Loving Ginger Jars

I've been on the look out for ages for some unique and colourful ginger jars.

In town this weekend there is a massive clearance sale - yes I know - another one!!! where I know there will be a few very old ginger jars needing a new home.

The clearance sale is the estate of a lady named Lily Constance and she passed away earlier this year just after her 100th birthday.

I also say two gorgeous jars in the latest edition of Country Style magazine, January 2012 on page 51 from Ada & Darcy so I have already jumped online to have a look at their website too!!

Action on the back porch!

We did a massive clean up last weekend and I got Husband to remove all of his blind and curtain business paraphernalia from the back verandah.

The end result had us both sitting back admiring our hard work and that Husband must at all times move his "stuff" to the shed that I bought him last Christmas.

The pansy's are flowing out of their hanging baskets, two new English Box are sitting at the door whilst the poor little Lobelia's struggle to get established.

We have not really had any warm weather yet in the snowies which may account for some of my flowering seedlings taking their time to get established.

Loving these rooms

I was just scrolling through the Australian Home & Garden website and came across these stunning rooms.

Getting really toey about moving into my white homestead - the dream just never seems to get any closer, which for me, is a real pain.

However, in the meantime I can sit here and imagine myself in each of these rooms - relaxing and dreaming....

Open Garden this weekend

One of my closest friends mum's is having an Open Garden this weekend with the Australia Open Garden Scheme.

I have featured "Glenelm" thoughout my blog a few times and I am just so excited to see Tina and Hans open their garden to the masses on Saturday and Sunday.

This year they are using the takings as a donation to the Snowy Hydro Helicopter, a lifeline for us here in the bush.

If any of you are in the snowies this weekend I suggest that your drop in - you wont be disappointed!!

Click Here GLENELM

So busy - So little time....

I've neglected my blog now for nearly a month and I feel bad about it.

I've had so much on the go atm and have just a few moments to share with you WHY I am not around so much.

Tis the wedding season so I have been to a few hens days etc and the weddings are about to hit us in the next few weeks.

And because I cant get enough of weddings I am holding a VINTAGE BRIDAL FASHION PARADE for a local charity called MCCR (Monaro Committee for Cancer Research) so hoping to make a bit of money for them as we ogle dresses from decades past!

I've been horse riding (never again) and had my 34th birthday which was great fun!.

We went for a weekend trip to Tathra to stay at a friends beach house and spoiled ourselves for a few days - Tathra is my heaven!

I hope you are all well and I will not neglect this long again!!

Me & Madonna

Love her - have done so for around 30 years!! I know - long time hey!!

These are a few of my fav photos......

Dinner anyone??

Just loving these white dining rooms atm.

White is just the perfect colour for adding a light and bright aspect to ones dining area.

Easily transformable with splashes of current colours, fabrics and flowers and as everyone knows "white never dates".

Husband and I were only talking over the weekend about the purchase of a new dining table and chairs and I might have to fight my way through the benefits of having white with three jack russell who occasionally sit themselves at our current dining table!!

Ooooo La La!!

Loving these today!!

Wittner Red Sparkle shoes - 11.5cm heel!!

Perfect for the post office!!! LOL

Here is Dad!

Proudly wearing a hat sent to him on Friday from WestsTigers!!

He will chat to his surgeon on Monday and then they will decide what to do next.

Thank you everyone for your lovely comments and prayers - I've told mum and dad of the support that I have been shown via the blog and they are sincerely touched.

Cancer Sucks!

Yep - it does.

I have some other words for it as well  - most of them are only four letters long!!

My Dad was diagonosed with Malanoma in May 2008 and has had quite the battle on his hands over this time and yesterday he had another big op to remove cancer from his groin.

In the most unhappy of news it was discovered that the cancer has now moved to his pelvis and more heartbreaking to his Aorta - we were all gutted last night and went to bed feeling very defeated - I can not even imagine how Dad felt.

I am flying to Sydney tomorrow morning to see him and most importantly spend time with Mum who has lived with the highs and lows of cancer with Dad for so long.

He is staying at Royal North Shore for the next 10 days at the least and then he has to decide whether he wants to undergo another round of chemo - I hope that he does but that's just a daughter being selfish - the last round that he had in 2009 really buggered him up so I won't be suprised if he chooses not to.

