Well, that's Christmas done and dusted!

The Chrissy earrings have been packed away for another eleven and a half months, likewise the Christmas music and songs.  Just a few more days left of this year, then we start a new one.  

I don't do resolutions.  I do, however, have hopes.

The new project was started on Boxing Day.

Isn't this fabric fun?  It came home with me from Canada (as if you couldn't guess!) and was a gift from a quilt shop in Maxwell, Ontario.  We were driving from one town to another late in October 2018, it was getting a bit snowy - more than a bit, actually; it was getting darn near to being a whiteout, something we aren't used to driving in....add that to being on an unfamiliar road, driving on the other side of the road, and you can double and triple the stress.  As we approached Maxwell....there's not much at Maxwell, let me tell you....I told Kevin we should stop as he needed a break from driving, and I wanted to call in at a quilt shop that we had driven past without stopping at three years earlier.

So we stopped.  'Threads That Bind' had a lot of fabrics and all manner of other quilting Stuff, and was just finishing up with a demonstration when I walked in.....did I mind looking around while the owner dealt with purchases from the demo, I was asked, not at all, I said......and bought some prints that have been used in my autumn quilt.  When I went to pay, the owner sussed out that I wasn't Canadian (the accent gives it away every time, doesn't it) and said she always had a gift for quilters who had come from far away.  This was my gift, a FQ of Robert Kaufman moose fabric.  Just the right pattern was waiting for it too, also purchased in Canada a few years earlier.

The selvedge is pretty, with colourful maple leaves.

While I was happily browsing and shopping and chatting Kevin drove to the diner further down the road for coffee, and he was also chatting to some locals while he waited for me.  After my stroll from the quilt shop to meet him at the diner I enjoyed my coffee too, and as it was just a couple of days before Halloween the diner's front steps were decorated.....even the fallen snow looked like part of the decor.

A couple of strips have been sewn around the outside, and more are waiting to be sewn.  That pine cone print might not be used, though, as it's a bit too yellow compared to the other strips.  The print with tiny leaves has been in my stash for *ahem* quite some time, it's a Debbie Mumm fabric that has been waiting for the right project.

No strips were sewn yesterday as I took the opportunity to give my Singer Featherweight machine a grease and oil change; it was a bit sluggish when sewing those first strips, but now it is purring along beautifully.

This is what it will become.  The 'Sweet Treasures' pattern and the fabrics were bought as a kit from a quilt store on Vancouver Island....my friend took me to so many stores that I can't remember where it was bought.

We had a very quiet Christmas, a phone call from our son in Canberra was a highlight of our day.  We don't bother with presents any more, but there are a couple of items that we want so we will check them out while the sales are still on.

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn and knitted.  My fingers and the ukulele have been resting, but we'll get back together this week.  Plan B for fixing my voile top has been thought out in my head so will now be carried out - fingers crossed that it works - some hunting and foraging early in the week before the shops became too hectic with Christmas shoppers, and that was us done.

We are still learning how to treat a refusal of a proposal of marriage.

"In refusing, the lady ought to convey her full sense of the high honor intended her by the gentleman, and to add, seriously but not offensively, that it is not in accordance with her inclination, or that circumstances compel her to give an unfavorable answer."

It is good to be serious without being offensive, yes?

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

The day before the day before the day before the day before.....

....the fat bloke in the red suit comes to call!

But only if you have been very, very good.

Because we are currently suffering in a heatwave there hasn't been much action in the sewing room, but temperatures are expected to drop somewhat after today (although it will still be a long way from what could be considered 'cool') so more green fabrics will be cut.  My brain doesn't cope well with extreme heat, and I can't settle to doing much at all.

As a result, we will be trawling in the photo vault today.

Another view of Butchart Garden, mostly green with just one red tree for contrast.

It shows how successful a monochromatic colour scheme can be, doesn't it?  The garden beds are planted with flowers that aren't yet flowering, just the young green leaves are visible.

More Aussie natives from the big store display, taken in our last year living in the Big Smoke.

There are those who decry our native flowers...."oh, they're not as beautiful as roses or pansies" they say.... but all have a place in this wonderful world of ours, don't they?  This selection is bright and vibrant, and has some of my favourite colours.

Different doesn't have to mean worse or better, does it.  It just means - different.

That applies to people, too.  Just because someone looks different to us, or thinks differently, or worships a different deity or indeed doesn't worship anything at all, doesn't make them worse than us.  

We have had a fairly quiet week, a couple of appointments to liven things up, lunch on Monday with my ukulele playing friend Clare, some suitably seasonal hunting and foraging.  Stitches were sewn and knitted; the jumper (the second sleeve of which is proceeding well) came with me to a medical appointment as there is always waiting time which can be put to creative use.  Repairs to the summer top have been started but didn't go well, so Plan B will have to come into play.

