tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59779335393254611112024-02-07T13:33:29.600+11:00eclectiquealaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.comBlogger382125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-25350392741840746862011-11-14T10:48:00.001+11:002011-11-14T20:48:15.277+11:00Exit Stage Left....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>White Heron visiting yesterday afternoon</i></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Exit Stage Left</b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>Noun</b></i>: An orderly and uneventful departure,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">timed so as not to detract or distract.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i>Verb</i></b>: To exit or disappear in a quiet, non-dramatic fashion,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">making way for more interesting events.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i>Etymology</i></b>: From the direction in theatrical scripts:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Exit stage left", thus marking the</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">disappearance of a character from the stage</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">in the normal manner.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've enjoyed my three years of blogging but times change, people change and I'm enjoying reading and studying more than the time-consuming creative process (I'll still have to keep my hand in with my husband's website, though!). Following Michael's recent health scare and surgery, we'll be making the effort to spend more time outdoors and exercising; we spend too much time sitting at our computers!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you to those who have stayed along the way; I've made some wonderful blog friends, will still be reading your lovely posts and, if you ever want a chat, I'd be so happy to hear from you via email. Wishing you all much happiness.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love,</span></div>
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</div>alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-45278167105585658972011-11-11T14:52:00.001+11:002011-11-12T05:55:08.804+11:00My Morning...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Inspired by Delwyn's <a href="http://ahazymoon.blogspot.com/2011/11/silence.html">"Silence"</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and Wanda's <a href="http://wanda-momentsofmine.blogspot.com/2011/11/returning-from-dropping-grandsons-off.html">"Deep Into Fall"</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">yesterday morning, I wandered around my garden</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in my 'jammies' capturing nature at the best part of the day.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And, as sun broke through the mist,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">revealing the perfect azure sky,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kookaburra wasn't fazed by my presence</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and Charlie, our favourite Cockatoo</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">was keeping a beady eye on me,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">following my every move!</span></div>
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<br /></div>alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-24239038503788946492011-11-11T08:47:00.001+11:002011-11-11T08:57:57.148+11:00Remembrance Day 11.11.11<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6nRzh2rZSp7Y0mcXfhAFUe_T7blMNv0sFZ2Me3S5ZHhEkrl2PIL38ozEov9WOUmXMnJPMGzxb5qrVDOENEINd5eZcRE45-_zIjO97PqVP7yELQfQdSF3GblPQNI3xYgp_uN8wl_e4Sy_A/s1600/Poppies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6nRzh2rZSp7Y0mcXfhAFUe_T7blMNv0sFZ2Me3S5ZHhEkrl2PIL38ozEov9WOUmXMnJPMGzxb5qrVDOENEINd5eZcRE45-_zIjO97PqVP7yELQfQdSF3GblPQNI3xYgp_uN8wl_e4Sy_A/s320/Poppies.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_Day"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lest We Forget</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIr1eSqZs_uBAVhTYlQfVfYpDCilmq0yUboHVflB48qMsLbk1IK6rxhKUEAN7z_0cdlvMlnx5FySIZ9SGY24b7DVclYby0jG8w-owmn2kpzoXYLLmK_uVDMhjbw4kVS4W1PIhiG6hMtUYc/s1600/inflandersfields.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIr1eSqZs_uBAVhTYlQfVfYpDCilmq0yUboHVflB48qMsLbk1IK6rxhKUEAN7z_0cdlvMlnx5FySIZ9SGY24b7DVclYby0jG8w-owmn2kpzoXYLLmK_uVDMhjbw4kVS4W1PIhiG6hMtUYc/s640/inflandersfields.jpg" width="456" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-66182389820509362972011-11-09T07:10:00.000+11:002011-11-09T07:10:41.650+11:00I've got a touch of Stendhal syndrome!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCIfUuLb-0ArxIHHNETwULAvU533q0MOWV3buPM8N5mE1tHSGUm8pHtECZuyXD8MnwDWqJzOe2SOcquSaZIDAN4Fh0elQErdohGd1AiYNKUrFJ53XQG_5poRG3_Zze7QOaEbcMuHwDzaoS/s1600/nicksflorence_italy_sunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCIfUuLb-0ArxIHHNETwULAvU533q0MOWV3buPM8N5mE1tHSGUm8pHtECZuyXD8MnwDWqJzOe2SOcquSaZIDAN4Fh0elQErdohGd1AiYNKUrFJ53XQG_5poRG3_Zze7QOaEbcMuHwDzaoS/s640/nicksflorence_italy_sunset.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>View of Florence at sunset</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What is it with me that whenever I watch a documentary of Italy, I weep? We have visited twice and have been to a handful of the large cities, including Florence above, and, when there, I'm almost always on the verge of tears!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I read about "Stendhal syndrome" a few years back, an illness given this name back in 1979 and named after French author Henri-Marie Beyle. Stendhal was one of his many pseudonyms. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOPzVE1803hlD0YDjePPARdFu5d7BYdbDGzioIuhoKnMKaGUb6Frv-pcBA9B0qugzkr45N9D5I_3oDpVLChaMY5d5HWGxL6140tnd-HvaGq9xVFwzMpsA2bjeHMmPwDfbmHggHCoH4S_-P/s1600/Nicksriver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="632" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOPzVE1803hlD0YDjePPARdFu5d7BYdbDGzioIuhoKnMKaGUb6Frv-pcBA9B0qugzkr45N9D5I_3oDpVLChaMY5d5HWGxL6140tnd-HvaGq9xVFwzMpsA2bjeHMmPwDfbmHggHCoH4S_-P/s640/Nicksriver.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i> Bridges over the Arno River, Florence</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The following from Wikipedia:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>"Stendhal syndrome, Stendhal's syndrome, hyperkulturemia, or Florence syndrome is </i></span><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">a psychosomatic illness that causes rapid heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, confusion and even hallucinations when an individual is exposed to art, usually when the art is particularly beautiful or a large amount of art is in a single place. The term can also be used to describe a similar reaction to a surfeit of choice in other circumstances, e.g. when confronted with immense beauty in the natural world.</i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>The illness is named after the famous 19th-century French author Stendhal, (pseudonym of Henri-Marie Beyle), who described his experience with the phenomenon during his 1817 visit to Florence in his book <b>Naples and Florence: A Journey from Milan to Reggio.</b></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>Although there are many descriptions of people becoming dizzy and fainting while taking in Florentine art, especially at the Uffizi, dating from the early 19th century on, the syndrome was only named in 1979, when it was described by Italian psychiatrist Graziella Magherini, who observed and described more than 100 similar cases among tourists and visitors in Florence."