So I ask you to say a little prayer for my Dad and a prayer for your loved ones that are too battling this dreadful disease.

Pa - November 2008

10 years on.....

Yet it feels like yesterday.

September 11 2001 changed the world for each of us.

I was 23 about to turn 24  -  Dad woke me up - I think he needed someone else to witness the TV with him, to make sure what he was seeing was real - for many of the world watching live it was a horror movie.

The images that the world witnessed over the course of that day and those that followed, will forever be remembered - I simply wish the events of that day had never happened.

So on Sunday I will remember the people that passed away, the people that survived and mostly for the families and loved ones that live through it still everyday and remembering that day like it was yesterday.

The Trout Opera - Brilliant Book & a Must Read

I've just finished reading Matthew Condon's book The Trout Opera.

It was given to me by a friend to read in the post office when its quiet (it can get very quiet here) and for the rare occasions I can get outside to sit in the sun and have a lazy afternoon read.

The book is wonderful - its nearly 600 pages long but it is a real page turner and you are transported to each location instantly with brilliant descriptions.

The biggest thing that I loved about the book is that it is based in towns all around me here in the Snowy Mountains.

The books main character Wilfred is from Dalgety, his pop lives in Berridale, they often travel to Cooma, Bombala and up in the high country - it really makes you feel that you know the characters when you can truly identify with where they are.

So - do yourself a favour - go the library and borrow it - or better still, buy yourself a copy to keep forever!

I need a spare 2.7million pounds...THE FOLLY IS FOR SALE!!

Any of you that have read most of my posts will know that I am a big fan of Kevin McCloud and Grand Designs.

You can only imagine how excited I was earlier this week when I came across a newspaper article from the UK declaring that The Folly is for sale!!

Well I danced around the house and dreamed of winning lotto this Saturday and how Husband and I will leave the post office in the Snowy Mountains and go and live in Wales for 6 months in our new home!!

Ha! - a girl can only dream - dreams are little bubbles of sunshine for the soul.

Better go buy that ticket!!

Loving............

these WITCHERY shoes.

I have a rather bad addiction to WITCHERY - a visit to my walk in robe will reveal it in spades - tops, shoes, scarfs, beanies, skirts, dresses - it goes on and on!!

This little shoe would make a perfect addition and just in time for the racing season!!

Showing off the Post Office

I was astonished to learn that I have not shown any of you the front of our little Snowy Mountains Post Office.

We have now been here since March 2010 but moved to the area in December 2009 and we have loved every minute of it.

We have completed some major refurbishment of the outside - when we arrived it was a technicolour nightmare - and it looked nothing like a post office.

Husband even managed to put up a fluorescent sign which at night lights up our street and could be used as a beacon for astronauts in space!! LOL

September 2009 - lots a colours!!

March 2011 - 12 months in and she is red, red red!!

Welcome to my new blog look

Isn't it just gorgeous!!

All thanks have to go to the lovely Katrina from Media Mad & The Block who has just made by blog look and feel just the way I wanted it.

I will slowly get back into the swing of things in the next few days and I am looking forward to sharing more things with you as I progress through my new look!!

Enjoy!

I'm still here......

Just super flat out - post office life can be like that sometimes.

Also, husbands business is going gang busters at the moment too which means I'm getting up at around 5am to sort the mail and then spend the day in the post office - the days can be ever so long but rewarding because its your own business!

My blog is still underway to having its makeover but now with Katrina Chambers & The Block over and done with hopefully my new and improved look with be ready soon - fingers x'd.

I'll get back to blogging on a more regular basis again soon....I've missed it and I've missed you!!

Annie xo

Going GAGA for GaGa!!

Husband and I love GaGa and although I am a Madonna fan from way back (lets just say I've loved her for 28years) I am really engrossed by the way that GaGa is pushing boundaries and making people sit up and take notice - just like M did back in the mid 80's.

Her performance on ACA on Monday night was brilliant and I am incredibly jealous of the 1000 people who won tickets to see her perform in Sydney tonight!

Just Dance....with your Poker Face...LOL

Do You Too Want A Blog Makeover - COMPETITION TIME!!

WOOHOO - GIVEAWAY!!!!