Problem is, there doesn't seem to be a Plan B yet......

Tomorrow is the summer solstice, which will happen at 2.02 a.m.  I don't plan to be nekkid dancing around the bonfire at the time.  I have other plans, chief of which is being deep asleep in the arms of Morpheus.

I wonder if our ancestors really did dance nekkid around the bonfire at solstice time, as they are reputed to have done?  It mightn't be too bad in summer, but winter would be a different story.  In any case, given our current heatwave and fire danger conditions, a bonfire would be out of the question.  Perhaps the crafty ones could improvise with some strips of red cellophane and a fan set to 'high'.

Many many years ago - before we bought our caravan - we were travelling in Victoria, and I had addresses of quilt shops to check out; in those days one had to peruse the ads in quilt magazines to find shops, as the internet was in its infancy.  One shop was half post office/half quilt shop, the post office's owner was a quilter.  (I looked it up, and it's no longer operating....it was nearly 30 years ago, after all!)  While paying for my purchases the owner and I were chatting, and she told me that she always started a new project on Boxing Day which had been not long beforehand, it was her reward to herself for her hectic Christmas each year.  That seems like a good idea to me although I have seldom followed through with it, but I plan to this year.

So - come Friday, who wants to join me?  Pick a project, no matter how large or small, and start it. I've picked mine, and it is small.

My Canadian tree featuring decorations we bought in Canada, or were gifted by Canadian friends.

In parting - no matter what you celebrate, or even if you don't celebrate anything at all, best wishes for a season of peace, happiness and love.

And chocolate.  Good quality dark chocolate.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Green, green, it's green they say....

....on the far side of the hill.....

Anyone else remember that song?  It seems appropriate, considering that I've been cutting green fabrics for the outer border of the neighbourhood.  This is what's been cut so far.

But - there is still lots to go, because in my wisdom (not sure that it was very wise, but there you are) I have been cutting short pieces, and it's a fairly big quilt.  It might be a good idea to get cracking and cut some longer strips, those shorter pieces can be used between the longer ones.

This is Butchart Garden on Vancouver Island, Canada, in autumn.  That garden is famed world-wide for it's wonderful floral displays but when it's not flower season all the tones of green are highlighted, as they were back in November 2012 when this was taken.

Speaking of colour - no doubt you may have already heard that the Pantone colour of the year for 2026 has been released, and after so many colourful years it seems like a cop-out that white has been chosen.  It's been gussied up with a fancy name.....'Cloud Dancer'.....but white is still white.  I always thought that white was the absence of colour - yes?  If that's so, how can it be chosen as colour of the year?  I must admit to being somewhat....underwhelmed.

Here's a site I found which shows the colours of the year going back to 2000.  While I don't care for them all (although I do quite like 2017's colour) each and every one of them is more inspiring than boring white.

For many years now home renno shows have been showing white kitchens, which remind me of hospital laboratories.  Give me some colour any day.  Our kitchen (which came with the house but we like it, so it's been left) is light creamy-beige; it's not brown, it has warm yellow undertones with enough colour not to be boring but is still light enough to be practical.  There is also a fad on those shows to have dark kitchens with dark floors, dark cabinets, dark bench tops.....why, fergawdssake?  You would have to have the lights on all day, and even then you would need a magnifying glass to chop vegies so you didn't chop your fingers instead.

We have had more storms, and a few more small branches have fallen from our front yard tree.  They seem to recover, though, so we won't panic just yet.  Don't want to waste a good panic, do we.

The festive season is getting closer.  On Wednesday my sewing group had our Christmas lunch and jolly nice it was too, while the ukulele group finished for the year on Monday.  One of the members, Chris, gave me a jar of sweet onion chutney that she made herself (which is very nice too, it's already been opened and tried) together with a card, the hand-written message inside thanking me for, as Chris put it, "sharing your love of music with us".....isn't that sweet?  So, that's the end of music groups for the year...but I can always plink and sing away to myself, can't I.

Words have been read.  Stitches have been knitted and sewn but that summer top isn't yet repaired, as time just ran away from me; while the coming week also has some appointments, I live in hope that the top will be done by next weekend.  We hunted and foraged and will do some more this week because, even though there will just be the two of us for Christmas, we can still enjoy some festive foods.  The idea of going out to a restaurant for an indulgent Christmas lunch has been left in the dirt as these days it's way out of our budget, so we will just have to indulge at home.

When you are the person responsible for meal planning, and shopping, and preparation, though, Christmas is just like any other day.  Compared to a meal which someone else has prepared, served and cleaned up here's nothing special about a meal you have had to make yourself, is there?

