Gifts Of Serendipity

Want To Play?

2012-01-24T15:58:00.005+10:00

You get me thinking. Often.

You inspire me. Regularly.

You prompt me to be a better person. Frequently.

You challenge me. Time and again.

Thank you.

I've had a burst of creativity this afternoon and would like you to consider an idea inspired whilst writing a reply to one of your fellow Gifters just now.

In response to my post "A Year Of Books - A Challenge", Millie wrote:

2011 was the year that I read the least for pleasure & it broke my heart.

This year will be different, nothing will get in the way, nothing.

Lovely post Felicity.

Millie xx

I started to type a reply and was struck like a bolt from the blue as the phrase on the poster above came to mind. Then lickety-split I set to, creating a graphic to remind myself, Millie and all of you who are committed to reading the written word to keep the art of reading books alive.

As I was faffing with graphics, I began to ponder whether or not any of you might be interested in joining together for a regular 'show & tell' of the books that we've read? Perhaps on a monthly basis.

Some of you already write posts like the gorgeous Kerry has here, sharing your reading delights each month.
But for most of us, keeping track of our reading activities is a bit of a 'hit & miss' affair.

I wonder if we would be more inclined to set aside the laptop for the delights of the paper page if we were to join in a monthly 'linky' along the lines of, oh I don't know...."Vive le Livre!" where we set some 'reading targets' for the year then check in listing the titles we've completed.

Actually whether or not you feel inspired to join in, I think I need your help to achieve my reading goals for 2012 and will list them here:

* I'd like to read two books per month [at the very least]

* I'm keen to read at least one Australian novel

* I'd like to complete a classic eg: "The Brothers Karamazov" by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

* At least two biographies or autobiographies will be in my selection

* One informative non-fiction will be in my list

* Inspired by Gifters' recommendations I'm going to try new authors & titles [for me]:

~ "When God Was A Rabbit"Sarah Winman;
~ "Before I Go To Sleep" SJ Watson;
~ "Shakespeare's Wife" Germaine Greer;
~ "Stasiland" Anna Funder;
~ One Gerald Durrell title - am open to suggestions here;
~ The first book in the "Mistborn" series by Branden Sanderson;
~ "The Tiger's Wife" by Tea Obreht;
~ "Foals Bread" by Gillian Mears;
~ "Past The Shallows" by Favel Parrot;
~ "The Weight of Silence" by Catherine Therese and finally
~ "Five Bells" by Gail Jones.
~ "Enjoy Every Sandwiche" by Lee Lipsenthal

Of course you might like to keep your goal/s as simple as "I'd like to read a book each month" but I'd be thrilled if you decided to play along.

I'm thinking that the first 'Vive Le Livre' linky will be in the first week of February....hhm next week.

What do you think? Are you in?

If your hand shot up straight to the ceiling and you're keen to participate, I'd love to hear from you.

And how wonderful is this? The lovely Tina has created this button for us to pop on our sidebars and any posts that we link in - thank you angel heart, you are A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!

Gathering Gratefuls - Feathery Jewels

2012-01-20T19:11:00.000+10:00

Walking through our neighbourhood, I spied a scarlet chested friend high up in a gum tree....

who in turn called out to his mate to come out and spy the humans...can you see her green tail?

Out she came to say g'day albeit a little shyly....

then with some loving reassurance and...

a little kiss, she was encouraged to share the limelight.

This little series is a celebration of so much that is simple and wonderful in my world at the moment.

* That we live in a peaceful & safe place where I can go for a walk at any time of the day

* That our home is in a neighbourhood filled to the brim with glorious flora and fauna

* That nature gifts me glorious colour every day in the form of clear blue skies, gorgeous leaves, bark and blooms and the startling jackets worn by lots of different feathered friends

* That my health has returned to the level where I'm walking up to 5km at a time

* That sometimes I remember my camera and am able to capture these glorious moments of serendipity and share them with you

If you're a regular 'Gifter' you'll know that I like to share this series with my sparkling friend Maxabella, if not, click over here to read what other people are grateful for this week.

Happy day!

A Year Of Books - A Challenge...

2012-01-17T15:57:00.003+10:00

In February 2011, charged with great zeal and enthusiasm I decided that I would like to read 52 books in 52 weeks! The question that you may be asking (as I am now) is "What were you thinking?".

Obviously not about the reality of this challenge and how someone might actually achieve this when they have an actual life to lead beyond the pages of books, no matter how fascinating.

The list below is a record of the books that I actually did manage to not only read, but enjoy, learn from, be inspired by and share on.

They are presented in chronological order of reading and I must admit that at the time of writing this that the first row really seems like they were read MUCH longer than twelve months ago.

If pressed to give you my 'Top Five', they would be the following with '1' being my favourite:

1. Elegance of the Hedgehog - I hope to reread this again in 2012

2. The Book Thief

3. The Lacuna

4. Eiffel's Tower

5. Lady Chatterly's Lover

As I turn the pages on new tomes in 2012, I think I'll be a little more realistic in my ambitions and suggest that a goal of '22-in-52' may be not only more achievable but give me greater scope for devouring some larger, more sumptuous reads....have a peek at my sidebar to see what I've already enjoyed and what I'm currently reading.

