Tuesday 31 December 2013

FLOWERS


Beautiful and colourful flowers in my backyard, and lovely fresh cut flowers for arrangements.


Beautiful flowers from my garden.



















Delicate smoke bush flowers, together with red nasturtium, make a beautiful arrangement.

Stunning and beautiful Cymbidium Orchids
Beautiful Red Roses
Apple Blossom Hippeastrum 
Two Red Roses - Outside the Window
Green and White, Red 
Cream.Clivea and Orange Clivia

 Petty White Brightens Space
 Green Snow Balls



The green snowballs are young snowballs flowers before turning into white.  They will grow larger too, large and soft white.

Beautiful Flowering Plants

Potted Impatiens and Potted Curly Hoya
Potted Hoya is in flower

The summer roses are looking pretty and healthy.
The second flowering roses (after light pruning during summer time) are smaller but as pretty as the first flowering roses in spring.

Potted Hydrangea


Potted Hydrangea plants are in flower, and they look better than the hydrangea which is growing in the ground.

Yellow and bright, the potted dahlia is in flower.  There are buds, they will be more flowers.

Last but not least, I like to tell you that my Wisteria was in flower twice this year.  It has never happened before.  I forgot to take a picture.




Gardens and flowers have a way of bringing people together, drawing them from their homes.
-Claire Ansberry


Perfumes are the feelings of flowers
-Heinrich  Heine





Until Next Post
Thanks for visiting
Susy

Friday 27 December 2013

CHRISTMAS 2013


We had a very enjoyable Christmas with our children and grandkids in Melbourne.  Started at Susan and Tris's place, we love the new home; it is small but cosy, we spent overnight there. We saw Tris' parents there, and we had a delightful afternoon, Susan put on a delicious lunch for us.

The family Christmas was at Mel's place on Eve.  She put on a gourmet BBQ, and lovely salads, Susan prepared the antipasto, potato salad, and the Trifle.  It was quite a feast.  Mary Rose set up the table, and she did it beautifully.  We were the guest of honour, and we were welcome to have fun and enjoy the feast.  It worked well. Indeed I had so much fun with the grandkids, to see them in the Nativity costume to go to Mass in the Christmas Eve was good how good it was to see them in the Christmas morning opening their presents.  The grandkids all were so pleased that they got what they asked for and also they were so happy for the surprise gifts — congratulation to Lance and Mel for the job well done.

At Susan's Place

Luncheon at Susan's
Susan, Susy, and Tris
Susan and Susy













Taking the dog - Alfie for a walk and the last minute shopping to add for the antipasto and trifle and of course a bunch of lily flowers for Mel.



Christmas Eve 2013 
Casual and a Very Pleasant Gathering at Melanie's 

The Cold Table
Antipasto, smoked salmon, tomato salad, couscous, avocado salad
with roasted walnuts, fresh fig with cheese and a bottle wine.
A beautiful, delicate and generous selection of cold dishes then followed by hot BBQ, prawns, chicken tandoori and lamb cutlets.


The table was done by Mary Rose; So perfect!


Figs and Cheese was a part of the antipasto.
Cous Sal; ad with Saffron
Potato salad, avocado salad with roasted walnuts
Antipasto



Cooking the BBQ was done in the backyard.
Cooking the prawns and calamari
on the BBQ
The prawns and calamaries were perfectly cooked.

Fruit Punch
The fruit punch is ready.

Trifle with Mascarpone and Mixed Berries


The Family
Henry and Thomas were watching them
mum(Mel) and dad (Lance) preparing the punch
Mary Rose was enjoying her favourite-the prawns

After Christmas Lunch
Dancing, resting/relaxed and opening presents from Susan and Tris
Mary and Thomas were dancing.
Reading time: Tris and Lily
Opening presents from aunt Susan.

Lily with her new bowl one of the gifts from aunt Susan


Susan was helping Lily putting on her new dress.
Lily and Pop



















Christmas Mass

Getting Ready for Mass, they went as Shepherds from the nativity theme.

Mary Rose as Mary
Thomas and Henry as Shepherds

In the church-Christmas Eve
Little Lily was happy enough to leave the others behind.

There were a lot of people, Mel had to stand.

The next Christmas morning, another exciting time for the grandkids.  We managed to have Face Time with Jane and her family (it was Christmas Eve over there).  We miss them, but I am sure they are having a wonderful Christmas in the Netherlands.


Christmas Morning

The children were so excited and delighted.
Happy family, opening presents on Christmas morning.


Melanie, with the children in the backyard.
 The grandkids were so happy to catch the bubbles.

Nana and Lily
Beautiful weather for spending time in the backyard with the grandkids was good.

It was great to be with the children, everyone had a good time, catching up and feasting, thanks to Mel and Susan.




Beautiful Grand Kids: The Little Tyers

Mary Rose, Thomas, Henry and Lily


The grandkids are coming for a visit, we are looking forward to it.  Now, we have to tidy up the garden to make it a safe and fun place for them to play.



It is the last week of the season, we must make the best of it.

We had a lovely and pleasant Christmas with the family, and I do hope you all had too. 



Thanks for visiting
Until Next Post
Susy