The One And Only Grandkid has an upcoming birthday.  He will turn eleven next Friday.  We have deposited some money in his father's account so he can be taken shopping and choose what he would like; there is an excellent children's book shop in Canberra, and we are told there are also good toy shops.  We don't see him enough to know what he would like (although you can bet that fantasy/superheroes would feature somewhere, just like his father at that age) so it's better that he makes his own choice and has something he would like.

"How to treat a refusal.

As a woman is not bound to accept the first offer that is made to her, so no sensible man will think the worse of her, nor feel himself personally injured by a refusal.  That it will give him pain is most probable.  A scornful "no" or a simpering promise to "think about it" is the reverse of generous."

We certainly don't wish to be ungenerous, do we?

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Moving along.....

Now that the trees are made, it's time to take another look at the Neighbourhood.  It was coming along really well but last year's broken arm pushed it to the back burner where it has stayed and stayed - but now it's time to make a start on the borders.

The inner borders have been cut....black cat prints on a white background....the outer borders will be a mix of random green prints cut three inches wide.  First, though, the edges need to be trimmed because, as you can see, they are far from even.  The Cunning Plan is to get this out of the sewing room and off to the long armer early next year.

Don't worry, though, those trees haven't been forgotten.  They are percolating away in the back of my brain as we speak.

There is also a top which needs fixing, the elastic in the neckline and sleeves has to be replaced with the casing re-sewn in some places.  That won't take long but now that the warmer weather is well and truly upon us it is needed as it's light cotton voile, in a favourite red/brown colour. 

This is our poor tree which didn't fare too well in storms two weeks ago.  See the gaps on the right?  That's where some very large branches broke off, and spoiled its lovely shape.  Another large piece broke off in the storm a couple of hours ago after this pic was taken.

Social media posts indicate that most damage has occurred on the south side of town; we're on the north, so although there was wind and rain it wasn't as bad as in the previous storm.  It has cooled down by nearly 15 degrees in a few hours, too.

Once again it's mango time of year!  Our young neighbour, the youngest of three children, is still in primary school so we joined in their mango fundraiser again, a whole box of delicious mango-y goodness, all of which is now sliced, diced and packed in the freezer.  She still has a few years to go before she is off to high school, so the annual mango box will continue for a while yet.

Many schools hold fundraisers which are a long way from the lamington drives of my children's primary school days - 'primary school' is called 'elementary school' in some countries - thank goodness the fancy doughnut drives passed us by.  Fresh mangos are so much better than fried cakes laden with cream and sugar and all that unhealthy Stuff, aren't they.

Not that I'm averse to the occasional creamy treat, you know.....

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn and a small amount of knitting done, too, although it's not quite cool knitting weather.  Songs have been plinked and sung; choir is on its annual break until the first week of February, so there hasn't been as much singing as there would normally be.  We hunted, gathered and foraged.  The physio tells me that my sore foot is doing well, it certainly hasn't fallen off and is less painful than it was, so we are thankful for that.

"A doubtful answer.

Nothing can be more unfair or more unjustifiable than a doubtful answer given under the plea of sparing the suitor's feelings.  It raises false hopes.  It renders a man restless and unsettled.  It may cause him to express himself or to shape his conduct in such a manner as he would not dream of doing were his suit utterly helpless."

Indeed.  One should be decisive in one's answer.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

97......98......99!

Done done done!!!

97 is bright orange, purple and green, a very cheerful tree....

98 is another Aussie print, pale creamy yellow eucalypt blossoms with an interesting contrast....

....and 99, last last lucky last, is blue and green.

Here they are together, in all their glory.

What a great feeling it is to have those trees finished!  Now they can be laid out, and shuffled around, and shuffled again....and again....and, eventually, sewn together to make a top.

To show you that eucalypt blossoms come in many colours, here is a scrumptious orange one I photographed several years ago.

A large department store in the Big Smoke has an annual spring display of flowers which I kept meaning to visit but never did, something always seemed to intervene - until the year before we moved away.  That year's display focussed on Aussie native plants and was very colourful indeed; I had only ever seen this variety in photos until I saw it featured in that display.  The foliage is more grey than green (eucalypt foliage often has a grey tinge) which sets off the bright blossoms very well.

It's been stormy again, and we even had a blackout early in the week; not the wibby little 90-second blackout of last weekend but one which lasted four hours almost to the minute, from 4.30 until 8.30 p.m.  At first it wasn't a problem, we were able to grill our sausages on the BBQ outside so we didn't starve but as daylight faded some candles were lit, torches were placed where they could easily be reached, and we settled in to read by the light on our tablets; fortunately we both had books downloaded, because with no internet that couldn't be done either.  It was with great relief that we greeted the resumption of power once more before our batteries ran down too far.

