Astro Turf, Art and more of 40

Astro turf, is it wrong? Our children love it, partly because they don't encounter it too often. This is at Fed Square, real grass would struggle to grow here due to the high level of pedestrian traffic, so its probably astro-turf, or concrete.

  

  

Took myself off on a tangent googling astro turf - check out
http://www.justlivegreener.com/greener-home/306-is-artificial-grass-eco-friendly.html 
http://www.treehugger.com/green-food/artificial-turf-versus-real-grass-which-is-greener.html


After visiting these sites I think there are probably more astro turf negatives than positives. The advice to wash your hands after using it because of the chemical residues and bacteria sounds pretty ewww, but then washing your hands is pretty good advice in general. More plastic in the world is probably never a good thing. At our rental, we are gradually removing more and more lawn and replacing it with garden, we never water the lawn, and we mow with an electric mower.

Real turf, complete with duck poo splodges to dodge, definitely wash your hands after visiting here. I love this steep hill in Birrarung Marr, so many children gleefully tumbling down it, and then giddily returning to the top. Give them a hill and they will roll.

  

The little Bowerbird took a while to get the knack of it and then when she finally did she bumped her head.

Totally unrelated, but to end the 40th Birthday visit to the city, weekend story. 
Drawing on art created by Vincent Fantauzzo in the Art Gallery. Some really cool textas were placed next to this huge pastiche of photos and visitors were invited to embellish them.

  This little one had no qualms about drawing on walls.

 Looks like he's doing something he shouldn't.

 SO MUCH FUN. 

 NGV Kids Corner, playing with leaves.

 One of my favourite Melbourne buildings viewed from inside the NGV Kids Corner.

Inspired by the circus, the middle Bowerbird attempts juggling.

 Another Birthday Cake to celebrate the big four O.

I love all the art in the city, not so much to enjoy around us. We do good trees, but the Big Bowerbird even found a lovely one of these to climb amongst all the concrete and bustle.

The Big Bowerbird wore my Nannas old hat (a treasured possession) to keep warm, and to disguise the fact that we forgot the brush - she attempted using the apartment's fork with limited success.


Melbourne, mid winter, is really the bomb, especially when your'e spoiling yourselves for a birthday treat. Not quite the overseas adventure we like to talk about (hello Tattslotto quick pick), but a great substitute on a budget. Was one of those weekends that felt like a week had past in just two short days.
  

40th Birthday Cake

We borrowed a library book filled with kids baking ideas.  The little Bowerbird is hilarious to watch when she is reading a cook book or magazine.  Her eyes widen, and she oohs and ahhs as her little tongue darts around tasting the food she is seeing. The cake for daddy was her choice, and there was no question about her helping, as soon as I walk into the kitchen she is dragging a chair behind me.

Then it was time to get her party shoes on, it was of no consequence that they were a little twisted and back to front. "Can we have some music mum? Gotye (spoken with correct pronunciation) or Kimbra?"

   

The middle and little ones did some very fancy decorating, some how the big Bowerbird missed out on the action and was very dirty with me not including her on the lolly scattering fiesta.  The pista de resistance was this extra special, although environmentally suspect, candle.  You find them in good Asian grocery stores and they are great for all who mourn the ban of home lit fireworks.

 Light the candle.

Enjoy the pyrotechnical display as the electronic tunes of happy birthday begin.  The plastic petals slowly unfold.

  And reveal lit candles that turn gently in a circle.

Even after the centre sparkle has finished the candles keep revolving. Birthday goood times!

 The cake was delicious, and as I doubled the recipe we are still eating it.

A great beginning to the Bowerbird Dad's weekend of turning 40.