Sunday, October 25, 2009

What's for Dessert

Chocolate Pancakes with oranges, a dash of Cointreau and icecream

What's been on the Menu 20

Risotto with chicken and two sorts of mushrooms...ordinary fresh & shitake



Lamb Shanks with mashed carrot/parsnip and leek.


Roast Pork and Peas

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Tree Dreaming

I wrote a Poem

I don't know why. It just came to me one day while I was at work sitting at my computer.

Now that the pressure is off about Callignee I was day dreaming (as you do) about the wonderful times we had there and this just poured out.

At first I thought it was just going to be something written down, but then the rhyme and rhythm sort of happened. Year 12 English at school many years ago must have lingered in this brain.



Tree Dreaming

I used to dream of trees and ferns and streams
A small house on a few acres, mainly green in my eyes
Far enough away from trouble and rush
To settle
To make friends with birds and native animals
To embrace the wilderness and the bush

It did happen and so beautiful
I was stopped in my tracks and had to sit
Amazed and admiring the stillness and hush
To breath
To appreciate the undisturbed tranquility
The gentle muted colours of the bush

I had to let it go in my mind
It is no longer there to marvel in awe at sounds not heard before
The fiery tongues came to crush
To destroy
To terrify with an urge so strong to flee
To create black of the surrounding bush

COH 2009

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Moving On

After an incredibly trying year of bushfires, house and employment moves I am happy to say that finally our house at Callignee is sold.

Even that wasn't without it's final upset of a weeks extension to the financial clause in the Contract of Sale, but now, yes it's SOLD.
It was the 2nd time it had been sold .....the first falling through after 2 long months due to the buyer being unable to get his finance. The house was also supposedly rented at one stage with the prospective tenants pulling out 3 days before they were due to move in. Meanwhile we had moved out all our furniture.

Did I say a trying year. Yes it's been quite a year.

There are many who perhaps think we should have stayed at Callignee and seen the return of the trees and bush. To have repaired the charred gardens, but for me it would have been torture as I no longer "love it" there....it's barren and cold where once it was green, bright and vibrant.


Just compare the vibracy between these two before and after photos.




The house does not have sloping walls, they are a result of the wide angle lens on my camera


See what I mean


I do realise many people were affected by the bushfires far greater than we were and my heart goes out to them. Their year would have been worse than ours and I do respect that.

Monday, October 5, 2009

What's Blooming

This wonderful Moth Orchid was given to me early last year by my dear friend H. She will be pleased to see it blooming again after another cold old Melbourne winter.

It must like it's cosy spot at a north facing window.





Whats been on the Menu 19

We went to a birthday party for Sunday Lunch.
It's probably old hat... but I hadn't seen this edible photo printed onto a celebration cake before ...Great Idea.

The meal below we had last week...one of our stir fries but this time with Chinese mushrooms which makes all the difference


Below: Snacks on Grand Final day. Go Cats


Below: Platter at the lunchtime birthday restaurant.

Below: Lunch Al Fresco at Gipsy. Wonderful Food...The soup was divine (forgot to get a photo but I'm going back there on Friday just for the soup again)

Where are we?

Callignee is situated in the foothills of the Strezlecki 's in Gippsland, Victoria.