One that started with a trip to deliver the finally finished sampler to the new home owners along with a lot of unused household paraphernalia being given a new lease of life in a new household with much younger owners who will use it.
There was much more than these few items, I went through many cupboards/drawers thinking “do I need several xxxx , do I need three sets of xxxx, is there a need for all those sets of glasses – all those xxxxx,…..you get the idea. Then photos flew across…wherever they fly….and it was ‘Yes please’ or ‘No thank you’ time
So big smiles from me seeing empty spaces and big smiles from them receiving gifts of things with lots of life left in them
Spring seems to have finally got the message so having some bright sunny (not too cool) mornings early last week meant I could breakfast outside (a very simple one this particular day). A quiet time that sets me up for the day- no tv or radio – just me, myself and I plus a book or maybe some birdsong if I’m lucky…..one that definitely brings a smile to my face.
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Now you’re probably wondering why I’m smiling over a spindly looking Australian native red bottle brush (Callistemon) – something which seemingly is ‘ long lived, requires minimal maintenance and almost impossible to kill’ source
A few years ago the council planted several around the car park of the ‘local’ shops. This is the only one to survive. They didn’t die from ‘natural causes’ ….no some young hooligans vandals horrible little so and sos thought it funny one night to try and destroy them. Pulling them up or breaking the stems on the ones they couldn’t get out. As I said this is the only one to survive – and doesn’t it look grand with those crimson coloured ‘bottlebrush’ shaped flowers.
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Another trip (half hour from home) out into the Valley on a cloudy day, noticing the amount of growth the vines are putting out, seeing the area waking up and coming alive again, had us smiling at the thought of happy winegrowers rubbing their hands in glee.
St Hubert’s ( or Hubert’s Estate as they like to be called now) are looking for hospitality staff, there’s a confident feeling about a good season ahead.
But……there’s also a few months between now and the middle of February when picking starts and you never know what the ‘weather gods’ have in store for anyone farming there….so…you just never know how things will pan out. There could or there could not be big smiles at the end of it.
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You know, even though they are put there to ‘advertise’ how to get help in a ‘sad situation’ – the sight of another Australian native, this time a marsupial, a wombat, often seems to always bring a smile to people’s faces.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wombat
Sadly they are often involved in the ‘sad situations’….being nocturnal, slow moving with dark fur they often end up injured or even as road kill. Seemingly a group of them is called a wisdom – you often wonder why they don’t use some of it and stay off the road
Tuesday just gone – October 22nd was International Wombat Day
https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/wombat-day/
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Most of my time and smiles this week have been directed towards ‘our big girl’ who flew in from the west for a few days. She enjoyed time with family and old friends as well as reacquainting herself with local suburbs – it’s quite flat (easy walking terrain) where she lives on the coast north of Perth so she was full of smiles at having the chance of a daily walk in a different environment…… round our tree lined undulating ‘hilly’ streets……until her leg muscles reminded her they’d been working in a different manner.
She’s away back home now and I really must get back to visiting blogs and commenting again. I’ve been very lax and it hasn’t been high on my list of things to do recently……(bad blogger) …..that’s about to change
And how about your week……have things gone the way you wanted…….
have you had much to smile about
(To comment please click on post title and scroll down)
Still Waters 
How wwonderful to see your daughter for a while. These children bring such delight, well mine do, and so obviously does yours. Hope you see her again soon.
The bbottle brush is lovely
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It was only a few days Linda because she had to spread herself out between others……being the other side of the country makes it hard to say cheerio so I wallow in her friendship (and love) when she does ‘come to town’
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You’ve been having a great time, it seems!
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it was a good week Helen- hope yours and Leo’s was also
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I love that the bottle brush survived and thrived. Hiss and spit at the oxygen thieves who killed the others.
Spring is an exciting time of year isn’t it?
I love wombats but am more likely to see them as road kill than alive. Which hurts.
I am so glad that you had time with your girl.
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The senseless attack on the young trees was the talk of the neighbourhood EC. The survivor is now admired every Spring but the council is loathe to plant more
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Only one survived. Lock ’em up, I say. While I’ve not seen it this year, there is a terrific display of mass planted Callistemon at Prahran Police Station.
