The Book Of Love* - Part XII

This is my last Book List post for the year. It has been a year of ups and downs reading wise, but with an average of 4 books a month, I am pretty pleased with my efforts. I began this project with a view to seeing how much I was reading. It has been a lovely thing to do and I think I will continue next year. 

So ... the final list for 2011...

46. Flight Lessons - Patricia Gaffney

source - google images

47. Light On Snow - Anita Shreve

 source - google images

48. I'll Walk Alone - Mary Higgins Clark

  source - google images

 I have not enjoyed all the books I've read, but I do so enjoy reading that it is not really important.

I am excited to see what the new year brings. I think it unlikely I will be able to reach these dizzy heights with my reading, but let's see shall we. Thanks for reading along.

 The book of love is long and boring
No one can lift the damn thing
It's full of charts and facts and figures and instructions for dancing
But I
I love it when you read to me
And you
You can read me anything
The book of love has music in it
In fact that's where music comes from
Some of it is just transcendental
Some of it is just really dumb
But I
I love it when you sing to me
And you
You can sing me anything
The book of love is long and boring
And written very long ago
It's full of flowers and heart-shaped boxes
And things we're all too young to know
But I
I love it when you give me things
And you
You ought to give me wedding rings
And I
I love it when you give me things
And you
You ought to give me wedding rings
And I
I love it when you give me things
And you
You ought to give me wedding rings
You ought to give me wedding rings

*The Book Of Love - Peter Gabriel

Do They Know It's Christmas*

WOW!

December has been a full on month. This is my first post. I have been working a lot and of course as Christmas approaches things get busy - both socially and at work, so I have not prioritised blogging.

I plan to schedule my blogging frequency for next year so I can gain some momentum. I was flying in October for Blogtoberfest, but I lost my mojo after that.

Best Wishes for the festive season, I hope you had/are having a relaxing time with lots of food friends and family - or whatever floats your boat.

As an aside, apparently Yes they do know it's Christmas!

And there won't be snow in Africa this Christmastime
The greatest gift they'll get this year is life
Where nothing ever grows
No rain nor rivers flow
Do they know it's Christmastime at all?

*Do They know It's Christmas - Band Aid

Looking Out My Back Door*

It's definitely a time of looking back over the past year. Lots of blogs are reviewing the year, discussing whether goals were met etc etc.

I had a very roller coaster type year, with moving house, losing my job and getting sick again, counterbalanced with finding work that fuels my passion, making a decision to put my PhD on hold and regaining a semblance of health. 

I am very fortunate to have had both the good and the bad this year, I have learnt so much from all of my major experiences as well as the little things.

I look forward to 2012 and the delights it might bring. I take with me into the year all the learnings from this one and leave behind the things I no longer need.

Happy New Year!

Tambourines and elephants are playing in the band.
Won't you take a ride on the flying spoon?
Doo, doo doo.
Wond'rous apparition provided by magician. 

Doo, doo, doo, Looking out my back door. 

*Looking Out My Back Door - Credence Clearwater Revival

The Book of Love* - Part XI

 It was a very lean reading month!

  The second month this year with one lonely book!

45. The Secret Cure - Sue Woolfe

 

source - google images

And you
You ought to give me wedding rings
You ought to give me wedding rings

*The Book of Love - Peter Gabriel

Ordinary Miracle* - Washing

Ordinary Everyday - Part Two

It seems I am in need of a deadline or challenge such as Blogtoberfest, to get into the swing of posting regularly! Oh Dear!

I finally got around to doing a part two of Ordinary Everyday. This is where I take photos of things I do every day or every week, that form part of normal living.

It is essentially to practice my photography skills and to challenge myself to take interesting photos. Let's see how I went. 

and today's (not so helpful) helper is ...

she's quick as a flash!

keeping a close eye on proceedings

I don't mind doing the washing, it's the hanging and then folding that go with it that I'm not a fan of.

The sky knows when it's time to snow
Don't need to teach a seed to grow
It's just another
Ordinary miracle today

*Ordinary Miracle - Sarah McLachlan

Pictures of You*

WOW. Time really flies when you're having fun sick again!

Oh yes, for the third time in two months, I have been struck by the dreaded lurgy! On the up side, it has given me time to get my teeth into photo meditations, which I am loving.

I thought it was high time I shared some of my favourites with you. Enjoy!

 Big Cat Holden

Little Cat Willow

Tinniegirl's paints

 Someone else's paintings

Goodnight!

Looking so long at these pictures of you
But I never hold on to your heart
Looking so long for the words to be true
But always just breaking apart
My pictures of you

*Pictures of You - The Cure

Sweet Jane*

It's my sister's birthday today. We are only 11 and a half months apart so for 2 weeks every year, we are the same age. We love this!

