tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10396718545771109972024-03-04T23:05:42.886-08:00Passionately LifeA journal of one woman's life passions: motherhood, family, home, health and nature.Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-29514819725548982282011-09-12T23:18:00.000-07:002011-09-12T23:18:29.029-07:00Goodbye Turkiye!<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Goodbye Turkiye</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">More than 3 years spent in this country.</div><div style="text-align: center;">More than 3 years of adventure.</div><div style="text-align: center;">A rollercoaster ride of different experiences. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Waves of emotions. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Lots of lessons.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Friends.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Family ... love.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We're not leaving forever. We'll be back. I haven't even walked out the door yet and already I'm missing so much. But it's time now for a new adventure. Exciting. Scary. </div>Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-28274080840346784632011-08-30T07:35:00.000-07:002011-08-31T08:49:08.119-07:00Almost Done!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Since returning from our Black Sea getaway, we've been flat out with all the finishing touches on our home renovation. <br />
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Afterall, it's only 3 more weeks til we leave Turkey for good ...<br />
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Actually, I shouldn't have said "finishing touches" because it has been a lot more than that! We knocked down one concrete wall, fixed another concrete wall, installed a door into a third concrete wall, painted all said walls, varnished every outside door and window frame in the house, laid some bricks, planted a heap more plants, and after two unsuccessful previous attempts, planted grass seed for the third time (we finally got it right this time).<br />
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Now I'm just dying to show you how it's all looking!<br />
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This was the garden shed before the door.<br />
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We didn't imagine fitting a door into a door space could be such a challenge! We spent more than an hour manipulating the door frame inside the opening while trying to get the door to close properly ... But no matter how much we adjusted the frame against the wall, we just couldn't get it to happen. Finally, we realised the wall of the house was not straight! It was angled out at the top and in at the bottom by what ended up being more than 20 cm! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrmjjrQMtYDX6PWikaLY0E-QVr1tYETUTlS1GeM1n3Du7GAyTMVEb_j6HtCcJRKv6MdtCe2jenU19Me6n3HTgswEdcfYrJiCfg-k3Bhn4bpZMv69t1TuyzrwbbUHKRE_cTW-ZujpvMMlU/s1600/door+frame+gap.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrmjjrQMtYDX6PWikaLY0E-QVr1tYETUTlS1GeM1n3Du7GAyTMVEb_j6HtCcJRKv6MdtCe2jenU19Me6n3HTgswEdcfYrJiCfg-k3Bhn4bpZMv69t1TuyzrwbbUHKRE_cTW-ZujpvMMlU/s400/door+frame+gap.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
How can the builders have gotten it SO wrong? Anyway, with a lot of cement filler we managed to get the door installed.<br />
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This is how the shed is looking now.<br />
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All that's left to do is the paint touch ups. That water box next to the store room also needs a door. We're just looking for the right piece of wood to do the job.<br />
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Knocking down the wall inside the sunroom was fun. It only took Murat a couple of hours to get the thing done and the windows safely removed. What wasn't so much fun was picking up all the bits of broken cement! Rendering all the broken edges wasn't so bad either. Actually, this is always my responsibility because I like it. Smoothing on layer upon layer of cement to create a nice finish feels like sculpting. For me, it's kind of therapeutic. <br />
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One of the walls we'd just built for the sunroom was badly damaged by the workers installing the glass and doors into the frame. I have no idea why they felt it was necessary to break down the wall the way they did, but they did. Anyway, that wall was a pain in the bum to fix. But we eventually got it looking almost like new and this is what the completed sunroom looks like now.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSWPMH_Ib4gu83q_0raGAGsb7tzLnnuvnBO9X-7e-q1gIRlBQi4ylGCQsRRACWxI2Lek4vgfvF3BoptnMu6OB78GubnpnAGm1Y0t3vQ0EfCtho-Oe52vxgjrNGKOva_W4XxCdq1VqBag/s1600/sunroom+now.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSWPMH_Ib4gu83q_0raGAGsb7tzLnnuvnBO9X-7e-q1gIRlBQi4ylGCQsRRACWxI2Lek4vgfvF3BoptnMu6OB78GubnpnAGm1Y0t3vQ0EfCtho-Oe52vxgjrNGKOva_W4XxCdq1VqBag/s400/sunroom+now.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The next job caused a big fight between me and Murat... Staining the outside doors and window frames. I'm a perfectionist and Murat is ... let's just say, he's not a perfectionist. It took me more than an hour to prepare and stain the front door thoroughly. After I'd finished I went to find Murat to show off my work but when I found him my smile of pride quickly turned to a grimace of disbelief. In the time it took me to very carefully stain a single door, Murat had stained five window frames. It looked as though Kaya had done the work. I couldn't believe how carelessly he'd painted and I got so mad. Couldn't he see what a mess he'd made? Didn't he care? And that wasn't the end of it. Later that day while I was putting Ky to sleep, he painted another window and door in exactly the same manner. Grrrrrr. Have you ever tried to remove dark coloured paint drips from light coloured, textured concrete walls? Impossible!<br />
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Anyway, we eventually got the whole house done (and if you squint at the windows Murat was responsible for), the freshening up makes the house look so much better.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1593hvdN1uKdpSfjBDBVbaMe76yIpQ5dOsyYXfJV_JAebGdUSSId5iqZNH-bsHZeYt5vn7DIsxoM_ZbgQb_451rglGxj4NLUykeJHXPAGi0V3zKPq9KCNqeaJYS92nAh6_cZ3zpkg-ho/s1600/front+door+before.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1593hvdN1uKdpSfjBDBVbaMe76yIpQ5dOsyYXfJV_JAebGdUSSId5iqZNH-bsHZeYt5vn7DIsxoM_ZbgQb_451rglGxj4NLUykeJHXPAGi0V3zKPq9KCNqeaJYS92nAh6_cZ3zpkg-ho/s400/front+door+before.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Front door before the stain. Look how weather beaten it was!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8qpjLxv_6QMWIqTMNZPZ9Pq1q3_0hC97DTlW3WXloMg7qfQBjHXbPLSJ4ftVDd_suD4jG-PycrNKFZEztdI4N2baUGMBnSKTjEaZmwzKGNmThI5aKk3vGyYf4pizKd1c3cE01rL7E1aQ/s1600/front+door+after.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8qpjLxv_6QMWIqTMNZPZ9Pq1q3_0hC97DTlW3WXloMg7qfQBjHXbPLSJ4ftVDd_suD4jG-PycrNKFZEztdI4N2baUGMBnSKTjEaZmwzKGNmThI5aKk3vGyYf4pizKd1c3cE01rL7E1aQ/s400/front+door+after.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>After</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">The last thing we finished was the landscaping, my favourite part of the renovations.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2x8pf5LT1DqJc7GJfccK90iEXz3GYWDr38S61tAVEZPBCmYIsPzSz1TKqp_dqITuN88u_Uaq58n8OxEvZm-ft0FUD1pVFLcwgoJn36qkO8Eijj6rwOUrs5dVGNsU29RJzMW1F6WzRPBc/s1600/bottome+of+house+before+everything.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2x8pf5LT1DqJc7GJfccK90iEXz3GYWDr38S61tAVEZPBCmYIsPzSz1TKqp_dqITuN88u_Uaq58n8OxEvZm-ft0FUD1pVFLcwgoJn36qkO8Eijj6rwOUrs5dVGNsU29RJzMW1F6WzRPBc/s400/bottome+of+house+before+everything.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bottom/back of house before any work!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzH4lUBWlMHNoWCOtuMn5u61VHpB5qxRNqjF3j_cSPyI1fyvssSY1Q4LD3rnUOAFaomNtVwp9t4BQpTBF-FOY_4h0EctdHItrWvjlXbqYqH-NmKj1idyEV0Nn9GxVNeTv9UEY2qTpPsME/s1600/bottom+of+house+now.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzH4lUBWlMHNoWCOtuMn5u61VHpB5qxRNqjF3j_cSPyI1fyvssSY1Q4LD3rnUOAFaomNtVwp9t4BQpTBF-FOY_4h0EctdHItrWvjlXbqYqH-NmKj1idyEV0Nn9GxVNeTv9UEY2qTpPsME/s400/bottom+of+house+now.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Now</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Over the course of several weeks we collected a huge pile of bricks which we found partially buried under a pile of dirt and broken concrete on a vacant block down the road from us. We used some of these bricks to border our vege garden and the rest of them we used to make a garden in front of the sunroom. In this garden we planted some lavender, oregano and chamomile plants along with a few other plants I can't name. Then we prepared the rest of the ground and laid grass seeds. This time we did it more cleverly so the ants were not able to steal all the seeds.</div><div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjyx4q-M-aVE33tI4BXCTpxQDtHUoveXKrfJboGGV0DMaS_qVapfJluhxhwLQfwQFyLcV-NcboJoG-LZQ0dZUaTLXz70wKjAboU5YtCsY7bhkaAP2rZuQbjwbHKyxP7U9EP8PT7Z9Zieo/s1600/front+of+sunroom+before+landscaping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjyx4q-M-aVE33tI4BXCTpxQDtHUoveXKrfJboGGV0DMaS_qVapfJluhxhwLQfwQFyLcV-NcboJoG-LZQ0dZUaTLXz70wKjAboU5YtCsY7bhkaAP2rZuQbjwbHKyxP7U9EP8PT7Z9Zieo/s400/front+of+sunroom+before+landscaping.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Front of sunroom before any landscaping.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCVfM5KmTPQgMaJ1QOYaS7JFwKRY2AuQ1wzPaIrjtr8d62Q8RJ89a-P1GPcSGLJkcRaoGnLN2J6VajtvTz9yqUNM4vfCSmfi2bYS8ZefNQ4ybiJEp8iu-g6bMPiTK6HMpw_SMYXCzafkc/s1600/sunroom+now.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCVfM5KmTPQgMaJ1QOYaS7JFwKRY2AuQ1wzPaIrjtr8d62Q8RJ89a-P1GPcSGLJkcRaoGnLN2J6VajtvTz9yqUNM4vfCSmfi2bYS8ZefNQ4ybiJEp8iu-g6bMPiTK6HMpw_SMYXCzafkc/s400/sunroom+now.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Now</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4KeInhKOAmkPI0ZuiTCmwMuwIiBiJ8tnQHiDkFImBoWMbW7iLpd2aJWj_sDE_iBXxrdhO-zOCz5BSzfeClJLokId6F5bSCh0nx9ueD8ZiSqDiAh2J0cEKzkpGGImaxUmJVi-JDEcu51A/s1600/grass%252C+bricks%252C+garden.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4KeInhKOAmkPI0ZuiTCmwMuwIiBiJ8tnQHiDkFImBoWMbW7iLpd2aJWj_sDE_iBXxrdhO-zOCz5BSzfeClJLokId6F5bSCh0nx9ueD8ZiSqDiAh2J0cEKzkpGGImaxUmJVi-JDEcu51A/s400/grass%252C+bricks%252C+garden.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I'm so happy to be seeing the new grass coming through!!</i></td></tr>
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With all this work we've done, it's going to be really hard to leave ...<br />
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</span></strong></span></div></div></span></strong></span></div></span></span></span></span></span></div></div>Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-43281941731435850412011-08-23T04:10:00.000-07:002011-08-31T08:48:51.762-07:00Our Black Sea Break<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mbdxCEyQDbrTuAo_ZLHSxl0bHJBjrhReDEJes5kcNMIju_rkJ_dxiMYNClC0AF5zsDqE61wDE7pG1ZK9xnRcB4rUkyav3QiUdGhMSPfjO-rzW4bPp6cQU1KwQ1bq2fDQ8ThlUwFdg28/s1600/IMG_7966-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mbdxCEyQDbrTuAo_ZLHSxl0bHJBjrhReDEJes5kcNMIju_rkJ_dxiMYNClC0AF5zsDqE61wDE7pG1ZK9xnRcB4rUkyav3QiUdGhMSPfjO-rzW4bPp6cQU1KwQ1bq2fDQ8ThlUwFdg28/s400/IMG_7966-1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
We just spent an amazing 3 weeks in the mountains inland from the tiny town of Pazar on the Black Sea coast of Turkey. Hubby's family reign from this area and still have several properties scattered throughout the mountains from both his mother's and father's sides of the family. Both families were (many many years ago) dairy farmers. Due to the extreme temperatures of the area, the farmers would gradually move their herds up and down the mountain from one property to the next with the changing seasons. The families still retain land from each of these grazing pastures. <br />
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In the weeks we were there, we visited several of these properties, some with the original houses still standing, others with no more than a few bricks on the land. Without exception, every place was incredibly beautiful.<br />
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Words and pictures cannot adequately describe the beauty, the atmosphere, and the smells of these places. But hopefully these photos will give you at least an idea of why I'm so in love with this part of the world.<br />
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The first place we visited was my mother-in-law's hilltop property called 'Sugidap'. Unfortunately, the original house was left to the elements and over the years the house collapsed and one by one, every brick was taken by thieves. The MIL loves this place so much that she's started rebuilding there. To maintain the authenticity she brought a 'serander' (grain storage house) from another property and is having it remodelled into a holiday house. As much as possible she intends to keep the original look of the serander, combined with the style of the original house. I'm very much looking forward to see the finished product in a few months.<br />
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Next was my father-in-law's house in 'Badara'. The home has been pretty much kept in it's original condition. It's hard to believe the colours have withstood more than 100 years.<br />
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We also stayed a few days in some other relatives' homes. This one belongs to FIL's sister's husband's family. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>This one, I call the bat house because on the first day we stayed there (which was also the first day anyone had stayed there for over a year) we were "attacked" by bats! Really! I woke several times in the night to bats flying around the room. But scariest of all, early in the morning I awoke again (for the last time that night) to a baby bat on my pillow, another crawling on my leg, and one of the parent bats dive-bombing right into the bed! Ewwwwww....<br />
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We took a few day trips up the mountain to see some of the other properties. This one is called 'Cupendos'. And honestly, it is a little paradise. One of the most beautiful places I've ever seen in my whole life. Imagine this: a lush green meadow scattered with wild flowers and mossy boulders, a white-water river gushing along one side, enormous mountains covered in pine trees towering all around, birds, bees, and peace. Sound nice? Well it's even better than that!<br />
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I love this place.<br />
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Another beautiful place we visited is called 'Ayder'. Another lovely valley. This one backed on one side by the great Kackar mountains, complete with waterfalls and rainforest, and on the other side grassy hills. A really pretty place.<br />
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The last place we visited is called 'Merze'. It took two hours to drive to this plateau up above the clouds high in the mountains. The air was so clean and the air was so fresh. But I found it difficult walking around without feeling a bit dizzy.<br />
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Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-90596620129597908842011-08-15T02:48:00.000-07:002011-08-31T08:49:15.978-07:00We came back to this!We were away for 3 weeks and we came back to a mixed bag of changes in our garden.<br />
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The dead and dying:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBGJ3VdvAX9ZlIUVn_meYIqAlZRfSBmjFMGoRWTrd9npeVscaIYM887bYCTpYCb7XSeRARXC53f5KXYmUZ1KwxppB2MnM4j9vh48vdizYDA6ap-e_DqvZfXoJpCGwQfEpmi264acAIEo8/s1600/IMG_8349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBGJ3VdvAX9ZlIUVn_meYIqAlZRfSBmjFMGoRWTrd9npeVscaIYM887bYCTpYCb7XSeRARXC53f5KXYmUZ1KwxppB2MnM4j9vh48vdizYDA6ap-e_DqvZfXoJpCGwQfEpmi264acAIEo8/s400/IMG_8349.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>We're hoping these tomatoes can be saved. The woman looking after them said they were diseased... but the disease seems to simply be dehydration!</i> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQUDvujzYR4mjC9vpB8JPujJeeBk8lQtJQwe-q1tgR8rV_ESIjGcpiSI-EGf474j018fGnKAmHycIc0WivMLmYFy8ob-0uo3dWQs9S6MghoWL40cNzz_5jIaHDsGAoWCwJzYEbkZ57Bbc/s1600/IMG_8350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQUDvujzYR4mjC9vpB8JPujJeeBk8lQtJQwe-q1tgR8rV_ESIjGcpiSI-EGf474j018fGnKAmHycIc0WivMLmYFy8ob-0uo3dWQs9S6MghoWL40cNzz_5jIaHDsGAoWCwJzYEbkZ57Bbc/s400/IMG_8350.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>We bought these lavender plants just before we left. We were sad to see they'd passed away ... :(</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAjgoKUFedVP_DGg263qCnULLfD-IyY2jbUEoqpp6BgOwFjCNhDPh7K3UVEeMVglbpGQ_aL8itoRHCK9qBh0hNF6tm62CfLMKf9kyYHd2E3y8gZGF-iV49FFLNawzQodhTs8X6vmrJfM/s1600/IMG_8351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAjgoKUFedVP_DGg263qCnULLfD-IyY2jbUEoqpp6BgOwFjCNhDPh7K3UVEeMVglbpGQ_aL8itoRHCK9qBh0hNF6tm62CfLMKf9kyYHd2E3y8gZGF-iV49FFLNawzQodhTs8X6vmrJfM/s400/IMG_8351.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I think these eggplant (or are they capsicum..?) plants can be saved.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLtfPdCuE8nIchdijR7Qt46geFltBDi-UI9imE_jG6gqexDE7nZDVcrUKD8uUGc4s8B3Ozzmdm3vvjvx1iV1obcbPQLw9O85ARMc4oqtuHvEyIT1CKXysPftBOGvYqRwciEEfxwDr2LK4/s1600/IMG_8356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLtfPdCuE8nIchdijR7Qt46geFltBDi-UI9imE_jG6gqexDE7nZDVcrUKD8uUGc4s8B3Ozzmdm3vvjvx1iV1obcbPQLw9O85ARMc4oqtuHvEyIT1CKXysPftBOGvYqRwciEEfxwDr2LK4/s400/IMG_8356.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>These dead basil made be particularly sad because I'd been especially loving to them ;-( </i></td></tr>
