Slowly catching up with myself

Life gets busy sometimes, doesn't it?

Here is a flower for you because it wouldn't be a proper blog post without a pretty pic, Eucalyptus macrocarpa, taken last year. I had only seen pictures of it before and to see one in the flesh was amazing. It is much bigger than it looks, a few inches across, and is bright red-orange with grey-green leaves - as you can see, more grey than green. The plant itself is fairly uninteresting but the flower is stunning.

The challenge has been and gone and finished! The quilts were revealed yesterday with the exception of a couple that have already been sent to their new owners, and what a lovely lot there were. Several used floral fabrics and they were all so different. I think mine held its own OK. When the computer comes home again I will put up pics, there's not much point loading new pics on this one any more.

Next year's challenge has now been handed out, an interesting pieced block called Lotus Blossom. I couldn't find it on the web in a quick search to show a link but it might be there somewhere. My brain is going to have a rest though before I start even thinking about it.

But I have started making some heart blocks to send to New Zealand where Shirley Goodwin is co-ordinating the making of quilts for the families of the men who lost their lives in the mine disaster last week. The new curtains can wait, this is more important. Australia and New Zealand are rivals in various sports but there is affection between our two countries, and many Aussies - myself included - have family ties to New Zealand. My maternal grandmother was born in Aratapu, a little dot on the map near Dargaville on the North Island, her maternal grandparents (my great-great-grandparents) were original Fencible settlers in Howick in 1847. The Fencible settlements were an immigration scheme which brought out migrants from England and Ireland.

We are getting ready for our first Christmas in our country home and so far I have been a bit lazy.......I admire those who tizzy up their homes for Christmas but I'm not one of them.......in many households (this one included) 'she' gets to put out the decorations and then pack them away again, and if 'she' doesn't do that then it doesn't get done at all......which just shows you how much store the rest of the household puts on such things, doesn't it? But as our older son and his girlfriend will be visiting for a few days at Christmas I shall make a small effort to decorate. Very small. Just enough so that I can say I did something.

"Parents who indulge in gossip, scandal, slander and tale-telling will rear children possessing the same tastes and deteriorating habits. A parent's example outlines the child's character. It sinks down deep in his heart, and influences his whole life for good or for evil."

Our neighbour's house is for sale and they are a lovely family with delightful children, so we hope whoever buys it will be just as good to live near.

Now my coffee is finished so I am going back to the sewing room to resume making heart blocks. Enjoy your days!