Catch up time

Well,after two lovely FAMILY oriented days and absolute extremes of weather........
Christmas Day we sweltered in 35 degree Celcius and enjoyed (cold) prawns (Shrimps to our US cousins) Lobster/saltwater crayfish,salads,cold drinks and cold dessert,
Boxing Day (December 26) saw a climate change to cool weather.
Today in southeast Queensland has virtually qualified as the COLDEST December day in a century.........maximum here at Moodlu was 16 degree C (approx 64 deg Fah) and for a sub tropical area in SUMMER,that is cold!
Between the "cold" and the wet weather I have been able to catch up on a few committments,so now have ready for mailing my last 8 cards for the "Art2Mail group18" fabric Postcard swap and cards for Emmy (cramzy in the Nederlands) and Nellie in the USA.
I still owe Gerry in the USA and Helen in the UK an art meme swap,but at least my conscience isn't pricking so badly, and they WILL get theirs....eventually
Tomorrow we go off (again) to view some houses.............I didn't realise how difficult it was to find a reasonably 'young' low-set house close to the bayside of Moreton Bay on the Peninsula!

I have included pics of some of the postcards going out in tomorrow's mail.............but I'm not saying "which" goes "where"!
From top to bottom,is:
Pandora's Box/urn
Carnival
Mystic Forest,and
The wrecks at Tangalooma.



Now,I'm off to enjoy a few chapters of a good book and listen to the gentle patter of RAIN on the roof...............'night all!

Christmas under the Southern Cross

I came across this poem which reflects for those of us in the southern hemisphere what our " white christmas" is really like!


CHRISTMAS UNDER THE SOUTHERN CROSS
I am tired of snowmen and sleighs while we swelter in summer heat.
I am tired of talk of Jack Frost while we struggle with swollen feet.
No glistening snow in our lane and no snowman called "Parson Brown".
It is sun block and sunhats and "Do we really have to go to town?"
Our meadow is a thirsty paddock and a farmer reaping grain,
The ever-present fear of bushfire and a land that cries out for rain.

No Yule log and no mistletoe,No frosty morning air,
Just endless days of summer,And children without a care.
It's splashing in a swimming pool,And walking on the beach.
It's lovely summer meals and fruits,Cherries, apricots and peach.

It is insect repellent,and Carols in the Park,
Children in pyjamas,waiting for the dark.
It is seafood and salads,Icy cold drinks and ice cream,
It is holiday time and friendship,Such joy these things mean.
It is travelling many outback miles at night to avoid the heat.
It is the joy of catching up,and the friends that we meet.

It is the friendly handshake underneath a sky of blue.
It is the "welcome to my home"
It is the "I have missed you"
Christmas under the Southern Cross in a vast and "Wide Brown Land "is really not very different when we feel the touch of friendship's hand.

So as we celebrate again this year and we delight in the Christmas season.
Let's remember it matters not where we are,
What matters is the reason.!