Flower For Friday

I popped out early this morning and snapped some of the happy faces flowering in my garden, then nearly missed the Flowers for Friday post I planned to do as I got busy during the day.

I have loved pansies (and violas) for many years, they remind of my Grandma Win, I think she used to plant them in her garden in North Perth, I seem to remember their smiley faces along the path with the soldier boys and gerbras.

As I look out the kitchen window, I can easily see the bright yellow ones smiling at me, they make me smile each and every time.  As they are coming to the end of the flowering time, I thought I better snap these photos before they are gone.  There are many and varied colours grouped together under the leafless frangipani tree, but I have only taken photos of a few to share.

A couple of weeks ago I found these gorgeous little orange and purple violas (sold as pots of colour) and just had to have them as well (they look much more yellow in the photo then the orange that they actually are).  Hubby potted them all together in one of our half wine barrels and they are a delight to behold.

Hope they bring a smile to your face too.

Have a great weekend, thanks for popping by xxx

A Wonderful Weekend - Almost

What a beautiful weekend we are having here in Perth - it is officially winter - but we have blue skies, crisp but gentle breezes and glorious sunshine to warm your bones. My hubby is home and we have shared a wonderful weekend together. Our 2nd daughter turned 32 yesterday and all the family gathered for breakfast in beautiful Kings Park over looking our small but lovely city with the large and beautiful Swan River crawling below us.

I sat there at breakfast and looked at my children and my grand-children (I include my 2 in-law children in this statement) and how lovely it was to see them all together celebrating and chatting. For a moment I was taken back to how sometimes it was a struggle bringing them all up as a working Mum, and I gave thanks for my hubby. For without him it would have been impossible. Once I went back to work he became the cook every night as he got home a couple of hours before me. Without my eldest daughter - it would have been a struggle - she stepped up without being asked to make sure all the children got home from school okay. Without all my children being 'good' kids and not playing up too much before Dad or I got home life would have been a lot harder. I look at them now with pride, they have all blossomed into wonderful adults. I know they have there faults just like I do, but they are wonderful none the less.

Then last night my hubby and I went to the movies - haven't done that in years, and we really enjoyed Star Trek and the meal we shared before it.

Today it is just a beautiful sunny winter's day, I have done some more sorting in the "junk" room which is to become my study - my eldest daughter will be pleased and without her help getting me started last weekend - it would still have looked a mess.

And the almost bit that has only taken a little shine of this weekend, was the news of the death of a man I admired greatly - Dr Chris O'Brien - didn't know him personally but through watching RPA grew to admire him as a man of compassion and understanding, of having a beautiful gentle caring soul. That he was struck down with cancer in itself was horrible, but the courage he showed and the fact that even in his darkest hours he put others first and used his illness to raise awareness proved that my assumptions about who he was as a person were correct. To his loving wife and children - keep his memories close, he was truly a man to be proud off. Rest in Peace Dr Chris, the world is truly a poorer place without you.