A bit of a "ta-da" moment

Arboretum is now a finished top.

It was a bit too big for my regular holder-upper's help, so yesterday it came along to quilt group with me where some obliging arms helped hold it.  It was even a bit large for those arms, but never mind.  It's done.....and I am thrilled with it!

Now to join some wadding pieces together, and go shopping for backing fabric, and have it quilted.  And of course, not to forget to make a label.

The thought has even occurred to me that four more trees could be made and turned into a seasonal hanging....now, that would be fun.....

How has everyone been?  The Hay Fever from Hades is (mostly) moving back to from whence it came, thank goodness, although every now and then it makes an unwelcome return to tap me on the shoulder as a reminder of its presence.  We had some rain earlier in the week and more is forecast for the coming week, so perhaps that will wash away some dust.  The hill behind us was dry, dead and brown, but now it has a little coating of green.

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn, but not knitted.  Much practicing of next Sunday's poem and song competition pieces have been taking place, and those errant chords are now firmly fixed in my brain along with the words; a little fine tuning, and it will be even better.  I made it to choir on Thursday afternoon after two weeks' absence and managed most of the notes, although there were a few which defeated me.  We hunted and foraged, our regular social activity - there's usually someone we know to chat to as we wend our way around the shops, so it's quite a sociable pastime for a couple of Olde Phartes.

There are still trees with autumn colour, but those leaves are rapidly dropping; a tree not far from our place will soon have bare branches as its glorious red/bronze leaves will be a thing of the past - but also of the future, because next year it will happen all over again. 

"The bridal costume.

The most approved bridal costume for young brides is of white silk, high corsage, a long wide veil of white tulle, reaching to the feet, and a wreath of maiden-blush roses with orange blossoms.  The roses she can continue to wear, but the orange blossoms are only suitable for the ceremony."  

I am assuming that the maiden-blush roses are artificial, as real roses could be used for one occasion only.  The "white wedding dress" with its accompaniments is a relative modern idea, started by Queen Victoria back in 1840; before then a wedding dress was not necessarily new (a bride would probably wear her best dress, no matter what the colour) or even white.  A white dress was not a practical idea in those days before modern washing machines, so only wealthy families could afford such an unsuitable dress for a daughter's wedding.  The 'virginal purity' symbolism of a white dress is, likewise, not such a very old idea either, just something which has become attached to the colour white over the years.

Besides which, white doesn't suit everyone, does it?

When Kevin and I married, my dress was a very 1970s long floral dress with a deep double frill around the hem, much in style for the time.  It was certainly not white.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Laid out ready to be sewn together!

All the blocks for Arboretum are laid out on the design bed.

I think this will be the final layout, but of course it's subject to change.  Every now and then I look at the blocks then swap a couple around, but it's pretty close to being ready to sew now.  I hope.  I didn't go for the colourwash idea, because it's never appealed to me - I quite like random.  Nature is random, after all, it's not neat and tidy.

However, I am having second thoughts about the backing fabric.  It's black and white; although I really like it I would have preferred something more autumn-y, so perhaps I should go shopping again.  The black and white fabric can instead be used as the backing on another quilt in progress, one which has lots of black and white.  Decisions, decisions......looks were looked at fabrics during our trip away, but nothing jumped up and down and said "pick me, pick me"......

The labels for both Arboretum and the house quilt have been put into the brain cells to be worked on.  A few years ago a skein of multi-coloured floss was purchased for the house quilt label, and my brain is thinking it will also do nicely for Arboretum's label.

We have noticed that trees are finally turning, leaves are changing colour at last.  No pics of autumn colours were taken on our recent holiday, because there was very little to take; most trees were still wearing their summer clothes, albeit somewhat faded in places.  With the much cooler weather of late there would now be autumn colours galore down south, but we're not about to head off again to find out.

How has everyone been this week?  We've been settling back into our everyday life once more.  Stitches have been sewn but none knitted, although that should change this week.  While we were away the final stitches were knitted on the second sleeve, the page was turned to the instructions for the jumper front, and the knitting bag was reached into for the required 3.25 ml circular needle to cast on......but alas, there was none!  It had been left at home!  Never mind; off to the big op shop, but neither a 3.25 ml circular nor a pair of 3.25 ml needles were to be found.  Not to worry, a set of four 3.25 ml was purchased and when the predicament was explained to the helpful young bloke volunteering at the counter he gave me some rubber bands to improvise 'knobs' on the ends of the needles to stop stitches sliding off.  The required number of stitches was cast on for the front and many rows knitted before we arrived home, and the next row could then be knitted onto my preferred circular needle.

Words have been read.  We went out hunting and foraging to avert starvation, probably a good idea, but of course it has to be done again and again, doesn't it?  That troublesome wrist has mostly been behaving itself, the brace has been worn when needed, and all is (mostly) good.