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The disappointing:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbZgBMwxTGr9TVPHI2pw21xy9CW8Ws57M2YrUPtLvOUQXoNDwuNHWC92qGbN3qSx6q4VnQlOQWKrhThdVJblzxoENtx4zpiW-vWvpvS0fKgZXP3OSRRr4-lPKv61bhaKBfvu_bosYiAs/s1600/IMG_8357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWbZgBMwxTGr9TVPHI2pw21xy9CW8Ws57M2YrUPtLvOUQXoNDwuNHWC92qGbN3qSx6q4VnQlOQWKrhThdVJblzxoENtx4zpiW-vWvpvS0fKgZXP3OSRRr4-lPKv61bhaKBfvu_bosYiAs/s400/IMG_8357.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>What happened to all the lovely lush grass I hoped would be beautifying this area?</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNQGEdEvhCtG3QgNR9eWhFtaQXJhhXGyL9ikvD4rf36ij_2ESvRw5XuzfTtAb394GJurbKcmdEqIb3LLP99C9aOj2HHgWQDIEndW2pZqyJOR6iuwOaAl71yO52zNY1IcoKbsdPWXD-lM/s400/IMG_8366.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Our beautiful log slice path is full of ugly dried out split wood ... Lesson learned = treat the wood to prevent drying out!</i></td></tr>
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The progress:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTNCinWVk9oNNil_sH2wLEsrTs9DDCp6gPf2fMwM1Qgmt1O7_sh_g8DlkWS850xQY-5hqLMs3Akk-UVETSR29Uo5p9Om96K30USXRRseJz0w33bKzhS2_itsg6emBUqQQn6Syg1VMCLLU/s1600/IMG_8362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTNCinWVk9oNNil_sH2wLEsrTs9DDCp6gPf2fMwM1Qgmt1O7_sh_g8DlkWS850xQY-5hqLMs3Akk-UVETSR29Uo5p9Om96K30USXRRseJz0w33bKzhS2_itsg6emBUqQQn6Syg1VMCLLU/s400/IMG_8362.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Yay! The conservatory was completed without (too many) problems.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJhf7DhyphenhyphenSzwcHDwC2nZ9lEZnyHUXUQ3PVNk7_gVJVbAA3FLfFH_fo1PH6fmxy9Fn6BtU_3NSrKUn4rSYArNpw0iQfsGi02P9aN0HMUaNjbIRxzJRGC22UTxPXmvg_cRHMCKxjrgkTE5-U/s1600/IMG_8363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJhf7DhyphenhyphenSzwcHDwC2nZ9lEZnyHUXUQ3PVNk7_gVJVbAA3FLfFH_fo1PH6fmxy9Fn6BtU_3NSrKUn4rSYArNpw0iQfsGi02P9aN0HMUaNjbIRxzJRGC22UTxPXmvg_cRHMCKxjrgkTE5-U/s400/IMG_8363.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I think it's looking quite good! I can see the potential now!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHtdbcgzWHJKPEy8eDWJZZX3t9jjxGcn_QWuU2XJHaOsPCV_oDd3LrXRIXkCc6p4KTXExcAilr77ZPXILRYbJPOor4YzDS1BILLshCxIDb-lYMgN8GK0EvaHxt0RWiyL51laekQe7Odrc/s1600/IMG_8369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHtdbcgzWHJKPEy8eDWJZZX3t9jjxGcn_QWuU2XJHaOsPCV_oDd3LrXRIXkCc6p4KTXExcAilr77ZPXILRYbJPOor4YzDS1BILLshCxIDb-lYMgN8GK0EvaHxt0RWiyL51laekQe7Odrc/s400/IMG_8369.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>It was a surprise to see that our front fence had been rendered with slate (along with the entire neighbourhood). Not exactly what we'd <a href="http://passionatelylife.blogspot.com/2011/05/construction-technique.html">envisioned</a> ... but once we replace the ugly green wire with horizontal lengths of wood, I think it will still look lovely.</i></td></tr>
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The live and proliferating:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaS_0mGlAH3MLEMgA0OsrYIKVdbs0Bcc0hRJtk4Z_yXgcgkh6YbMehN0WYcWQUKC7qucTunrpbl2AoIYSezUXdEJgPOqMLf39UcUJl8k96DjA-20E5HnLsw-610j04Ge1nhQNdIEUgdwI/s1600/IMG_8353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaS_0mGlAH3MLEMgA0OsrYIKVdbs0Bcc0hRJtk4Z_yXgcgkh6YbMehN0WYcWQUKC7qucTunrpbl2AoIYSezUXdEJgPOqMLf39UcUJl8k96DjA-20E5HnLsw-610j04Ge1nhQNdIEUgdwI/s400/IMG_8353.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>At this rate, it won't be long before the grapes vines are growing all over the pergola!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK1eqYVThFhho_6VM0PMa150abOWB_wAvgucL4KTAtB4FWIxLegT62KDtKvxBdxkD7HCcH8ot2FqK0qFvVMLLGG_BWgGTU5I4dyb1t0_txN9KbY2NM8V_7Cz6lTa_EzIpBmh5GV7GGtKA/s1600/IMG_8354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK1eqYVThFhho_6VM0PMa150abOWB_wAvgucL4KTAtB4FWIxLegT62KDtKvxBdxkD7HCcH8ot2FqK0qFvVMLLGG_BWgGTU5I4dyb1t0_txN9KbY2NM8V_7Cz6lTa_EzIpBmh5GV7GGtKA/s400/IMG_8354.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I was a little concerned about whether the fig would get used to it's pot, but it seems I had nothing to worry about!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5PKp0aF1WuBz_VZUBrVNZxMi4wMnXu6vYwx9IgqfniElySWyVtPqCW35JPwODEMK4WhyI8gRVNM5_RqhvEygmbjwwB3LZPwbblXqpv9aTA4sWD5BdqfJ3mZ9nUBz-dt22eRcf_W_Wh-A/s1600/IMG_8355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5PKp0aF1WuBz_VZUBrVNZxMi4wMnXu6vYwx9IgqfniElySWyVtPqCW35JPwODEMK4WhyI8gRVNM5_RqhvEygmbjwwB3LZPwbblXqpv9aTA4sWD5BdqfJ3mZ9nUBz-dt22eRcf_W_Wh-A/s400/IMG_8355.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Tomatoes everywhere!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy8xUkOqEbFpw3IhnVz6bTHmPo9LSdN7OplYizhgv33vUig1QHqO2bYbYOuUgkQ9-K53CHkVR3CnNi98QSMWVoB1FyGiu1VsP_aYRLG7DABlCFGQDg80idx0SpE-zzwvseuI3TOt1fODU/s1600/IMG_8358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy8xUkOqEbFpw3IhnVz6bTHmPo9LSdN7OplYizhgv33vUig1QHqO2bYbYOuUgkQ9-K53CHkVR3CnNi98QSMWVoB1FyGiu1VsP_aYRLG7DABlCFGQDg80idx0SpE-zzwvseuI3TOt1fODU/s400/IMG_8358.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>These tomato plants are so full of little balls of goodness! </i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7j3p-9S9I7iWy6bPG4br1uIOiv92YepPt67Ax24zdwR77zTz5BNj7ynObAIUI1T7Zu3y8HYT-R6yLRlqhyY1l-Ff_A7xpBXSH3ehxfcSyRyuEPKFJGNFvJl5rsIrn4ub-TupmLetYbc/s1600/IMG_8359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7j3p-9S9I7iWy6bPG4br1uIOiv92YepPt67Ax24zdwR77zTz5BNj7ynObAIUI1T7Zu3y8HYT-R6yLRlqhyY1l-Ff_A7xpBXSH3ehxfcSyRyuEPKFJGNFvJl5rsIrn4ub-TupmLetYbc/s400/IMG_8359.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A couple of regular looking cucumbers ... I also picked several cucumbers as big as Murat's forearm!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaAbfY9_8-dxJ_N8tFFXmhSf55CVvu5EC_6J7TXb4LeO0wz3qA-S_h30GnE0ldnWzhJOoum7MCf8e2LSFoWPKJI_veV8P3zGyLkxzNhzKRUJyvLKtnM8GcUKTlHJLpM8RJwkkCqFRXQpo/s1600/IMG_8360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaAbfY9_8-dxJ_N8tFFXmhSf55CVvu5EC_6J7TXb4LeO0wz3qA-S_h30GnE0ldnWzhJOoum7MCf8e2LSFoWPKJI_veV8P3zGyLkxzNhzKRUJyvLKtnM8GcUKTlHJLpM8RJwkkCqFRXQpo/s400/IMG_8360.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Beans!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNPPKzEPezpGJNHOlaBORDgErX966Jv66GT6yq7KrvhbLDpKD7nyMmAKljlXGDYBgRq3PXVcOy7M1gOmHp1X-2RMTdzX3uOGwRhcCz1-gUg1d8NuWkQcNctmKoo_QbO7YahcJ1faViySY/s1600/IMG_8361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNPPKzEPezpGJNHOlaBORDgErX966Jv66GT6yq7KrvhbLDpKD7nyMmAKljlXGDYBgRq3PXVcOy7M1gOmHp1X-2RMTdzX3uOGwRhcCz1-gUg1d8NuWkQcNctmKoo_QbO7YahcJ1faViySY/s400/IMG_8361.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>'Pazar', a type of spinach.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYunLZRSoIh7wh48ptVNmFPswwE3oSc6yo5hbX8n0ohSBTX1UEW1Hkex_Bdgk_4xq_kQ_RxyEo6p7XDa_ADMTTA5kHeX0c_Y0PICIsm1iQCIpIL9wcYrbbkotIQCZntjo2m0ljooPvVY/s1600/IMG_8364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYunLZRSoIh7wh48ptVNmFPswwE3oSc6yo5hbX8n0ohSBTX1UEW1Hkex_Bdgk_4xq_kQ_RxyEo6p7XDa_ADMTTA5kHeX0c_Y0PICIsm1iQCIpIL9wcYrbbkotIQCZntjo2m0ljooPvVY/s400/IMG_8364.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Squash!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJBzv12OwoYSnY2Ui22YB8FYHYOb3fOpJKj-eg986POj55gBPxviTwJeu1uPg96ur4gpOI6bwzKXOTE24PBTTejsC2Zv_5F4amjP7y5y2ANslsMQ0qRH730bTwJV341SrCSSqCOJ1SKc/s1600/IMG_8367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJBzv12OwoYSnY2Ui22YB8FYHYOb3fOpJKj-eg986POj55gBPxviTwJeu1uPg96ur4gpOI6bwzKXOTE24PBTTejsC2Zv_5F4amjP7y5y2ANslsMQ0qRH730bTwJV341SrCSSqCOJ1SKc/s400/IMG_8367.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>And blackberries! I cannot wait for these!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Y8dZIYxDsxX3SgvCmTpQy8G64Eu2fxd11JcOL78QMfHAd9hWGIABvAk1cx0VSFY3nxiBIhuB7ZFpphaON7oSnBo9TkT6VA3bgYMOj1nr3CrkXfM9nQ1kzylDv14QcG9L1O7vXR8W4zY/s1600/IMG_8373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Y8dZIYxDsxX3SgvCmTpQy8G64Eu2fxd11JcOL78QMfHAd9hWGIABvAk1cx0VSFY3nxiBIhuB7ZFpphaON7oSnBo9TkT6VA3bgYMOj1nr3CrkXfM9nQ1kzylDv14QcG9L1O7vXR8W4zY/s400/IMG_8373.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The first gifts from our garden this summer! Thank you.</i></td></tr>
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Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-74057787655357237782011-07-13T06:39:00.000-07:002011-08-31T08:49:15.978-07:00A Progress Report<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>We're leaving Ankara today (in about an hour ... so much left to do and here I am blogging???) for the Black Sea town of Rize. Just for a couple of weeks to get our fill of the powerful elixir of Mother Nature's beauty.<br />
<br />
So I thought I'd give you a progress report of our renovations to date.<br />
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This is how the area looked before everything...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGx38irZuY8NT_PkG6bJVGKdRFmJ0CVNFm8uTmnmwRmYyMs3GJasV0nRlQLrGJ23vkcT_PYJjwgAOLSFYfiihIFf0mSgOiTkSOyafLJlp0gwqQAaG1mVUVbT8I0_onZT2wFuJ3nAaMZ_g/s1600/Before+Shed+and+Balcony+Wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGx38irZuY8NT_PkG6bJVGKdRFmJ0CVNFm8uTmnmwRmYyMs3GJasV0nRlQLrGJ23vkcT_PYJjwgAOLSFYfiihIFf0mSgOiTkSOyafLJlp0gwqQAaG1mVUVbT8I0_onZT2wFuJ3nAaMZ_g/s400/Before+Shed+and+Balcony+Wall.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Sunroom, Storage Shed, Extension of Balcony<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVsml9tQ5a2RtkHR5YP-NdciPyyxwyoaxaDGglIWQ2g25wLScUidFRP1c0UMILwzmr4m3iflAGrj3OKeBWXm_6rMFMRxb5HdpTovizWFU8fUz2qUefz_pNBqkEn4yxCMI9eiGFHi1wF8M/s1600/Walls+being+built.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVsml9tQ5a2RtkHR5YP-NdciPyyxwyoaxaDGglIWQ2g25wLScUidFRP1c0UMILwzmr4m3iflAGrj3OKeBWXm_6rMFMRxb5HdpTovizWFU8fUz2qUefz_pNBqkEn4yxCMI9eiGFHi1wF8M/s400/Walls+being+built.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7C1bZHVlHw4zScxBWOTZnfCQGdr45ugircsjbSRwCjG-9v8HpdLErJOWe89UGv3hdotZIzayPfvqG5NDL0IfXtRkAd6L1IOw406P3hvXk1KkLsCiyPE680VZjGoce0-s7ftXU4qHrkg/s1600/Walls+being+built+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7C1bZHVlHw4zScxBWOTZnfCQGdr45ugircsjbSRwCjG-9v8HpdLErJOWe89UGv3hdotZIzayPfvqG5NDL0IfXtRkAd6L1IOw406P3hvXk1KkLsCiyPE680VZjGoce0-s7ftXU4qHrkg/s400/Walls+being+built+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Vege garden and log path</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Still a lot to do, but we're getting there...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-89133685034856295272011-07-11T12:46:00.000-07:002011-08-31T08:49:27.498-07:002 and 1/2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyb_-ZsCpSuDNDCtW14x1RERm5Srh-HQnBZp36RSpC679FPz396sS1eG7ZPdCaA18aXnUABl76D5PgLdMVQRq8Ve_BRlVDkXBY_u5i5PUSE9uCkoykkclvjJT3GhTXVgkJVJzQSnhADaY/s1600/2011-04-01+10.26.53.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyb_-ZsCpSuDNDCtW14x1RERm5Srh-HQnBZp36RSpC679FPz396sS1eG7ZPdCaA18aXnUABl76D5PgLdMVQRq8Ve_BRlVDkXBY_u5i5PUSE9uCkoykkclvjJT3GhTXVgkJVJzQSnhADaY/s400/2011-04-01+10.26.53.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You're 2 and 1/2. A big boy now!</span></i></div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You are</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">so clever</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">so able</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">so dextrous</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">so agile</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">so intelligent</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">so aware</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">so understanding</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">so inquisitive</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">so imaginative </span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">so gentle</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">so careful</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">so <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">loveable</span></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">such a quick learner</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">such a great imitator</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">such a comedian</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI-WDy7R_Y90Oa2Ux_jTco2AUFGqnYFkq_s_EkkZqjbcpONC-X65-0cYHsodCQwWszgnumLMQjhyjneFlXMUI0Gg0STEa0QO-v4tZvCXUN5YKyLGHuTlA4QRAb5ndSbcbqxBMxwmqwBcM/s1600/IMG_7148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI-WDy7R_Y90Oa2Ux_jTco2AUFGqnYFkq_s_EkkZqjbcpONC-X65-0cYHsodCQwWszgnumLMQjhyjneFlXMUI0Gg0STEa0QO-v4tZvCXUN5YKyLGHuTlA4QRAb5ndSbcbqxBMxwmqwBcM/s400/IMG_7148.JPG" width="400" /></span></i></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><br />
<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You can</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Use a hammer, screwdriver, drill and knife properly and by yourself.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pour drinks and carry full cups without spilling any.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sing (my favourite is "How I Dinkle Dars")</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Draw and paint (although you don't really like painting and prefer to draw on the walls or lounge chair than on paper.... But you always tell me when you do so and watch as I clean it up afterwards)</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Count up to 5 things (in English and Turkish)</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Put your shoes on by yourself.</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Get your own way with merely a twinkle of your eye!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5B1sijwMMeRo2TA2XgAosBZcYk-MytDguN4NKJBCbLZo3xf1KICNiM-CzRI6bm2JFpQdozeQ8lZBfJU1raa3Qz3y_grV85YlkJwWMpKz5G9Rv1vEIsSff5S3C30HFImobrogIl11YuA/s1600/2011-04-02+15.22.31.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5B1sijwMMeRo2TA2XgAosBZcYk-MytDguN4NKJBCbLZo3xf1KICNiM-CzRI6bm2JFpQdozeQ8lZBfJU1raa3Qz3y_grV85YlkJwWMpKz5G9Rv1vEIsSff5S3C30HFImobrogIl11YuA/s400/2011-04-02+15.22.31.JPG" width="400" /></span></i></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><br />
<i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You love</span></b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Using tools - drilling holes, hammering nails into wood, screwing things back together.</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tractors!</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Your Dede, and cry every morning when he leaves for work, then squeal and jump up and down in excitement when he comes home.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Your "mummy-mama"! (nursing)</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To be read to.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Reading, especially toy catalogues.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Animals, and you are always so gentle with them.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To make up new words for songs (eg. "mashed banana" instead of "mashed potato") and to act out your new words (mashing the imaginary banana in your hands and wiping said banana on your pants.)</span></i></span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Helping to cook dinner, especially peeling and chopping.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Helping with the housework, especially when it involves water.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Washing windows (sometimes with a broom dipped in a mud puddle...)</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Playing with water - in the shower, in the pool, at the beach, in puddles, falling from the sky.</span></i></span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Making mud pies, especially cherry flavoured.</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Digging.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Going for walks around the neighbourhood.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Music.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Having friends over to play with, especially older boys.</span></i></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Kisses, cuddles and snuggles, especially from mummy.</span></i></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </i></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-xdF2yFSA8M4QKjExzgf1kdB7Jzabntt6piSJAMWKJADAmD6QCxK3_4Xjq5f0niU2NP2s5PZyvrRrHRD1yf3qVWB-DZ-gm_v-yUg3erckfzkqD1cCdF2GzUbpjyuxd5TONzNDTyDv7A/s1600/IMG_7229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-xdF2yFSA8M4QKjExzgf1kdB7Jzabntt6piSJAMWKJADAmD6QCxK3_4Xjq5f0niU2NP2s5PZyvrRrHRD1yf3qVWB-DZ-gm_v-yUg3erckfzkqD1cCdF2GzUbpjyuxd5TONzNDTyDv7A/s400/IMG_7229.JPG" width="400" /></span></i></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></i></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><i><i></i></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><i><i></i></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><i><i><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You don't like</span></b></i></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></i></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To dance ... but love ordering mummy to dance around you.</span></i></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Loud noises, like lawnmowers or jackhammers and need to be in mummy's arms when you hear them.</span></i></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Going to bed at night.</span></i></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The guy who sprays the weeds next door, and you cry with a fear I can feel radiate through your little body whenever you see him with the spray-pack on his back.</span></i></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Touching worms.</span></i></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Clowns.</span></i></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9U3GNGxx10owh7Q1x455P6Nq9fNr7Sd60rh_1GKf5cbA9cx1U1XbAF184iMuqbkhVS3jp78U4GGjRHIp0SiMYqpd7WPRfxYDLsVw_4KosA8j4fLJwQkcsobVE9qq3fCNWoVrszkLf68/s1600/IMG_7131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9U3GNGxx10owh7Q1x455P6Nq9fNr7Sd60rh_1GKf5cbA9cx1U1XbAF184iMuqbkhVS3jp78U4GGjRHIp0SiMYqpd7WPRfxYDLsVw_4KosA8j4fLJwQkcsobVE9qq3fCNWoVrszkLf68/s400/IMG_7131.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></i></span></div></div></i></i></span><br />
