Great Places To Visit.

On my recent drive through the country I couldn't help but notice the first signs of Spring. So pretty. The pink blossoms, the canola fields bright yellow, the gorgeous puffy golden blooms of wattle. Thought I would share a couple with you. Spring storms with their fluffy clouds at sunset also get my attention.

This is my beautiful niece Kate and her 2 year old son, Noah. Kate is fighting a rare form of Leukaemia called B-cell prolymphocytic leukaemia. There is no cure for this cancer. It is a rare form of leukaemia that affects less than one percent of all cancer sufferers and causes immature white blood cells to become enlarged and therefore unable to fulfil the body's requirement to fight off bacterial and viral infections. Kate's cancer is aggressive.Instead of feeling sorry for herself, she is determined to try to help others like herself and is raising money for a cure. Kate and her husband Kristian and their 2 sons Thomas and Noah live in Benalla in regional Victoria. See Kate's story by typing in the details below. www.mmg.com.au

I have had the pleasure over the last few days to be "dog sitting" my friend's West Highland Terrier named Cerys. She is a little beauty. Great personality, and VERY smart. Only took her 2 seconds to realize she had a big softy in her paws, and I was her slave....sort of. We have been having a great time getting to know each other and communicating to each other. It hasn't taken her very long to train me at all. Going for walks with her each day has been a highlight for both of us I think. After 2 days, I now only have to put my runners on and she goes ballistic! It's so funny. How does she know that I will take her for a walk just because I put on a particular pair of shoes!! Too smart. And while out walking I collect up her lead and say "waaaaaaaaiiiiit" (wait) at each curb and by the fourth curb she doing it on voice command only! I've got a problem here, I think her IQ is FAR higher than mine!! Should I be worried?! No, I don't think so, I...

Pie Fruit. I like a mix of Rhubarb & Granny Smith Apples. In a saucepan combine, about 6-8 stalks of Rhubarb cut into small pieces. 4 Granny Smith Apples , peeled, cored and thickly sliced. Juice of 1 orange . 4 tablespoons of raw sugar . (or any sugar to your own taste). I like my apple in larger pieces so when this is cooked it looks like apple pieces in a Rhubarb sauce. Again you can do it how you like.   Pastry: 1 1/4 cups S.R. Flour.  Pinch salt. 1 tablespoon Cornflour. Place in Thermomix and mix 4 sec on speed 7. (If you don't have a Thermomix, you can mix by hand with a fork or in a food processor). 3ozs of Butter Add to Thermomix (or food processor) and mix on Speed 7 until resembles fine breadcrumbs, about 5 secs . If mixing by hand rub butter through with fingertips until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. 1 large egg          1/4 cup sugar. Add to Thermomix and knead on Inter...

Really enjoyed lovely Paris on our 1st European Vacation last year. Here is a 20sec look at the twinkling tower at night. Doesn't do it justice, and it was my first go at video on my little "pocket rocket" camera. Don't worry I'll keep practicing and  try to remember that the sound track also works when you are videoing! So next time if I'm going to make a comment, I'll try to make it something more intelligent, than "yer me to". (Good grief!) Never mind. Leaves plenty of room for improvement!!

Aaahhhh, I just love the feel of an open fire. The radiant warm goes all the way through to my bones. Toasty I am. Yep. Love it, love it, love it. Just wish I had it in my Melb. house instead of central heating. Never mind. Regular visits to the holiday house will just have to suffice. If you would like to see the video of the fire just click on this link.