Final words on Breaking an Engagement:

"Many men, in taking retrospective glances, remember how they were devoted to women, the memory of whom calls up only a vague sort of wonder how they ever could have fallen into the state of infatuation in which they once were.  The same may be said of many women.  Heart-breaking separations have taken place between young men and young women who have learned that the sting of parting does not last forever.  The heart, lacerated by a hopeless or misplaced attachment, when severed from the cause of its woe, gradually heals and prepares itself to receive fresh wounds, for affection requires either a constant contemplation of, or intercourse with, its object, to keep it alive."

Well, yes.  Time heals all wounds, as they say.  Or perhaps it's, time wounds all heels.....

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Some days....

....I swear some of the rubber bands holding my brain together just snap....

Yesterday afternoon quilting was started on the Canadian table centre.  When this pattern was made several years ago the quilting was a few parallel rows of stitching inside the borders; the first row was 1/4 in inside the border then another row 1/2 in inside that row.  A gap of a couple of inches then two more rows half an inch apart finished the quilting for the centre section.  It was easy and looked good, so the idea was to quilt the Canadian centre the same way.

Fast forward to yesterday afternoon:  first the bobbin thread ran out - my own fault for not checking before I started, that was the first rubber band snapping.  The bobbin was filled so off we went again; the first row was stitched 1/4 in inside the border with no problems, then the second row started 1/2 in inside that.  Somehow, though, when the first corner was turned the second row became 1/4 in inside the first instead of 1/2 in, and that was kept up until the last corner was turned.  When it was realised that those two rows of stitching were not going to line up the decision had to be made - lots of unpicking to sew the second line 1/2 inch away from the first, or a very small amount to continue with 1/4 inch away.  Not much choice, really.....

So the first two rows are now 1/4 inch apart, and will stay that way.

Subsequent lines will be stitched 1/4 in apart, to finish off quilting the centre.  The borders will be quilted in the ditch (not my favourite method of finishing a project, but all that this simple design needs) and it will be bound in a red maple leaf print.

This pic was taken at Mount Tomah Botanic Garden the same day as last week's waratah pics, this is how they grow in the wild.

A flowering waratah bush is quite a sight.  Sadly they don't grow around here as the soil is wrong - they grow on sandy ridges, something we don't have - and being in a valley, our summers are too hot.

How has everyone been?  Fortunately it has cooled here - not a lot, but still better than the extreme heat of late January - a little rain fell last weekend, with more forecast tomorrow.  Just in time, because the garden is getting crispy from the heat.  I had plans earlier in the week but a severe (fortunately only occasional, and not usually this bad) flare up of bursitis and sciatica laid me low for several days.  Never mind; all is much better, I can move again without agonising pain on every step, and my energy is back.

Words have been read, many words, because when one is feeling poorly and in severe pain one finds it difficult to be energetic so sitting in one's supportive chair reading is a good way to pass the time.  Stitches have been knitted, stitches have been sewn, more diamonds have been cut for my tumbling blocks quilt; the design requires 449 hexagons, each made of three diamonds, which by my calculations makes 1347 diamonds in total.  There are three bags each containing 100 completed hexagons, and that fourth hundred is also proceeding nicely.  We hunted and foraged.  That was the week, that was.

Monday afternoon ukulele is back, yay!  We seem to have lost a couple of people but have gained two newies who want to progress beyond easy chords, so that's good.  Choir also started back last Thursday afternoon, so my musical life has resumed once more.  It is very much missed when in recess.

While out and about recently we have become aware that several trees seem to be preparing for their autumn change, something I have noticed happens here in late summer.  Either that, or they are just stressed by the heat the same as humans are.  First the green leaves lose some of their brightness then they begin to look washed-out and faded, even though it's still a couple of months until autumn.  I don't remember seeing these changes when we lived in the Big Smoke, but then the climate is very different down there; autumn passed by in a flash, winter likewise, and before we knew it it was back to summer's never-ending humidity.

The winter sports carnival is on again overseas.  I am not, and never have been, one for sport; at school I managed to get out of most sporting activities, not that it was a difficult decision to do so.  In those days it was all about winning rather than taking part - I suspect it still is - and as I was never going to be a world-beater in any physical activity I had no interest in it at all.  Didn't then, don't now.  For many years my chosen activity was dancing, international dance - Irish and Scottish, dances from Australia's past, just about any form of social (as opposed to theatrical) dance, and great fun it was too, but sadly that twice-broken foot means that my dancing days are done.

Sigh.....

"The position of an engaged woman.

An engaged woman should eschew all flirtations, though it does not follow that she is to cut herself off from all association with the other sex because she has chosen her future husband.  She may still have friends and acquaintances, but she must try to conduct herself in such a manner as to give no offence."

This is so.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

May the fourth, and all that Stuff

Although I'm not a Star Wars fan....my brain doesn't do science fiction, I have never seen any of the movies and don't really care for the music either, but they are popular.  So, May the fourth be with you, and all that.

Moving right along.

This print has different background colours including pink and green but many of the flowers on the green background have solid petals, making them dark blobs.  That might be good on a larger block but not one this size, so just the orange background was used.  

