Spring Has Sprung On The 'Hill'!!!

Those of you who visit my blog regularly will know that I HATE cold weather, so I have been over the moon the last few weeks to find the temperatures here on top of our 'hill' have finally been CLIMBING ... YAY!! :0) And this is particularly handy since it's almost Carnival of Flowers time here in the 'Garden City'. (September 21 & 22 is the weekend when most activities happen).

The retirement village where I work has once again been entered in the garden competition and my boss's green-thumb wife and our two maintenance blokes have been hard at work to get the gardens ready for judging. I'm a wee bit biased ... but I happen to think that, not only do the gardens look fabulous all year round, I think they look particularly gorgeous just at the moment, so I thought I'd share a few pics with you ... share a little bit of spring to see what you think.

The irises near the large pond have been showing off ... there are so many shades of purple flashing around amidst lush green.

The clivias add bright orange splashes in shady spots ...

... the poppies are waving their gelati-coloured petals in the breeze ...

... pretty statues hide amongst the foliage ...

... don't you love the deep purple of the violets against the deep green of their leaves? And this chooky always makes me smile ... a bit like another Chooky I can think of ! :0)

... and a few unexpected little surprises in shady corners ... love these ceramic mushrooms!!

... a rustic wheelbarrow holds a woven basketful of flowers underneath the ornamental peach tree. (at least ... I THINK that's what that tree is!! Whatever it's called, it's PRETTY! Tee! Hee! Hee!)

... those blossoms are  so pretty that I HAD to take a close up pic of them ... soft pink against blue sky ... very shabby chic! :0)

And again with a ray of warm spring sunshine beaming through the branches! I'm sure you'll agree that I'm VERY spoilt to work amidst these lovely gardens ... I keep joking that one day they're going to find me knocked out on the ground because I've been so busy looking at the gardens and the scenery that I'll bump into a tree or pole and knock myself silly! Er ... Silly-ER perhaps! Tee! Hee! Hee! If you're within a day-trip drive of Toowoomba, I'd HIGHLY recommend you hit the road to visit during the Carnival period ... and of course, if you DO ... give me a shout and we'll catch up for a cuppa ... or a stroll in the gardens! :0)

But before Carnival weekend, there's STITCHER'S DREAM DAY OUT weekend!! We're all counting down ... perhaps for different reasons! :0) Marion and Steph are madly finalising everything to spoil the stitchers counting sleeps to see how much time they have left to get it all done. And my mad mates and I are counting sleeps til we get to PLAY!!! WOO! HOO!! :0)

Apart from that ... not much stitching happening cos I've sprained my wrist lifting a monster pot plant ... BUGGER! Ah well ... next week. For now, I have to shovel out the house in preparation for visitors ... EEP! Is there a "Housework Hotline" that I can call for housework emergencies?!?! Tee! Hee! Hee! Whatever you're up to, I hope you're having a fabulous week and enjoying the show nature is putting on for you ... be it spring or autumn! :0) Til next time ...

SPRINGY BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS