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

Opal tree

We all know that opals don't grow on trees.  My opal jewellery (I am lucky enough to have some) certainly didn't - but if it had, it might have been from a tree such as this one.  The fabric used for trunk and branches looks very opal-y, doesn't it?  (I know there's no such word, but I don't know what it should be.....opalescent, perhaps?)  The tree fabric has a look of William Morris about it.

Water puddles in a tree, another fabric used in 'Summertime Blues'.  We have had a little rain in recent days, and more is forecast for the next couple of days too.

An interesting pair of trees for the week, taking the total so far to 42.  The original quilt used 99 blocks.

This morning some of the members of my quilt group attended a trunk show put on by a quilter visiting from interstate.  Her quilts were all antique - and even if they didn't meet the definition of a true "antique"  (an article over 100 years old) they were certainly vintage, and each and every one was hand-quilted.  Many were pieced and appliqué quilts from the 1920s-30s; this was described as being "from the time of the American Civil War, early 1860s".  I don't know if it is or not, I suspect perhaps not, but it appealed to me most of all.

A couple of the blocks showing fabrics used.  I like the red used for the alternate squares.

Not all the light fabrics in this block were the same; two of the nine-patches use a different print to the other three.

The same blue fabric was used in all the blocks, and the sashings between blocks were a different blue fabric - but once again, all used the same blue.  The tan setting triangles were the same throughout the quilt, although faded in some places more than others.

How has everyone's been been?  Ours was, as usual, fairly quiet.....stitched were stitched, words were read, songs were plinked and sung.  We went out foraging for food and similar Stuff, and that was about it.  

All very unexciting, I suppose, but at least we haven't been affected by the blackouts happening in other parts of town caused by fruit bats roosting in electricity transformers.  We are supposed to love all creatures, but bats are a species of which I am not fond - especially these bats.  They are usually more prevalent at the coast a few hours east of us, but habitat clearing sends them inland looking for just the right flowering trees.  It seems that we have an abundance of the correct trees, so that means we have thousands upon thousands of bats.  Apart from some wildlife people no one likes them, but we are stuck with them until they move on....which they will, eventually, although that can't come soon enough for those poor folk who keep losing power.  A couple in the choir were saying on Thursday night that their part of town is the worst affected; the noise and particularly the smell are difficult to live with, but as horrible as it is they cheer themselves up by saying "at least we don't live in Gaza."

Eventually the bats will move away as they have before, and we will all breathe a deep sigh of relief.  Then one day they will return......

Continuing with last week's quote.

"Driving.

The place of honor is on the right hand of the seat facing the horses.  This is also the seat of the hostess, which she never resigns.  If she is not driving, it must be offered to the most distinguished lady.  A person should enter a carriage with the back to the seat, so as to prevent turning around in the carriage.  A gentleman must be careful not to trample upon or crush a lady's dress.  In driving, one should always remember that the rule of the road is to keep to the left."

Now, that is interesting.  This book is adapted for "the Australasian colonies" from an American publication, and Americans - and indeed the citizens of many other countries - certainly don't drive on the left these days.  Perhaps the advent of the horseless carriage brought about the change of custom?

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Birthday trees

On Friday I completed another circuit around the sun.  I am not saying how old I am now, suffice it to say that I am probably older than dirt.  It was a pleasant day and I was taken out to lunch; I always enjoy a meal I haven't had to cook and I never cook on my birthday anyway, so it was doubly enjoyable.

And now I am a bigger number.

This week's trees, started on Friday and finished yesterday, so they can still be called birthday trees.

A geometric tree, just right for autumn.  The contrast was used for a tree several weeks ago, and it suits this print well.....I quite like the combination.

Another blue and green tree, because it's a pairing that always works.  The blue is leftover from 'Summertime Blues', and the green is a tone on tone from the Big Basket.  The contrast was originally going to be a different fabric but it was one which suffered from the flooding several years ago - the fabrics were dried off but not checked at the time for any problems as we had to put the house back together and replace ruined carpets, furniture, etc.  Damaged fabric was the least of my worries.

A pair of interesting trees.

We haven't seen the kangaroos on the hill behind us for some time because this herd of cattle roam around, and we are told that kangaroos don't like cattle and vice versa.  We think they belong to a bloke on the other side of the hill.

The breed is 'Speckle Park', or 'dalmatian cows' as our son called them when we told him.  They are apparently good eating.  When they visit, we notice that the air wafting around is definitely more.....rural.

How has everyone been this week?  Apart from Birthday Friday it was the usual uneventful week; stitches were sewn, words were read.  Songs were plinked and sung.  Hunting and gathering occurred, and that was about it.  It is now Mother's Day which we are spending quietly, with a welcome phone call from our Canberra son earlier.

During the week the previous U3A leader contacted me to say she would be absent for some time as she has shoulder problems, the message was very affable and friendly.  I have not replied, because I don't care.  She left me in the lurch last year without a word of warning or apology when I was still recovering from the broken arm and other injuries, so she can take a running jump.  I'm not usually nasty unless I consider I have been wronged, and in this case I do.  All sweetness and light, that's me, folks.

Moving right along.

