mosaic road

A Bit of Baking

The cooler weather has been lovely over the long weekend and I have had the leisure time to bake. I prefer not to turn on the oven when it is a heatwave so there has been a distinct lack of baked goods lately. That all changed today with this banana, blueberry ricotta cake filling the house with cinnamon-y aromas.

Movie Recommendation

I have put off watching this movie for so long as I thought it might be too sad. But I showed a touch of patriotism as it is Australia Day and watched this Aussie movie and of course loved it. There are little sad moments but the overall theme is of joyful canine love plus a pretty sweet storyline plus incredible outback desert scenery. So to anyone who loves dogs or just loves movies I can only say don't put off getting this DVD.

Hot Weather Harvest

I cannot remember when it last rained - I think it must be some weeks now. I have been pouring the  water onto the vegie garden to keep it up and running. So although I will get a big water bill, I am also harvesting on a daily basis -  parsley, basil, tom thumb tomatoes and wonderful long, thin yellow capsicums. The eggplant and zucchini plants look robust and full of promise for the weeks to come.

These Made me Smile

We all get so much rubbishy email stuff that goes round and round. Pics of all sorts of things and places, people and animals come to me, some of interest and some toally not. But these two photos are too cute not to share and made me smile to myself last week. They are probably totally contrived and photo shopped to the nth degree but still so sweet and I am such a sucker for dog photos !!

 

Insanity, You'll Agree !!

Here is photo evidence, taken yesterday by my sister, that although the world has not ended it has certainly gone mad. Yesterday's temperature hovered around the 40 C mark and Easter is eons away but Woolworths must not have been aware of either of these facts !!

Easter eggs by the bucket load available for purchase. Now I am not opposed to eating one, two or maybe even several creme eggs but not in midsummer heat. This seems a pointless excersise on behalf of the supermarket. If you were to buy these and take them home in yesterday's heat, they would have been a melted and molten foil wrapped mess, a singular blob, before reaching the car. Maybe they were intended for quick and clandestine eating in the store and the bar coded foil to be presented at check out, though I hardly think so !! My question to the supermarket chain is WHY NOW when most people are still in summer holiday mode, still wearing their budgie smugglers and eating icy poles  on the beach ?? 

The Baking Gene

I am sure there is one and almost for certain it is accompanied by the eating gene. It runs strongly in our family. We all bake and have done for generations and  have seemingly, preordained from the cradle,  a devotion to baked goods. This wonderful, rustic banana cake was made during the week by A, my youngest daughter who hopefully will start a patisserie course shortly.

This Week's Floral Delivery

My lovely florist neighbour left this gorgeous orchid spray for me on the porch during the week. It was enveloped in cellophane with the stem in its own little sealed and water filled tube. Each flower on the stem is creamy white with a pink speckled "butterfly" pattern on the centre petals.

Jetstar passengers trapped in Hawaii | smh.com.au

via m.smh.com.au

My daughter, far end, hands on hips, endured this horror today. Now flying out tomorrow night !! She said they sat on the tarmac for about 4 hours and she walked up and down aisle with a 9 month old baby stripped down to just a nappy due to heat.

Market Research

Over the years I have done a few phone surveys but I do on the whole avoid this type of thing. I certainly wouldn't cross town at 5 pm to discuss brands of fabric softener but today I am doing an hour long survey at my local supermarket. As it is 5 minutes walk way it was hard to say no. Remuneration is a $50 store voucher.

I am thrilled by this and will dive back in to spend it when the hour is up. Now do I fill my trolley with exotic little treats I usually never buy or do I go the pragmatic boring path and fill the trolley with dog food and toilet paper ?? Jury is still out on this weighty decision !!

Only in America - I Love This !!

 

A  labradoodle in America has been to the dog parlour and shaved and styled to look like a lion to represent the local football team as their mascot is a big tawny lion. So similar to a lion was this dog's haircut that included a woolly mane that passersby even called 911 and the local zoo checked that their 2 lions had not escaped. Such a great story  and such a cute dog !!