This blue fabric was the back of Summertime Blues - as soon my eyes hit on it at the quilt shop, I knew it was perfect.  The orange fabric has been used on another tree, a dark green one, but it looks different here because of the background.  I'm not going to be precious about only using fabrics once....if they look good they will be used, and this looks good.

This week's bright trees.

During our visit to Canberra in March we managed to find a parking spot at the National Arboretum, a rare thing indeed as it's a very popular place to visit, so we had lunch at their cafe with the wonderful views.  We were too early for the autumn colour, although some plantings were starting to change.  We don't visit the Arboretum every time we are in Canberra, but we go often enough that we can enjoy its progress over time.

How have you all been?  We survived an election yesterday; some people may be disappointed by the result but, as it was well and truly a majority win, many people are obviously pleased.  Our MP has been returned....he wasn't part of the winning team....perhaps one day he won't be our MP any more, either.  We can only live in hope.

Words have been read, and music has been sorted.  Stitches have been sewn.  There is mending in the sewing room waiting to be done, a bed sheet which has a small hole to be fixed before it gets washed, otherwise that small hole may become a much larger hole during its time in the washing machine.  Songs were sung at choir.  We hunted and gathered to avert starvation, and that was the week.

Best of all, it's definitely autumn!  For the past few nights we have had a fire to keep us warm, and to stop the house from cooling down too much overnight.  Earlier in the week the slow cooker came out for the first time in quite a while, to be used for maple mustard chicken; it's a bit like honey mustard but with maple syrup instead of honey - it's quite yummy.  Shorts have been put away and longer sleeves brought out.  I don't mind cooler weather but do feel the cold, so need to warmly dressed for it; the maximum daytime temperature is deceiving, as the wind chill takes it down several degrees.  Lovely in the sun, but as soon as you turn a corner into that south-easterly breeze it's a different story.

We have an anniversary coming up this week - on Wednesday 7th May it will be 15 years since we shook the dust of the city off our heels and moved here, to the Small Smoke.  It's been a good decision; nowhere in the world is perfect, but it comes pretty darn close for us.  15 years is a whole decade and a half....it doesn't seem that long!

"Assisting a lady to alight from her horse.

After the ride, the gentleman must assist his companion to alight.  She must first free her knee from the pommel, and be certain that her habit is entirely disengaged.  He must then take her left hand in his right, and offer his left hand as a step for her foot.  He then lowers his hand slowly and allows her to reach the ground gently without springing.  A lady should not attempt to spring from the saddle."

That sounds complicated, doesn't it?  I wouldn't blame a lady for springing, you know.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Finally....

....some quilting is happening on my little hanging.  Some is still to be done, and provided that he promised storms don't eventuate that may happen later; being slightly fiddly stop-start stuff it takes longer than one would think.

Using a computerised machine in a storm is not, apparently, a Good Thing.  So I don't.  The plug only goes in the wall socket when I am using the machine.

Incidentally, something we have learned while watching home renno shows on our visits to Canada  - what we call a socket, or a power point, over there is called a 'receptacle'.  We speak the same language, but sometimes you would never know it.

Because it is autumn over there in the Land of the Maple Leaf beautiful pics are appearing on social media, and I am sighing with longing.  These trees were taken on the same visit to Bayfield.

The colour difference from green to orange is striking.  Obviously this was trimmed by someone who went to the same school of tree lopping that some people attend here, with the same unfortunate result....but the leaves are a lovely colour.

Bayfield is a very pretty town and the trees make a beautiful display, even if the occasional specimen wasn't trimmed as well as it could have been.

Diamonds have been cut and sewn.  Words have been read.  Notes have been plinked and sung.  Words have been read.  The usual forays to shops for various items....and so passes another seven days, or sennight, as we apparently used to say in centuries gone by.  It means - obviously! - seven nights and days.  A week.

It is indeed storm season here, and we have had a few of late.  As we speak the wind is picking up and a check of the weather radar shows storms not far away.  We had some welcome rain last night, a change from the previous day which was quite miserable; we woke up to the smell of smoke - even inside the house - from fires a couple of hours north.  My eyes were miserable, my nose was miserable, and I had a miserable headache.  Fortunately yesterday was much clearer, the weather change is helping put fires out and the smoke is blowing somewhere else.

Last month was an anniversary, 15 years since I started blogging.....it just passed me by, I completely forgot about it.....that's a lot of waffle over a long time about not much, isn't it?

Christmas Stuff is starting to appear in shops, Christmas music is sneaking into the classical music station playlists.  It will be here before we know it, folks.  We have made no plans for anything special although I did point out that, if I still had to prepare and cook a fancy meal (even a fairly plain meal) it was just the same as any other day for me.  In years past we have gone to a restaurant for lunch, but they are pricing themselves out of our reach for just one meal.  Perhaps we could go to a Chinese restaurant instead.....I like honey chicken, I know it's not very authentic Chinese food but I don't care.  I just like it.

