Fill In The Blank Friday... On Saturday

Lauren from The Little Things We Do hosts a lovely little blog game called 'Fill In The Blank Friday'. For a while now I've read a number of her weekly prompts on Saturday morning (Australia time) and never had the chance to participate. But Friday - Saturday, they're all the same to me anyway. So here goes...

1. I am looking forward to the winter University break. I can feel those wonderful indoorsy type relaxing days already!

2. Something kind of embarrassing that I still love anyway is my addiction to sappy teenage drama TV series, like Make It or Break It and The Secret Life of the American Teenager.

3. My favourite car is one that works!

4. If I could pick one type of weather to live in for the rest of my life it would be one of those Spring, but almost Summer days. You know the one where you wake up, walk outside and the air is crisp but the sun is shining. There are hardly any clouds, hardly any humidity, it's just a perfect sunny day.

5. My favourite thing to do after a bad/stressful day is to walk straight to my bedroom and flop on my bed. I lay there for a while, have a shower and have a nap. The sooner the stressful day is over, the sooner I can wake up to a different day!

6. This weekend I worked on the bar as usual. The rest will be spent relaxing, reading uni notes and having an extravagant birthday dinner with my extended family.

7. If I were a colour I would be blue because according to lifescript.com, blue colors my world with emotion. I seldom jump right in, preferring to stand back and watch people and situations closely. Blue people are calm, but can also spiral into sadness. With so much emotion, tears of happiness, sadness, anger, or frustration are quite common. (I had no idea where to start answering this question, thank you pointless internet stuff). 


Head over to The Little Things We Do to see what other people wrote, and to participate next week!

iPhotos #1

This is another abstract style post I've been seeing around the blogsphere lately so I thought I would share some of my own mobile moments from the last couple of weeks.

1. Discovering that my kitty likes to take a sneaky sip of my tea!

2. Browsing over the Penguin Classics section of Brown Books, a second hand bookstore in Sydney's Blue Mountains. 

3. Finding Easter eggs hidden amongst my bookshelf on Easter. 

4. Starting an epic game of Monopoly (I have more money than everyone at the moment, but renting houses is sending me broke!).

I just used the regular camera setting on my iPhone for these photos.
I am in need of some new camera apps. Are there any you recommend?

Oh Harry!

So as most of you are aware... I am a complete Harry Potter nut! I feel in love with this magical world at a young age, and the love affair has never been superseded. In my eyes, Harry is second to none! (LOL). The reason for this post however, is not to tell you things you already know about me, but to show you my collection!

It began with just the first four books... I received them at each at age 10, where I began reading them and growing up alongside Harry himself. From then onwards, I purchased the following books as they were released right up until I was 15. Amidst these teenage years however, I began to keep my love a secret. I was ridiculed in High School for rocking a Harry Potter pencil case and so I thought it best to blend in instead. As a result I never purchased or read Deathly Hallows until just this year!!! 

In addition to the novels, I have been lucky enough to find some other Harry Potter inspired treasures hidden amongst the shelves of second hand book stores. The first supplement I came across was The Tales of Beedle the Bard. This is the wizarding world's equivalent of our Brothers Grimm, and appears in Deathly Hallows as a gift bequeathed to Hermoine from Dumbledore himself. I found my copy to be incomplete, and so I added the deathly hallows symbol at the top for authenticity. 

I stumbled across the other two supplements while I was browsing another second hand store just the other day. The first, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, is a copy of a text book that belonged to Harry in the very first novel. The second, Quidditch Through the Ages, is another text book, this time belonging to Hogwarts Library. 

I think the best part about owning this entire collection is knowing that the original purchaser's of the novelty companions have contributed to donating over $30 million to Comic Relief and The Children's Voice charity campaigns! Three cheers for Rowling's philanthropic work! 

P.S. For those with brilliant eyes, no I am not missing The Chamber of Secrets. It was just on loan to someone when this photo was taken. 

Pumpkin & Pine Nuts

Last week I successfully completed my vegetarian challenge! And I enjoyed it so much that I've decided to continue with it. Not only did I feel completely healthy all week, but I fell in love with cooking even more! Of all the dishes I made, one stood out as a clear winner. So much so I even ate it cold! It's only fair that I share the recipe.

Spinach & Ricotta Agnolotti with Roast Pumpkin 

I borrowed the original recipe from Taste.com, but modified it just a little to suit my likings.

Tales From The Longest Weekend

Here in Australia we just experienced the longest string of events and public holidays ever! For many people it meant a five day weekend getaway or relaxing at home, while others took the opportunity to get a little bit crazy. This was certainly the case for most of my friends. I guess the only way to share it with you is to list the events as they occurred... (I started writing full sentences, but was forced to change to list form. If I didn't you would all be old and gray by the time you finished the post).