"A Fine Balance" was my first read completed for the year. It's set in India and is an enjoyable character based story which explores the finer elements of life's journey. I can't tell you how many pages it was as I've already shared it on, but it was long which is exactly what you want if the story is a good one, right?

For Christmas my darling brother and SIL gifted me Stephanie Alexander's "Kitchen Garden Companion". Although I haven't exactly read it cover to cover, I don't think there's a section that I haven't devoured with great interest and my vege patch has already benefited from Ms Alexander's great knowledge and culinary enthusiasm. I've just popped it on the scales to see how much it weighs as it's a tome in the real sense of the word....3kg! That's 6.61 pounds for all my Northern Hemisphere friends!
So in addition to inspiring my cooking choices and informing my gardening habits, every time I refer to this book I could be getting a light weights routine in as well - yay!

The book currently sitting on my bedside table is "Atlas Shrugged". This book is such a whopper that to read it in bed I need to employ a book seat . It's not exactly a page-turner [yet] but it was highly recommended, so I'll keep plugging along. Also need to make an appointment with the optometrist as it has highlighted my deteriorating eyesight, hmmmm.

So that's my start to my reading year documented for you.
I'd love to receive recommendations of excellent page-turners that you've enjoyed so that I can pop them onto a list for the next time I visit the library. As you can see my tastes are fairly eclectic [although I must admit that sci-fi doesn't appeal at all] so please share.

Happy page turning!

Gathering Gratefuls - Sparkle & Grace

2012-01-14T09:59:00.000+10:00

So here we are with almost half the calendar pages for January flipped and this only my second post of the year....I have indeed been savouring this lovely break.

Each morning I've enjoyed a leisurely start to the day, waking when my body releases the threads of sleep (vs the call of lunchboxes to be filled or jobs to be done) then proceeded to salute the day with a coffee made in my French Press....this is where I generally do a simultaneous sigh and experience the glorious sensation of my eyelids zinging open.

Right now I can hear Captain V going through his routine in the gym downstairs (we have some excellent health goals for 2012, but I'll share them with you later) and I'm reminded that the silver stead (my bike) didn't get her 'run' yesterday and that after I write this I have a date with Luke and 5km of our neighbourhood streets.

As I contemplate this day (the last one before 'The Gifts' return tomorrow) with all of its open promise, I'm overwhelmed with gratitude for all that is possible and all that we are blessed with.

This has a bitter-sweet tinge to it as close family members and friends have just received life-blows that had me reeling with that useless question "Why?!?".

Why them?
Why now?
Why?!? Why?!? Why?!?

With some reflection, I've decided that a more appropriate question is "How?".

How can I best support these special people?
How can I contribute to their journey forward?
How can I take care of my 'self' so that I have the energy and capacity to enable real help?

I also take inspiration from many of you whose stories I've come to know since beginning this adventure into Blogland. There are many of you who have overcome (or working towards overcoming) huge obstacles with grace, grit and great determination. If you're reading this, I'm sure you know who you are and I thank you for being a beacon of light for me through my own struggles.

Someone who really knocks my socks off with all that she's done and the goals that she's set herself for 2012 is Jennifer Reid whose blog "Life Is Like A Cupcake" is filled to the brim with sparkle.

Jennifer is celebrating life this year by participating in what she aptly describes as "an epic fundraising adventure - Marathon de Paris". Along with four other women she's raising money for the National Breast Cancer Association with the goal that there will be no more breast cancer deaths by 2030 - how awesome is that?

Please, please, please watch this video, I'm sure you'll be touched by Jennifer's warmth and enthusiasm...

To all my sparkly Blogerista friends and to those special people in my life who are staring down black clouds at the moment, I salute you and am ever so grateful for you and the threads that bind us.

And if you're seeking more inspiration or would like to post your own grateful link, scoot on over here to join in with some of my friends here....

Day 1 - 2012

2012-01-01T01:00:00.012+10:00

Happiest of Happy Days Ahead

Captain V and I welcome all that this new year has to offer with hearts, minds and arms wide open.

Yesterday, we went for a wonderful 'hunt & gather' amongst the local providores, purchasing some truly scrummy delicacies to tempt our tastebuds...including ingredients for some of Captain V's famous cocktails.

Today we will be ushering in the next page in our book of years with a festival of bubbles.

Intrigued? Click here to find out what this means.

Perhaps we'll even end the day donning our retro-inspired glasses just like in the photo above, cranking up the 'Happy Dancing' playlist on the iPod, jumping in the pool before retiring to the final flush of bubbles in the candlelit spa - sigh.

I hope that whatever you choose to do to mark this auspicious occasion, you are in good health, surrounded by those whom you truly love and there is much to look forward to in the days and months ahead.

Biggest of happy hugs and salut!