It's been cool enough at night to have a fire burning, although we let it go out in the mornings.  This house cools down once the sun moves around by mid-afternoon, so it feels a little cooler than we like to be.  Having the fire burning on low all night means that the house warms up quickly when the sun hits it, rather than having to wait for the warmth of the sun to do so.  The first couple of winters after moving here we wondered why it was so cold in winter despite the fire, and closing doors to rooms not in use at the time etc., so we had the ceiling checked - only to find that there was absolutely no insulation in the ceiling at all.  Not a skerrick, as my Nana Davis used to say.  We soon had that remedied, and immediately noticed the difference.  There seem to have been budgetary short-cuts taken in many areas of this house when it was built; some we have had fixed, others we can live with.

"Driving.

The choicest seat in a double carriage is the one facing the horses, and gentlemen should always yield this seat to the ladies.  If only one gentleman and one lady are riding in a two-seated carriage, the gentleman must sit opposite the lady, unless she invites him to a seat by her side."

This week's quote is a wee bit long, so we will have the rest next week.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Trees, and binding, and a label......

How has everyone been this week?

This week's trees.  I've never seen a turquoise, blue and yellow tree, but no doubt they exist somewhere....even if only in my imagination.

An autumn tree, just for me.  This is my new favourite.

The twelve trees made so far were laid out to see how they look.....there are definitely some autumn colours going on there.  

My eyes are detecting a shortage of green trees, though.....that's something to be remedied, yes?

The label for Autumn Rhapsody is done.

It has, believe it or not, been pressed.  No doubt when it's sewn to the quilt that stubborn crease across the middle won't be so noticeable.....or so I'm telling myself.

The binding strips are joined and pressed in half, but I have a feeling that it won't be long enough.  The trusty tape measure will be pressed into service before starting to sew binding to quilt because another strip may need to be joined in, and that would be easier before it's three-quarters sewn to the quilt, wouldn't it.

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn, by hand and by machine.  No songs have been played or notes plinked; my tenor uke has gone to have the machine heads replaced (that's the things that the tuning pegs are attached to) but I still have two ukes and two guitars I can play when the fancy strikes.  We hunted and gathered, food was bought.

It was also the time for the annual eye check-up.  My eyes, so the optometrist tells me, are in excellent health - something for which I am thankful; my vision, however, is another story.  The cataract which has been slowly....oh, so slowly.....forming on my left eye is still nowhere near needing an operation yet, and now another is starting to form on my right eye.  If you feel that your vision is getting worse come back and see us, said the nice optometrist.  My reading glasses are having new lenses fitted, a previous prescription is serving the purpose for now, but I will be pleased to have my others back again.

The tourists are arriving....there's a big country music festival here in January; many locals bail out and leave town, some rent their homes out to visitors, some rent out a spare bedroom or two.  For the past several years we have billeted one of the performers but our usual musical friend, Paul, can't make it this year (he has medical and health stuff happening).  We will miss him, and miss our chats around the table over a cuppa, but no doubt we will make a new friend with a different muso.

Best of all, we've had rain.....not heaps and heaps, but enough to make the dead dry brown grass on the hill behind us start to show a little touch of green.  More is forecast for this week, in fact the storm radar shows that we may get rain later today.  Just in time for those festival campers setting up their tents and caravans....

The occasional visiting frog in the down pipe has been croaking frantically (well, it sounds frantic to us) sending out his "I'm available, girls....how about it?" signals to the girl frogs.  He was very loud last night; we were hoping his lady love would soon arrive and put him out of his misery, but as he was croaking earlier today he had no luck last night.  Well, that's the way love goes, isn't it.

"Occupying too many seats.

No lady will retain possession of more than her rightful seat in a crowded tram-car or railway carriage.  When others are looking for accommodations she should at once and with all cheerfulness so dispose of her baggage that the seat beside her may be occupied by someone who desires it, no matter how agreeable it may be to retain possession of it."

Yes, she should.  When I was commuting by train I noticed that many school children took up more than their one seat with their school bag, while I always kept my bag on my lap.  More than once while waiting for the afternoon train it was common to see a teen - not always the same one - spread herself and her bag over a seat which was intended for three or four people, so I would turn my back to the seat and say in my best 'teacher' voice (despite not being a teacher) "would you move your bag, please" as I lowered myself to the seat.  

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

I have a finished top!

However - I'm afraid you'll have to take my word for it because it's quite large (86in square) and my quilt holder-upper isn't a tall enough bloke with a wide enough wingspan.  We shall have to come up with Plan B to get the photo.  The kids next door are growing, a couple are now teens, they are always helpful......

Never mind.  Here, at least, is one of the perfectly mitred corners.

There are another three just like it, too.  You have no idea how pleased I am about them, my shoulder is nearly dislocated from patting myself on the back.....and they do look better than straight borders would have done.  The binding will be the same fabric as the outer borders.

Now my thoughts are turning to piecing the back.  There are a few metres of that gorgeous leaf print used in the border and blocks, and a couple of metres of a different leaf print, and some of the inner border fabric......I'll make it work.  It's going off to be quilted by a long-armer, because it's too big for me to do it justice with My Lovely New Bernina - and, all being well, I hope to enter it in the local show early next year.