<i><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You love to eat</span></b></i></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </i></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Everything we offer but only a little bit at a time.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sweets! Any kind of sweets!</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Porridge.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Muhklama (a traditional Black Sea dish of melted aged cheese).</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Plain homemade yoghurt</span></i></span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fresh fruit straight from the tree.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fresh veges straight from the garden.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Kefir.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Carob in the pod.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Natural licorice sticks (the actual herb).</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Olives.</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pickles.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGtk0zb6Mx9lwF_ONAexTaVE9Ajdani4mQXRUGRLYUmCNBOCRd_cuB5Tog7k06gbLomh1_1Cth31RQCemorzVZTtnGhAPsb_iC06YEQ4T8HvJEu3bPhBjurZxj52vXnhePXSv9oU_C0Y0/s1600/IMG_7128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGtk0zb6Mx9lwF_ONAexTaVE9Ajdani4mQXRUGRLYUmCNBOCRd_cuB5Tog7k06gbLomh1_1Cth31RQCemorzVZTtnGhAPsb_iC06YEQ4T8HvJEu3bPhBjurZxj52vXnhePXSv9oU_C0Y0/s400/IMG_7128.JPG" width="285" /></span></i></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You don't like to eat</span></b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Egg yolk.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifrIDSq5AXohsY6_DIFBFLDIr2iXnXEMHyxo32EfOfI5EFJeOsD5yxSREy0-96U5It4lntGcRwQhQyWqIDgsY0tvOrQJFp9Rrifcbyv-D4nzXeBg0ftdad19DZAeKEOPyX5KknW6NLzi8/s1600/IMG_7198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifrIDSq5AXohsY6_DIFBFLDIr2iXnXEMHyxo32EfOfI5EFJeOsD5yxSREy0-96U5It4lntGcRwQhQyWqIDgsY0tvOrQJFp9Rrifcbyv-D4nzXeBg0ftdad19DZAeKEOPyX5KknW6NLzi8/s400/IMG_7198.JPG" width="400" /></span></i></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You</span></b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Invite anyone and everyone over to your house to play with your toys.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Love meeting new people and always remember their names.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tell everyone your full name (first name, middle name, last name) when they ask.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Always take your time on the toilet and insist on mummy being with you the entire time while you chatter chatter chatter chatter without stop.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sometimes get very angry and frustrated when an adult won't give you what you need or want or stops you from doing something you're doing, but you are very quickly and easily consoled with simply a cuddle and some words of explanation and understanding.</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIYURPvyCJsh86T5Kw38xeUqxHhOQO5Mr60PeWThZXo3Wl03jVLDvKhJeyTC7tr492ZDx8DmPozrLac9NucCsrUf9x6KmyVnn2azLk-T_z-EApkvJPoDb7vk2vBJh_-CIG1sKYJoFmTu0/s1600/IMG_6821.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIYURPvyCJsh86T5Kw38xeUqxHhOQO5Mr60PeWThZXo3Wl03jVLDvKhJeyTC7tr492ZDx8DmPozrLac9NucCsrUf9x6KmyVnn2azLk-T_z-EApkvJPoDb7vk2vBJh_-CIG1sKYJoFmTu0/s400/IMG_6821.JPG" width="400" /></span></i></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Kaya, we are absolutely, unquestionably, head-over-heels, punch-in-the-guts, ecstatically, painfully, breathlessly in love with you. </span></i></div>Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-31455537074015382932011-06-26T10:39:00.000-07:002011-06-26T10:48:43.251-07:00A bit of LandscapingAs soon as we finished our <a href="http://passionatelylife.blogspot.com/2011/06/more-renovations-pergola.html">pergola</a> project we headed straight downstairs to do something about the big mess that was our backyard. <br />
<br />
Let me back up a bit and explain why it was such a mess.<br />
<br />
Remember my post about our planned <a href="http://passionatelylife.blogspot.com/2011/04/much-needed-renovations.html">renovations</a>? I waffled on about how the house desperately needed exterior insulation. Well, we spent weeks and weeks of quote hunting (prices vary drastically here, as does quality of workmanship....) and finally settled on a company that appeared professional, was able to show examples of satisfactory workmanship and even offered a tax-free payment plan! We made an appointment with them to sign the final paperwork and to pay the deposit ... but they didn't turn up! They didn't even call! The day of the appointment was actually a public holiday so we gave them the benefit of doubt and waited for them to contact us the following day. But nothing! As with every other company we researched, these people were not particularly efficient at returning telephone calls (but still they were much more professional that every other company we tried) and we were fed up with forever chasing them up. Did we really want to invest more than $15000 in a company that couldn't even be bothered keeping it's appointment to start work? We decided the answer was "nope!" <br />
<br />
Being as exposed as it is on top of a hill, the house is severely weather beaten - the paint on the rendered-cement walls is flaking off all over. Insulating the house would have meant a brand new looking home! And besides the coldness in winter, this was a major consideration in wanting to get the insulation done. However, we are selling the house and weren't entirely sure that spending this kind of money would improve the value enough to warrant doing the renovations. Being mucked around by this company was a sign not to go ahead.<br />
<br />
Instead, we decided to do some other bits and pieces for a lot less cashito, which we were sure definitely would improve the value to buyers in this area. The pergola was one addition. It cost us only $350 to build and looks fantastic even while bare of grape vines and flowers. We're also in the progress of building-in a decorative (but entirely useless) enclave in the side of the house to become a garden shed. Once complete the overall cost will be something like $250. Here's what it looks like so far.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_PQNjzvUJr3ZA4WIKnPqqR1ttnhiG9TZbdNHjdoI7GptB7FrJsa5UnZeWBlJhuTvLYmnvaJmADDJFkTuWUG_cfL9Sadjpftg-xjL_tJuyWd4xKSG9uFEgMvDOye__C5QNuLYu2sNc8eE/s1600/2011-05-31+14.56.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_PQNjzvUJr3ZA4WIKnPqqR1ttnhiG9TZbdNHjdoI7GptB7FrJsa5UnZeWBlJhuTvLYmnvaJmADDJFkTuWUG_cfL9Sadjpftg-xjL_tJuyWd4xKSG9uFEgMvDOye__C5QNuLYu2sNc8eE/s400/2011-05-31+14.56.02.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>We just need to choose a door, cement-render the bricks and paint it. All this we'll do once the sunroom is built. </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>The other renovation in progress is the building of a glass roofed sunroom, or conservatory along one entire side of the house (cost approximately $6500). These sunrooms are extremely popular in this neighbourhood and when done properly look modern and very attractive. To build this sunroom we've had to extend the balcony above (which hubby is doing himself - final cost anticipated to be approximately $300) and extend the patio below (complete at a cost of $100). <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVT6oYfIF5icl3sI6RgDG1f7lg6cEC35hG8ylWskm9LdtF_F36etq5jaQd36Zy0i2xPSFK7TsGDE_6WwuDV9ciI-kxJlXTW71nslyVwd5QHO2f8_O-1KkfVeYfj5SWOqV0_5dQCR45xI/s1600/IMG_7073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqVT6oYfIF5icl3sI6RgDG1f7lg6cEC35hG8ylWskm9LdtF_F36etq5jaQd36Zy0i2xPSFK7TsGDE_6WwuDV9ciI-kxJlXTW71nslyVwd5QHO2f8_O-1KkfVeYfj5SWOqV0_5dQCR45xI/s400/IMG_7073.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>It doesn't look like much now but once the original balcony wall is removed and a new wall built, we just have to install a new railing and tiles and I think it'll look really great.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>We've already signed the paperwork for the building and work is planned to start in 4 days time. This is what the area looks like so far.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG9NswYwyGe11hPsVG5zvW1BVIX4B4THoKgvyjq6SjbZMfiU1L-XrbolvF6tITt-_V4qaKJtti7A05-2WW0E6y0pSiErgpwUgzMyNfjUd8pOfO89OdezoVCHQAT-G3_W3U7Md9sbmKnE4/s1600/IMG_7123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG9NswYwyGe11hPsVG5zvW1BVIX4B4THoKgvyjq6SjbZMfiU1L-XrbolvF6tITt-_V4qaKJtti7A05-2WW0E6y0pSiErgpwUgzMyNfjUd8pOfO89OdezoVCHQAT-G3_W3U7Md9sbmKnE4/s400/IMG_7123.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Imagine those three windows at the bottom knocked out, the entire patio area enlcosed in glass and the brick walls cement-rendered and painted. This will be such a lovely area to sit and relax.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>In the meantime we've been very busy cleaning up the big mess caused by these last two renovations. Cement, broken bricks, nails and bits of wood were embedded in the ground. <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDIEfZ8qe56HTbS3Lcsnq0v91MIywu0lAk0tF0rJkfE99XJpTo2oxIrGJm9512xB3e2jUiN-sH9zqdCLwa5LMsiPH1a4GAciJY6-Z6uQ1YSU4uk8UjO08eTzQYJugQog5kdGvKjxQ6RtA/s1600/2011-05-17+15.02.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDIEfZ8qe56HTbS3Lcsnq0v91MIywu0lAk0tF0rJkfE99XJpTo2oxIrGJm9512xB3e2jUiN-sH9zqdCLwa5LMsiPH1a4GAciJY6-Z6uQ1YSU4uk8UjO08eTzQYJugQog5kdGvKjxQ6RtA/s400/2011-05-17+15.02.05.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ky is </i>always<i> keen to help.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
It took several days of on-hands-and-knees, nail-chipping work to get the dirt cleaned up and then the area was ready for some much needed landscape lovin'!<br />
<br />
I saw this picture a few weeks ago and it became the inspiration for our work.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_6WKV-tlvpCsYLzejuAJyY1YpPmF9LvdrcGqOvaEqGmRm01sukICm3KZuOZ-ydKYSpUH4jip0OGRRbLCsatn4yI2A2Dm00XUlAKT1KI5_W1kayq4zhyphenhyphen0owYny3Wi_WvWZe21-HhY3-c/s1600/wood+slice+path.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_6WKV-tlvpCsYLzejuAJyY1YpPmF9LvdrcGqOvaEqGmRm01sukICm3KZuOZ-ydKYSpUH4jip0OGRRbLCsatn4yI2A2Dm00XUlAKT1KI5_W1kayq4zhyphenhyphen0owYny3Wi_WvWZe21-HhY3-c/s400/wood+slice+path.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Borrowed from www.katyelliott.com</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>We originally planned to make a path exactly like this one but our intended path was so long and when we bought the logs we greatly under-anticipated how many we needed. So instead of buying more wood, we decided to modify our design. By the way, total cost of logs, cement, sand and topsoil came to a grand total of $110!<br />
<br />
We thought making a path like this would be so easy - simply a matter of digging a bit of dirt, laying some sand and cement and positioning the logs.... Unfortunately, just the digging part took almost an entire day and then positioning the logs turned out to be a very time-consuming challenge. We asked that the logs be cut into approximately 20cm lengths. But instead they ranged in length from about 10cm to 50cm! This meant a whole lot of digging holes for individual logs, banging other logs into place, carefully leveling the logs section by section and repositioning already banged-in logs. <br />
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This is how it looked after we positioned the logs to see how they'd look, and before we actually dug them into place.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnrMEnTI81_Nw3uWiGgduQT1YLkhLgwtKwR4339mCOqQzR3C1r1ofcbGVi_P-GtjxqeRGf9YcNufFYWUY80CaG4Dv145akzoO5DRVuRHfbLMoWKGBPBRRZPT0mkSBYvKXR9YnrJDTD1rs/s1600/IMG_7058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnrMEnTI81_Nw3uWiGgduQT1YLkhLgwtKwR4339mCOqQzR3C1r1ofcbGVi_P-GtjxqeRGf9YcNufFYWUY80CaG4Dv145akzoO5DRVuRHfbLMoWKGBPBRRZPT0mkSBYvKXR9YnrJDTD1rs/s400/IMG_7058.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
After that it was simply a matter of filling in the gaps with a mixture of cement and sand, laying topsoil all over the entire yard, spreading grass seed and watering the area very thoroughly.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHvkkXMmCWpKOZ4cZ_dQ9XvGv2QOJiLzddB7cXliBf8dNfwb_O3oPVztlc4LS0j-H2nEbrb5jK6wJ824wlN0QcrF1552D0fsxfmIEpCbBTyO9P0NwCwDUfVzjOWJ_CyVtd5n4n6Wgd6Dg/s1600/IMG_7106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHvkkXMmCWpKOZ4cZ_dQ9XvGv2QOJiLzddB7cXliBf8dNfwb_O3oPVztlc4LS0j-H2nEbrb5jK6wJ824wlN0QcrF1552D0fsxfmIEpCbBTyO9P0NwCwDUfVzjOWJ_CyVtd5n4n6Wgd6Dg/s400/IMG_7106.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSmD2go5bV3H9oRpGpyZc3tujUBqx6eOC1Vz3TRzChWqvcHWXPQucgrhI3tAwHW3ZrWvIsHxg22cWLBQgEtFD282_tOCDTl-Lo10uJ18CAeRxKzQVCUl5_yczwgwEBDp3KmfIwfPKi-A/s1600/IMG_7105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSmD2go5bV3H9oRpGpyZc3tujUBqx6eOC1Vz3TRzChWqvcHWXPQucgrhI3tAwHW3ZrWvIsHxg22cWLBQgEtFD282_tOCDTl-Lo10uJ18CAeRxKzQVCUl5_yczwgwEBDp3KmfIwfPKi-A/s400/IMG_7105.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Notice the vege garden? Tomatoes, beans, eggplant, capsicum, cucumbers, carrots and lettuce. All grown from seed. It's my pride and joy! We plan to build a proper brick or wood border to pretty it up a bit... it's on the list.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>We're hoping grass will grow amongst the log path but not conceal the logs too much... But if these little fellows have anything to do with it, we won't have any grass at all! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilpqgJDuLHoOtSpUPMw6Vd2eDc3249netGxVPcUSE7S7HbqfIaDMBxgUAZhadq9dOCal-SaEDgh3iyBYh0n_fVKQHNX85xn1_H7QPfWQ_oCSazVPqFuk4ysx5htGlEMeombSZOcwNDrRk/s1600/IMG_7117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilpqgJDuLHoOtSpUPMw6Vd2eDc3249netGxVPcUSE7S7HbqfIaDMBxgUAZhadq9dOCal-SaEDgh3iyBYh0n_fVKQHNX85xn1_H7QPfWQ_oCSazVPqFuk4ysx5htGlEMeombSZOcwNDrRk/s400/IMG_7117.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>They may be little, but these ants are very efficient at collecting the grass seeds ... I'm seriously concerned that they'll collect them all!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Already I think it looks pretty nice. Certainly much better than the muddy wasteland it was before!<br />
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(So all in all, the completed renovations including pergola, balcony extension, patio extension, basic landscaping, garden storage room and sunroom is estimated to be ... $7610!! Cheap as chips compared to the $15000 we were going to fork out on the insulation.)Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-87593418386768897872011-06-23T12:23:00.000-07:002011-06-23T12:23:26.079-07:00DIY! Discarded Drawer to Modern Wall ArtWe found an old drawer in a pile of rubbish on the side of the road while walking one morning and because we're in renovation mode lately, we decided it had potential!<div><br />
</div><div>We turned this...<br />
<div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVFmnZH4jb0XkrkUCw0q3oOY9pm2bTRjN12M9ncP0ZTUgb52l4NF_ClUYHZy55xY0YuPokLsjxrBIeu_X_K1YGITjBqnY0iMt8m88fuz3S54yw1QNynWZTEmkw3U0aS3fVCkonoesYFI/s1600/IMG_6937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVFmnZH4jb0XkrkUCw0q3oOY9pm2bTRjN12M9ncP0ZTUgb52l4NF_ClUYHZy55xY0YuPokLsjxrBIeu_X_K1YGITjBqnY0iMt8m88fuz3S54yw1QNynWZTEmkw3U0aS3fVCkonoesYFI/s400/IMG_6937.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
<div>into this!</div></div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYwhapzCyRt8_7VAJCjsGO6WgPGRBqSACeRUeDw64lZcdipZOr5iiHcYanYIED10nby7HZK8g6Tmzxw78Unm5YVimyRKi3DCzVtpzehXVn8aBlu98j9zp4kv7OKnRTkG_40_Ttks9QinA/s1600/IMG_7064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYwhapzCyRt8_7VAJCjsGO6WgPGRBqSACeRUeDw64lZcdipZOr5iiHcYanYIED10nby7HZK8g6Tmzxw78Unm5YVimyRKi3DCzVtpzehXVn8aBlu98j9zp4kv7OKnRTkG_40_Ttks9QinA/s400/IMG_7064.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>First I pulled the drawer apart and painted the base an reddish bronwnish colour ... just because ...</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPlScc98BSJIWhHuYDLPomd6m2BQyTbS9srEICTqJ6QOJSSFUxGJ-WzR7DZQMm_ojohYHs0ISvtXjWizfUDJipbu5dsnrZIvzTwQKvp00MqFE86Lxo5aI6-eTCtkT74pRRijUz2SpNng/s1600/IMG_6944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPlScc98BSJIWhHuYDLPomd6m2BQyTbS9srEICTqJ6QOJSSFUxGJ-WzR7DZQMm_ojohYHs0ISvtXjWizfUDJipbu5dsnrZIvzTwQKvp00MqFE86Lxo5aI6-eTCtkT74pRRijUz2SpNng/s400/IMG_6944.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Then I collected a heap of these sticks which used to be stuck to a set of three of these containers (... until a certain little someone pulled them off again and again, despite a million attempts of gluing them back on ... grrrrrr)</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIwUOLZasKUZ46pCdglt7b75lAqH5WXmR5QKugDlgZgCmRDBoNgISLxnqyW6ybZnHTpM2K2u2zkRAfKNM_TW4TtXUxsYULRUUJY1Y-KRquB0tz2zgB7u-DdO9uzC680zYVCjE40e37oOk/s1600/IMG_6962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIwUOLZasKUZ46pCdglt7b75lAqH5WXmR5QKugDlgZgCmRDBoNgISLxnqyW6ybZnHTpM2K2u2zkRAfKNM_TW4TtXUxsYULRUUJY1Y-KRquB0tz2zgB7u-DdO9uzC680zYVCjE40e37oOk/s400/IMG_6962.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>and using a hot glue gun, I attached some hempish-looking string around one end of each stick. This was the least fun part. I burned every one of my fingers in my impatience to get the job finished while the little one slept. </div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHy-uPkeOxUEhmUZJhLy3xUmFvikkXgwhwmhJ1-zutzCM3Au1gUScjq8N81XZ5xQNGyfL34WbVV6ny0P7nP1GweN5ccF_iyq5HDByUQKhatawUpjmIf8I1ci0neXaewvWPZw8cZHDANQM/s1600/IMG_6963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHy-uPkeOxUEhmUZJhLy3xUmFvikkXgwhwmhJ1-zutzCM3Au1gUScjq8N81XZ5xQNGyfL34WbVV6ny0P7nP1GweN5ccF_iyq5HDByUQKhatawUpjmIf8I1ci0neXaewvWPZw8cZHDANQM/s400/IMG_6963.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>This is what I ended up with - a big messy pile of sticky sticks!</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2DqzwLcYPjO4qLDeJXDR1dLLo9GP1_B7LEdpaEKNTnIWSlpgtpsySVvgl43VRwXoifGa-8Hbvh0lplnGMjL8tRz3qHJNNBo6apWbumuQkQ4MW9ih5PAzslLWh_11gUICZ52LkxO0CzOc/s1600/IMG_6941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2DqzwLcYPjO4qLDeJXDR1dLLo9GP1_B7LEdpaEKNTnIWSlpgtpsySVvgl43VRwXoifGa-8Hbvh0lplnGMjL8tRz3qHJNNBo6apWbumuQkQ4MW9ih5PAzslLWh_11gUICZ52LkxO0CzOc/s400/IMG_6941.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Next, it was time to knock together some kind of frame using the four sides of the drawer. One of the sides was wider than the others so hubby took a sliver off the edge with the circular saw we borrowed for the <a href="http://passionatelylife.blogspot.com/2011/06/more-renovations-pergola.html">pergola</a> (and hadn't returned until now...) Unfortunately the blade went off course slightly and we ended up with this little burn mark. Personally, I like it. I think it adds character.