My Wish For You

2011-12-21T10:16:00.000+10:00

As the last pages of the calendar fly off their hook I wanted to send a special note to all of you who have made this such a special blogging year. You have blessed me with friendship, guidance, inspiration, giggles, support and wisdom and for this I send you a heartfelt...

~T H A N K Y O U~

My life is truly enriched by knowing you and I look forward to adding new layers to our friendships in 2012.

In recent news, my little family is home safely from our holiday in Sydney and after a busy seven days filled to the brim with adventures and many special memories, we're looking forward to a low key Christmas, hopefully spent at the beach and river. Sparkling blue water, a gentle breeze, simple delicious food = happy kids & parents.

On a not-so-pleasant note, my trusty assistant Sophia [aka the laptop] has decided to go into a bit of a funk lately and won't talk to any of the other electrical devices in my office [printer, scanner, ipod, camera] so I confess this card is made with a not-so-up-to-date image but it was a truly happy moment captured by a friend and that's what I hope you receive in abundance over the coming weeks, lots and lots of truly happy, heart-warming moments spent with those whom you care about most.

I'll bid adieu to you now until the first weeks of the New Year and hope that all your hopes and dreams for the coming weeks are fulfilled.

Biggest of hugs!

The Ultimate Girls' Day Out...

2011-12-09T09:57:00.001+10:00

You're busy right?

The two words most thought or uttered by you at the moment are 'should' and 'must'.

There just don't seem to be enough hours in the day.

My gift for you today is a little bit of escapism....stick with me, it will be fun.

1. Imagine that all your lists are completed and the only thing left to do before Christmas morning is to lay out the Santa snacks and Reindeer carrots....you're totally organised and there is a complete sense of satisfaction and fulfillment flowing through every fibre of your being....stay for a while glowing in this wonderful feeling.

2. Now let's go one step further and imagine that you've had a surprise injection into your bank balance and within your means is the ability to bring together a group of your favourite girlfriends to spend the day with you.

3. You can go anywhere you'd like, do anything you want and take as long as you desire.

What would this day look like for you?

Where would you go and what special delights would you indulge in?

Is it possible that you've already enjoyed a day like this already or that it might actually happen in 2012?

I will leave you with this post to ponder and dream upon until after we return from our family holiday to Sydney....adieu and rêves doux.

PS: This post was inspired in part as a thank you for all the lovely well wishes that you left on my recent post, I feel truly blessed to have such lovely friends in Blogland and your comments really touched home.

Something I Just Had To Share....

2011-12-06T09:50:00.001+10:00

Hello special you, my posting has been sporadic at best in the last couple of weeks due to yet another bought of illness - this time the flu + sinus - but I'm feel so lucky to have such fabulous bloggy friends who have kept my spirits buoyed with lovely notes and messages that I had to pop in today and say THANK YOU!

My post today isn't really about me, but my wonderful Father Ian.

This is one of the only photos of the two of us together in recent times that I could find which was a big wake up call for me as I scrolled frantically through my photo gallery - something to be rectified ASAP!

You might think that this is an unusual photo for me to share with you but it's actually very significant.

It's a blurry image because it was taken by the ever-thoughtful Captain V rushing to capture this moment in time knowing how much I would treasure it.

That's my Dad walking with me through our garden, his arm is around me and I'm wiping away a stream of tears. He is giving me lots of loving advice and I'm overwhelmed.

This walk happened after a family luncheon where I'd just sat, with Captain V holding my hand, and explained my physical and mental health issues to my closest family members.

It was a particularly challenging conversation to have because I was not only bringing to light the truth about what I'd been dealing with but also pulling to the surface my fears and concerns.

We aren't a particularly emotionally articulate lot and I was worried about the response I would receive.

What a 'dill' I was, of course they were fabulous and this walk with Dad was one of the many loving gestures that flowed from my family to reassure and uplift me.

I share this anecdote with you to introduce you to my very special Father.

He is very much on my mind at the moment as he has suddenly become very unwell and is in hospital.

Mum took him to the emergency department in the very early hours of Sunday morning as he was suffering spiking temps and uncontrollable shaking.

He's been there ever since undergoing a barrage of tests to try to determine what's going on.

So far no real clues have come to light but hopefully he can return home today for some proper rest and constant monitoring and care provided by Mum.

I've felt completely useless throughout the whole ordeal as I can't be there to support Mum or visit Dad with this flu bug coursing through my body and all I've been able to do is make phone calls to check on Dad's progress it's been very frustrating.

This post was sparked because we just had a lovely chat together over the phone where I told him about the upcoming 'surprise holiday' to Sydney that we're taking the Gifts on and I'm please to say that his spirits seemed to lift as he shared his own tips for what to do and where we should go as he's a North Shore Sydney boy.
I dearly wish that I could give him a hug, hold his hand and help Mum through this time by actually being there with her but until this course of antibiotics does their thing I'm in quarantine mode.

