Baker's Potato

I have decided that this is my favourite potato dish. No cream or cheese. Fry a leek, and an onion in butter, add some garlic and then the potatoes. Toss in the fry pan then put into an oven proof dish. Add salt pepper dried or fresh thyme and even proportions of chicken consome and white wine, cook until soft and crisp on top.
This went so well with the fig glazed ham with peach chutney for Easter lunch.

More street Art

I love this. It reminds me of the motel signs on the Gold Coast in the 60's. It was part of an exhibition in the Arts precinct at South bank and ended up staying as a permanent fixture

Violets

After years of trying to grow violets, I have discovered that my kitchen window sill is perfect for them. They flower so well and are really easy to look after. It seems to me that the location is the issue.

A trip to Wynnum

The old fashioned hamburger

I did a trip to Wynnum to see the ocean and the wading pool. I haven't been there for at least 5 years. I had the best hamburger. It was from an old fashioned looking place that sells burgers and fish and chips. I can't remember it never being there.

The wading pool

Another view

The pool has certainly had a good re vamp. The I drove to Manly.

Manly boat harbour

A very pleasing afternoon.

Another broad bean salad

I am obsessed with broad beans. This salad has asparagas, broad beans, peas, roasted cherry tomatoes and small pieces of philadelphia cheese also roasted. An excellent salad when you are not having potato, pasta or bread, as the broad beans give it bulk.

New broad beans

Nev has planted broad beans so soon I will have fresh ones instead of frozen. I am looking forward to finding more recipes for these.

Fabulous idea

The program as it was on the seat

program open

I just love turning up to a function/fashion parade/event where  the organizers have really put thought into the whole process. Every November I attend the QUT Creative Industries graduation fashion parade. Not only for the designers but the other ceative elements as well. This was on our seats. A white dinner napkin wrapped around the program to look like a dinner jacket. So clever! The students and teachers/lecturers at QUT are amazing.

My Neighbourhood

A favourite place to shop

The more I live in this area the more I love it. When I first moved here in the very early 70's it was just by chance. Oxford Street (the neighbourhood shops) were run down and very old fashioned. We did have a ferry service even before the City Cats. Now it is one of the 'trendiest' areas of Brisbane. The public transport is wonderful. I can get to the Cultural Centre or the Power House precinct by ferry. If it is day time and the weather is good I can walk to the ferry, just 20 minutes.

Now there are numerous boutiques, cafe's, coffee shops, 2 great independent book shops, cinema, a church and hall that caters for everything from the Friday morning jumble sale to yoga and latin dancing classes.

'Coming up Roses' is well known in our area for buying any type of gift or treat for yourself. It has recently been bought by past Olympic swimming champion Haley Lewis. Haley makes shopping here a lovely relaxed experience.

I have been looking for a neutral pair of slip on canvas shoes for ages. I looked in on my walk this week and there in a basket was exactly what I had been looking for for over a year - and in my size.

Decoupage vase

I found this lovely vase in a tiny shop in Los Angeles. I was walking back to my accommodation as the public tranport in LA is not at all suited to tourists. It was a lovely day. I wasn't even sure that this shop was open as it was so unlike the usual LA shop. A tiny door not glamorous much more European. It was full of the most delightful 'things'. These vases are all individually decorated by a woman working from her garage just a few streets away. One of my favourite possessions.

Sunday at Queensland Art Gallery

Today I went to the 'Art, Love & Life' exhibition. The beautiful works of husband and wife artists's Ethel Carrick and E Phillip Fox. An absolute delight.
I attended an 11.30am lecture by the curator Angela Goddard. Then after lunch in the members cafe a second lecture at 2pm

 

The Grey St Bridge from the members cafe

It is the last weekend of 'Art in the 21st Centuary'. lots of wonderful children's activities today.

sign for free icecream

Yes I had one

They also had an area where children were shown how sausages are made.

The sign

The chefs

Apron's for the children

All in all a fabulous day. I love our gallery.

Bali girl

I call this our Bali girl. She belonged to Graham's Grandmother. He loved her as a child and was able to have it after she died. I remember these images from the 50's. She looks so peaceful and serene, I love her hanging in our sunroom.

Shoe lasts as book ends

I saw some 'antigue' shoe lasts on a web site for $99, with the suggestions that they be used as book ends.

The shoe lasts

As a book end

I remembered that I saved Dad's shoe lasts from the house at Coomera as a momento. He bought them to Australia from Boston in 1946. I found them polished them up and now have my own antique book ends - no cost.

