Saturday, December 31, 2005

Hottest Day Of The Year

Today is the last day of 2005 and also the hottest! The temperature climbed up to 42 degrees Celsius at 6.00 pm and it is still hovering around the 4o degrees mark as I write.

What an unbearable hot day and there's no sign of relief any sooner yet. Anyway there's New Year Parties all around town and fireworks all over town too! I might just go check them out myself if I feel up to it in the next couple of hours..see how I go eh?

Here's wishing everyone a Happy New Year for 2006 and hope all your resolutions come true for you. My New Year resolution is just to stay cool..I'm buggered from this heat! *Pant*Pant*

Thursday, December 29, 2005

The Old Churchyard By The Highway

On the edge of the Hume Highway there's a churchyard that beacons to me eveytime I drive past it. So today I decided to stop over to have a good look around.

Unlike other churches I've seen this one seems very untidy, unkept and messy. The church itself was built in 1855 but it had seen better days.
The church tower itself looks quite haunting, I thought I saw something moved from behind the narrow window..This whole area is heritage listed because it dates back to the pioneering days.

In the front yard is the cemetery, several locals have been buried here but I don't think its being used today.
Most of the writings on the tombstones are too worn off to be able to read them.
Some of these graves are communal graves where family members were buried together.
One particular grave of interest belongs to the late Rev. Peter Gunn one of the pioneer minister here so long ago.
Some of these graves have been repaired many times over.

There are some where the deceased were just children. This particular one is a sad case where the children were aged 5, 9, 18, 19 and 20 when they died..may they rest in peace.

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Crown's Christmas Spectacular

I know I've done a post on Crown's Christmas Spectacular a few days ago but I didn't have a video clip to go with it.
So today I've decided to share with you the magical display of this Christmas light show because the photos really don't do it justice.



The video clip is over 5 minutes long so I hope you're on broadband! Enjoy!

Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Fancy Some Plums?

Just a short post today, friends of ours are having a wonderful Christmas holiday in Queensland and we were asked to 'mind' the house while they're gone.
It doesn't mean we have to house-sit their place but just drop in every now and then to see if the house is still there! So we went there on Christmas eve and they have a big plum tree in the backyard!
Its that time of the year when its bearing fruits and the birds been eating them! So not to let the fruits go to waste we pick some too. These are Japanese Plums and they are very sweet except for the skin which is a bit bitter!

They weren't fully ripe yet which you can tell by the colour of the skin turning dark red. I suspect they would be riper in a few more days, that was a few days ago so I'll go again tomorrow and hopefully the birds would spare me some left! Thanks guys for the plums!

Monday, December 26, 2005

Back To The Conservatory III

OK I'd like to take a break from Christmas for a while and do something different coz I'm all Christmased out!
Let me take you back to the Conservatory again, you may have read my previous post on it here and here.
Just a quick recap, the Conservatory is a free flowers display in the Fitzroy Gardens that features flowers of different species throughout the year for all to enjoy.
As I said in the previous posts they change the display in the Conservatory every 3 months and now I must post the Summer display featuring Hydreageas and Fuchsias.
This display will be on show until February when the Tuberous Begonia and Gloxinia display will take over.
The most interesting feature of showy hydrangea flowerheads is their ability to change colour according to the pH level of the soil.
Hydrangeas have blue flowers where the soil is naturally acidic, and pink or red blooms in alkaline soil.
There are hundreds of varieties of Fuchsia and the flowers usually come in the shape of a lantern.
The great majority are native to South America, but with a few occurring north through Central America to Mexico, and also several on New Zealand and Tahiti.
Pronunciation of "Fuchsia" is difficult for many English language speakers, as the correct pronunciation from the German origin of the name is "fook-sya" readily confusable with the profanity "fuck". As a result, most English speakers tend to say "fyew'sha". This tends to lead to misspellings like "fushcia" or "fuschia".

If you think you've seen the last of the Conservatory posts you are wrong, I have one more post to write but that would be in February next year!

Sunday, December 25, 2005

What Santa Brought Me For Christmas..