So at this time of the year where we're all rushing about madly trying to buy things to show the people that we love how much we care for them, I hope that you read this and think that perhaps a material gift isn't the best present after all.
A warm hug, a long conversation, a thought-filled note, spending time together, sharing an experience, a true reaching out might be the gift that both your hearts will treasure most.

For all who are away from your loved ones at this time, this incident with Dad has helped me to understand how challenging it is not to be able to truly 'reach out'....oh and of course I now have a mission to take lots and lots of photos of my loved ones over the coming weeks.

Hugs to you my friend, I hope something in this post has resonated and that you take the time to reach out to someone you love today.

The Gift Of New Experiences

2011-12-02T11:26:00.003+10:00

I so wish you could have been here this morning.

Captain V and the Littlest Gift were in a buzz of excitement as they got ready to enjoy a 'boys' day out' at the cricket in Brisbane. This is a special day where all the little boys who have been playing cricket on Friday afternoons will get to play on the hallowed turf of the 'Gabba' - perhaps this is something that only true cricket tragics could understand [winking at you Jane] but it is a highlight let me tell you.
To make it extra special they're both playing 'hooky' from work and school (shhhh). This is something Captain V never does but I'm so pleased he has today as it has been a long, hard year and this will be a wonderful shared experience for them both.

After the testosterone had left the building, the girls roused themselves and realised that today is the first day of their two month Summer holiday - yay!
So what would any self-respecting teenager do on a day like this? Go to their friends of course!
Which in turn means that I got to play taxi driver, so as they were primping and preening I popped Luke in the back of the car for a ride with the intention of going for a walk by the river on our return journey.

I'm so glad I did because I found out that there's a beach very close to one of the friend's homes that is designated for dogs and it's a place he's never been before.....what a joy to watch his excitement blossom as he realised he could roam lead free, say hello to all the other doge unimpeded, jump in the waves, snorkel in the still water, run, run, run. I think he slept for the whole half hour of our drive home rather than his usual pose with nose in the air trying to take in all the smells that waft through the window.

Since we've returned, the weather has become overcast, windy and a bit drizzly but our morning of serendipity is a gift worth savouring.

Happy day to you my friend, I hope that serendipity is a gift you receive today too.
If you'd like to read more notes of gratefulness, scoot over to my friend Maxabella's where she's gathering in a great big basket of goodness.

A Gift Of Simple Wisdom

2011-11-30T12:53:00.003+10:00

One of my treasured Blogerista friends who regularly inspires me is the effervescent and sparklingly delightful Saskia who writes 'Join My Joy'.

Saskia is one of the most generous and warm-hearted people I've ever encountered and each week she sends out the most beautiful gifts from her home via blog posts, notes, messages, letters, you name it!

Today she shared a quote that resonated to my very core.

I wrote a little note on her post saying that I would have to have a think about how I might best share it with my family as there are lines in there for each one of us at the moment.

As it turns out, I've made it into this Grace card.

These are little laminated cards that sit on our dining room table and each night a new person takes their turn to choose one and lead the family in Grace before we eat.

We aren't a particularly religious family in the traditional sense of the word but we are big on gratitude.

Being able to not only recognise what we can be grateful for and expressing it, but also accepting both compliments & thanks gracefully are qualities that Captain V and I believe are worthwhile developing.

Tonight as we gather together to share our evening meal I will be introducing this new little beauty and I'm thinking that it will generate an interesting discussion where I'll ask everyone to nominate a time in the week where someone has done one of the actions listed in the quote on the card - it might be something that they've done or it might be something that they've seen another of us do....I'm hoping that I'm not left with the sound of crickets and faces bowed towards their plates!

I'm actually thinking that this will become a favourite card picked out weekly where we get to shine a light on the positive actions that enable us to nurture and grow as individuals and as a family.

Feel free to print it off for yourself our upload it as a screensaver, either way it's a lovely message to dwell upon.

Thank you Sass for sharing....oh and thank you too Mr Hemingway.

Happy day!

My 2011 Ultimate Gift Wish List

2011-11-29T08:10:00.000+10:00

You may have guessed by now that gift giving is one of my favourite things to do but I must admit that I do enjoy dreaming now and then about the ultimate gifts to receive.

The sparklingly gorgeous Karla at Ironmum Karla has tagged me in a little game where we have to share our 'Ulimate Christmas Wish List'.
Thanks Karla, I've had fun thinking this through and hope that all of you enjoy taking a peek at what I'm dreaming about finding under the Christmas tree this year....

1. Summer holidays in an exotic location.
This is the vista that would greet me if I were to stay at 'The Sun House' in Sri Lanka - one of the top picks from my travel 'Bucket List', ready and waiting for when the Lotto fairies knock at my door [remember this is my dream list]. Instead Captain V and I will be taking the 'Gifts' for a surprise trip to stay at Darling Harbour in Sydney.
I'm really looking forward to this holiday and any tips from Sydneysiders about 'what to do' and 'where to go' will be gratefully received.