How has everyone been this week?  We've been doing well, my formerly broken bits sometimes complain, but I just ignore them.  We had some rain, and more is forecast; when it rains, the neighbourhood kangaroos come around for a visit.

There were several more, too.  It wasn't raining that day but had rained the day before, so the grass was still damp and juicy.  It's a bit difficult getting good pictures of the roos because they don't stay still for long, and we don't want to encourage them down to our fence; kangaroos have been known to attack people they see as a threat, so we stay on our side of the fence when they are out and about.  There is nothing in our garden for them, we are quite happy to see them from a distance, and hope they subscribe to the belief that we hold - "if you don't bother us, we won't bother you".

One thing I did this week was to start making a bag from a pack of five inch squares that came back from Canada with me.  On our last trip a friend took me to a store not far from her house, 'Huckleberry's Fabrics Inc.', which was having a morning of demonstrations, new products and giveaways.  It was a fun day and one of my goodies was a pack of squares - but there were only 22.  What can you do with just 22 squares, without having to buy more co-ordinating fabric?  The idea finally came a couple of days ago; the 18 floral squares were laid out in six rows of three, joined together, then seamed across the bottom to make a bag.  The remaining squares, deep jewel tone-on-tones, will be used to trim the handles.  Sometime soon I will hit the big craft and fabric store for a metre of solid homespun in a suitable colour and the bag will be finished, then off it will go to be filled with toiletries and other necessities to be given to a woman in hospital who may have been admitted with no time to gather what was needed.  Our group has been making such bags for a couple of years now, and they are gratefully received.

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn by hand, and by machine.  Songs have been sung.  Exercises are still being done, although not as diligently as a couple of months ago.  We hunted and gathered for the weekly requirements, and that was about it, really.

Last month elections were held to fill places on the local council and I am shocked and surprised by the result, which was recently announced.  Our council now holds the record, not one to be proud of, for being the only council in the state without a single woman.  Not one.  Apparently the last time it happened here was in 1971, and I had already moved to the Big Smoke by then.  Even sitting female councillors who were up for re-election were not voted back in.  Now we have four years of local issues being decided by blokes, despite probably half the population being female.  A much smaller town an hour away has ended up with six women in a council of nine people, but we have none.

If I were younger I would stand for council, but I fear I have left my run thirty years too late.  The older I get, the more of a political animal I have become; back when I was of an age to be useful I didn't have as much interest in politics as I do now.

We have come to the end of Etiquette of Public Places, so now we will turn to Etiquette of Travelling.

"There is nothing that tests the natural politeness of men and women so thoroughly as travelling.  We all desire as much comfort as possible, and as a rule are selfish.  In these days of railroad travel, when every railway is equipped with elegant carriages for the comfort and convenience of its passengers, and provided with conductors and servants, the longest journeys by railroad can be made with perfect safety and but little annoyance."

To which I can only say, so many of these words could also be applied to modern plane travel.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

The best laid plans, and all that Stuff

Things do not always work as we had planned or hoped, do they?

The planned sewing didn't happen this week, sadly.  There has been some medical Stuff to get sorted out....but I have high hopes for the coming week.  It has also been very hot with severe heatwave conditions which saps my energy and makes me feel like doing nothing.  I am over summer - I'm ready for autumn now.

Never mind.  This, too, shall pass.  

We did have some excitement last week!  Just before lunch time on Monday Kevin and I were on our way out, and, as usual, he unlocked the right hand garage door to get the car. I usually get in the car in the shady garage. Imagine my shock horror when I spied a wriggling snake disappear under the left hand door, going into the garage! When we arrived home we contacted a snake catcher who duly came, as we thought it might be a brown snake. Brown snakes are nasty buggers.....very nasty indeed, and it was light brown. Probably not a brown snake, said our intrepid snake catcher, probably a whip snake, also venomous but nowhere near as bad; they are apparently quite placid and have tiny teeth, so don't inject much venom.

I don't care. A snake is a snake, in my book. I know they are protected, but there is only one of me and I like to think I am protected, and Kevin is too.

This is not a brown snake, it's a blue-tongued lizard, known in Australia as "bluey", but that is indeed the garage door under which the snake slithered.

Isn't this a peaceful spot? It's near the centre of Canberra, just 15 minutes from the centre of Australia's capital city.

And - we are planning the annual Easter trip to Canberra again, as we speak!

Our visiting musical guest has gone home, and - as always - we enjoyed having him.  He's not sure if he is coming next January, but somehow we think he will.  He's a nice bloke, and fun to have around; I have memories of him and I sitting around our kitchen table singing Hank Williams songs......well, why don't you love me like you used to do.....how come you treat me like a worn out shoe......

Words have been read, diamonds have been sewn although no more have been cut; the supply is perilous low, so hopefully more can be cut soon.  Choir and uke group are back so words have been sung and plinked; in a couple of weeks we will the first act at a memorial concert for the woman who originally formed the choir over 25 years ago, so that is a great honour.  The usual hunting and gathering have ensured that we won't starve, and that's it for the week.

