Little Wandering Wren …. chats!

Greetings from Myanmar - the land of the many golden stupas and pink people power!  We're at the end of a two week family trip and have now returned to Yangon, and are back with occasional WiFi - Yay!  Myanmar is a fascinating place, it's exploding as a tourist destination and rightly so. An exotic destination emerging from it's forbidden years for those supporting Aung San Suu Kyi's tourism ban and it's booming. Last night we compared Beautiful Burma with our previous holidays in China, Vietnam and Cambodia and it comes out tops for shear diversity.  Burmese ladies at a donation ceremony in Mandalay I remember finding Vietnam a rather depressing country on our various visits.  Sure it's beautiful but you sure do travel with the weight of history. Our guides seemingly placing every historical detail in context to 'the war.' Cambodia by contrast has had equally, if not worse atrocities which are more privately born. In China , things ar...

If you are visiting Melbourne today you'd be impressed with our Aussie winter. It is the most perfect spring-like day out there   with summer about to burst forth! We have been enjoying the sunshine and brunch at Acorn Nursery  admiring the garden and plants for sale. Here are some of my favourites: Protea This protea is called Possum Magic Proteas do well in Melbourne being a hardy, dry tolerant plant requiring little food  or water once established. Camellia I liked this camellia because it was called "Volunteer." Since having kids I have spent the past twenty years  volunteering . I thought it was a clever name and would be a perfect gift  for one of my volunteers! Magnolia I have chosen this Magnolia Vulcan because it shows the earlier hail damage and a reminder  that not long ago we thought our Melbourne winter  would never end! I like the way the lavender is just peeping  ...

With the Australian General Election over,  we can turn our attentions to some other important matters of life, the Spring Racing Carnival... As some of you may know we have a part itsy - bitsy share (like a tail) of a racehorse... We have had two previous horses and neither saw me galloping flat out around the shops in an absolute tizzy trying to work out what to wear... The first horse was in the UK where British weather dictates a smart coat (or more likely a raincoat) will suffice... The second was an Aussie horse, but let's just say we were never remotely near the winners enclosure and leave it at that... So this weekend I've been pondering frocks, hats and the rest. Fashions on the Field is a big part of a day at the Aussie races, even for those not remotely interested in entering the famous competitions. They say that over 26 million dollars was spent on hats, dresses and accessories for the Spring Racing Carnival in 2012 It is...

Drumroll please... For 'It's Pink Saturday' on Sunday morning some breaking news out of the UK Shock 'In The Pink' winner... At the local Somewhere-Shire Produce show my Mum (who wishes to be known only as Mrs Tickled Pink entered a few flowers from the garden into the 2013 ' In the Pink ' Flower Arrangers United competition. She has just won first place!!! The judge Mrs Mind-Your-Own-Beeswax said, 'A wonderful interpretation - very clever - immaculate material beautifully arranged' Mrs Tickled Pink when interviewed by local Press said 'I can only boast to you, as I think there was a bit of muttering by some as I didn't use pink flowers in the design like everybody else'. 'Please note home-grown grapes'! My Mum has now gone into hiding, along with my Father, her winnings and a large bottle of Rosé to celebrate. Note: Names have been changed to protect the identity of the Judge... Well done Mum!!! Hell...