One of those days....

Karyn x

Welcome/Bienvenue French Desire

  www.frenchdesire.com.au

French Desire is a site run by an Australian couple Sharon & David who have a love
affair with all things French that started 15 years ago.

                                     There online store sells paintings by Jacqueline Sherwood                
                                              

        Early this year they also launched a new French Australia Directory with over a 1,000 French
        businesses & organisations    www.frenchaustralia.com.au
          
          Hope you enjoy
          Karyn x    
    

Allo Allo French Tearoom

This little gem is right next door to Le Relais Bressan , Flaxton (posted yesterday) . So you could stay
at least half the day . Morning tea at allo allo french tearoom ,browsing in the garden center , which stocks some plants I havent seen before (I bought the most divine smelling rosemary there) & lunch next door at Le Relais Bressan ( probably a good idea to book first ).

 Maybe go for a walk in the beautiful countryside after to burn off the calories......

               The sweets case inside the tearoom (sorry for the poor quality photo, this really does not do it
justice). The raspberry brulee tarte got my attention , in the back there is a choc caramel tarte that I secretly purchased to take home & share with hubby when the darlings had gone to sleep that night.
The staff were so lovely , you want to go back..........

We sat in the tearoom looking out this window over the garden center , 5 minutes after this was taken it rained so I didnt get many photos this day. We had a lovely lunch , hubby had a baguette with smoked salmon & salad , very fresh & the salmon was cut thick. I had a mushroom quiche that was divine ,it was a homemade rustic pastry case with a loose mix of egg , mushroom & caramelised onion served with a salad topped with an amazing dressing. I asked about the dressing when we were going , and to my joy it is made on the premises & I was able to purchase a bottle to take home. The kids opted for croissants.
And I also had the French drink called an oraginare (I think it is spelt different to this). It is like a orange juice with lemonade , that they made up fresh for me. I dont usually drink softdrink but this was spectacular !

One last look at the tarte I will have on my next visit.......

They also have a model french village that the children loved to see......

Again not the best photos , my camera was just hanging in there , I couldnt adjust any settings
due to broken button. But you can get the idea......

 I was inspired by the lemons growing on this lemon tree , so I purchased a pot like this to take home.
Hopefully I will have a post one day that will show a beautiful lemon tree growing in my pot at home.

Who can resist a cherub ? Unfortunately it wouldnt fit in the car.

                                                                 Karyn x

Out & About Sunshine Coast Hinterland

 

                                                               Le Relais Bressan
                                                            344 Flaxton Drive, Flaxton Qld
We found this restaurant on our last day of our little getaway in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.
Unfortunately we had just had morning tea 10min down the road , so we didnt eat there (yet).  The menu looked inviting & reasonably priced. We were in the area for another 2 hours & in that time the restaurant appeared full , a good sign. We are going to stay near here  one weekend in winter , it is a beautiful part of the hinterland with views forever.  Here are a few pictures I took.

The front of the restaurant , and while I was taking this guests started arriving for lunch

These are the cars some arrived in , the man in the cream car saw me taking a picture & asked
would I like him to move the car , so I could just get the red one. I was like "no please dont , you have made my photo all the more lovely".

View from behind....

I popped inside to read the menu , for a future visit (not to long away I hope) sounds delicous & it had my favourite dessert creme brulee' . I took a quick photo inside .

                            Attached to the side of this building is a vintage car museum , how quaint is this one ,
                            oh how I would love to go for a drive through the countryside.

                             

                                                  Another view across the road....
Tommorow I will post the place we visited next door to here
                      
                                                                Karyn x

Anzac Day -Remembrance

 

                                    
                                   They shall grow not old as we that are left to grow old
                                    Age shall not weary them , nor the years condemn.
                                    At the going down of the sun and in the morning
                                    We will remember them
                                     Lest we forget
          

                                
                                                        Unknown soldier in the trenches
                                

                              
                                          Gallipoli  kitten & mascot born in the trenches

                                  
                            Private John Simpson Kirkpatrick of the 3rd Field Ambulance and his donkey

                                
                                                        His resting place ..... Bless him
                              
                                                                       

                                                           

                                                          

                                                                        

Autumn Fruit Colour

Autumn Pears & Apples

One weekend I went to the markets  & to my dismay the flower stall

was not open. So I bought a big bag of limes & put them in a bowl on my kitchen 

bench . Since then I love doing displays of fruit , a quick fix for adding colour,

 texture and freshness in the kitchen. And best of all you get to eat it!