2. A strong, fit and healthy body.
As you may know I'm navigating my way through the trials of Chronic Fatigue and this summer, Captain V and I will be working on building up my strength and uncovering the healthy me that I know is just waiting to burst forth from her chrysalis.

3. I'd love to hang this print in our foyer. It's titled 'Adam & Eve' by Harry Daily and is just one in a series that I truly love. I think this would be a fabulous way to greet guests and inspire us all to get down to the beach every day during the summer break.

4. We are a hammock-loving lot in our home and Captain V & I are due for a new one.
We currently own the most gorgeous blue and white woven number with scalloped fringing but I'm plumping for a Queen sized one in cream this year.
I can't remember where I snaffled this image from but it's been in my inspiration folder for a while now.
I'm imagining this hammock (+ cream scallops and fringing of course) and me lying there with a great book in hand & a cool drink within easy reach and I'm all sorts of happy.

5. A new straw hat and perhaps a snappy red & white kaftan to add to my collection and my summer wardrobe will be complete...these are from Sportscraft just in case you're wondering.

6. Clear skies, aquamarine seas and clean sand.....really what more could you want?
All of this is within minutes from my home and my wish is that we have a mild summer with a nice balance of sunny days and some rainy evenings to enjoy with family and friends.

So that's it, it was fun to reflect upon with the bonus being that when someone asks what I'd like for Christmas I can point them in this direction. Thanks Karla for tagging me.

Have I got you thinking about your own list? Well I'm thinking that I'd like to read some more.
I'm sending out the following 'tags' with the caveat that I know that some of you don't like to 'play games' and all of us are very busy, but it would be nice to know what it is you're wishing for, so in the spirit of sharing, I'm tagging:

* Jane 'Life On Planet Baby'
* Naomi 'Seven Cherubs'
* Jennie 'Posie Patchwork'
* Jeanette 'Everton Terrace'
* Margie 'latebloomerbuds' and
* Fee 'Chipper Nelly'

Happy day everyone!

My Oh My - A Beautiful Gift For Sharing

2011-11-28T06:46:00.000+10:00

This week we start to decorate our home in preparation for Christmas, we will be putting up the tree, adorning our home with treasures gathered over the years and generally getting ready to celebrate this very special time of the year.

The one thing that I don't have is a nativity scene. It's something that I've been on the lookout for for a long time but have never found 'the right one', I guess it's a case of "I'll know it when I see it."

You can imagine my delight when I received the following gift from my friend Athanasius ,it's the most lovely telling of the Christmas Story that I've ever seen.
If you have children (actually even if you don't) I'm sure you'll watch it over and over.

I hope you enjoyed this gorgeous video and are able to go forward into your day with a bright smile on your face. Perhaps you'll even look at your own nativity scene through a new lens at this Christmastime.

Happy day!

Hugs & Butterfly Kisses

2011-11-22T08:46:00.001+10:00

Hello lovely friend, I hope that your week is unfolding nicely.
I'm happy to report that I've been busy with both family and work commitments (loud cheer in particular for the latter) and that although for the most part my body has been coping well (second cheer), I haven't had the energy required to either send out gifts or to visit you as often as I'd like.
I hope that this explains my absence from Blogland and you don't mind that instead of our regular 'Two For Tuesday' segment today, I share a little snippet from my home instead.

I've titled the card that I'm sending you "Hugs & Butterfly Kisses" and hope that it does indeed brighten your day.

You may not be able to see them clearly, but the wings of the little butterflies in this montage have been cut from the pages of books.....well not just any book but treasured books from my childhood which I used to collect and which have sadly been laying dormant in book boxes for several decades now.
Perhaps you've heard of them, "The Friendship Books" by Francis Gay.

When I was a little girl I would turn to the allocated page for that day which would hold a lovely poem or quote, story or bible verse and I would to try and memorise each one.
Sadly I can't remember too many of these now, but it was a delight to redeem them from their dungeon where they'd been languishing at the mercy of silverfish and mould, and to rediscover the simple truths contained on each page.

I decided that I needed to breath a second puff of life into these tomes and this is just what's happened as the wordy wings flutter across the walls and through the light fixture of the Biggest Gift's {my eldest StepDaughter's} bedroom. Whenever she has a girlfriend to stay I hear the "Ooh's" & "Aah's" of appreciation when the lights go on and know that my decision to give the pages a second life was the right one.

This photo doesn't really do it justice but it's a lovely corner of this sweet teen's room and as the butterflies wend their way up and beyond this wall, they scoot across the next and appear to flutter towards a mobile of matching butterflies which hangs above her bed.

The gelato 'hugs & kisses' heart I've added onto the card just for you, hoping that you enjoy a bright day filled with at least one moment of serendipity - unexpected and lovely.

If you've been busy in your own creative space this week, be sure to pop it into the mix to share so that we can all be inspired.

Word Of The Week - Addlepated

2011-11-16T06:27:00.001+10:00

Hey fabulous You! There's a buzz in the air and a skip in my step today and I hope that you can say the same.