Never a dull moment here in the Small Smoke, folks....

Yesterday's choir concert went well, audience members said nice things to us and about us, and hopefully we raised a goodly amount of money for the charity that we support.  CanAssist gives people  practical assistance in covering transport costs, etc., and the best part is that money raised locally stays local.  Some years ago our musical director was diagnosed with cancer and almost before he could turn around and scratch himself (his words) he had been contacted by a member of the local committee who asked simply "what do you need?"  While he didn't need practical help the emotional support was gratefully received and, as several choir members are also on the fund raising committee, we like to support them with our music.

Apart from a blackout and a concert it's been a fairly normal week.  The odd appointment (some of them are a bit odd, but there you go), notes being plinked and sung, a stitch or two being knitted and sewn, the usual foraging and gathering, and so ended another seven days.

"Trifling with a lady.

A man should never make a declaration in a jesting manner.  It is most unfair to a lady.  He has no right to trifle with her feelings for mere sport, nor has he a right to hide his own meaning under the guise of a jest."

No indeed, that would be very cruel.  A trifle is not just something yummy to eat, it can also mean to play fast and loose with another's feelings.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

More storms, and more trees

The weather radar was checked a few minutes ago and there are storms popping up here, there and everywhere around us.....not quite over us yet, but that may happen soon.  Or soon-ish.

That makes this week's trees storm-ish, too.

A green tree, because it doesn't matter how many green trees are in the Arboretum.

Green trees always look good. 

Ozzies will recognise this flower as Grevillea, a favourite native plant.  We haven't had much luck growing them here, but they did grow for us in the Big Smoke......different climate, different soil.

The largest Grevillea is Grevillea Robusta - the name says it all, doesn't it?  Known as Silky Oak - it isn't an oak, it isn't even related to oak, but the cut timber has a beautifully silky lace pattern - its deep gold flowers are brightening up our skies right now.  Many many years ago the decision was made that our town would benefit from using Silky Oak trees as street trees, and there have been Silky Oaks here ever since; some of the tallest - and they are very tall indeed - may have been around when I was a child, albeit much smaller trees than now.

This week's trees, a green and purple, and a red/orange with blue and brown.  Or perhaps it's orange/red.  Numbers 95 and 96, only three to go!

Thoughts are being thought about a name for my Arboretum.  While I don't mind 'Arboretum' as a name something more personal would be good.....Jardin de Jennifer?  Garden of Grace?  Grace is my middle name, after all.....the idea of alliteration appeals.

A silhouette known all over the world is the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and its official opening ceremony in 1932 was interrupted by an Irish soldier, Francis de Groot, cutting the official ribbon before the state governor could do so.  What does Francis de Groot have to do with my trees, you ask?  When he wasn't charging around on a horse while brandishing a sabre and cutting ribbons he made very fine furniture using Australian timbers - one of which was Silky Oak - and quite a lot of those pieces of furniture are still around today.

A few days ago Fiona at Bubz Rugz showed her Hardanger embroidery samples.  Back in the 1980s-1990s I was a member of the state Embroiderers Guild and have pieces made during that time, one of which is this Hardanger cushion - no fancy cutwork, but there is pulled work; I used two shades of thread darker than the background rather than the matching threads traditionally used, backed it with deep gold Dupioni silk and piped the edge with matching cord.

I don't know what the mark is, hopefully it will wash out.  Hardanger embroidery originated in Norway - and did you know there is also a Hardanger fiddle?  I have seen and heard them being played at folk festivals, usually accompanying traditional dances.  If you want to see some spectacular scenery, look up 'Hardanger fjord'.

Storms are still hanging around, we were interrupted by a blackout an hour ago but we're back online now.  Earlier there were a few rumbles then an almighty clap of thunder - lights went out, computer went out - a few other things turned themselves off including the radio, but all is back up and running and we have music again.  Monsieur le Frog is happily croaking away, that loud bang hasn't put him off his game.

How has everyone been?  We are still upright, still on the right side of the grass.  My sore foot hasn't fallen off, for which we are thankful.  Stitches have been sewn but not knitted; a medical appointment for a regular check-up tomorrow will probably yield time for some knitting.  Songs have been plinked and sung, next weekend's charity concert songs are sounding good.

"A lady's positive refusal.

A lady who really means "no" should be able to so say it as to make her meaning unmistakeable.  For her own sake and that of her suitor, if she really desires the suit ended, her denial should be positive, yet kind and dignified, and of a character to let no doubt remain of its being final."

Somehow I don't think "get lost, you creep" would be counted as kind and dignified, do you?