</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPYEGxULV-KaZhBhUlY9E0b20_A94WThYjGOnbQpe6Llp547qdXwdKdiDtzRL8TWqg7qCwr3wJdosXqHxeCaoVQXHSMeVyLtghtnGJZL-fCNQ4buLgNUcKGS4RA9mjwg7x0W1mDgJfDuS/s1600/NicksHead_of_a_Capri_Girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPYEGxULV-KaZhBhUlY9E0b20_A94WThYjGOnbQpe6Llp547qdXwdKdiDtzRL8TWqg7qCwr3wJdosXqHxeCaoVQXHSMeVyLtghtnGJZL-fCNQ4buLgNUcKGS4RA9mjwg7x0W1mDgJfDuS/s640/NicksHead_of_a_Capri_Girl.jpg" width="436" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>Head of a Capri Girl</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>John Singer Sargent, 1878</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Italian Summer</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The rose stood out</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Red against the golden wall</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The sun comes up through the silken drapes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The room begins to glow</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All in cream-colored ivories and soft yellows</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You say hello</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Put down that guitar and handed me a rose</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the end of the Italian Summer</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It rains fast and it rains hard</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The wind blows through you</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It tears you apart</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ooh it's so romantic</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hey it's so soulful</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The rain falls down</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And the thunder rolls</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The sun fades out</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And the mountains grow tall</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The mists rush in and they take it all</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From the islands you see Li Galli and Capri</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I remember it all</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love was everywhere</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You just had to fall</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Stevie Nicks</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4qlM9uiHfY5-uj9hIhdcCytP0pWPnmGAcZ3H7-cJ1cyR4xNngxkgb59kiuhKYrvoA9yoavTI11A290Dc0kj3XbyFBf2KpDItN9fekOtdZPR7wjy8jbGlJm7JnA50JeqvS7YsFS-1-5A1L/s1600/Nicks+view+of+capri.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4qlM9uiHfY5-uj9hIhdcCytP0pWPnmGAcZ3H7-cJ1cyR4xNngxkgb59kiuhKYrvoA9yoavTI11A290Dc0kj3XbyFBf2KpDItN9fekOtdZPR7wjy8jbGlJm7JnA50JeqvS7YsFS-1-5A1L/s640/Nicks+view+of+capri.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>View of Capri, 1845</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQM1dCTAZqVR_9j3wy06l-Cmz0Vywu81kRzF72o2U7dGTPAOfirkafIayfYHVtKB6x8FCsA0llhH7p5ykqZpjps_2h-LNvsOd6gf940HmwexlGdlpSwAZfXYoj_bf7VkFKtorfc43Tgfe/s1600/Nicks+Li+Galli2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQM1dCTAZqVR_9j3wy06l-Cmz0Vywu81kRzF72o2U7dGTPAOfirkafIayfYHVtKB6x8FCsA0llhH7p5ykqZpjps_2h-LNvsOd6gf940HmwexlGdlpSwAZfXYoj_bf7VkFKtorfc43Tgfe/s640/Nicks+Li+Galli2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Li Galli - The Roosters</i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Li Galli is an </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: left;">archipelago</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: left;"> of islands off the Amalfi Coast, </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: left;">the three main ones being Gallo Lungo, La Castellucia and La Rotonda.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5M3h-kMLCS5bElnazmYF53EDhNDpr-fzedmTRk5WWiu0YKEPoSreUPOQWAfve3uuQi36_OXUguApUtU5QLs9AxI8klkWdDeMfxbJm75j8WeJJceGwtgqlthbLmZDZWCirVD9VmvgTNW6j/s1600/Nicks+Nureyev.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5M3h-kMLCS5bElnazmYF53EDhNDpr-fzedmTRk5WWiu0YKEPoSreUPOQWAfve3uuQi36_OXUguApUtU5QLs9AxI8klkWdDeMfxbJm75j8WeJJceGwtgqlthbLmZDZWCirVD9VmvgTNW6j/s640/Nicks+Nureyev.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the late 1960s Rudolph Nureyev bought Gallo Lungo for 3 billion Italian lira and resided in the villa built in the 1930s by Russian choreographer and dancer Leonide Massine. Nureyev lived there for 26 years until his death. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We love Italy and are planning another trip in 2012, ending with a train trip to Paris, where I'll probably experience <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_syndrome">Paris syndrome</a></i>, apparently the French equivalent of Stendhal syndrome!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">"Something happens in Italy:</i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>people cross into</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>new emotional fields."</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>Lisa St Aubin de Téran</i></span></div>
</div>alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-29749353270684748902011-11-08T11:11:00.000+11:002011-11-08T11:11:44.066+11:00The Partner?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OKPWHubx331Qb7xlp4m6ILYkYTgdJqFEniraSyi_FC8Vkxoso5zBJURNbo6C6BWh6gXdS2nMrPlo0c_MENRXnDlGnftY-o3AryGESUDhyphenhyphenXPOudYBK7QyTHnJ025yfwtpBl1FtC3Ztx_l/s1600/heron+partner4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OKPWHubx331Qb7xlp4m6ILYkYTgdJqFEniraSyi_FC8Vkxoso5zBJURNbo6C6BWh6gXdS2nMrPlo0c_MENRXnDlGnftY-o3AryGESUDhyphenhyphenXPOudYBK7QyTHnJ025yfwtpBl1FtC3Ztx_l/s640/heron+partner4.JPG" width="508" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Partner or Chic?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Long, white neck and black feathers</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The white-faced grey</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">taking off when I spooked it</span></div>alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-46445932884042510992011-11-05T09:13:00.000+11:002011-11-05T09:13:32.620+11:00A New Visitor...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">White-faced Heron - Egretta novaehollandiae</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We heard a constant knocking and found this huge bird on the windowsill but spooked it before we could grab the camera. Over the last few days it's got gamer, coming closer and closer, until this morning it came right up to the back door and knocked! Then it jumped up onto the table, had a walk around and propped!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We think it likes this place and has probably built a nest with its partner. It's said that when breeding the birds have long feathers (nuptial plumes) on the head, neck and back, which this one has.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">More information: <a href="http://birdsinbackyards.net/species/Egretta-novaehollandiae">Birds in Backyards</a></span></div>alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-38111179831990193892011-11-02T15:22:00.001+11:002011-11-02T16:20:50.818+11:00Melbourne Cup Fashions...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Melbourne Cup (thoroughbred horse race) has been a major event in Victoria since 1861. The winner of yesterday's main race for the Cup was Dunaden, a French horse.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fashions on the Field has been an event open to anybody since 1962 and has been sponsored by one of our large department stores, Myer, for many years.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Judges</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQPWlxggwRlRwP7ATEHZ0IXoKAxa1pWqOd4mWHXhyphenhyphenGRy9glmYns3s3pYfn0N5ahPEueO1bJoINjRcQR1hNTMb9Bewbv9lzsxNKTY7SvzQTYKTH9hv2FrQRlalW0zjAhEUw0XB44u-8bnZ0/s1600/fashions+on+the+field3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQPWlxggwRlRwP7ATEHZ0IXoKAxa1pWqOd4mWHXhyphenhyphenGRy9glmYns3s3pYfn0N5ahPEueO1bJoINjRcQR1hNTMb9Bewbv9lzsxNKTY7SvzQTYKTH9hv2FrQRlalW0zjAhEUw0XB44u-8bnZ0/s400/fashions+on+the+field3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Darling Audrey; style, class personified!