Weekend Reflections

it's time to share a reflections pic - I have been in such a reflective mood over Christmas - I miss my Dad and I miss my friends who are interstate which means I don't get to see them as often as I would like :(

Taken inside Q1 looking out over the Gold Coast

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.

Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Christmas Mars Bar Slice

My one little bit of cooking I have done in preparation of Christmas :)

Christmas Mars Bar Slice

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.

Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Black & White Challenge - Final Day

There is a Black & White Challenge going on over on Facebook - The idea is, you are requested to post a black & white photo each day for 5 days, and you are requested to nominate another person to do the same - all just a bit of fun :)

Several members of my Camera Club are partaking :)  ofcourse, it was only a matter of a few days and I got nominated :)

So here is my final photo

delicate hibiscus

The above photo was taken in my Dad's garden on one of our Birthday Lunch visits - for my Birthday :)

I hope you have enjoyed my series of black and white photos

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.

Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Black & White Challenge - Day 4 of 5

There is a Black & White Challenge going on over on Facebook - The idea is, you are requested to post a black & white photo each day for 5 days, and you are requested to nominate another person to do the same - all just a bit of fun :)

Several members of my Camera Club are partaking :)  ofcourse, it was only a matter of a few days and I got nominated :)

So here is my fourth photo

Waterdroplets

The above photo was taken in my garden.

Stay tuned for the final black and white photo.

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.

Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Black & White Challenge - Day 3 of 5

There is a Black & White Challenge going on over on Facebook - The idea is, you are requested to post a black & white photo each day for 5 days, and you are requested to nominate another person to do the same - all just a bit of fun :)

Several members of my Camera Club are partaking :)  ofcourse, it was only a matter of a few days and I got nominated :)

So here is my third photo

The above photo was taken on my first Camera Club Snapathon in 2012 - where you go out to a designated area, and find 5 specific things to photograph - a bit like a scanvenger hunt, but with photos.  Our club has had a Snapathon every year, and I am hoping 2015 will be no exception!

Stay tuned for the next black and white photo.

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.

Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Black & White Challenge - Day 2 of 5

There is a Black & White Challenge going on over on Facebook - The idea is, you are requested to post a black & white photo each day for 5 days, and you are requested to nominate another person to do the same - all just a bit of fun :)

Several members of my Camera Club are partaking :)  ofcourse, it was only a matter of a few days and I got nominated :)

So here is my second photo

The above photo was taken on Christmas Day :)  This is my niece's dog - he looked so sad behind the fence .......... he just wanted to come out and play with everyone, but there were quite a few little children around and he was a very excitable dog :)  so for safety, he was behind the fence :(

Stay tuned for the next black and white photo.

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.

Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Black & White Challenge - Day 1 of 5

There is a Black & White Challenge going on over on Facebook - The idea is, you are requested to post a black & white photo each day for 5 days, and you are requested to nominate another person to do the same - all just a bit of fun :)

Several members of my Camera Club are partaking :)  ofcourse, it was only a matter of a few days and I got nominated :)

So here is my first photo

Photographers Day Out

The above photo was taken on one of my first Camera Club Outings to Adelaide Botanic Park - I really must go back there again one day soon!

Stay tuned for the next 5 days for my series of black and white photos

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.

Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

In holiday mode

hi everyone

I have just returned from a much needed getaway to QLD, having a girly getaway and spending some quality time with some very dear friends.


Linking with Weekend Reflections


Linking with Floral Friday Fotos


Australian Water Dragon - we could get really close!

Stay tuned, more photos to come :)

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.

Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

SAPF New Website

the SAPF (South Australian Photographic Federation) have recently updated their website - and it looks great!

Lots of information  - even a news article on my friend and constant source of inspiration, Paula McManus :) who is also a member of PACC :)

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.

Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

The best Triple Choc Brownies recipe

The taste.com.au forum has been closed, and with it went a wonderful source of inspiration for me :(

I recently tried a packet mix for Triple Choc Brownies from RedPawPaw (see my review post HERE), and whilst it was good, it can't beat my tried and true recipe, from one of the early Cook's Club Challenges I took part in, back in 2008.

Jazzie’s Triple Choc Brownies - these really are the BEST!

making it from scratch ............ the only way

185g (6 oz) butter
185g (6 oz) dark chocolate, chopped
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups caster sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
2/3 cup plain flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
¾ cup white chocolate chips or roughly chopped
¾ cup milk chocolate chips or roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. 

Place butter and dark chocolate in a metal bowl over a pot of simmering water and stir until smooth. Allow to cool. 

Place the eggs and sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer (or wire whisk) until light and creamy. Add vanilla. Fold through chocolate and butter mixture. Sift the flour and cocoa over the mixture and mix to combine. 

Add white and milk chocolate and pour into a 23 cm (9 inch) square pan that has been lined with cooking paper and sprayed with cooking spray.
BAKE for 35-40 mins or until set. Check with a knife. Allow to cool and then cut into squares.

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.

Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

RedPawPaw | Box #2 | Review - Part I

It's been a while since I last blogged here :(

I lost a bit of my photographic mojo ............ and lost my Dad (see post HERE)  Am slowly getting back into the swing of things :)

Time to catch up on some foodie goodness, with a review on Box #2 for RedPawPaw.

Box #2 came with a price increase, and arrived in a new box and minus the cardboard partitions that stopped things moving around and crushing/damaging other products ..... NOT HAPPY JAN on both counts.

The variety of products was still there, and I have tried several products already .... some will be on the shopping list this week, and some won't.



The Uncle Tobys Crunchy Triangles (Crushed Triangles by the time I got them) were sweet and very chocolatey - Mr Fixit liked them, they were a bit too sweet for me.