Viola - you asked how many wombats are in my collection - the answer is.....I don't know!  Quite a lot, but I don't buy every wombat I see; they have to look like a wombat, not like something they are not.  The heaviest is a big 16 kg solid bronze feller which holds the front door open, and the smallest is a tiny gold wombat on a chain.  Many of my collection have been gifts too, so they have good memories.

Continuing with Etiquette of Public Places, Conduct in Church:

"In visiting a church of a different belief from your own, pay the utmost respect to the services and conform in all things to the observances of the church - that is, kneel, sit and rise with the congregation.  No matter how grotesquely some of the forms and observances may strike you, let no smile or contemptuous remark indicate the fact while in the church."

The fashions of the mid-1880s when this book was first published would, I would have thought, have made it difficult to kneel gracefully in public?  Remember - this was the age of the large bustle.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Yay! Double yay and triple yay!!

Yay even unto the nth degree yay!!!

It is done!

I am very happy with it, too.  When I can I'll get a better pic, but it is done.  The hanging split sleeve still needs to be sewn down on the back, but that doesn't count towards done, does it?

During its making I earned a lot....I learned how to quilt as you go; I learned how to do raw edge applique, something I had done very little of before this.  On our last trip to Canada our DIL and I went to a quilt show which had one of these hanging, but I didn't take a pic - because I wanted to photograph my own when it was done.

However, the most impotant thing I learned was - don't ever do anything like this again!

Now things can be moved around again in the sewing room.  The house blocks have been brought back into daylight and will now be worked on, likewise a foundation pieced project which needs its turn in the sun.  Each project has its own box; for some time now the biggest box has had fabrics and patterns for the Canadian quilt because it was large enough that the blocks could stay flat, but now it will be used for another project.

A few diamonds were cut but none joined.  No stitches were knitted; it's getting a bit warm for knitting.  Words have been read.

A few nights ago Kevin was standing over the barbecue on the back verandah (which we call the beer garden although we seldom drink beer in it) and a few of the neighbours popped by for a visit.  I think the one on the right should be wearing a "baby on board" sign.

There's always one who likes to be Nigel or Noreen No-friends on its own....

The year is slowly winding down.  A few nights ago the choir had its end of year dinner at a restaurant for a very nice meal and in a week or so the sewing group is doing lunch.  The quilt group had theirs last Saturday but I didn't go as it clashed with the choir concert, and as it was probably our very last performance ever there was no choice, was there?  Choir won't stop meeting, but we won't do concerts.

Ads are starting to appear for so-called 'talent' programs starting back on TV next year (nothing like getting in early, is there) and one young feller shown was singing, head back, eyes closed, throat tight, face contorted in agony.....if you don't enjoy it, mate, don't do it.  Simple.

Houses in our street are putting up fancy lights, the neighbours two doors down at no. 72 have a large display with just about every light flashing merrily.  When we came home from our dinner on Thursday night we passed several houses with their flashing displays and it was already 9.30 p.m......if we lived near one of those displays I would be asking (nicely, of course) (at first, anyway) if they could be turned off no later than 9 p.m.  Or preferably earlier when it just starts to get dark, because flashing lights annoy the bejabbers out of me.  Bah humbug.

This year will be just the two of us so the house will be quiet, but there will be a few decorations put out.  My Canadian tree - a small tree with decorations from Canada, some bought by me and some gifted - will go up, and the Chrissie wombats will of course make an appearance.  Even Flossie, the Jim Shore Christmas angel, might pop in for a visit.  She can keep an eye on the wombats, because Santa Paws doesn't come to naughty wombats, you know.  Even Christmas decoration wombats.

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"The first to bow.

In England strict etiquette requires that a lady, meeting upon the street a gentleman with whom she has acquaintance, shall give the first bow of recognition.  In Australia, however, good sense does not insist upon an imperative following of this rule.  A well-bred man bows and raises his hat to every lady of his acquaintance whom he meets, without waiting for her to take the iniative.  If she is well-bred, she will certainly respond to his salutation.  As politeness requires that each salute the other, their salutations should thus be simultaneous."

I remember being out with my maternal grandfather, Pop Davis, when I was a child, and he would always raise his hat if he saw someone he knew - particularly a lady.  I don't, however, remember if their mutual salutations were simultaneous.

Enjoy your days!

Decisions, decisions.....

What a week it has been.....family stuff that I won't go into, but it's been fraught.  Thank goodness I have my sewing room and my music to help keep me sane.

Having given up on this year's quilt group challenge, my thoughts are turning to next year's.  At yesterday's meeting ideas were asked for and I suggested a two colour challenge - could be a quilt, a bag, a cushion, table runner, anything - using shades of just two chosen colours.  In the absence of any other suggestions, it was chosen for the challenge.  The fact that I have a couple of two-colour UFOs to choose from is a bonus.

A few years ago I made a quilt in blue and orange:

Soeveral months ago when it was my turn to choose a block of the month for members to make I chose these two blocks in blues and greens; the finished quilt measures 48in by 60in, plus borders if used.

That's a manageable size.  More need to be made, but it's very easy.  The top left block isn't brown, it's khaki green, but green fabrics don't always photograph well.....especially deep khaki yellow-greens.

