Weekly Winners : 24 - 30 May

Erin, our little granddaughter, came to visit last Sunday ... with her dad and mom of course ... and was a little shy when Elaine arrived home ....

We get together every few weeks or so ... and it takes her a little while to 'melt' ....

... and get used to us again. We don't make a fuss ... just chat with her ...

"You've got new little freckles on your nose!!"

"Same as you, 'Lainey bugs' "... (her name for Elaine, thanks to her daddy, Carl who has always called her by that name - they are 11 years apart and he gave her that nickname when she started getting her 'big' teeth)

I got such a big hug ...

Isn't she a little cutie pie ....

I was caught, with camera in hand, waiting for moments to take photos of Erin

The past week was busy with Bradley's concert and I had two very tired little boys every afternoon ... here is one .. watching TV in a trance ...

... and another, Connor - actually he was sick, so his daily routine nap at school went 'out the window' and he fell asleep every afternoon at around 4 messing up his whole evening routine.

Aaaaahhh!! Peace .. and eyelashes!

And lastly - wine or flowers ... wine or flowers ... wine or flowers ?

Ummm ... flowers today ! ... and a baby tortoise!

Will not be contributing next weekend :( to Weekly Winners as I am going to the Cape! :) :)))

Hubby and Mr T are going on business and I am going too! P managed to get me on the same flights ... yay ... but I will be going through to Somerset West to see my Mum for a day then ....

....when they have completed whatever it is they're going for ... we ... are ... going ... wine tasting!!!

Loads to blog about after next weekend !!

This week's Weekly Winners are found here on Lotus' blog .....

Skywatch Friday :

Tuesday's sunset was spectacular from Bradley's school .....




... and through the jungle gym and the trees ...



... while the littlies prepared for their annual school concert.

For more spectacular skies around the world have a look at Skywatch Friday

The Big Bad Wolf ... and the three little piggies

Grrrr! 'Little pig, little pig, let me come in .....'

Bradley getting into character for his school concert which was based on the Disney stories. Their class performed The Three Little Pigs and Bradley was one of three wolves ... all the other littlies were the little piggies - pink ones and black ones with cute little noses!


I went along with Lance, Jeanette and Connor to watch last evening. Love the excitement in the classroom when the littlies are having their make-up on ..
...reminds me of the days of Elaine's ballet concerts with all the little ballet girls crowded into rooms crammed with costumes hanging from every hook and door knob, tying of endless ribbons on shoes, hair gelled into tight buns ......



My photos are not half as nice as Jeanette's - she had all the 'bells and whistles' for her camera and I only had my little pocket Lumix - we had enough to carry without my larger camera as well. Just shows you what a good quality camera can do!!!!

Aren't they just so cute .... three little piggies with a big bad wolf!

Let the show begin ....

Photos also taken without the flash ... as Jeanette did ... but look at mine!! Zoom and colours are not good .. wished I had taken my other camera but it was a little difficult with Connor not sitting still for one minute ...

... he loved it!! Here he is singing along with the songs ... then he climbed from one chair to the next, copying all the actions ...

I wasn't fast enough to get photos of him dancing on the chairs.

Look ... it's Winnie the Pooh ... and Tigger too !! He loved it ... that was his favourite bit!

Yay .. bravo !!

Wordless Wednesday :

Must say a few words here ...

Watching TV ! Reminded me of Spike in one of my favourite love-story movies - Nottinghill

Funny little boy!!

For more Wordless Wednesday contributions go here

Posts are mixed up ...

Help ...

...tried to date the post on Woodlands Spa after Weekly Winners ...
BUT it insists on being put on Saturday 23 !!!

I started it on Saturday but only finished it now with Weekly Winners in-between.

Changing the post to present time isn't working and it insists on being published before Weekly Winners

J - your mommy needs your help !!!!!! Pleeeease !!

Weekly Winners : 17 - 23 May

Laughing Buddha

Body and soul rejuvenating bubbles ..

Shades of brown

Beaded Buddha

Cascading beads

Ruffled


African bushveld through different 'eyes'

Peek-a-boo!

Pink succulent flowers ...

.. and green leaves

Whites, browns and blue

Swirls and curls

Delicate lilac

Vrroom..... vrroom.... !!

Whirling!

Lashes caught by the sun ...

... and ... the winning wine for Weekly Winners is .....

Bottled exclusively for Woolworths and only 1300 cases made (I've bought ... umm ... quite a few so far!!) - blend of Shiraz which vines originate in France and Grenache grape produced on 50 years old vines which origins are in Spain.

Shiraz/Grenache blend "shows a finely balanced structure and a delicious spice ripe-fruit character. Best enjoyed within 3 years ...." Oh ... OK ... so I need to drink it quickly 'cos it's a few years out but it still tastes yumm!

PS - I am NOT alcoholic ... I just love wine!!

Oh yes - not only are the Ken Forrester wines great ... the restaurant - 96 Winery Road, Stellenbosch is superb. Voted in the National Top 10 restaurants .... a-n-d ... my niece is one of the managers!!

For more Weekly Winners go to Lotus' blog

Oh ... what a lovely morning at Woodlands!

What did you do on Saturday morning?

A full body hot stone massage and pedicure - that's what I had!!!!

Oooh .. it was heavenly!!

It was my Mother's Day gift from Elaine .... to spend some time together .. just the two of us .. having a VERY relaxing hot stone full body massage and pedicure.

Woodlands is out in the country - Muldersdrift .. quiet and peaceful with treatment rooms overlooking the natural vegetation ...

.. with a mixture of African and Zen simplicity ...

.. and a laughing Buddha sits watching the quiet water ...

The early morning sun streams into our treatment room with gentle music and floral aromas wafting all around ....... (in summer the sliding doors are opened wide to take in the fresh country air and the rippling, cascading sounds of the river )...

.. where our bodies were smothered with aromatic oils and piping hot stones were glided along our backs, neck, arms down to our hands where the stones were left caressed in our palms... warm and comforting. Legs were massaged with hot stones in their hands down to our feet and toes ... ooooh .... aaaaahhh...... soooooo ..... l.....o....v....e....l....y!

Precious ... that's the name of my therapist .... oooh ...and she was gooooood!! I would go back in a heart beat !!

.. and afterwards ... a welcome cup of tea and muffin on the deck ... look how relaxed Elaine is !

A simple centre piece of a bunch of rosemary on the tables ...

.. on the deck overlooking the natural vegetation ..

... and the gentle cascading waters of the Crocodile River ...

A quote by Leonardo de Vinci is sandblasted onto the glass of the decking ...

"Although human subtlety makes a variety of inventions by different means to the same end, it will never devise an invention more beautiful, more simple, or more direct than does nature, because in her inventions nothing is lacking, and nothing is superfluous - Leonardo de Vinci"

Thank you, sweetie pie, for such a lovely gift!