JANUARY JOURNEY

 

Hello from sunny Australia, land of the tall gum trees...

and where we like to watch the Golden Globes just to make sure these ladies turn up:

Australia's own Nicole Kidman, resplendent in shimmering silver..

and Cate Blanchett, sparkling in gold..

In fact, there was a lot of gold, which has become the neutral of the day..

Elegance in light gold...

Loved the drama and the draping in this one..

A Dior, 50s vibe in very dark gold...

Loved Demi Moore's very sculptural gown, metallic but difficult to work out the colour..

Angelina Jolie went the silver/gray route.  

Looking forward to seeing her movie as Maria Callas..

Cynthia Erivo in a most unusual Louis Vuitton which reminds me of Spanish Court gowns from 500 years ago...

When everyone is doing metallics and neutral, someone needs to push against the trend:

Emma Stone was stunning in strapless red, 

with an elegant tailored red satin belt:

I used to make myself belts like that... a very long time ago!

Her cute Pixie cut makes me feel better about the slightly too short hair cut I had today...

With all this gold going on, here is the gold bag I received for Christmas, and some Summer sandals I bought to blend with it...

After recent rains and a quick flood, our local creek is clean and sparkling once more..

ready for me to enjoy on my daily walk...

My favourite local horses send their regards.

I was going through old photos before Christmas, and found a rare one of myself riding a horse, aged about 14:

I am with my cousin, at their farm.  How long ago it was, and how fearless I was back then!

Have a great week

XXXX

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Christmas Eve was beautiful...

a very large crowd filled our church, overflowing onto the lawns outside.

We enjoyed the Carol singing, so fervent and heartfelt.

Old friends were greeted, and glad tidings abounded...

As always, the Manger was there for all to see...

Now that our children have fled the nest, 

only two gifts sit by the tree..

Mr. Red Cardinal gave me a stunning, small gold handbag.

It will no doubt find itself having quite a busy social life in the New Year...

We visited our older son, and his four children later on Christmas morning, and had a wonderful few hours watching the little ones opening and playing with gifts.  Our first grandson, formerly known as Little Aussie, was there playing his guitar.  How they do grow up!!

I made Little Miss 2 a pink 'ballerina' skirt.

She thought it was delightful, and wore it for hours...

Mimosas: Champagne and Orange Juice, a family favourite...

In the evening, we watched the King's Christmas Message, as well as the Royal Family at Church at Sandringham..

They all looked happy and well, after a difficult year for some..

Christmas Green was the popular fashion choice.

I though Catherine, Princess of Wales, looked absolutely beautiful.

How wonderful that she appears to have recovered from her illness.

Our weather continues to alternate a few very hot days, with a period of heavy storms and rain, often with flash flooding.

But we are in the sub-tropical Northern part of Australia.

Our vast land also has the Australian Alps, where this week it snowed at Charlotte Pass.  We visited there in November 2023...

and saw Australia's highest peak, Mt. Kosciusko, capped with snow in mid-Summer.

Because we recently had a little Wallaby visit us at night, I thought you might like to see one in a very different environment:

Google image

Yes, even in Australia we have animals which survive in the snow.

Wishing you all a Happy New Year from the Red Cardinal Blog.

xxxx

 

CHRISTMAS IN AUSTRALIA

 

It is the night before Christmas Eve,

 and we are about as ready as we can be...

I have been printing out the Latin words for all four verses of Adeste Fideles, ready to sing with the church choir tomorrow night.

It is always an absolute treat to sing these beautiful carols and hymns on the most precious of nights..

We are looking forward with great anticipation, to spending a few hours with the grandchildren on Christmas morning.  What a blessing they are in our lives.

Last week we attended a stage version of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'.  It was beautifully done, very atmospheric, but with a few laughs for the many young people in the audience.

Still trying to teach myself to do Junk Journaling, I recorded the night in my December 2024 Diary.

The front and back covers look like this:

I used a padded mail envelope for the cover, and collaged with fabric.

The pages I stitched in are a mix of coffee died papers, and some purchased Christmas themed paper.  Then I play around with pages of old music, and odd bits of ephemera from my collections.

My new little quick photo printer is very useful and fun.

Yesterday, I had a strange and unusual visitor in our garden.

I could hear rustling in the leaves below my sewing room window.

Looking down, I saw a very large Goanna (Australian lizard), about one metre long.

He climbed up over a rock, as I quickly grabbed my phone to get a picture. 

Unfortunately its head had already gone under the leaves in this first picture: 

It then emerged a bit further away, and I got another shot (greatly magnified):

I have never seen these creatures in a suburban garden before.  It may have become disoriented during yet another flood event last week, and is trying to find its way back to the bush.

It had very unusual banded markings.  I googled it, and I think it is a Lace Monitor goanna.  I found this photo on Google:

Not exactly the same, but similar.

I think 'our' goanna had more picturesque markings!

It did not stay around for long, and has now gone on its way.

In 2018 we enjoyed a wonderful Art and Music cruise on the River Elbe, from Berlin to Prague.

We floated along from Potsdam, then spent a pleasant day at the picturesque city of Magdaburg..greeted by this pretty pink statue near the waterfront..

I took lots of pictures of a fabulous pink citadel ...

What fun to live in this building..

We enjoyed coffee in a little cafe on the ground floor...

We also visited their ancient and beautiful Cathedral...

When researching family, Mr Cardinal later discovered his Grand+ forebears were married here.

Sadly, we have seen this week the tragic event which unfolded in the Christmas markets nearby.  Poor Magdaburg.  We pray for their citizens whose Christmas has been interrupted so shockingly.

Poppies pictured in a Monastery courtyard at Magdaburg.

Wishing all the Readers of the Red Cardinal blog a Safe, Happy and Merry Christmas, and a bright New Year in 2025.

Thank you for popping by, I do cherish your friendship and thank you for reading my ramblings.

Joy and Peace

XXXXX