Our U3A ukulele course leader was back on Thursday, much to my relief.....however, she announced that she was stepping down next year.  I know she would like me to take over, but I am undecided; while she knows I already have other Stuff in my life as well - we both do - a previous male leader is making noises about coming back and taking over, and neither of us want that.  We are meeting up tomorrow for a cuppa and a chat so I can find out just what is involved; if she is prepared to back me up, it might be possible.  We'll see what our chat throws up.  Even if I give it a trial for a year.....I'm sure I can survive a year.....

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street, Some General Suggestions:

"Do not quarrel with a cab driver about his fare, but pay him and dismiss him.  If you have a complaint to make against him, take his name and make it to the proper authorities.  It is rude to keep a lady waiting while you are disputing with a cabman."

Words just as relevant now as when they were first published in 1885, yes?

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Sniffle sniff....

Wretched hayfever....it certainly is a bad season this year.  I don't usually succumb to spring sniffles, mine are more common in autumn due to tree pollen, but not this time.  The spring equinox was yesterday afternoon and, according to Those Who Know, it is a bad hayfever season.

Oh well.  This, too, will pass.  In the meantime, it just leaves me feeling miserable.  And sniffly.

Our quilt group's show was yesterday and this morning, packing up was done just after lunch today, and the quilts are now back in their respective homes.  We have learned a lot and the decision has been made to hold a show every two years, it was felt that is often enough; there is a lot of organising to be done, and as it was the first for this group we had a lot of learning to do.  We aren't a large group which is fortunate as the venue isn't large, either.

Because my brain just wasn't functioning (blame the sniffles) I forgot to take pics of the show, but my quilts were well received.  It was decided not to have a "viewer's choice" vote.  How do you single out just one quilt?  The makers all put their heart and soul into their quilts, and if they don't appeal to one person they will appeal to another anyway.  

Let's see what we can find in the picture vaults.  We are heading into our warm time, so some autumn pics from our last holiday in Canada will be just the thing to cool us down.

I have often taken a photo of just one fallen leaf on the ground.  This one appealed because of the contrast between the bright leaf and the granite pebbles - however it's not a big leaf and the pebbles are quite small, so it was a "squat down and hope I can get up again" pic!

Lake Huron on a windy day.  Even though it is landlocked, it can whip up some fearsome stormy weather.

There is a reason for the green.....it was a drizzly day when we visited.

Another "squat down." pic.  

Sometimes interesting Stuff is at ground level, isn't it?  So we just have to grit our teeth, and bend or squat and hope we don't get stuck, because without a fancy-nancy big camera with lots of whoopi-doo lenses it's only possible to zoom in a certain amount without losing clarity.

Unlike many of you, I don't take photos with my phone.  Correction - one photo has been taken of autumn leaves on the ground, which was made into the home screen.  That is it.  Many people have their lives documented on their phone; it is whipped out so the rest of us (whether we want to or not) can duly admire the latest grandchild, or a dish served in a restaurant, or a view from a recent holiday.  All well and good until the phone is lost or stolen, or dropped and run over by a car......it's all gone then.  We download our photos onto our computer and yes, I know computers can fail too.  When we had those two plumbing floods several years ago we lost some older photos, but we seldom looked at them anyway.  Perhaps one day we will go through them and just keep a few.

Words have been read.  Notes have been plinked and sung, we played for a birthday function on Wednesday for one of the local VIEW Clubs which was celebrating its 55th birthday - the ladies had fun singing along with us, some even jumped up and danced!  Diamonds have been joined, but the supply is quite low so more need to be cut.  

The next couple of weeks will not be as busy as usual.  No uke on Monday afternoons as it's school holidays and some members have grandparent duty, the same for our Thursday afternoon U3A uke group.  Choir continues, as it's an evening activity.  There are no pending appointments, although hunting and gathering will continue because we need to eat.

"Avoiding carriages.

For a lady to run across the street to avoid an approaching carriage is inelegant and also dangerous. To attempt to cross the street between the carriages of a funeral procession, is rude and disrespectful.  The foreign custom of removing the hat and standing in a respectful attitude until the melancholy train has passed, is a commendable one to be followed in this country."

This is good advice.  

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Well.....

.....I won!  Yay me!!

You could have knocked me down with the proverbial feather yesterday when my name was announced as the winner of the Mature Performers' concert at the Eisteddfod.  It's a mixed bag......we had poetry reciters, solo singers and various instrumental ensembles ranging from a string ensemble to a clarinet choir, no doubt making the job of the adjudicators a bit difficult.  A bit like comparing oranges and apples, I would think.  The winner is the performer judged to be 'the most entertaining'.  I played my tenor ukulele and sang a song arrangement that I worked out a few years ago, a mix of 'Five foot two, eyes of blue' and 'Ain't she sweet' that I call 'Ain't my girl sweet'.  I could see some of the audience singing along - they even worked out how the songs twisted together, and I was given a great round of applause.

So now I have my own trophy to keep forever (still to have my name engraved), a perpetual trophy (also to be engraved with my name) that I get to keep for a year, and I was even told there will be money.  How about that?

What a year.  A few months ago my hanging won a blue ribbon at the show, then I win at the Eisteddfod.....what next, I wonder?  Where does one go from here?