Anyway big sis, Happy Birthday. Have a great day!

 With our nephew

and here with my brothers and our uncle

Love you Big J

 

Heavenly wine and roses
Seems to whisper to her when he smiles
Heavenly wine and roses
Seems to whisper to her when she smiles
La lala lala la, la lala lala la
Sweet Jane
Sweet Jane
Sweet Jane

*Sweet Jane - Velvet Underground

Ordinary Miracle* - Coffee

Welcome to Ordinary Everyday - Part One.

I was making coffee this morning, and having just started photo meditations, was taking some photos.  I had this idea to do a series of photo posts about things I do everyday. Now I am not sure how successful this will be, or if I continue taking photos of things I do everyday, but here goes!

I know some of these shots are good and some are not so, but that is going to be part of the nature of this series. I'm learning how to be a better photographer, and have decided to share both my successes and what I'll call my learners!

I make coffee with this machine every morning, I love my coffee!

 It's not that unusual
When everything is beautiful
It's just another
Ordinary miracle today

*Ordinary Miracle - Sarah McLachlan

The Horses*

The Race That Stops a Nation!
It's an auspicious date 1.11.11 (or 11.1.11 if you live in the US!)

It's Melbourne Cup Day. This is my favourite holiday of all. Where else in the world do you get a holiday for a horse race? Not even the whole of Australia gets a holiday, only Melbourne, and because it is always held on the first Tuesday in Nov, most of Melbourne takes Mon as a holiday as well.

This is what I did on my holiday

Coffee

cute cat

company

 

clear skies (after the race!)

more cute cat

And my horse won!

That's the way it's gonna be little darlin', 

we'll be riding on the horses yeah yeah
Way up in the sky little darli-in', 

and if you fall I'll pick you up, pick you up...

*The Horses - Daryl Braithwaite

Dance Me To The End Of Love* - Blogtoberfest: jour trente-et-un

 Blogtoberfest is done! 

I have survived Blogtoberfest for another year. I am proud to say that while I didn't blog every day, I posted for every day. When I forgot I made it up and when the internet conspired against me - I posted belatedly.

This is my best Blogtoberfest effort so far. Apart from that it has been an action packed month. Today I was planning to look back at the month being the last day of October. I have decided against this approach for the simple reason that you can look back and see the events of the month!

It has been a time of ups and downs this past 6 months in our home but I believe that things are shifting and we can look forward with hope to what is around the corner.

I have enjoyed Blogtoberfest this year despite being sick for some of it. The school holidays were a positive thing for my blogging, as I had more time and was able to think about and prepare some posts in advance. This made it heaps easier.

I wanted to thank our lovely host tinniegirl for once again hosting this festival of blogging.

I began this post yesterday, but in the end I changed my mind, so really there is no point to this post now, but I felt the song was appropriate, so here tis!

Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin
Dance me through the panic till I'm gathered safely in
Touch me with your naked hand or touch me with your glove
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love 

*Dance Me To The End of Love - Leonard Cohen

The Book Of Love* - Part X - Blogtoberfest: jour trente-et-un

41. The Saving Graces - Patricia Gaffney

 sourced at Google Images

42. There But For The - Ali Smith

 sourced at Google Images

43. Maximum Impact - Jack Henderson

 sourced at Google Images

44. Dark Lady - Richard North Patterson

 sourced at Google Images

And you
You ought to give me wedding rings
And I
I love it when you give me things

*The Book of Love - Peter Gabriel

Earth Day Every Day* - Blogtoberfest: de trente jours

Today I lay down and hugged the Earth

it fed my soul

  
and it was good!

Celebrate morning
The cry of a loon on a lake in the night
the dreams that are born in the dawns early light
Celebrate morning

Celebrate living
The laughter that sings in the heart of a child
The freedom that flies at the call of the wild
Celebrate living

Celebrate evening
The stars that appear in the loss of the sun
Whispering winds, We are one, we are one...

Celebrate earth Day, every day
Celebrate earth Day, every day
Celebrate land and sea
Celebrate you and me
Celebrate earth Day, every day

*Earth Day Every Day (Celebrate) - John Denver

Shiny Apple* - Blogtoberfest: jour de vingt a neuf

Thwarted, derailed, stonewalled, hindered and obstructed by the internet yesterday, in my attempts to post this!

igot

ithink

ilove

ima

itragic :)

Shiny apple rotten on the inside
Skin is smooth but you soul is soft
Oh you look so appetising but
Taste the truth it’ll make you spit

*Shiny Apple - The Waifs