The Thorn Birds.....

~ There's a story.....a legend, about a bird that sings just once in its life....from the moment it leaves the nest, it searches for a thorn tree....and never rests until it has found the perfect tree......It then sings more sweeter than any other bird on the earth. On singing it impales itself on the longest sharpest thorn until death....The Thorn bird pays with it's life for just one song, but the whole world stills to listen..... - Taken from the Thorn Birds....

I wonder do you recall this mini series filmed in the early eighties? 

The Thorn Birds.

~ It's the story of a priest torn between his calling of the church and the lure of the purest kind, a beautiful young ranchers daughter named Meggie.

I loved every thing about this series and the story set in the Australian out back...set between 1920 - 1962.

I remember I fell for Father Ralph de Briccasart too...
This scene is my  most favourite, when Ralph  realises, his love for Meggie, is different to any he has ever felt before.......

~ The beautiful music takes me back...

I remember we were glued to our screens ! ~ Well the girls in the house any way!

The cast was pretty splendid too, with Richard Chamberlain and Jean Simmons and Barbara Stan wick ( Both ladies being my dear Dads favourite actress's)

Today I treated my self to the whole series on DVD...

Ooh and the book by Colleen Mccullough.

I know I will cry and have to watch by myself! hehe...

But I am an old romantic at heart....

~ Spring has most certainly sprung here!
I am keeping my fingers AND toes crossed  that we are past the worst!
Today is bright and chilly, but so spring like.
Even my kittie cats seem to have come out of hibernation....
~ and at least venture out for a short while now....

~ I have been puttering and a pottering ( I do this better than any thing.....)
And put together this basket of vintage crockery, beautiful  African Violets....Herbal teas and a few pretty cloths...A gift for a dear friend who has just found her Wings......And learnt how to fly again.....! After leaving a bad relationship!

"Believe in your self and all that you are!"
Words that speak to YOU, if you only listen......
~ 

~ I have been having a browse through this lovely cook book....

~ Gwyneth Paltrow's cookery  book is lovely with lots of ideas on vegetarian meals and simple family lunches using lots of herbs and various cheeses, olives and of course my favourite sun blushed tomatoes....
I always prefer cook books that are less about cooking and more about lifestyle.....
Gwyneth tells a story while she prepares food lovingly.... and I guess I like this more than the actual recipes!
It is priced at £2.99 in WHSmith at the moment, so really reasonable too!

It has been Patrick's birthday this last week so we have been eating lots of cake and making merry!!
Cats and all...
********
~ Happy Monday to YOU all! 
"I am off to make some 'Hay While The Sun is Shining."
Leaving You with 'Twinkles' ******
Love Maria x
Oops Thanks for being just the nicest peeps on here! ~ And I do hope you remembered 'The Thorn Birds too!
Or were you watching 'Fame' around this time? Oh I loved that too!
~ another post, me thinks!

Running Away With The Gypsies.....

~ Many moons ago when I was just a small child....

I am thinking back today of when I was just a small child. I remember my Mum in times of stress and worry stating quite clearly, she would love to run away with the gypsies.....

I never understood why?

In fact I used to worry that she really would!

~ Of course I understand now she was perhaps wanting to be a million miles away.....

Just for a day only!

~ Only for a day...

~ My biggest worry then was would she take me with her?

Of course I quite fancied seeing the world and travelling via a beautiful caravan!
~ Seeing only through my small child like eyes...

~ Never laying down roots...

Just for today I feel like running away with the gypsies too!

~ But only for today.

~ The sun is shining which helps lift the spirit...

~ But the long winter seems to have had us all in her deep clutches for a wee while now..

The last week here at home has been a 'busy bee' one!~And a nasty cold still lingers with me...

~ Oh I do hope Spring is around that very next corner.......

 "Mirror Mirror on the wall"

This lovely mirror tray came home to live with me this week!

A treat from the pretty gift shop were I spend my hours.....

The best part is finding a special place to display it..

~ Patrick will smile and say "Do we need another tray?"

My reply will be " Of course not, but it was calling to me"...

 ~ Lots of pretty things call out to me ~

I have been listening to this wonderful CD, by Julie London....

I hadn't heard of this bluesy artist before, but her singing is so reminiscent of times gone by...

 

~Do YOU have days were you feel like running away with the gypsies, I wonder?

~ I wonder where YOU would go?

'

.

~ After word.
And do you know I did grow up always dreaming of being the cadbury's flake girl! 
( The one where she is biting into the flake as the beautiful, gypsy caravan moves away)
I wonder if this came from my Mum's thoughts...
~

Thanks for being lovely friends on here...
Love Maria x
I will be popping into your blogs very shortly with a nice cup of lady grey tea!
Bliss....

Pussy Willow........

~

Tiny little pussy willow.

Softer than a babies pillow.

Some times when I stroke your fur.

I think I almost hear you purr....

(charity shop find pussy willow plate )

~ Recently I was given an award by the lovely Betty the wood fairy!

http://betty-thewoodfairy.blogspot.co.uk/

~And  because it is a special award of the kittie cat type...

I am going to hand YOU over to Willow to do the talking!

Willows story.....
A True One.

,

(Hurry up and take this picture! pleaseeee!)

Stealing the show with the lovely Mrs Betty's give away recently)

"Hi, I am Willow...

Amber, another feline like myself handed this award over to me, so this is my story"......

"I am thinking all my ships  came in when I came to live here.......

~ You see....I did belong to some one else........( a cruel horrid man).. ...you may or may not notice my jaw is badly deformed and my tongue falls through the teeth that are missing.".....

"The vet said this was due to a ''big size 10' boot coming my way and do you know he was right" ,

" I do get quite nervous with men folk, even now"!

" Because my mum likes a pretty, sweet blog, we should just call my old horrid owner"

"BOY WONDER"

" I heard her ever so crossly falling out with him on the telephone, he even asked her to pay £20, if she was going to keep me"!

" The cheek of him, she had fed me for over a month and I do eat an awful lot, you know".

~Any ways I am a new kid  'cat' on the block here, as I live with three others too!

~ Sweet Trinny~

"I do chase her rather a lot!

I know, I seem to see her as fair game...

Naughty of me really"!
My Mum says, I should watch my 'P's and Q's'......... but I would much rather watch the birds on the front garden! 

~ Pretty, Smoky.

"She's an old girl, but can be fun"!

~ And hansom Pedro.

"Ooh I have to watch my back  with him, being once a feral cat and all"...

~

"My Mum's lovely 'Pussy willow' bag from beautiful, Fading Grace blog'"

(She likes all things kittie catish and she loves'Pussy willow' too, so I am in here, BIG time!)

~ "I can be soo boisterous!

But that's because I belong"....
" I guess I do get my self into an awful lot of mischief here, but always find my self coming up smelling of roses, we cats can do this awfully well"

~ "So this is my story folks and thanks for tuning in"......

" I smell my favourite, 'chicken ' and  I must be off to that kitchen, before the others get there"!

~" Thanks Amber for passing this award on to me and I would like to pass it on to any other blogging ladies who would like to except...(only one condition, you must have a feline friend in your family who likes talking") hehe!

My pretty peg bag.....
LOVE the Valentines material.
~ 

Happy Pan cake day to YOU all!

Have your selves a 'Purfect' evening....

Love Maria and Willow!

xxxx