Lunch in Outram

It was a beautiful spring day and as life has been a tad busy lately we decided to head over to Outram for a bite of lunch. It seems everyone else had the same idea but we managed to get a little table outside and dined al fresco.

That's my GKB sitting under the hanging basket on the left.

I had a cinnamon roll and cup of tea which was served in a lovely Queen Anne rose patterned china teacup. Lovely. It's nice to get your tea served in one of these dainty cups when you're out.

One of the reasons we decided on Outram was that we wanted to get some photos of the blossoms and daffodils. And although it is country it's only 10 minutes drive from home.

The pink and white blossom is really beautiful and we could hear the tuis calling to each other as they fed. I have more photos and will put some up next week if I get the chance. 

We had parked in the gateway to a farm road and it is absolutely beautiful. Either side of the driveway is absolutely smothered in daffodils. More photos of those as well for next week, so I guess this post is a bit of a tease.

And finally on the other side of the road were the paddocks with the ewes and lambs. Sure signs that spring is here.

I hope you have enjoyed my springtime photos.

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Thank you for your concern for my little mother.

She has had a bad year and for someone who is not used to being ill and is very independent she has not coped well. On Monday she had her annual checkup with the heart specialist and on Friday she goes in for tests to ascertain what to do next. She is much happier now she knows something is being done. 

joining:
Five on Friday
Friday foto friends
Teacup Tuesday

The week just gone by

A friend rang me during the weekend to see if I wanted to join her for morning tea at the local art groups' exhibition. I did and we enjoyed seeing the paintings as well as having a good

 chinwag over coffee and cake. Some of the paintings were for sale but we didn't buy anything this time. Mind you there 

were a couple I really rather liked. Really, really liked :)

There are a lot of talented people out there.

And staying with the coffe break theme, my GKB and I went over to Wal's Plantland one afternoon for tomato plants and potting mix. There's a nice cafe cunningly placed at the end of a tunnel/hothouse  and while we didn't buy any extra plants we did enjoy a late afternoon tea which meant I didn't need to cook that evening. Bliss.

Staying with plants, aren't the blossoms on this magnolia magnificent? This tree belongs to a neighbour and 

my GKB had to wander partway up their drive to 

take the photo. Spring is certainly here :)

I took this photo while out walking one day. I love the moody clouds, rain threatened but hasn't happened yet. And that was several days ago. I rather think we may have drought conditions this summer as winter has been rather mild and not a lot of rain.

This is another pic I took while out walking. I had tried to get a shot of a flock of sparrows having a peck at the dirt on the road in front of me but they didn't cooperate with me at all and flew off :) This little thrush wasn't so shy, she just sat there and let me snap away. I love thrushes, their lovely colour and speckles on the breast. So cute.

Just to finish off  we went outside one evening and found we had this little fellow visiting us. He didn't stay long once he realised he had company. It's amazing how fast hedgehogs can run when they get up on those little legs and start to move.

Joining Amy and friends for
Five on Friday
and
Friday Foto Friends

Randomness

I haven't been up to posting for a few weeks as my Little Mother hasn't been at all well and I have been seeing to her needs.  

I have been looking in on you though and catching up on what you are all doing but I'm sorry I haven't had the energy to comment. 

It's relaxing just to read sometimes.

But I was looking through my photos and found some 

I've taken over the last few weeks that I could use to take part

 in Five on Friday with Amy and her lovely friends.

So number one: A shot taken one day while I was walking along the Silverstream. That is a cabbage tree (cordyline australis) on the bank. It is over the back fence from where a friend of mine used to live. The cabbage tree was given to her and her husband as a gift but she didn't think it went with her garden so she planted it on the floodbank instead. This way we all get to enjoy it. A lot of people think they are ugly but I like them. They are New Zealand natives and native birds find their berries very tasty.

Number two:  Do you remember a few months ago I told you that my friend's cat had departed to where all cats eventually go? Well shortly afterwards  she was offered this little lady. She is a real character and a lot of fun. She loves playing in the box and is a real blessing to my friend who missed her ginger boy dearly. But the thing that really struck us was that her lovely ginger boy was already named Leo when he arrived on the scene and when this little lady came along she was already named Cleo! I'd say it was meant to be, wouldn't you?

Number three: The Children's Marathon challenge. Out walking around the town one day I was passed by these kids out on a run. I see in the paper that a lot of the schools in the area are taking part in a  marathon of sorts. For the past 6 weeks they have been running around courses at the schools until they have clocked up almost  40 k's.  The final section of the run is then done at Logan Park on a running track and when it is over a ballot is taken to see who gets the donated prizes of sports shoes. A good prize for the lucky ones, only 10 to give out I believe.

Number four: My reading challenge books for a couple of months. I'd had the Joyce  Meyer one, Look Good, Feel Great, for quite a long time and had read a couple of chapters but no further. So I decided now was a good time to finish it. Easy reading, common sense stuff, but something to give you a prod into taking a little bit of action as well. That was the August read completed. :) 

The September book is going to remain unread I'm afraid. Too cynical, hard, and brittle for me. Nothing relaxing about it or even, for me, entertaining. So after persevering for six chapters I've given it the heave and shall probably be putting it in a bin for a book sale instead. What was it? The Best Awful by Carrie Fisher. 

Someone else may enjoy it.

And finally to Number five: These beautiful daffodils are growing at the boundry fence between our house and the neighbour's. They are the only true daffys I have and so I am reluctant to pick them. But the bonus is that I can see them from my kitchen window and can enjoy them anyway. They are a real promise of better days to come. We have had a few stormy days, snow and hail lately so it is lovely to see this splash of colour along with the jonquils all along the front of my house. See the header picture for a look at a small section of them.