Spider Web, Chickens, and My New Ramp!

 While sitting in the sun one day, I spotted this spider web shining in the sun.  No idea where the spider was, and that's ok by me!

Above and below are before and after shots of my front steps.  I can no longer get up and down steps, so this ramp makes it so much easier and less painful now.  There is also a small ramp from on the step right at the front door.   

I see the Orthopaedic surgeon tomorrow to see about a hip replacement.  It's only three steps at my front door, but it had become too painful and unsafe for me to get up and down. The ramp makes it SO much easier and less painful. "Bella-Rosa" likes the new ramp too!  

This photo of the hen and chickens was taken awhile ago when I was at Titirangi Village. For as long as I can remember there have been chickens and roosters roaming around.  They cross the road - which is a busy road - and wander through the bush.  You will often see them either int he bush or wandering up   

the footpath.  No-one seems to own them (or admits to owning them) and they have been there for many years.  I took this photo with my mobile phone.  Some of the roosters are quite tame and I have been able to hand feed some on them.  I hold my breath when I see them crossing the (very busy) road! 

I saw this "Green Chilly" plant for sale while I was out one day...someone can't spell!  And no, it wasn't a "chilly" day, it was hot and sunny that day!  Thanks for dropping by, {HUGS} from me to YOU:-)

Bubble Image and Other Stuff!

Here's a photo I took of a bubble which had landed on the ground.  I could see it had the reflection on the lady who had been making the bubbles.  I thought it looked great!  

These are some photos I took of Westhaven Marina, which is right next to downtown Auckland City. 

Above is the walkway I had walked along to take these photo's.  To get to the top of the walkway I used the elevator...too many stairs form me an my painful hip! 

Another view of the Marina.  Such a gojuss sunny day that day...unlike today's cold, windy and wet weather! 

And here is Mr (or Mrs?!) Seagull enjoying a swim in the pond!  He made a bit of a splash as I was taking the photo!

I like the circles of water around him (her?!) in this photo.  There was this big pond which was only a few inches deep, as well as Seagulls swimming in it some small (supervised) children were having a great time in it too!  Oh for those long hot days of summer..!

And here is my gorjuss "Bella-Rosa" in her little pink fluffy bed!  Just to the left of her, and out of the picture, is "Romeo-Valentino's" mocha coloured bed, the same as hers.  He was not in his bed when I took this photo so that's why I cropped it out of the photo. "Miss BR" has her bed on my bed at night and sleeps there all night! 

Thanks for dropping by, enjoy your day!

{HUGS} from me to YOU:-)

Wheels Out West Fun Day Plus Cards!

 These photos are from a small Transport show that was held at a local shopping center recently.  These two photos are of some huge bubbles made with big loops of rope.  

There was lots of things for the kids to do - big and small kids!  These cars were very popular and looked like fun! 

The red car below was a huge blow up car that had a slide inside it for the kids to slide down.  I wonder how long it took to blow it up?! 

Below is one of the bicycles on display. 

This red one below fascinated me!  It was once used by the Fire Brigade many years ago

I wonder how long it took them to get to the fire on one of these?!  So glad they have proper fire engines these days!

 This is a close up of the fire hose on the bike above.  

Below is one of the huge bubbles that has burst and landed on the ground. 

 Two girls enjoying the ride on the mini cars!

 Below is an old Penny Farthing bike, and a smaller version in front of it.

Here's a side on view of that huge blow up car (below).  I was unable to take a photo of the kids sliding down the inside of it because the barrier in front was taller than I am!

Someone enjoying the huge bubbles! 

 I was tempted!!

 This is are some of the cards I made recently.

Thank you for dropping by, enjoy your day! 

{HUGS} from me to YOU:-)

ARTFULL CRAFTS IS COMING TO AUCKLAND THIS WEEKEND!!

Woohoo!!  Artfull Crafts (my fave place to shop!) is coming to Auckland this weekend!!  May 20 -21.   You gotta be there for some awesome craft deals, and a whole lotta fun!
They have packed up their craft goodies and are travelling all the way from down south in Timaru.  Make sure you don't miss out some fabulous craft deals!  See you there!  Over an our by bus for me to get there but soooooooo worth it!

Just a reminder that we are coming to Auckland this weekend! We are teaming up with Scrapaholics to run classes, demos and give you a great opportunity for shopping. Come to the Auckland Veteran and Vintage Car Club, 39 Fairfax Avenue, Penrose, Auckland from 9am - 4pm Saturday and Sunday. Free entry. We'll have Eftpos and cash facilities available.