Then there are blue and yellow stars, once again my choice as a BOM.  About six or seven different star blocks were made; the pattern needs 12 large stars and 16 small ones.  My thought was to make a star sampler rather than have all the stars the same design, certainly for the large 12in stars.  There is a lot more to be done on the star design than on the blue and green design, and it's bigger to quilt.......so, I think it will be the blue and green, although I haven't given up on the stars.  It can hang around for sometime in the future.

Stitches have been sewn on the red quilt label.  No stitches have been knitted.  Words have been read, notes have been plinked and sung.  

It has rained and it has rained and it has rained some more.  The town has had yet another flood, the highest one so far this year; the ground is so wet that water can't soak in.  It runs into already full rivers and creeks which are probably silted up from previous floods so that they are shallower than they used to be, then spreads above the banks and onto the land beyond, closing and damaging roads, ruining crops, flooding houses.  So far today we haven't had a drop.....the sound you can hear right now is that of mowers doing what they can before the next shower!

The kangaroos on the hill don't mind rain.  They are often to be seen hopping around and grazing on wet grass (food and drink in one mouthful - how convenient!) and fighting.  This morning we had a female with a joey popping its head out of the pouch; I don't know if kangaroos wear 'baby on board' signs, there wasn't one to be seen, but perhaps they should.

I wonder if wet kangaroos smell as bad as wet dogs?  Or, even worse.....wet teenage boys?

Yesterday, 22nd October was World Wombat Day.  How you can have a "world" day when the wombat is unique to Australia I don't know, but it happens every October.

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"A lady walks quietly through the streets, seeing and hearing nothing that she ought not to see and hear, recognising acquaintances with a courteous bow, and friends with words of greeting.  She is always unobtrusive, never talks loudly, or laughs boisterously, or does anything to attract the attention of the passers-by.  She walks along in her own quiet, ladylike way, and by her pre-occupation is secure from any annoyance to which a person of less perfect breeding might be subjected."

All of which is a far cry from the "look at me-look at me-look at me" of current generations, yes?

Enjoy your days!

Back to vertical

Which is something I most definitely was not, last weekend; the reaction to the booster was every bit as bad as I had feared, in fact it was worse than last time.  As usual Kevin had no reaction at all, which doesn't seem fair.

It has been a sad week, though - on Thursday we had to say goodbye to Bianca, after more than 19 years.

This is my favourite pic of her, taken not long after we moved here.  Our house in the Big Smoke didn't have a Big Black Blob in the corner, a thing which, after some magic words were said and arcane deeds done, could be made to emit warmth.  (We still have a Blob, of a more modern design)  The magic words had been said, the arcane deeds done, a small fire started......and she jumped up!  She didn't stay long, but I couldn't resist a photo.

Back in the Big Smoke, helping to sort and pack.

Just to show what a pretty cat she was.....and yes, she did have eyes of different colours, but she wasn't deaf.

When she was very young she had just a few grey/black hairs on top of her head, something our vet told us could cancel out the gene which often makes odd-eyed white cats deaf.

And now we are catless.  We have always had at least one cat in our 48 years together.  The house is very quiet.

Before succumbing to the booster reaction I did manage to start the quilting on the border of my Canadian quilt, and have high hopes of being able to do more during the coming week.  Enough was done that the layers are now held firmly together, I don't need to worry about it falling apart every time it is picked up.

Some stitches have been knitted.  Some diamonds have been pieced.  Some words have been read.  That is about all I have been capable of doing.  I am seriously thinking about not having any more boosters; I suspect the government and the medical people will try to cajole/bribe/coerce/threaten us with one every six months, but I don't want to be that ill every six months.

The ukulele group has a gig next Saturday afternoon, a 'musical afternoon' we have played at in the past, before the covid plague.  (Our lives seem to be divided into BC and AC, don't they?)  We even have a couple of extra songs in reserve in case we are needed to fill in for someone who may have to cancel at short notice, always a possibility these days; when I spoke to one of the organisers yesterday she was pleased to hear it.

The new dishwasher works, for which we are thankful.  We also now have a light in our walk-in pantry, something which makes our lives easier.  It's set up with a sensor, comes on when the door is opened and goes off when it's closed, so it is not left on when it shouldn't be.

Continuing on with General Rules for Balls:

"It is necessary for a gentleman to bow to his partner before a quadrille; after, it is enough that he offers his arm and walks at least half way round the room with her.  He is not obliged to remain beside her unless he wishes to do so, but may leave her with any lady whom she knows, or conduct her to a seat."

So, gentlemen, don't just dump your quadrille partner like a hot potato.  The bow before beginning the quadrille is performed while the opening chords of the music are being played.  Gentlemen bow - ladies drop a curtsey - to one's partner, then turn and repeat to one's corner person.  Then....begin the first movement of the quadrille.  I used to enjoy dancing quadrilles, whether slow and stately or more enthusiastic.

Enjoy your days!

Pinning progress

The border on my Canadian quilt is pinned, ready to be machine quilted.

