Whino

E-yow. After harvest in April, and before pruning started in June, I had time to kick back and catch up on a few things. Something I had been meaning to do for ages was to buy an e-Reader, the electronic gizmo you use for reading e-books. For those technologically backward folks who know nothing about e-books and e-Readers (as I was a couple of [...]

Travel Tales

PARIS IN THE SPRING TIME “Madame, the simplest way to get to Paris is by train – just follow the signs” the gentleman at the Charles de Gaulle Airport information desk assured me.  So I followed the signs to the train station and found another gentleman, this time in the ticket office, who also assured me that getting to Bastille is simple [...]

From the “Top End”

After several years  living part time and most recently full time in Canyonleigh, the reality of our disfunctional mid-80s looking kitchen was apparent.  One of the main motivators was seeing our kitchen on re-runs of 1970s and 80s television shows: “Look, there’s our cupboards on Hart to Hart”  “There’s our benches on Rosanne” [...]

Real Estate Talk

There was another auction for a property on Bangadilly Road. The same result as usual – no sale. It even made it to the Auction Results listing in the Sydney Morning Herald. The Result: “VB” (I like it cold) says there was only the vendors bid. The next auction will be for a property on Canyonleigh Road on 5.7.10. (more...)

Pardalotes dig in for Winter

When the going gets cold, the cold get burrowing As the cold settles in, little pardalotes in Canyonleigh are digging in for winter. You may see these tiny birds in your garden, along roadsides or in parks and golf courses, getting down and dirty to excavate their nest out of soft sandy soil. Australia’s Foundation for National Parks & [...]

Kids Zone

Book Recommendation

WILLOWS FOR WEEPING Felicity Pulman Random House North Sydney 2008 Family and friends are always lending me books. At last count there were 16 piled beside my bed, all at various stages of being read. If you’ve lent me a book I haven’t yet retuned, I apologise, but I haven’t forgotten you or who owns which book. I promise I’ll return [...]

Environmental Leigh

With the shortest day of the year behind us, daylight hours are now lengthening even though temperatures may still be headed downwards. In the depths of winter, there are few things better than a warming fire. But while I could just sit and enjoy the not so frosty feeling, I feel a bit guilty if I’m not putting the heat to some productive use [...]

Canyonleigh Cooks

At this time of the year when we are enjoying cold crisp days and dark early nights, one of the charms of the season is a cup of hot chocolate, Milo, your favourite tea or coffee and a decadent biscuit.  Even our own Princess Mary, has delivered to the Danish Palace, cartons of TIM TAMS to maintain the Aussie habit of gathering for the ritual [...]

Mumbaiker Mail

India Jones' and the Last Crusade For those who haven't heard yet, Jody and I are moving to Singapore soon, so here is our last “Mumbaiker Mail”. We decided our last travels around India (while living in Mumbai at least!) had to be pretty special and really, nothing is more special than the Taj Mahal. But I'll get to that a bit later. [...]