Damn and Happy Holidays!!!

Well, I failed miserably! I had one last chance to join in with 12 of 12 and I blew it. I will have to say I did try but I only got six good photos yesterday and the rest of the day was too hot for me to lug a camera around. we also got all tied up in doing errands that the day just slipped through my fingers. So I will just have to try and make up some new project for the new year. I won't promise anything because I don't want to break anymore promises. I do want to say thank you to everyone who visited this blog every month and also thank you for all of your kind words/comments regarding my photos and to my blog in general.

So, that's it for now. If I don't post something before the big holiday. I would like to wish each and every one of you Season's Greeting, Happy holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Hanukkah (albeit a tad late) and/or Happy Whatever else you may be celebrating. I also want to wish you all the best for the coming new year. I'll be around so don't give up on me just yet...

Update (I just found out the the originator of 12 of 12 (found here) has agreed to continue it for one more year. Thanks Chad! I'm very excited about the prospect of redeeming my lack of photos over the past and will really try harder to participate in the coming year. See you then...)

Let it snow..

I got this snowflake making site from here, and I have to tell you I am now so addicted. Damn you Torn! 

Happy Holidays people. Enjoy...

Especially for a friend and she knows why and who she is...

Now that's a Christmas tree. As for the rest of the readers that stop by, I know I've talked about recently that I've had a really hard time getting into the Christmas mood/spirit. Anyway, I finally put up our Christmas tree and I'm glad I did. The only thing diffeent this year is I went with just the old fashioned big bulb lights and no tiny twinkle lights. The tree makes me feel good and that is what I needed. It's not the biggest or best tree but it's our tree and that's all that counts. Enjoy... 

Thinking of you...

Happy Halloween to every one in the states. I hope you have a frighteningly great evening!

Just a note...

...to let you know that I've been really busy lately get ready for out little holiday next week. James and I are head to the land of the Land of the Long White Cloud (aka New Zealand) to visit a friend who moved back there a while back. James and I have been to NZ several times but this will be the first time that we will be seeing our friends new home. She lives on the North Island and we will be spending all of or time on the North Island. You really need a couple of weeks if you want to visit both North and South islands properly. We are really looking forward to the visit as well as the chance to get away for a few days. So, needless to say posts will be at a minimum except for the few I might get done from our friends place. Who knows there may be pictures before we get back. Until then I will try to keep up with my blog reading and I'll see you when I get back. Cheers...

Strahan Tasmania...

We've just gotten back from a three day holiday up to Strahan, Tasmania. We stayed at a nice little place called The Aldemere Estates. The weather was fantastic! Yes, it is winter and it was bit cold but the crowds were low and that made it nice to get around. We went on a the Gordon River Cruise that took us around the harbour and up the Gordon river. It was an all day cruise leaving at 9 and getting back at 2:30. They served us all local foods during the cruise and the menu consisted of:

Appetizers (Spiced pumpkin tartlets, salmon mousse on toast, lemon tartlets) and cheese platter (King Island Dairy Black Label Double Brie, King Island Dairy Roaring Forties Blue, wasabi-flavoured cheese, Dutch Edam) The lunch consisted of three salads (Marinated mushrooms, artichokes and baby spinach, Fresh new potatoes and pumpkin in a sweet mayonnaise dressing, Fresh broccoli, snap peas and baby spinach in a walnut vinaigrette) Fresh smoked Tasmanian salmon, Pate, Thyme infused pork terrine, local sausages and antipasto platter, cold cut meats (smoked ham, beef and turkey) and Wild game ragout made out of local farmed venison and wallaby. There was also all the wine, beer, lattes, tea and all the assorted beverage you could want.

This was all provided within the price of the ticket in the luxury of the captain's private quarter/viewing station including leather seats. It's been a bit of a rough time lately so we thought we deserved to spoil ourselves and it was so worth it. Anyway, if you want to see the pictures you can click on the pictures on the side columns under the Flickr badge or you can alternately just click on this link. I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we enjoyed taking them.

Also of note, while we were in Strahan, which is in the northwest of our little island, a cold front came through and it was the coldest day on record (-2C/28F) in the past 12 years back home in Hobart. There is a lot of snow on the mountain and we are expecting more. It looks like winter just might be a cold one this year. We ran into a bit of snow and ice on or drive home but not enough to make it to treacherous.

Happy Australia Day...

Australia Day is a national holiday here in the land of Oz. On this day Australians celebrate the arrival of the First Fleet, under Captain Arthur Phillip at Sydney Cove and set up the Colony of New South Wales. I've celebrated many Australia Days but this was my first one as a true blue Ozzie. We didn't do anything special as James had to work but at least he got paid extra. The weekend is upon us starting tomorrow and we are/were planing on working in the garden but if the weather forecast holds true we're in for a wet few days and even though it's summer we are expecting temperatures as low as 7c (44F). Let's hope not. Anyway, have a good weekend....