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS7KzqSUYZDGnQ56wk2b6-DJWikMWXHcwZS_VSGCxx9b3du1TmYKYjuuoQyjFBYPMauLs6a7Q4HjsCngSCCwDxJZoeSK1F7yb2uXeTXdabhnbyq3T6wNYFLc3Ilv_30E3WSTkZl6525NpC/s1600/fashions+on+the+field13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS7KzqSUYZDGnQ56wk2b6-DJWikMWXHcwZS_VSGCxx9b3du1TmYKYjuuoQyjFBYPMauLs6a7Q4HjsCngSCCwDxJZoeSK1F7yb2uXeTXdabhnbyq3T6wNYFLc3Ilv_30E3WSTkZl6525NpC/s640/fashions+on+the+field13.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love this hat; beautiful girl, really sells it!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhsxDdkuhBVzn59BC43lK-VyqkRN5oZECPnemo5a_UXaCS4GeqU-oY1xMkd3bv8ZYNAMj8cn6abvCFBdnoAxuzCdQqKcfCx3OAKcUovrcAPckRLy15jOPXGEnF1LxTBJyYkRJwmmYFFEkW/s1600/fashions+on+the+field8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhsxDdkuhBVzn59BC43lK-VyqkRN5oZECPnemo5a_UXaCS4GeqU-oY1xMkd3bv8ZYNAMj8cn6abvCFBdnoAxuzCdQqKcfCx3OAKcUovrcAPckRLy15jOPXGEnF1LxTBJyYkRJwmmYFFEkW/s400/fashions+on+the+field8.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhppYZhE09c9-O6Ohfpp57j7oMV6l75XK1sDJ51R8giL1EwECkG8q2PFa4SUJTmNG5zDL4aCn2NEVomBNcBWEiXjp5VFhu6QDopIiYe29dj4KR21xAoFGe_741d9bs1VgmEOGyntKXrGpK0/s1600/fashions+on+the+field9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhppYZhE09c9-O6Ohfpp57j7oMV6l75XK1sDJ51R8giL1EwECkG8q2PFa4SUJTmNG5zDL4aCn2NEVomBNcBWEiXjp5VFhu6QDopIiYe29dj4KR21xAoFGe_741d9bs1VgmEOGyntKXrGpK0/s640/fashions+on+the+field9.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gorgeous!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-CXH3uDnHi66d0Iw0hHJsw-v4mujjG6j_b3fzHSTefvWyvggQRNYtChd8yo6ZMMb4JDn-dTfQsfmMxSY_JxbRPnVRfZmltXSdtefhv2MhGYlfoxAXjQrDZAyUAsJt2NX2I06O-RRmokCh/s1600/fashions+on+the+field17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-CXH3uDnHi66d0Iw0hHJsw-v4mujjG6j_b3fzHSTefvWyvggQRNYtChd8yo6ZMMb4JDn-dTfQsfmMxSY_JxbRPnVRfZmltXSdtefhv2MhGYlfoxAXjQrDZAyUAsJt2NX2I06O-RRmokCh/s400/fashions+on+the+field17.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjij_TX755oC8q4AN68RoufrWq-PQuUyo-BIy6No5MY2CjFMbyHeDneu64uaVBDfZwVDgjcNZqOVOru0GCpgMuKFuw3mWxrLYypSvWVbLd81wINDN5EUgLKpIhvKCgCwLNyHwV7Bx8HyY_v/s1600/fashions+on+the+field12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjij_TX755oC8q4AN68RoufrWq-PQuUyo-BIy6No5MY2CjFMbyHeDneu64uaVBDfZwVDgjcNZqOVOru0GCpgMuKFuw3mWxrLYypSvWVbLd81wINDN5EUgLKpIhvKCgCwLNyHwV7Bx8HyY_v/s640/fashions+on+the+field12.jpg" width="478" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And the winner was</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">a girl from Geelong in Victoria,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">currently living in Paris - </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">she certainly brought</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">some French chic</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">to the contest.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-p8OsgxdnYJUtwb-FUpmfc82ciqeJVWCoD-L71kiUaD5s_FAX1vH_lMgenslq2UkNOKw3yphEG0vkfgo0PuhBtwCRw5pE_sSbhywZYyZWMd6Fm21Ha7sTNPGCC6kxzXKY9cH2yB4t19Nx/s1600/fashions+on+the+field11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-p8OsgxdnYJUtwb-FUpmfc82ciqeJVWCoD-L71kiUaD5s_FAX1vH_lMgenslq2UkNOKw3yphEG0vkfgo0PuhBtwCRw5pE_sSbhywZYyZWMd6Fm21Ha7sTNPGCC6kxzXKY9cH2yB4t19Nx/s640/fashions+on+the+field11.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What's with that hemline, though?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Pics: <a href="http://heraldsun.com.au/">heraldsun.com.au</a></i></span></div>
</div>alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-47014380209735880282011-10-29T11:02:00.001+11:002011-10-29T11:03:02.325+11:00Bedraggled....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwhsNAMuJsudOGtuaX58Rm2t3MSrmmqDJhTF7vAOLDq3dQQq_QQFvO1PuaPoZRMjcj07ak9tMmC_vfgWnDj1yDrqhhnHnauxNbBuDYy4YUvV_B8ElFwpeDRVf-_Vj1rnN5GGuuhLL8gwrG/s1600/galah.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwhsNAMuJsudOGtuaX58Rm2t3MSrmmqDJhTF7vAOLDq3dQQq_QQFvO1PuaPoZRMjcj07ak9tMmC_vfgWnDj1yDrqhhnHnauxNbBuDYy4YUvV_B8ElFwpeDRVf-_Vj1rnN5GGuuhLL8gwrG/s640/galah.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ma, what is this stuff that sticks all my feathers together?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnVRi1da7XpU6fvWFS7kNLN5y20miDlGMfyUMm1-GyZETTe0GKiTRZfq_aIDBpWlLzaQxCyICH3xwttMZxY9szkTU3pSBPcSh64_V6iLk1GvpEfnVvA4XmGFbWc7kODOXVvurJkcqzF7v/s1600/galah2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnVRi1da7XpU6fvWFS7kNLN5y20miDlGMfyUMm1-GyZETTe0GKiTRZfq_aIDBpWlLzaQxCyICH3xwttMZxY9szkTU3pSBPcSh64_V6iLk1GvpEfnVvA4XmGFbWc7kODOXVvurJkcqzF7v/s640/galah2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Galah chick on left</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Crest feathers will turn white later on</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKH00nQnyvRtvQ1F7x59VnNeBblf6_Jpf0CjBYuzLk-QdZmpdHsQa7ZRfQd4mf9qC5B2ty4EaYHaxHOCXXHq02ylHTsUicIkGo32_aWMlKFAkPxC765T9NLaTUIeB6YopXPT2PwducZw1B/s1600/cockies.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKH00nQnyvRtvQ1F7x59VnNeBblf6_Jpf0CjBYuzLk-QdZmpdHsQa7ZRfQd4mf9qC5B2ty4EaYHaxHOCXXHq02ylHTsUicIkGo32_aWMlKFAkPxC765T9NLaTUIeB6YopXPT2PwducZw1B/s640/cockies.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cockatoos and Corellas</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">enjoying some much-needed rain</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBjqp4N1CLQ9ORCusCNH8CL3pl122NkT6EmKCL56WDaIGPKO3OtR2esq_2Mga60dWdugJtMIdwavH9bNhrblVaEXSaCbaJJ69S2v4y-pnWLrfnPABydLxk7NPLv4FGMRD7uD_FYlhqiTl/s1600/cockies2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBjqp4N1CLQ9ORCusCNH8CL3pl122NkT6EmKCL56WDaIGPKO3OtR2esq_2Mga60dWdugJtMIdwavH9bNhrblVaEXSaCbaJJ69S2v4y-pnWLrfnPABydLxk7NPLv4FGMRD7uD_FYlhqiTl/s640/cockies2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-17018562403263051212011-10-22T07:31:00.001+11:002011-10-22T07:31:33.328+11:00Fox on the run...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBFz7uFdkt3-vzOAkSe4N06SqSFHm0OrSU1471Anm6udm7isR2pg4YsJgLg_9-mZL5uA12cbKXSW2cwS8-mVx6QcHsZVFsil5HeLyUyHVWUbgdFB923Ju3Ogo5uOji_HtwMZCpdzt0s3M/s1600/fox.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBFz7uFdkt3-vzOAkSe4N06SqSFHm0OrSU1471Anm6udm7isR2pg4YsJgLg_9-mZL5uA12cbKXSW2cwS8-mVx6QcHsZVFsil5HeLyUyHVWUbgdFB923Ju3Ogo5uOji_HtwMZCpdzt0s3M/s640/fox.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I've just found these shots on my camera, taken back in July.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A fox coming so close to the house at 9am in the morning;</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">it must have been hungry</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">and knew there'd be left-over doggy bones on the grass.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif8R8bkPJQ75M7v5MGSEp2pA_zU-PX86YtVFT_-j80ZpVSFeFkhivlbFqMYumooNVY6ayv6U5AHAEilIfQsKFdqBTrQfalugbnuPzyYhyuyHj6piKGQbxgdPC-pSoWJiAw7ndj6bgUVEa2/s1600/fox2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif8R8bkPJQ75M7v5MGSEp2pA_zU-PX86YtVFT_-j80ZpVSFeFkhivlbFqMYumooNVY6ayv6U5AHAEilIfQsKFdqBTrQfalugbnuPzyYhyuyHj6piKGQbxgdPC-pSoWJiAw7ndj6bgUVEa2/s640/fox2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In great condition</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">but, on closer inspection,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">it had a badly damaged and bleeding front paw.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Seconds later it was gone.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-5564789338410322492011-10-13T15:40:00.000+11:002011-10-13T15:40:02.705+11:00Spillway gates open after 15 years.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbPnzSwj89t_fX1PHqo84mAEG5RCtcbf6f0e3iaAz0tpnBCW7rvoLPNsWtEXnES__ASMVmU1NMDAdOfC_JOMf3HnV8KZBTMZw3oLeMspupg53_BFxUaxcHIytuHcpqhuUcqWkVfrUKJyQ/s1600/floodgates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbPnzSwj89t_fX1PHqo84mAEG5RCtcbf6f0e3iaAz0tpnBCW7rvoLPNsWtEXnES__ASMVmU1NMDAdOfC_JOMf3HnV8KZBTMZw3oLeMspupg53_BFxUaxcHIytuHcpqhuUcqWkVfrUKJyQ/s400/floodgates.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Image: Allan, LakeEildon.com</i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yesterday the spillway gates at Lake Eildon opened for the first time in 15 years. The gates operating system has been upgraded since they were last used in 1996 and were being tested with the lake capacity at 99.21%. </span><br />
