Finding joy in the everyday

As you are reading this I am on a plane on my way to spend a week with my parents and siblings in Adelaide.  I am not the only one in the air, as we speak, my brother from the USA is also on his way, he arrives tomorrow morning.  I haven't seen him since 2007, so it will be a very exciting week.  I can't wait. Thanks to modern technology I have scheduled in some blogging that will appear whilst I am away!!  I have been busy preparing blogs so my blog doesn't stay empty for a week and get lonely!!! I will be able to read all your wonderful comments via my phone internet (hint hint) or on my brothers computer - so I can still stay in touch (and read your blogs, which I love to do). As this is Art Wednesday I thought I would have a theme on aviation.  However when I started searching for aviation art all I could find was artworks with bomber planes blowing up things.  Some were quite nice, but I thought not for tonight (too boyish).  So I decided to loo...

Last evening at Rosings . . . . " her Ladyship again enquired minutely in to the particulars of their journey, gave them directions as to the best methods of packing, and was so urgent on the necessity of placing gowns in the only right way, that Maria thought herself obliged on her return, to undo all the work of the morning, and pack her trunk afresh ".   from Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice Tonight I am packing my suitcase to go on a holiday to see my family, fortunately I'm not taking any ball gowns, nor do I have a Lady Catherine de Borough offering advice. What are you like at packing?  Are you like me, taking far more than I need, just in case.  So what do I pack -  I like to pack my trusty demin skirts (3) plus 2 long black skirts (as everything goes with black) and 1 pair of jeans for any rough mountain climbing (not that this has ever been on the activity list).  But when it comes to tops, well, I pack far more than I need as one never know...

When my sons were little they loved watching Thomas the Tank Engine on DVD, we watch it for enjoyment.  I, nor my sons, cared about the number of male characters to female characters, however, as we know, it worried the feminist movement who complained about the lack of female characters and that most were relegated to secondary roles. (only eight of the 49 main characters in the current Thomas shows are female). Toy Story 3 was last week, a children’s movie that my 22 year old son went to see and one which he thoroughly enjoyed.  However I wonder if he noticed the ratio of male to females characters, no he didn’t.  In case you haven’t either, there is a ratio of seven males to one female.  O dear.   It also contains a “ nagging ” mother (getting cross at her 17 year old son) and a " hyper - feminine " and " overly emotional " Barbie.  Yes, you have guessed it, feminists are complaining that the family film is sexist or to be more correct “careless se...

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.  Colossians 3:2 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth Colossians 3:8 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye Colossians 3:13 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong ...

Instructions from the 1933 "New Standard Cookery Book" from the chapter: Household Management: No matter who keeps house, the following rules should be ENFORCE, or the home will not be well run: A place for everything and everything in its place. A right time for everything and see that it is done at the right time. Meals should be punctually served, and everyone should be ready to ear either when the meal is served o when the gong is sounded. Early to bed and early to rise, for one hour in the morning is worth two at night. Orders should be given to servants at a fixed time every day. Moving on 80 years and I still say the first one to my own children as my mother did to me. - everything in our house has a "home".    I can't help but agree to  point 4, when rising early so much can be done and by midday I am often surprised about the amount of chores I have completed.  However on the dinners being punctually served - no, they come when they are ready (u...

Pretty amazing 3D animation.

When you catch a bus you get the opportunity to observe the human race!!  Here are some of my observations from today: How did the blind man (sitting behind me) know when to get off the bus at his bus stop? Girls wearing very short short (uniform) skirts should be careful about bending over and sitting down. School children no longer give up their seats when adults get on the bus eg the elderly or woman. Why do young people (who don't have a seat) have to congregate at the front of the bus making it very difficult for people to get on and off? Why do people chew gum with their mouths open? Wearing black footless tights and a jumper does NOT make for a pretty sight   * * *  Australia has a new Prime Minister, the first woman Prime Minister (Julia Gillard) - what do you think, good, bad or indifferent? For those not familiar with our system of government, the previous Prime Minister (Kevin Rudd) was removed by his own party at a vote this morning, with the party havi...

Briton Rivière (14 August 1840 – 1920) was an Irish artist born in London.  His family included several painters, and so Briton Riviere was introduced to art at a young age. He studied drawing and painting at Oxford, where, incidentally, his father William Riviere had persuaded the University to introduce the study of art for undergraduates. Though he exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1858, Riviere's first real success came only in 1869, with his picture The Long Sleep, showing an old man dead in his chair, watched by his two dogs (to sad to show below).  Riviere produced a mix of contemporary genre, classical and animal subjects, building a reputation as a fine colourist.  I had difficulty finding information about his private life or much about his works even though you probably recognise these paintings he isn't a painter that we hear about anymore. The painting below “ Sympathy ” is a characteristic Victorian picture of a child in disgrace sitting on the stairs be...

