Pretty Pink Nerines

This is the one and only Nerine lily in our garden, isn't it pretty? There are a couple of plants together, but only one is flowering at present.

The whirligig blocks are together, and I am very pleased with my EQ7 design! Now to make border decisions. These blocks are 12in finished and there are 12 blocks in the quilt, so it's only 48in by 36in. I am thinking a 1in border in a leafy green (darker than lime but lighter than olive), then a 2in border in rich purple, then a 6in border using the bright diagonal stripe that inspired the colour scheme. That will bring the quilt up to a decent size, 54in by 66in, and it looks good on the computer screen. And what's more - the borders will be mitered.
Even washed the floor before I laid the quilt out for its pic, isn't that dedication? It (the quilt, not the floor) has been dry pressed, but needs another pressing with steam to flatten it and make the blocks sit better. But that will get done. After making the first block I was concerned that too much background fabric was showing, but when all 12 blocks are together and the secondary pattern emerges the background seems to recede more.

Last week was very musical. On Thursday I was asked to sing at the craft group's annual Cancer Council fundraising morning tea, so I sang a song about the Rajah Quilt written by my friend Cathy Miller. Neither the song nor the quilt were known to the group, and several people told me afterwards how much they enjoyed it. Then on Sunday two choirs I sang in won their sections at the local eisteddfod, which pleased us all greatly! I gather that last year they were beaten by a school choir, and so with this year's win honour was satisfied again.

We had some rain a few days ago, and very welcome it was too. Yesterday I planted the lemon balm and sweet pea seedlings bought at the recent monthly markets. When we brought them home they sat on the kitchen bench for a few hours, but unfortunately Bianca The Beautiful (but slightly brainless) discovered them and chomped some sweet pea leaves. Then of course she heaved them up again.......as cats do........fortunately not on the carpet. One poor little seedling I planted looked slightly bereft of leaves, hopefully it will soon recover and we will have a pretty display of sweet peas in spring.

Did you know, in the language of flowers sweet pea means "departure" or "delicate pleasures"? Nerines are part of the Amaryllis family of lilies, and Amaryllis means "pride" or "splendid beauty". In days gone by people would choose their flowers according to their meaning, so a bouquet conveyed a message.

"Bring one of the commonest field flowers into a room, place it on a table, or chimney-piece, and you seem to have brought a ray of sunshine into the place. There is a cheerfulness about flowers. What a delight are they to the drooping invalid! They are a sweet enjoyment, coming as messengers from the country, and seeming to say "Come and see the place where we grow, and let your heart be glad in our presence."

I wonder what message a bouquet containing Nerines and sweet peas would say? Possibly nothing quite as flowery as the sentiment contained in that quote from 1885.

Enjoy your days!