THE 31st OCTOBER--HALLOWEEN -- Trick or Treat

Yes it's Halloween - l would love to be in America right now.

In Australia we do not celebrate Halloween in a big way, although like Valentines Day it's starting to become

popular.

Halloween - we are having a Halloween  feast  at our Ceramics Class. Shirly looks great.

I just had to make these cakes, my grandchildren loved them, the little girls squealing of course.

Although a few years ago, my little grandson Isaac frightened himself just looking in the mirror

Also watching Brant and Alexandra who did look very scary didn't help, but after trick and treats, he changed his mind happily coming back with all his goodies..

These are healthy murderous apples apples, so simple to make,-- to make them look like poisonous apples,  dip the pointy almond teeth into food gel to make it look like dripping blood.

Freaky Friezes - Photocopy the cat and mouse critters, enlarge to the desired size and transfer onto black cardstock , then cut out and fit along skirting boards and stair landings with Blu Tack.

These ideas and recipes are from my favourite magazine, that l buy monthly "Better Homes and Gardens"

This next recipe l would just love to serve to my family and guests..

Called "Gingerbread and Chocolate Mousse Graves"

CHOCOLATE  MOUSSE

200g dark chocolate, chopped

1 tablespoon golden syrup

3 eggs, separated

1 tablespoon of dark brown sugar ---1 cup of thickened cream.

(Drinking chocolate and sugar flowers for decoration.)

1/-place chocolate and golden syrup in heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth.Allow to cool slightly.

2/-Beat egg whites in a separate bowl with an electric mixer ( or  beater ) until soft peaks form. Add dark brown sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.Set aside.

3/- Stir egg yolks into melted chocolate mixture.

4/ - Beat cream until soft peaks form. Carefully fold through chocolate mixture

5/ - Fold through egg whites. Spoon into small latte glasses. and refrigerate for 1 hour until set

GINGERBREAD

125g of butter at room temperature

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/3 cup treacle 

1 egg yolk

2 @ 1/2 cups plain flour

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon of mixed spice

1 teaspoon bi-carb soda

1 - To make gingerbread, pre-heat oven to 180 C (160 C fan-forced). Line 3 oven trays with baking paper

2- Beat butter and brown sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add egg yolk and beat until combined. Sift the flour, ginger, mixed spice and .bi-carb soda and mix to a dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.

3- Roll dough between 2 sheets of baking paper to 5mm thickness.Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Cut dough into 6cm - 4cm  rectangles Round corners of 1 end to create a gravestone shape. Space 5cm apart on trays. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 8-10 minutes or until browned. Cool on trays. Once cool, decorate with writing gel.

Sprinkle mousses with drinking chocolate for gravel, sugar flowers and press in gingerbread gravestones.

BABY ELEPHANT and many Elephant facts

lsn't he just the cutest happy little Elephant
ELEPHANT  FACTS ---

Elephants can live up to the age of 70 years or more.

Elephants have a slower pulse of 27, and for a canary it is 1000.

The African and Asian  Elephants are the only 2 surviving species of what was in prehistoric times a populous group of large mammals.

Only 1 mammal can't jump and thats the elephant.

Elephants have been known to learn up to 60 commands. They have a great memory

An elephant poops about 80 pounds a day.

Elephants love water and they are excellent swimmers..

When elephants travel, they walk very quietly behind each other in single file the baby elephants hanging on to the tail in front. The whole herd protects the young elephants

Elephants purr like cats do, as a means of communication.

A male elephant mates with a female elephant at about 20 years of age.Before mating a male elephant secretes a strong smelling urine which attracts compatible females. Sometimes they communicate with a rumbling sound for mating.

An elephant takes 22 months to have their baby

An elephants tooth can weigh as much as 3 kilograms
.

Elephants can weigh as much as a school bus, approx. 10,000pounds.

Elephants often rest by raising 1 foot and crossing it behind another

Elephants sleep standing up but sometimes the baby elephants lie down

Elephant herds are matriarchal in nature, i.e. they are headed by a female, usually the largest and heaviest of the group.

The African are the largest of Earths land mammals. Their enormous ears help to keep them cool in the hot African Climate.

WELL I THINK THAT"S THE END OF THE ELEPHANTS STORY.

but they really do fascinate me as they do most people.

.

OPEN GARDENS

To - day was just a perfect day for a garden walk.

Spring is a such a great month, October is the month for open garden walks, and to-days was a charity walk for cancer.

Although seeing these beautiful gardens, it puts so many thoughts into my head that l want to change a few things around, or start a new section.

The first garden l went to was a work of art, with the crisscrossed jasmine creeper,featuring  the large water feature in front with water spilling down from the large lotus flower.

Can you see the mirrored gate in the back ground? . l didn't notice it until l seen my self in the mirror.

The fish looked very happy in their fish pool. The pond extended to a dry creek bed right through to the back of the garden.

The second garden l think l talked too much and only took a couple of photo's.

But the photo's l did take were beautiful, a large dam , like a lake with glorious large dark pink water lilies.

Also a fenced jetty built over the water, leading to a gezebo complete with a table and chairs.

Such a lovely place to relax


 
Last week we visited 4 spectacular gardens in Benalla, but l am afraid l didn't take many photos as the battery went flat

l think my next blog (story ) l will have a garden walk around my own garden.

 

A FAVOURITE PHOTO

Do you have a favourite photo?

This is one of my favourite photos.Why ?

l can think of many reasons ,l am with 2 of my cousins, l have many cousins, and so many memories are on this beautiful beach.