Triple Choc Fudge Brownies were very nice :)  a great standby to have in the pantry when you don't have the time or ingredients to make Triple Choc Fudge Brownies from scratch (see my post HERE for my preferred recipe)


I let a pot boil dry :(  not happy - it stank the place out.  Even after scrubbing with a scourer, I couldn't get that last bit of black off the pan.


Use the magic eraser, and it came off!  wonderful result!

that last tiny bit came off as well, with another gentle rub :)

I tried the coffee - it seemed very popular with the reviewers last month - it was OK, but I would not replace my Nespresso, nor the Moccona instant coffee.

The VitaWheat lunch slices were OK - a bit too healthy for this little black duck!  LOL

The Mount Franklin sparkling water and Weight Watchers Peaches in Jelly are in the fridge, ready for me to try next.

I am questioning whether I will continue with this review - it costs $5 + postage, which in my case is $11.50 - I guess for $16.50, I really can't complain .......... the Saxa salt products and the coffee add to that amount :)

I WILL BE grabbing a box of the brownie mix as a standby in the pantry though!!!

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.

Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Skywatch Friday - 11th July 2014

A winter's day in Adelaide

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.

Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

RedPawPaw | Box #1 - Review Part III

Here I am back with some more reviews :)

I made the Adriano Zumbo macarons on Thursday, in preparation for a sewing playdate on Friday (FNwF - Friday Night with Friends)

I must say, I don't like passionfruit and didn't like it even more after making these macarons :(

The packet mix was easy enough to use - my only criticism is the print on the back of the package was very small and very fine ........... made it very difficult to read, and the almond meal was difficult to sift :(

Anyway, I made up the macarons and found the smell so overpowering that I didn't even bother mixing up the filling in between, I just put them all in the bin.

but here is a pic of them just before I put them in the oven :)


So then, I really needed something nice for my FNwF, so I used my tried and true Triple Choc Brownie recipe - this one is made from scratch, and never fails me :)

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.

Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

RedPawPaw | Box #1 - Review Part II

Here I am back with some more reviews :)


Gravox Finishing Sauce - Caramelised Onions & Balsamic Vinegar.  We teamed this with our Fillett Mignon.  This sauce was yummy, but a bit intense in flavour for me.  I would happily buy it again, but would water it down just a touch :)

Have tried the Nivea CC cream - very nice on the skin - definitely on the shopping list.
The Mentos gum is nice - a really nice burst of flavour and freshness that lasts quite a while.
The Mentos fruity things ........ umm, not so nice ........ a bit sweet and sickly :(
The Finish Dishwashing tablets seem to do a great job - I usually use Finish Powder - the tablets don't seem to have that 'detergent/chemical' smell the powder does, so I guess I will be a convert to the tablets.
The PineOclean wipes seem OK - after a bit of a fight getting them to come out of the container properly :)  Not sure I would actually purchase these in the future.

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.

Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Menu Plan Mondays | 23rd June (updated)

Monday	Fillet Mignon, Oven Chips, Mushrooms, Gravy, Vegetables with Crusty Rolls
Tuesday	Camera Club Committee Meeting – get your own J
Wednesday	Honey Chicken & Noodles
Thursday	Salt & Pepper Squid, Oven Chips & Vegetables
Friday	Date Night - take-away
Saturday	Chicken Nugget Wraps, Chips & Salad
Sunday	Pasta Carbonara & Crusty bread

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.

Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Blooms of Blue

52 Photos Project (see link in sidebar) #7 - Powder Blue

this is still one of my favourite photos I have ever taken - Plumbago Royal Cape

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.

Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

RedPawPaw | Box #1 |

I recently became aware of RedPawPaw.com.au  ....... what is RedPawPaw? I  hear you ask :)

I quote from their Facebook page:
Redpawpaw is Australia’s first grocery product sampling subscription box that allows consumers to try over $30 worth of the newest grocery products from some of the world's leading brands, every month.
Redpawpaw caters to consumers who love trying new household products and rediscovering some forgotten ones. 

It sounded like fun, so I registered to receive a box, and eagerly awaited it's arrival :)

My first box arrived on Thursday, 19th June 2014

here are the goodies I received in my first box

Since it was such a cold day on Thursday, I had the Taylor's Minestrone for lunch, along with some grilled cheese on multi-grain toast

let me say the photo does not do this beautiful Minestrone any justice - I think the lens got a bit fogged up :)  This was very yummy, and will be on my shopping list next time I go shopping, I may even see what other flavours they have.

Yesterday, I tried the Special K Cracker Crisps

These were quite yummy, and very satisfying to nibble on - a bit like a lightly seasonsed chicken crisp - I can imagine these would go down well when having some wine and cheese :)

That brings me to this morning .............. I just had to try the porridge :)

let me say ................. this IS how you make porridge  :)  this particular flavour - creamy honey - was yummy, with just a lovely hint of honey - a word of caution, it heats up quickly and is hotter than you think when it comes out of the microwave ...............  let it stand a bit before you dig in!

Stay tuned for more reviews during the week :)

All of the products reviewed to date can be found HERE

Disclaimer:  I pay $5.00 each month to receive a selection of products - the opinions expressed in relation to these products are purely my own and are based on what I tested at the time and may be influenced by personal preferences.

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.

Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.

Friday Fotos | Floral Friday | Skywatch Friday

Skywatch Friday
The skies here in Adelaide have been a bit gloomy, so here is a pic from summer :)


FFF #135 - Knotweed - this is too pretty to have 'weed' in it's name :)
14 in 2014 #104 - Soft

Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.

Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)

Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.