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