New Growth

I was wondering what I could share with you this Easter-time,

and I thought that you would enjoy these  photos I took in the Spring

of the beautiful pink and delicate new leaves of the

Toona Sinensis (or Cedrela) along our driveway.

I say this name with confidence now, but only thanks to help from twitter friend Dingo Gully, who helped me to identify this tree.  Thanks to quite a number of others too, like Liz from

Bizzy Lizzy's Good Things who sent out the ID alert! 

From the Meliaceae family, I understand that the Cedrela's are from South East Asia, and this one is Chinese in origin. 

This tree could possibly be a problem here I think, as it suckers quite readily.  Luckily our cattle keep it at bay! But it is particularly lovely in Spring as you can see.

According to my "What Tree is That" by Stirling Macoboy Cedrela's are related to Cedars in name only, and this is because the heartwood strongly resembles Cedar wood, in colour, grain and aromatic fragrance.

Apparently the fruit, bark and roots of this pretty tree

 are used in Chinese Medicine.  

 I learned something else about this tree today from The Herb Society of America, which surprised me. 

Toona is extensively cultivated for the edible young shoots which can be boiled and eaten. The flavor of the young leaves is similar to onions and crushed leaves have an oniony smell. In China, the fresh young leaves and shoots are a popular aromatic vegetable used in stir-fries, egg dishes, for pickling and for seasoning. Tender leafy shoots are minced and often used in combination with eggs. 

Come Spring I think I'll be having to give this a go!

I particularly love this photo.  I think it has an ethereal quality, which I really like.
  It was pure luck but that's OK!

Toona Sinensis is  related to the Australian Red Cedar.  A beautiful tree which grows locally and which I will write about another time.  I  made a pendant which I named "Red Cedar View in Spring". But that's another story!


Enjoy your Easter, and if you'd like to share here what Easter means to you , or what you are doing this weekend, please do.  I would love to hear.

My Magical Misty Morning

What a day it was yesterday, weather-wise that is! Thought I'd share the start of it with you here today.

But before you read on, thanks to a comment from Gill Edwards from  Stamping Lemons, who asked about Magpies in Australia, I would like you to click here and scroll half way down that page  to listen to the magpie warbling while you take a look at my photos.  Believe me, you'll be glad you did!  

       ( Magpies singing  courtesy of Listening Earth. www.listeningearth.com )

The valley was blanketed in white mist which floated up the hill as the sun's rays reached the cooler depths. Magpies were singing while the cattle made their way down for a drink. Droplets of moisture lingered on the roses in my garden, sparkling in the sunshine.

And this was just the beginning of our wonderful first day of Autumn weather!  I'll grab together some more photos to show you soon, as the sun came out briefly and then lo and behold a storm appeared from the West!  Oh yes, it was quite a day!

I wonder what sort of weather you've been having?  I know in the UK it's been very cold and snowy.  How about where you are?

Don't Miss St Patrick's Day in Ireland!

That's right, it's Paddy's day on Sunday 17th March so I thought I would share with you some Irish goodness from five bloggers I have recently come to know.  This is the delight of the internet, connecting with interesting & inspiring people the world over.

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Excitement number one! Susan from Vibrant Ireland asked me to do a guest post (my first ever!) for St. Patrick's Day. Take a look here.  Susan has a lovely blog about all things Irish and we share at least one thing in common, we both live in a country other than the one we were born in! Susan came from the USA to Ireland, just as I came from the UK to Australia.

   Graiguenamanagh from Susan's blog

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Aoife writes the Daily Spud, so how could we potato lovers not follow that!  I thought you'd enjoy this amazing Potato Risotto ( Ristato!) recipe of hers which is pretty appropriate for St Patrick's day because of all the green, and of course the Guinness! Find the recipe here 

Irish Risotto with Potatoes,
 Mushrooms and Guinness 

And while we're on the subject of potatoes, you'll be fascinated by this post on the Daily Spud about Lumpers, the variety most widely grown in Ireland at the time of the Great Famine in 1845.

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Catherine writes a beautiful blog called Foxglove Lane and this recent post is a wonderfully evocative one of a Real Irish Pub that really hasn't changed at all.  The photos are fantastic and Catherine's personal recollections  bring it to life so that you can really taste that Guinness!

"Smoke from the fire and a kettle on the boil. The clock tick tocks. A lad sits at the counter. He dropped in "just for one" to his home away from home......"

Photo of Morrrissey's of Abbeyleix, County Laois from Foxglove Lane

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And for dessert how about this scrummy Potato Apple Tart from Caroline at bibliocook.com. A freelance journalist & broadcaster married to a Kiwi who makes beer in Ireland, Caroline has some tantalising recipes to share from both sides of the world. Potato Apple Tart I hear you say!  I know, but just take a look and you will be hooked! 

Potato Apple Tart

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I found Felicity, through my guest post with Susan.  Felicity lives between Bermondsey in London and rural Ireland, and writes a blog about these two disparate places.

Felicity is a professional writer whose book  "The House on an Irish Hill". looks to me like a fascinating read.

 'From the moment I crossed the mountain I fell in love. With the place, which was more beautiful than any place I'd ever seen. With the people I met there. And with a way of looking at life that was deeper, richer and wiser than any I'd known before. When I left I dreamt of clouds on the mountain. I kept going back.'

 Look out Amazon, here I come!

"When you know where you come from, you can see where you are going".

Take a look at this interview with Felicity about St. Patrick's Day for discoverireland.com.

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Thank you Susan, Aoife, Catherine, Caroline and Felicity for all graciously allowing me to share insights into your lives through this post.

According to the website timeanddate.com about 30 percent of Australians are believed to have some Irish ancestry today. And that is in no small way due to the Potato, and the emigration from Ireland in the mid 19th Century due to the Great Potato Famine.   So let's join hands across the oceans and say a very happy St.Patrick's Day, one and all!

How are you celebrating St. Patrick's Day?

  Here's hoping it involves a potato!  

My day, clouds, sunshine and showers.

Just like any other really.  Our days are full of different emotions and this one was just that way. Clouds, sunshine and showers.

How has your day been?  Just like any other, or a little bit special?  Please share, I'd love to know!!

It's not perfect but it will do anyway

I have decided that I am tired of waiting to produce the perfect post, the one that is just right.  So I am just going to show you a photo or two every day, and see how that works out.  I love sharing my photos but to make the story just right is too trying right now so I hope you will enjoy what I have to offer.The following are taken in the beautiful Lake District of England.

Herdwick sheep in Cumbria, taking a break.  Well why not?

Fox Glove

Mountain View

Water lily

Perfect isn't always the answer don't you think?  Sometimes good enough, is just that, good enough.
I have to say that I think that trying to reach perfection is the thing that stops us from enjoying  life and the beauty around us.  Striving for perfection can be stultifying and stops us in our tracks.  Let's appreciate the little things.  

Tell me the things you enjoy each day. I'd really love to know.