New Year Blessings

Red-Backed fairy Wren - A tiny Australian bird.

May you sing your song with all your heart,

May you notice the colours of life anew and be refreshed as you serve others.

May you take opportunities and pursue your passions,

May you take time for creative endeavours and find friends to join you on your journey,

 May you dance in the rain, play golf on the sand flats and enjoy some crazy fun,

And when you feel like the tide has gone out, may you find God's presence and grace to be more than sufficient to keep you safe and loved at all times.

Looking forward to a wonderful 2013, rich with untold possibilities and filled with the grace to handle the challenges which help us grow. Happy New Year!


* All photos taken yesterday, while on our mini holiday. We'll have no internet access come midnight until we reach home in a few days.......looking forward to catching up again then.
Blessings,
Karen


Sharing at Wild Bird Wednesday, SkyWatch Friday, Weekly Top Shot.

Thrills and Spills of Yesterday

Oh no!!!! She was a little winded but landed "safely" on the grass, well enough to scooter back to my parents-in-love home where we are currently staying for a few days.

Off to one of the lovely beaches late in the afternoon.

Master J chose flying his rc plane instead of swimming.

I chose to walk with my camera - my idea of thrills. I spy someone rock fishing as the tide was coming in. Beautiful.

Tonight......

Sharing at SkyWatch Friday, Weekly Top Shot.

Christmas Joy

This little angel came from a Jeweller and it was just what she wanted! Her joy is just what I wanted!

I hope your Christmas contained special moments like this one too....

To Redeem

.....when the fullness of time had come, 
God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 
to redeem those who were under the law, 
so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Galatians 4:4-5

Now that's certainly something worth celebrating! A very blessed Christmas too all!

Turtle Doves and Christmas Eve

Swimming dogling paddle has worn Miss E out, it's very rare to see her asleep during the daytime.

"Two turtle doves..." rings the Christmas song. Here is one of our two local Spotted Turtle Doves, taken through my window.

Last night we took our annual Christmas lights drive.

Images from today - Miss E (20) has been filling the (hot) house with wonderful aromas of baking for days, yum!

At last Miss G (15)  has completed her Tilda angel doll which she began two years ago. She looks delightful even without hair.

Another special event today was being able to welcome my father-in-love into his new home, a wonderful aged care centre in our town. Each room has just one bed and it's own ensuite. He is very pleased to leave hospital and settle peacefully into his own permanent room. God has been very good to us.

Dogling Paddle

Miss E (4) has just learnt to "swim" without her her swim vest. She first called it "dogling paddle".

Now she calls it "doggie paddle".

Either way, I call it a relief to have her somewhat pool safe and she calls it lots of fun!

By God's Grace

Have you even tried to complete a puzzle when you don't even know what the finished product will look like?

Poinciana trees

No matter which way you look at it, the picture isn't clear.

Yet as you work with the piece which is in your hands, making the next step, the pieces begin to come together.

Sections here and there make sense......

 However the distance is still a mystery.

My 85 year old father-in-love has been cared for at home in a wheel chair for five long years. My mother-in-love and community nurses have assisted him every day until he now requires mechanical lifters and care beyond which can be provided at home. The search for suitable care has been long and difficult and no vacancies exist, yet by God's grace all is coming together in ways we could not have dared hope for.

It appears as though God has been walking with us and ahead of us through this stressful time in ways we don't deserve and don't yet fully understand. The puzzle is far from complete but we now sense it will all be ok. My father-in-love will move from hospital into temporary care in our preferred aged care centre on Christmas Eve. It has been a rather busy week. We continue to work with the next piece......

UPDATE: On Christmas Eve I was able to welcome my father-in-love into his new home, a wonderful aged care centre in our town. Each room has just one bed and it's own ensuite. He was very pleased to leave hospital and settle peacefully into his own permanent room. God has been very good to us.

* The trees in the avenue featured above are a type of small leafed fig tree, most likely around 80 years old. Photos were taken early one misty morning a few weeks ago.

Self-Seeded Morning Beauties

"Good Morning!" says the little grasshopper, peaking from the zinnia petals. "Welcome to today!"

The Tom Thumb Tomato flowers delicately hang in the morning light.

 A Paper/Everlasting Daisy greets the summer sun and begins it's daily ritual of opening and closing.

A deeper coloured Paper Daisy bud, also ready to open.

By midday you can see the same bud and the flower behind soaking up the hot sunshine.

Each of these photos were taken this morning and each of these plants is self-seeded. Some I have transplanted to keep the garden a little more organised. I love having bonus or self-seeded plants. You may remember the delights I shared of my first zinnia patch last summer. This year the delights remain and also the surprises as the seedlings pop up here and there through the garden.

I hope you have some lovely surprises in your day today also!


Sharing at Weekly Top Shot.

I Can Hear...

At 7pm this evening I can hear the sounds of an Aussie summer. A local Salvation Army band is walking the hot humid streets, stopping here and there to play carols for all to enjoy.

I can hear the neighbourhood children playing road cricket on a quiet street.

 Miss E likes to join in with the fun too.

I can also hear the garden hose now watering these purple petunias for today was another hot dry day and there are more yet to come this week.

Pool Cricket

What do you do when it's too hot to enjoy playing cricket outside with the neighbours and you've had enough of watching cricket on TV in the air-conditioning? You invent Pool Cricket! Using a plastic bat and ball you play hit-and-swim!

The younger ones and another neighbour are having a great time playing lego inside. All 10 have stopped to have ice cream in cones or smoothies - in front of cricket on the TV. Our twins have played competition cricket each of the last four days....and still want more!


Sharing at Our World Tuesday.