Maxabellaland: population 101


I know it's so totally not cool it's burning, but I was so excited to reach 100 followers I just had to do a little happy dance. I don't know what the blogosphere etiquette is for being joyful that interest in your blog is growing, but I'm pretty sure that public happy dancing doesn't come into it. But, I'm dancing anyway!

My blogging journey has been an interesting one. Maybe you've been there, maybe you haven't. It goes a little like this:

Maxabella's two sisters start blogging, Maxabella scoffs. Doesn't get it.

Gets hooked on sisters' blogs.

Makes first online comment on sister C's blog.

Starts looking at other blogs. Becomes Queen of the Comments due to opinionated, talkative nature.

Starts own 'journal' (a 'record just for me', you know).

Shares 'journal' web address with sisters.

Sister A shares web address with everyone she knows.

Journal swiftly becomes 'blog'.

Gets first comment from non-family member (thanks Annie!)... It's like that first cigarette.

Adds 'Followers' button. Hides it on bottom of page. Feels like a weirdo trying to start a cult.

Discusses tragedy of only having 7 followers with Sister A and they agree that she is far too needy to be a blogger.

Moves 'Followers' button to top of page.

Joins Flog Yo Blog Friday (thanks Brenda!)

Enjoys the wonderful bloggy world and makes friends all over etherspace.

Reaches 100 followers and does an embarrassingly public happy dance...

My blog has become my sometime creative outlet, unique community and my trusty little friend.  I feel like I'm on a long and satisfying journey, but funnily enough, one of the very first posts I wrote is still my favourite.

I hope you enjoy my blog as much as I enjoy creating it. Oh, and thanks for following!

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Aqua Birds

Aqua Birds
This week on Flickr Faves Sunday, I bring you Aqua Birds with these gorgeous pics. Check back soon for some more of the most inspirational photographers on Flickr.

Some beautiful shots from my Flickr favourites (clockwise from top left):

Have a sweet day!
perfect moments and beautiful friendships...




























Our adventure to Sydney was such a special time...friendships forged through play, craft, laughter, giggles and endless cups of warm tea. For the children and for my lovely friend and I, we all had so much fun together...my little one is very much in love with "the girls" as he is now referring to them since we arrived home. It was so nice to have time to just sit with the kids and with each other. We talked non stop...the kids played non stop...we just enjoyed our time with "the girls" so much. It really was a perfect little adventure with perfect little moments with special friends...we look forward to the next time we catch up for play and tea. Thank you to our lovely hosts miss d, miss e and miss m - one little boy is missing you all xxxxx

Sunday Citar - No Regrets



Tabitha @ Fresh Mommy hosts the Sunday Citar meme. Why don't you join in?

It seems there are many translations of the lyrics of this song, made famous by the brilliant Edith Piaf, but these are the ones I like best.


No! No regrets
No! I will have no regrets
All the things
That went wrong
For at last I have learned to be strong

No! No regrets
No! I will have no regrets
For the grief doesn't last
It is gone
I've forgotten the past

And the memories I had
I no longer desire
Both the good and the bad
I have flung in the fire
And I feel in my heart
That the seed has been sown
It is something quite new
It's like nothing I've known

No! No regrets
No! I will have no regrets
All the things that went wrong
For at last I have learned to be strong

No! No regrets
No! I will have no regrets
For the seed that is new
It's the love that is growing for you.

So I think we should all live our lives to the full, trying not to hurt anyone, trying not to make mistakes, but acknowledging that we are indeed human and so the likelihood of us being perfect is small. So acknowledge and learn, but do not regret, as more often than not, the hurt or mistake was not intentioned - it was just that we were human.

Have a great week.

Easy Sunday: Self-Saucy Puds

I promised this indulgent, easy recipe on Friday... try it if you daaaaaare. Do not, I repeat, do not get your weight watchers points book out for this one.

Bill Granger's Chocolate Self-Saucing Puddings


For the pudding

1 cup plain flour
A pinch of salt
1/2 cup caster sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 cup milk
90g unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the topping
1 cup soft brown sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 cup boiling water


Make the pudding
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).

Sift the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and cocoa powder into a bowl. Add the milk, butter, egg and vanilla extract and mix with beaters until combined. Pour into four 1-cup greased pudding molds.


Make the topping
Stir the brown sugar and cocoa powder in a bowl to combine, then sprinkle it over the pudding batter. Pour boiling water carefully over the puddings, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Serve with thick cream (lite of course!)

Enjoy!

shadow shot


Looking Out My Window


As I sit and work, play and blog at my desk I often look out the window. There sits a climbing rose, large and gnarled, sometimes looking a little worse for wear (nearly lost is a year back). This beautiful rose shades the room from the harsh summer sun and protects it from a lot of winter rain.

But it is more than that, there is something eternal about this rose, like it has always been there and always will be.

It is a source of happiness for me, a source of food for the various birds that come and feed - either on the roses themselves or on the small grubs that can be found on the branches. Today I also realised it is a source of nesting material for some of the birds as well. There I spied a New Holland Honeyeater, collecting small dried twigs in its beak and it went back and forward for ages. I also noticed this same little bird rubbing its beak in between some of the branches and wondered what it was doing. Well it was collecting spiderwebs to help bind its nest together. Now as the afternoon sun is setting, there is a soft light filtering through the leaves.

I hope that there is something outside your window that you love as well.

Soon we need to replace the fence upon which this old rose leans, I hope it survives the trauma for I would be lost without it outside my window.
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