Katrina at media-mad- is giving away a $250 blog makeover - talk about good timing!!

Click Here to enter & thank you Katrina for brilliant prize!!

So excited!!

Why Why??

After a week of looking at my blog and not feeling particularly inspired by its current look - I have taken the plunge and have employed the lovely Katrina Chambers to work her magic and make My White Homestead look and feel like it should.

I am really looking forward to seeing what she comes up with - I shared a few of my ideas with her and it will be so interesting to see how it all turns out!!

So I am super excited for all that is about to happen to my little blog and I hope that my 25 followers will love the new look!!

Stay tuned.....

Image courtesy of mediamad

I wish I was.....

Here.....

Warm - Cosy - Snuggly - Calming.......

The Block - Were Katrina and Amie robbed???

Well we in the Snowy Mountains thought Katrina and Amie were robbed last night!!

Their room was fresh, bright, functional and the attention to detail is to be applauded.

The urban industrial look really works with the girls and I think this will be a trend followed by many of the shows viewers over the next months as the houses are renovated.

I know that it will only be a matter of weeks till the girls win a room or two and I really can't wait to see how their house fairs when it goes up for auction - as a former resident of Melbourne, detached homes in Richmond fetch a good price!

Good luck ladies...

Photos courtesy Channel 9

Frosty Start

Brrrrr - was clearly the right word to start the day today here in the Snowy Mountains.

When I awoke I was still clutching my hot water bottle and desperately hoping Husband had restoked the fire for when I slowly made my way out of the bed.

I'm quite sure that there would have been many fences around looking like this....

Loving.....white floorboards

Ooo la la.....

Loving white floorboards atm and I am really hoping that one of the four couples on The Block considers using them on mass in their renovating....

Im Back from Christchurch But Shaken to the Core

Well I have returned to Australia albeit very shaken and sad for the residents of Christchurch.

I was in Akaroa on Monday for the major 6.3 earthquake and my goodness did I think I was nearing the end of my days.

My little room shook from side to side as I tried in vain to get to the nearest doorway! And then as soon as the shakes subsided I burst into tears!

I endured 40 aftershocks/earthquakes/tremors until I came home with my last one occuring just as I was boarding my Emirates flight back to Sydney.

A friend who is a detective in Christchurch took me through the Red Zone & it really is devastating to see what has happened to peoples homes, businesses and workplaces not to mention the damage done to cathedrals and sporting arenas :(

High Street Christchurch

New Zealand is though a truly beautiful country - the most stunning mountains that I have ever laid eyes on and the people are just so welcoming and warm despite what they continue to go through.

If you get the chance to go over and spend a few days please do it - they need to tourists to make some money and I'll admit there isn't much to do in and around ChCh BUT there is more to NZ then this one city so go on, book a holiday and take in the wonder that is NZ!!

Akaroa the night before the earthquake - stunning!

Arthurs Pass

Off to the land of the Long White Cloud!

Next week I am heading over the New Zealand - on my own - to see my best friend who has just had her first baby.

I'm spending all of my time in the beautiful city of Christchurch and I can't wait to see how the city is rebuilding after the earthquakes of earlier this year!

If I can load them (blog is still so sick) you will all get to see some photos over the next few weeks!

Winter in the Snowies

Ahhhh - she has arrived!

Winter brings the Snowy Mountains to life in so many different ways and most importantly brings people to the hills....

Clearance sale delights

Oh dear - I went a little nuts at a local clearance sale over the weekend!!

Severn Park is a well known RAM breeding farm and they decided to sell up alot of their belongings from their parents homestead - there were ALOT of antiques going way too cheap - it was Annie heaven.

So I came home to Husband with a solid silver cloche, two porcelin antique serving dishes, a coach lamp (very bad condition but no one wanted it so I gave it a home!) and the most amazing photo of a 20 stand shearing shed in action circa the turn on the century!

My cloche will look this good once cleaned up (this is the same model circa 1896)

Blog on the Blink

My blog is sick :(

I just want everyone to know that I am reading your comments BUT for some reason I can not comment back to you :( which is incredibly frustrating.

Apparently it is happening a bit in eblogger which is not great for those of us who love to blog each day.

So - I am reading your lovely comments and hopefully in a few days it will be fixed :) well I hope anyway....