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Stormy trees

This week has lived up its reputation as being the time of years for storms......thunder, probably lightning too (I wasn't getting out of my warm bed to find out), and quite a bit of rain for which the garden is thankful.  The tree in our front garden is now missing several branches, too.

Never mind.  The trees in my sewing room are safe.

A blue-grey print of eucalyptus buds and blossoms, with a bright contrast.  Eucalyptus flowers come in many colours, even this bright pink/red.

A gold tree, just because I like the colour.

Two contrasting trees this week, taking the total up to - 94!  Five more to go.

Gold trees really do exist - taken in Bayfield, Canada, on an overcast autumn day.

This is the pink apron which is no longer in our house.  Melissa likes it, and it suits her vintage style.

The cross stitch design would have been easy, and quick to work up with just three colours, pink, green and deep dark blue; the trim on the pocket is nylon lace.  It is pretty but being pink it's just not "me", so it has gone to a more appreciative home.

A visitor has been lured back by the recent rain and storms.  Monsieur le Frog is back in the drainpipe and the garden croaking his little heart out, as he lives in hope of finding an inamorata with whom to share his life.  He was fairly quiet during the storm last night and this morning, though, so perhaps he has already found a nice Mademoiselle la Frogette to warm his clammy bed at night.....or perhaps he wants more than one, as he's just started croaking again.

You might be familiar with at least one version of the song 'Frog went a-courting', but did you know that the first printed version was published in Scotland in 1549?  That's getting on for nearly 500 years ago; it may have been sung for many years before that, but without printed proof we don't know.  Nevertheless it's a much older song than many people realise, and you could spend much time researching it should you wish.  Or you could take my word for it.

How has everyone been this week?  We've been busy here; stitches have been sewn, but not many knitted.  Words have been read.  Songs have been plinked and sung.  Another visit to the physio for some ongoing treatment for my troublesome right foot....it's been broken twice in recent years, has a bunion and now is suffering from plantar fasciitis which is not much fun, but the physio is helping so I will keep going.  At least all the problems are in one foot - the other foot is amazingly fine.  A veritable princess of a foot, one which deserves its own tiara.

Something about the rain has brought out the somewhat *rural* aroma emanating from the hill behind us, thanks to the herd of cattle which roam freely.  We wouldn't mind if they buggered off to from whence they came and stayed there, taking their smelly deposits with them.

Our hopeful suitor is still waiting.

"No lady worthy of any gentleman's regard will say "no" twice to a suit which she intends ultimately to receive with favor.  A lady should be allowed all the time she requires before making up her mind; and if the gentleman grows impatient at the delay, he is always at liberty to insist on an immediate answer and abide by the consequences of his impatience."

I wonder if that also applies to green tree frogs?

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Gone gone gone......

Those Christmas blocks have moved out of our house and are now residing at the craft centre, where my quilt group meets, awaiting a new owner.  They were taken along on Tuesday but, as no one put up a hand to take a block or two (or maybe more), they have been stashed in Our Box in the cupboard and will be brought out again in a couple of weeks.  There is another Saturday quilt group so, if no one in our group wants them, someone in the other group might.

Either way, they are no longer in my possession.  Gone gone gone.

This week's blocks were made in between storms.  Butterflies flitting around a contrast print of eucalypt blossoms and leaves......

....and a tree whose rich colours put me in mind of trees seen on autumn trips in Canada.

Numbers 91 and 92, so now there are only seven to go; the end of this month will see the last trees made, just three more weeks.

One of many autumn trees photographed in Canada, this was huge - so big that it took a while for the colour changes to happen, depending on how much sun different parts of the tree were getting.  

The colours brightened up a dull overcast day which later turned to showers, but you can see how those leaves inspired one of this week's trees.

Fort York was an interesting place to visit.  You can read about it here - Fort York - we missed out on the re-enactments which happen because we visited in autumn, and they are mostly in summer.  That would have been fun.  It's an oasis which sits quietly among the tall buildings and bustle of a modern city, something which makes it all the more peaceful by contrast.  The style of many buildings is similar to that of early Australian buildings built in the same era so there was an unexpected familiarity, although we had never been before.

A copy of the Magna Carta was on display in the newly finished visitor centre, to celebrate the 800th anniversary of that document.  Our guide was suitably impressed when she found out we were Ozzies because Australia has its own copy, dating from 1297, while Fort York's was on loan from elsewhere.

How have you all been this week?  We managed to survive some stormy weather....being kept awake by loud rumbling thunder rolling around the hills behind is not my idea of fun but we did get some welcome rain from it, and there was repeat albeit on a lesser scale yesterday afternoon after I arrived home from lunch.  Words were read, stitches were sewn and knitted; the second sleeve on the probably-a-jumper is proceeding well now.  Songs were plinked and sung.  We hunted, foraged and gathered comestibles to keep starvation at bay, and that was about our week, folks.