Not one pic has been taken this week as it's been rather busy, as you can imagine, but we can trawl through the vaults.

Autumn in Canberra is always beautiful; it's a colder climate than here and usually puts on a great display of colour.  These pics were taken at an 'Open Garden' visit.  This has to be the most fragrant rose I have ever smelled, it was climbing along a trellis by a small lake.  If you are into roses it would make a lovely addition to your garden, just look up 'Nahema rose' for details.

 I don't know who, or what or where 'Nahema' is.

The garden had many large pine trees blocking the light and it was an overcast day, so the bright leaves on this plant really shone out.  I don't know what it is....some sort of oak, perhaps?

There was a small lake - the rose trellis was along one side of the water.

Just inside the entrance we were greeted by these colours.

The blue and green blocks currently spread out will be pinned to the sheet under them so it can be rolled up, as the spare bed they are on will be needed for a visitor this week.  I am happy with the layout as it is, and that will keep them in order until they can be sewn together.  The ukulele group has a gig during the week at a retirement complex - we have played for them before; they like our songs and they also put on a scrumptious afternoon tea for us - that will be the last of the current musical calendar for a little while, so sewing can come to the forefront again.

No diamonds have been joined and no more have been cut, although that needs to change soon.  Words have been read and stitches knitted. with not many rows remaining until the front is divided for the neck.  When I receive my prize money it may be spent on some more knitting yarn.....the blues and greens of 'Mystic' appeal to me, but then, so do some of the other colours.....decisions, decisions....

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"It is rude to sneer at and depreciate goods, and exceedingly discourteous to the salesman.  Use no deceit, but be honest with them, if you wish them to be honest with you."

Indeed.  This is one time when it is probably preferable to say nothing, rather than to be negative.  You can always vote with your feet if you are unhappy with the goods on offer.

Enjoy your days!

Green calm below, blue quietness above

Isn't that lovely?  It comes from the writings of John Greenleaf Whittier, an American writer.  It turned up when I looked for quotes about green and blue together, and could make a suitable name for my green and blue quilt.  Here are some finished blocks, some cut ready to be sewn, and lots more luscious fabrics waiting to be chopped up.

It has made me realise that more of my greens are on the yellow side of the spectrum than the blue side.  Several blocks have been made, and more will be cut - it is turning out to be quite a fun project!

This week has seen me turning a year older.  My birthday was on Tuesday so we went out to lunch - I always enjoy a meal I haven't had to cook - and we even let our hair down with a glass of bubbly too.  I am feeling more ancient with every passing year.....

When we had breakfast with our son while visiting Canberra he gave me an early birthday gift, a beautiful print of a sleeping baby wombat by Alison Dickin.  We have a couple of framing places here so it will soon be taken to get framed; I am thinking perhaps a narrow pale wood, but will see what choices are on offer,

A couple more pics from our visit to the National Rock Garden.  Don't you think a large slab of this limestone, cut and polished, would make a dramatic wall?

Such a shame that the explanatory plaques have been scratched by small-minded people who need to find a more suitable outlet for their so-called 'creativity'.

This Metasomatite was possibly my favourite.  Close up there are many colours in it, and they are more subtle than the limestone above.  

It's quite old, too.  It's even older than I am.

Words have been read, diamonds have been stitched.  Notes have been plinked and sung.  Knitting has been knitted and pulled undone again, because I didn't like how the cable was turning out.  Another cable was found in one of my stitch dictionaries, less ornate than my original choice, but I think it will serve well.  Eventually a final choice will be made, and there will be much rejoicing.

In the morning the choir will be singing at the funeral of one of our long-time members who died recently, aged 95.  A month before Christmas he went into palliative care, we thought that was the beginning of the end - but he rallied, and went home!  However, given his age we knew this day would inevitably come so at his wife's request (she is also a choir member) we have been rehearsing the 23rd Psalm, and tomorrow we will honour our old friend with our voices.

Our little taste of winter has been just that, a little taste, and now we are in the 'cool nights and mornings followed by lovely sunny days' part of autumn.  We know it won't last, but will enjoy it while it does.  Leaves are changing, our few frosty mornings have obviously given them the "it's time now" signal, and finally we can enjoy the beauty of autumn.

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"Fulfilling an engagement.

When on your way to fill an engagement, if a friend stops you on the street you may, without committing a breach of etiquette, tell him of your appointment, and release yourself from any delay that may be occasioned by a long talk; but do so in a courteous manner, expressing regret for the necessity."

It is good to be courteous.  How many of us, I wonder, have used the "sorry, can't stop, I have an appointment" excuse to get away from someone?  

Enjoy your days!

We are back - but the caravan is still on holiday

We had a great time, marred only by a mechanical problem with the van the day before we were due home.  However.....the necessary part has been sourced which we will be taking back over the highway this week, and hopefully it will be home with us where it belongs later this week.