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<i>Image: Allan, LakeEildon.com</i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A Goulburn-Murray Water spokesman said that 150 megalitres were released, or about the equivalent of 60 Olympic-sized swimming pools.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBLVLY6j74Fdd_6HHMtIrjqah-Ac8QXKGyR_ocK_tFsdjleJXQkHTkwgtyUCkyyMYICYoXQ_uWPipX37rG-9u96EqIqv4qicmTpgmkB8dShdU5PbchiB9fmE8pybbvku1MJ_NzqludJvf3/s1600/floodgates4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBLVLY6j74Fdd_6HHMtIrjqah-Ac8QXKGyR_ocK_tFsdjleJXQkHTkwgtyUCkyyMYICYoXQ_uWPipX37rG-9u96EqIqv4qicmTpgmkB8dShdU5PbchiB9fmE8pybbvku1MJ_NzqludJvf3/s400/floodgates4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Image: Allan, LakeEildon.com</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They opened each one of the gates separately to about 600 millimetres and then closed them. It takes about two minutes to open a gate and two minutes to close again.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDaJzZjLHV_hPl6hMdDyspN3iVf2OuUz0_PjjpDPV0GNGb-zsVQ3gXwrVdf7gND4kn-SgoLq6jQJShXwijh0vYcOxxX3cEPcug39jeKktZj9Ko8zmyMXWvqY8qb4_31wned2JSptMdcaeT/s1600/spillway.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDaJzZjLHV_hPl6hMdDyspN3iVf2OuUz0_PjjpDPV0GNGb-zsVQ3gXwrVdf7gND4kn-SgoLq6jQJShXwijh0vYcOxxX3cEPcug39jeKktZj9Ko8zmyMXWvqY8qb4_31wned2JSptMdcaeT/s400/spillway.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Top of Spillway, Pondages in distance</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Image: Alaine</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The water will stay in the holding pondages and will not affect the Goulburn River below Eildon or the communities downstream, which is comforting to know as we live 2 kilometres downstream in the valley!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_AOxAP263hcSEMh5sEectHqtAURit0LYYv_CEWcr6S5DbOGPQYJSOl0WVgMm0n0R40CCTJj_7Z6kgYbfuT1Hmlv6Ryi_4NyrdcsePIQnn4gRfboCFY4Zf0ICoYAz5q3NEMlHb8HH6149/s1600/spillway2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_AOxAP263hcSEMh5sEectHqtAURit0LYYv_CEWcr6S5DbOGPQYJSOl0WVgMm0n0R40CCTJj_7Z6kgYbfuT1Hmlv6Ryi_4NyrdcsePIQnn4gRfboCFY4Zf0ICoYAz5q3NEMlHb8HH6149/s400/spillway2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Pondages - Image: Alaine</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipEOKsrsbVD4wayS7cCjuwMUtFYtmcXocwcNgX6yIA3f4lGyPlcsAVxM-yGaO-eGNUSdTE94axhpVB-6ipC8kSigmxXvZJzdJs5azaESVW0lHaLhXbgB8yzjXmnXeJOB8Sj8WX6V92N6_9/s1600/spillway3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipEOKsrsbVD4wayS7cCjuwMUtFYtmcXocwcNgX6yIA3f4lGyPlcsAVxM-yGaO-eGNUSdTE94axhpVB-6ipC8kSigmxXvZJzdJs5azaESVW0lHaLhXbgB8yzjXmnXeJOB8Sj8WX6V92N6_9/s400/spillway3.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>View from Mt. Pininger - Image: Alaine</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The lake has not been this high for 15 years; shortly after 1996 we went into drought for 13 years and at one time the lake level dropped to 8%, uncovering a lot of the old farms and delivering up treasures lost when the valley was flooded in the 1950s to create the weir for irrigation and recreational activities. Even at 8%, there was enough water for the houseboats, boating, skiing and fishing. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTj0NnvD4si7YI6jk2pQc1eUo9GWNksl49WYg2cAwH0iikb0SBrLAkRYd-ZctG60bXbcskdyvovuyBMtqiRtgpBhF6dBbnGdHrMNHi3DOy3oeUmxMV-t9TQB7dbMs2nVBENkBDDvBNEi5/s1600/spillway4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTj0NnvD4si7YI6jk2pQc1eUo9GWNksl49WYg2cAwH0iikb0SBrLAkRYd-ZctG60bXbcskdyvovuyBMtqiRtgpBhF6dBbnGdHrMNHi3DOy3oeUmxMV-t9TQB7dbMs2nVBENkBDDvBNEi5/s640/spillway4.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>From Mt. Pininger - Image: Alaine, this afternoon</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The lake being at this capacity augurs well for the coming summer months; a boost to tourism and a welcome change for many businesses that have found it tough during the dry times. True to the old adage; "Just add water"!</span></div>
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</div>alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-80152116574538752902011-10-05T15:43:00.000+11:002011-10-05T15:43:42.115+11:00This horrified me!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0mDqC-ylkuryOo_H7R5pJwLxm0qNx7p3tufVn58k8KZjA6_2HoWOYpakdw2sZLSBPZulDsI-jBlA_isimrnIA_uvhb7JkUROQXquNZc8g68XwN6XfILp0jCTqvCiQu3WyMu39jNvzPuG-/s1600/dogonrunningboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0mDqC-ylkuryOo_H7R5pJwLxm0qNx7p3tufVn58k8KZjA6_2HoWOYpakdw2sZLSBPZulDsI-jBlA_isimrnIA_uvhb7JkUROQXquNZc8g68XwN6XfILp0jCTqvCiQu3WyMu39jNvzPuG-/s400/dogonrunningboard.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This month's edition of RoyalAuto (Royal Automobile Club of Victoria's magazine) referred back to this piece in their 'The Radiator' magazine of 1936.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"There has been some controversy whether owners of large dogs are humane when they subject them to risks by carrying them on running boards. If the dogs are tethered, they may be thrown off by a sudden swerve and strangled. If they are untethered, they may be dashed on to the roadway, thus suffering injury or constituting a danger to other drivers.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"The illustration herewith from Popular Mechanics (Chicago) shows a simple device. A sack made of canvas is clamped to the running board. A hole is made large enough for the dog's head to protrude. The hooks should be covered with a rubber to prevent damage to the enamel."</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvcnBcg-jImYnjixv-sO4MRM32IFPcM0DHz03KDN3B-jIcZJCkth_7YvnNIxDwD_ZtiIsHoRB2b-jfvVb6miuy511owF_3DdHUUH6EDyCRHaUCImc5GLZxBkK1mXNI_SQCuVMCg2ip1t95/s1600/dogonrunningboard3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvcnBcg-jImYnjixv-sO4MRM32IFPcM0DHz03KDN3B-jIcZJCkth_7YvnNIxDwD_ZtiIsHoRB2b-jfvVb6miuy511owF_3DdHUUH6EDyCRHaUCImc5GLZxBkK1mXNI_SQCuVMCg2ip1t95/s640/dogonrunningboard3.jpg" width="470" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"Bird-dog's Palace" - Ha!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>This fella thinks the step-plate is a doggy seat!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>At the end of the journey</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>some exercise on the treadmill!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Or a quiet game of chess!</i></span></div>
alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-32621360184265804922011-09-29T08:48:00.001+10:002011-09-29T08:48:56.964+10:00"When Spring unlocks the flowers to paint the laughing soil"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The first rose - Gold Bunny</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Freesias</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The inseparable pigeon pair</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Meyer lemon</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">making Lemon Drizzle Cake </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">a treat for hubby</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">only one slice a day!!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">More Azaleas</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Delicate Hellebore</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Post title quote: Bishop Reginald Heber 1783-1826</i></span></div>
alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-34398356006158703042011-09-25T13:59:00.000+10:002011-09-25T13:59:30.570+10:00Enjoy some Chopin while you browse...<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/l6C-paEymeo" width="480"></iframe>
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Chopin is my saviour...</div>
<br />alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-54066370355324158822011-09-19T11:56:00.002+10:002011-09-19T11:56:51.168+10:00Taj's beach visit; Hubby recovering....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tajma Hall</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Husband Michael has been in hospital the past two weeks and had his bypass last Thursday - a quintuple!! The hospital is 2 1/2 hours from our home in the country and the turn-around trip is quite exhausting. Our friends, Rick and Mani, kindly invited Taj and I to stay over. While I visited Mike, Rick and the little girls, Amber, Lauren and Bianca took Taj for a walk to the beach and the park.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He loved the waves!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yawn! I'm pooped!!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm happy to say that Mike is doing well; he told me that "the dreaded Physio" was coming this morning to get him on his feet. It will be a long haul but I'm sure he will feel great down the track and get back into his flyfishing. </span></div>
alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-72610601951901299412011-09-15T17:37:00.001+10:002011-09-15T17:37:16.566+10:00Beautifully dressed or tarty?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGAIXQlPWgQga6sYFs_F7_b1cpnPZ_ECpqAFFIMT0oWjb7CLcPivcI5FHGNERyw6xIJ2hIIA34aRQN3yWnet3DrugdJHVA5088_Qagkq1pacKkq-i78pn4YxjQ7mj2EGtVN65-7oB4cvpx/s1600/mayo3R.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGAIXQlPWgQga6sYFs_F7_b1cpnPZ_ECpqAFFIMT0oWjb7CLcPivcI5FHGNERyw6xIJ2hIIA34aRQN3yWnet3DrugdJHVA5088_Qagkq1pacKkq-i78pn4YxjQ7mj2EGtVN65-7oB4cvpx/s400/mayo3R.JPG" width="376" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Got your attention? Nothing to do with clothes. One blogger described my humour as 'droll'; well, probably.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I haven't bought Mayonnaise since last summer. I found this recipe online but I'm afraid I've forgotten where, so my apologies to the person who thought it up and thank you!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Ingredients</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 egg yolks</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/4 tsp salt</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/2 tsp ground mustard</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 tsp minced garlic</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 tbsp white vinegar</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 cup canola or vegetable oil</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, or lime</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Method</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Place the first 5 ingredients into blender and blend on low speed for 2 minutes. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Still on low speed, gradually drizzle in half a cup of oil, add lemon juice and slowly add the remainder of the oil.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Notes</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Depending on the vinegar used, you can get a different taste. I'm currently using White Balsamic Vinegar and love the taste. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I once made it up, did the taste test at the end and it was really tarty. I realised that I had left the salt out! That tiny bit of salt really takes the edge off. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I make a very tasty Coleslaw by adding a few dollops of this and a few sloshes of Caesar. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOJRQ95iVY3KZNvHzVW3p1RqixCTLVtwBgEKgq-ynzp4vWAMr7UBTW7WVLHmHfb_pEt9nLEtcWs5EsqMKeIiIZAVv0eJ2zv4zWOuphNW47FIvgWOMgK95zGF8W6GlEiRjfzWUFwJotHf2G/s1600/mayo4R.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOJRQ95iVY3KZNvHzVW3p1RqixCTLVtwBgEKgq-ynzp4vWAMr7UBTW7WVLHmHfb_pEt9nLEtcWs5EsqMKeIiIZAVv0eJ2zv4zWOuphNW47FIvgWOMgK95zGF8W6GlEiRjfzWUFwJotHf2G/s400/mayo4R.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Beautiful, creamy Mayo!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Tartare Sauce</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Make the basic recipe above and add 1 tbsp chopped capers and 2 tbsp chopped gherkins. Optional extras are 1 tbsp flat leaf parsley and 2 tsp grated lemon rind. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFg37EqpIny-K_mUZENOoq_icpfrDaB6pHSiZLlr9RkI1YQQhlHGiL978Xh87o6bc_Ti9Y5BW4FVcladQ24ZukJ8rl7V1GXh3bi7yPyke_GcFp939R9A9QWZZc4uDSWpEL2uPeb1uXA31F/s1600/mayocapersgherkinsR.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFg37EqpIny-K_mUZENOoq_icpfrDaB6pHSiZLlr9RkI1YQQhlHGiL978Xh87o6bc_Ti9Y5BW4FVcladQ24ZukJ8rl7V1GXh3bi7yPyke_GcFp939R9A9QWZZc4uDSWpEL2uPeb1uXA31F/s400/mayocapersgherkinsR.JPG" width="361" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The end result is a delicious tartare sauce to have plate-side with fish or spread on wafers under tomato and spring onion for lunch. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-5359792091087571182011-09-01T13:28:00.000+10:002011-09-01T13:28:39.259+10:00The Warm Breezes of Spring...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"A girl without a friend is like the spring without roses." ~ French Proverb</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"In springtime, love is carried on the breeze.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Watch out for flying passion or kisses </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">whizzing by your head." ~ Emma Racine de Fleur</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party!' ~ Robin Williams</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Spring makes its own statement, so loud and clear</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">that the gardener seems to be only one of the instruments, </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">not the composer" ~ Geoffrey B. Charlesworth </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Spring has returned. The Earth is</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">like a child that knows poems." ~ Rainer Maria Rilke</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"There is no winter without snow, </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">no spring without sunshine,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and no happiness without companions." ~ Korean Proverb</span></div>
alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-18922284108208915482011-08-20T19:53:00.000+10:002011-08-20T19:53:51.798+10:00American Author visits Ballarat in 1891<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBUnplNLmMjEdFXwkFPGD72oHAzY2elVLbRKosb039tdtQt3O2zKsK46lrZ6BtZmB7XK7gROKkvFIQyVQl9sax0ovAtNwJXyNxoU2s77Hx4GTqcXYhwo2R2RqP9NtNDHTyKxPmQFNb4pO/s1600/Mark+Twain+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBUnplNLmMjEdFXwkFPGD72oHAzY2elVLbRKosb039tdtQt3O2zKsK46lrZ6BtZmB7XK7gROKkvFIQyVQl9sax0ovAtNwJXyNxoU2s77Hx4GTqcXYhwo2R2RqP9NtNDHTyKxPmQFNb4pO/s400/Mark+Twain+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In 1891 Mark Twain stepped onto the platform of Ballarat's grand </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">railway station where he penned</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">his timeless prose about Ballarat</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and its newfound wealth. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>"Forty-five years ago the site now occupied by the</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>City of Ballarat was a sylvan solitude as quiet as</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>Eden and as lovely. Nobody had ever heard of it.