Better still a mix of fruit & flowers !

Have a lovely weekend

Karyn x

Images from Pottery Barn & Hope Island Home

My 6th Photo !

Thankyou to the lovely Rachael from A Room For 

Everyone blog for tagging me in this game.

My 6th Photo

This was my 3rd post on the 11th Nov 09

It was the start of our renovations & our darling cat
 Chelsea was watching concrete being laid for our family/kitchen

 room, mini extension.

 What we thought wasnt such a big job didnt come at a mini price though.

It is amazing the costs of doing a reno & the budget can blow out

 very easily when you are being swept up in the excitement of the walls coming down.

If you would like to see more of the start  of the renovations , there are more photos on

 that posting of the walls & kitchen coming out.

I only had one comment on that post  (only my 3rd post so I wasnt expecting any)

I was so excited , there it was in the morning & ran with excitement to my husband

who was sleeping , screaming Vicki Archer left a comment on my blog.

 Hubbys reply "who". I replied

"Vicki Archer author of the book My French Life "
(the book is one of my favourites given to me by my brother at a very difficult time in
my life , it gave me hope to dream again & it has always sat pride of place
next to my bed & now in the family room )

"Oh thats nice dear "or something to that affect was the reply.

 Men they just dont understand ! 

Maybe because only 2 days earlier he had accounted the same thing from my 1st post excitement.

"honey you wont believe it , Leigh from Brabourne Farm left a comment, you dont understand

she has 

she has a beautiful blog & is big in bloggy land."

 I got the vacant look of what am i supposed to say to that information......

I have calmed down & I keep the joy of receiving

comments all to myself and Im good with that.

Karyn x

P.S I will  tag my bloggy friends later 

when I check who hasnt had a turn yet playing !

A Day at the beach

Day 2

We stayed at Kings Beach, Caloundra

I thought all our plans for a relaxing day

were gone when we woke up to pouring rain.

No car today , all of this was across the road

from our accomadation.

But it stopped later in the morning 

to allow us to do this...

some climbing....

bouncing.....

plenty of squealing....

 swimming in the seawater pool....

looking for crabs (tiny , tiny) in the rock pools..... 

more swimming....

relaxing in a very warm spa, delightful.....

some running.....

(hubby who never takes photos , was watching me

chasing  the kids said' I took a photo of you all'

there we are, those little specs ! We do have zoom

honey)

watching ships pass by from our balcony.

At night the cruise ships look spectacular......

The End

Karyn x

Australia Zoo Visit

                                                  

Bronze statue of Steve , Terry , Bob & Bindi

We went away for a short 3 day break to the Sunshine Coast.

We drove up on Friday to Australia Zoo at Beerwah.
 Last June we bought 

season passes because it rained all day
 & thought we would like to come again 

when it was dry, well guess what ? It rained half the day.

We still had a great time , I didnt take many photos due to the rain.

Of course there were crocodiles.........

 I have mixed emotions when we

go to Australia Zoo. There are images of Steve Irwin everywhere , 

 you can feel his passion there , but the animals losing
there 'ambassador' can also be felt.

 And that is when you question & say "Why did he have

to be taken ?" Too deep , lets move on.

Snake rides....

Real snakes.....

The snakes here are the most alert I have
 ever seen , they were all moving around

& coming up to the glass , very exciting.

Pony rides.....

Animal petting farm ....

I loved the otters.....

and the tigers....

How I wish that was my job !

The elephants....

We got to feed them earlier in the day , they are so gentle.

And for my overseas readers

Kangaroos....

I find them a bit confronting when they stand up

"stand back a little kids"

Even the koalas were awake !

This young koala had been hit by a car & most of 

its front claws were missing.

OOhhh look at this cuddly one.

Day 1 over

Day 2 Beach & Day 3 Mountains

Post tommorow.

Thankyou to all the lovely ladies who offered to 

water my plants

you did a great job!

Karyn x