Well, hit me with a hot ukulele!

I did warn you that an attack of ukuleles was imminent!

The Euphonious Ukulele : No. 8 in an occasional series entitled 'Harmless Hobbies for Mad Old Bags'.

Well thank goodness the end-of-year kerfuffle and dust has settled.

It's time to get down to the serious pursuit of idleness again.
Not mere half-assed insouciant idleness, but idleness enhanced
by a rich tapestry of hobbies, that is.

And so for your delectation I bring you the ukulele, an instrument
named for 'a jumping flea'.

You have not heard the last of this, dear reader.

Meanwhile, to get you used to the idea, you may like to
contemplate this 1916 postcard, sourced from http://www.janesoceania.com

The Patented Antidote for Seasonal Insanity

OK I''ll admit it, the previous post was so premature as to risk seeming malicious.
Blame the sea of earlier-than-ever pre-Christmas hype in which I am sinking.

In an effort to atone I offer the following cartoon as an antidote:
( a simple click will render it visible, dear reader)

You may see more of the like wit at the Patented Wondermark

What! Christmas in November? Ha! greyhounds don't follow calendars either ...

Well, 12th night has come and gone, so the cheesy Christmas-musical greyhound elf-dance has been turned off for this year, but don't despair, I'm sure I'll find something equally tacky to post in 12 months' time .....

Gladrags from Bags : No. 7 in an occasional series entitled 'Harmless Hobbies for Mad Old Bags'.

Ladies, ever wondered how to clean up those bags AND look chic on a budget?

Well here's your answer.

Cathy Kasdan knitted these amazing garments out of discarded plastic bags!

These and other examples of one woman's plastic fantastic at the artist's website. http://www.cathykasdan.com/

November is Orchid time

Yep orchids from my garden to my table has this lady dancing! Sorry, folks, you'll just have to imagine their delicate melon-y perfume. Enjoy!

The Secret Gardener

Yippee! With Spring truly sprung and the first rains bringing out the snails, it's good to have seen this beautiful creature a few times and know that I have back-up in the garden.

Can't see it yet? What you're looking for is the Blue-tongued Skink. Its scientific name is Tiliqua scincoides. This 25cm lizard likes to wander round gardens in the daytime finding many different things to eat, including fruit, flowers, eggs and snails.

Here it is in a more assertive moment ...