Lyn's thoughts..........

I LOVE Autumn time in our Garden

I'm spending more time around the home this week....and loving taking pics around our garden with the gorgeous Autumn colours...we do have a large garden and it's lots of maintenance...but it's our love......

This Japanese Maple always looks stunning.....it looks gorgeous also when the new bright green leaves appear in the Springtime.....

The fruit trees always look nice too when their leaves change colours and drop off....we have two compost bins under this one up the back......

...and last but not least......this is waiting for me to finish off tomorrow.....it's a never ending job at the moment....raking up all the leaves and then spreading them around the garden for mulch!!

Looking at all the CHANGES that are occuring around NATURE at the moment....it's also time for some CHANGES for ME!!!  Less WORK and more PLAY..................spending more time with my grandkids and family......travelling overseas with Rod.....continuing my love of PHOTOGRAPHY!!

Who knows what the future may hold.....but I'm open for  POSITIVE and EXCITING CHANGES!

Love our garden in the Autumn

I love taking pics around our garden...and at the moment the Autumn colours are magical.....need to take some pics of the changing of the leaves.....but for now...here's a sneek peek at what we see when we look outside our back door......

We love our hanging baskets......and at the moment the Begonias look amazing......

That path leads up to the hot house , vegie garden and chook yard up the back

This pic was taken earlier in the week when I woke up and looked out at the mist lifting and a glorious day approaching

I'm having a fun time crafting this weekend.......and getting some cleaning done around the home!

Shall take some more AUTUMN pics in the next few days and shall be back sharing...along with some project shares....................

                                           Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Spot the Lotus ~

I was sorting through some pics and found these ....can you spot the only Lotus Flower in both these pics? The rest of the flowers are Waterlilys

I created this Mozaic effect in Picassa...and then altered it in PS....fun!!!!

We are in the process of researching and setting up a website for Rod's Business

......Mike's helping to set it up....then we'll add links to and from the BLUE LOTUS WATERGARDEN website. We have had several enquiries about doing this .....so YES....it's in the planning stages.........it's great to see this as an extension of our business.

We'll have an on-line site up and running soon...so make sure you drop by if you are after SOLAR PUMPS or POND FEATURES for your POND......xoxo Lyn

Out and about - our back garden

Our plants have enjoyed the warmer weather lately......all the hanging basket plants are looking great!

The water lettuce have lasted for 3 months in this pot at the back verandah.......and the NEW Floating rubberished lilies provide some colour under the verandah..................real waterlilies wouldn't flower under here.....as they need full sun to flower continuously each year!

I received my Published Blog Book a few days ago......I'm so pleased with it.....this is the third year in a row that I have been Published......it's a great Legacy for my Family....I'll try and take a pic and post on here soon..................

I've been working most days now at the BLUE LOTUS WATERGARDEN.......we only have 4 and a half weeks left until the Season closes to the Public....yeh!!!!

Once we close we'll be doing some maintenance around home and cleaning up,packing away,etc....then we hope to spend some much needed R and R in Paynesville.....woohoo................

Here's another close up pic of some of the Fuschias....

 

What a fun day

It was so nice to have Carolyn up here last Wednesday......it's been ages since we crafted together. Gosh I look so tired in this pic......LOL! Looks like my hair has been through the wringer....he,he.

Thanks to to Jim for taking this pic of the two of us with our Cards.....

I was able to show Carolyn how to make a Step Card......so she happily made a few of these fun cards.....using the NEW Fiskars Interchangeable Border Punches and some of the Stampin Up product that I have here.....

We had a lovely day......chatting away and crafting.....we also took a lunch break for an hour or so....so I took Carolyn up to the Patchwork Tea House in Warburton for lunch.

Hasn't Carolyn done a fabulous job of her cards.....can you see where she used the NEW Fiskars Interchangebale Punches? She also loved using the Fiskars Everywhere Punch - BURST!

These are the two cards I created during the day..........................

Rod came home with these gorgeous flowers for me  in the afternoon.......

They are still going strong in our kitchen.....

Carolyn and Jim have now returned to Perth ! It was so nice to see them again!