I've been good all year and Santa didn't forget me this year..I was hoping for a new camera like the one 5xmom has but Santa thinks I needed different.
On Friday I received a package via courier, what could be in it I asked myself?
I quickly opened the package to find a brand new sealed box containing a Nokia 6030 mobile phone and a letter from Flybuys. Flybuys is a reward program started around 10 years ago that lets consumers accumulate points for air tickets when purchasing goods and then eventually other awards from movie tickets to cooking utensils! I've been a loyal customer all these years and have reaped the rewards on several occasions and recently I've decided to redeem my points for a new mobile phone because my old one has just got to go!
Inside the box I found the phone, charger, battery, earphones and manual. This phone is so much better than my old one, its got radio too! The only thing it doesn't have is a built-in camera but I haven't come across a camera-phone that takes better picture than my current digital camera so I'm not fuzzed over that. Beside, the phone is free so I'm grateful!

Its even has a colour screen! (silly old dinosaur that I am). Thank you Santa for my Christmas present! So what did you get from Santa this year? Let me know! Merry Christmas everybody!

Saturday, December 24, 2005

Christmas In Melbourne Streets

T'was the nights before Christmas and all the houses in the streets of Melbourne are alight with wonderful Christmas lights and decorations!
I took most of these photos at The Boulevard in Eaglemont where it has become an annual event for the residents here.
This house features Santa singing Christmas carols on the front porch!
This one is going all out to decorate their front lawn with all sorts of Christmas decorations!
Here we have Santa in his sleigh on the roof and the singing bears in the foreground.
Nativity scenes like this is everywhere..
This house is actually within walking distance from my house and I think is one of the best decorated houses I've seen this year.
This house owner has no more windows left to spare for his Christmas decorations.
I've been good all year Santa so I'll email your my list of gift preferences.
I think that's Santa and his wife dancing behind the windows.
The electricity bill for this month is sure to sky-rocket.
Merry Christmas to everybody all around the world!

Friday, December 23, 2005

Christmas @ Crown

I'm still very busy at work but I managed to steal some time to do one post for everyone!
This is the Crown's Christmas Spectacular, light show running every 30 minutes till the 8th of January next year.
As the huge clock chimes, watch as the Atrium is magically transformed into a giant, automated Christmas display, all brought to life by a dazzling light show.
There are circus style aerial acrobats and playful dancing reindeers as well as the much loved favourites including the enchanting carousel, the stunning big top with a magical marionette show and of course, Santa.
Its big fun for everyone as this breathtaking Spectacular provides a sensory experience for all ages.

I would also like to thank everyone for your kind support and understanding during my busy time of the year when I have to put my blogging on hold so I could get through my heavy load of works. The good news is after today its 100% blogging again! Merry Christmas everybody!

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Buzzy Buzzy Bee..

First of all I would like to apologise for the lack of updates again! Its that silly season time of the year and I'm really really busy at work! That's how the industry works here right until Christmas. So until Friday I may not be able to post any new updates so I hope to resume normal blogging when the week is over so I can have a couple of weeks off to relax and be creative again..too stressful at work means no blogging but don't worry, I'm still reading your blogs eventhough I may not be commenting on them..just check your traffic meter, the one from Melbourne is me!

Until my next posting and in case I don't post till Christmas, I'm wishing all you bloggers a very happy and merry Christmas!

Sunday, December 18, 2005

Yours Truly

Today I like to do something different; I'd like to post a baby photo of myself and I'm inviting every bloggers out there to do the same!
There's been a lot of meme recently and we can just treat it as a "Baby MeMe". I'm not going to tag anyone but I just hope everyone out there would join me in posting your baby photos on your blogs so c'mon let's get working people, I'll be looking out for your baby photos these coming days!

Thursday, December 15, 2005

Meet Daisy & Her Friends

I would like everyone to meet Daisy and her friends...
Say hello to Daisy, "Hello Daisy!". Daisy said hi too.
This is Daisy's friend, she asks how are you.
Here's another of her friends and she's saying you're cute!
How now brown cow? Moo moo right back at you!
This is Daisy's cool friend who skates all day. Cool cow. Moo man!
Another cool cow who plays football...cool outfit dude!

Come and see them all at the Federation Square.