Sorry I haven't posted anything for awhile, my camera cable is broken and I am just waiting on a replacement.  I have stuff to post when the cable arrives!

An Un-named Cat And A Yummy Recipe!

 I recently received a box in the mail, filled with all kinds of goodies, sent from Lorraine M in NJ!  (Thank you Lorraine!) These 5x3 cards were one of the items in the box - the rest of the goodies I will share with you later.  The cards are lined on one side and I chose to draw on the blank side.

I have yet to name the cat, but she is kind and wise.  She is full of wisdom for living a happy peaceful life!

I saw a similar looking cat somewhere on the internet and decided to draw my own.  Once I have drawn each cat I laminate the card.  I observe my own two Purritos for inspiration and then draw my perception.  

So far, as of today, I have drawn 23 of these cats.  As I do more I will post them.   Okay, now here's a recipe I came across and liked!  It is for Caramel Custard and it is very quick and easy.  This is a microwave recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons of custard powder
1/2 a cup of lightly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons of butter or margarine
1 cup of milk
1 egg.

Mix the custard powder and sugar in a microwaveable bowl/jug.
Add the milk and stir well.
Place in microwave for four minutes.
At the TWO minute mark, take the jug/bowl 
out and add the butter and the egg.  Mix well with a whisk.

Continue to cook in microwave for another TWO minutes.

When the two minutes is up take the bowl out and whisk well.

Serve with ice cream or fresh fruit.

Yumm!  I just made some of this before blogging and it is soooo yummy!  I didn't pack the brown sugar down too much as the custard is fairly sweet.

Enjoy and thank you for dropping by today!  I have been back in hospital again the other day so I am just taking life easy for now.  Once I feel better I can get back into card making.  For now I am enjoying drawing my cat!
{HUGS} from me to YOU:-

West Auckland Major Flooding. 12-3-2017

"Dangerous Dave"!

On Sunday we had major  flooding here and in local areas. Within a very short space of time, my garage, driveway, carport and under the house was 10 inches deep in water. Flooding closed my road and others close by were all flooded and no traffic could get through.
Above is "Dangerous Dave", so he told me! He was one of the many clean-up people cleaning up after the flood.  I told him I would make him "famous" by putting his photo on my blog!  So here he is!  I just hope I got his name right because I was in shock by what I had just seen with the floods etc that I'm not 100% sure that is who he said he was!

Above is the huge machine he was driving to get rid of silt and mud.  Well, I think that's what he was doing?!

Above is a photo from yesterday when everything was flooded.  A huge chunk of the footpath has fallen away, exposing under ground pipes etc.  Below is a photo I took today when  the water had subsided.

It's a big deep hole and the footpath will be out of use for some time.

Below is the creek that is flooded and is normally about 30 feet BELOW this level and about 2 foot wide and the same deep!  This is just below the footpath level in this photo! Scary stuff.

There is a large chunk of footpath (below) that has been washed out by the deluge of rain we had, plus the fact that the creek flooded across the road.  In places it was about 3 foot deep.  I just wonder how safe the road and footpath after the foods.  Big chunks of the pavement have been broken and shifted around.  

Below is a big pile of crushed sea shell that was once on a pathway that run beside a large building.  It was all over the foot path as well as the road.

 This is the machine that "Dangerous Dave" was loading onto his truck.  I was most impressed with the precision in which  he manouvered the machine onto the truck with the wheels in the EXACT place so the machine didn't tip off the edge!

I am a huge fan of "Outback Truckers" on TV and am amazed at how those guys load huge machines onto their trucks with just a millimeter to spare.

This is a local park which was also flooded on Sunday.  The photo above shows where the path (beside the wooden seat) disappears into the water!  The path is under about 3 feet of water now.

The photo below should be covered in grass, not three feet of muddy brown water.  The path that disappeared under the water used to go across where the water is and through the bush in the center of this photo.

This is another [art of the huge lake that has appeared.  The ducks and the frogs are enjoying it, that's for sure!  The frogs were so loud I thought it was a chainsaw!  Two weeks ago the usual ONE  pond that is here, was dry.  Hard to believe when you see it now.

Ok that's all for today.  Thanks for dropping by!  {HUGS} from me to YOU:-)