Thursday

- Enjoyed delicious sammich's with Tegan of Tink Simplicity at a quaint cafe called Jazz Apple Kitchen at the foot of Sydney's Blue Mountains.

- Worked on the bar and entertained a keen young party crowd.

Good Friday

- Ate a traditional hot cross bun breakky with my Grandparents.

- Farewelled my parents for the weekend.

- Took advantage of having a night off the bar.

Saturday

- Worked during the day... Retailers everywhere were grumpy!

- Celebrated a friends 21st at a Brewery.

Easter Sunday

- Celebrated Easter  at home! I finally got to give my family their Easter gift that had been sitting under my bed for a week, being nibbled on by Mindy almost everyday!

- Discovered chocolate treats hidden amongst my bookshelf.

- Ate copious amounts of chocolate!

- Watched movies and played monopoly in true indoorsy style.

Anzac Monday

- Celebrated Anzac Day with friends at the local pub and ate so much pub style mushroom sauce!

- Home to enjoy the last minutes of peace & a good nights sleep.

Easter Tuesday

- Shut myself in my bedroom and succeeded in my mission of writing a 2500 word Equity essay in less than 24 hours.

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While I did enjoy my Easter break, I received some devastating news on Sunday (and I wouldn't be an honest blogger if I kept this at a wonderful weekend everything-is-positive post). When I called my Mum to ask her how to use the new rice cooker, she ended up telling me that my Grandmother had passed away earlier that morning. She was a very strong lady and had been battling cancer for quite some time now. While I am completely saddened by her death, I can find solace in the fact that she is at peace now. She will remain forever in our hearts. We will miss her, but let her go.

How was your Easter break? 

Is anyone else still in a chocolate coma?

Happy Easter!

Wishing you all a completely happy Easter! I hope everyone is having a wonderful time with their family and friends. Stay safe, but more importantly, definitely attempt to eat your weight in chocolate!

P.S. How cute is the vintage Ellen Clapsaddle easter postcard!

A Good Friday

Just a little mid-long-weekend post!

via

This morning I woke up after a very short four hour sleep and drove to my Grandma's for her traditional Good Friday Hot Cross Bun treat. When my boyfriend and I arrived, her and my grandfather were out walking their dog. But this didn't mean the buns were still in dough form. Oh no! When we walked inside the smell was overwhelming... and there sitting on the side of the sink were three trays of freshly baked Hot Cross Buns Nan Style. We waited for a pot of tea to boil and then eagerly devoured our special breaky. I know they were delish, because I even ate all of my sultanas! And I hate sultanas! 

After a good morning chat, I headed back home and started feeding my farm. Everyone has fresh water and a full belly, and some even received a special treat! I have a little bit of work to do for an assessment, but I'm not letting that ruin my Easter break. Thankfully,  I have finished all shifts on the bar for the week and have planned some great nights out for a change. Visiting friends and celebrating a 21st are on the agenda, and hopefully a lot of wine and a great time!

Here is a song I heard driving home from work at 3am this morning... It's called Blackout by Anna Calvi and it has definitely brightened my day (ironically)!

I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

As I mentioned yesterday, I have decided to challenge myself to eat a vegetarian diet for the next week or so... and I have been cooking some lovely meals as a result. Last night I made some Pumpkin, Spinach & Ricotta Pasta... and when the recipe prompted me to stir in 1/2 a cup of Parsley I was overjoyed that I got to run out to my herb garden and pick some fresh leaves off! It reminded me of some research I had done a while back on the importance of organic farming and home growing. So I'll share some of that knowledge now.

*This is a fairly lengthy post... only read on if you are interested. There is an information sheet on Growing Urban Veggies that I made at the end!*

What Is Organic Farming?

Organic Farming is the form of agriculture where produce is grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, artificial fertilisers, plant growth regulators, livestock antibiotics, food additives or genetically modified organisms.  Instead the method relies heavily upon crop rotation, green manure, compost, manual cultivation, biological pest control and organically approved pesticides application to maintain soil productivity and control pests.

“Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic agriculture combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved…” – International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements.

The Horse

"Intrinsic Upholstery for the Foot"

I first came across The Horse when I was wandering up and down streets in Fitzroy & Melbourne a couple of years ago (they also frequent the pages of Frankie Mag). I have since been a fan and cannot wait to purchase some of their new shoes for Winter.

This lovely pair, eloquently named Evelyn will be available from stockists on May 1st!

You can see the entire Autumn/Winter 2011 collection here.

Oh and did I mention that they are ethically made? Hooray!

