Reflection

Reflecting on activities over the past week. 1 - The wheels just came off ;-) 2 - Sometimes a burger is just the right meal. This was served with the best chips EVER. 3 - One of my favourite shops, Le Château. 4 - Exhibition at Wits Art Museum. 5 - Enjoying the sunset with my dogs. 6 - On the Gautrain to Pretoria. 7 - Home by bus, in the rain. 8 - It looks so pretty, all these seedlings, you think, but they are all weeds. Argh!

Book club for 1

Books I have read over the past 2 months.

It's Halloween! Am I scary enough?

Personalised gift bags

At work we are making up gift bags for Christmas for the kids at the Children's Home. We bought some cheap paper bags so we would have more money for presents. We then each took a few and decorated them. These are my decorated bags.

Summer palette 2013

Lunch at Rosemary Hill

On Monday I spent the day with Odette and Ashleigh – so lovely to see them again. We had lunch at Rosemary Hill and walked their maze. Thanks Odette for a lovely day.

Street Art Exhibition 2013

The artist Veronika's work was awesome!

Dinner by candlelight

4 of 1000 drawings

So these are my four entires. Two of which you've seen already.No, it's so not about entering your best drawing and winning, its participating in an event that generates monies for charity.
If it were a drawing competition I would not be entering ;-) http://www.1000drawings.co.za

He loves me, he loves me not

Using the ring pull off the cans you can make the loveliest flowers.

Canna do a swirl and twirl

Although I don't particularly like these plants I marvel at the designs of nature.

Fleischsalat und Vollkornbrot

Another step back in time and into my mother's kitchen. My mother would make this on a summer's day for lunch, with Krautsalat. Or Krautsalat und Bockwurst, mit senf. Schmeckt gut!

Yarn Bomb 2014

My effort is but a drop in the ocean, but ever square makes a difference. I made 24 squares and posted them off this morning. I started making the squares with the heart because I didn't know how to make the square where you crochet round and round. I really wanted to try one so I found a visible on the internet and copied it. They are not perfect but I'm getting better at it ;-)
The Yarn bomb 2014 is a project where they want to yarn bomb the steps of the Voortrekker Monument next year during the Yarn Indaba. Afterwards the squares are given to charity for blankets.
https://www.facebook.com/YarnIndaba2014?hc_location=stream

Purple trees everywhere

It's Jacaranda season again. They're so pretty.

2 of 1000 drawings

Ha, ha, no, I am not doing 1000 drawings. I'm entering some drawings into the 1000 Drawings event. These are the first two, I think I'll do 2 more. I've had these die-cut boards for the past year and at last found a use for them. http://www.1000drawings.co.za

Lunch time treat – frozen yoghurt

Green tomatoes

I planted seedlings earlier this summer.
I hope I get to eat them when they ripen, and not the birds.

Oh, what I wouldn't give for a plate of fried green tomatoes like we used to have at the cafe. Ooh! from Fried Green Tomatoes

Paper Protea - improved

Eventually I found a reference for the paper protea - see earlier post - and so discovered what was missing from the one I made up. As Matthew said: Now it looks like a protea.

I have added a tutorial on how to fold this protea. You will find it on: http://journeyalonganordinarylife.blogspot.com/2014/12/how-to-make-paper-protea_18.html

Land regen

Land regen = german: land rain. Soft, invisible rain that drenched the earth. Thank you.

Savoury scones

These savoury scones are best cut open, spread with butter and stuffed with cheese.

Dress up that garlic bread. Yum!

Beef stir fry phyllo parcels

So, just make the stir fry as you normally would, allow it to cool slightly. Cut the phyllo pastry into square, using 4 sheets at a time push into large muffin tin cavities. Scoop a generous amount of the stir fry into each parcel, add a piece a camembert on top for some extra richness and flavour. Close the parcel by gathering the corners of the phyllo squares in the middle and forcing them together without tearing the phyllo. I don't brush the sheets of phyllo with butter and everything still turns out alright. Bake until the phyllo pastry is golden brown, consult the instructions on pack. Serve with a salad or not. Enjoy.

Where is my blankie?

I made these blankies for the girls. They have already seen the work in progress and have approved ;-)

Paper Protea

I saw a wonderful paper protea in a shop but is was so dear. I told the guy, no thanks I would make my own. I didn't have a reference so I had to work from memory. I'm sure the next one will look better.
I bought a bundle of Mills&Boons, don't laugh, they're the cheapest. Please, you don't have to read it first, in fact, as you're folding the pages you get the gist of the story ;-)

News about the sunbird

Well, the little sunbird seems to be happy. No amount of wind and rain seems to harm this straggly nest.

This can't be right?

Snippets

Fly away for an adventure

I bought this plane for Michael's birthday from the guy at the edge of Victory Park. They're gorgeous, I think I'll get another one. Michael was playing with it and said the pilot was flying over the sea.

Photo shoot

While on the city sightseeing bus we drove past these models and photographer getting set up for a shoot. Braamfontein.

Cross the bridge when you get to it

Nelson Mandela Bridge, Braamfontein

What the tourist saw

Still on the Johannesburg hop-on hop-off bus.

Some words and numbers

Inner city

Carlton Hotel

The Carlton Hotel was a real wow, many, many decades ago. I remember we could only afford the Three Ships restaurant during its monthly set menu, set price special. My older brother and I used to meet at the ground level restaurant once a week, when we were both living in Johannesburg. They served the best Welsh Rarebit, yum, we're order it week after week. Unfortunately I can't remember the restaurant's name. But I remember my brother's name ;-)

From the 50th floor

From the 50th floor of the Carlton Centre. Last time I was up here I was still at school and it was a Sunday afternoon outing with my parents.