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The spring flush of the red bottle brush is hard to ignore. A hardy street plant as well as trusty garden one. They seem to be everywhere
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I love that your items found a new home! That is the best feeling in the world! (and breakfast outside… what a delight!) Thank you for sharing that Bottle Brush Tree information.
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All those plus more were received with open arms. Starting life with little can be hard but I’ll give this couple full credit for the hard work they’ve put in so far. Love them to bits!
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Lots of smiles for you this week, Cathy and how lovely to have your daughter visit. I went through our pantry on the weekend and my wardrobe and asked similar questions. I had way too much that I don’t wear or use so have given to those who will find a use for them. Wombats are so cute but like all wildlife are always vulnerable. We saw heaps when we visited Tasmania. Have a lovely week and thanks for linking up with us at #WWWhimsy. Sue L xx #TeamWWWhimsy x
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It was such a lovely surprise to see her Sue I couldn’t keep the smile off my face the whole time she was here.
Like you I really need to tackle my wardrobe- cruising is off the agenda now so there’s a lot of ‘formal/gala night’ items sitting there and even though not many cruise lines have ‘dress up nights’ these days someone else might find use of them. Much as I’ll miss that way of travelling the decision has been made
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I can understand how you felt with your daughter surprising you. When I turned 50 my daughter and partner were living in the UK. I was at work and who should turn up but my daughter and SIL to surprise me! I burst into tears xx
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I absolutely love your sampler Cathy. It makes me wish that I had kept embroidering. Doesn’t if feel great to have a clean out. I’m about to do another one in the next few weeks. I always feel sad when I see dead wildlife on the side of the road, especially wombats. We have kangaroos everywhere here, but also a few wombats. It’s very hazardous driving out of town at any time of day.
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I do have a small baby sampler on the go Jennifer but even though I’m enjoying the stitching I rather think that’ll be it…..unless more little ones come along. There certainly won’t be any more large pieces of work happening.
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What a lovely time you have had…and as for the family “want this?” we had a LOT of those conversations when we moved back to Sydney. I think I over-donated to others and ended up having to buy things..ha. Mind you I also had to get 600mm dishes and trays for the oven here, as we had 900mm one in other rentals.
How sweet it must have been to have your girl home for a bit too.
I like your solitude to start your day. I might not have mine then but I sure value alone time these days more than ever. A re-gathering of me I think!!
Loved the rural views. We are not far from those here either and I tend to drive about 20 minutes away to get some time by the big river.
Take care,
Denyse #TeamWWWhimsy
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Isn’t it strange the way we change, just ever so slightly as we age, at one time I would have the radio or even the tv on from early morning (‘needed’ to see the time or catch up on what went on o/seas overnight) – now I’m not in the least bit interested. The Golfer has learnt to leave me be until at least after 10am if we’re not going out early
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A lovely collection of smiles this week Cathy! I love the sole remaining bottlebrush tree, so tenacious. Also I didn’t know about the International Wombat Day on 22/10, thanks for that info. I do love a sampler and giving your unwanted items to someone who needs them is always a good feeling isn’t it?
Thanks for joining us for Min’s #WWWhimsy linkup this week with your ‘cheesy’ collection.
Debbie #TeamWWWhimsy
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Starting a house with limited means meant our young granddaughter certainly appreciated my ‘gifts’. I offered more but was told – store them in the garage grandma until we sort out what we have here now.
Wombat Day sort of passed us all by, no mention in the media at all which is a shame because they are one of our native animals that definitely need support.
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I love wombats….I love all animals, I guess. 🙂 And these days with the increasing bad behaviour of some humans, I love animals even more.
I also love bottle brushes. I will never understand the mind of a vandal.
I keep telling myself I have do do a “clean out”…not a lot of progress being made, though. 🙂
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A bottle brush tree is new to me and it is very pretty. I’m just sorry it is the only one to survive the vandals. How nice to have your daughter for a visit. I actually flew across the US to see my daughter and her family. I have also been away from blogland and am slowly catching up. Finding a new home for some of those extra items is a terrific idea.
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My gallivanting daughter has been home from Broome for a week and what a joy that was!
I know how you feel about the bottle brush, I watched the council plant street trees in a nearby street 20 years ago. One has absolutely flourished and is a beautiful tree, the rest have been ripped out, poisoned or battle on with no interest from the residents
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