I'm working 6 days a week as from MONDAY at the WATERGARDEN......4 days in the Boutique, SUNDAY in the CAFE and Thursday doing Rod's shift in the NURSERY / GARDEN SHOP....so no rest for the wicked for the next 7 weeks.......we'll be hanging out to get down to our HH in Payensville come APRIL......kids have booked the house for the first 2 weeks in APRIL....so looks like it won't be until mid APRIL before we get down there......we may even go away for a few days somewhere else ....just for a break over EASTER

Flowers are blooming - Lotus and Waterlily

The warmer weather is helping the LOTUS flowers and Waterlily send up magnificent blooms this year at the  Blue Lotus Watergarden  in Yarra Junction, Victoria.

Now OPEN 7 Days a Week until MARCH 31st......from 10:30am - 5:30pm daily!

Also open on Public Holidays in that time frame....next one being AUSTRALIA DAY Jan 26th

Bus Tour Groups have started coming up and shall continue through until closing......in case you missed my earlier post a few weeks ago...here's a little sneak peek...........sh.......sh.....shhhhhhhhhh    TURN YOUR SOUND UP!!! ENJOY!!

I'm working SUNDAYS now and helping out on other days as required....I'll be working AUSTRALIA DAY...Jan 26th....so if anyone is coming up then I'll be there.....also working Thursdays for ROD whilst he goes to the Vic Flower Market.....

 

 

some sneak peeks - SH SH SHHH....................

It's only 4 days until The Blue Lotus Watergarden opens for the Season.....OPENS 10:30am BOXING DAY.....we have been flat out getting things ready......here's a sneak peek at some pics I took today..... ENJOY!!!     Turn your sound UP!!!!

My Christmas Floral Table Centrepiece - How to video

Turn up your sound before you press the arrow!!    ENJOY!!

I have finally finished this year's Christmas Floral Table Arrangement.....I've put this little How to Video together for readers who may wish to try making one......

For further Step by Step Instructions on creating a Christmas Floral Centrepiece you can go here http://lynd.typepad.com/lyns_thoughts/2009/12/xmas-floral-arrangement-step-by-step.html

 

If you make one this year....send me some pics....I'd love to see what you create.....it's so theraupeutic and such fun to create!!!  I used all plants from around our garden.....

Here's a few from the past 3 years.....

My weekend

Just popping in to show you what I have been up to this weekend.....it's been a glorious SPRING day here in the Yarra Valley so I have been picking Lavender from our garden to dry.....I want to make more of these for pressies......my Fiskars Pruners sure came in handy...they are so easy to use!!!

I had to fight off the bees to prune the Lavender...they were having such a nice time pollenating them....

I also found this grass hopper hiding amongst the lavender flowers......can you see him? mmm check out the two bees....think they are up to no good.....LOL!

I have also been washing windows.....OMG.....I hate this with a vengence......but it's a job that can wait no longer.....we actually need to see out of them......LOL!

Arriving by courier yesterday was this package of goodies from Fynmark...product from the Fundamentals and Ruby Rock-It Ranges....

These are the supplies for my Spotlight VIP Xmas Night next Thursday in Bayswater.....don't they look yummy!!!

mmmmm.....need to get cracking on my Make'n'takes......back Monday with some sneak peeks....

So what are you up to this weekend?

 

Butchart Gardens

I'm slowly sorting through my holiday pics......found these ones tonight from the Butchart Gardens,Victoria,CANADA...July 2011

Rod and I both loved this place.....just walking along the paths and getting lost amongst the gardens was wonderful.

I've completed one Photobook of our time in the USA....just waiting on it to come back from the Printers.....so now I'm working on my CANADA Photobook!!

What fun we had on the Rocky Mountaineer Train...we caught it in JASPER and travelled for 2 days to VANCOUVER......stopping over night in KAMLOOPS.

Can't wait to do the ALASAKA one....we have so many great pics from there!!

I'm doing these books at night this week as I'm too busy pricing things during the day this week for Rod.....and we have SAM coming to stay over Thursday Night and Friday....so no rest for the wicked....LOL! I'm also working on a few fun projects!!