Yesterday was the first seasonal function, an end-of-year/Christmas lunch for members of the historical society.  It's interesting to be able to sit and chat to folk usually seen briefly.  One woman rocks a vintage look which suits her, and the talk turned to aprons because she wished she had one; she was our drinks server, and is also in charge of supper at the monthly meetings.  This morning it occurred to me that there is a pink gingham apron in our linen cupboard, part of a long-ago raffle prize, which I have never worn - it's pretty but it's pink, I don't do pink - it's been taken out, and will be gifted to Melissa if she would like it.  The pink gingham is used as a base for a cross stitch design in deeper pink, green and navy, and there is white lace trim on the pocket.

My mother's Aunt Emily would make items such as tablecloths and aprons in gingham, using the grid for what is now called 'chicken scratch' embroidery - Aunty Em didn't call it that, she used a different name which has since flown out of my brain because it's been so long; I was but a child at the time.  It's a technique I have never tried and probably never will because, even though I like the result, there are so many other things I want to try while I'm still around.

Our suitor is still hoping.

"Though a gentleman may repeat his suit with propriety after having been once repulsed, still it should not be repeated too often nor too long, lest it should degenerate into importuning."

'Importuning' means to harass repeatedly, something I am sure no gentleman worthy of the name would do to a woman for whom he professes to care.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Halloween trees

They were made on Friday, 31st October, so they are definitely Halloween trees.  Perhaps this one is being blown by the howling wind.

Not too sure what this plant is, but they are definitely flowers of some sort.  The name probably doesn't matter, anyway.

Numbers 89 and 90....so now there are only nine more trees to be made!

An idle thought popped into my head recently concerning a collection of 12 inch Christmas blocks stashed away.  These six are all the same design, and were a win in a BOM draw in my quilt group way back when we lived in the Big Smoke.  The block just peeking in on the far left is mine.  (The green wavy lines belong to the damask tablecloth used as a backdrop for my photos; I have a green one and a blue one, goodness only knows how old they are.  They were my mother's.)

These next blocks were also a win, on a retreat weekend.  From memory we were told to make a star block which could be any design, using Christmas fabrics; they were bundled together in groups of six and a few winners chosen.  These six blocks were my prize, and my block is the green and white on the centre top.

I used only two fabrics, the green and red print and the cream solid background, and the block is called 'Coronation'.  There are a lot of pieces in one 12-inch block, but it was fun to make.

My question is - what shall I do with them?  My original thought was to set all 12 blocks together and use the result as a tablecloth.  As you can see, that was never done.  However, we already have a few Christmas cloths and don't need any more.  Earlier in the week it occurred to me that they could be made into two or three table runners, one for us and the others gifted, but on laying them out I'm not sure that I love them enough to want to do that either.  In Australia we don't need quilts on the bed at Christmas, so they won't ever become a quilt.  

I may just end up giving them away to someone who can use them, rather than having them sit in my cupboard any longer.  Gone gone gone, she says, dusting her hands together with a sigh of relief.

As promised, winter made an unwelcome visit earlier in the week, and the winter woolies were dragged out again to keep us warm.  On the news that night we were told it was "the coldest October day since 2012", but we didn't remember that - because we spent most of October 2012 in Canada!  This was taken on 28th October, the same day as our record-breaking cold here, but 13 years earlier.

When visiting with Rose Marie and her husband we were taken to a pumpkin farm and corn maze, something we don't have here!  A delicious pie was bought, which we ate that evening.

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn and knitted.  Songs have been plinked and sung, and rehearsals for our choir's charity concert at the end of this month are coming along nicely.  Appointments have been dealt with too, because various hurty bits of our aging bodies need checking out from time to time.

A highlight on Wednesday was catching up with Janice and her husband who were here for a few days - we girls had a lovely chatty lunch, which was very enjoyable.  The next day our two blokes took themselves off to one of the lawn bowls clubs for a game, where a fun time was had by them too.

"A lady's first refusal.

It is not always necessary to take a lady's first refusal as absolute.  Diffidence or uncertainty as to her own feelings may sometimes influence a lady to reply in the negative, and after consideration cause her to regret that reply."

It is to be hoped that any influence brought to bear on our young lady does not cause her any distress, or make her reply something she does not wish it to be.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Double prosperity trees

In China the number 8 is believed to bring prosperity.  Its pronunciation "ba" in Mandarin sounds similar to "fa" - which means "to make fortune" - so this week's trees must be very lucky.

Number 87, a tree in a landscape....