The white border won't be quilted, the narrow black inner border and the outer print border will be.  That's the block for Newfoundland and Labrador peeking in the corner.  There are a few things happening this week but - hopefully! - next weekend is free for quilting; I say "hopefully" because we are booked in to have our second covid boosters on Friday, and if I have a reaction to it like I did to the first booster back in February I won't be stirring from my bed for a few days.  Kevin had no reaction at all, but I more than made up for both of us.  

Some folk have expressed surprise that I'm not using English paper piecing to make my diamond hexagon blocks.....well, that's because I find it to be quite unutterably tedious.  This is how I make my diamonds:

First, a piece of fabric is cut four inches by two and a half inches, then the diamond template laid on the wrong side and traced around with a very fine point pencil.  Dark fabrics are done with a silver pencil.  Using a square ruler to add 1/4 in seam outside the pencil lines and a rotary cutter, four cuts later - zip zip zip zip - we have a diamond ready for sewing on the line.  It's a very quick process.

You can see how beautifully they fit together....and then they're done.  No trying to fit the old arthritic hands around paper shapes, just a straight seam from corner to corner.  More diamonds needed to be cut so this project can come with me on Tuesday, for my monthly day volunteering at a gallery.  A surprising amount of stitching can be done if there are not a lot of visitors, and if there are visitors it's often a talking point.

I love the colours in this pic....autumn leaves in the car park at Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island.

We're back in winter, our spell of milder weather (and even a little rain!) has ended again, for now at least.  This morning was very very cold; minus 2 deg C, but the 'feels like' dipped to minus 6 C.  The hill behind us was covered in a white layer of frost; even the weeds looked pretty and lacey, but it wasn't pretty enough to make me want to go outside to frolic barefoot among the dandelions, let me tell you.

The sage of the broken dishwasher continues.  Last weekend we ordered a new one....it'll take at least two to three weeks to get from the warehouse, we were told....but no!  A call came on Friday to tell us it was already in, so arrangements need to be made to have it collected, delivered and installed.  Hopefully those arrangements are already under way.

Wilson, the big black boofy overgrown teenage dog next door, is barking again.....when his owners are away he takes it on himself to bark for the whole neighbourhood......we wouldn't mind the odd bout of laryngitis now and then.  Each and every dog which is walked past his house is greeted; the neighbourhood has become noisier than it used to be as more people now have dogs, so of course there are more greetings.  He's a big softie ('big' being the word, he's a boxer/lab mix) who looks fierce and has a loud voice.  A very loud voice.  Which he uses often...there he goes again.....

Oh well.  Wilson certainly keeps burglars away from their house, and probably from ours too.  

Continuing on with General Rules for Balls:

"Never forget ball-room engagements, nor confuse them, nor promise two dances to one person.  If a lady has forgotten an engagement, the gentleman she has thus slighted must pleasantly accept her apology.  Good breeding and the appearance of good temper are inseparable."

That last sentence holds true for many circumstances, doesn't it?  Not just when forgetting that one has engaged one's self to a dance partner the fact of which has then slipped one's mind, but in other parts of our life.

Enjoy your days!

The wildlife around here is.....wild

A couple of days ago we harnessed up the trusty steed VW and drove downtown for the weekly drug run, because when you are Olde Phartes who haven't been anywhere much for the past two years (apart from one trip away, a year ago) the drug run can be a social highlight.  When we returned we drove up and stopped in front of the garage whereupon Kevin hopped out of the trusty steed, garage key in hand, to open the door.  (We are old school Olde Phartes.  We don't have one of those fancy-nancy electronic garage door opener thingies.)  As he walked around the front of the car he motioned me to come and look at something between the front of the car and the garage door.....and it was this big feller!

A big bluey, or blue tongue lizard - a very large skink.  Their tongue is indeed bright blue, and is used to scare predators.  This plump feller - we didn't ask if it was a boy or a girl - had flattened itself out to soak up warmth from the concrete in front of the west-facing garage door.  It would have been more than 30cm long, or over 12 inches in old money.  Needless to say, we didn't put the car away until it had moved back into the garden.

It is said that if you have a friendly bluey hanging around you won't have snakes, although that isn't quite so.  The story probably arose because blueys will eat snake eggs so there might seem to be fewer snakes around, but if it came to a fight between an adult brown snake and an adult blue tongue lizard the snake would probably win.  Despite this one's fearsome appearance they are good to have in the garden, as they eat snails and slugs.

Kangaroos have been coming around in the mornings, as grass with the dew still on seems to make for a tasty snack.

Progress has been made in the sewing room:  some diamonds have been cut, stitches have been taken in the flower basket quilt.  Stitches of another kind have also been knitted.  The Canadian quilt has been pulled out once more to work on the border; the batting is being inserted between front and back then it will be quilted to hold it in place.

If the world was in a different place we wouldn't be here this week, we would be in Canberra for the big folk festival.  It hasn't been held for the past two years due to the plague but is on this year......and we won't be there, first time (for me, anyway) since 1996.  By today we would have arrived, have our campsite set up and even been working the first of several volunteer shifts, something I first started doing in 2002.  Since the last festival three years ago there have been many changes, some due to the ongoing plague and others due to changes in organising personnel and procedures, but that's the way of the world now.  We understand that changes happen, even if we don't always like the changes.

Oh well.  We will see what next year brings, won't we....so much of our lives these days seem to be "wait and see'.