It was lovely catching up with family and friends.  Our son is doing well; we were able to attend one of his performances, something which, living so far away, we can't do very often, and which we enjoyed.  The One And Only Grandkid is shooting up like the proverbial weed and already up to (possibly even slightly past) my shoulders; mind you, I'm not very tall!  To me, however, the joy of playing and sharing music again with friends at the folk festival, some of them not seen for four years, was the highlight of my time away.....but, after so long, everyone looks so much older and several people were missing.

Over the years, on our annual trips to Canberra, we have seen many of its attractions, including the autumn colours - which, this year, were more beautiful than we have seen for many years.  Perhaps that was helped by their mild cool summer.....April was certainly cool this year!  One place we hadn't been before was the National Rock Garden.

Although the sign says "proposed future site" there are already several large rocks in place.  We counted 11.

This is from Western Australia, such a rich red.

A little information which hopefully can be read.

Doesn't it look like a bird?  But no - it's a large chunk of grey norite, some of which has been cut away and polished to show the beauty inside its craggy exterior.

Adelong is a small town south of Canberra.

This is a view of The Warrumbungles, such a rugged interesting place, that we will pass again on our way to the van.

Our van is waiting for us at Tooraweenah, in the valley to the left in this pic......as the article in the link says, it's a very small town!  However it's in a beautiful area, and at night the stars have to be seen to be believed; not far away is an important observatory which is interesting to read about if you are into sky Stuff.  The drive from here is about three hours.

Of course a little fabric shopping happened.....a few blues, and a gorgeous yellowish-green that just jumped into my hand.....

There is a blue and green project in progress in my sewing room, and my stash of blue fabrics needed a boost.  These will help nicely.

Some knitting happened while travelling, the second sleeve of my jumper is finished and the front is started.  A few diamonds were joined, words were read.  Crosswords were completed.  Plinking and singing were indulged in.  Once we return with our hopefully fixed caravan on Thursday, normal life (such as it is) can resume at Chez Wombats.

Some new-to-us clothes were bought in Canberra, their op shops are excellent.  Those elusive black cropped pants, however, are still out in the wind somewhere.  Perhaps one day......one of the tops bought on a Canberra op shop foray has already been worn.  It was donned yesterday afternoon for a farewell to a much-loved member of our choir who is moving several hours away to be closer to family, and who will be much missed.  

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"Two gentlemen walking with a lady.

When two gentlemen are walking with a lady in the street they should not both be on the same side of her, but one of them should walk upon the outside and the other upon the inside."

Yes indeed.  That way, she should feel protected on both sides.

Enjoy your days!

Counting down

Only eight days until we leave for our trip down south, and those eight days are going to be fairly busy.  The worst part is always deciding what clothes to take as it's such a changeable time of year where we will be going - warm one day, cool and rainy the next, even downright chilly at times.  Layers, layers.....at least we aren't going to a far-flung outpost several days from civilisation so if a different selection of clothing is required, there are always shops.  

We don't take much food with us, our little caravan has limited storage so we buy fresh as it's needed - and, of course, there might be a quilt shop or two (or three) to visit.

And there will be autumn colours.....

This was taken on a cool late afternoon at the beautiful Japanese garden in Cowra.

A magnificent oak tree in Boorowa.....for such a small town, Boorowa has excellent cafés; it's often a coffee or lunch stop depending on the time of day we are passing through.

Dahlias adorning our morning tea table at an 'open garden' visit outside Canberra.

A park in Bathurst.

A magnificent tree in Sofala, now quite a small village, but in the 1870s when some of Kevin's ancestors lived there it was a hive of activity during a gold rush.

This pic was taken back in 2011.  A year or so later we again stopped off at Sofala....."something is missing".....we said......then we realised that this beautiful tree was no more.  According to the woman in the local store it was clandestinely chopped down very early morning before anyone (other than the chopper/s, of course) was awake.  Next time we drove through I dropped off a print of this photo to the store lady and it was prominently displayed in the store.  The tree removal, it seems, was controversial and done by very few people.

Notes have been plinked and sung, as we have a gig at a retirement community on Wednesday afternoon.  We played there a few months ago and were treated to a beautiful afternoon tea - something to look forward to again, and the audience was very appreciative of our songs.

Words have been read, some stitches have been knitted.  A little music sorting has happened.....the end is getting closer, yay!  

Diamonds have been cut but many more need to be done, as I need a lot to take away with me.  A few were sewn yesterday at quilt group, a few more will be sewn on Tuesday during my monthly volunteer 'job' at a local gallery.  My duties are just to 'meet and greet' visitors when they arrive, and Tuesday afternoons are often quiet, so I sit and stitch.  Recently I was asked to bring in one of my quilts to be possibly featured on their social media pages - how good is that?  Perhaps I should take my blue-ribbon-winning hanging.....or perhaps I should take my tumbler quilt, as some of it was stitched while 'meeting and greeting' at the gallery.....or perhaps my blue and orange quilt so they can see that not everything I make is brown......decisions, decisions.....

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"Shouting.