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>On the 25th of August, 1851, the first great gold-</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>strike made in Australia was made here. The</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>wandering prospectors who made it scraped up two pounds and a half of gold the first day - worth £600. A few days later the place was a hive-a town. The news of the strike spread everywhere in a sort of instantaneous way - spread like a flash to the very ends of the earth. A celebrity so prompt and so universal has hardly been paralleled in history, perhaps. It was as if the name BALLARAT had suddenly been written on the sky, where all the world could read it at once."</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">From '<i>Following the Equator'</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">by Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The fact that, during the 19th century, one of the world's most influential writers and one of its best-known singers, Dame Nellie Melba, were both drawn to Ballarat, is testament to the town's cultural heritage.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>Dame Nellie Melba</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With its wide boulevard planted with elm trees and lines with grand statues, you'll see evidence everywhere of Ballarat's spectacular rise from humble mining settlement to wealthy city.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Explore Ballarat today and you'll discover that history isn't confined to dusty old books and stuffy museums. In Ballarat, there is a living and breathing history. A history immersed in stories of romance and mystery. A history steeped in legendary tales of tragedy and triumph. A history you can be part of every day.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>Ballarat's Avenue of Honour</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'll be like a kid in a lolly shop when we move to Ballarat!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Source: BALLARAT, Victoria's Goldfields, Official Visitor Guide</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">P.S. "Ballarat" came from "Balla" and "Arat", derived from Aboriginal words meaning elbow or reclining on the elbow (resting or camping) and place.</span></div>
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alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-58293475723018194642011-08-07T07:47:00.001+10:002011-08-07T07:47:17.789+10:00The Last Month of Winter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yesterday morning, through the window</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(I haven't washed the outside yet!)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, we're gradually getting there; still have some more sifting, sorting and tossing 'treasures' accumulated and sitting idle in the shed and barn. The house is sparkling; I've been filling, sanding, undercoating and painting, particularly in the laundry where a little puppy chewed his way up the architrave and made a real mess of the door eight years ago! I should have taken before photos!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Afternoon</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's rather wet and chilly again today, so I'll have to wait for a couple of nice days to paint the doorsteps. Only 25 more days of Winter and then we'll put the house on the market. Very soon we're spending a few days at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballarat">BALLARAT</a>, to have a look around. Of course, we can't go house hunting until we have a buyer here.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Manchurian Pears are 'popping'</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The past month has flown; mainly because I've been busy but three weeks of that was taken up with watching Le Tour de France and the fantastic end result, our very own Cadel Evans winning it!! It's the first time we've watched it in entirety and we now know so much more about road cycling events; the terminology, the tactics and, of course, we've seen so much of that extraordinarily beautiful country and the commentators came across with the history of each town, chateau and église. It will be something to look forward to from now on.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another result I'm really thrilled about is that 14yo Jack Vidgen won <i>Australia's Got</i> <i>Talent </i>last week<i>!! </i>I wrote about Jack<a href="http://coccinella-ladybug.blogspot.com/2011/05/jacks-got-it.html"> <i><b>here</b></i></a>. The first prize was $A250,000 and he has a contract with Sony but, this is not America, he only has his Mum and his invalid Father, so I hope that the industry gets behind him. Personally, I also hope that he furthers his studies!!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <i> </i> "♪And a Cocky in a Desert Ash♫"</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you, everyone, for dropping in and leaving a comment and I apologise if I haven't replied. I most probably won't post for another month. Actually, as much as I love blogging, I'm feeling quite liberated and might stick to this precept!</span></div>
alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-66038080629149680252011-07-03T17:08:00.000+10:002011-07-03T17:08:59.608+10:00Not a care in the World!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWP1WUqnizDrZosPkSQZUkk7W6HVGk7cA1e8GedFgqMa9XhJA8i41l0S3R5J_rq5QyuVKQ20SQ9zJhlUoTmjiSHCNu7cSh04CzUYxy0Km4dedxuRW25-Ye1hwFCIjYcPFKbmmN8uBUasTz/s1600/Taj+and+CharlieR.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWP1WUqnizDrZosPkSQZUkk7W6HVGk7cA1e8GedFgqMa9XhJA8i41l0S3R5J_rq5QyuVKQ20SQ9zJhlUoTmjiSHCNu7cSh04CzUYxy0Km4dedxuRW25-Ye1hwFCIjYcPFKbmmN8uBUasTz/s640/Taj+and+CharlieR.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Taj and 'Charlie' this afternoon</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">just hanging around!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, they don't have to prepare a house for sale! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'll be taking a break for a while; most of the de-cluttering has been done but the garden awaits! Not much needs to be done out there; a few weeds pulled and mulching, we've done all the hard work with the pruning. But, then there's the barn and the huge shed....</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-42126537836483794262011-06-21T20:39:00.000+10:002011-06-21T20:39:49.046+10:00We love you too....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRBYFNoiPB8ZYNbTfMrHAV_U6zmloXQEQns_PGrDgfkQF6YUZ1OaBBENtMiljxEYNf_nv2u_7sCZXX1OVqizAUa86gZEeL7yNx9DwZn29c7bBr7UciERlwcUBpRCVruscEjw4BAZQcjYHt/s1600/dropinsR.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRBYFNoiPB8ZYNbTfMrHAV_U6zmloXQEQns_PGrDgfkQF6YUZ1OaBBENtMiljxEYNf_nv2u_7sCZXX1OVqizAUa86gZEeL7yNx9DwZn29c7bBr7UciERlwcUBpRCVruscEjw4BAZQcjYHt/s640/dropinsR.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpB5Hba-VHxH26BPKk0728erI1LbBbu0wx6KYxZkDAiDG9ODUTGaFs58gfV-a8zUS4bar4Nt0fMx1sF3Z6Kc5GSi4aF9MrsxrrID60EbDLHTKVw_gVeEetwj02QivElnA52NfkBrUcgPK8/s1600/dropins5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpB5Hba-VHxH26BPKk0728erI1LbBbu0wx6KYxZkDAiDG9ODUTGaFs58gfV-a8zUS4bar4Nt0fMx1sF3Z6Kc5GSi4aF9MrsxrrID60EbDLHTKVw_gVeEetwj02QivElnA52NfkBrUcgPK8/s640/dropins5.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-31321151600087852952011-06-18T19:19:00.000+10:002011-06-18T19:19:22.299+10:00Come the light of day...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV6i6N8gtOvJn1-bkkHyrGQEdiVBOPnHsHCgh_uzCfpqm_3TIF2cA3tvPAil_5Yt1XsrrFlvvDTuP3VcoMBK04jrJq4gA-bUBlD-f23HCRwZnvIdp8kHh8layq1Ty_D0FYq3BIY15bE0s6/s1600/morning+lightR.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV6i6N8gtOvJn1-bkkHyrGQEdiVBOPnHsHCgh_uzCfpqm_3TIF2cA3tvPAil_5Yt1XsrrFlvvDTuP3VcoMBK04jrJq4gA-bUBlD-f23HCRwZnvIdp8kHh8layq1Ty_D0FYq3BIY15bE0s6/s400/morning+lightR.JPG" width="291" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">When in the fresh mornings I go into</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">my garden before anyone is awake,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I go for the time being into perfect happiness.