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSnuP9OJMMcCJ2OdiYeXX_iKNBA83sEWNDNa7xRmmNYRg1blBIV2kiWgQnMOyienVXOC5nWhFTA0gLleSxuTjHO-H5FsICeCkSa-_Hrr3M75z4bN7ZFZ1kVOR3SVqd1OPm71AOh6xNxR0/s1600/IMG_6950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSnuP9OJMMcCJ2OdiYeXX_iKNBA83sEWNDNa7xRmmNYRg1blBIV2kiWgQnMOyienVXOC5nWhFTA0gLleSxuTjHO-H5FsICeCkSa-_Hrr3M75z4bN7ZFZ1kVOR3SVqd1OPm71AOh6xNxR0/s400/IMG_6950.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>After the sawing and a little bit of hammering, the frame turned out like this.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYGKmf9otokShoct8DQJoD71q-NQTkeQWG02_imroytgGCfEJ64M9I3TeBbLTlVknlQYIwok_2GS36w7tD7fBFSqLawHbpqiSp5ZDa4WrvNrcn-leYg72jrP35gaX3EX-9sVy3hke8b4/s1600/IMG_6951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYGKmf9otokShoct8DQJoD71q-NQTkeQWG02_imroytgGCfEJ64M9I3TeBbLTlVknlQYIwok_2GS36w7tD7fBFSqLawHbpqiSp5ZDa4WrvNrcn-leYg72jrP35gaX3EX-9sVy3hke8b4/s400/IMG_6951.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>The inside edges looked too raw so I painted them the same colour as the back.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG53i7khxjd8zBPw3osZPykavK4Z3_4MjFEIhp_jGvm23HD_boa03rafIbSK8ZF60gM54EJJOljP2c-JzanO6UNyhVRiIPGZeY1qq46QEh1rJEAVRnLPFSpTmZ1LaNKeKBgLW0OIpTiWk/s1600/IMG_6960.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG53i7khxjd8zBPw3osZPykavK4Z3_4MjFEIhp_jGvm23HD_boa03rafIbSK8ZF60gM54EJJOljP2c-JzanO6UNyhVRiIPGZeY1qq46QEh1rJEAVRnLPFSpTmZ1LaNKeKBgLW0OIpTiWk/s400/IMG_6960.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Once all this was done, I started on the artistic bit. With the nerve endings of my fingers already burnt off, it took no time at all to hot glue all the sticks into the frame.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRxmF1Cr8ArUKnzQ9G0sl2298wHDFMLJBUvxY_llvat8jAHlyZAzVGZtjd0b8vXoga_6qDKzA61QdgUFRejKy1dC90XFepnmcr-tqpqSaPfqY3tmC3SEOCMzb9LMIvo7jByO4PGouqY4/s1600/IMG_6965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRxmF1Cr8ArUKnzQ9G0sl2298wHDFMLJBUvxY_llvat8jAHlyZAzVGZtjd0b8vXoga_6qDKzA61QdgUFRejKy1dC90XFepnmcr-tqpqSaPfqY3tmC3SEOCMzb9LMIvo7jByO4PGouqY4/s400/IMG_6965.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>And wah-lah! It was done. A little something to hang on the huge empty wall above our TV.</div><div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8e_LZ5Bq5OI853tho9cWc97V0yfLqLYO-B_BXF5_OTaka_9oitNBHmheLzQXitgT7klr1wiLcnhuAyf_4O8uMTfw-QiakX-jnXPIhEYY3PuSH8ysBoMaGSTbu0RJv8hjiUgFieajESks/s1600/IMG_7063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8e_LZ5Bq5OI853tho9cWc97V0yfLqLYO-B_BXF5_OTaka_9oitNBHmheLzQXitgT7klr1wiLcnhuAyf_4O8uMTfw-QiakX-jnXPIhEYY3PuSH8ysBoMaGSTbu0RJv8hjiUgFieajESks/s400/IMG_7063.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYHdxjd9UnJsi8V-w77q65Xxi_TJryKT7RDcCM2NqSv71Y1f3YSg2QIBwvjjUWMtYTWQL-DW4CEO_c98q1OMeYnOrHBoWpk2AWGfJoO3OJxaE3ytWvfqfk4KhS-d6hXgMmmCFRsBUvE4A/s1600/IMG_7066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYHdxjd9UnJsi8V-w77q65Xxi_TJryKT7RDcCM2NqSv71Y1f3YSg2QIBwvjjUWMtYTWQL-DW4CEO_c98q1OMeYnOrHBoWpk2AWGfJoO3OJxaE3ytWvfqfk4KhS-d6hXgMmmCFRsBUvE4A/s400/IMG_7066.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div></div>Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-6860291474062794762011-06-18T23:45:00.000-07:002011-06-18T23:50:56.723-07:00Happy Father's Day! Babalar Günü Kutlu Olsun!It's Father's Day here in Turkey today. Yesterday, Ky expressed himself (all over the house...) with his paints. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmLquHlFl_CqEk5WzyW4RP40VB0xh-C9icuduSM078nfTj5xv37GE5k8RALYsnV1pxwDXD_ZLanzLc4GNie3Gs4O5Xk-meEcwO_OidupDdZCtVfqv82kYrrHhybTNjXDZMNvQ8VvkAKuU/s1600/IMG_7003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmLquHlFl_CqEk5WzyW4RP40VB0xh-C9icuduSM078nfTj5xv37GE5k8RALYsnV1pxwDXD_ZLanzLc4GNie3Gs4O5Xk-meEcwO_OidupDdZCtVfqv82kYrrHhybTNjXDZMNvQ8VvkAKuU/s400/IMG_7003.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmw-MBe0mMCBNwf5TRUQHcbzUf6YGOa92wkELl2oZCA7wA8MRSmAAnLN6m7_EEAFo81uSToTqDearyn9nUFUIJDMvY7mlOi7aw6Nc3axtI-9IMr01drx2hJd36X56cgC_6UeEXhWWxDr4/s1600/IMG_7006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmw-MBe0mMCBNwf5TRUQHcbzUf6YGOa92wkELl2oZCA7wA8MRSmAAnLN6m7_EEAFo81uSToTqDearyn9nUFUIJDMvY7mlOi7aw6Nc3axtI-9IMr01drx2hJd36X56cgC_6UeEXhWWxDr4/s400/IMG_7006.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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So we turned his art into a little gift for his baba. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJqwb9SVqifj88Tsw8z11kapDNEZRrGLUfHo3-J-vjxjfqkSo9wvFLS5u1nrbePEWvyN23qWRbJx0JF1Uoi2f9PFAn67XSK6dq_PosJkWSc57IK3VC5zQhWH1LftJo6SxzZRy9ZEtMWI/s1600/IMG_7010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJqwb9SVqifj88Tsw8z11kapDNEZRrGLUfHo3-J-vjxjfqkSo9wvFLS5u1nrbePEWvyN23qWRbJx0JF1Uoi2f9PFAn67XSK6dq_PosJkWSc57IK3VC5zQhWH1LftJo6SxzZRy9ZEtMWI/s400/IMG_7010.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Translation is "I love you my baba!"</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Then we made one for his dede too.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2paAnrJwbJLSto_DqSGpIgGKVO-p7oz-2menCId06fGYjs6PrlfLmRK4pdzuszRMh2f2pRyuwRrxtVG6dx8OXqawKegK2qAmFQekkKJCQ5pLG5ad8hdZbfogBmKQXXoPCrn0Bq_9ODs8/s1600/IMG_7011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2paAnrJwbJLSto_DqSGpIgGKVO-p7oz-2menCId06fGYjs6PrlfLmRK4pdzuszRMh2f2pRyuwRrxtVG6dx8OXqawKegK2qAmFQekkKJCQ5pLG5ad8hdZbfogBmKQXXoPCrn0Bq_9ODs8/s400/IMG_7011.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Translation is "I love you my dede!"</i></td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMk0oFZs_lgOjG2W8wcaSdCJ8lt5FF2wAz-Mn3TUOYX-4SKuFbO0MFEjI4o0WfHn4ME6aGfOOEm28stxNFtX-QJy1Rx3m12uH3RWE9RouWhwoHlT_avH_801kA4fQxjaSPEOT96I2lpOA/s1600/IMG_7012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMk0oFZs_lgOjG2W8wcaSdCJ8lt5FF2wAz-Mn3TUOYX-4SKuFbO0MFEjI4o0WfHn4ME6aGfOOEm28stxNFtX-QJy1Rx3m12uH3RWE9RouWhwoHlT_avH_801kA4fQxjaSPEOT96I2lpOA/s400/IMG_7012.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9IRjDgn-XLFCu0CydUZ8GMoyfSVZbtNhBO2q4AuQXR6Y3Fu5w0JpeAU-Zq5JktII2ODhHRIgIQ2L5cYBHa5-sSuKnTtxJ6cUi3naAe_NYF10ebNFxZlZufQXWHK47AA4SnU4M1day5c/s1600/IMG_7018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9IRjDgn-XLFCu0CydUZ8GMoyfSVZbtNhBO2q4AuQXR6Y3Fu5w0JpeAU-Zq5JktII2ODhHRIgIQ2L5cYBHa5-sSuKnTtxJ6cUi3naAe_NYF10ebNFxZlZufQXWHK47AA4SnU4M1day5c/s400/IMG_7018.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Three generations!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div>I hope everyone celebrating Father's Day today, is having a lovely day. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Happy Father's Day! Babalar Günü Kutlu Olsun!<br />
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</div>Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-78103375379831552082011-06-14T02:23:00.001-07:002011-06-14T02:23:27.292-07:00The blanket is finished!Several weeks ago I posted about my first real crochet project - a <a href="http://passionatelylife.blogspot.com/2011/04/work-in-progress-crocheted-wool-blanket.html">blanket</a>! Well, I did in fact finish only a few days later but it took until now to take some photos.<br />
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Here it is!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia-ROu5jsgb2GZ5okbjsZWOpzo87_-vzSjcbrS4fjOcbRQ1epcN9cR-HLk70hYIYTtNql_ziYZPjgFvrP4p-YPomF88RF4ebALF3b5oaOKGpDaRPiyTQ4km7FQwBJheG6gOyjACwtSImM/s1600/IMG_6892.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia-ROu5jsgb2GZ5okbjsZWOpzo87_-vzSjcbrS4fjOcbRQ1epcN9cR-HLk70hYIYTtNql_ziYZPjgFvrP4p-YPomF88RF4ebALF3b5oaOKGpDaRPiyTQ4km7FQwBJheG6gOyjACwtSImM/s400/IMG_6892.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>By the way, I made that cute embroidered bird cushion cover too. A pair of them actually. A gift for the mother-in-law.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4XNrypwmIHOmKIxJYgoYDnnfFle42oV5e2gdBuMKpv8x_RjLs7pT9hkuIeUbphqiWQduu6eZmObef0fBxLFKAsuta389QWQnn3ewo7k1bIW2mE-ULtJUd4lRP8nG6XwS4639UXAhTUk/s1600/IMG_6896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4XNrypwmIHOmKIxJYgoYDnnfFle42oV5e2gdBuMKpv8x_RjLs7pT9hkuIeUbphqiWQduu6eZmObef0fBxLFKAsuta389QWQnn3ewo7k1bIW2mE-ULtJUd4lRP8nG6XwS4639UXAhTUk/s400/IMG_6896.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>These flowers were fun to make until the 20th one ... by then I was well and truly over making them...</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzbwQCCEIe33yEmI5tvT9DBz0reXx2KWy4AmAWmgIbh1AIZPdC21MJA728acCuUjSAhU3xmbhy1111u-v-RTcM_wWDgO3A-0VaKthXfdj4XmAFRfjuXtZqi7neDY2BaH0OVjKHJkTzfQ/s1600/IMG_6899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzbwQCCEIe33yEmI5tvT9DBz0reXx2KWy4AmAWmgIbh1AIZPdC21MJA728acCuUjSAhU3xmbhy1111u-v-RTcM_wWDgO3A-0VaKthXfdj4XmAFRfjuXtZqi7neDY2BaH0OVjKHJkTzfQ/s400/IMG_6899.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0AFj8LIo4QQ5UKuGkAYyE6ifSJPmNU9SDBLzr73Rhn4DuxcI9DeqDbeegOlzlfEvJGuMSNdCvtroFlWQhTNaOoMJWWU8cNtmDnfs2utahyphenhyphenIBBgVbDgXpsohr475Rg7vMC6v4dDqZPN8/s1600/IMG_6901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0AFj8LIo4QQ5UKuGkAYyE6ifSJPmNU9SDBLzr73Rhn4DuxcI9DeqDbeegOlzlfEvJGuMSNdCvtroFlWQhTNaOoMJWWU8cNtmDnfs2utahyphenhyphenIBBgVbDgXpsohr475Rg7vMC6v4dDqZPN8/s400/IMG_6901.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxwtSufHg5CUy-jcThoxhSbcORwl6k4O0x2LtzzxfykTxkftnpMQ1eccY-ZiFlHwSf3HtrEktpOd9NTe-EatlVE4ncfGnxhgUTSB-uCP8W5JVDqiHcYuDiDDYKfgT4YV_oubcYod0M4dE/s1600/IMG_6902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxwtSufHg5CUy-jcThoxhSbcORwl6k4O0x2LtzzxfykTxkftnpMQ1eccY-ZiFlHwSf3HtrEktpOd9NTe-EatlVE4ncfGnxhgUTSB-uCP8W5JVDqiHcYuDiDDYKfgT4YV_oubcYod0M4dE/s400/IMG_6902.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHjO5He-lJKpsaF3028CVbKBjCAmkpicgrddhaNF6GZ37jPi9zQG8PUuzRgxKdax_9_5Mk-62jnPTbMAvGPeGpEGJyqBriVZFd7f1Z3_ib2OSXPmUw77oWO4-8wk0fXFIKioLwdqFhHWk/s1600/IMG_6903.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHjO5He-lJKpsaF3028CVbKBjCAmkpicgrddhaNF6GZ37jPi9zQG8PUuzRgxKdax_9_5Mk-62jnPTbMAvGPeGpEGJyqBriVZFd7f1Z3_ib2OSXPmUw77oWO4-8wk0fXFIKioLwdqFhHWk/s400/IMG_6903.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-47124722304065693702011-06-14T02:23:00.000-07:002011-06-14T02:23:17.088-07:00Internet Was Out!And here's why!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhto7_6PJfEJOHlhZ-KFjcTdTlJdlaPc-ik-o4p0Z7_7fj5VlIaFvNfBqRsZUSPS4MIg2uI5sEUGWyRQwDsUIBZpRXUuFnai_PeNRQegjEZwDCr9tvUcrcSbBTVzQ7YroiBqLPPoN8jdFE/s1600/IMG_6934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhto7_6PJfEJOHlhZ-KFjcTdTlJdlaPc-ik-o4p0Z7_7fj5VlIaFvNfBqRsZUSPS4MIg2uI5sEUGWyRQwDsUIBZpRXUuFnai_PeNRQegjEZwDCr9tvUcrcSbBTVzQ7YroiBqLPPoN8jdFE/s400/IMG_6934.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZNMMpZnXgCNS0_6FUxVXPHMd4FUvguzTfN4FMUVRUoW_stie7vO8Ga1Fe4JL8RxbVFXt-4xqDJ7sONp-dosGdiXJa3dvB1RQarZMUuojmiINvMhBRMHOI7XWXSJYdITP0lkIKx7KVf5o/s1600/IMG_6935.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZNMMpZnXgCNS0_6FUxVXPHMd4FUvguzTfN4FMUVRUoW_stie7vO8Ga1Fe4JL8RxbVFXt-4xqDJ7sONp-dosGdiXJa3dvB1RQarZMUuojmiINvMhBRMHOI7XWXSJYdITP0lkIKx7KVf5o/s400/IMG_6935.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Look at this! Turk Telecom came by early yesterday morning to <i>fix</i> something but then it started to rain (a shower that lasted all of about 4 1/2 minutes). So they just left! Leaving behind this mess and several houses without telephone (or internet). Grrrrrrr!<br />
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After several calls yesterday and again this morning, someone finally returned to fix the problem. They even cleaned up their mess... a miracle!Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-7800171648479275392011-06-10T06:30:00.000-07:002011-06-10T06:36:08.822-07:00More Renovations - A Pergola!With all the renovations going on around the place, I've been itching to get a couple of blisters on my own hands. I love making, creating, building. So... I convinced the hubster that the pergola we've been thinking about for the front of the house, we should build ourselves! <br />
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We've never actually built anything before. Not as a team anyway. And not as big a project as this one. <br />
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Thanks to google, I found so many instructional pages and videos. Building a pergola looked really quite simple. I should have known better...<br />
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Over the course of a couple of days, I drew plan after plan, measured and re-measured, compiled material lists and organised the borrowing of power-tools. Then before we could chicken out we drove straight to a timber shop, ordered our wood and picked up all the other bits and pieces we needed. <br />
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This was when the first kink in our smooth project appeared...<br />
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Two days later, the wood was cut and treated and we brought it home. Unfortunately, despite all of M's bargaining and negotiating for "Grade A" wood at the best price, we ended up with many pieces that were cracked and splinted. But thank goodness, not a single piece of wood was warped.<br />
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We set to work.<br />
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This is what the front of the house looked like before:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnlhiww_e1N98C_YEw_6g0ZXnEH73Uo9hjY-Olbkkka14QrH4tjeKKkCGf3aFkNtLIfC_utTgXT6gNGEldacL4jvkYDpws2EEvo2RLCB1EKN7yXkpqaiS9I89JUAjaXUeNoIwY7-8uYS0/s1600/2011-06-01+14.17.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnlhiww_e1N98C_YEw_6g0ZXnEH73Uo9hjY-Olbkkka14QrH4tjeKKkCGf3aFkNtLIfC_utTgXT6gNGEldacL4jvkYDpws2EEvo2RLCB1EKN7yXkpqaiS9I89JUAjaXUeNoIwY7-8uYS0/s400/2011-06-01+14.17.35.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4RXf5FlDgAPxsxJlBJf1VYZFuMJdjei3oOI-jIB3DUQGUwLP3CeWjPjS4XAT9w0SyafAD0VJNAY6Uoap9ZQnm56mi0nVZFwKGeBDtHEvN24eieh0tStxeYfeCY7NX9JrxB89hMgSLPI/s1600/2011-06-01+14.12.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4RXf5FlDgAPxsxJlBJf1VYZFuMJdjei3oOI-jIB3DUQGUwLP3CeWjPjS4XAT9w0SyafAD0VJNAY6Uoap9ZQnm56mi0nVZFwKGeBDtHEvN24eieh0tStxeYfeCY7NX9JrxB89hMgSLPI/s400/2011-06-01+14.12.27.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>It looks so messy! Believe me the place doesn't always look this bad.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>First, we attached all the wall plates securely to the house. Drilling through concrete while standing on a ladder is a strong man's job. I left this part entirely to M.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipoAl53CFrCkB-0BlnDhNT6659Q9MfHsN1H2mqwM3pmdQWSdWyuae3eBqhgogY5dcQAeAa-6Bu0aURh6uAHpY_msx1qEQ9M-53bj_cfkxBsw1174sonnHBVwVk22c6XBlJfCpmcZQZuPI/s1600/2011-06-05+15.55.58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipoAl53CFrCkB-0BlnDhNT6659Q9MfHsN1H2mqwM3pmdQWSdWyuae3eBqhgogY5dcQAeAa-6Bu0aURh6uAHpY_msx1qEQ9M-53bj_cfkxBsw1174sonnHBVwVk22c6XBlJfCpmcZQZuPI/s400/2011-06-05+15.55.58.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Next, the post holes. For me this was the scariest bit because it's permanent. Although I was so careful with my measurements, they were afterall <i>my </i>measurements, and I was afraid I'd made a mistake somewhere that would upset the whole structure. So I re-measured everything for the umpteenth time. This was when we discovered the second kink...<br />
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When we placed our order for 30 centimetres of scalloped edges on each of the rafters, it became clear that there'd been some sort of miscommunication or misunderstanding, because the timber guys didn't add onto the existing measurements, they simply scalloped the lengths as they were. Did I explain that well? For example, one part of the pergola called for 180 cm lengths of rafters (from wall to beam). We wanted at least an extra 40-50 cm overhanging the beam with 30 cm of the 40-50 cm being scalloped. When I gave M my measurements I did include an extra 30 cm to allow for any mistakes I made in measuring, so with a bit of innovative thought we were luckily able to salvage the situation without having the mistake be too noticeable. <br />
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Okay, so now with (hopefully) all the problems identified, we were ready to dig the post holes and set the posts!<br />
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The digging was another job I left to M. But I did help a bit by making sure the top part of each hole was neat and square. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6XtVc93H9qDhtxFv1UqAV47D8AGv-2CVNFgC_FkcMC6inwwVJfpT_oy0eSht8txeIvIs9A2Ymq2zND5i4zqYU6ubSWurYxEDSz47eL4f4iqpRmpY4TzYc4plISHvFSheiHmF5R9b8iCA/s1600/2011-06-05+15.57.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6XtVc93H9qDhtxFv1UqAV47D8AGv-2CVNFgC_FkcMC6inwwVJfpT_oy0eSht8txeIvIs9A2Ymq2zND5i4zqYU6ubSWurYxEDSz47eL4f4iqpRmpY4TzYc4plISHvFSheiHmF5R9b8iCA/s400/2011-06-05+15.57.07.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Notice the patio tiles look newly cemented? Well, that's because we actually extended this raised section of the patio to add more space for table and chairs. Now that the weather has warmed up, we eat outside on the patio more often than inside.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>As you can see, the little one <i>literally</i> added his personal touch:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFXB-gP5c-K24VnuGjRxDSSTMa6u-CUstOE45DA44wOFAaiCq2zeKold4sN0_km1dKWbytPw0Vc7tKxSLX_C9Wm9gKe-_GpSl1OaoX0-Zb9m18WuUH1v2prI6P4G2e9tuJm8Ff4tFrMl4/s1600/IMG_6920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFXB-gP5c-K24VnuGjRxDSSTMa6u-CUstOE45DA44wOFAaiCq2zeKold4sN0_km1dKWbytPw0Vc7tKxSLX_C9Wm9gKe-_GpSl1OaoX0-Zb9m18WuUH1v2prI6P4G2e9tuJm8Ff4tFrMl4/s400/IMG_6920.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Don't worry, Ky really does have 5 fingers!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>While we were waiting for the cement to set we cut the poles to size and attached the beams to the poles while they were lying on the ground.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ALhLEgLRATtae4_sdC7ri1rygKtP0XSCtr2sJj40Tio97CHim_4xDjHr_mQRRfd6hXNpSYXR4Ddfrlnt_jhX9vJ8DtTBdwcJBXSr899G2o-EWRKV6LpA7_fCfzVV7-vl-dgJm69LWGs/s1600/2011-06-06+13.51.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ALhLEgLRATtae4_sdC7ri1rygKtP0XSCtr2sJj40Tio97CHim_4xDjHr_mQRRfd6hXNpSYXR4Ddfrlnt_jhX9vJ8DtTBdwcJBXSr899G2o-EWRKV6LpA7_fCfzVV7-vl-dgJm69LWGs/s400/2011-06-06+13.51.02.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Let me tell you! Lifting this thing, swinging it around and placing it in the post stirrups was not easy! I was so afraid we were going to break it.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Two days later, the post stirrups were securely set in the concrete and we were ready to start on the fun part - erecting the pergola!<br />