We are so warm and cosy in our pyjamas looking out to sea, postponing bedtime.

l also love this photo because it is not posed and so natural.

l think l will call this photo "innocence,"an old photo taken in the 1950's

SPIDERS and SPIDER WEBS -a mystic wonder, a work of art.

Spider webs fascinate me.

l have taken heaps of photo's of their delicately spun webs. How do they do it and so quickly.

l recently visited my friend Cheryl and took some photo's of a web that shimmered gold in the sunlight . lt was definitely gold.

Spider webs have existed for 140 million years,as witnessed in a rare find of Early Cretaceous amber from Sussex, Southern England.

A spiders web is - Silk -built by the spider extruded from it's spinnerets glands located at the tip of the abdomen ( called proteinaceous spider silk )

Spiders use different gland types to produce different silks, and some spiders are capable of producing 8 different silks during their lifetime.

l now have a new outlook  on these clever creatures, but will l kill the next one l see?
Yes ! especially if its our Aussie Red Back or the White Tail Spider.

RED ROSES for SPECIAL FRIENDS

It's 2 special friends birthdays to-day.

As l like bright colours,   l wrapped their presents in bright yellow paper.

Over the last 30 years we have always given each other a flower, or a bunch of flowers.

Time to check out my garden, October is a lovely time to have a birthday, and as we have a cottage garden their is a lot of flowers to choose from.- But l was just drawn to these perfectly formed dark red rose buds

l couldn't believe that  their were 2 of them exactly the same, and l know they weren't out yesterday

 The photo below is of  lneka and Edie, and even though Edie is 85 she is just as young as we are.

Actually their are 6 of us freinds that have been meeting for the last 30 years.

2 birthdays in January and February, so we share that day, 2 in May and June that we share, and of course the 2 in October.

Sometimes the husbands are very privileged to be asked!. We do all get together at Christmas time of course.

A Time of sharing with special freinds,a lovely meal and the opening of gifts

OUR BOOK and an INVITATION

To-day we went to Melbourne to pick up 300 books !

In previous blogs ( story's ) l have mentioned my husbands book that he wrote ( his memoirs) called
" A Small Boy From Italy "

l have also featured some extracts from his book amongst my blogs
As our Ist order of 200 sold out so quickly, we ordered another 300

His book has been so popular, he was asked to be a special guest at the Museum
The other special guests on the day, were the President and the Secretary of the " Royal Historical Society of  Victoria ".
They asked my hubby if he would like to enter the " Victorian Community Awards Competition for the
Year 2011 ".-So we did, sending his book down to be judged along with the application form

But getting back to the book delivery of our 300 books, they were delivered to our daughter and grand  childrens home, so that was double the excitement, as we would be spending  the day with them also.

After a lovely roast lunch and lots of laughs we loaded our books and drove home.

Upon arriving home we checked the mailbox, and noticed we had an invitation,
An official invitation to "PARLIAMENT HOUSE " In Melbourne in The Queens Room
for Afternoon tea -High Tea

The special occasion being " The Ceremony and Presentation of the Winners of 2011  Historian  Book  Awards. "

This probably doesn't mean we have won anything. Just the honour of all the entrants being invited to this special place, is a memory to keep.
We have to dress formal, and upon arrival we have to be scanned, as well as our bags before we enter. the building

l hope we will be allowed to take photos at this beautiful place, l'll have to buy a new dress. !

But really we can't help wondering if we have won something.
The main prize being $5000 and another 4 prizes of $2,000.
l shall keep you informed !.

SUTTER'S GOLD - our 1st rose to bloom

Our roses are all in bud, l just love this time of the year.

What a beautiful morning, l walked around the garden, now so green and springing into life.

In amongst the greenery were 3 perfect little gold rose buds.

As we were having visitors for morning tea l picked them for a table centre piece.

The perfume is beautiful, and l think it is named perfectly.

'' Sutters Gold ''

AT LAST I OWN MONOPOLY -a vintage monopoly set

My 2nd, October Antique Find - a genuine, nostalgic Monopoly Set, filling my mind with wonderful, happy memories of my childhood.
l would play for hours with my family or, my cousins.

This old game l found was in pounds not dollars of course--. l bought my antique buy for $5 - but l believe the game bought new, is now $70 - A family gathering coming up ---!. Thank God football has just finished,

Did you know that Monopoly is the most played board game in the world.
To date it has been estimated that over 750 million people have played it,--  no wonder it is the best selling board game in the world.
Since 1935 we have been playing this classic game.

MY LITTLE PINK GLASS LAMP - to-days antique find

l went down to our little antique shop to-day, l have managed to stay away for 3 weeks.

What did l find,? many, many, things, but l will start off with my little pink glass lamp.

lsn't it gorgeous ,in fact l have it's mummy as you can see by the photo. ' l have had this lamp for over 20 years

Can you see the little dimples in the pretty pink glass My little lamp is a deeper pink than the bigger lamp

Lamps fascinate me,(but then a lot of things fascinate me ).

l have a big problem!
These are some of my lamps, the 1st clear glass lamp is from the 1940's but the other lamps are modern.

This lovely pale green and cream, fairly large lamp is made of tin.

l was given this deep pink lamp and my daughter put the trimming around the edge.

l call this lamp my fluffy lamp - palest green and white with soft white pompom feathers.This lamp is beautifully made and cost many dollars.

l loved this pink lamp, and it matches so well in our bedroom, with my painting and camellia's.