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">~ <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Cecilia Thaxter</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwaSthyphenhyphenfobnQ18LbD6pvVSOgCkt4sVnrUpXutueEwhdTVaCyc2jmI9KNyU90EgeabFRnbhvFqdZ0Bg1HN-w4VDptUH1YYUg-YdaUOmJoK1SF4Plzxg0meNxpHqzj52cUjeB_zx_EjoYuNm/s1600/morning+light5R.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwaSthyphenhyphenfobnQ18LbD6pvVSOgCkt4sVnrUpXutueEwhdTVaCyc2jmI9KNyU90EgeabFRnbhvFqdZ0Bg1HN-w4VDptUH1YYUg-YdaUOmJoK1SF4Plzxg0meNxpHqzj52cUjeB_zx_EjoYuNm/s400/morning+light5R.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You can only come to the morning through the shadows</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">~ <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>J.R.R. Tolkien</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs4NaLtX1FGXItADbGIAMLugDN49MiP9UKzAKTh5mzbBhTzWmxKZH3f66KaHzSoniFGmdUGHadobit4PF-ioSZaDeVmXsnE4xChACOrKcw157yl3isWlyuFS907v-K_fFmafthak3W5hQ8/s1600/morning+light4R.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs4NaLtX1FGXItADbGIAMLugDN49MiP9UKzAKTh5mzbBhTzWmxKZH3f66KaHzSoniFGmdUGHadobit4PF-ioSZaDeVmXsnE4xChACOrKcw157yl3isWlyuFS907v-K_fFmafthak3W5hQ8/s320/morning+light4R.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I'll tell you how the sun rose a ribbon at a time</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>~ Emily Dickinson</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Nch4uBkLV1eEg7ipetFGlMxp_QniXCCkd8oD9Cqj6Uv-qS-fVquBPvejg48OT6pRu3asM2WjQB80qlEkhJZj1jTkwzYqPok8VPaL00n9T3AG3Yd6wHjf7UJb9mpyirNtZsk93aOoSZRM/s1600/morning+light6R.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Nch4uBkLV1eEg7ipetFGlMxp_QniXCCkd8oD9Cqj6Uv-qS-fVquBPvejg48OT6pRu3asM2WjQB80qlEkhJZj1jTkwzYqPok8VPaL00n9T3AG3Yd6wHjf7UJb9mpyirNtZsk93aOoSZRM/s400/morning+light6R.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Through the blackest night,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">morning gently tiptoes,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">feeling its way to dawn</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>~ Robert Brault</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilr-pmuUJzUO78Lr49LkWAOs4Ywlxookv7nl4HqTVhFJaybWm2V7DxIUqw7GmOwgx9cdqkLZCm5Dt22_5v0vFWamydzzmWi0X_MiCesRvNECQkG8lBZoF7JIQEamPrnqSoLJ7nLoglLWG2/s1600/morning+light2R.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilr-pmuUJzUO78Lr49LkWAOs4Ywlxookv7nl4HqTVhFJaybWm2V7DxIUqw7GmOwgx9cdqkLZCm5Dt22_5v0vFWamydzzmWi0X_MiCesRvNECQkG8lBZoF7JIQEamPrnqSoLJ7nLoglLWG2/s400/morning+light2R.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The sun is but a morning star</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>~ Henry David Thoreau</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLXFrJIbo7fW49hvXTqmy2rVdU_xWnRmUTbQXHwWA5RbArLwf9eiGGvzQbXQPHllMssOEZnYoDu3v61iQr5b3E_0lP3o-GuUiFoQ7fP4JOGMf51kWJW7asAIXfkNnyBEPuglqNIj_TaK0/s1600/morning+light9R.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLXFrJIbo7fW49hvXTqmy2rVdU_xWnRmUTbQXHwWA5RbArLwf9eiGGvzQbXQPHllMssOEZnYoDu3v61iQr5b3E_0lP3o-GuUiFoQ7fP4JOGMf51kWJW7asAIXfkNnyBEPuglqNIj_TaK0/s320/morning+light9R.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Whether I retire to bed early or late,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I rise with the sun</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>~ Thomas Jefferson</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AmX-6rwETq1A7GdpAEbjH0MGm17_kQxOgGR8hwEbT6czAAbiMlE2oXgG7HERM-XCE6i86jCGL6Y6EhiO2b_xXVg1zf4Dc2GiKED4aG9n_weP9eKPenkZnAG2rPDUgJ6DT8AKYGjILjOX/s1600/morning+light3R.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AmX-6rwETq1A7GdpAEbjH0MGm17_kQxOgGR8hwEbT6czAAbiMlE2oXgG7HERM-XCE6i86jCGL6Y6EhiO2b_xXVg1zf4Dc2GiKED4aG9n_weP9eKPenkZnAG2rPDUgJ6DT8AKYGjILjOX/s400/morning+light3R.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The day shall not be up so soon as I,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">to try the fair adventure of tomorrow</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>~ William Shakespeare</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJvUbSZMmA0jDM20ZkuAKMriQ7_JimApRsgLZB6gMaVTNVnvdcQs5ihVbcruHN5qEO2O3uuF07kByuVyNapGAvg3jIxj0rcrqve78HoIUA8CPjdjnvyCHqlTkm2bwwXQKSd62DGyo10zpV/s1600/morning+light7R.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJvUbSZMmA0jDM20ZkuAKMriQ7_JimApRsgLZB6gMaVTNVnvdcQs5ihVbcruHN5qEO2O3uuF07kByuVyNapGAvg3jIxj0rcrqve78HoIUA8CPjdjnvyCHqlTkm2bwwXQKSd62DGyo10zpV/s320/morning+light7R.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Lose an hour in the morning</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">and you will be all day hunting for it</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>~ Richard Whately</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQfrLDqvffYOSIrcSlRxwRDGTuqAxCS0GR_0B9DcEC6KSDUkfUTw12X9fntqRwhag393vJoVJxxl4cUicO8dQTBqMJ9GudrakHUnwkQV0W-EoVTTECOxEucm9hYtPEuwpyG-cFtMRvXCV/s1600/morning+light8R.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQfrLDqvffYOSIrcSlRxwRDGTuqAxCS0GR_0B9DcEC6KSDUkfUTw12X9fntqRwhag393vJoVJxxl4cUicO8dQTBqMJ9GudrakHUnwkQV0W-EoVTTECOxEucm9hYtPEuwpyG-cFtMRvXCV/s320/morning+light8R.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Next to temperance, a quiet conscience, a cheerful mind and active habits,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I place early rising as a means of health and happiness</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>~ Flint</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO3C1rsFdeauNnVu_laq6whW72K6cAmPy9cSBDynqFae3Z1Gb1tkUEhd3LTjndIzuqezn8dyIbtxl-ZesIg8F3MSE2Dz0bSD6pHR2JvsanhusYYQfmvVHBew9Jx2oOOSJFS0FnrWmrzZNK/s1600/morning+light11R.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO3C1rsFdeauNnVu_laq6whW72K6cAmPy9cSBDynqFae3Z1Gb1tkUEhd3LTjndIzuqezn8dyIbtxl-ZesIg8F3MSE2Dz0bSD6pHR2JvsanhusYYQfmvVHBew9Jx2oOOSJFS0FnrWmrzZNK/s400/morning+light11R.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>~ Marcus Aurelius</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiisdmRddUrSwUiqZA_5G3Bqc6KlmMTtKka_Balrj8qxUW9p0A4mMS_MVRr5FaIo0HiLZ_6BMnv1mIObnX5Lwq5XDr3dJCSIuY5zZ2lRnI8kL8iHAd9kwnWbAZWVwpvvxGl34hVTDRlcYzd/s1600/morning+light12R2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiisdmRddUrSwUiqZA_5G3Bqc6KlmMTtKka_Balrj8qxUW9p0A4mMS_MVRr5FaIo0HiLZ_6BMnv1mIObnX5Lwq5XDr3dJCSIuY5zZ2lRnI8kL8iHAd9kwnWbAZWVwpvvxGl34hVTDRlcYzd/s400/morning+light12R2.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you -</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Don't go back to sleep...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>~ Rumi</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i></i></span></div>alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-48209010514142926672011-06-10T20:21:00.000+10:002011-06-10T20:21:54.484+10:00Old gold and facades....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQLiQ7kzQUdnkafu5OIiqRgVk22vOoa-SLRs6xIWF3AnLOYzOihiRrkJJaTI-egqB0tqbN0Ts49G9TLq4RE1jh2oFGgogY3knamHfrG5bYB08zsaohDBtD6E3EUpjgnB6P6Mbdje4MVr2/s1600/800px-Edward_Roper_-_Gold_diggings%252C_Ararat%252C_1854.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQLiQ7kzQUdnkafu5OIiqRgVk22vOoa-SLRs6xIWF3AnLOYzOihiRrkJJaTI-egqB0tqbN0Ts49G9TLq4RE1jh2oFGgogY3knamHfrG5bYB08zsaohDBtD6E3EUpjgnB6P6Mbdje4MVr2/s640/800px-Edward_Roper_-_Gold_diggings%252C_Ararat%252C_1854.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">'Gold Diggings' Ararat - Edward Roper 1858</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">When on holiday in April we visited the old gold rush city of Ararat in south-western Victoria. I loved the feel of the place and took several photos of the old buildings. Our friends with us that day also loved it and are presently negotiating to buy an old mansion built in 1903.