Our word of the week has been suggested by my very thoughtful friend Athanasius who hosts the truly thought provoking and wonderful blog 'Perichorectic Life'.
So without further ado here is our word to play with throughout the coming week:

Addlepated

adjective: Confused; eccentric; flustered

From addle (to muddle or confuse), from adel (rotten) + pate (head).

Can you relate? I really can and had to create this poster for all of us, I'm really happy if you download and share. I bet you can think of many instances where it would be applicable or even someone who would get a giggle from receiving it.

At this time of the year where there are all sorts of pressures both internal and external seemingly looming down, it's very easy to become addlepated. So in the spirit of gift giving which characterizes our blogging community here at 'Serendipity', I'd be thrilled if you could share your best tips to avoid becoming addlepated particularly as the 'silly season' approaches.

Happy day and thank you "A" for setting in motion this next round of gift giving.
PS: A gentle reminder to get your camera out and pop a special photo into our gallery of furry friends.

Luke - A Special Gift

2011-11-14T21:17:00.001+10:00

The joy this fellow brings with his gentle nature, and sparkling countenance is a true gift to me on a daily basis.

If you were to meet him, he would scamper up for a 'hug' straight away whether you were human, dog, bird or frog [seriously this happens!] and then lean against your leg with that signature smile on his face and let you know that life is indeed great.

When I first moved in with Captain V and his three Gifts, Luke and his best mate Buster were a special bonus that I hadn't really anticipated. These boys kept me company and held counsel through the challenging days, weeks, months of our 'transition' towards becoming a family and were always up for a comforting cuddle or therapy session [walk through the neighbourhood].

Sadly Buzzy passed away this time last year, leaving a big hole in our hearts and resulting in Luke becoming even more smoochy. We are great buddies this furry bundle and I, and he truly makes me laugh at least once each day - a gift indeed.

This week I'm gathering a gallery of photos to celebrate the gift that is your four legged family member/s and would love it if you could join in. Click here to read all about it....

Two For Tuesday - Craig Holmes {Dogs}

2011-11-14T21:16:00.002+10:00

Happy day dear friend and welcome to a new interactive element in our art appreciation.
Stepping through the gallery of art and artists that I've been gathering to share, I was captivated once again by the photography of Craig Holmes.

Craig is a local photographer and his images not only capture the people who live in my special pocket of the world but I think they resonate with the essence of what makes living here so glorious.
After scrolling through his galleries I found that again and again I was returning to the one titled 'Dogs and Families'.

I know that many of you are dog lovers and hope that you're also captivated by the warmth of his images.
When you view them do you instantly get a feel for the character of the people and their pets?
Once you've had a squizz, perhaps you'll even agree to participate in a little gallery event of our own which I'll share with you in a moment....

{Loving all these toothy grins - this is a friend of mine and this photo evokes the warmth that she resonates}

{This is a common sight up and down our beaches in the early mornings and late afternoons - happy dogs and their families enjoying a splash}

Fabulous right?
So do you think you might like to help create a gallery of our 'best doggy friends' together?

What I'm suggesting is that you share a photo of your own special family member with their name in a simple post. It doesn't have to be a recent photo but one that you think truly captures the essence of your pet. You may even like to write a little bit about what makes your four legged friend so special.

I'll start by popping Luke into the mix and hope that you will not only contribute but come back and visit each other too. You can enter as many photos as you like but please be sure to include a link to this gallery so that your readers can share in the fun too.
I'll schedule the gallery to be opened for a week and would love to create a montage to share.

Happy day & get snapping!

My Oh My! Lifecycle With A Difference...

2011-11-14T06:30:00.007+10:00

Happy Monday fabulous You!

I saw the following at SwissMiss recently and although I question one or two elements, I love the upbeat nature of it and resonate with the general message.

Can't wait to hear what you think and whether, like me, you're inspired to dust off your bike and go for a spin, gulping in great big lungfuls of life!

PS: The sharp-eyed amongst you may even have picked up the link with yesterday's happy-making post...

Happy Making Tune - Get Up & Dance

2011-11-13T04:13:00.000+10:00

You know how much I love a great happy-making tune - today you get a double treat because the video is as much fun as the music....

Happy dancing friend!

Word Of The Week - Celebrating The 'Zhush'

2011-11-09T06:30:00.018+10:00

Wednesday's here and it's time to share the gift of words together.
It's been almost twelve months that we've been zhushing our vocabulary and I thought it would be fun to celebrate with a game and hoped that you would too.

Below are most of the words that have featured in this segment since it began in November last year.
Have a squizz. Do you know what they all mean? Are there any that you use regularly or perhaps there are one or two that you've been introduced to as you've played along and now use when you can.

My challenge is for you to take three {or more if you're game} of the words and put them into a sentence.

You might like to pluck them out randomly, choose three of the same colour, three in a row, three ending in 'e' or 's', three from the corners, same number of syllables....whatever you decide I can't wait to read your responses. If you're stuck for definitions, remember they're all on the sidebar under the 'Try A New Word' heading.

