House Sits Blog : April 2014

Hello Koalas Project

After finding this Koala inside Port Macquarie Library the other day, we're looking forward to seeing the Hello Koalas exhibit. 50 or so Koala sculptures are currently being painted and will be placed around the Port Macquarie area in September 2014. Find out more at: Hello Koalas.com or view more koala sculptures on the hello koalas facebook page...

Hello Koalas Sculpture Project Official Launch on 10 December 2013. from Hello Koalas Sculpture Project on Vimeo.

Anzac Day 2014

How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes! - Maya Angelou

Remember Me

On that pleasant spring morning,
when the birds are out and performing
and the sun's rays are warming

Remember Me

On that sultry summer night
after the thunderstorm yielded its might
and the moon is revealing a little light

Remember Me

On that crisp autumn day
when you have time to whittle away
and the leaves are an intense color buffet

Remember Me

On that raw winter twilight
when the sun is inching out of sight
and you're ready to call it a night

Remember Me
by Charles Hancock

Lest We Forget

A chance stop at Turramurra on our way home, and we discovered this flower tribute on the side of the road ... someone had created a flower memorial for Anzac Day... so beautiful...

Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me.
- Seymour Miller & Jill Jackson

Quote from: Quote Garden

Garden walks - House Sit at Northbridge

Candy and Maggie ready for their walk

I had a little giggle at Maggie's halo when I saw it - now if I had tried to pose this photo, I would never have achieved it.

There are so many beautiful gardens here at Northbridge, quirky little garden sculptures, artful old walls that make me want to know the story behind their creation. Beautiful established azeleas in their last bloom, camelia hedges in flower everywhere, the occasional rose that invites a sniff, it is a delight to take the dogs for their walk everyday.

Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else? - Betsy Cañas Garmon

Essential advice for the gardener: grow peas of mind, lettuce be thankful, squash selfishness, turnip to help thy neighbor, and always make thyme for loved ones. - Author Unknown

Quotes from Quote Garden

Postcard from Maggie

Hi family, Maggie here...

Well I've been having fun and going for lots of walks. I've helped Kev read the paper, and I showed Kaz the funny yellow box in the yard. She asked me what it was for, but I didn't know.

I showed Kev how to chase a ball and bring it back to me, and I've met a new friend called Candy. We've had a few plays together, and I like to have a little bit of her dinner when she's had enough to eat.

I learned a new doggie joke - What do you get when you cross a cocker spaniel, a poodle, and a rooster? A cockerpoodledoo!

Kaz groaned when I told her that one! Well that's all for me for now, we're all sitting watching tele together. I hope you're having fun bring me back a treat! Love and kisses Maggie.

Hallstrom Point

I've been attempting to capture Maggie's gorgeous smile.

She gets so excited when her lead comes out and has the best smile.
(and what a cute little grey chinny chin chin she has)

We all hopped in the car and went down to Hallstrom Point for an Easter Monday picnic.

Such a beautiful place to picnic and the doggies had a fun sniff and walkies.

The weather is so lovely - warm autumn days to bask in the sun and watch the kyaks drift by.

We nearly watched a disaster, some day tripper tinny hirers, ran their boat up on these rocks - talk about their lucky day, the motor bounced off the rocks and they managed to stay afloat - we were wondering how far they'd make it before another disaster occurred. No wonder hire fees are expensive.

Lost Dogs Art

Dog Sculpture spotted at About Life Natural Market Place Cammeray

We were fascinated with the dog sculpture outside About Life Market Place, so we tracked down the creators... the sculpture is by Gillie and Marc Shattner which led to an interesting article about their street art dogs - from Gillie and Marc's blog... “WE ARE HUGE SUPPORTERS OF BRINGING ART ON THE STREETS AND MAKING IT REALLY ACCESSIBLE.” All but three out of the 100 fibreglass dog sculptures planted around the greater Sydney region have been stolen in recent months, revealing that people will go to any length to secure themselves a quirky piece of contemporary art. The sculptures were part of an unusual social experiment conducted by contemporary artists Gillie and Marc Schattner to determine who would steal public art. "Marc and I are huge supporters of bringing art on the streets and making it really accessible," Gillie said. "Honest to god, we never expected the works to go that fast."

Read more and see Gillie and Marc's amazing Sculptures and Dog Art... Gillie and Marc.com

Minding Maggie Easter 2014

We're minding Maggie over Easter at Northbridge

and as the weather has been so...

we popped the doggies' leads on, and went for a walk.

Northbridge is such a beautiful place to wander and before we knew it

we were at Clive Park on Sydney's Middle Harbour

we rested for a while and watched the yachts glide across the sparkling harbour...

and spotted fairy penguins swimming after a school of jumping fish... or were the fish jumping because the fairy penquins were after them?

Can you see the fairy penguins? No me either, but they are in there somewhere...

Time to head off home, past some cute gardens

... and noticed an overhead Easter Bunny keeping watch

... and took time to smell this gorgeous rose.

Maggie noticed that we should all beware of the dog (but there was none)

...then home for a much needed treat.

at first we thought someone was doing mathematical equations in the sky... until the heart appeared

However you spend this Easter weekend, may it be filled with love and friendship. So... that was our morning - how was yours?

Cowan Creek Idyll and Tango on the Waterfront

A gorgeous start to our Sydney trip at Cowan Creek

Candy soaking up some rays... how lucky we are to be staying in this little part of paradise.

We made an early start to our housesit so that we could attend the first Tango night at The Waterfront Store and Cafe at Church Point.

One of our favourite places to go while we are in Sydney

It was a cool autumn evening for the start but we all warmed up once we were on the dance floor

It was such a beautiful night in a magical place

Packed with Tango dancers and locals delighting in the dance

Ted and Mimi from A Little Buenos Aires gave a beautiful Tango demonstration. There will be more tango evenings at The Waterfront Cafe & General Store in May and June 2014 - or to learn more about tango visit Ted and Mimi's A Little Buenos Aires here

We had a lazy morning and woke up to the sight and sounds of water from our bedroom

... then a lazy morning coffee in paradise - have I mentioned ad nauseaum that we take our Nespresso coffee machine and Bodum Pavina coffee cups everywhere? (after many people asking - you can get the cups at Peters of Kensington online (they are a fabulous company to deal with). Thousands of coffee shops must have gone broke now that we mostly have coffee at home.