It isn't easy being green.....

.....having to spend each day the colour of the leaves......to quote Kermit the Frog.

Four border strips are being made, and the second piece from the top on the second strip from the right has - frogs!  Perhaps one of them is Kermit.  Pieces are cut three inches wide but different lengths as you can see, and they are not exclusively green; some have orange, purple, white, yellow....because gardens are never just one shade of green, are they?

Four more pairs are pinned ready to be sewn on my 1950 Singer Featherweight.  Each and every stitch on this quilt has been made on this machine, but the binding will have to be sewn on My Lovely New Bernina because the Featherweight doesn't have a walking foot.

 Pieces are being randomly picked from the mess on the sewing room table in no particular order as to length or colour, and two are joined; four of these sets are made.  Then a third piece is added to the four sets, then a fourth, so the four sets are four pieces long - but, of course, they are different lengths, because the pieces are selected at random.  However - the four strips hanging in front of the cupboard are almost exactly the same length, how about that!  There is only an inch difference between the shortest and longest strips.  The two side pieces need to be 79-1/2 inches long so there is a little way to go yet, and the top and bottom strips will be about five inches longer again.

That has been the highlight of my week.  How about everyone else?

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn by hand and by machine, and stitches have also been knitted because there were a couple of appointments.  Songs were sung, but I have been a bit lazy and not picked up uke or guitar because U3A groups are on holidays.  I decided that I would not continue as leader next year; sadly the response to trying more complex songs (rather than just songs with two or three easy chords) has been disappointingly underwhelming.  I would like to persist but have enough balls in the air at present, so that will be dropped.....but only that, and my friend will come here instead so we can play music together.  I plan to keep on with choir, and with my quilting group and sewing group, because I need those breaks from my duties as reluctant carer.

Yesterday afternoon we were out and about and I pointed out to Kevin that, as he knows that I dislike driving but am just trying to just get on with it to the best of my ability, a word or two of encouragement rather than criticism would go a long way.  All he said was "well, you're not driving as fast as you were".  Well - thank you for nothing.

My brain has pretty much adjusted to daylight saving.  The joy of being retired is not having to adhere to a strict morning timetable (although someone who shall be nameless has booked the car in for 8 a.m. next Friday, my gawd that's way heaps too early for me) but to ease into most days gradually.  I have said that if I have to be out and about at such an ungodly hour, I expect to have breakfast somewhere nice where I am seated and someone waits on me, to compensate for such an early start.  I am thinking eggs Benny might be suitable recompense.  Just.

When we retired we coped quite well with the change from two cars to one; Kevin had a car with his job so I used 'our' car.  However, going from two drivers to one has turned out to be much more challenging.  No more can he go to the fruit/vegie shop (which, by the way, sells very nice gelato) or take the car to its servicing, or take himself to his own appointments, leaving me at home in peace.  One benefit is, I suspect that we are now using less fuel than before because I refuse to go out for just one thing, whereas he used to go out at the drop of a hat.  Or a car key.

Now we can look forward to getting some bridal loot.

"Bridal presents.

When bridal presents are given, they are sent to the bride previous to the day of the marriage ceremony.  At the universal bridal present has fallen into disuse, this custom is not now considered obligatory, and if immediate friends and relatives desire to make presents, it should be spontaneous, and in no sense considered obligatory.  These presents are still put on exhibition as formerly, and are acknowledged by the bride in a private note to the donor.  It is not now, however, considered in good form to talk about these contributions."

Tamworth Historical Society has, in their museum, some of the wedding clothing worn by a woman who was married in the 1890s.  (Such tiny feets and narrow shoulders and teeny waists......)  The display also includes copies of pages from the local paper of the time describing the wedding - which includes a list of gifts, all laid out for anyone and everyone to read and compare.  Tactfully, the monetary amounts of cheques are not published, just the fact that 'Mr and Mrs So-and-So presented the bride and groom with a cheque'.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Caterwauling around the neighbourhood

All four borders are now on the neighbourhood quilt.  It's getting rather large for a full pic, so here is one corner.

Some of the green fabrics ready waiting to be joined into strips for the outer borders.  To keep those strips manageable these will be joined into shorter strips, then into longer ones, then into very long ones.

Recently the postman left a surprise - a delightful gift from my friend Sandra in the Big Smoke!  A table mat made from Ozzie fabric, embellished with hand embroidery....I specially love the mum and baby wombat.

That wasn't all; this fun hanging made from a tea towel, once again decorated with hand embroidery, was also in the package.

Thank you, Sandra - I love them!

Because my brain doesn't have enough to think about these days, it has started thinking about the next hand-pieced project when the tumbling blocks are done.  

A few years ago I bought a set of diamond templates in different sizes, based on the size of a hexagon - three diamonds make one hexagon, which is the tumbling blocks pattern.  Three diamonds in this size make a 4-1/2 in hexagon; the diamond itself is a manageable size to work with, and I like the idea of diamonds set together - not in a hexagon shape, as in the tumbling blocks.  Just vertical diamonds.  This repro fabric remnant was just big enough to cut two, so I might cut more....just an odd one here and there....and see what I think; they can be waiting in the wings.