Here's just two I've come up with very quickly....

* It was with great 'sagacity' that I binned the 'bumf' that had piled up in my mailbox - no need for extra work to add to my already burgeoning list of 'fadmin'. {purple words}

* I credit 'serendipity' for delivering me the man with the 'mellifluous" voice and "affable" nature. {honeysuckle}

I'll try and add some more to the comments box, until then have fun creating your own....of course I'm not a stickler for doing things by the rules and if writing sentences isn't your thing, a list of your favourites would be a gift that I'd take great pleasure in receiving too.

I've actually 'tiled' the list on my laptops desktop, this is what it looks like. I've found that this 'word wall' has the effect of catching my eye and making me use these 'zhushy' words in my everyday vocab.

Happy day!

PS: As this page has now become a summary of al the 'WW' posts from 2010-11, here are the links for your reference:

Addlepated Affable Bumf Cadence Cahoot Deshabille Ennui Evanescent

Fadmin Finesse Hirsute Humdinger Inconspicuous Inkling Kip Lacuna Lissom

Loquacious Macaron Mellifluous Nimbiferous 'oo' Placenames Palaver Pip

Pique Quidnunc Quixotic Rambunctious Sagacity Serendipity Shemozzle "&"

Two For Tuesday - Kimber Berry

2011-11-08T06:30:00.016+10:00

It's that time in our week when I send you a gift of art.
Today I'm marveling at the liquid landscapes of Kimber Berry. In her 'artists statement' Kimber tells us that...
"..in my paintings [I] actually take pictures of paint, digitizing and manipulating them, and then embed these elements on to my surface along with a mixture of real paint, thus offering the same illusion that simulated environments offer...the real versus what is not real."
So without further ado here are just two of Kimber's liquid landscapes for you to revel in.

As a lover of colour and form, these pieces really appeal to my eye and I could actually imagine hanging them in my home, I'm sure I'd revel in seeing something new in them every day.

Do you see the links to last week's underwater images? Perhaps a similarity to Gustav Klimt?

Now I know you like to explore our gifted artists further and I can't wait for you to see the multi-dimensional element of Kimber's art, click on over to her gallery for a truly fabulous treat.

If you'd like to play along with our game today, consider Kimber's art and how each piece relates to the other or to your own life at the moment, then in twenty words or less leave a comment.

Happy day, may it be colour-filled!

A Gift For Feather Lovers

2011-11-06T03:26:00.001+10:00

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

This is such a lovely little film that I had to share it with you today.
I originally found it via SwissMiss and once you've watched it (I must admit I've watched it several times) you might like to visit Liberty & Sophie's website to find out more about their process....I love their reaction at the very end.

There's even a bonus in the form of a new word....

murmuration

/merr'meuh ray'sheuhn/.n

1. an act or instance of murmurings

2. a flock of starlings

Happy day my friend, I hope you are treated to a gift of serendipity or even a special visit from a feathered friend.
By the way, did you notice any similarities with this post at all?

A Colour-Filled Birthday

2011-11-03T05:59:00.002+10:00

The Middle-Sized Gift recently celebrated a very special birthday.
It's not every day that you become a teenager and it was a joy to shower her with treats.

As is the tradition in our home, we enjoyed a special breakfast together made by Captain V and I with the birthday girl opening the parcels and cards that had been sent to her at the table.
After this we all snuggled on our bed [it's becoming more and more snuggly with two leggy teens in the mix] and the much anticipated 'family gifts' were shared with lots of love and laughter.

I'd decided that a rainbow theme was an easy one to carry off for decorations, food and cake until it came to the crunch and the prospect of baking the multi-layer cake that has graced so many blogs and magazines threw me into a spin. Actually any cake baking will do that, so the prospect of making eight cakes was a bridge too far and I had to admit defeat.

This is where I took inspiration from my oh-so-clever sister-in-law...deep exhalation inserted right about here.
I scooted to the supermarket and within minutes had the essentials to make the ultimate 'no fuss' rainbow layer cake. Try it if you're like me and a little challenged in the baking department or equally pressed for time.

The trickiest thing was mixing the gel food colouring to six bowls of fondant without it ending up all over everything.....oh and as you can see slicing sponges equally is a skill I may have to put some more time towards.
But mix, slice, slather, layer and adorn with a gazillion smarties I did "Et Voila!", a very wonky rainbow cake that definitely met the approval of the Birthday Girl if not our dentist.

So another year older, another year wiser and that's just me!
My gift to you when it comes to birthday preparations (if you're the chief coordinator of celebrations), is to think outside the cake when it comes to making the day special and you may even enjoy it as much as the person for whom you're expending all the effort.

As for the Birthday Girl herself, I can't wait to see what the next seven years of 'teenagehood' bring as this special 'Gift' continues to grow and develop into an amazing young woman filled with sparkle and cheek.

Her birthday festival will continue for some time as her big party has had to be postponed due to representative sporting commitments. But such is the joy of living near the beach, that when it does happen we have a ready-made party venue that people travel the world to visit and in this home it's always easy to whip up some music, a couple of eskies of food, cold drinks & some beach accessories - and off we'll go, instant party!

