Handmaiden

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My favourite thing from nature

Flowers........one of the best ways to make me feel happy and to make a house a home! I treat myself to fresh flowers each week when I am in Melbourne. I love oriental lillies and tulips and amaryllis at Christmas. When I am in Singapore I only buy Singapore Orchids and they usually last 3 weeks. One day soon I will go to the Singapore flower market and show you what's on offer. I love colour, smell and texture.....a feast for the senses.

Delphiniums and Gladioli.........perfect match for this beautiful vase.

 

Thanks to Beth at Cloth and Fodder for this weeks's theme and to Angela fot hosting.

Sharon

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I can't say that I use quotes in my day to day activities.

So this is a not so much a favourite quote but one that I find quite appropriate given the significance of the change in US administration.

Now, I say to you today my friends, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: - 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'

Martin Luther King Jr., Speech at Civil Rights March on Washington, August 28, 1963
US black civil rights leader & clergyman (1929 - 1968)

Thanks to Strawberry Kisses for this weeks theme and to Angela for hosting

Sharon

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...a favourite recipe to share.

This is easy for me.......I love to cook and eat and have been sharing some of my favs recently .....all listed on my sidebar.

Its far too difficult to share one.

So one great one for summer is this Smoked Trout and Pomelo Salad

Recipe here.

And this Mango and Coconut Icecream Bombe is a delicious party dessert

Recipe here

And to find other great recipes check over at Angela's

Sharon

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What I"m surprised I like.....Tea

When I was a young girl I didn"t like asparagus or beetroot or tea. I think it was mainly because mum would open up cans of Golden Circle beetroot and asparagus and I couldn't stand the flavour. As for tea well that was just awful.... I suppose in those days it would be Liptons tea. I remember mum collecting the pack ends of the Liptons tea and exchanging them for gifts. That's one of the first loyalty programmes I can remember.

Well these days I have changed completely due mainly to my husband who introduced me when we met to fresh asparagus and home cooked beetroot and then more recently to a variety of teas. I suppose now my favourite tea is Orange Pekoe, but we have about 6 different varieties of tea in our fridge at any one time.

Thanks to Earl and Cookie for this weeks theme and the lovely Angela for hosting.

Sharon

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I like to go and see lots of movies, I can't say I have an absolute favourite....I enjoy action movies like the whole Bourne Series, Indiana Jones and Gladiator and I love period costume movies that the English do so well like Pride and Prejudice. So on that note my favourite film this past year has been Atonement with Kiera Knightly..........and in doing the research for this post I see she was born inTeddington and lived in Richmond in London which is the area that I lived in when I was there.

My Favourite Australian Movie............Strictly Ballroom directed by Baz Lurhman, starring Paul Mercurio

Thanks to the lovely Hollie at Hokey for this week's theme and to Angela for hosting

Sharon

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I have to say that since I started blogging my time for reading seems to have diminished somewhat as I am reading creative and informative blogs that sometimes lead me to lovely links that I can't resist then there is all the inspiring tutorials that I read and am keen to make. Seems never ending like painting the Harbour Bridge.

My current reading material includes my latest Donna Hay magazine plus a couple of previous ones I need to catch up on and then there is my serious read I am half way through - John Irving - A Widow for One Year. I am sure I will finish this in my favourite reading chair whilst I am in Melbourne.

Thanks to My Champagne Dreams for this weeks theme and to the lovely Angela

Sharon

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My Favourite Kitchen Tool.......

Well its difficult to choose really.

At first my husband wanted to nominate himself!!! Ha ha

I mean he did cook me dinner last night of Scallops in a Saffron Sauce and I have to say its one of his best meals along with his Rack of Lamb.

Then I have been posting about using a coffee grinder to grind fresh spices like cinnamon bark, cloves and star anise. The aroma is fab.

Or using microplaners for all sorts of grating........palm sugar or kaffir lime zest

And then silicone trays are just so easy to use - no greasing, cool in the tray and turn out with no residue.

But if I have to name one thing that I can't live without it would have to be my Coffee Machine. It's an oldy but a goody. We bought it in London over 12 years ago.

A separate grinder to the machine itself. It's had the occasional service, new "O" rings and seals. But the smell of freshly ground beans is one of those simple pleasures that I love. And the coffee is not bad either.

Cheers. Here's to a lazy Sunday drinking coffee, reading the papers and blogging....oh and some crafting.

Thanks to the generous Angela at Three Buttons for hosting.

Sharon

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Angela at Three Buttons has asked me to choose this weeks theme as she rests and unpacks her found luggage.

Some time ago Amelia at Bollewangenhaptoet asked us to tell us about our Favourite Tricks of the Trade and I really loved that weeks theme. Lately I have been posting about my favourite kitchen gadgets and appliances as part of my posts on the Asian Table..

So I thought it would be fun to find out........

THIS IS............YOUR FAVOURITE KITCHEN TOOL

Sharon

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What I want to show off....

I have to say that this does not come naturally to me and I have had to give it some thinking. I have no children or pets to brag about as many of you will want to show off.....and so you should.

Sometimes it's the little things for me, the new skills I have learnt since crafting, perhaps my new found blogging skills, the fact that I was able to run 2 times around the Tan without stopping. Maybe it was the first dress I made in 30 years.

Maybe its my new black patent peep toe shoes.

Instead...........

I flew on Concorde .........TWICE!!

Thanks to Katie from May The Cloth Be With You for this week's theme and for more players see Angela at  Three Buttons. And thanks to Angela for asking me to guest host while she has been on vacation. She is back now minus her luggage.

Sharon

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Angela is still on holidays somewhere in Sweden or was that Copenhagen so I am continuing to guest host.

The very excited Katie of May The Cloth Be With You is chosing this weeks theme. So check it out.

I have been having problems with Bloglines since the weekend..........its showing an error message and not showing any new feeds. So for those receiving this post I would be very pleased if you can spread the word on this weeks player.

For more players and how to join see Three Buttons

Have a great week

Sharon