Our weather is definitely autumnal now.  Nights are cooler (although still not cold) and, athough the days warm up by mid afternoon, they start to cool down quicker than they did even a few weeks ago.  Perhaps if we are very lucky one day soon we might be able to take ourselves on a Nice Sunday Drive to admire some autumn leaves, because you all know how much I love those colours.

More "Suggestions for gentlemen:

A really well-bred man will remember to ask the daughters of a house to dance, as it is his imperative duty to do so; and if the ball has been given for a lady who dances, he should include her in his attentions.  If he wishes to be considered a thorough-bred gentleman, he will sacrifice himself occasionally to those who are unsought and neglected in the dance.  The consciousness of having performed a kind and courteous action will be his reward."

Back in my dancing days - not very many years ago - on entering the ballroom we were each issued with a dance card, and part of the fun was booking partners.  Sadly Kevin would not and did not dance, but I still enjoyed the exercise and the dressing-up.  Somehow, though, I don't think the twice-fractured right foot would go for an energetic polka, or even a more genteel waltz, any more.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

On to Plan B......or C........

No progress has been made on the Canadian quilt, because the corners have me stumped.  I have absolutely no idea how to make them quilt as you go unless the corner design is changed, and I don't want to change it.  I like it as it is. 

On Monday 'Weeds of Grace' was taken to my quilting friend, and as we sat in the sun enjoying a cuppa and a nibble I asked her advice on said corners.  "Well, you could......no, that wouldn't work.  Or you could perhaps......no, that won't work either" she said.  I have another person to ask for advice, fingers crossed she may have a workable suggestion.

Never mind.  A brilliant idea may pop into life into my brain one day.

Meanwhile, 'Imprismed' has been exhumed from its box.  It's not a big quilt (49 in by 56 in), it's just that I find foundation piecing a wee bit tedious although it's not difficult.......but now that its box has been re-opened (a bit like opening an Egyptian pyramid) work will continue on it.  These half-blocks are laid out but not all sewn together.

This week's houses, very bright and cheerful; one bright pink with tiny black spotty circles, and one teal with a bright orange door.

Back in the 1970s people were buying older timber or fibro houses and 'doing them up'; sometimes 'doing up' included painting the house a bright colour.  Pink was popular, so was purple.  (Well, it was the 1970s......)  The problem was that when there were only one or two bright houses in a street they really didn't go with other houses which were dark brick or the always popular white or cream paint, so the visual cohesion of the neighbourhood suffered as a result.  My neighbourhood won't have that problem, for sure, because nothing goes with anything else.

Gilbert and Sullivan's opera 'The Mikado' states in one song "When everyone is somebody, then no one's anybody".  My houses will all be somebodies so no one will stand out from the crowd.

Our world is opening up again.  We are now allowed to talk to other people although we still have to wear a bag over our head when out in public.  Kevin is hanging out for a haircut while I may have a chance to shop for undies, even if it means wearing the dreaded bag over the head mask.  Hopefully I will be able to get it done as quickly as possible, take off the mask and breathe again, because I certainly can't breathe while wearing it.  Which is a bit of a bother, really, because breathing is probably a good thing.

We may even be able to get together and play music again, and sing, and go back to choir!  The choir is due to perform at a concert at the end of November at which the ukulele group will also be playing and I will have a solo (yay me!), but we have missed over two months of singing since lockdown started which means we may not be ready to perform......and there is still no guarantee that the concert will be able to happen, anyway.  Sigh......

Earlier in the week Bianca had a trip to the vet because we were concerned about her.  She needed some fluids under the skin which she was given and has been fine since, but we know at nearly 19 she is on borrowed time.  We will just try to make her remaining weeks/months as comfortable and pain-free as possible for as long as possible.  When we moved in together over 47 years ago my grey and white cat Smokey came with me, and we have had at least one cat ever since......it will be a very quiet household indeed without Bianca.  

Continuing from last week's quote:

"It is the duty of the hostess to maintain silence among her guests during the performance of instrumental as well as vocal music.  If any are unaware of the breach of good manners they commit in talking or whispering at such times, she should by a gesture endeavour to acquaint them of the fact.  It is the duty of the hostess to see that the ladies are accompanied to the piano; that the leaves of the music are turned for them, and that they are conducted to their seats again.  When not intimately acquainted with them, the hostess should join in expressing gratification."

In other words - when at a musical entertainment of any sort, sit down, shut up, and listen.  Clap enthusiastically or politely at the end, but clap.  That is all.

The quilt group has a new home

The announcement has been made that we have a new meeting place, a building used by many craft groups, the 'Craft Shed'.  The shed has its own membership which we don't have to take out; when we first moved here I joined but left after a few years as it wasn't quite....."me".  Still, at least we have somewhere to go and it's not far from home, but oh......we will miss the meeting room at the back of the shop because of the convenience of the cafe.  That means we are back to taking a (probably unexciting) packed lunch along with us.  Oh joy......

This week's blocks, a spring rainbow house and an autumn oak leaf and acorn house with a very pink roof.