Photos are also property of The Horse.

If You Don't Eat Your Veggies...

As part of my 101 challenge, I have set the goal to eat a vegetarian diet for a week. This is a challenge that isn't going to be particularly hard, since I am not a really large meat eater on an everyday basis. Time aside though, what I hope to gain from this week is an insight into a healthy vegetarian diet, the planning, the cooking and of course the eating! 

The challenge began yesterday morning, and although I skipped breakfast I started the diet with some avocado and cucumber sushi. For dinner I made Baked Eggplant & Ricotta Rolls served with a side of Polenta. To my surprise, I didn't ruin the dish and it tasted amazing.

I am looking forward to trying my hand at the other meals I have planned.

Whats your favourite Veg dish?

In My Absence

I realise that my posts for the month of April have been pretty few and far between, and I am sorry for that. The reason is simple... I am buried elbow deep in papers and books, and part way through a couple of law assessments! I have just finished the first draft of one due on Sunday afternoon. If you are wondering why I've done it so early (because that is definitely out of character for me) it's because I have a hell of a lot of regular paid work coming my way on the weekend! This has certainly kicked my days of procrastination in the butt! That and I have found that bargaining moments of pain in return for those of pleasure works rather well for motivation. For example, if I get my readings done, I get to enjoy guilt free visits from my boyfriend... If I finish the assessment earlier than the night before, I get to have dinner with my lovely lady friends... and so on and so forth. Guilt free leisure time is certainly the best sort of leisure time.

The last couple days have been particularly stressful. I have had several battles with my brain when coming to understand the content. I have skipped meals, isolated myself and maybe been a little too abrupt in the way I have handled things. Visits from Mindy seemed to have a calming effect though. She even fell asleep on my books a few times. I just need to remember that it will all be over in a matter of weeks. Until then I think it will be best to suppress those mid-semester blues, buckle down, get it done and move on. Oh the joys of studying! 

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In other (more positive) news, the Splendor in the Grass 2011 lineup was announced today! Although I didn't burst with excitement at the inclusion of all the artists, there is just enough goodness to encourage me to *TRY* purchase a ticket for the event in late July. Worthy of particular mention in my opinion is: Kanye West, Regina Spektor, The Grates, The Middle East, Kaiser Chiefs, James Blake, Noah & The Whale, Children Collide, Architecture in Helsinki, Forster the People, Friendly Fires, Boy & Bear, Cloud Control, Sparkadia, The Jezabels, Seeker Lover Keeper, Oh Mercy, The Holidays and so so so many others. See! I told you it was good!!! Here's hoping I find some camping buddies and score tickets when they go on sale May 5th!

Handwriting Challenge

After Ashley from Under Those Neon Lights commented on my handwriting a few posts down, I remembered that I had participated in the blogging handwriting challenge and never actually shared it.

This little cure for boredom has been appearing in many of the blogs I have been reading. It is a cute way to remember that handwriting is still valued, even though most of our writing is done via word processing programs, and as bloggers, our main form of communication is via the Internet. Don't get me wrong, I am still a massive sucker for typography and fancy fonts. But I also admire neat (preferably cursive) handwriting. It's a real shame that I don't use pen & paper that often either. I take my laptop to Uni, write my assessments on Word and there is really no need for writing in a Bar while I am at work. Anyway, here it is...

The handwriting prompts are:

1. What is your name/ your blogs name?

Kaisha - Far From The Mocking World

2. What is your blog URL?

http://farfromthemockingworld.blogspot.com

3. Write "The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over The Lazy Dog". 

4. Write your favorite quotation. 

"Hope is a waking dream" - Aristotle. 

5. What is your favorite song?

The Captain and the Hourglass - Laura Marling.

6. What music do you like right now?

Noah & The Whale, Lykke Li & Seabellies. 

7. Is there anything else you'd like to add about your handwriting?

I have had the same handwriting since high school. 

8. What three bloggers do you want to follow suit?

Since I wasn't tagged by anyone to do this, I would like everyone who is interested to participate!

If you end up doing this, let me know in the comment section so I can check it out!

Happy Birthday Mumma

Today is my Mum's birthday! So this is just a little shout out to say a big thank-you. She doesn't read my blog... but maybe one day she might stumble across it.

I started writing this post while I was sitting in an incredibly boring Equity class this morning. I was purposely not listening to the lecturer and quietly dreading the moment that she stoped talking, meaning that it was time for me to give my presentation. It was only a small presentation. But my nerves were freaking none the less. I got through it though, and quite successfully. On my way home I stopped off at the Bar to give them the photos I took on Friday night, and quickly browsed the second hand bookstore nearby (five books = $4!!!). Now I have just finished some housework and I'm about to get ready to take my Mum out for a birthday dinner... Italian Seafood Mmmmm. I love when average days are balanced out with great nights!