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The first part was a bit tricky. One of us had to hold the posts in place with a spirit level while the other one balanced and attached the first rafters to the beams.<br />
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This is also where we had to make a small modification to allow for the too short rafters (because of the scalloping). Instead of having the beams on the outside of the poles we had to put them on the inside so the rafters would attach properly. <br />
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I don't think it looks too bad, but we'll always know it wasn't meant to look like this. Oh well.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeU2kNPrWhOC5GlFIBBJ6mu2ys9j5mhkzKOzr68-JcNwzTLcO5wVgGBREqK06hzxckaDnP5NadxccRIm2bS3G6dlydDKzkoo_mnC4-crMC7l-2y83CtZof42IAbIaTrFlbYLMX3WqCrfM/s1600/IMG_6911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeU2kNPrWhOC5GlFIBBJ6mu2ys9j5mhkzKOzr68-JcNwzTLcO5wVgGBREqK06hzxckaDnP5NadxccRIm2bS3G6dlydDKzkoo_mnC4-crMC7l-2y83CtZof42IAbIaTrFlbYLMX3WqCrfM/s400/IMG_6911.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I'm trying not to dwell on it, but I just know it would have looked so much better had the beams been on the front...</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Once the first rafters were attached and the whole structure was secure, it was just a simple matter of attaching the rest of the rafters.<br />
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</div>There was lots of drilling and hammering required so we called on the expert assistance of our tiny master builder. We'd have been lost without him. In this video he's widening the tops of the drilled holes we made in the rafters. We don't have a recessing tool so we simply used a bigger drill bit and kind of wiggled it around in the top section of the hole to enable the screws to lie flush with the surface of the wood.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzlpblUNOfPSS70G1314iC2uIsWAeY4wTSRtsKFszPOILXQkUWRtHl50TLM-riMcOfJ4n_-aExTtIY9uCpwuQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
Putting the rafters up was the most satisfying part of the whole job.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMCqiSxtTceSJYkoAdP_ZWaX-OCQnSg6kKVVcI6UW5TtO_pWQy_kq2lxefshpSgtYLNYDzOtwDEJFUcnfbfQ-U8dmd50T50bCEMgEEAA3I6fW-XBwIghDNgRcbucl7cbeO9NcMsBxKts/s1600/2011-06-07+17.54.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMCqiSxtTceSJYkoAdP_ZWaX-OCQnSg6kKVVcI6UW5TtO_pWQy_kq2lxefshpSgtYLNYDzOtwDEJFUcnfbfQ-U8dmd50T50bCEMgEEAA3I6fW-XBwIghDNgRcbucl7cbeO9NcMsBxKts/s400/2011-06-07+17.54.48.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT8X9wy5b7a9EiS8PzUsj_0D159LubCGN2XU5FHr2_mejo8qWorp9o2KTc4G4yvXg7ZCfNuZVjecHfHW5bs90AM9dMIndSn_uSLXQTYSFyQXSULYikaxrCWDq_rFRuu3oDLfyjTbDDQsA/s1600/2011-06-07+15.58.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT8X9wy5b7a9EiS8PzUsj_0D159LubCGN2XU5FHr2_mejo8qWorp9o2KTc4G4yvXg7ZCfNuZVjecHfHW5bs90AM9dMIndSn_uSLXQTYSFyQXSULYikaxrCWDq_rFRuu3oDLfyjTbDDQsA/s400/2011-06-07+15.58.45.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>What do you think of the </i>sturdy<i> ladder situation we have going here...?</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And we were done!! I feel very proud!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuni65Vzv-O94G4FC6f65AYlzDleoMcnjIrcFsttIAWHk_SojVHEk8s_eOGP3Gnhw5H_N58AYA8O5rzWgJWblvPK5PlZxX1cErDucHC6NrjgKOhDNCOuS_dQCGgPnbMVY_l1YhYM8COYs/s1600/2011-06-08+18.58.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuni65Vzv-O94G4FC6f65AYlzDleoMcnjIrcFsttIAWHk_SojVHEk8s_eOGP3Gnhw5H_N58AYA8O5rzWgJWblvPK5PlZxX1cErDucHC6NrjgKOhDNCOuS_dQCGgPnbMVY_l1YhYM8COYs/s400/2011-06-08+18.58.14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgniV-jyFBPuggW4PROHCIDDBKplAON4nH4i3Zzea44_O7IcZHniZcfdCrRLbkH86qZdjv-Ti1XYWAjLyt8KyE7exBlo-tQtgiPvJqA6-SX9Gp_8SSmzwJH8fLuoU6kDQkImaNLNgNXNfU/s1600/2011-06-08+18.56.19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgniV-jyFBPuggW4PROHCIDDBKplAON4nH4i3Zzea44_O7IcZHniZcfdCrRLbkH86qZdjv-Ti1XYWAjLyt8KyE7exBlo-tQtgiPvJqA6-SX9Gp_8SSmzwJH8fLuoU6kDQkImaNLNgNXNfU/s400/2011-06-08+18.56.19.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now we have to paint it and I'm also planning to build a rectangular planter box around each of the two sets of poles on both sides of the sticky-out bit of the patio. Oh and some grape vines crawling all over the pergola will complete the picture.</div>Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-76250718103631157962011-06-04T12:44:00.000-07:002011-06-04T12:48:34.010-07:00Camping!Last weekend was a truly wonderful weekend. We risked the threat of gloomy weather and made our escape to a lovely place called Abant National Park, for some nature-loving. <br />
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Abant is about 2 and 1/2 hours drive north west of our home in Ankara. It's about the same distance from Istanbul and also about the same distance from the Black Sea coast. From Ankara or Istanbul, it's a very doable weekend trip. And well worth the drive. <br />
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The main attraction of Abant, in my opinion, is the lake. It's entirely surrounded by hilly forest and meadows. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMzWI76Tg9QnqJIg6WRplTQdVvGLwNLLmUAKaJzt_gbDflM8EFY6X31oXAwec9PDrWdWy_MhjobsU6v79wQGVfDWooXXy7qRHFr0olhVdjSrWYZhiMYOKWXgJyHg-MQhf4ixlGgU_vrnE/s1600/139_0080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMzWI76Tg9QnqJIg6WRplTQdVvGLwNLLmUAKaJzt_gbDflM8EFY6X31oXAwec9PDrWdWy_MhjobsU6v79wQGVfDWooXXy7qRHFr0olhVdjSrWYZhiMYOKWXgJyHg-MQhf4ixlGgU_vrnE/s400/139_0080.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKkFB3gEEdu9x1ww6qB8Vm6HIrcsSE39xOyZ-MzkL0P8F1oJ23Y2toCp9bHe1FBa6VhaDoDh74voBp_ryBcYIM_7iyhGIrf-kf60U_s9pVqx0bSaJr0qbY87R_2VB-zoeg57Z_U2o9gY/s1600/139_0089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKkFB3gEEdu9x1ww6qB8Vm6HIrcsSE39xOyZ-MzkL0P8F1oJ23Y2toCp9bHe1FBa6VhaDoDh74voBp_ryBcYIM_7iyhGIrf-kf60U_s9pVqx0bSaJr0qbY87R_2VB-zoeg57Z_U2o9gY/s400/139_0089.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg58yUbA2MZTetsV3c1SpXe99qMA7SgtN4vN-4p4nSr6XmK4K5Qv9eWTYT92ldclfiUrT8I2in_8FmigOXZFkEB09raioA43u3jdEduFnl5_FT1ICRPCO5BClgzzdHsftASUJfYhOcc458/s1600/139_0090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg58yUbA2MZTetsV3c1SpXe99qMA7SgtN4vN-4p4nSr6XmK4K5Qv9eWTYT92ldclfiUrT8I2in_8FmigOXZFkEB09raioA43u3jdEduFnl5_FT1ICRPCO5BClgzzdHsftASUJfYhOcc458/s400/139_0090.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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We found a gorgeous spot only steps away from the water in a little field carpeted in wild flowers and backed by pine trees. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7L4V4Hd-hRM_rYPuSFPd66dXxxt635phgmOIwP6AnAn_4LME8o2Acc7031OEQ-erB2XWi9mbS_-kkusNHbbEf_spnKfVCXrEwC6YmEzyssMzmqFRLQ7x2B4s_9hlNUoueZgvdkiMcmCk/s1600/139_0076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7L4V4Hd-hRM_rYPuSFPd66dXxxt635phgmOIwP6AnAn_4LME8o2Acc7031OEQ-erB2XWi9mbS_-kkusNHbbEf_spnKfVCXrEwC6YmEzyssMzmqFRLQ7x2B4s_9hlNUoueZgvdkiMcmCk/s400/139_0076.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
True to the weather forecast, it did rain, but fortunately only lightly and only for a few minutes (and unfortunately, while we were putting our tents up and cooking lunch).<br />
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The trip was kind of a last minute thing so we weren't efficiently prepared. Instead we just took everything, including heaps of blankets and pillows and lots of food, most of which was bread and tea...! Although Murat, Kaya and I eat very little bread, the mother-in-law packed 8 loaves of bread and 2kg of tea leaves!!! We were only away for 2 days! <br />
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Oh, we had such a relaxing good time. Ky had a ball! He loved the fire. <br />
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He loved the tents. He loved the field of flowers. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXmZq_SSTQmatSATiaN6wA8IYuSpkldkjaBEtyGWsvf0HC3RB75Grgb9zvJnSia6KIWuzXwSxtL0u5BE88Vu4jXXk1u2MwbXI9aJtXOFaMCnLdHnySxfvN-eU2NkMTFt_u5NHiY9168v8/s1600/2011-05-28+15.03.34.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXmZq_SSTQmatSATiaN6wA8IYuSpkldkjaBEtyGWsvf0HC3RB75Grgb9zvJnSia6KIWuzXwSxtL0u5BE88Vu4jXXk1u2MwbXI9aJtXOFaMCnLdHnySxfvN-eU2NkMTFt_u5NHiY9168v8/s400/2011-05-28+15.03.34.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
He loved using his old "baby" potty underneath the tree. He loved the horses pulling carriages of singing visitors around the lake. He loved the sounds of thunder at night. He loved rolling big rocks into the lake..<br />
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During the first afternoon we walked to a nearby park on the lake and came across a bunch of people peacefully performing tai chi. Ky immediately joined in and as everyone lifted their arms, he yelled out at the top of his voice, "Picking apples! Picking pears!" The tranquil atmosphere was shattered as everyone laughed and laughed. I guess everyone was familiar with the well-known children's game where the kids stand on their tip-toes and reach up high pretending to pick fruit from imaginary trees while singing "picking apples, picking pears..."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigvW18J4GmmhlisS_-55IkdoST3tmm3qhJLqGuQifNzfvzBfIGWMwG_YxQi6f3h3PHn5pfE3D2kt8RV7VfHlFEQo8xGXWeJ-0ICfqE2bqnmyXDPbixBjsnU4v9fFqTb0CCKMXSLWlV1Oc/s1600/2011-05-28+16.48.28.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigvW18J4GmmhlisS_-55IkdoST3tmm3qhJLqGuQifNzfvzBfIGWMwG_YxQi6f3h3PHn5pfE3D2kt8RV7VfHlFEQo8xGXWeJ-0ICfqE2bqnmyXDPbixBjsnU4v9fFqTb0CCKMXSLWlV1Oc/s400/2011-05-28+16.48.28.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
We're definitely going to do this again soon.Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-8748757730422476922011-05-27T21:10:00.000-07:002011-05-27T21:10:59.848-07:00Beypazarı - A Slice of Loveliness.This week's quest for beauty took us to a little town called Beypazarı, about 100km from our home in Ankara. It's famous for silverware, carrots and soda water... an odd mix. But we went for the Ottoman architecture, the cobblestone streets and the museums showcasing traditional Ottoman homes.<br />
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It was a beautiful day. A true spring day. I spent the entire car ride gazing out at the colourful wildflowers covering every hilltop, field and valley. The entire countryside was in bloom. Even the mounds of forgotten construction waste, camouflaged under a cloak of springtime colour, had become beautiful. Man Oh Man, I love this time of year!<br />
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Being a weekday and early in the season, the town was virtually empty of tourists. In fact, besides one primary school field group, I think we were the only non-locals. Which, of course, suited us fine. <br />
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We found a park in the centre of town and headed straight to the nearest restaurant to quench our thirst with a couple of schooners of cold and frothy ayran (plain yoghurt shaken with water and a little salt). Yummy!<br />
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The next hour or so was spent happily wandering around town, checking out the museums and taking pictures of the restored houses. Since there were no tourists, it didn't take long to see everything we wanted to see. So by lunchtime we were ready to head out to nearby Inözü valley for some lunch. <br />
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We found a sweet garden restaurant in the valley right on the riverbank and enjoyed a couple of hours eating, relaxing, and playing with Kaya. While we were there we found out from one of the waiters that there was apparently a lovely big lake about 30km away. With only half the day gone we decided to check it out.<br />
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Karagöl (Black lake) is a deep crater lake surrounded by a lovely forrest of pine trees. Even though it had started raining before we arrived, the whole atmosphere by the lake was so peaceful and calming. We had a cup of tea from our thermos in the car, took in the view, and leisurely (and a little reluctantly because it was still drizzling) started on our way back home. <br />
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Here are a few pictures journaling our day. I hope they give you a bit of a feel for the loveliness of our day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijImmUkJqx0xkb7Arggnj1Qp6huOrrCDDoMAfILodMW67NS-oVjdJkhuGkNYUBdCXKPGXOCGKwPsUgJINfmhBFaAuCG-jf6-0T7dm9uwlYrnbLNEVWdL6fGHsXQX5DsNWG4jDI_ovfftA/s1600/2011-05-26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijImmUkJqx0xkb7Arggnj1Qp6huOrrCDDoMAfILodMW67NS-oVjdJkhuGkNYUBdCXKPGXOCGKwPsUgJINfmhBFaAuCG-jf6-0T7dm9uwlYrnbLNEVWdL6fGHsXQX5DsNWG4jDI_ovfftA/s400/2011-05-26.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The moment we stepped out of the car, Ky went up to this old lady to show her his tool box. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2gvCi29cpbdSwDzcEVr4f76_zHx5LnbNsRGmidatJn4WnyCJJskRdtyKWHypGG67qcCjNPq9bJPgi4H_qJDLq8MwvXKAhGYThlPCnsWzd15zyuJS8UtglH_hSS3peb2uaKYvkYngx9g/s1600/2011-05-27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2gvCi29cpbdSwDzcEVr4f76_zHx5LnbNsRGmidatJn4WnyCJJskRdtyKWHypGG67qcCjNPq9bJPgi4H_qJDLq8MwvXKAhGYThlPCnsWzd15zyuJS8UtglH_hSS3peb2uaKYvkYngx9g/s400/2011-05-27.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In a lovely restaurant, awaiting our ayran.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPaztVwXp39e6fFZJNaP8_ADT5XMrfutCRvVwQw8KDTJp-2ysZ0TV8oZ9cXAQPeCt4P9g063ghUqGlElpWjGeoK9AlbXTHDA96SmjiA1eQLQ2WXX6OiRQG8DqSh72r4GyaqNgh2PThRw/s1600/2011-05-28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPaztVwXp39e6fFZJNaP8_ADT5XMrfutCRvVwQw8KDTJp-2ysZ0TV8oZ9cXAQPeCt4P9g063ghUqGlElpWjGeoK9AlbXTHDA96SmjiA1eQLQ2WXX6OiRQG8DqSh72r4GyaqNgh2PThRw/s400/2011-05-28.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Restaurant decor.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDlmiuBQnbm4sfEZjo9EU1aFIe1DF3TPTNaq4wVR90raOV3_0XWNMkY19HFMMhxqxXH2t5_qYWUHjPZtml8balvE91fFy95NUCShFn9LVTvfMW-SpNTSELBBQXt6EvSfgUhh3St0Zexxw/s1600/2011-05-29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDlmiuBQnbm4sfEZjo9EU1aFIe1DF3TPTNaq4wVR90raOV3_0XWNMkY19HFMMhxqxXH2t5_qYWUHjPZtml8balvE91fFy95NUCShFn9LVTvfMW-SpNTSELBBQXt6EvSfgUhh3St0Zexxw/s400/2011-05-29.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaya begging for a sugar cube he discovered on the table before we had a chance to hide the container ... the begging didn't work by the way.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEVpR0gzEuo6ZIlq7b2dlaDHniwcLplpP29OualUn2wRxV20olUB2tmSXexIUBD_mePkH55k53x8bORWapwL4yqcyFtqd-iiK-qXVycW_1JEREUU6whyphenhyphenjn8f_SrxLY2cJtCG-IDNAYf3U/s1600/2011-05-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEVpR0gzEuo6ZIlq7b2dlaDHniwcLplpP29OualUn2wRxV20olUB2tmSXexIUBD_mePkH55k53x8bORWapwL4yqcyFtqd-iiK-qXVycW_1JEREUU6whyphenhyphenjn8f_SrxLY2cJtCG-IDNAYf3U/s400/2011-05-30.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Helping "Teyze" (auntie) unpack her stock for the restaurant.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9MhDP8iYBPFaU31NOA_pibcgR0URlLAjlr37QEsUHaHnAsnUB_EnP0at_8s3O1xrPr4Pk6fWANaIfPExLBY7n26BWGw3nLRALAyhAgY956_Zn-6v3bTniZlOLHcPMPx9LDdqcKzNnkE/s1600/2011-05-31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9MhDP8iYBPFaU31NOA_pibcgR0URlLAjlr37QEsUHaHnAsnUB_EnP0at_8s3O1xrPr4Pk6fWANaIfPExLBY7n26BWGw3nLRALAyhAgY956_Zn-6v3bTniZlOLHcPMPx9LDdqcKzNnkE/s400/2011-05-31.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Testing out his ironing skills on the table.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjo00B3aSSe3kzH3j7USF5apwD2O78hjfwGlvUdnJAXiKK1_hx8AffQeVdtBUzCXCFehOGNVacQrTzqW_tGAbbDH0TGuL7HO-mpPDfkHHTcdRtuIbbWXJ1KqgqBkg71r81CZZVXeVapI0/s1600/2011-05-45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjo00B3aSSe3kzH3j7USF5apwD2O78hjfwGlvUdnJAXiKK1_hx8AffQeVdtBUzCXCFehOGNVacQrTzqW_tGAbbDH0TGuL7HO-mpPDfkHHTcdRtuIbbWXJ1KqgqBkg71r81CZZVXeVapI0/s400/2011-05-45.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An exmple of some of the Ottoman houses.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvciX9AajVdVKCtb4XeZa_fnOx2lbeAxDF7c3wuDh0KJI1lmIBnhOsJUGkOTaAvNNcPCv2wSiXnfo3HRsHm6vUEVv74YCx4KNRg5rcd4V74SMrxykgUxVcvq_GH3Z_zrKqmyQ8whpOuds/s1600/2011-05-46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvciX9AajVdVKCtb4XeZa_fnOx2lbeAxDF7c3wuDh0KJI1lmIBnhOsJUGkOTaAvNNcPCv2wSiXnfo3HRsHm6vUEVv74YCx4KNRg5rcd4V74SMrxykgUxVcvq_GH3Z_zrKqmyQ8whpOuds/s400/2011-05-46.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cobblestone lane.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN-BHKFsXwP_9TVy8nPU3UVYvaIVBctk5wzGdZUxRpv_UKas1MLstDiR0-DNKf5V5MOZ-e-gc6s3SDFb9og-JLDabMYT2LaI0USEFfu92WOd7_S517zt0tvrKfDFv-CtnsIsV8I51GUWs/s1600/2011-05-32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN-BHKFsXwP_9TVy8nPU3UVYvaIVBctk5wzGdZUxRpv_UKas1MLstDiR0-DNKf5V5MOZ-e-gc6s3SDFb9og-JLDabMYT2LaI0USEFfu92WOd7_S517zt0tvrKfDFv-CtnsIsV8I51GUWs/s400/2011-05-32.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mosque minaret.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu3HsTrvDFsU6lS0_LWBiOfzBFEpH4V0r14OcUhDL6SmrfrDtHsyKww9y-hElHsdcvFVr0lUn6vUiMnsNaie4JzqLW1RoPLKqJNKrBMmUuTjCO6T7hC7rXs8HofdNFznIRCee0SwGIp2Q/s1600/2011-05-33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu3HsTrvDFsU6lS0_LWBiOfzBFEpH4V0r14OcUhDL6SmrfrDtHsyKww9y-hElHsdcvFVr0lUn6vUiMnsNaie4JzqLW1RoPLKqJNKrBMmUuTjCO6T7hC7rXs8HofdNFznIRCee0SwGIp2Q/s400/2011-05-33.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neighbourhood life.