OLEANDERS

My Favourite trees are ' Willow Trees "and  "Oleanders "

Some people call Oleanders Shrubs

My Oleanders flower 8 months of the year, and are green all year round

The frost doesn't damage them, or the supreme heat

To-day it is 38% , and my white, cream and pale pink Oleanders look so cool

I use them as backdrops,or just a specimon tree

I also have them in pots ( I love the red one )

5 of them I have topiared, so that I can grow flowers underneath

Poisoners   ? Yes, the sap is especially poisoness if eaten But oleanders have been grown all around the world, and there has been only a few fatalitys
In fact, the sap from the azalea, and rhodedendron are poisoness
Azaleas -  Roman soldiers were poisoned from honey like sap of azalea pontic
Rhododendrons - Thier poisonos compound is Actylandromdal found in the nectar and produces
depressions of blood pressure, shock, and finally death

"Interesting Fact "
Oleanders are the official flower of Hiroshima, having been the first to bloom following the atomic
bombing of the city in 1945

2 Special Items I Found for my Garden

I just love this old Childrens Bicycle                              It.s so cute and looks great in my garden

I found my other find in a shop called" Cheap as Chips"

I just knew I had to have him 

To me, he looked like the extinct Dodo Bird, but I think he is supposed to be a Pelican

But  I call him "Dodo "

My Hollyhocks

I have not written a blog for so long,, I had to think how to do it

I love my holly hocks so much, and have taken lots of photos 

I really thought they were an English cottage plant, but the experts say they are native to Europe and Asia

They also say they come from the Holy Land --hence - holy hoc

All I know they are in my Garden The seeds drop, and they just come up every year like proud soldiers

My  tallest Hollyhock

   

I found this beautiful poem and hope you like it

HOLLYHOCKS

Old fashioned flowers, I love them all

the Morning Glory's on the wall

The pansies in their patch of shade,

The violets stolen from the glade

Have long been garden friends of mine,

But memories of every Summer flocks

about a clump of Hollyhocks

My mother loved them years ago

Beside the fence they used to grow

and though the garden changed each year

and certain blooms would disappear

to give them places in the ground

To something new that Mother found

Some pretty bloom or rose bush rare -

The Hollyhocks were always there

It seems but yesterday to me

She led me down the yard to see

The first tall spires, with blooms aflame

And taught me to pronounce their name

And year by year I watched them grow

The first flowers I had come to know

And with my Mother dear I'd yearn

To see the Hollyhocks return

The garden of my boyhood days

With Hollyhocks was kept ablaze;

In all my recollections they,

in friendly columns nod and sway,

And when to-day their blooms I see

Always I know Mother smiles at me

The minds bright chamber,s life unlocks

Each summer with the Hollyhocks

Poem by --   Edgar A  Guest

 My bright Red Hollyhocks   match my Christmas decorations

The dark red ( nearly black ) growing through my Christmas Tree

( just pretend the hose and shovel isn't there )

 

FINDING THRIFT SHOPS, (CHINA FOR MY CHRISTMAS BOLLARD, FOOTY BOOTS FOR MY SMALL GRANDSON AND SOME GREAT CUSHIONS )

I found many treasures in the THRIFT ( OP SHOPS )

Firstly; l was after more Christmas china for my Mosaic Bollard and that is a pretty hard task in March

But l did find 2 large red plates and some Christmas mugs (below )

Also my 6 year old grandson Jakob, wanted some football boots for his 1st Auskick Practice

Footy boots are soooo expensive 

l couldn't believe it, a pair of small footy boots were just sitting there, waiting to be bought.

ln perfect condition,and they are Nikes -- the cost $1 -

Also, l found a little pony for his little sister Sarah for $1.50, and some red cushion covers for myself, never been used.

The 2 little ones were $2.50 each and the bigger ones $5.- each, ( the inserts not included  )

What is it they say? " One persons trash is another persons treasure "

MY PINK CHANDELIER.

I have had so many long ,loooong, blogs with heaps of photos lately,

l decided to have a nice little short one.

Have you ever seen a pink chandelier?

Well l have, because l have one

Isn't it just beautiful, its just so cute and not really large .

l had looked at it so many times in the store, thinking what a dream ( a $400 dream )

Then voila !--- SALE TIME   25%  OFF---

It's MINE.

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS FOR THE GARDEN

Our garden is of great importance this year

as we have a  lot happening !

0ur son is 40 in March, no fuss for Kyle he just wants a family B.B.Q.
So the garden is the start of our New Years Resolutions

My hubby and l have a very special anniversary coming in October

We have decided to have an open day in our garden, from 10 am, until 4 pm

As we have lived here practically all our lives, and  know so many people, and have so many relations, l think, that will be the easiest way. Just eat, drink and be merry all day.

Then on November 24th, our son Jody is marrying his lovely Sonia, the garden has to look great for that special day

No 1,  This is a strange photo, it looks as if it only has 1 wall !

A new roof is needed, definitely a new thatch job.
The magpie bird fell through it last week

2 - This section with the pink seat will look very different.

A large mosaic will be across the back fence (hopefully) in pale pink pastel colours, not my usual bright colours.

3 - And the white bed heads above, my husband will be turning into seats to put there.

This red seat is an easy one. It will be painted a dark aqua to go in the pool beachy area.

 My 2 window boxes will be mosaic'd with shells l have collected

l found this wooden table at a garage sale, the ceramic top fitted perfectly over the top.

l had the tiles left over from the patio we have just completed, so, the table is 1/2 finished

NOW

The Music Room ?

This will be a huge job. The room is 20 ft. - 18 ft.

We already have a lot to start with, as my husband used to do the breakfast show on the radio.

And of course he used to play a lot of 60s music, and has 1000,s of C.D.'s

 What would a 1960,s  music room be like without Marilyn or Elvis ?

l bought hubby this antique drum kit many moons ago
l know its not the 60s, its from the 1940's and was played during the war years
But this is a music room renovation !

Some of his collectible,  musical instruments.

l know Americans are very patriotic,but here in Australia we can be too.

This large flag covers 1/2 the roof.

What we need now is a jute box, and red bench seats like in our era, or, 

Ritchie Cunninghams " Happy Days "

l could go on with a lot of other things like the house trim needs painting, etc. but they are boring things, and have to be done anyway.

Time to make a start ----

THE BEST CHAIR TO SIT ON -- OR MAYBE JUST TO ADMIRE IT ?

A nice chair can really give character to a room.

(More magazine pages l have saved ) 

Well would you like to look at them ?

l think we will start with a beachy chair, l can sit on this one and pretend that l'm down by the beach.

l have just collected some seashells,  and l can feel the sea breeze on my face

.

BATHROOM RENOVATION -Gathering ldeas

We are about to have a makeover in our 2 bathrooms. Definitely  2 Beachy themes !

 l have collected many bits and pieces, -and we have bought the paint, so we are ready to start - l will keep you informed as we progress with our makeover.

My mother bought me the statues of the 2 little people above, l just love them.

l  HAVE JUST REALIZED THIS IS MY 100th BLOG (STORY )

The wooden fish my niece Nicole made for me, and the string of shells my little granddaughter Caitlyn made for me ( many, many, years ago )- the little antique ship plate below is very old.
    

Curtains for the 2 small windows ------------A ship painting l wasn't happy with, so l sought of sabotaged it
l'm never happy with my paintings ,l don't think l have painted the ship in proportion.So, l have added shells l had collected as a child, ropes, and 60 year old drink stirrers ( marlin fish etc. )