Some cutting has happened, more of the 2-1/2 in square green pieces have been cut for the outer setting triangles.  There are now 101 cut, 176 to go....yes, I keep a running total so I don't run short.  Odd shaped green fabrics are trimmed and cut into strips then squares while larger pieces are being left for other projects.

Stitching down the applique on the Canadian blocks is also coming along well, only four blocks left to go.

A couple of days ago we had rain - the pattern for a few weeks now has been rain late in the week then dry after the weekend; the coming week's forecast is for more of the same - we have noticed that the kangaroos on the hill seem to enjoy rain.  There were several roos hopping around, this one came close to the fence.  One was a fairly small joey which reminded me of an out-of-control baby just learning to walk, it hopped a little unsteadily for a few steps then veered off in another direction entirely before falling over.

Our unglamorous wire fence is a barrier to a marauding roo but doesn't obstruct our view, this is one of the smaller roos in the mob.

When we moved here it was such a joy to see these animals so close.  I grew up here but don't ever remember kangaroos being so close to town, and during the drought they were coming right into town to take advantage of what green there was in people's gardens.  As the years go by we remember the Big Smoke less and less, it feels like we have always lived here......and we both say, we couldn't go back now.  It's been a good move.

We managed to get the masked hunting and gathering done last week without too many acrimonious words.  I don't think I have ever moved so fast around the supermarket while throwing things in the trolley.  Once we arrived at the checkout (where, fortunately for once, there was no line) I was out of there, the mask came off as soon as I stepped out into the car park.  

The date and maple syrup cake/muffin was very nice.  Now that the pantry holds pecans it just might get made again, with the addition of nuts next time.

The knitting is coming along although my right arm complains if I do too much, so I suspect little and often is the way to go as it gets used to knitting a whole garment again.  Over the years a lot of my knitting has been done on car trips, but with so much of our world shut down again who knows when the next outing will be?

Sigh......

"The old-fashioned habit of abstaining from taking the last piece on the plate is no longer observed.  It is to be supposed that the vacancy can be supplied, if necessary."

I wonder how the custom even started, of leaving the last piece on a plate?

Enjoy your days!

Before today's storm hits.......

Of late it has been quite stormy, with more forecast for this afternoon and the next couple of days.  Every time there is a decent clap of thunder our internet goes off, thanks to the wonderful (not) system that the Ozzie government gave us some years ago.  Perhaps that's all they deem us worthy of.

Oh well.  Moving right along.

This week has been quite busy, so busy that I have barely set foot in the sewing room!  However two houses were made, taking the number of completed houses to 37......another 24 to go, as 61 are needed for the pattern.  No more are cut ready to be sewn, but that will be remedied in coming days.

A rainbow house, and a quiet house.  Not every house is a loud screamer, we need quiet neighbours too.

On the original quilt the outer setting triangles were made from lots and lots of red squares, but instructions are given in the book for cutting them from yardage.  I like the one-colour scrappy idea, so have decided to make mine from - of course! - green, so my houses will be surrounded by parkland.  The maths has been done; it will mean cutting lots and lots of 2-1/2 in green strips, then piecing and cross cutting and re-assembling, but it will be easy peasy sewing......and be worth the effort when done.  

Despite the busy week some stitches were made on the tumbler quilt, the centre panel of which is now two-thirds done.

Another end-of-year lunch on Wednesday, this time for my sewing group.  Two volunteer days, one at a gallery and one at a historical museum, an appointment or two......and the week sped by on wings.  The coming week looks to be a little calmer with a nice lunch to look forward to on Christmas Day, and another lunch with visiting friends next weekend.

Hard to believe that we are so close to the end of what has been a less-than-fabulous year, isn't it?  I don't think there will be many people who are sorry to bid farewell to 2020.

Kevin has been keeping himself amused of late by some family history research.  On his father's side there is a connection to a circus which toured Australia for over 100 years, Perry's Circus; his father's mother was Emily Perry, described as an "equestrienne" (she was a bare back rider), and his father's dad played in the circus band.  We took our boys to see the circus a couple of times when they were young, they were most impressed - imagine finding out, at about 6-8 years of age, that you were actually related to a lion trainer and being able to watch him in action!

Back in those days the house we lived in was not far from a park where the circus would set up, and the vet who treated our cat was nearby too.  One time when we mentioned our connection to the circus he told us that he had been contacted to ask about a 'home visit', to which he replied that he didn't do that, the animal would have to be brought to him.  "Ah - no, I think you had better come to us" was the reply.  One of the circus lions had an ingrown eyelash which needed treatment - he said he managed to get it sedated and treated, but also that it was a bit scary trying to sedate a lion while it glared at him balefully from the other side of the cage bars.

"Wines at dinner.

The menu of a dinner party is by some not regarded as complete, unless it includes one or more varieties of wine.  When used it is first served after soup, but any guest may, with propriety, decline being served.  This, however, must not be done ostentatiously.  Simply say to the waiter, or whoever pours it, "not any; thank you."  Wine, offered at a dinner party, should never be criticized, however poor it may be.  A person who has partaken of wine, may also decline to have the glass filled again."

Wise words to keep in mind during the party season, although I suspect that this year's party season will be tamer than in past years.
 

Enjoy your days!