....and number 88, the luckiest one of all, which I quite like.

These are made from fabric bought earlier this month, while the contrasts are from fabrics which were used for trees some time ago.

Only 11 trees to go, so just five more weeks.

A house with the street number "8" or even "6" is also regarded as lucky, and many Chinese buyers will accept or reject a house if the number is not considered to be fortunate.  Our house number here is "68", but we haven't struck it rich yet!  "4" is considered to quite unlucky so if you are trying to sell a house numbered "4" - or even worse, "44" - it might take a while to unload it.

On Wednesday 22nd October it was International Wombat Day.  How the world can have a day to celebrate an animal which is found wild only in Australia I don't know, although there are wombats in zoos all over the world.  Nevertheless, it is the day for the wombats so here are a few from my collection, gifts from our son in Canberra.

I love the coasters featuring illustrations from a calendar in my sewing room, also a gift from our Canberra son.  Even though it's from two years ago the picture is still changed monthly because they are such fun.  They are the work of Lenny Pelling, whose humorous illustrations make me smile - but the affection she has for all those wild creatures certainly comes through.  I was lucky enough to meet her on one of our Canberra trips, and to let her know how much I enjoy her work.

How has everyone been this week?  We hunted, foraged and gathered, so we can eat.  Words have been read, stitches have been sewn and knitted.  Fabrics have been cut for more diamonds....that new rotary cutter blade is wonderful....songs have been plinked and sung.

The Monday ukulele group is quite small, just a few compared to the much larger Thursday group, but I don't mind.  Last week we tried some new-to-us songs and no one complained, in fact they seemed to enjoy the challenge - which is such a nice change from previous reactions.  The U3A annual end of year/Christmas lunch clashes with that of my sewing guild lunch, which I will be going to; if there is to be a musical performance at the U3A lunch they will have to manage without me, but that's all right.  There are only so many weeks in a year, after all, and they compress into a small time frame as the year draws down....so there will always be clashes.

During the week we had a preview of the coming summer, and quite unpleasant it was too.  It is currently windy, and we are even getting a few drops of rain, before we have a quick return to winter (!) in a couple of days, then we go back to spring....hopefully for longer this time, before summer arrives once more.

These days 'to press a suit' means getting out the iron, but back in 1885 it meant 'to become a suitor' - as in, to have matrimony in mind.

"Do not press an unwelcome suit.

A gentleman should evince a sincere and unselfish affection for his beloved, and he will show as well as feel that her happiness must be considered before his own.  Consequently he should not press an welcome suit upon a young lady.  If she has no affection for him, and does not conceive it possible even to entertain any, it is cruel to urge her to give her person without her love.  Th eager love may believe, for the time being, that such possession would satisfy him, but the day will surely come when he will reproach his wife that she had no love for him, and he will possibly make that an excuse for all manner of unkindness."

Well, yes.  All of that.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Have you ever heard of a Jumble Berry tree?

They must exist because earlier this year I bought a jar of Jumble Berry jam - a mix of blackberries, raspberries and strawberries - in our travels, and very nice it is too.  One of this week's trees could, therefore, be a Jumble Berry tree.

A blue fabric which was used in Summertime Blues, with a contrast of even more fruit - it is printed with olive fruits and leaves, so this must indeed be a very fruity tree.

The final fabric from the Big Basket, a warm brown which puts me in mind of oak leaves in autumn.  The contrast was used to make the first tree in the Arboretum, several months ago.

Numbers 85 and 86.  All trees from now will be made from newly purchased fabric; unfortunately some of the older batiks turned out to be unusable due to colour run damage from the flood several years ago, so the recently bought fabrics will make up for them.

Only 13 to go which is six more weeks of trees; the last week will see three trees made instead of the usual two.

How has everyone been this week?  It's been a fairly musical week here; yesterday the U3A ukulele group played for the local branch of Legacy and nice things were said to us and about us and about our choice of songs.  It is never easy to play outside, especially on what turned out to be a fairly warm day, but we managed.  We played on a low stage which fortunately had a roof over us to keep the sun directly off, but the sports ground where the day was held had absolutely no shade at that time of day.  Never mind; we performed, and we eventually recovered.

I really don't like playing outside, you know......remind me of that before I ever say that I will do it again......

Earlier in the week the U3A sign-on day was held, a day at the start of each term where members can put their names down for any of the courses or activities which interest them.  As I have done in the past I took along one of my ukes just for background music, something people have enjoyed in the past, and ended up giving a surprise impromptu concert for a visiting group of residents from a nursing home!