Never speak to your acquaintances from one side of the street to the other.  Shouting is a certain sign of vulgarity.  First approach, and then make your communication to your acquaintance or friend in a moderately loud tone of voice."

Even back in the days this was first written a street would have been a fairly noisy place, with horses, carriages, carts, etc., no doubt making it difficult to hear someone calling from the other side unless they were indeed shouting.  With traffic these days, it would be well nigh impossible.

Enjoy your days!

Sifting and sorting

Those many piles of music are gradually being sorted.....goodness, I had no idea there was quite that much....but it will be good to have it done, and to have it all in alphabetical order.  It has gotten to the stage where I couldn't find songs I knew I had so I would make another copy, and that is wasteful.

As a resuly not one stitch has been sewn, not one stitch knitted, although that will change once the music is sorted.  Words have been read, songs have been sung and plinked.

Consequently there are no pics of anything in progress, so we will visit the vault instead and enjoy a taste of autumn to come.

The pic doesn't quite do this tree justice - its colouring was spectacular and caught my eye when we parked behind the shops in Midland.

The building behind the tree was a child care centre.  I would have also photographed the carpet of fallen leaves under the tree but a person with a camera approaching a child care centre might seem suspicious, yes?

After several visits we have decided that Vancouver Island should be called 'The Land of Tall Straight Trees'.

Taken on a cool damp day.....the ground under the trees probably doesn't see much sun, so perhaps it never really dries out.  

A fallen tree with its coat of - moss? lichen? - not sure, but it was pretty.

Speaking of knitting, the Big Decision has been made as to the cable pattern on my in-progress jumper.  There will be two repeats of a twirled and twisted cable running up the centre front, and on each side will another narrow rope cable; enough to make it interesting to knit, but not so complicated or difficult that it will never get finished.  So....one will sit down with pencil and paper and write out the pattern sequence, then one will type it in large font so it can be easily read in a moving car.

Later this afternoon we will be taking a trip to the other side of town, across the river - it never ceases to amuse us that locals here, no matter where they live, seem to have an aversion to crossing the river, as though they are going to the deep dark depths of a different country - and collect my wall hanging which I entered in the show.  I could have gone yesterday to see it hanging but it was a bit too warm to venture out, and in any case I very much doubt that it will get an award....but that's all right.  As I have been saying for many years, blessed is she who expecteth nothing, for she shall never be disappointed.

Summer is hanging on by the fingernails, reluctant to let go, but this is usual for March.  We have noticed, however, that many trees are starting to change colour so perhaps they know something we don't.  Our trip down south next month will be a taste of autumn - something to look forward to, indeed.  The autumn equinox is in just a couple of weeks, and another year is rolling on.

My recent visit to the optometrist for the annual eye check-up had a good result, and my reading glasses don't need to be changed for now.  There is a cataract slowly growing on my left eye, it seems, and eventually it will be need to be fixed - but not yet, indeed probably not for quite a while.  Oh, the joys of getting older.....

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"Smoking upon the streets.

In England a well-bred man never smokes upon the streets.  While this rule does not hold good for this country, yet no gentleman will ever insult a lady by smoking on the streets in her company, and in meeting and saluting a lady he will always remove a cigar from his mouth."

I am not sure which country is meant by "this country", as my book was first published in - I think - North America, but my 1886 edition is "Revised, Illustrated and Compiled expressly as a Household Treasure for Australian Homes".  Either way we prefer that no man, well-bred or otherwise, smokes on the streets, and indeed very few do so nowadays.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Reverse label is done

Reverse in two ways; it will go on the reverse of my quilt, and it  shows the layout in reverse because that seemed logical to me.

Even if it isn't logical to anyone else.

Many years ago.....many many years ago.....this little butterfly was embroidered when I was given a tiny frame.

It would have been done 30 years ago, maybe more....as was the rose, although this time I bought the frame.

For many years they sat on the kitchen windowsill where they could be admired - which they were - and where they could get a little grubby - which they did.

The embroidery was done using one strand of DMC floss over one thread of the background fabric.  My eyes were over 30 years younger back then, too.

No stitches have been knitted, no diamonds cut or sewn, although I will need to cut more soon.  Words have been read.  Notes have been plinked and sung.

The past week hasn't seen much rain but more is promised tomorrow, bringing even more flooding.  A couple of days ago we needed to cross to the other side of the river and were surprised by how much water is still around; the river is quite high and is flowing very quickly, which was even more apparent when we came home by a different bridge.

Now I'm not a scientist by any stretch of the imagination, but I would think that every time a river floods there would be silt left behind which, after a few floods, would eventually make the river shallower than it had previously been.  In subsequent floods the water would then flow over the banks more quickly than before and spread further, for the same reason.  That's why floodplains are often very fertile, and why crops planted there grow so well.  It's impractical to dredge rivers (although it's sometimes done where a river empties near a beach) and not a good idea to interfere too much with the natural scheme of events anyway, so I don't know what the answer is.....or even if there is an answer.

It might help if people stopped covering so much of the earth with concrete paths and buildings and left more open ground for water to soak into, rather than having it run where it wasn't, perhaps, designed to run.