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguQo02kXP6-5KQiUJbWlU5P7h94cb7So6w1l_K0O-Ugl4MJQ1tRUDOy-UfuX0j4xWXeC4rggXaMfTG8onCoM0eJSclMjjoSAhnP9ghgLLID2XV0dNfArCPH7wrpznLibbrCjm-8B1LbNY/s1600/2011-05-34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguQo02kXP6-5KQiUJbWlU5P7h94cb7So6w1l_K0O-Ugl4MJQ1tRUDOy-UfuX0j4xWXeC4rggXaMfTG8onCoM0eJSclMjjoSAhnP9ghgLLID2XV0dNfArCPH7wrpznLibbrCjm-8B1LbNY/s400/2011-05-34.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More neighbourhood life.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQUtOtOVe_B1pKovQf8xDf-KgyhZSh3ZOFp33N3xtm5-EZ3Pp2SDu6W3eXA772hNfjAHruHzVGC6g6iJd-csFq9J9h3sTr2bJu4mpcfsNdL8sE38hm516uEeq5dJpZmYjLGJI3LGSHH8/s1600/2011-05-36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQUtOtOVe_B1pKovQf8xDf-KgyhZSh3ZOFp33N3xtm5-EZ3Pp2SDu6W3eXA772hNfjAHruHzVGC6g6iJd-csFq9J9h3sTr2bJu4mpcfsNdL8sE38hm516uEeq5dJpZmYjLGJI3LGSHH8/s400/2011-05-36.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Contemplating whether or not he could climb this pole ... he decided against it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_vxAt87lWoufIUREZUeDUsD_CTIXyqZtWhTr4TthZcOg_VRDPo5Jk3p2CiMQhGSUotTKk3mm1mAFDNGKLSqtJHk4pCyEcwMsNQ3crDBlXFqrkHUiOsjrETFOu23diV0WdsOj7hfOwUM/s1600/2011-05-37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_vxAt87lWoufIUREZUeDUsD_CTIXyqZtWhTr4TthZcOg_VRDPo5Jk3p2CiMQhGSUotTKk3mm1mAFDNGKLSqtJHk4pCyEcwMsNQ3crDBlXFqrkHUiOsjrETFOu23diV0WdsOj7hfOwUM/s400/2011-05-37.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Intriguing caves in the rocking cliffs above the restaurant in Inozu valley.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq5tScupOL2Gpf39PW825Rj375HCQeKvWqru1mD_TFsoCJewJZH7P4j6H7dv5eAD18tyZK9_hmmhRwPRwnu_rdUsBV-YFy2XV0C0bUKPFrNO-vN5_YDmLZQhDdWGYTzIlmxYjZSRqtWGM/s1600/2011-05-38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq5tScupOL2Gpf39PW825Rj375HCQeKvWqru1mD_TFsoCJewJZH7P4j6H7dv5eAD18tyZK9_hmmhRwPRwnu_rdUsBV-YFy2XV0C0bUKPFrNO-vN5_YDmLZQhDdWGYTzIlmxYjZSRqtWGM/s400/2011-05-38.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at the expression on that little boy! It's like, "Ahh mum, another photo? C'mon!"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd1Av8oAlr1biikqw_4ohyphenhyphenTrCmYCTVVssmUTF30xsE5Fk6GrEjhK3FGoubAYPKzV_Apg2e81cbMRcvZATp_N_EHN12PEMd93N0r_wiD5R8HAgYYP4vGRsy0X7LMOoO0yI0b_TpcTufHUc/s1600/2011-05-39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd1Av8oAlr1biikqw_4ohyphenhyphenTrCmYCTVVssmUTF30xsE5Fk6GrEjhK3FGoubAYPKzV_Apg2e81cbMRcvZATp_N_EHN12PEMd93N0r_wiD5R8HAgYYP4vGRsy0X7LMOoO0yI0b_TpcTufHUc/s400/2011-05-39.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For a second we thought this was the beautiful lake we'd been told about ... it wasn't.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi55DbtcVwUMHAdL4uEDuCa_VImt079GBWsFBk4ld28S6a8ikVSoUjv4ankKGySjQRMJ2KjfuipY5SauWKDqqse_bZiB9KJQ3BwJiPOwNR3S2XrBq7KP0n_xfdCAuITfouvV_ecjhBQWUg/s1600/2011-05-24+15.43.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi55DbtcVwUMHAdL4uEDuCa_VImt079GBWsFBk4ld28S6a8ikVSoUjv4ankKGySjQRMJ2KjfuipY5SauWKDqqse_bZiB9KJQ3BwJiPOwNR3S2XrBq7KP0n_xfdCAuITfouvV_ecjhBQWUg/s400/2011-05-24+15.43.20.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the lake we came to see.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguh1NJLR6A_2yphkHaKfWZzCkm4Tf2XZryYekeyaFSc92xy1F4oJckZGyrZV6ZW0qMQU_iihLFw-qe7kn2IeJZ4mHF7PW9uCnUUdN9ikNrSjV1GlRWa-vcY9YRMXXHU_rV921odzSMZac/s1600/2011-05-25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguh1NJLR6A_2yphkHaKfWZzCkm4Tf2XZryYekeyaFSc92xy1F4oJckZGyrZV6ZW0qMQU_iihLFw-qe7kn2IeJZ4mHF7PW9uCnUUdN9ikNrSjV1GlRWa-vcY9YRMXXHU_rV921odzSMZac/s400/2011-05-25.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A self-conscious pose in front of the lake...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3VGLPQwgR48dnqRGeVUKIR20cK5OtBklz7xSTJyQSauTx47_vR8p7vKPBw90EwcifvcJUioehQGHyIjD_ADEpCR_I06w7e5Nk25hwnAu5esmVAERky512eMHobYXMZlrnUkBY0x__JmI/s1600/2011-05-40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3VGLPQwgR48dnqRGeVUKIR20cK5OtBklz7xSTJyQSauTx47_vR8p7vKPBw90EwcifvcJUioehQGHyIjD_ADEpCR_I06w7e5Nk25hwnAu5esmVAERky512eMHobYXMZlrnUkBY0x__JmI/s400/2011-05-40.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An old truck adding some character to the forrest.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj212l3L2OnsrTTSOLjUw0b1_evMM-s4NVYvOBVXoXYUDtcXrqEU0OIFh9CymE_486ZRSmnI0ukRJ0b9J1TwPPjT8KDzCptTrwNnDFxNnPzqIs7zalQVoVtE4khbUDn5-rJgy8mfsxr6r0/s1600/2011-05-41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj212l3L2OnsrTTSOLjUw0b1_evMM-s4NVYvOBVXoXYUDtcXrqEU0OIFh9CymE_486ZRSmnI0ukRJ0b9J1TwPPjT8KDzCptTrwNnDFxNnPzqIs7zalQVoVtE4khbUDn5-rJgy8mfsxr6r0/s400/2011-05-41.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another lake view.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqX-RfvAimJ9_l0lL8dfyYa_QWBsSnFNeF8Dq7sjimtuRgKDzIhyoyynTdTwwIfrhHTqECfvR-7-5AYw29HfO4nDqm1JYi1EmUJQQeLAAIwbIR6Ch4ctt6bKJUyKmTD5XpE6nLdzpwdfE/s1600/2011-05-42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqX-RfvAimJ9_l0lL8dfyYa_QWBsSnFNeF8Dq7sjimtuRgKDzIhyoyynTdTwwIfrhHTqECfvR-7-5AYw29HfO4nDqm1JYi1EmUJQQeLAAIwbIR6Ch4ctt6bKJUyKmTD5XpE6nLdzpwdfE/s400/2011-05-42.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scepticism? Suspicion? What is that espression?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2jsh92XUC97lmbDHXrhR63sTuM8FjERGDtNRQytDCc6igbO6jOh4ouVPnwuKKcYPv9j2Hic9FomGG7kXRnl4uUvSvAu99gNuU_VY315vo0iznl5LrSiWZXW4h3RRTkxhb1Y28gQpAR8/s1600/2011-05-43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2jsh92XUC97lmbDHXrhR63sTuM8FjERGDtNRQytDCc6igbO6jOh4ouVPnwuKKcYPv9j2Hic9FomGG7kXRnl4uUvSvAu99gNuU_VY315vo0iznl5LrSiWZXW4h3RRTkxhb1Y28gQpAR8/s400/2011-05-43.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A manly pose by the truck.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA4B9cw2GlryhYGSZ1CjKEaw9J_oufJIJRRvseDmJHBByiMNejiKdyUSlP3a2uG8RMaJBrdvfd-pgo9BC-bEezjJ7yqw7X5evfosqrToqoxasL0yRGhfDK7TtvZbjtZZnor19KcuWQI2c/s1600/2011-05-44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA4B9cw2GlryhYGSZ1CjKEaw9J_oufJIJRRvseDmJHBByiMNejiKdyUSlP3a2uG8RMaJBrdvfd-pgo9BC-bEezjJ7yqw7X5evfosqrToqoxasL0yRGhfDK7TtvZbjtZZnor19KcuWQI2c/s400/2011-05-44.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-80117771750725273012011-05-27T01:32:00.000-07:002011-05-27T01:34:05.987-07:00Snack TimeBy now you'll know that our baby doesn't typically eat junk food. So what does he eat? A few people have curiously asked what a nutrition-conscious mummy like myself feeds her little one at snack time.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Well. First of all we don't have set snack times. We allow Ky to graze all day long. He loves food. All food. In fact there's not a single food that he won't eat. Of course there are foods that we've offered and he's initially spat out in surprise but always on one of the next times we offer the food again, he'll inevitably eat it. He has no allergies or sensitivities. And since he was 1 year old when the entire world of food was completely opened to him (at approximately 1 year of age, the immune system is sufficiently developed enough to be able to digest most foods without allergies developing) we have tried hard to offer as many taste sensations as we can find. Some of his favourite foods include marinated black olives, grilled anchovies, blue cheese, roasted garlic, chickpeas and all kinds of lentils, plain sour yoghurt, watercress (which he collects from the vege garden outside), and dolma (seasoned rice stuffed grape leaves). He also loves fruit, every kind of fruit, but especially berries and watermelon. And of course he loves desserts ... unfortunately ...<br />
<br />
He eats every meal with us and we never make anything especially for him. He eats what we eat (in much smaller portions). In between meals he eats whatever he can get his hands on. On the rare occasions we have junk food in the house (such as tahin helva or dark chocolate), we keep it well hidden and out of reach, so whatever he can see he can have. By the way, we never buy biscuits, cakes, chips, soft drinks, fruit juice, flavoured yoghurts or lollies anyway, so keeping junk food away from him at home is not really an issue. For drinks he mostly has water, but he also loves kefir and ayran (plain yoghurt mixed with water) and herbal tea (which I make according to his state of health or emotion. For example, if any of us get a bit sniffly, I'll make an immune-boosting tea, or if it's late afternoon and I want Ky to start settling down for bed, I might make a calming tea).<br />
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When we go out, I always pack a little snack pack for him with foods that can easily be eaten without making too much of a mess. Typically, the snack pack will include a container of mixed sun-dried fruit. A piece of fresh fruit or a container of mixed, sliced fresh fruit. And a container of raw veges and raw cheese. Sometimes I'll throw in a boiled egg or a couple of pieces of dolma or even a chicken drumstick. Depending on what we've got on hand. Oh, and there's always a bottle of water too.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEq7BwWf7k1bmPUc4tu7W9fnXLcFtaDyRjl-jORVmbsKuTDy9ROyKhdh0FM2Js_52RsOqi6obo8xPtObsiaylIfm0ij7YtmlnPizaV0xmKM7kzlfJdp8Af3TEIdvHpGZMTl3v-fjGhB4Q/s1600/2011-05-24+08.47.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEq7BwWf7k1bmPUc4tu7W9fnXLcFtaDyRjl-jORVmbsKuTDy9ROyKhdh0FM2Js_52RsOqi6obo8xPtObsiaylIfm0ij7YtmlnPizaV0xmKM7kzlfJdp8Af3TEIdvHpGZMTl3v-fjGhB4Q/s400/2011-05-24+08.47.26.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what we took with us when we went on a day trip out of the city earlier this week. Clockwise from top: a container of sliced tomato and cucumber, cubed goat's cheese, and black and green olives; a boiled egg; a container of sliced apple and strawberries; a container of sun-dried apricots, figs and grapes, and hazelnuts; a bottle of water.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>So there you have it. One of the reasons why Ky is a happy, healthy, rosey-cheeked, energetic little boy.</div>Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-90206132803249789852011-05-27T00:25:00.000-07:002011-06-04T12:48:34.011-07:00Wildflowers!I gathered these from the vacant lot right across the street from our house.<br />
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Even Ankara is beautiful in the springtime! Just beautiful!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDlpAWbiakq4MVQebWgnnONIwTp8E7970OfFBCpTups4ClyT_QJWNSyxQgpM4ihtaZOaXDhu5CjXYCPGRQxg6vhisq1nzpXftdToq5vbibNr0S1ihRB0Pgu6sLpGjXjqFY8WGLf_N77rs/s1600/2011-05-23+12.39.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDlpAWbiakq4MVQebWgnnONIwTp8E7970OfFBCpTups4ClyT_QJWNSyxQgpM4ihtaZOaXDhu5CjXYCPGRQxg6vhisq1nzpXftdToq5vbibNr0S1ihRB0Pgu6sLpGjXjqFY8WGLf_N77rs/s400/2011-05-23+12.39.14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-7578861499723185902011-05-26T07:43:00.000-07:002011-05-27T00:28:04.341-07:00Project Pants Part 2!Thanks to my friend Jess who introduced me to a fantastic sewing <a href="http://www.dana-made-it.com/">blog</a>, I had a nice new <a href="http://www.dana-made-it.com/2008/07/tutorial-flat-front-pants-pockets.html">pants pattern</a> to try out! These ones were heaps easier than the first pair I made. It took me just a few hours to whip them up. <br />
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The hardest part was getting around to putting them on Ky for a picture. Unfortunately I couldn't find a camera that worked today, so I used hubby's samsung tab to take the pictures ... as you can see the stupid thing doesn't take very good shots when the subject is moving. But if you squint you can kinda see the little fellow trying out his new duds. Do you like his poses? (He's following the directions of his baba.)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjupvfwVugorPzppOg9vKyoWH8SFHjphubMwAPZveZjfGG25mb-EPF3wmx-8QZcARVWlSDBqSyX5lh8QE1PxpAdYUrlcTAtfpnDvuVmJY2iLSo2tJnGG_QaaQ3yDPbUk3Dr5qeB8_VUm_U/s1600/2011-05-24+09.57.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjupvfwVugorPzppOg9vKyoWH8SFHjphubMwAPZveZjfGG25mb-EPF3wmx-8QZcARVWlSDBqSyX5lh8QE1PxpAdYUrlcTAtfpnDvuVmJY2iLSo2tJnGG_QaaQ3yDPbUk3Dr5qeB8_VUm_U/s400/2011-05-24+09.57.17.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLKPzs93YZMrX6r7pNvz2u1iUgLsCxZzBAiIPBI3QC2UIXLmS9ONO7wNCVIgEaiIyNPVWNxdh6BlmGa0N_cWQHOqw1X2QdS1Kn2G5KRs4gWhvV1DGSHg18dtjNp5ka_5IjfVVtcYD1Bw/s1600/2011-05-24+09.57.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLKPzs93YZMrX6r7pNvz2u1iUgLsCxZzBAiIPBI3QC2UIXLmS9ONO7wNCVIgEaiIyNPVWNxdh6BlmGa0N_cWQHOqw1X2QdS1Kn2G5KRs4gWhvV1DGSHg18dtjNp5ka_5IjfVVtcYD1Bw/s400/2011-05-24+09.57.21.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp8L7BQEAXpUzeJ5SRIadvhs8GdP5pUorDD-H0X2crWFFTvlC5vyOG24cN8CAQpPq3QiKJLw-oV90CzrTr6WoM30bkiKzZWev0MEfWw_iDzhSFesKeLIRtoXf2EPoeznvNAmhenUadRhg/s1600/2011-05-24+09.57.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp8L7BQEAXpUzeJ5SRIadvhs8GdP5pUorDD-H0X2crWFFTvlC5vyOG24cN8CAQpPq3QiKJLw-oV90CzrTr6WoM30bkiKzZWev0MEfWw_iDzhSFesKeLIRtoXf2EPoeznvNAmhenUadRhg/s400/2011-05-24+09.57.24.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNO5t3JPXVFKABoT9xeCrL7TQO5K6K0vXmX5r74udRv2Zxul3gOYJ1ca1JT0suqmvBHyFC2afI0G7XHlG6noiZA27nMcr7u8UIJGdXSxuDDYwOxvK9D0_-31v14Qch-iqGbZl_4jVyd6A/s1600/2011-05-24+09.57.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNO5t3JPXVFKABoT9xeCrL7TQO5K6K0vXmX5r74udRv2Zxul3gOYJ1ca1JT0suqmvBHyFC2afI0G7XHlG6noiZA27nMcr7u8UIJGdXSxuDDYwOxvK9D0_-31v14Qch-iqGbZl_4jVyd6A/s400/2011-05-24+09.57.29.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhOu-AZuudi0P-UVWvn8HChvibKXzOFtt_1904NOmvw5nTdsx278F6C7gK8qoFyQPecXPN4Ayfx4wwYQvStsUWtRFz_FY528hXStJt2QxOH1Db_3L99tYVHndlUKHqoNFvRZRCNJQ2j2I/s1600/2011-05-24+09.58.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhOu-AZuudi0P-UVWvn8HChvibKXzOFtt_1904NOmvw5nTdsx278F6C7gK8qoFyQPecXPN4Ayfx4wwYQvStsUWtRFz_FY528hXStJt2QxOH1Db_3L99tYVHndlUKHqoNFvRZRCNJQ2j2I/s400/2011-05-24+09.58.05.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-9820156216269911342011-05-19T12:23:00.000-07:002011-05-19T13:03:44.235-07:00I'm a Mindful Mother!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisFjUMROVriTSXbx1AntJcXYsKO609hm-u0kbs4p_Ic_ANbBwUiHp5oxdZpMCVCteiyS1mIwB7-WdM5l-zulmW3iwv0urjsZe3-BdqtAwL_HXGd9CFPG6OSoCXEm1UzXiwzh_ugGa9MKk/s1600/mindful+mamma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisFjUMROVriTSXbx1AntJcXYsKO609hm-u0kbs4p_Ic_ANbBwUiHp5oxdZpMCVCteiyS1mIwB7-WdM5l-zulmW3iwv0urjsZe3-BdqtAwL_HXGd9CFPG6OSoCXEm1UzXiwzh_ugGa9MKk/s320/mindful+mamma.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><br />
Today I came across a very thought-provoking blog by Monica over at <a href="http://holisticmum.blogspot.com/2009/10/mindful-mama-authentic-self.html#comment-form">Holistic Mama</a>. She described three types of mothers:<br />
<br />
1. "Natural" mothers who live solely for their children and are absolutely fulfilled by the role as mother. <br />
<blockquote>"They can do copious amounts of floor-time, and usually experience empty-nest syndrome. They don't concern themselves much with their own needs. They tend to form friendships almost exclusively with other mothers and enjoy talking about their children."</blockquote>2. "Also" (my word, not hers) mothers who see their mothering role as only a small part of who they are as women.<br />
<blockquote>"They love their children but feel best with them in nurseries, schools, or with nannies/childminders. They don't spend hours contemplating the impact of their choices on their children or analysing to death their child's behaviours. They have many personal needs. Alone time is either for creativity or simply 'me time'. Their choices tend to go with the social (family or larger community) flow."</blockquote>3. "Mindful" mothers who are conflicted between their innate need to personally do absolutely all they can for their children, and their desperate need to meet their own personal needs simultaneously.<br />
<blockquote>"She spends a lot of time pondering her children and their lives. She analyses her choices. She is not content with having someone else raise them (sometimes, to educate them). She wants to be with her children but she can't sit through lengthy floor-time. She has many personal needs and sees all the needs of her child. She desperately needs to give expression to other aspects of herself. Alone time is almost always for creativity (in the broadest sense). She is not <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">fulfilled </span>by her mothering role. She is a <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">mindful </span>mother, but she is more. She often struggles with the conflicting aspects."</blockquote>As I read the first description, I immediately felt myself to be a "natural" mother. <br />
<br />
Before Kaya I never felt completely satisfied with life. I was always searching for more but never knew what "more" was. I spent years studying and training to be a psychologist but in less than a year of working in the field I realised it just didn't resonate with me. So I left and spent several months driving a campervan around Australia. I came back and started studying to be a naturopath while flitting from job to job and country to country. I worked in government administration in Australia, as a teacher in Japan, as a cashier in a theme park, as an entertainment host on a cruise ship, as a secretary, as a massage therapist, as a personal assistant to a Captain on another cruise ship... And then, while trying out life as a resident of Turkey, I became a mother. <br />
<br />
Finally I felt a sense of satisfaction. Everything in my life became about Ky and for Ky. Every book I read was about parenting. Every website I browsed was about parenting. Every thought I had and plan I made was about parenting. Because I was breastfeeding everything I ate, drank, smelt or touched was with Ky in consideration. And every other minute of the day and night was spent with my baby - baby-wearing, co-sleeping, breastfeeding. And I felt more satisfied with life than ever before. But. But. I deep down I felt a kind of emptiness. I felt lost. I felt like I'd lost myself... And I felt guilty for feeling this way...<br />
<br />
Back to Monica's <a href="http://holisticmum.blogspot.com/2009/10/mindful-mama-authentic-self.html#comment-form">blog</a>. When I got to the third description my heart skipped. This was me! Exactly me! <br />
<br />