So what do you think of my creative spin on the rainbow cake?
Does it pass muster even thought it's really quite wonky?
If you'd like to see some more creative happenings, hop, skip or jump on over here and be prepared to be surprised, delighted and inspired.

Happy day!

PS: After reading many of your lovely comments, I do feel compelled to clarify that all the precious Gifts in our family are actually my Step-Children.
Many of you who have been following along for a while will know this but the newer 'Gifters' may not.
I share this with you here because I'm only a fairly recently 'minted' Step-Parent and if you've ever been in this position or a child in a blended family, you would know that this can be quite a sensitive topic and although I am parenting these lovely people fulltime with Captain V, I'm very conscious of the special place they will always have in their heart for their mother and that they will only ever have one Mum and one Dad.....just saying!

PPS: 30.11.11 For those you who have stopped by via the lovely Laura's 'POTM' Club - Welcome!
I hope you enjoyed reading about this celebration that happened at the very beginning of this month but seems like aeons ago.
Please stay awhile longer and have an explore, I've shared many interesting gifts this month....well I thought so anyway!

Word Of The Week - Mystery Word Revealed

2011-11-02T07:47:00.002+10:00

Hey-ho it's Wednesday and time to reveal the 'mystery' word from last week.
Your guesses gave me lots of giggles and a little spark of creativity as I compiled them into this image to share.....can you see your word/s?

Of course the mystery word is loquacious, nice work Rose Penelope and supermac for your spot on guessing!
What a wonderful word this is....you may have twigged by now that I have a particular fondness for words with 'q' in them and loquacious has a lovely gracefulness to it too.

As for the meaning, have a read and let me know if anyone you know springs to mind...

lo·qua·cious

1. full of excessive talk: wordy

2. given to fluent or excessive talk: garrulous

All through my life I've been known as a chatterbox but a little 'heads up' for my family and friends, if you must refer to my talkativeness, could you please describe me as loquacious? Thanks.

When I first thought to showcase this word for our zhushy list, I had the intention to work with the Biggest Gift to make a stop-motion video showing you how to make a chatterbox game or as they're sometimes known handhopper. Time got the better of us again this week with birthdays, triathlons and baby-sitting so instead I'll pop up the template that I made for you & actually got to use with all the classes that I taught last week. I hope that you can follow my instructions.

The Littlest Gift modified his to create an interactive birthday card for his sister and I've used them as love letters, revision quizzes and question generators....I hope you have fun using yours too!

So tell me, tell me, tell me do....are you the loquacious kind, a lover of uttering words like me?
Or perhaps you're a quieter soul who likes to measure your conversations?

Happy day Lovely You I hope it's a goodie!

Two For Tuesday - Wayne Levin

2011-11-01T07:59:00.002+10:00

Happiest of happy days to you my friend.
I have quite a treat for you with today's 'Two For Tuesday' gift.

The work of Wayne Levin caught my eye not only for its stunning effect but because, living near the ocean as I do, I have a great appreciation for all the wonder and beauty that is contained above and below it.
I've been fortunate to have snorkeled and swum in some of the most glorious places in the world and have a healthy respect for our oceans and the creatures that reside within.

On my own beach it is not uncommon to see dolphins frolicking in the waves and if you take a little bread you will generally be able to feed the Whiting as they dart around your legs most days.
A couple of weeks ago Captain V and I saw a shark feeding on bait fish close to the surface about 50 metres from the shore. He ran to the lifesavers tower to raise the alarm as there were lots of people on their standup paddle boards only metres away....as I said, healthy respect.

As with all my artists featured in this segment it was truly a challenge to select just two images to share and I would highly recommend you visit Wayne's site for more underwater glory.

What appeals to me most is that he predominantly uses black and white which enables the light and texture of each image to really shine through.

What I love about these images is that if I hadn't told you that they were underwater photos you may not have known. The first image of the Eagle Ray is quite mystical for me and the texture of the Akule pinwheel as they spin and churn is quite remarkable.

I hope you enjoy these pieces and I'll be sure to pack both my camera and binoculars when I head to the beach this weekend as the whales are making their annual pilgrimage to the Southern Ocean.

We're often treated with sightings of cavorting couples splashing their fins and flukes and every so often a huge leap into the air.

The Middle-Sized Gift has also just received an underwater camera for her birthday so perhaps we'll have a budding Wayne Levin inspired artist within our own family.

Can't wait to hear what you think of the art and please, please, please go and visit his gallery.

PS: For all those who are whooping it up today with 'The Race That Stops The Nation' - best wishes for a fabulous day. I must admit that I'm more interested in seahorses than the equine kind when it comes to racing but do love the atmosphere and excitement that today generates.

A Catchy Tune For Your Ears, Eyes & Toes...

2011-10-30T08:45:00.003+10:00

If you liked this I'd highly recommend that you listen to this snappy little number too...