The Best Laid Plans.......

Well now, after a perfect alignment the other day, the stars must have jumbled themselves up again! So much for yesterday's plans! In the morning the car had a flat, Chris changed it and on inspection noticed that two other tyres had worrisome splits in them! (We have a very bumpy drive into our place which can be very hard on our tyres but to get three splits all at once was just plain unlucky, I think some track maintainance has become rather higher on the "to do" list!) So yesterday was spent replacing the tyres and wandering around Launceston while waiting for the task to be done. We looked at vacuum cleaners, as the one we have is barely functional. Don't get me wrong, it still sucks.........but it sucks........it is held together with gaffer tape and now the head has lost a spring and I can no longer lower the brushes for hard floors, so I guess we need a new one. I could go for one of those little cheapies, but I do like the Dysons! And of course, depending on who you're talking to, things get confusing. I'll just have to struggle on with my geriatric Phillips for a while, but will have to decide something soon.
So........because of yesterday's dramas I didn't get around to photographing my giveaway bear, let alone getting him in here!
I can say our shortest day was cold, wet and windy. Today is looking decidedly better with a frost this morning, and the sun shining through the bay window is managing to warm me a little. I have just popped outside and taken this photo. This is my next giveaway! ( Thankyou Sandi for making such a cute button for this one)

If you want to be in with a chance to win this bear, leave your comment below with a suggested name for him/her. If you want some extra chances repost this photo on your own blog with a link back here and I'll add your name an additional two times to the hat/bowl/basket. I think that will do, I don't want to inundate you with rules! I'll look forward to your name suggestions, the draw will take place in two weeks and the bear will be given the name that comes out of the hat. Good Luck!

Winter

It seems, for this year at least, we have returned to a "normal" Winter weather pattern. We have had more rain than we've had in years and as I predicted, our dam has filled for the first time in five years. We are even blessed with a wild drake and his harem, who fly off everytime I walk up there, no matter how cautiously I approach. The lake nearby is very full too and since the opening of the fishing season, last weekend, I have seen some sizeable trout caught. For three months of the year I could almost believe that the lake is our own, not a soul to be seen. When the season opens it becomes a Mecca for fishers from far and wide until it starts to get warm in the highlands, then it gets a little quieter again. What I object to, is the accumulation of rubbish along the shore as the season progresses. How difficult can it be for someone to carry back their empties? I often take a plastic bag along with me when I go for a walk by the lake, in order to collect some of what's been left, and I'm pretty sure others do the same. It's just such a shame that there are those out there who think it's ok to be so senseless.

I have finally submitted all my photos for "When You Dare To Dream" I even had some days to spare! Now everything is in Sandi's capable hands as she gets the site prepared for our grand opening on the 5th of September. I will hopefully have a sneak peek up here soon. Meanwhile here's just a little taster.........

I fly to Adelaide next Thursday, the South Australian Doll and Bear Fair is on that weekend, time to catch up with some friends and hopefully sell a few bears too. I'm taking a small collection of my sister's bears with me this time, too. After a few years break she has started to make her sweet little fellows again. I must say it's rather lovely to have her back even in a small way, I've missed our "beary" connection. Some of you may remember Jan's bears, she trades as Brady's Bears, they still have the same "Brady's" style so she hasn't lost it while she's been away, there's one little fellow in the box who may not even get to Adelaide, I like him too much :)

Yi Min

This is the panda I've been working on, I finished her on Monday but had to wait for some decent weather for her photo shoot. Today started out with a hard frost and the day developed into a cool but cloudless winter's day, so I was able to set things up outside and got I some good shots without the aid of lights.

I managed to squeeze Yi Min's dark parts out of the alpaca left over from making Bronson, so there is absolutely none of that fur left. This panda is a one off, there will never be another one made in this colour. You can see more photos and read all about her on my website.

I've just felt the temperature plunge as the has sun dipped behind a rather large blackwood tree, I'll be lighting the heater early today. Having the sun streaming in through the windows all day, I'd forgotten just how cold the day really has been. The days are so short now, only a couple of weeks and we'll be past the solstice, then our days will begin to lengthen again. It's a bit like taking a big breath when we get over that hump and we start heading for Spring and Summer........still there are many cold days to come.