I do constantly agonize over every little decision I make for Ky. Have I researched 'this' enough? Do I have the skills or experience to parent like 'that'? Is this really the right way when mainstream tells me it's wrong even though it feels right? Maybe I should study this a bit more? He wants me to dance with him to the same song for the eleventh time but I really feel like writing or reading or sewing or painting... I need to think of a new sensory activity for him, but I really just don't feel like going to all the effort right now... Do we have to walk around the block again? I'm so tired... If only he would sleep a bit longer, I really need this quiet time for myself... <br />
<br />
It's true that I'm not completely fulfilled by my mothering role. And I certainly am a mindful mother. But I am more than a mother too. And after reading this blog and seeing the many many many comments by her readers with similar feelings, I finally feel understood. I feel a sense of belonging. I'm not alone in feeling conflict between being the "perfect" mum and wanting more for myself. Somehow reading Monica's blog has allowed me to feel more comfortable admitting to myself that I want more and it's okay to want more. I should not compromise my Self.<br />
<br />
I've copied Monica's declaration below. Isn't it just perfect? I've also printed out her words to remind myself of the importance of being an authentic parent both for myself and for my child.<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Mindful Mama - Authentic Self</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></span></span><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">: a declaration </span></span></b><br />
<b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></b></span></span><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Parenthood is a gift.</span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></span></span><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I have many passions.</span></span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">My child is my heart.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></span><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">I am a multifaceted being.</span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">My child's needs come before my own.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></span><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">Not 'in place of' my own.</span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">Nothing is a sacrifice.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></span><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">I choose to do from love.</span></i></span></div><div style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">I am there when my child needs me.</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></span><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">I take space for myself.</span></i></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Mindful Parenting</span></span></b></span></div></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><br />
</span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">I value every aspect of my child's world as soulfully, spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally significant in his development as a person.</span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">I think about and weigh up challenges, issues, and potentials, as well as small daily living, and its impact on him.</span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">I make decisions that I feel are best for my child but might be challenging for me.</span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">I move towards an ideal of parenting.</span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><br />
</span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Authentic Self</span></span></b></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><br />
</span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">I express all that I am, without apology.</span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">I am open and flexible with my opinions, philosophies, and beliefs.</span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">I relish the perfection of my imperfection.</span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">I do not compromise my Self.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"> </span></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">I live noone's life but my own.</span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">I do not ignore my passions or what brings me joy.</span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">I am mindful but not obsessive as a parent.</span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">I allow myself a full voice (I weep, grieve, shout, laugh, as I need to).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"> </span></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">I recognise and honour every aspect of myself (woman, creatrix, writer, mother, soul...)</span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">I make challenging decisions from love, instead of guilt, obligation, or martyrdom.</span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">I respect everyone, I help many, I nurture some, I please myself.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"> </span></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">I don't demand that I reach an ideal.</span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">I let go what no longer works for me or adds to my soul.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"> </span></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">I recognise that authenticity is everyone's right - what is right for me or my child is not the same for everyone.</span></div></span>Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-55397024445307182182011-05-17T22:43:00.000-07:002011-06-04T12:48:34.012-07:00A Pocket of BeautyAnkara. <br />
<br />
The capital city of Turkey. The "gray city". The city in which we live right now. The city I reluctantly call home. I don't like this city at all.<br />
<br />
The weather in this city is horrible - it's either freezing cold or unbearably hot. The pleasant temperatures of spring and autumn seem to last all of about 10 seconds. Although, granted, the seasonal colours do last a couple of months, which I LOVE.<br />
<br />
The landscape in this city is awful - there are no forests, no beaches, and only a few lakes and streams. It's a dry, barren, hilly land neglected by Mother Nature. <br />
<br />
The city itself is a sprawling mass of disorganisation. Everywhere you look you'll see evidence of ultra modern urbanisation. And everywhere you look you'll also see evidence of impoverisation. Brand new high rise buildings reach up high into the sky stretching far away from the decayed slum houses at their bases. <br />
<br />
In the suburban areas reaching out in all directions from the city, expensive residential properties are built right along side densely packed communal shacks. There doesn't appear to be any kind of design or consideration for layout. Instead, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, a bunch of identical villas will suddenly appear like a rash across a naked hilltop. Buildings are completed before streets, lighting, sewage and water considerations are even made. And the discarded building materials are typically just left in piles beside the property until the next construction project simply builds over the top of them. As a result even the most luxurious estate will be surrounded by a muddy (in winter) or rocky (in summer) mess for years and years.<br />
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In terms of entertainment, well there really isn't any. There are never any major concerts or performances held in Ankara because there simply isn't any venue to accommodate them. If you're lucky, you'll find a local band playing in a random bar somewhere. But that's if you're lucky. There are a few interesting museums but they're not the type of places you visit more than once. Of course there are also nightclubs and plenty of restaurants. But for us, parents of a little one, going to a restaurant is only a special treat. Otherwise, the only thing to do is shop. If you love shopping, then maybe Ankara is the city for you. Many times locals have proudly told me that Ankara has more malls than any other city in the world. I'm not sure if that's true or not but I'm almost convinced. There are literally dozens of mega malls within a 20 km radius of our home. Unfortunately for me (and fortunately for my husband) I don't like shopping. And I don't like malls. However I do like going to the movies so the malls do provide one advantage for me when the grandparents offer to babysit.<br />
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The worst thing for me, however, is the lack of opportunities for nature-loving. I love to go bushwalking. I love picniking by a beautiful lake or wild river. I love looking for pretty rocks and shells while walking along the beach. I love the icy shock of diving under a waterfall. I love camping (real camping, not the pitching a tent in a caravan park type "camping"). I love looking for birds and butterflies and creepy-crawlies with Ky. <br />
<br />
*sigh* <br />
<br />
Ankara is certainly not the nature-lover's paradise. All the greenest areas are controlled by the military and access is prohibited, so there's nowhere to bushwalk. Picniking means jostling for a dirty table in a crowded, treeless park with nowhere for the little ones to play because the grass is invariably covered with rubbish thoughtlessly left behind by other picnikers. We're nowhere near the ocean or sea and there's certainly no waterfalls to enjoy nearby. Even the creepy crawlies have abondoned the city. The only bugs you're likely to come across are ants ... not very exciting even for a little boy.<br />
<br />
another *sigh*<br />
<br />
I refuse to let this place get the better of me though. So that is why, this morning, with hubby and bubby, I embarked on a mission to find some beauty in this city. <br />
<br />
And you know what? We found some!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJOGyYJmk469RjLAL6stsrq2J8-Diqiv6FVQkOIbdirs96lWg59G3knG3YKnlwdVMnzf5UDs_K5N24n6wus_gsPa1RQML_jP2qcDhcsJJexOhKHuVNQAqPvsdADVTo0H7oOS4U6a4sNY/s1600/2011-05-16+14.48.11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJOGyYJmk469RjLAL6stsrq2J8-Diqiv6FVQkOIbdirs96lWg59G3knG3YKnlwdVMnzf5UDs_K5N24n6wus_gsPa1RQML_jP2qcDhcsJJexOhKHuVNQAqPvsdADVTo0H7oOS4U6a4sNY/s400/2011-05-16+14.48.11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnSEvGjsg-Cg3maYPAG_C7TDYD_kJqQ_r0QqlpuVNLA48-XYdMTTjlAf4v3PBkkKWcqPf3KoN5nzA7kHD2I_S68gnvsvpFvJnhU9eLpVcTxwGYmck5SG9YymcoIGEvbij15UlmdNdWo_8/s1600/2011-05-16+15.40.15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnSEvGjsg-Cg3maYPAG_C7TDYD_kJqQ_r0QqlpuVNLA48-XYdMTTjlAf4v3PBkkKWcqPf3KoN5nzA7kHD2I_S68gnvsvpFvJnhU9eLpVcTxwGYmck5SG9YymcoIGEvbij15UlmdNdWo_8/s400/2011-05-16+15.40.15.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfC505Xt9xXv_vXiH28EhErzNMnz5peT31OUgEB26L_gNjPvBoa4ECxovGlnz9v54fir8v10T1eq76NT7O7VHcUDptCwpOmFfGe7NunuoqifTBLqw6Js27Fxz_dwFSrf7dVPU_vhOBxH0/s1600/2011-05-16+15.43.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfC505Xt9xXv_vXiH28EhErzNMnz5peT31OUgEB26L_gNjPvBoa4ECxovGlnz9v54fir8v10T1eq76NT7O7VHcUDptCwpOmFfGe7NunuoqifTBLqw6Js27Fxz_dwFSrf7dVPU_vhOBxH0/s400/2011-05-16+15.43.05.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoAPNTlgff3NAz8KnXJDjdw-6l2R2zOCsi5CLWsq0KLvWumnq0XWwXgAPnyq4WbToFBZhUrPoaSObJ4PgQyeui_-aly3AH-nqlNBSZ_pYMZv_QHFA21Cly60ChUAl72mRUnvFBaaqu_HU/s1600/2011-05-16+15.52.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoAPNTlgff3NAz8KnXJDjdw-6l2R2zOCsi5CLWsq0KLvWumnq0XWwXgAPnyq4WbToFBZhUrPoaSObJ4PgQyeui_-aly3AH-nqlNBSZ_pYMZv_QHFA21Cly60ChUAl72mRUnvFBaaqu_HU/s400/2011-05-16+15.52.55.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcEzfFXRmO9lp6eNNTbZDkc18twBvGzGskq9f_E2bcbgC-Uy9hhk4QSQEWe_W-TUjvTimY3NCmOAuy0-GsuulJQdP1PoAvK0p8SxMYBIpuspvfMU6VC1fXrBGGf8fEbW2OmUccgvSg7o/s1600/2011-05-16+15.54.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcEzfFXRmO9lp6eNNTbZDkc18twBvGzGskq9f_E2bcbgC-Uy9hhk4QSQEWe_W-TUjvTimY3NCmOAuy0-GsuulJQdP1PoAvK0p8SxMYBIpuspvfMU6VC1fXrBGGf8fEbW2OmUccgvSg7o/s400/2011-05-16+15.54.07.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKXIQLcrNf8lXYESL3N2Y-qQTTlMkmp2JN6woQdzwaaxzuJV7BqQ4UgJNcd-OEU6Qi9Udhp2XSIvADKm9MQLHfxKAtsZOoALG8GN69r6YiHuNMbtzzmIOw7zZm1e4JRMowU4qQz7rI6A/s1600/2011-05-16+15.54.37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKXIQLcrNf8lXYESL3N2Y-qQTTlMkmp2JN6woQdzwaaxzuJV7BqQ4UgJNcd-OEU6Qi9Udhp2XSIvADKm9MQLHfxKAtsZOoALG8GN69r6YiHuNMbtzzmIOw7zZm1e4JRMowU4qQz7rI6A/s400/2011-05-16+15.54.37.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidSjd-rUYACdd3IGp4IjHDCBaCqFg-gihqp59-n4wmaBVNtXmzXYznb32te_uMBVbPS0jRXw-Bi2dcwq7sSiIiEj0XxuZeyUG_l98_ET661RuYoJamLrA91KfbsjnqHqTAuECslpB3ylM/s1600/2011-05-16+15.56.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidSjd-rUYACdd3IGp4IjHDCBaCqFg-gihqp59-n4wmaBVNtXmzXYznb32te_uMBVbPS0jRXw-Bi2dcwq7sSiIiEj0XxuZeyUG_l98_ET661RuYoJamLrA91KfbsjnqHqTAuECslpB3ylM/s400/2011-05-16+15.56.18.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
It's called Keçiören park, and it's a 40 minute from our house, on the other side of the city. But it's pretty. Ignoring the sounds of the traffic on the main road running along side the park, I was able to look around me at the flowers and trees, breathe deeply, and imagine we were in the countryside far away from bustling Ankara. We had a lovely day.<br />
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I've decided this mission isn't complete. Every week we will take a day trip in search of more beauty. The beauty of nature is everywhere and I'm determined to find it!Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-60075443599178525912011-05-16T08:45:00.000-07:002011-05-16T08:45:45.059-07:00Project Pants!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I noticed the other day that all Ky's pants seem to have shrunk....! I thought about letting the hem down on some of the nicer pants so they'd last a bit longer but that thought lasted no more than a nanosecond before I dismissed it as being a tedious and boring thing to do! Instead, while the newly operational sewing machine is still a novelty to me, I thought I'd make some new pants. More than a year ago (while I was excitedly waiting for my new sewing machine to arrive....) I found this lovely tutorial over at <a href="http://www.ikatbag.com/2010/02/catch-me-and-my-boy-pants-on-made-by.html">www.ikatbag.com</a> and have been dying to try it out. I worried that it was too ambitious for a novice like me but thought "bugger it, I'll give it a go!" </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKHdpRX3jT1SJst0OZn0cg5mwv4BgcXoZG-Y-fAcoBqShRQzK0_UFLJJRozbX1srddTr6YsM2plGLTghyphenhyphenpaIVPy_suGUjJbvdH48A7FGbFPAcN7mTl7ocFtI9cQeKryQE77nSA2TLoL9M/s1600/IMG_6847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKHdpRX3jT1SJst0OZn0cg5mwv4BgcXoZG-Y-fAcoBqShRQzK0_UFLJJRozbX1srddTr6YsM2plGLTghyphenhyphenpaIVPy_suGUjJbvdH48A7FGbFPAcN7mTl7ocFtI9cQeKryQE77nSA2TLoL9M/s400/IMG_6847.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I decided not to include the lining to make it a little easier on myself. But that meant altering the instructions which I obviously wasn't very good at doing because I ended up having to use this little thing<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4TTw6WW6Gkm-KLqsPo9R3JL1DDBZEKwpW3fqS6wwGBuQ4fvMeQC63VMNmxLJ_5uOABHAapOi46j-5oZ4D30YAFc9u9OwkM25xcUyJ9vAJkVLO3EWInG6SLZhX4TbHHcsrThCGwVpLeXk/s1600/IMG_6846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4TTw6WW6Gkm-KLqsPo9R3JL1DDBZEKwpW3fqS6wwGBuQ4fvMeQC63VMNmxLJ_5uOABHAapOi46j-5oZ4D30YAFc9u9OwkM25xcUyJ9vAJkVLO3EWInG6SLZhX4TbHHcsrThCGwVpLeXk/s400/IMG_6846.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
a LOT more than I would have liked!<br />
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Eventually, even with the help of a certain little boy who climbed on my back, turned the machine on and off, stole my scissors, cut up my material, tipped out my pins, wrapped cotton so tightly around his fingers that they turned purple, hid my quick-un-pick three times, I got the pants done.<br />
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There was, however, one mistake that I couldn't be bothered fixing properly:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRn0Hqt679utJfiqUc2PuIGz194a-eXGdT7AYKGhF_f_AF3q3x4UdUO0d88DBWM09DF71zzWs2B-D44LHBbg8Oq6dnsihQohhEY1wcqltzeINvKUamUvgVRkL06g8mjHpoUJYlyTVWnP8/s1600/IMG_6851.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRn0Hqt679utJfiqUc2PuIGz194a-eXGdT7AYKGhF_f_AF3q3x4UdUO0d88DBWM09DF71zzWs2B-D44LHBbg8Oq6dnsihQohhEY1wcqltzeINvKUamUvgVRkL06g8mjHpoUJYlyTVWnP8/s400/IMG_6851.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
This messy seam was the result of not attaching the contrasting fabric to the underside of the pants properly (due to my seriously poor skills at altering patterns). So when the pants are turned up this is what you see. Not a good look. Instead of unpicking the whole lot (the quick-un-pick had gone missing AGAIN!) I decided to just trim off the threads and sewed the seam flat. It turned out okay. Not exactly professional looking, but not bad.<br />
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I really love this colourful fabric! Do you like the pockets? I was very impressed with myself for being able to make them, especially the tricky front ones.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFWfjNeNYFefNHtMAjMp-tu1SFdXDbI0vkKr0M_SPyyYWoXaRjuNRYqhM4aAaCYznEhnMTQCm0J0meMipOYJAm3QuvyzUA9BvVss3uMoTbFNaGHnfnCUdAy7sw-_g9EhAbA29ttqZAurs/s1600/IMG_6849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFWfjNeNYFefNHtMAjMp-tu1SFdXDbI0vkKr0M_SPyyYWoXaRjuNRYqhM4aAaCYznEhnMTQCm0J0meMipOYJAm3QuvyzUA9BvVss3uMoTbFNaGHnfnCUdAy7sw-_g9EhAbA29ttqZAurs/s400/IMG_6849.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0hvO9FBLQaTE9y12m-cbKY7ZjX4CplTzKki1EgEZK0vh7qfGD36xZDGFYCGUgqylZFik8K9PY9TivJe7OfIySizQhPxwC9MHF9pm2RyhAGMZzoZ7t8rgMSK_lkp3Byk-cI7cvr7C-ofs/s1600/IMG_6852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0hvO9FBLQaTE9y12m-cbKY7ZjX4CplTzKki1EgEZK0vh7qfGD36xZDGFYCGUgqylZFik8K9PY9TivJe7OfIySizQhPxwC9MHF9pm2RyhAGMZzoZ7t8rgMSK_lkp3Byk-cI7cvr7C-ofs/s400/IMG_6852.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
