Beautiful gardens in and around the Snowy Mountains

Despite being such a dry and sometimes arid environment, the Snowy Mountains and the Monaro play host to some of the most beautiful gardens around.

Two that spring to mind are Kelton Plain and Coolringdon - both sit between Cooma and Berridale and to put it simply - they are stunning gardens.

Whilst I am yet to be invited to either gardens, a close friend does know the owner of Coolringdon and I hope to be able to have a look around the garden in 2011.

Both of the gardens have water features which in this climate certainly assists in the natural cooling of the area around homesteads.

I think water should take a role in any garden no matter what size or shape it may be - the number of small manufactured water features available in today's market is never ending.

The first owners of these properties and gardens have certainly left a beautiful legacies not only for future generations to enjoy, but all of us.

Kelton Plain - photo by Trish Dixon

Kelton Plain - photo by Trish Dixon

Kelton Plain - photo by Trish Dixon

Coolringdon - photo by Trish Dixon

Where did 2010 go??

Happy New Years to all

Merry Christmas

Ho Ho Ho!!

Things are quiet in the post office today - thank goodness -
parcels being picked up and lots of happy smiling faces!!

My little family is just about to be all together for another christmas

and our first as a family in the Snowy Mountains.

So from my family to your's......

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays

& 

please drive safe - where ever you are.

Annie xoxoxox

A garden is not a garden without an urn or two.....

Once we purchase our parcel of land - I hope for at a minimum of 10acres - we will plant and start establishing trees - silver birch - poplar  - eucalypt, and I hope that these will grow up to be big and shady so that I can establish secret hidden garden pockets that feature Garden Urns.

I find nothing more stylish for a garden than a beautiful garden urn - sandstone are my favourite and I notice now that you can buy replicated sandstone urns that are light weight but look like the real thing and this would make them perfect to move around a garden.

We featured two large urns on pedastools at our wedding back in 2008 and I just love them - these werre very light weight and were moved around from our wedding site to our reception area in no time.

I love to see them filled to the brim with beautiful flowers, standard roses, tall leaved structured plants - even when they are empty and used simply as a garden ornament - they are still lovely.

I found these the other day from an English auction site - Hartleys - I wish I was there to be able to have a bid!!

Wedding Urn - stunning!

Our urns at our wedding

A Lady named Marilyn

I love the original blonde bombshell - Ms Monroe - and have loved her for a very long time.

I've read all the books, listened to the hype that has surrounded her passing back in 1962 and often wonder "what really happened".

Had she not passed away - Ms M would have been 84 in 2010! I wonder what she would have looked like and how she would be living - I fear she would have been quite reclusive!

But what Ms M left us all with, are beautiful movies and photos that we can always enjoy - and I love nothing more than finding rare pictures of her that no one has seen much of and I tend to stear clear of the ones that are often over exposed - making her look like a product - rather than a beautiful woman.

I have three framed prints of Ms M beside my bed - they remind me of all that was wonderful about her - her free spirit, her love of reading and her desire just to be loved!

My pictures - not the greatest photo I've ever taken!!

Making something old new again

When we get around to building My White Homestead, I hope to use many recycled pieces of unique and old building materials.

It seems very much in vogue at the moment to search high and low for those amazing pieces from the "old days" when most things were built to last  and  this must really be the case as many recycled building suppliers are popping up everywhere.

I continually look at what's on offer on a few different web sites and get excited when I find something that I can place in my "imaginary white homestead"!!

Today I found entrance doors - I want to buy them - but know that by the time we build our home that I will have found another 200 entrance doors that I just have to have!!

Now off to find that unique door knocker to go with them!!

The current dream Entrance Doors!! I can even see large sandstone urns sitting either side of them!!

Im In Love....

With the most amazing book on gardens I have ever seen.

And all I can say is I AM IN LOVE!!

Myles Baldwin has outdone himself with his newest book Rural Australian Gardens.

This is his second book on gardens, his first was titled Period Gardens.

I have been unable to put the book down all weekend and if you have a special someone in your life that loves gardens, YOU MUST get them this book for Christmas.

The book also features Millawa, a local garden in Jindabyne, not far from where we live and it has really inspired me to really get to know what grows well in the Snowy Mountains.

If you only buy one book this year and you really want to treat your eyes to some beautiful photography......BUY THIS BOOK!!!

The very talented Myles Baldwin

My Christmas Twig Tree

I finally completed my christmas twig tree!!!

My mum has a beautiful tree in her backyard and yesterday afternoon I got the ladder and saw and took down an old branch.

Then I grabbed husbands line marking white paint and proceeded to paint the twig tree white! And may I say if you are going to paint a twig tree that you use line marking paint - it dried instantly.

I then decorated my tree with some beautiful white wooden christmas decorations that I purchased from Cottle House!

She looks great!! Im super happy with the result!

Before decorations

Something for your door

Nothing is more welcoming for family and friends at Christmas time then to be greeted at your door by a gorgeous Christmas Wreath.

Ours this year is a collection of red baubles with loads of glitter on them in different sizes.

I was going to make one but decided against it when I saw the cost of the baubles I fell in love with and realised the amount I would need to create something magical.

Friends in Melbourne use twisted willow and hang tiny ornaments on it - it really is beautiful and over the years it has been something to look forward to when visiting their house.

A wreath can be made of anything and decorated to suit your own style and budget.

I found a few beautiful wreaths earlier today - all stunning and all could easily be replicated.

Drips & Drops.....

Yesterday I ventured out to the Sundowner Cup at the Cooma racetrack - my first outing to Cooma Races since I was about 10 years old!

With a rainy forcast provided to me in the morning, I made sure I had my umbrella - and not just for the expected drip & drops - but to also make a fashion statement as well.

I love beautiful umbrella's that not only protect us from the elements but assist in the making of a stylish finish to any outfit and for any occasion.

Our office/study - the creating begins

When we first moved into the post office residence there was a reasonable amount of room for our desk to be placed.

This happened 8 months ago, and ever since has been the dumping ground of everything - from work papers, to old wine boxes to dog toys.

Last week though I was inspired to create a workstation where we both could work and enjoy so yesterday I bought some decorative architrave, black board paint and a small pot of white paint to start the transformation.





I hope that these photos will insprire me to create a relaxing and studious place for us to use.

Little Fat Birds

I love them - however they come.

Ceramic, Pewter, Rusted Metal, Porcelain, Wood ....its doesn't matter, if I find them, they manage to come home with me!

My obsession started when I lived in Melbourne and I bought one due to the fact that is was cute.

One soon turned into two and now they are starting to surround the post office residence in mass abundance!!

I've even started to buy hand painted cards and book marks that feature the cute little things.

They have livened up our buffet where about 9 of them have made home and friends have started to buy them for me as well - is my love for little fat birds becoming too much??

I want these!

my birdies!!

Aussie Christmas Tree

Due to size restraints in the post office, I have decided to decorate a tree branch with christmas decorations and have it sit on the counter to get the post office into a more christmassy feel - at the moment it still looks like it did in November!

I've been having a look at some other trees for inspiration.

All are very unique and could be easily created! I am waiting to get some decorations from Cottle House and then I will get designing