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Gold was discovered at Ararat in 1857, turning it into a gold rush boomtown. It was officially declared a city in 1950 but the population has steadily declined. Ararat got its name after Mount Ararat, 10km south-west, which was named by Horatio Wills in 1841. Wills, a pastoralist and politician, was one of Ararat's first settlers.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGldZIL7Uz6xajEPoqW8AmT8gHZidbV74bqiG2puPgXVgf8FxTdyOtVG1VqH_1ByRUx5_fKxZDnO8pynpK1vBfBo4yMpn0mlkS-UdNH33v88YUIa-2L5YmTpiTdJWKWf-dhmIySgMsfhdq/s1600/Barkly_St_to_the_Grampians%252C_Ararat%252C_Vic%252C_jjron%252C_12.01.2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGldZIL7Uz6xajEPoqW8AmT8gHZidbV74bqiG2puPgXVgf8FxTdyOtVG1VqH_1ByRUx5_fKxZDnO8pynpK1vBfBo4yMpn0mlkS-UdNH33v88YUIa-2L5YmTpiTdJWKWf-dhmIySgMsfhdq/s400/Barkly_St_to_the_Grampians%252C_Ararat%252C_Vic%252C_jjron%252C_12.01.2011.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Barkly Street looking towards The Grampians</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Image: John O'Neill</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqqrKi_yjx1jlvKX-w_v57lTIi5oGHb3ONL5JL7UwTlYJHmy9TcjffTaqjSgTiOYT_pfhqW1oopQ9AyDl8V0A7DWLVNjT0zjs0oXFGixqMnj8H5DtypG6pdVb_k2OGq0JBpFVbO5yvjz2-/s1600/Barkly_street_ararat_1894.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqqrKi_yjx1jlvKX-w_v57lTIi5oGHb3ONL5JL7UwTlYJHmy9TcjffTaqjSgTiOYT_pfhqW1oopQ9AyDl8V0A7DWLVNjT0zjs0oXFGixqMnj8H5DtypG6pdVb_k2OGq0JBpFVbO5yvjz2-/s640/Barkly_street_ararat_1894.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Upper Barkly Street in 1894</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Fire Brigade tower, since demolished, is the tall building in the distance,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The E.S.&A. (English, Scottish and Australian) Bank</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">and the drapery store are on the right. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoV6v5ZHck52hY_U8WGptgyNMkG1NJuMxWd7t93S5jIG5LUJ_4gwCTaVHBSaNZBi_t9ak5gZaB8Hk2gmpBG7gzqlSFxNEKmKG7f5LHISxFn_UNEuvsREAVDrWU4W3F-vuQkW0uTpX05TYL/s1600/Town+Hall_former.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoV6v5ZHck52hY_U8WGptgyNMkG1NJuMxWd7t93S5jIG5LUJ_4gwCTaVHBSaNZBi_t9ak5gZaB8Hk2gmpBG7gzqlSFxNEKmKG7f5LHISxFn_UNEuvsREAVDrWU4W3F-vuQkW0uTpX05TYL/s400/Town+Hall_former.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Former Town Hall, now the Regional Ararat Art Gallery</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">and Ararat Performing Arts Centre</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggOSyvRctuLCt3FCeVG5MrKUzBUhBehRDpMsEn5T6UEK0hfLF0PmYqMW9ntk91Lx_LRDUOL7c3j1SIxNVpc2IWHUX71VWvVjdYyQCYr3e_q35eR-2ISMytjycC3CXSmpRUipCc2tjg5kv7/s1600/collage2R.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggOSyvRctuLCt3FCeVG5MrKUzBUhBehRDpMsEn5T6UEK0hfLF0PmYqMW9ntk91Lx_LRDUOL7c3j1SIxNVpc2IWHUX71VWvVjdYyQCYr3e_q35eR-2ISMytjycC3CXSmpRUipCc2tjg5kv7/s640/collage2R.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFjRoJ5DCe8fAm_uILxaqtnItbQAphazEbIncAvpEotI_ODvjNESfK_Y8pyPwkrRnB3qt74jWCCjt43xrnv7Eb18oixDFzRh7Vak5UPFq2163UYBkiYyjyRuYmrf-SpID4y6Dawa5brPY/s1600/collage1R.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFjRoJ5DCe8fAm_uILxaqtnItbQAphazEbIncAvpEotI_ODvjNESfK_Y8pyPwkrRnB3qt74jWCCjt43xrnv7Eb18oixDFzRh7Vak5UPFq2163UYBkiYyjyRuYmrf-SpID4y6Dawa5brPY/s640/collage1R.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGzqVpWpDBsU3a_QN8R5G51HV713W_cOsBpnGYGNJmTz6kEjmPU5NO_VhsDfJSS7Za2qJcm6O0gLKTkwOOaK3vcf2SP_xMNkl-S0EeaQQxvoKklEem2sbR-uS4UMCZ7K-Aqr08ZAYZBpj2/s1600/collage3R.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGzqVpWpDBsU3a_QN8R5G51HV713W_cOsBpnGYGNJmTz6kEjmPU5NO_VhsDfJSS7Za2qJcm6O0gLKTkwOOaK3vcf2SP_xMNkl-S0EeaQQxvoKklEem2sbR-uS4UMCZ7K-Aqr08ZAYZBpj2/s640/collage3R.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlLSvKvP4yAfnMc7pQhpY8wkf822jEoR-nmQ_e4gjJRZPaWjwm8a5LFsEP7dVSODgm2y7bkQefa1TcZ3fu7Nx6yWdT0D2asVeYW225Pr3JdA3684f28vOD7jqtbQwa3GpyAcBYzYVlGfc/s1600/collage4R.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlLSvKvP4yAfnMc7pQhpY8wkf822jEoR-nmQ_e4gjJRZPaWjwm8a5LFsEP7dVSODgm2y7bkQefa1TcZ3fu7Nx6yWdT0D2asVeYW225Pr3JdA3684f28vOD7jqtbQwa3GpyAcBYzYVlGfc/s640/collage4R.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-61898689025888607322011-06-04T08:53:00.000+10:002011-06-04T08:53:55.813+10:00Deliverance...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVz0bPqQJKLHp7A1MFZmsgZNGS2hWGainOWw1AFYxAre990FJs6qyJwGnFk4_4E_WKEW6r9J02ZjWnvaj850sre5-GQok-YrYg0mWbUNacJF6aqUQznamReQF5MgL7zpJC8pRGQDXGVM8c/s1600/autumn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVz0bPqQJKLHp7A1MFZmsgZNGS2hWGainOWw1AFYxAre990FJs6qyJwGnFk4_4E_WKEW6r9J02ZjWnvaj850sre5-GQok-YrYg0mWbUNacJF6aqUQznamReQF5MgL7zpJC8pRGQDXGVM8c/s640/autumn.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a2c4c9;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">"When I am attacked by gloomy thoughts, nothing helps me so much as running to my books. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a2c4c9; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">They quickly absorb me and banish the clouds from my mind."</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><b>Michel de Montaigne (Les Essais)</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-10377144648798116462011-06-01T10:43:00.000+10:002011-06-01T10:43:22.500+10:00One White Tree....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBh0Dwj92-Bco1DSQ-VsJawT0Q7pbT-nZsL-C4dn1-wmKpYskma6RWC9FAZOPXGap-0lWjBZg3pQlSoMsTATzM2NyRAMza6SWnYwGBks2MBWxIh7goUrwevxeVXa1_7kP8VcXxLo57wDJ/s1600/TREE2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBh0Dwj92-Bco1DSQ-VsJawT0Q7pbT-nZsL-C4dn1-wmKpYskma6RWC9FAZOPXGap-0lWjBZg3pQlSoMsTATzM2NyRAMza6SWnYwGBks2MBWxIh7goUrwevxeVXa1_7kP8VcXxLo57wDJ/s640/TREE2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://wonderingminstrels.blogspot.com/2000/01/tall-ships-and-tall-kings-j-r-r-tolkien.html">One White Tree</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tall ships and tall kings</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Three times three.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What brought they from the foundered land</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Over the flowing sea?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Seven stars and seven stones</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And one white tree.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i>J.R.R. Tolkien</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i><br />
</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Image: Me</i></b></span></div>alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5977933539325461111.post-19843566276716079682011-05-27T21:23:00.000+10:002011-05-27T21:23:35.853+10:00Melody Gardot - I love this voice....<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5BNcTGU02FU" width="425"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Three days ago Mike and I were sitting</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">in a seafood restaurant in Launceston Tasmania,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">the sun beaming through the windows onto our corner table</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">facing the water, boats drifting slowly by,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">two flies fighting on the window pane,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">the background music not at all </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">imposing,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">until I heard this voice,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">which made the ambiance even more magic.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I asked the waitress who it was singing</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">and she kindly sourced it for me.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Do you likee?</span></div>alaine@éclectiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14367208674281749257noreply@blogger.com17