Lunch in Carol's garden

Val - the rescue dog

The pedastal

The bird bath

There are a few of these

The fish pond

The table

                                         Carol invited me to lunch yesterday after my pilates class.

Zucchini,tomato,olive & feta gratin, with poor man's parmesean

I made a double quantity of this so that I would have left overs for lunches. I had never heard of 'poor man's parmesean' before. It is cubes of stale ciabatta bead olive oil, garlic onion and lemon zest fried until crisp. It goes on top of the vegtables after they come out of the oven. See Delicious Magazine April 2011 page 108.

The heated left overs were just as delicious especially when tossed with my pesto.

Minnipippi Parklands

The lake

Island in the lake

The ducks thought I had food

Then realized that I didn't

Just sun baking

For at least 12 years I have been passing the sign on Wynnum Road that says 'Minnipippi Parklands'.I am always in a hurry and have never gone to investigate. Well- I found a lake with ducks, covered picnic tables and seats,walking trails, push bike trails and even a canoe trail. This goes from the lake into Bulimba Creek and back. What a little gem about 5 minutes away.

Cooking Sunday

preparing the ingredients

I was going to clean the house yesterday. I decided to do my food shopping first. My fruit and vegtable shop has a table at the back with 'specials'. Fruit and vegies that need to be eaten today and even canned and packaged food that is close to the expire date.
I found 2 kg of roma tomatoes (just the quantity I need for a chutney recipe that I want to try) for $4, plus 4 cans of Italian peeled tomatoes for $3.40. These will make a tomato sauce that will be frozen.
Of course cleaning went right out of my mind, I could already imagine the smell of chutney cooking, and I hadn't even unpacked the car.

A sample of the final product

After making the chutney, I realized that the basil in the garden really need a trim. I then made 4 batches of pesto.

White table napkins

These are my favourite table napkins. Fine white cotton with a crochet edge. I counted all of my white napkins a few years ago and realized that I had collected over 50. Some came in sets, some were found at antique markets, sales, St Vinnies - all kinds of places. I still cant resist a good buy. Nothing says I care about you like being given a lovely napkin when you have a meal.
When my son's were first able to sit at the table we used cloth table napkins. I made them my self from red and white gingham cotton fabric. They were colourful and fun and the boys really loved using them. I also found silver antique napkin rings for them in a junk shop.

My sea shells

I have been collecting shells for many years on my holidays and travel. These shells are from places as close as Moreton Island and as far away as the Seychelles and the Caribbean. Every day they remind me that I am so lucky to have travelled to these places. On my last trip I bought home 2 shells. One from the beach at St Malo on the coast of France and the second from Alderney Island, one of the Channel Islands.

I found this apron today

This was my favourite saying when my children were small. I bought it as a gift for a young expectant mother.

The Garden Shelf

  My favourite part of the garden near my bedroom window now has a new garden shelf. The previous one was a wrought iron affair from the 60's. I loved it but it finally died after so many years of holding plants. Up until 1999 when I came upon it - it had lived a sheltered life under cover. I wanted it for my outside area. This new (well not new-it also lived a sheltered life in my bedroom and then the laundry for 10 years) black bakers stand has lots more room for plants and ornaments.
A piece of granite rock from Stanthorpe, a clay cat from a grandchild, an old tile, a favourite jug that no longer has a handle....The maiden hair fern came from the garden at Coomera in 1990.

Chicken in white wine and cream

I made this on Sunday for a family lunch. I love this time of the year when the savage heat has gone and we can eat food that has been cooked in the oven.

Tibouchina bush

At our last house we had a very large Tibouchina tree in the back garden. It gave lots of shade and beautiful purple flowers. There is no room in this garden for such a large tree. I found that now there is a small Tibouchina bush. I bought 2 to put in large pots, so now I have my purple flowers back.

Pear and fennel salad

Just the right amount of crispness for an Autumn day. Crunchy fennel, sweet pear, bitey parmesan and toasted walnuts.

Florentine box

This little circular box is from Florence. I found it in a tiny shop on my way back to my B&B after a fabulous tour of of the Pitti Palace and the Bobbli Gardens.This medieval script featured in one of the rooms of the Palace.

Bargain glass vase

I saw this vase on the sale table at David Jones yesterday.The original price tag said $49.95, the next one $34, and then in red pen $10. I took it to the cash register and it scanned at $5. The bargain of the day. Very happy.

Macbeth at the Power House

Last night I saw Macbeth with my good friend Ron. I have only ever seen Shakespeare's comedies before on stage. The Caledonian Theatre Company consists of professional actors and some of whom are also members of the legal fraternity. Lawers are good actors. A great night.