The new Monday group starts tomorrow.  I am planning to get away from the easy songs which the Thursday group love so much, and branch out into more interesting music; a few of us want to, so we will.  As group leader (which is my title) it gets frustrating when, on trying to bring more complex songs and music into the mix, one hears "oh, I can't do that....it's too hard....my fingers hurt...I can't play that chord....." so to have people who are enthusiastic about 'new and different' is a refreshing change.

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn and knitted.  Blades on both my rotary cutters were changed - why was it put off for so long?  Cutting fabric now is like slicing butter with a hot knife, it's effortless, so the inner borders for the house quilt are cut.  Songs were, of course, played and sung....and choir was back!  Yippee!!  Our poor leader has been struggling with a bad respiratory infection for a few weeks so couldn't sing (he could barely talk) but the rest of us made up for him.  We foraged and hunted to avert starvation, so that was about the week that was.

Now, let us think of matrimony.

"Proposals of marriage.

Roles in regard to proposals of marriage cannot be laid down, for they are and should be as different as people.  The best way is to apply to the lady in person, and receive the answer from her own lips.  If courage should fail a man in this, he can resort to writing, by which he can clearly and boldly express his feelings.  A spoken declaration should be bold, manly and earnest, and so plain in its meaning that there can be no misunderstanding.  As to the exact words to be used, there can be no set formula; each proposer must be governed by his own ideas and sense of propriety in the matter."

A man with a sense of propriety is a Good Thing.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Trees within a tree

More fabrics have been bought.

On Friday a trip was undertaken an hour north to Armidale, because Armidale has two quilt shops.  One has quite contemporary fabrics and is run by a young bloke whose machine quilting is amazing and wins prizes - I spoke to him about my house quilt as I plan to have him work on it - but has no batik fabrics.  However, the other shop more than made up for that.

Aren't these fun fabrics?  A few are Aussie native flowers....the orange/red with yellow grevilleas fourth from the right, and the two on the far right which have eucalypt blossoms although they are both quite different....and, of course, some green.  With what was bought recently, that should be enough to make the required trees.

I also bought fabric for backing, a black and white  print of Callistemon flowers, otherwise known as Bottle Brushes.  We have a few growing in our garden, but ours aren't black and white.

The maple leaf fabric planned for binding suits well, and adds colour contrast.  As many of the fabrics came from Australia and some came from Canada, the backing ties down the links between those two countries quite nicely.  Perhaps it can be a Canaussian Arboretum.

So onto this week's trees....a pinkish-beige with enough life in the print to stop it looking like a blob of indeterminate colour, paired with a goldish-pinkish-berry-grape contrast.

A green tree with more trees in the contrast, so....trees within a tree.

That makes 83 and 84.  Those new fabrics were purchased at just the right time, because next week's two trees will use the last of the already-in-the-stash fabrics.

How has everyone been this week?  We mooched along as usual; went for our Nice Sunday Drive to Armidale on Friday which we quite enjoyed, but which gave my ears trouble coming back down into our valley (reminding me why we don't go up the hills more often); and we hunted, gathered and foraged to keep the wolf from the door.  Stitches were sewn and knitted.  Songs have not yet been sung because our choir leader is still unwell, but I have high hopes for next Thursday afternoon.  Many words have been read.  Some household chores have been attended to.

We are getting adjusted to daylight saving.  Today's forecast is for possible showers later which would be welcome, as things have been somewhat dry of late.  Kevin is watching the Bathurst car race on TV and it seems to be pouring rain down there; we betook ourselves for a spin (not literally!) around the track earlier in the year.  As a boy racer in his younger days he would have enjoyed not being limited to only 60 kms an hour, but he was very good and stuck strictly to the speed limit.

Despite a wet start to that day it was dry when we had our trip round the track.  This is the car we sold a few months ago.....I have suggested that we take the new(ish) car for a whirl next time we're in the area, too.

My house quilt has been calling, lately.  In my stash of black and white fabrics is one from several years ago of little cat footprints in black on white which I have decided to use for a one inch wide inner border.....so it is on the cutting table waiting its turn for the cutter.  The quilt also needs trimming before the borders are sewn on, so perhaps that should be done first.  Decisions, decisions......it was coming along nicely early last year before I fell and broke my arm, so it had to be shelved for a while.  It's now time it came off the shelf.

For nearly 30 years now I have been a member of an online quilt group, and recently an interstate member posted that she was coming to a local town for work.  We arranged to meet up last week for dinner at a local pub in a village between the town where she was working and here, and what a fun evening that was!  She asked if I would take along my tree blocks as she had seen my pics online, so I did....we had fun going through them.....and now she, too, is making trees, spreading the tree love over more forests.

"Another requisite for conjugal happiness is moral and religious sympathy, that each may walk side by side in the same path of moral purpose and social usefulness, with joint hope of immortality."

Probably.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer