIAWWc7YbKnRcl1njNXctkkPeSTnuoLByfcCELYyTk0k_fZwWsEkTYA7GGVPuQJ76W7j68KpvLZfImJk2f2U/s1600-h/black+wall1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-v5Uo6oQ_oFUnQUunBKE0jaiViQRbjU9GXuesy0CJr7M2cxA1ALlfi_sFIAWWc7YbKnRcl1njNXctkkPeSTnuoLByfcCELYyTk0k_fZwWsEkTYA7GGVPuQJ76W7j68KpvLZfImJk2f2U/s400/black+wall1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Waiting for the 2nd coat to dry, and the rain had stopped, so I pulled out the straggly tomato plants and got this fabulous yield.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixLZWZgh7bBSqY1TnUCa4jFcO3hCHtAVI0PAv-6TX2X_HA5HTKY2x6OTWtmiS0uM_ktT4FnQYLQNpmJrCKbOySi6_jv2QzdCqIS-6ASUUmSQWZPu5AVsqZwwWV2kgJRkmtDerpqqidyFQ/s1600-h/green+tomatoes2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixLZWZgh7bBSqY1TnUCa4jFcO3hCHtAVI0PAv-6TX2X_HA5HTKY2x6OTWtmiS0uM_ktT4FnQYLQNpmJrCKbOySi6_jv2QzdCqIS-6ASUUmSQWZPu5AVsqZwwWV2kgJRkmtDerpqqidyFQ/s400/green+tomatoes2.jpg" width="323" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Is it possible to make green tomato chutney from small tomatoes? Only one way to find out I guess. Moved the beetroot plants so they're all together, planted some Chinese cabbage and a climbing white banksia rose that I hope will one day bloom outside my bedroom window. Now I just need to work out how to get the vampire slayer from sleeping on my chair near said bedroom window...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkVszBlL1-bOqv1s_0QuliGihTnYbkAh6lKp9RO3cJjodolGB519tRPoQbDpay_rAOfCUUzzil35BVEM9j5z2aLKtUzCm1S8SCVz3r383linaYLth6xaTohdCWMPbF242xrKqZ6VbKy9A/s1600-h/buffy+on+chair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkVszBlL1-bOqv1s_0QuliGihTnYbkAh6lKp9RO3cJjodolGB519tRPoQbDpay_rAOfCUUzzil35BVEM9j5z2aLKtUzCm1S8SCVz3r383linaYLth6xaTohdCWMPbF242xrKqZ6VbKy9A/s400/buffy+on+chair.jpg" width="400" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Did a bunch of other stuff too boring to talk about or take photos of...weekend well used I think.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hope you had a good one too.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>

bye bye lovely (long) weekend

Aren't long weekends fabulous? This one was jam-packed. Went to Sydney on Friday afternoon to spend some time with my gorgeous girl. Bon...

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is it? could it possibly be autumn?

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How is it possible that today is the first day of Autumn? How did it get to be the 1st of March so soon? Oh well, nothing for it but to celebrate quite possibly the best place in Australia to be during the Autumn season...Canberra...oh yeah, we've got much more here than you know!</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/22943170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/22943170.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/22943170.jpg">panoramio</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://michaelolive.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/glebe-park-autumn-single-shot.jpg?w=497&h=430" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="http://michaelolive.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/glebe-park-autumn-single-shot.jpg?w=497&h=430" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ninglunbooks.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/wall.jpg?w=600" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://ninglunbooks.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/wall.jpg?w=600" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://ninglunbooks.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/wall.jpg?w=600">via ninglun books</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQVgLDJ1mce8a4jaE9RGtEx2oPwx9IL0fCUHhWyscBaKRu3zU8WGbB-ZuLaFEFOacdf1sq8GcxQf4P64dFzlluZIk1HJS3roNTRtbZFJH4ISLdnnMl8uNXJeDMBiWJo4_EwDeaPTZHGJrt/s1600/K's+fav.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQVgLDJ1mce8a4jaE9RGtEx2oPwx9IL0fCUHhWyscBaKRu3zU8WGbB-ZuLaFEFOacdf1sq8GcxQf4P64dFzlluZIk1HJS3roNTRtbZFJH4ISLdnnMl8uNXJeDMBiWJo4_EwDeaPTZHGJrt/s320/K's+fav.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>

is it? could it possibly be autumn?

How is it possible that today is the first day of Autumn? How did it get to be the 1st of March so soon? Oh well, nothing for it but to cele...

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out on a limb

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don't know about you, but I wasn't lucky enough to have a tree house when I was growing up. I did have a great tree to climb though and I loved going up there with a book (what else!)...and then my parents went and cut it down and put up a garage in its place. Not at all happy!</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was reminded how nice it was to be up among the leaves when I saw these pictures in the March edition of <a href="http://houseandgarden.com.au/treehouse-gallery.htm">House and Garden</a>.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Who wouldn't want to have a lazy afternoon or a romantic night in one of these?</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://houseandgarden.com.au/images/house/gallery/0110hgtreehouse2_516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="http://houseandgarden.com.au/images/house/gallery/0110hgtreehouse2_516.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://houseandgarden.com.au/images/house/gallery/0110hgtreehouse3_307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://houseandgarden.com.au/images/house/gallery/0110hgtreehouse3_307.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://houseandgarden.com.au/images/house/gallery/0110hgtreehouse1_307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://houseandgarden.com.au/images/house/gallery/0110hgtreehouse1_307.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The next images are from <a href="http://www.home-designing.com/2009/04/great-tree-houses-by-baumraum">home-designing.com</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.home-designing.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/treehouse-exterior-1-582x420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="http://www.home-designing.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/treehouse-exterior-1-582x420.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.home-designing.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/treehouse-exterior-2-582x436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://www.home-designing.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/treehouse-exterior-2-582x436.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.home-designing.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/treehouse-exterior-3-582x395.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="http://www.home-designing.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/treehouse-exterior-3-582x395.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.home-designing.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/treehouse-exterior-4-582x388.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://www.home-designing.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/treehouse-exterior-4-582x388.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and these are from <a href="http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=tree%20house&w=all">flickr</a></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2430/3977773445_39c57db815.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2430/3977773445_39c57db815.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3259/2487022796_b3f89d5e1d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3259/2487022796_b3f89d5e1d.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1062/1031827473_fe531265e8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1062/1031827473_fe531265e8.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2506/4148300218_08f450b178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2506/4148300218_08f450b178.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Is it too late to rectify my tree house lack I wonder? I'll just go and check on the progress of the maple that I planted in the courtyard. Nah, not happening! Camping anyone?</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>

out on a limb

I don't know about you, but I wasn't lucky enough to have a tree house when I was growing up. I did have a great tree to climb thoug...

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