A few of my favourite things (in no particular order) A winding creek   Smell  of cut grass Chocolate cheesecake A baby’s smile Strawberries Dogs Wandering through antique shops  Escaping into a book Fluffy kittens The smell of coffee brewing Listening to rain at night Pink Mug of hot chocolate on a winter’s night Sunset in summer Autumn Reading in bed Watermelon on a hot day The smell of jonquils Tea pots Delicate lace Walking along the beach at dusk  Classical music Jasmine flower The touch of velvet The Sound of Music

Brenin and Ruby asleep on the couch sleeping (this arrangement can only happen while both are asleep) Brenin (the injured dog) went through 3 “ buckets ” this weekend and one bottle of “ wound guard ” (the spray to stop him touching his foot — it is meant to taste horrible — didn’t stop Brenin) as a result  we have had him indoors to keep him quiet and from not running about (our house had to be quickly dog proofed).  It took awhile to settle him but by the Saturday and Sunday afternoons he was lying quietly on the couch whilst I watched a DVD next to him.  I could wander off and do other things once he was full asleep.  Ruby (the kitten) was not happy with this arrangement and when she wasn’t asleep on my lap, she had to be in the bedroom as she would either want to sit and stare at Brenin (which he found a little freaky) or spit at him and show her claws (her way of saying “this is my house”).  My husband is home this week dog sitting — glad it is him and not...

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 1 John 2:15-17 (Source Link)  

I thought I would end the week by sharing with you some photos of Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra.  My cousin, her husband and children spent Monday in Canberra and we had a picnic and walk along this beautiful lake.  Here are some of the photos I took. To give you an idea of the lake, here is a satellite photo (no, I didn't take this!!) of the lake and the city of Canberra.  In case you were wondering, the population of Canberra is 330,000 and is the  Australian nations capital (like Washington in the USA). Below is a view of Lake Burley Griffin looking towards Commonwealth Bridge, one of 2 bridges that cross the lake.  This road takes you straight to the Australian Parliament) building.  Lake Burley Griffin is an artificial (man made) lake in the centre of Canberra and was completed in 1964. It was named after the American architect who won a competition to design the city of Canberra. (which I will talk about in another part of this series).  The...

Did you know that dogs have toes and they can break.  I know this now as our Doberman (Brenin)  has one broken toe (front paw).  At first we thought he had a grass seed in the pad of his paw as he was limping, but when it started to swell and he wouldn’t let us touch it we decided it must be much worse.  So off to the vet on Wednesday morning to have  an x-ray.   He came home Wednesday night looking very miserable — wearing his “bucket” to stop him touching the bandaged foot, he was one very unhappy Doberman.  It will takes between 4 to 6 weeks to fully heal and during this time, NO RUNNING.  OK, if you tell a human, they understand, how do you tell a dog that they cannot run.  So, my husband is at home for the rest of this week and next to “dog sit”.  He has moved his recreational leave forward so he can be at home. He doesn't usually come inside, but he looked so sad, they we let him lie on the couch in the evening and sleep i...

People tend to remember negative images more than they do positive ones, according to a study conducted by the University of Chicago (I certainly do).   Those that are most negative tend to stick in our minds way too long (just image what they do in childrens minds?) - reports of tragedies, diseases economic downturns etc....  However for Katherine Hankey she was far more interested in "good news".  In 1866 she became very ill, as she lay in bed her thoughts turned to the Lord and she thought of all the people she had shared the wonderful story of Jesus. That's when she decided to write a poem which later became the hymn "Tell me the old, old story.   We never tire of hearing the story that because of His great love God sent His one and only Son to this earth (John 3:16).  He lived a perfect life, took our sins upon Himself when He was crucified, and 3 days later rose again (Luke 23:44 - 24:3).  When we receive Him as our Saviour, we are given eternal lif...

There is a painting in the Art Gallery of South Australia that I have loved every since I first saw it when I was teenager and I love it still - it projects tranquility and peace of a time long gone. I thought I would share it with you.  Title: Evening shadows, backwater of the Murray, South Australia Artist: H J Johnstone (1835-1907) This is a large oil painting (120.6 cm x 184.1 cm), created by H J Johnstone, that depicts a twilight scene on the backwaters of the Murray River (which runs through South Australia) in the late 19th century. The fading light has almost turned the giant red river gums that dominate the scene into silhouettes, exaggerating the bulk of their trunks and the twisted angles of their limbs. Two Indigenous people are sitting alongside a bark hut and a campfire - a third person is about to cross a fallen tree that spans the river to join them. This is an apparently timeless, pre-British colonial scene; however, a small clue, the blanket around the shoul...