Sunrise at my house...

So it is winter in my part of the world... and while we don't get snow and zero degrees weather like the US and Europe, it still is cold to us.
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This pic was taken of my back yard with the winter sun hitting the garden bed last Thursday (27/6). It was the first bit of sun we'd seen in a few days.
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Last Thursday had a cracker sunrise - this picture was taken at 7.05 am
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Ten minutes later and the sky was ablaze with oranges, pinks and purples...
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7.15 am
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Next morning at 7.20 am there was no sunrise to speak of, just a black sky with plenty of rain coming.
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Sunday morning 8.33 am, a promise of sunshine but the day was interspersed with heavy showers and not much sun at all.
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This morning at 7.47 am, cloudy but a bit of blue sky and maybe some sunshine? At least the rain might stay away today. We've had heaps in June and things are quite waterlogged around town. Our tanks are well and truly overflowing (I hate hearing that running, wasting water sound).

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Hump day today. I didn't want to get out of bed. Why is it that when you just find that comfortable position, the pillow is just right, the temperature under the covers is just right and you doze off after a fitful nights sleep .... the alarm goes off ?!!

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More end of financial year stuff for me to do today. My computer went on the fritz yesterday which was very frustrating so I hope the technician has been this morning and fixed it. All my work is done on computer so when it is down, so am I!
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Stay cool or warm, friends!
Cheers - Joolz

Another busy week flies by...

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Friday, I opened the curtains at 6.50am to see this! A sky ablaze with colour! I had time before I had to get Bri's off to the bus so I grabbed the camera, took some shots then hopped in the car and went for a drive in search of more pictures.
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My pictures don't do it justice...
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Driving out the road like a mad woman (still in my pj's!)...
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Wow!
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A week or so ago, I got busy and made another knot-tied fleecy rug - these are so easy for idiots like me who can't sew!
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So lovely, fluffy and warm... this one is being gifted away.
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On the food front - Monday night - Honey Mustard Chicken...
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Tuesday night Bri and I went to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 2 so we sort of skipped dinner for popcorn and some lollies - NAUGHTY!
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Wednesday - Chicken Pot Pies
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Thursday - I made Cauliflower & Broccoli Au Gratin...
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It is only the past few years that I have made this dish - as a child I never liked cauliflower or broccoli.
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Cubed potatoes, carrots and pumpkin drizzled with a tablespoon of olive oil and dusted with Masterfoods Tuscan Seasoning. Bake on a paper lined tray for about 40 minutes at 180C.
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Delicious!
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I did crumbed lamb 'shoulder' chops - a really good winter dinner.
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Friday night was tacos.
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Finally, a picture of our dear mate, Gary (left). Cape Jaffa Seafood and Wine Festival won't be the same without you, Dudda!
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Cheers - Joolz

Pretty skies and some winter warmers....

I completely forgot to check out the lunar eclipse that was taking place this morning (between 5am and 6.30am I think) but I did zip out after 7am and got these pics. I couldn't see the moon at all...
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Such beautiful colours in the sky...
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Tuesday night dinner was Garlic Beef & Red Pepper stir fry which we all enjoyed...
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Followed, rather naughtily, by this Chocolate Pudding... from the Women's Weekly Old fashioned Favourites book.
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60gms butter
1/2 cup milk
1 tspn vanilla essence or extract
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 cup SR flour
1 heaped tablespoon cocoa powder
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3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 heaped tablespoon cocoa powder
2 cups of boiling water and a knob of butter
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1. Combine butter and milk in a large saucepan, stir until butter has melted. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and caster sugar, then sifted flour and cocoa. Just use a wooden spoon to mix.
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2. Spread mixture into a greased overproof dish (6-8 cup capacity). Combine brown sugar and cocoa in a small bowl then sprinkle this over the batter. Drop small bits of the knob of butter over this then carefully pour over the boiling water.
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3. Bake in moderate over (180C) for 40 minutes - sauce with sink under the pudding and thicken. Serve with vanilla icecream or whipped cream.
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We had a dinner guest last night so I did Kylie Kwong's Radical Roast Chicken and it was great. A one pot dish so there wasn't much clean up. I do feel that the cooking times are a bit short so allow longer to get the bird cooked properly. It has lots of cloves of garlic and shallots roasted in amongst the vegetables and boy, did the house reek this morning!
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... and because the other pudding was such a hit, I made this Butterscotch Pudding from Taste.com - very easy (stir it up with a wooden spoon, no beaters required) and delicious! I made this before I started on the chicken so then all we had to do was zap each serve in the microwave.
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We have a freezing cold wind whipping through today so Bri rugged up with scarf, gloves and leggings under her tights plus socks! It's nearly 9am and it's only 7.4C! Even I will have to 'layer-up' today - I don't wear much more than one layer during our winter but that wind is coming straight from Antarctica!
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Stay warm... or cool... where ever you are in this world!
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Joolz

Sunrise...

(First pic taken 0704)
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(Last pic taken 0705)
We had a mix of fog and smoke in air this morning (from a grass fire late yesterday). The sun looked huge, just hanging in the sky. I think we are in for a hot one today. The foggy mornings are heralding in the arrival of Autumn - my favourite season. Chilly mornings, sunny days and crisp nights leading up to winter. I'm sick of the hot, humid summer so bring it on!
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We have this weekend home so I'll be 'pot'tering. I have two large concrete pots to paint and get planted with something for outside so that will keep me busy and there are plenty of roses to dead head. Hopefully I might get one more flush before they start to go off for winter.

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Kirby heads back to uni next weekend so we will go also as we need to get a sofa bed and chairs for the lounge room of the unit.
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Cheers - Joolz

Sunrise...

This was my sunrise, taken at 7am this morning. There is a haze of smoke in the air and the sun was a brilliant hot pink as it first dawned while I was out walking with KP. By the time I got my camera when I got home, it had changed to a fiery orange. The weather is hotting up for the weekend and SA will be on high alert.

Lorraine at chookasmum.blogspot.com is co-ordinating a Crafty Therapy Parcel appeal.

Visit her site to see if there is something you can send in - spare fat quarters, thread, needles, pins, scissors etc.

Take care - Joolz