Oh well.  As I said I'm not a scientist, just a concerned Olde Pharte who fears for the world.

Over the past couple of years of shut downs and "don't do this"...."don't go there"...."wear this bag over your head if you so much as stick your nose outside your front door"....I am getting quite lazy.  It has become very easy to just veg out in the mornings, have a leisurely breakfast and take my time getting showered and dressed; by then it's nearly time for lunch and that's half the day gone.  As we head into summer (it's been a cool wet start to the season this year) it might be easier to get into more disciplined habits.  The suspicion which has spoiled any interractions we have had with other people is gradually easing, too.  I know the covid plague is far from ended - it may never be finally over, although we are certainly over it - it will be with us for a while yet, but we can't keep the world shut down forever and keep our sanity, can we.

Meanwhile we are seeing pictures of beautiful autumn colours to make us (me in particular) drool.  Only six months to go.....I wonder if there is anywhere in the world which has a climate that goes from autumn to spring and back to autumn, bypassing summer and winter completely?  Because I would move there in a heartbeat if there was.

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"A lady never demands attention and favors from a gentleman, but, when voluntarily offered, accepts them gratefully, graciously, and with an expression of hearty thanks."

If those offerings include chocolate - good quality dark chocolate only, of course - they would most certainly be accepted gratefully and graciously.

Enjoy your days!

Unchallenged

You know what they say about plans going astray and all that stuff.....

Yesterday, in a great fit of enthusiasm, those Jacob's Ladder blocks were taken out of their box and measured.  The blocks were made by several different people and the instructions supplied (written by me, and I was trained to write correct instructions) ended with, the block should measure 9-1/2 in finished.

Well - no, they didn't.  Not all of them.  Seven blocks did; the remaining 22 blocks were lucky to measure 9 in and some of them weren't even square, making them well nigh useless.  As I see it there are a few choices, one of which is to trim all the blocks to 9 in.....not happening, too many seams would be cut off; take the undersized blocks apart and hope the pieces were correctly cut to size in the first place, then reassemble the blocks to measure 9-1/2 in....also not happening, that's a lot of work for a not-very-fabulous result considering the quality of some fabrics used; or forget the whole thing.

So, forgetting is what I'm doing.  That challenge will go unchallenged.  Those useless blocks may end up being tossed out.

Four years ago we were enjoying autumn in Canada, and getting ready for Thanksgiving.

This is a very small pine tree by the water in Parry Sound, it was down-on-hands-and-knees to get this photo on a cold snowy day.

Each time we left the car in a parking area behind the Midland main street shops we saw this tree....it was even more beautiful than this pic shows.

Fallen leaves on the sidewalk outside our B&B in Goderich.  I love this mix of colours, it puts me in mind of some batik fabrics.

A damp day in The Land of Tall Straight Trees, on Vancouver Island......I know that's not its official name, but there were a lot of trees, and they were tall and straight.

Embroidery on the first label for my Canadian quilt is proceeding.  No stitches were knitted, no diamonds cut or pieced.  Words were read, notes were plinked and sung.  A sore right shoulder and upper arm has somewhat hampered efforts this week, goodness knows how that happened, but our helpful chiropractor has hopefully started it on the way to recovery.  I'm trying not to do anything which will hurt or will injure it further, which makes for a slightly boring week.

A milestone was passed last week - I have now outlived both of my parents!  All my grandparents made it into their 80s.....my maternal grandmother was 80 when she died, but both my parents died younger than their parents did.  I think my paternal grandmother made it to 90 but I don't know for sure; my father's family cut my mother, my brothers and me out of their lives when my father walked out on us.  "I don't want any part of your family squabbles" the old bat wrote to my mother on hearing the news that her older son had left his wife and children without a word to any of them.  That's fine.  We can live without you too.

We have another flood.  The river is up, roads are cut including one of the three river crossings in town.  I have lost count of how many floods we have had this year.  However, with memories of the drought of just a few years ago fresh in our memories, we aren't complaining.

Now that we have finished with our general rules of etiquette for balls, we shall move outside the ball room to the street.

"The manners of a person are clearly shown by his treatment of the people he meets in the public streets of a city or village, in public conveyances and in travelling generally.  The true gentleman, at all times, in all places, and under all circumstances, is kind and courteous to all he meets, regards not only the rights, but the wishes and feelings of others, is deferential to women and to elderly men, and is ever ready to extend his aid to those who need it."

I think we could add "the true lady", could we not?  It behooves a 'true lady' to be kind and courteous, also.  

Good manners and courtesy are not just knowing how to hold a knife and fork, but how to make others feel at ease in any situation.  This is not the only book of etiquette on my bookshelf; I have a more modern book, published in England, which is quite stiff and formal.  It places great importance on knowing which fork and spoon to use for which course, and which glass for which wine, and how deeply to curtsey to Lord and Lady So-and-So, but very little on how to treat others with kindness.....something far more important in my opinion, which is emphasised in my 1885 book.

Enjoy your days!