How has everyone been this week?  We drift along as usual, going with the flow.....one day we'll probably just flow right on down the drain hole.....words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn and knitted.  Songs have been sung.  We shopped.  The plates are mostly still spinning in the air.

At stupid dark early o'clock this morning, 2 a.m. to be precise, daylight saving started.  We had intentions of doing as we usually do (note that I say usually, not always) which is to set the clocks forward before going to bed, but last night we forgot....so first thing out of bed this morning I set the kitchen wall clock, after breakfast I set the oven clock (go me!) and before bedtime I will set our bedroom clock/radio.  Computers and phones change by special magic.  Kevin has usually done this little task, but not this year....probably never again, if truth be known.  Once my body adjusts to the difference I will be fine, but it usually takes a few days to reset my brain.  Mornings have been getting a bit too light a bit too early for me, not being a morning person as what I am not, so it will be nice to have darker mornings again for a while.

Many years ago we spent a few summer days in Queensland, a state which doesn't have daylight saving, and I remember being horrified when it was nearly broad daylight at 4 a.m......noooooo!!! not for me!

My goodness - there are some stupid ads on TV these days, a real insult to one's intelligence.  As soon as an ad appears I hit the mute button; ads seem to be recorded at a louder volume than the program they are interrupting, something I find irritating beyond measure.  The stupidest ads, I find, are those put out by insurance companies, specifically car insurance, followed not far behind by an ad for a building society featuring two women wearing the most dreadful wigs ever inflicted on actors.  We are quite happy with our current banking arrangements, but even if we weren't there is no way I would use that building society because of their stupid ads.

End of rant, thank you for listening.  Returning you to your regular programming now.

We're still making our wedding arrangements.

"Requirements if the bridesmaids and groomsmen.

Bridesmaids and groomsmen should allow nothing but illness or some unavoidable accident to prevent them from officiating, thus showing their appreciation of the friendship which has caused their selection to this honoured position.  If by reason of sudden affliction, some one of the bridesmaids is prevented from attending, a substitute should, if possible, be provided immediately.  The reasons for this, however, should be well understood, that no opportunity may be given for uncharitable comments."

No doubt there may be times when a substitute bridesmaid may be needed.  It is probably a good idea, however, to make sure she fits into the required dress beforehand, as it would be unkind to expect a larger size maid to squeeze into the dress intended for a smaller lass and still do justice to the honour bestowed upon her.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Trees within a tree

More fabrics have been bought.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Probably.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

A cactus or a tree?

 They are not the same - cactus aren't classed as trees, they are a different species altogether.  However, one has snuck in with my trees, so it can stay there.

A desert cactus......

And an autumn foliage tree.

Two very different trees this week, numbers 81 and 82.  Only 17 to go!

During the week I managed to fit in a visit to the local quilt shop where I found a few batik fabrics to add to the stash.

No doubt they will make excellent trees.  

Every now and then this pic comes up on the computer.  It was taken at Butchart Gardens back in November 2012; we were visiting with friends, and their car was parked in front of a tree which was busy dropping leaves.  The fallen leaves put me in mind of some of my batik fabrics.

If you have ever visited Butchart Gardens you will know how beautiful they are - if you haven't been and the opportunity arises to go, take it.  It is a never-to-be-forgotten experience at any time of year.

How has everyone been this week?  We have managed to survive a whole week with no medical visits necessary, for which we are thankful.  Hunting and foraging, as usual, filled in some time.  Stitches have been sewn and knitted.  Words have been read.  Sadly no notes have been sung; I was all geared up for choir on Thursday afternoon but received a message from the director earlier in the week to say there would be no choir on Thursday.  So......now I am doubly eager for this coming Thursday to roll around!

Last night daylight saving began, so our clocks (body clocks, and horological clocks) will take a few days to re-adjust.  I don't mind daylight saving, although there are those (a couple of women in my quilt group come to mind) who are vociferous in their dislike - nay, hatred - of it, but why waste energy?  There is nothing they can do about it; it is here to stay having started over 50 years ago in our state, so all their moaning and whingeing won't make it go away.  Not being a morning person, particularly not being an early morning person, means I don't mind darker mornings so it doesn't bug me too much.

Over 20 years ago we were visiting southern Queensland in summer.  Queensland doesn't have daylight saving, and it was a great shock when the mornings were getting light at about 4 a.m.!  At that stage we had been used to daylight saving for well nigh on 30 years, so our bodies had adjusted to it.  We stayed in Toowoomba, a nice town, which seemed to close down at about 5 p.m.....which is no wonder, when it's daylight again not long afterward......

We are having a quiet long weekend lying low.  There is a massive footy (i.e. rugby league) carnival taking place in our town with thousands upon thousands of visitors, so we are keeping out of it.  It's the annual Labour Day weekend which can often be busy, but a peaceful day suits us.  Workers - stonemasons - in Victoria, Australia, were the first in the world to achieve an 8-hour working day, so that's something to celebrate.

"Mutual trust and confidence are other requisites for happiness in married life.  There can be no true love without trust.  The responsibility of a man's life is in a woman's keeping from the moment he puts his heart into her hands.  Without mutual trust there can be no real happiness."

This is probably so.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer