Looking for Gellibrand-y

The house in the clearing.  Off the grid, with a water tank and solar-powered.  I think it looks like something from a storybook.

We arrived close to nightfall, with just enough time to put up the tent before dark.  

The air was clear, the house inviting, with many tents and cars clustered round it, giving the weekend a slight festival feel.

Then the vino was cracked open before we talked and danced into the night.

It's good to get out of the city every now and then...  And I slept like a bébé with the fresh air and faint sound of the river running nearby.

 Morning was clear as a bell - despite the deceptive fog that formed over my camera lens

Down by the river we drank tea and instant coffee; la classe.

The pack up.
Thank you, D, for having us at your bush haven - it was a treat.

All Hallow's Eve

For Hallowe'en a friend hosted a wicked pot lucky dinner party at her humble abode. 

The decor was perfectly prepared for the event, and the fare a smorgasbord of treats and spookiness. 

In all honesty, I have not partaken in Hallowe'en for a couple years now but it was swell to dress up and to see what everyone else had come up with.  Not to mention meeting the gorgeous trick-or-treaters who came to my door earlier on in the evening - I hope I didn't freak 'em out too much in my own get up.

Voodoo lady with a black cat

Don't be fooled thinking that that tub of blood dip is beetroot . . .

Scary skelli

A dragon who provides eyeball cupcakes - a welcome guest at any party

Green Goo Guts (my dish, fancily presented in plastic container).
The spoooooky ingredients:
3 avocados (blended with basil, 3 cloves garlic, juice of 1/2 lemon, parmesan or nutritional yeast (for vegan prefs), pine nuts)
2 zucchini shredded with peeler
1 packet buckwheat Soba noodles (cooked)
A few handfuls baby spinach

I mixed the avocado blend with the remaining ingredients and left people to their own devices depending on how salty, pepper, and parmesan-y they like their goop.

Apparently there is rest for the wicked . . . Wolf slumbers on by the candlelight ;-)

And who doesn't like some Muddy Blood / Mudbloods to finish?  I couldn't decide on a name for these babies.  Name or no name, they were delish!

Sunday Cruising

The Sunday just gone I attended a boat ride down Melbourne's Yarra River to celebrate our Canadian/Australian friends' recently acquired Aussie citizenship.  

The weather put on a grand show for them and their crew and I loved the whole event.  Our hosts were super kind in setting up such an activity and I was super happy to fall in love a bit more with the city in which I grew up, Melbourne. 

I also now want to do this sort of activity every weekend so must get onto a boat license and a boat when feasible. 

AND I want a house, on a river, with a little jetty.  That is all I ask.

Oh and some good company, champagne and macarons while we're at it :)

Papa T sporting his Harlem headwear.  Quel groover.

I OK'd the cap on the condition there was one for me to wear too.

Hostess with the mostess

The jetties - are they not gorge? 

Even the slightly tumbling down ones.  Not sure if people sit here or not . . . 

Splendid time, all round!  Thanks to J & S for the great party and cruisey Sunday.