For better quality, remember to click on the photos.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Images of Spain

I will put a few pictures of Spain on here when ever I miss the country with all it's beauty and different culture and life style.

Hope you will enjoy the little bits with me and share in a small way our wonderful experience while living there.

The following pictures are from my favourite Andalucian style village called Frigiliana, north of Malaga.







Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Autumn

I was hoping we could get to a few 'famous for their Autumn colours', towns during Autumn but alas time is running out and the leaves are falling fast here in Sydney. the colder towns have started some time ago with the splendour so I doubt there will be any left when we get there. It has been raining for the last few days and no picture of the lovely colours would look great, specially if it's taken with my mobile.

So I have decided to put the pictures on I took last year in Leura, a quaint little town  somewhere inland. I have used some of it before in a news letter last year but I think they're worth showing again.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Boere braai

A few weeks ago we had a very typical South African braai/barbie celebrating Tommy's birthday. He made himself a proper 'konka' braai and as you can see we had great fun sitting around it and had 'lekker' conversations about everything and what not. We left at 11:30 but the other 2 families left only way after 12. Ieteke made 'stokbrood/stickbread dough and the kids and the grown-ups enjoyed the fresh warm bread with butter and syrup. Tommy also made a pumpkin 'potjie' which was very delicious. Food was good, company was good and the fire gave us all a warm fuzzy feeling!!


Thanks guys for a lovely evening!!

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Jessica Watson-Good on you girl!!

What a welcome Sydney and Australia gave Jessica on Saturday!! It is incredible to think that she left home 7 months ago as a 16 year old girl with a big dream in her heart and here she's back, turning 17 tomorrow and with a massive smile on her face, her dream achieved, sailing solo, unattended around the world.

The world is her oyster.

Here is her website http://jessicawatson.com.au/Blog

Friday, May 14, 2010

Mothers day at Bobbin Head

We left home early, at 8:15 (for a Sunday that is early!), with the Hoeks, our dear Dutch friends for a 'braai'/barbie at Bobbin Head. It is in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park only a few kilos from home. It was the most beautiful day. The sky was blue blue, no wind, few people while we were there and the company was great. We went for a walk along the mangrove boardwalk and the kids had great fun trying to catch little crabs in the mud. There are thousands of the little things. It was great to be outside and it was a wonderful mothers day for Annemarie and myself.

Afterwards we went to their house and had a few cuppas and played our favourite family card game, Bushman bridge. A card game we also played with other families while still in SA. It's a great fun game for old and young.
 These 'braai' facilities are found all over Australia. Wherever you go you'll find it. Always clean and ready to be used.
                    Mangrove boardwalk
         Would like to know what kind of Eucalyptus this is.
                                            Natural garden
                     Blue skies, I love it!

                         Fun time!!

Saturday, May 8, 2010

The Kimberley - Western Australia

We have been in Australia just over 15 months and have seen a lot of Sydney and the immediate surrounds. We have been down the south coast and have explored a few other places outside of the Sydney council area. Our area is quite green and totally overpopulated by Eucalyptus trees. The area is also very hilly and it feels to me I can never see far enough or over the trees do appreciate a beautiful sunrise (hence the name Sonrisa for my blog) or a sunset. I like spread out areas and horizons! I definitely can breathe better in such areas. In Spain we talked about the vista.

One of the areas I am desperate to experience is The Kimberley in north Western Australia. It is a massive area (similar in size to California) and it has red sand and waving grass and amazing mountain ranges. I have put the link to the area and please go to the 'gallery' on the left and have a look.  When I watch programs of the area on tv, do I actually experience a physical pain in my chest, can I call it a heartache.. it is soooo beautiful to me.

Long time still before we'll be able to see that part of our new adopted country, but surely we will.

Enjoy the pictures and also have a look at some of the interesting facts. This country is wild!!!

Enjoy the rest of your week end.
Carina

http://www.kimberleyaustralia.com/kimberley_western_australia.html

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Scrapbook for Carli

Carli turned 13 a few weeks ago and I made her a little scrapbook as part of her present. I couldn't believe what a time consuming project it was. I loved every minute of it and she was duly impressed and thankful.

Here, just a few of the pages.




                              With all my love !!

Council clearance/kerb shopping

Twice a year here in Sydney we have a council clearance for your suburb. I am not sure how it works in the rest of Australia. The people start putting things they want to get rid off outside their house on the piece of land (not in the street) about a week before the actual date. Then 2 to 3 days before the council come which is usually just after a week-end, do they start putting out their stuff  in all earnest. Not a very neat picture of the neighborhood then.

For some people it is a second income, they collect old and broken things, fix it or collect things which are still in a good condition and then either have garage sales or sell it on ebay.

There are at times the most amazing things that the people discard of. If you travel through the more affluent areas you are flabbergasted about the stuff that's been discarded of. Most of our SA friends have some thing in their homes which come from the council clearance. We also a few things...or two.. The first time you stop to pick up you really have a weird feeling bit it does become easier after the second time and the third time and the ...  One of our friends' husband refuse point blank to take part in her 'shopping spree'. She takes her son with and the poor child must do his fathers job... :)

I have driven past a wrought iron bed, beautiful chest of drawers which you can't pick up because of space in your car or in your house, and many other beautiful and useful things. I have a believe that 'less is more' so I do have to keep myself in check when it comes to 'stuff'. It is so easy to hoard things.

Some of my friends will know of the beautiful red leather couch that is (used to be?) in the coffee shop at Exclusive Books in Pretoria, SA. It was my biggest treat to go and sit there with a cuppa and a few books and sink back into the soft much sat in cushions. Well Gaby, hubby, drove past a similar couch last year. He stopped and had a look. It had plastic cover over and a note saying "It's virtually brand new, it doesn't fit the interior any more..." Well he arrived without it. I am sure he could have made a plan.. like putting it on the roof or carry it home.. or ask the people to keep it inside the yard he will get a hute/bakkie/pick-up from some where and will be back in no time. Men!!!???

So with this little bit of information into the life of a Sydneysider will I leave you with a few pictures taken in our street from our latest council clearance. See if you could find something of interst there.
 I took this sewing machine home and will try and sell it on ebay..