Life Goes On

This is the first single from UK indie folk Noah and The Whale's new album 'Last Night On Earth'. Although it was released in early March, I have only just begun to hear it on the radio here (on high-rotation might I add). At first I thought I was listening to the intro of 'Lola' by The Kinks because they are so similar! I did some YouTubing and so many other people have thought the same thing! While I can appreciate the fun loving nature of the song (you know, life goes on, having no regrets and such), I'm not too sure if I will be able to stay true to these sentiments once I hear it another thirty-something times.

What do you think?

Date A Girl Who Reads

This little piece of writing has been bouncing around the blogsphere for a while now, but it is just too lovely not to share it.  

"Date a girl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes. She has problems with closet space because she has too many books. Date a girl who has a list of books she wants to read, who has had a library card since she was twelve.

Find a girl who reads. You’ll know that she does because she will always have an unread book in her bag. She’s the one lovingly looking over the shelves in the bookstore, the one who quietly cries out when she finds the book she wants. You see the weird chick sniffing the pages of an old book in a second hand book shop? That’s the reader. They can never resist smelling the pages, especially when they are yellow.

She’s the girl reading while waiting in that coffee shop down the street. If you take a peek at her mug, the non-dairy creamer is floating on top because she’s kind of engrossed already. Lost in a world of the author’s making. Sit down. She might give you a glare, as most girls who read do not like to be interrupted. Ask her if she likes the book.

Buy her another cup of coffee.

Let her know what you really think of Murakami. See if she got through the first chapter of Fellowship. Understand that if she says she understood James Joyce’s Ulysses she’s just saying that to sound intelligent.  Ask her if she loves Alice or she would like to be Alice.

It’s easy to date a girl who reads. Give her books for her birthday, for Christmas and for anniversaries. Give her the gift of words, in poetry, in song. Give her Neruda, Pound, Sexton, Cummings. Let her know that you understand that words are love. Understand that she knows the difference between books and reality but by god, she’s going to try to make her life a little like her favorite book. It will never be your fault if she does.

She has to give it a shot somehow.

Lie to her. If she understands syntax, she will understand your need to lie. Behind words are other things: motivation, value, nuance, dialogue. It will not be the end of the world.

Fail her. Because a girl who reads knows that failure always leads up to the climax. Because girls who understand that all things will come to end. That you can always write a sequel. That you can begin again and again and still be the hero. That life is meant to have a villain or two.

Why be frightened of everything that you are not? Girls who read understand that people, like characters, develop. Except in the Twilight series.

If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are.

You will propose on a hot air balloon. Or during a rock concert. Or very casually next time she’s sick. Over Skype.

You will smile so hard you will wonder why your heart hasn’t burst and bled out all over your chest yet. You will write the story of your lives, have kids with strange names and even stranger tastes. She will introduce your children to the Cat in the Hat and Aslan, maybe in the same day. You will walk the winters of your old age together and she will recite Keats under her breath while you shake the snow off your boots.

Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads.

Or better yet, date a girl who writes."

The author is listed as Rosemarie Urquico, but I cannot find any link to her.  It is beautiful nonetheless, and definitely worth the re-blog.

Nothing To Hide

I am in absolute love with this new Maxi from Mink Pink's Fall range. There are not many clothing items I find online and swoon over until I am holding them IRL... but I am making an exception for this one.

Buy Mink Pink from Market HQ!

Mixing Up Our Muesli

Early last week I stumbled upon this wonderful website where you can custom make your own Muesli (pretty sure I was trolling the Frankie blog). Anyway, it's called MuesliMixer and it's absolutely wonderful. It offers over 55 ingredients including base mixes, dried fruits, nuts, seeds and cereal bits and pieces. As you add your ingredients, you get a running total of the nutritional information alongside your selection. Since I often refuse to eat Sultana Bran and other breakfast Muesli's because of their sultanas (gross), MuesliMixer allowed me to pull together a creation that would satisfy my taste buds. I was super excited to place my order straight away, but first I required the help of my Muesli connoisseur boyfriend. Together we decided that our Muesli should include toasted oats, linseed, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, buckwheat, gojiberries (apparently some sort of superfruit?), paw paw, pineapple, flaked almonds, pepitas & bran flakes. Oh and did I mention you get to name your creation!!

It took a few days to arrive, but our breakfast tastes as great as it looks (I guess plain yogurt would have been more aesthetically appeasing for the photo, but I only had blueberry at the time). Either way, now I am leaving the house all smiles, without those annoying stomach grumbles around lunch time.