Topsy Turvy Tomato.

This is my experiment of the weekend, & apparently the tomatoes do quite well growing like this as they don't get too many bugs or rot on the soil. We'll see how it goes, I do hope that it grows & prospers. I have heard that you can also grow strawberries this way - has any one had success with this type of growing? I'll let you know how it goes.

Happy 13th Birthday Tom xx

Happy 13th birthday to our eldest son, Tom. Well, it's not for a couple of more days yet, but he has eight of his school friends here for the day (yes, I must be insane!). Actually, it has been quite a pleasant day as they are a really great bunch of guys, very well mannered, polite & there has been not one fight or argument that I have heard. Who said the youth of today were a lost cause? These guys give me hope for the future, & I'm not at all disappointed in the friends that Tom has chosen. One of his teachers once said to me that you judge your son by who his friends are - from what I can see Tom is doing just fine. Happy 13th birthday in advance Tom, I love you lots & lots, & am so proud of the man that you are becoming xxx

Da boyz!!

Happy 5th Birthday to Coco & Iggy xx

Wow!! The baby girls are five! Who knew that those squally puppies would grow up to be the lovely young ladies that they are (well, mostly are) now. Happy 5th birthday to the two briards who have enriched our lives & expanded our friendship group to include the most wonderful other briard families whom we now call our dear friends.

Baby Iggy

Baby Coco

I'm not sure where I got the following list from, but it sums up the briard beautifully:

GET A BRIARD BECAUSE THEY: (Half truths... followed by the real meaning)

• Don't shed........ "What are these little balls of hair on her?"
• Are very smart........ Knowing and doing are 2 different things.
• Are alert....... When you are near a can opener.
• Are gentle....... Only breaks 1/2 the things she knocks over.
• Are interesting looking....... Learn to say, "It's a Briard" 999 times in rapid succession.
• Like to sleep near their owners....... Buy a bigger bed.
• Like to travel........ Buy a bigger car.
• Like to stay by your side....... Buy a bigger couch.
• Like to be with you constantly....... Build a bigger bathroom.
• Are an education pet....... Learn the meaning of the word bigger.
• Aren't timid....... She's begging from the neighbours again.
• Are playful....... "See my black & blue marks?"
• Have strong teeth...... "See my scars?"
• Worked for the government during the war....... She chewed up the mail again.
• Have a thick coat....... Pick broken comb teeth out of the carpet.
• Keep their toys in one place....... "Where are my shoes?"
• Look cute with a toy in their mouth....... "Where is the cat?"
• Are good watch dogs....... Make a lot of noise at 3am if there is a prowler or a squirrel in the yard.
• Are constant companions....... "Get out of here, I'm busy!"
• Are fearless...... "The skunk got her again".
• Are good herding dogs....... "She's got the cat in the closet again"
• Have excellent memory....... When it's convenient.
• Work well with verbal commands....... "Doctor, I think I have laryngitis".
• Have good hearing....... "That's right, I'm talking to you!"
• Are economical....... "We can't go out to dinner, I've got dog school".
• Are easy to house train....... Brown spots give the lawn contrast.
• ARE A HEART WRAPPED IN FUR....... 100% TRUE

Cinnamon Buns - a taste sensation!

My dear friend Annie has given smoking & has taken up cooking, which is the equivalent of the Universe turning upside down as she does not cook anything. My world is clearly a changed place because not only is she cooking but she is actually baking - it's totally unheard of!! Given that a baking novice was bragging about baking the best cinnamon buns ever I thought it best to give them a try, & I am so damn pleased that I did as they are SENSATIONAL!

I cheated & used the bread maker to make the dough (I had to add 1/2 cup more water than listed in the recipe given) & the dough was falling out of the machine after rising so well. The rest of the process is really easy & I recommend that you all make a batch - you won't be disappointed. Click on the title above where the link will take you to the recipe web page. Enjoy!!

The buns in the tray after rising.

Just out of the oven.

Ready to eat - so delicious!!!!

"The Book Thief"

As you know, I am in a book group here - marvellous women, lots of fun & laughter & sometimes, the occasional chat about our books.

I finished reading "The Book Thief" today, & you MUST read it, it is absolutely one of the best books I have ever read. Written by Markus Zusak, the narrator is Death, telling the story of how he collects the souls of the dead during World War II.



Death focuses on a little girl named Liesel & her life as a foster child who cannot read, but learns after she stole her first book, which she found near the grave site of her little brother. The premise sounds just awful, but trust me, this is an EXQUISITE book.

I found it very hard to try to read the first time, given the style of writing he uses as the character Death, but I gave it a second go, & am so glad I did. It is heartbreaking in it's descriptions & yet so uplifting & beautiful - you must read it & let me know what you thought of it.

Spring has Sprung!

Wow, spring is finally here! How lovely to be just wandering around the garden: the weather is mild, the smell of all the is blooms filling the air, & I'm seeing all the flowers & the bulbs smiling at me. We've had so much rain lately in the region, with lots of awful flooding wrecking people's homes unfortunately. Jeremy took some fantastic photos of the Creswick flooding, you can have a look at the Ballarat Courier's photo gallery here: http://www.thecourier.com.au/multimedia/15806/flooding-at-creswick.aspx

I took some photos of the garden just now, so I thought it best to share xx

The Australian Briard Calendar 2011

Can I just tell you how excited I am about our 2011 Australian Briard Calendar? How sensational is that cover? That baby briard is named Nanook & what a little stunner she is. What a perfect cover girl, what a model to show how truly beautiful the Briard actually is. All beauty & brains (well perhaps not our two as they are quite daffy, but they are very beautiful).

The members of the Australian Briard Forum started producing our own Calendar here in Australia to help us fund our Briard Rescue Service. It was too much to expect that the Rescue Team, who work so hard to help briards in need, should also shell out the costs of doing so in an ongoing manner. They would say that they did not mind, part of the love for the breed, but it was just not right.

So here is this lovely Calendar. The photos are taken by the owners & then submitted for the "Calendar Competition" in a bid to get a page. Luckily there is a team of people available at my work who do the selection process as I believe that this makes it as unbiased as possible. I think they have done a marvellous job this year as we had 282 photos submitted - huge!

If you would like to buy a 2011 Australian Briard Calendar ($25.00AUD plus postage), you can buy it either on Ebay or via this link: http://www.briard.com.au/calendar.htm