Saturday, July 25, 2015

A Touch of Spring In Winter.


Happy Weekend Everyone.



While many of you are sunning yourselves around beaches, lakes and pools all over the Summery Northern Hemisphere spare a tinsy thought for all of US freezing our butts off here in the land of Oz.....l've been totally OVER grey days so l set about doing a little something to lighten and brighten things around here.....l tied ALL the drapes back from the windows, and if l'd had the be-bothered's l would have cleaned them too, but that was just a little TOO ambitious:-).....l lit the fire and then some candles....l covered those old burgundy couches with white linens and added comfy cushions and pillows.... The flowers  had to come from the supermarket but what can you do when there's nothing much out in the garden worth picking.....anyway it was nice to have things looking like Spring even if it isn't:-)


lt's also hard getting light, non wobbly photos......lucky these days we have photo editing:-)

Don't you love these soft drink cans l found at the supermarket last week, just a few dollars for 12 cans....Now creaming soda's ok on a stonking hot Summer's day, but these cans were bought solely for their awesome pink and white graphics....l confess to tipping most of the drink out, though l did save some to put the roses in.......Roses in pink bubbles....l love that:-)


MUST paint that armoire in Spring....

Beautiful old German jug which has a crack in it..... but "problem solved" by popping a small jar inside it to hold the water for the flowers.

 
Spiritual books are amongst my favourite things to read and l couldn't wait to get Proof of Heaven home (by Eben Alexander)......it was a fascinating read since Eben dies and goes to heaven and then lives to talk and write a book about it:-) 
 

 Also thanks so much for your kind words regarding Mum's recovery from brain surgery .....she continues to do great and has been walking the kilometre or so from her house into town and back most days....even though we'd rather drive her this weather she insists the exercise is good for her and helps her sleep at night, which l guess is fair enough!!
 
 
 
Here's hoping you get to have plenty of fun whatever you're up to......thanks for stopping by.
  
There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is. Albert Einstein. (1879-1955) From Eben's book.
 
Bron. 

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Winterlude.


Most of the time l don't talk much about the serious things of life here, my blog's a bit of a sanctuary  (as l like it to be for YOU too)....you know, an escape from all that hard stuff l'm trying hard to ignore:-) but the last month or so has been a bit of a BIG deal so l'm hoping you won't might me sharing some of the story with you.
Two weeks ago today my (hugely brave) Mum underwent brain surgery. Most of that first week was spent in Melbourne with my sister, brother and si-law as we tag teamed our way to the hospital each day while she recovered. Those of you who pop in regularly might remember my Mum has been living with cancer for a number of years now... Anyway four days post surgery she was back home, living independently as she's always done and doing fantastically well, we're TRYING to help wherever we can but she's pretty feisty and won't let us do much:-)....Anyway MUM...here's to you....YOU'RE AMAZING!!
If you'd like to read a little more about her, click Here and Here.

 

My inspirational 76 year old Mum in hospital on admission day. Still going strong 6 years after  diagnosis -(stage 4 pancreatic cancer).


The light shades are a pair of sleeves cut from a child's dress. The shelf is simply a plank of wood l placed over the top of the plant stand.  The tulle covers the gap between the two and adds a bit of pretty whimsy. A vintage millinery flower and horseshoe holds the bunched tulle together.



A couple of roughly painted roses on canvas fill in part of the bare wall. Oval Florentine frame and vintage millinery flower for decoration.
Was so rapt to find these Florentine trinket boxes at the opshop.


Desperate for a few photo's to add since l've only been able to take a couple since we came home.
 l found these on file...... This is from Spring last year.

 Summers' flowers from my garden

 


You might think a cancer diagnosis in the family is an absolute disaster and at first it WAS such a frightening and confronting thing to face, but cancer is also a teacher and there are many lessons we can learn from it. Mum says it's been a blessing in so many ways....in that we really APPRECIATE our time together, we've gone places together, said things that needed to be said and laughed like mad things (yeah we've cried too).... It's truly a lesson in how to pull together as a family and has taught each one of us about living, (dying) and loving. Through it all Mum has faced every challenge with such positivity and acceptance....she rarely stresses about her situation... as she says " l'm leaving it all in God's hands". 
 
 
Wishing you all a beautiful and happy rest of your week my friends.
 
 
Bron.