Mosaic Monday ... Playing the Bloggers' Game!

Thanks to Shrylene at The Bunnies' Buffet, Missy at Missy's Garden and Valerie at Gardening In A Sandbox for inviting me to join in the game '10 Things I Like'.   I'm going to try to make this about anything but gardening for a change ... time to try something new.   I wonder how far I'll get before I suddenly mention something about plants or gardens!!!  Alright ... here I go.

1.  I like listening to records playing on our old Marantz turntable.  Our grandchildren find this a novel experience when they visit ... and our friends love to chill out, have a glass or two and listen to the hits from yesteryear crackling away in the background.  Hubbie and I have eclectic taste in music ... on the weekend the selection included -Ian Drury's 'New Boots and Panties', Linda Ronstadt's 'Simple Dreams', Janis Joplin's 'Pearl', John Lennon's 'Rock And Roll', Bob Dylan's 'Blonde on Blonde', the Rolling Stones' 'Some Girls' and Willie Nelson's 'Always'.  How's that for diversity?

2.  I like old black and white photos.  I find them quite fascinating and I find myself yearning to know the story behind the people in them.  In the last few years I've accumulated a pile of these stunning photos from older family members ... but unfortunately there are no longer any living relatives who know just who these people in the photographs are!  So sadly their stories will go untold ... but take a look at these and try to convince me you don't want to know all about them.  What is that uniform?  What did those children grow up  to be? 

3.  I like old Australian Silky Oak wooden furniture.  There's something about the beautiful colour, hue and grain of this wood.  Australian Silky Oak is not actually an oak at all ... it's a Grevillea - Grevillea robusta.  This is a tree native to my state of Queensland and has long been used for fine furniture, flooring, window frames and such.  I'm not much of a housekeeper ... I really don't get excited about cleaning ... but I could spend all day polishing these beautiful pieces.

4.  I like Royal Doulton 'Orchid' china ... for sentimental reasons.  Neither my Mother or Father came from a well-to-do background, quite the opposite in fact. ... and they both took their sweet time finding a life partner, compared to their siblings anyway!  They got married in the late 1950's when they were both in their late 30's.  When they married, the families got together to purchase a dinner set for them.  It was the Royal Doulton 'Orchid' set ... but not a complete set as this was beyond their means.

About 20 years ago, Dad thought it was time to pass it on to me  ... and ever since I've been looking out for the last few remaining pieces to finish off the set.  It will never be worth all that much in monetary terms, but this collection of cream-coloured dinnerware with the yellow and pink orchids means a lot to me.

5.  I like the bushland out here in the foothills of the ranges.  There's something about the lemony smell of the gums when they're in flower, the changing character of the bush as the 'dry' season fades and the 'wet' begins, the sight of wallabies munching of the grass, the kookaburras sitting in the trees, the song of the sunbird and the unexpected sight of beautiful wildlife that has strayed far from home.  All this brings solace to my soul.

6.  I like coming home to my home after a hard day's work.  I like opening up the house, turning on the lamps inside and lighting the candles outside.  There really is no place like home.

7.  I like my verandah. It's the perfect spot to sit with a great book and a cuppa ... or to spend time with friends and family over a glass of wine ... or to just lay back on the squatter's chair and snooze while the rain gently beats on the corrugated iron roof.  It's almost heavenly!

8.   I like movies.  I've been a bit of a movie buff over the years and I've seen so many movies.  I have some favourite actors and I would just never miss a movie they star in ... actors such as Meryl Streep, John Cusack and Emma Thompson.  Put their name on the movie ad and I'm there!!

By the way ... didn't you just LOVE that potager in Meryl's movie "It's Complicated".  To die for!

Oh, yes ... the old poster of "East of Eden" is there for a reason.  That was the first movie I ever saw when I was a young teenager ... and I still remember every little bit of that classic. 

9.  I like strolling through Botanic Gardens and Parks.  OK ... so I'm back to a sort-of-gardening-related choice!  Looks like I just can't stray too far from my passion.  One of my favourite parks is the Roma Street Parklands in our capital city here in Queensland.  I visit Brisbane quite a bit ... to see my children and grandchildren ... and whenever possible I visit this fabulous Parkland area.  If anyone is coming Downunder, it's a must see when you get to Brisbane.

10.  I like having family photos all over the house ... I'm actually running out of places for them.  This is what makes my home a home for me ... being surrounded by loved ones who are gone and loved ones still here.  It's comforting being surrounded by one's own history ... at least I find it so.

Well ... there you have it ... ten things I like.  Now it's my turn to invite ten people to post about 'Ten Things I Like' ... please don't feel obliged to do this, only join in if you wish.

1. Flowerlady at Flowerlady's Musings
2. Stephanie at Steph's Green Space
3. Genie at Buttons For Baga
4. Tootsie at Tootsie Time
5. Lavinder Lady at My Garden and Me
6. Eileen at Gatsby's Gardens
7. GrandmaK at A Bit Of Blarney
8. Laura at Patio Patch
9. Floridagirl at Peace In The Valley
10. Deb at Deb's Garden

Now for other fantastic Mosaic Monday posts, make sure you visit Mary at Little Red House

Just a little extra:  It was a question from Pondside that made me realise I have used a term that not everyone would be familiar with ... squatter's chair.  So just to clear it up, here's a shot of my classic and distinctive piece of Australian furniture made of wood and canvas  ... often found in old Queenslander homes like mine. (It needs a bit of a polish!!)