A fresh Sea Breeze to clear the cobwebs away...

The Christmas tree has 

been sent off for mulching, 

and now the glorious summer beckons

on the stunning Mornington Peninsula

{a gorgeous spot just outside Melbourne}.

This is the time when,

it seems, 

everybody wants to imbibe a little 

of the magic of 

*sea breezes, 

*the dusty deliciousness of sandy toes,

*the cool blue perfection of summer water,

*days spent languidly on boats,

*surfing the wild seas at Gunnamatta Beach

*or paddling rockpools with snorkels. 

And evenings spent gathering 

family and friends 

for simple feasts of fresh seafood and salads

with wonderful local wines from Red Hill.

 Perhaps picking some fresh 

cucumbers from the front garden

to throw into a salad to share...

All of this is so 

DOable

because this gorgeous house, 

{called Nagari}

just happens to be for sale. 

Would you like to live here 

for Summer in dreams?

 Or, if you are lucky, 

in wishes come true?

Agent's details: Bennison Mackinnon Real Estate

Ah! The romance of 20 years....

Romance can be a delicious distraction 

from the day to day craziness of everyday life. 

Last month, as I casually 

asked my husband where he would like to 

spend our upcoming 20th wedding anniversary dinner,

he replied "the Boathouse".  

"But that is in New York City", 

I replied. 

"Exactly," he smoothly responded. 

So, as spontaneously as that, I didn't book the 

usual Melbourne restaurant, 

but began researching a completely unexpected,

deliriously decadent, week in New York in December, 

without the children....

Why not travel half way around the world for lunch?

We did, indeed, have lunch at the 

fabulous Boathouse in Central Park, 

 all dressed up for Christmas with poinsettias on the tables...

And a Christmas Tree in a row-boat, 

frozen in time, in the lake outside.

As we left our lovely romantic lunch, 

and strolled around to the other side of the lake to 

pinch ourselves that we really had done 

this crazy thing, a beaming couple stopped to ask 

if I would take their picture because he had just proposed.

I told them we had just popped over to New York to 

celebrate 20 years of marriage, 

and that we wished them much happiness. 

"What's the secret?", the beaming fiancee asked my husband, 

looking for a man-to-man ode of wisdom. 

"Whatever her question, 

the answer is always yes!", he confided. 

So that's how he does it! 

Tra-la-la, Off to the Sea we go....

In a perfectly delicious 

part of the world,

tucked next to the sea,

{at Portsea, near Melbourne}

there is a most amazing house for sale. 

Does this tickle your fancy

for a Christmas present?

Ilyuka, meaning "by the sea"

was built in the sophisticated 1920s.

Ahh, the casual elegance...

       You could watch the 

ships and yachts sail past, 

perhaps while sipping a G & T?

Or you could pop into your 

very own Beach Box,

at the bottom of the garden. 

With golden days of summer 

just around the corner in Australia, 

this is a perfectly magical spot. 

Would you like to live here?

Image credits and agent details: kay and burton

On the first day of December, my true love sent me Gold...

Having an obsession with all things gold

and yellow at this Christmas moment...

So I thought, perhaps gold and yellow

for Christmas decorations this year...

mixed with a touch of creamy bark for an earthy touch...

A native Hakea branch {with a little gold}

 would be just perfect 

for an Advent Calendar tree

{each golden bag holds a Seahorse chocolate}.

The wreath is wrapped with paperbark 

from the garden, 

oh, and a couple of our pet Rainbow Lorrikeet's feathers

{no, I didn't pull them out, 

he kindly left them on the floor 

to add to our decorations}.

While the Christmas tree is simply 

glamourised with scrunches 

of gold and yellow tissue paper.

These colours are just 

gorgeous for an Australian summer Christmas,

only problem is, 

on this first day of summer, 

its raining outside! 

What colours are you decorating with this year?

Images: 1, 7-14 Blue Fruit; 2: Vogue China; 3: Penelope Peacock available from Domayne; 4 & 6: via a la parisienne blog; 5: via Living Etc.