And here's the end product being modelled by my little prince.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkIBKzbUJvCXQChILGmeB8g7BpVWJUitY5Vvm-49WN43HKOJEwD8pvkwDPsYIWc0Y3v4Ny5whgBplIuQQvbuBFHO8QAWvE6lhAizbZQSrGg8ke8ET3w6oRjT6OVnkyFUamAWsgyXEvzq4/s1600/IMG_6861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkIBKzbUJvCXQChILGmeB8g7BpVWJUitY5Vvm-49WN43HKOJEwD8pvkwDPsYIWc0Y3v4Ny5whgBplIuQQvbuBFHO8QAWvE6lhAizbZQSrGg8ke8ET3w6oRjT6OVnkyFUamAWsgyXEvzq4/s400/IMG_6861.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUhTbG0594DjsWA65NO-B5EB99hAcb-gC7aw7NlVHg1kEsUiP_gIdNkdvn0IJIK-t7kiXyIIdR2K3vuwzSqr3lDW6ieaQtcuTgzB9ugNCon6088Z1hyphenhyphenXhie7DrFChhGWWqkBl8ZJFq3E/s1600/IMG_6862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUhTbG0594DjsWA65NO-B5EB99hAcb-gC7aw7NlVHg1kEsUiP_gIdNkdvn0IJIK-t7kiXyIIdR2K3vuwzSqr3lDW6ieaQtcuTgzB9ugNCon6088Z1hyphenhyphenXhie7DrFChhGWWqkBl8ZJFq3E/s400/IMG_6862.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHlhnN5i6zp_XHPM35kXDPl6vMHZn7W6Oc8U37_81KtEeB5Ctiu95Lf9HgA9ZZgek1Qvmsx2mT_ZuKKL67mc0e5ApVUMBVgoPFX8j2zP1ToQ_joHV0yhpl9WyuVpjJdo28WKMRERj-NE4/s1600/IMG_6872.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHlhnN5i6zp_XHPM35kXDPl6vMHZn7W6Oc8U37_81KtEeB5Ctiu95Lf9HgA9ZZgek1Qvmsx2mT_ZuKKL67mc0e5ApVUMBVgoPFX8j2zP1ToQ_joHV0yhpl9WyuVpjJdo28WKMRERj-NE4/s400/IMG_6872.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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By the way, what do you think of the "Om" applique I made for his shirt? Nice hey?Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-368310356591828222011-05-14T22:42:00.000-07:002011-06-04T12:48:34.013-07:00Our Newest BabiesThis is what made me smile and smile and smile today:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sOKLqEMmqVbN7-MKMUhGL16q-aUipmIVni3ncEvFxUyP5uCzwopvowhUmjTMhCTZl9V5dIPjZ_p1v7h9kx_-Nn7oOon6jTFlJ9HkPDR4Y-y_7cWr4grRyvSS_tzgs2IsgsUzi0ERvs4/s1600/basil.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sOKLqEMmqVbN7-MKMUhGL16q-aUipmIVni3ncEvFxUyP5uCzwopvowhUmjTMhCTZl9V5dIPjZ_p1v7h9kx_-Nn7oOon6jTFlJ9HkPDR4Y-y_7cWr4grRyvSS_tzgs2IsgsUzi0ERvs4/s400/basil.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newly sprouted basil!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAl-xqhFHziYhNw-4Sub-gXZoJS10DL4YOaCt5Nn17szwA2SYQJyqtaZVQbPfhneZEzLksJ2F9J30QKS6EtB4Um3m_f-Ukg5uKgB0VhziqK7heq5_o-uSZgiwYt2SYLaCvPtgaRd1PNR8/s1600/beans.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAl-xqhFHziYhNw-4Sub-gXZoJS10DL4YOaCt5Nn17szwA2SYQJyqtaZVQbPfhneZEzLksJ2F9J30QKS6EtB4Um3m_f-Ukg5uKgB0VhziqK7heq5_o-uSZgiwYt2SYLaCvPtgaRd1PNR8/s400/beans.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beans!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirPu8tl8zL3an6K6R7BxSDrK6K1F7XFe9PX9q6oiKhq_H4rtsMYlVM1WfhCW2euOIJcoRiBHz7928-pajPjRNDhkzcKQba_AuWStJmrO7LgbhzzvWhjdgnP3y3_AXJjcniIJVYqbaWAzk/s1600/cucumber.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirPu8tl8zL3an6K6R7BxSDrK6K1F7XFe9PX9q6oiKhq_H4rtsMYlVM1WfhCW2euOIJcoRiBHz7928-pajPjRNDhkzcKQba_AuWStJmrO7LgbhzzvWhjdgnP3y3_AXJjcniIJVYqbaWAzk/s400/cucumber.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cucumber!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDylMzVppQq4MUYCvE0JQO8C2x2TgTaK5SvVBpIkuG5ZlE71ZFy-m3whHoDZKiqy4SUtWn2CCs-jwNNG34I39qeX9jJUXBdy4c7Cc4oUPVc1mUku0e9P_EJh9V8rX3usnPLwrkjRxiFDk/s1600/tomatoes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDylMzVppQq4MUYCvE0JQO8C2x2TgTaK5SvVBpIkuG5ZlE71ZFy-m3whHoDZKiqy4SUtWn2CCs-jwNNG34I39qeX9jJUXBdy4c7Cc4oUPVc1mUku0e9P_EJh9V8rX3usnPLwrkjRxiFDk/s400/tomatoes.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tomatoes!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Still waiting for the eggplant, carrots and capsicum to show their pretty heads.Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-68887153305478083062011-05-14T01:59:00.000-07:002011-05-15T03:05:47.871-07:00A Sugar Hang-Over<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I've blogged before <a href="http://passionatelylife.blogspot.com/2010/02/no-sugar-for-baby-thanks.html">here</a> and <a href="http://passionatelylife.blogspot.com/2010/06/why-i-boycott-nestle.html">here</a> and <a href="http://passionatelylife.blogspot.com/2010/09/another-rant-about-sugar.html">here</a> about my thoughts on nutrition and food choices for children. I still feel exactly the same way, but with Kaya now almost 2 1/2 admittedly I've loosened my tight reign of control (a little bit) over the foods I allow other people to offer him. This slackening of control has been more a matter of resignation rather than choice though. To be honest it's just been so very hard to constantly remind friends and family that we don't allow Kaya to eat anything unless it's nutritious. <br />
<br />
Many of the people around us still really just don't understand our choices. They tell us we're being too strict. Or controlling. Or mean. Often they will sneak sweet treats to Kaya when we're not looking. I feel like I'm constantly fighting an uphill battle. And I'm tired. <br />
<br />
Before, I wouldn't even let Kaya drink any kind of bottled fruit juice regardless of the label claims of "all natural" or "nothing artificial added" (natural or not, there's a hell of a lot of fruit sugar in a single glass of juice. Not to mention the fact that the fruit used is typically poor quality, half rotten waste fruit anyway). Now days If someone insistently pushes some juice to him I'll often just let him have it. Instead of arguing and pleading with Aunt X to not give him any cake at all, now I'll ask her to please cut only a small piece and to please wait until after dinner before offering it. <br />
<br />
The fact that Kaya, like his father, has an extremely sweet tooth, does not make our quest for a sugar free life any easier. He's crazy about anything and everything sweet. Whereas a single small piece of tahin helva (a popular and traditional turkish confectionary made from crushed sesame seeds and sugar) would be more than enough for me, Kaya could eat 5 or 6 pieces and still be looking for more.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZar68uA2_bdc4rdfnE4Y8VhHY9x2f3jH5uhLwEZbH82Io_EBoVulhIb290FZLPMtRke0TVExvHvgRT-w5Rhibw-nySvlnPpi2Jm1aWEMR208RvWBrGtT_GDesqkWhBruWnqEgfiIZwE/s1600/tahin+helva.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZar68uA2_bdc4rdfnE4Y8VhHY9x2f3jH5uhLwEZbH82Io_EBoVulhIb290FZLPMtRke0TVExvHvgRT-w5Rhibw-nySvlnPpi2Jm1aWEMR208RvWBrGtT_GDesqkWhBruWnqEgfiIZwE/s400/tahin+helva.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three different varieties of Tahini Helva. (Picture borrowed from http://www.seversekerleme.com/. Thank you)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The other night we had a bit of a get-together with some of hubby's relatives. Immediately Murat's cousin (who Kaya calls Kek Hala (Cake Auntie) because she was one of the very first people to sneak him cake which he went crazy for and consequently taught him the word for this delicious, naughty pleasure), stole him away to the kitchen and promptly fed him a piece of cake the size of a big man's fist! And it all went downhill from there. In all, that night, tiny 2 year old Kaya ate a second piece of Kek Hala's cake, a piece of apple cake, 3 anzac biscuits, and about 10 pieces of lokma (another popular Turkish dessert, this one disgustingly rich and made from balls of sweet batter fried in a sugary syrup). <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MP2wO4OeZWsp46yFlnZ8Cpa-XGW-CtuxNoad9_n3nx9zWxDEYXcc6-QUfd5496xlxYjQEcDFBBbKOex07KyUDHvvPptOIO9gE1_iGbc8Akc9lMgBC1cQfVHDzH8ZZiEkO2AY2POMtnQ/s1600/lokma_tatlisi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MP2wO4OeZWsp46yFlnZ8Cpa-XGW-CtuxNoad9_n3nx9zWxDEYXcc6-QUfd5496xlxYjQEcDFBBbKOex07KyUDHvvPptOIO9gE1_iGbc8Akc9lMgBC1cQfVHDzH8ZZiEkO2AY2POMtnQ/s400/lokma_tatlisi.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lokma. (Picture borrowed from http://tariflerim1.com. Thank you.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Later, despite my little boy crying for me to take him to bed, it took more than 2 hours to put him to sleep while he wriggled and whimpered. He also woke several times throughout the night crying for water. He spent most of the next day on the toilet. And was quite the cranky little fellow. Poor little boy ...<br />
<br />
Please, let's all be respectful of the parenting decisions our friends and family make. Please, let's support them instead of challenging them. Afterall, (in the vast majority of cases) we parents live for our kids and are constantly struggling to do what we believe is best for our kids. And it's not easy. Not easy at all.Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-25310755446152071872011-05-08T23:59:00.000-07:002011-05-15T03:09:12.682-07:00Construction TechniqueAs you will have noticed from the pictures in my <a href="http://passionatelylife.blogspot.com/2011/05/happy-mothers-day-anneler-gunu-kutlu.html">Mother's Day</a> post yesterday, we're having a new fence built out the front of our house. The fence wasn't on our original <a href="http://passionatelylife.blogspot.com/2011/04/much-needed-renovations.html">renovations list </a>, but since the area manager decided to spend some money on fence maintenance, we decided to use his money to have a fence built to our liking (only having to fork out for the cost of the extra material and not the labour). The original fence was an ugly green metal thing used everywhere in this neighbourhood. It was horrible and it offered no privacy but with so many other 'must-do's' on our list, a new fence wasn't really a consideration. Until now. Since they pulled down our old fence we thought we may as well get them to lay the foundations for the beautiful, modern fence of our dreams! <br />
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We want a 5 foot high fence with horizontal wooden planks on top of a rendered cement base. Does that make sense? The wooden part of the fence will look something like this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfk1IHrEPOvTLkP0IAUEbrQ48z1iPqowxMTWdM75AQAJw0L2dVv3k4RyoJ1cjOodW5j4VwHSzmJrANDblmd4y5wWnoO38NutoYIHp7BLmLeWAIM5v66IhPJmLA7fCLaMM3lHxXg5rK9-E/s1600/fence+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfk1IHrEPOvTLkP0IAUEbrQ48z1iPqowxMTWdM75AQAJw0L2dVv3k4RyoJ1cjOodW5j4VwHSzmJrANDblmd4y5wWnoO38NutoYIHp7BLmLeWAIM5v66IhPJmLA7fCLaMM3lHxXg5rK9-E/s400/fence+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
or this: <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiixT9ZrG_IQBAYk8uDXbq_Cu0GUzt3Kui_LRrPGr7bb3CrXOVZChmJc2h3yH2FmbZo7rL-V-F_63OFcO65tSkIRAe0r0Ygx4gWphrNfDmbDDMivJ2EHW0n3bVNrcpT1w_wMLmvkt5Jl20/s1600/fence+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiixT9ZrG_IQBAYk8uDXbq_Cu0GUzt3Kui_LRrPGr7bb3CrXOVZChmJc2h3yH2FmbZo7rL-V-F_63OFcO65tSkIRAe0r0Ygx4gWphrNfDmbDDMivJ2EHW0n3bVNrcpT1w_wMLmvkt5Jl20/s400/fence+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The base and columns around the gate will look something like this<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSegfF2pykiXay2i1MmPvBOkrhroreq47jjBmiWaQEIiESfLg05ST19p7qgedocaYBhqQndBbcJI5t4qXkQ4b6ltkohSEqVMUsym3Hg1Slp7nJDE0gmpxVHbJm0WaElqdLs8ILjcUsnXQ/s1600/fence+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSegfF2pykiXay2i1MmPvBOkrhroreq47jjBmiWaQEIiESfLg05ST19p7qgedocaYBhqQndBbcJI5t4qXkQ4b6ltkohSEqVMUsym3Hg1Slp7nJDE0gmpxVHbJm0WaElqdLs8ILjcUsnXQ/s400/fence+3.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm really not sure how it's going to turn out though. The construction technique is a bit ... interesting:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJBZYfDqF-RWhuVFiLaKdjGG5NqF2MrnddrDnARR4ejDrvGx9WVoMGX1ilN0DiNsTzyjSK7h_o_CfsZUwPPJDgdHWCfij9dThUWdPItCscEfRG3XvRLLEGDdNMddJHky8yJHC7HhyphenhyphenXMI/s1600/IMG_6747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJBZYfDqF-RWhuVFiLaKdjGG5NqF2MrnddrDnARR4ejDrvGx9WVoMGX1ilN0DiNsTzyjSK7h_o_CfsZUwPPJDgdHWCfij9dThUWdPItCscEfRG3XvRLLEGDdNMddJHky8yJHC7HhyphenhyphenXMI/s400/IMG_6747.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJiX7R0_5WsrdcDLtTyVrOzPcEC3b2iXN1cN1Xtg6ViA8R_TXE-_52Su_kU2t-6oO3zpwStO51axLIKPU2VCn31-hm-vne-KcbV7IcAyRdIRtzFedcfyY8ebsZqubZm18JFteUplVVC-Y/s1600/IMG_6748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJiX7R0_5WsrdcDLtTyVrOzPcEC3b2iXN1cN1Xtg6ViA8R_TXE-_52Su_kU2t-6oO3zpwStO51axLIKPU2VCn31-hm-vne-KcbV7IcAyRdIRtzFedcfyY8ebsZqubZm18JFteUplVVC-Y/s400/IMG_6748.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6WT8sQx6wztTbpB8DL6SqvOzAbhzds77QkI_LuJTnqGO1AIor6YErXGZmvjP3CjKxuhe9xdmbY_V5q44DAI4boBdNTxG6L3yCnxOgqJbSIoCKSJ_djSUZwfHzPb9c6qhdlSzHQ67TYY/s1600/IMG_6751.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6WT8sQx6wztTbpB8DL6SqvOzAbhzds77QkI_LuJTnqGO1AIor6YErXGZmvjP3CjKxuhe9xdmbY_V5q44DAI4boBdNTxG6L3yCnxOgqJbSIoCKSJ_djSUZwfHzPb9c6qhdlSzHQ67TYY/s400/IMG_6751.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But however it turns out, our little fellow is really really really enjoying the process with all the equipment lying around the place</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXW0yfN_GWGU7dvlaCtRloX72zAukVEsp1RRz-q-V2TCSnHb4YiVtklfZBszQ2mE1xtvP6xI-LzBnHKUk7sn3knhqqoYZPihdjgfGKfB2vISHyRPYN-FhkZvKamO_77yvYfqtOdoTZd3s/s1600/IMG_6749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXW0yfN_GWGU7dvlaCtRloX72zAukVEsp1RRz-q-V2TCSnHb4YiVtklfZBszQ2mE1xtvP6xI-LzBnHKUk7sn3knhqqoYZPihdjgfGKfB2vISHyRPYN-FhkZvKamO_77yvYfqtOdoTZd3s/s400/IMG_6749.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">and the extra company</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9WBabHvktb-Y9Wt3ohQcMxHcd4k4G4qV8W81iSY7l5gPkihYjJguK_YTer4MFbLVulARgZXrqnJ_GHINAtmRWFBxJOilvCrmpB5D47EppGHmTbVY6QwS_bauGsE84V90IJQcgFrVLQJc/s1600/IMG_6745.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9WBabHvktb-Y9Wt3ohQcMxHcd4k4G4qV8W81iSY7l5gPkihYjJguK_YTer4MFbLVulARgZXrqnJ_GHINAtmRWFBxJOilvCrmpB5D47EppGHmTbVY6QwS_bauGsE84V90IJQcgFrVLQJc/s400/IMG_6745.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com1Ankara/Ankara Province, Turkey39.92077 32.85410999999999139.73169 32.591225499999993 40.109849999999994 33.11699449999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-33767564247201804292011-05-08T03:05:00.000-07:002011-05-15T03:10:43.423-07:00Happy Mother's Day! Anneler Günü Kutlu Olsun!Happy Mother's day! To celebrate mother's day today, we enjoyed a lovely breakfast on our front patio. <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT3Rxi-WuHyGJ8yG-PEE5GUavz94lYOQtH_l5U3chZs_ur8pPYcWal2uoqmL9FqTVxkdDHMbXBSKaxwGzBz-Ct0DtLS1vT6R4WuOSut55iOozYFW7aRgbXBG-_L8pBdDuLxmNRKH2wH5Q/s1600/IMG_6791.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT3Rxi-WuHyGJ8yG-PEE5GUavz94lYOQtH_l5U3chZs_ur8pPYcWal2uoqmL9FqTVxkdDHMbXBSKaxwGzBz-Ct0DtLS1vT6R4WuOSut55iOozYFW7aRgbXBG-_L8pBdDuLxmNRKH2wH5Q/s400/IMG_6791.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1FAONQ-_z5SbnDrDMj0RVQ1ryD5mnvf2DwkR0H1M8JnF9xGSG8QR68mDHKnmIcBaT-WqSWzPTGIGGZtlGo3QPf1uNAJTtIHvfdV2xcznw2eCpxWnqy3iiHWdN61lS-L2mH33Du5YlKog/s1600/IMG_6792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1FAONQ-_z5SbnDrDMj0RVQ1ryD5mnvf2DwkR0H1M8JnF9xGSG8QR68mDHKnmIcBaT-WqSWzPTGIGGZtlGo3QPf1uNAJTtIHvfdV2xcznw2eCpxWnqy3iiHWdN61lS-L2mH33Du5YlKog/s400/IMG_6792.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Some notes about the photos:</div><div><br />
</div><div>1. The construction mess is due to our area manager deciding that we needed a new fence. Of course we're making the most of this decision (without needing to spend our own money) by encouraging the labourers to make a little change here and a little change there and add a bit here and remove a bit there, so in the end the fence will better suit our needs and tastes. Unfortunately it's taking several weeks, lots of tea service, and quite a bit of inconvenience to get the job done. I'll keep you updated on the progress.</div><div><br />
</div><div>2. Before they ripped up the old fence, we actually had a border of living trees fronting our house. Now, not so much...</div><div><br />
</div><div>3. Yep, my hair is red. I've never had red hair before but think I kinda like it. </div><div><br />
</div><div>4. Kaya is pointing at the ground because that's where he'd rather be than being smothered in mummy's kisses. Lately he hasn't been as receptive to kisses as before. The other day when I gave him a big smooch on the nose he screwed up his face and said, "Mummy, no! Piss (the turkish word for dirty). Little kiss here okay" and he pointed to his cheek. My baby's growing up.</div>Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com1Ankara/Ankara Province, Turkey39.92077 32.85410999999999139.73169 32.591225499999993 40.109849999999994 33.11699449999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1039671854577110997.post-89828876541661467922011-05-04T04:26:00.000-07:002011-05-15T03:05:47.873-07:00I Love McDonalds!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oHDu8Oo67Vc/TcE3rwN9JxI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/aQvtaxR_gV4/s1600/Mr+Maccas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oHDu8Oo67Vc/TcE3rwN9JxI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/aQvtaxR_gV4/s320/Mr+Maccas.jpg" width="196" /></a></div><br />
<br />
I realised today that I love McDonalds. No matter where I am in the world, I can rely on there being a Maccas nearby. They're always clean. They're always the same. I know exactly what to expect when I walk inside. <br />
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Those people who know me best will be very confused by this post. Afterall, it's been about 20 years since I've consumed anything from McDonalds. Just the smell of the place makes me feel ill.... My friends and family will also know that I despise the way "evil empires" like McDonalds, Starbucks, Monsanto etc., monopolize the market and force small businesses out of operation. I'm also not impressed with their advertising tactics. In fact there are many many reasons why my family and friends would be surprised by the title of this blog post.<br />
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So let me explain why I love McDonalds.<br />
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It's very simple - the toilets!<br />
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I don't have to pay 50 kurus to precariously squat above a stinky hole in the ground public toilet, while trying to hold the cuffs of my pants up out of the puddles of dirty water and pee splatters, all the while hoping one of the fat flies buzzing around the hole doesn't land on my lady-bits! <br />
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Instead I can take a deep breath (remember how much the smell gets to me?), stroll into a McDonalds and use the facilities in comfort. They even have toilet paper!Colettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323578890625204381noreply@blogger.com3