THERE'S NO PICTURES LIKE SNOW PICTURES

So exciting - our daughter in Ottawa, Canada, sent photos of this week's snowfall.

Here is the garden I saw in all its golden Autumn glory, last October

(see October 2011 posts).

It looks so pretty and soft.

Looks like somebody's Tonka truck has been left outside to freeze...

And here he is, the star of the show, the Petite Garcon:

Enjoy!!!

That's What Women Do

Yay for Meryl, who won her third Oscar for her fantastic portrayal of Margaret Thatcher

in The Iron Lady.

And I loved her triumphal Gold for Oscar dress!

I watched the Red Carpet this morning while I did the housework at the same time.  Because women multi-task, do we not?

I loved this dress on Octavia Spencer -

beautifully draped to flatter the curves.

She was so sassy in The Help..

This dress was the most beautiful shade of blue -

A photo of the TV screen does not do it justice, but it got the thumbs up here.

Of course, I played my own version of Best Dressed ..

My winner has to be this stunner worn by George Clooney's girlfriend

Stacey.  Simply Gorgeous.

To recover from all the excitement I hit the shops this afternoon.

In the best spirit of Frugal February (Faux Fuchsia 2012), I bought these earrings from Forever New -

Heavily Reduced from $20 to $4.75!  Bargain!

Continuing my celebration of Charles Dickins' 200th Birthday:

On my reading list for the year, and only $20 for the two!

Another Bargain!

Then, because the Cardinals are starting a Get Healthy for Lent regime:

A new Juicing machine - more like a Good Health Bargain.

Off to do my Juicing now.  Have a good week ..



LIFE IN THE SUB-TROPICS

What a stunning sky we had tonight, after a day of dull and drizzle!

Brisbane is a beautiful sub-tropical city ..

My home away from home, The Art Gallery!

Even the art is showing up in the vivid electric blue we are seeing out and about these days.

See the Old Treasury building, now the Casino, mid-left just above the trees?

Mr Cardinal and I met there, back in the days when it housed the Public Service,

and we were just two of the thousands of young minions of the Crown,

 slaving in Dickensian conditions before computers arrived and

Changed The World Forever!

Speaking of which, we are off to see Miriam Margolyes in Dickens' Women soon.  Goody.

Cute pelicans outside the Gallery ..

Living art - this water dragon is trying to get into the Cafe,

and the local ibis have no manners at all. 

Get off the table, you vulgar bird!

PANCAKE TUESDAY

Pancake Tuesday today, so I got into the spirit with these

Blueberry babies - for Mr Cardinal's dessert after dinner, naturally.

It seemed only sensible to make banana pancakes, too!

And because Coles finally have figs at a sensible price:

The Fig version!

It is possible that this one was about to be consumed immediately after the photo was taken, however rumours that I was seen trying one of each fruity flavour this afternoon, are Greatly Exaggerated!  As if ....

Pancake day means Easter is on its way:

I found these Easter Bunny finger puppets for the two grandsons,

Little Aussie and Petite Garcon (I don't think they look at the blog, being 2-year-olds, although you never know the extent of the computer literacy of today's toddlers).

The little yellow china guy is for us - just because it's sweet.

Bed, Bath and Table is the place to go,

for lots of Easter whimsies at Very Low Prices.

The yellow rose is back in business - last night's storm brought out lots of blooms this morning!

The loose crinkle linen jacket is finished -

droops a bit on the model, but looks quite good over a cami with jeans or black pants.  I re-shaped the front pieces to remove a lot of fullness and am quite pleased with the result.

Did you have pancakes today?

Sew and Sew

I Love Love Love this dress which Michelle trotted out this week.

Always was partial to a bit of pattern mixing.

Inspiration for future sewing projects, perhaps?

Not all my sewing efforts are smooth sailing.

A few weeks ago I decided to make the jacket from

Vogue V8474.

In the current hot weather, I had been charmed into purchasing a length

of white linen which is pre-crushed to create texture,

and which I thought gave an easy, casual look to the fabric.

I should know better, but I chose to ignore the pattern's instruction that

this jacket is for Stretch Fabrics Only!
The drapey long collar is stiff and unyielding in linen,

and certainly doesn't fold gracefully as it does in the illustration.

Today I have been reshaping the jacket to reduce the fullness,

and may press the underneath folds and catch with a few stitches.

If I produce something wearable, I will Show and Tell!

My daughter gave me these stickers - they are too cute to use and I like to display them in the sewing room as encouragement.

The cobalt blue linen, plus lining and notions is ready and waiting ...

as soon as the jacket is sorted.

I wish ....

Don't you love classic Dior in Paris,

and vintage cotton reels?

The turkey chick has disappeared as quickly as it arrived -

gone to some other lucky garden,

or caught by a cat .... I wonder ...

Have a good weekend!

THE BIRDS AND THE BEADS

The crow family have raised their chicks,

which are now flying with their parents

in our garden and around the valley below.

The other day Mr Cardinal watched mother crow fly in with a piece of bread,

take it to our bird bath, toss it over and back to make it wet,

eat a bit, then fly to the nest to give it to the children.

Cute.

Over the weekend a wild turkey chick appeared in our garden, and has not left since.

There are no parents to be seen, nor any other chicks.

It is making itself at home, scratching around and eating whatever it is they like.

Because it is a baby, it is of course sweetly appealing.

But I have a question, Dear Readers:

As this is Day 3, do you think it has chosen to spend its formative life

living at the Red Cardinal Garden of Neglect,

and if so will it build enormous mounds and become a Right Royal Nuisance to us?

I have been a'hankering for the Match My Missoni necklace

from Red Phoenix Emporium for ages now...

Finally my resistance wore down and the precious beads arrived today!

Thank you Lotus and Willow: your jewellery is gorgeous!!

Think of the fun I'll have playing Match My Outfit with this one!

Aren't the storms wild at the moment?

We drove through hail yesterday ...

Have a colourful week!

THE GENTLE ARTS

Charles and  Camilla visited Dickens House Museum on Tuesday,

for Charles Dickens' 200th Birthday

Here they are in the same room as the clock I wound up (see previous post).

They are looking at a first edition of a Charles Dickens book.

You know how I love an Art Gallery:

Last night Kate made her first solo Royal Engagement at the

Lucien Freud Exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery.

Kate is their new Patron.

Doesn't she look poised, and completely at home in her new role!

Over in Frankfurt, Princess Mette-Marit of Norway opened an exhibition of paintings by

the great Norwegian artist Edvard "The Scream" Munch!

I bought these as long-stemmed roses on Monday,

but what with the heat and humidity by Wednesday they were hanging their little heads.

Solution:  cut them off and float them.  They seem a little happier now and at least one is opening up.

Here is our tiniest rosebush - a little mini about 10 cm. high.

It works away and produces a bloom now and again.

Bye now ..