Moving onward and upward

Now that Arboretum is finished, and the show has been put to bed for another year, it's time to move on to the next project.  The neighbourhood needs to have its edges trimmed and borders added, then it can go off to be quilted as it's much to big to tackle on a domestic machine.

The top is finished - it's just not photographed!  The label will be a house, a plain house (unlike the houses on the front) with the details embroidered in multi-coloured floss

The weekly wattle....it's nearly done for the year.  

The last of the snowdrops and the first of the bluebells, neither of which were planted by us, but just the same they pop up in early spring for us to enjoy.

The port wine magnolia is flowering; not as prolifically as in this pic taken a few years ago, but given that it doesn't flower every year any flowers are welcome.

It smells wonderfully fruity.  Its botanical name, so the interwebz tells me, is 'Michelia figo', and it originates from China.  It too came with the house and is quite large; I leave it alone, it's never pruned, and it receives the rain that Mother Nature sees fit to send.  As a result, it doesn't flower in dry years.

How has everyone been this week?  We have drifted along as usual; words have been read, stitches have been sewn and, because we each had appointments some knitting was also done.  All was going well until I came to a cable row - the pattern is worked over eight rows, with the cable worked in the 3rd and 7th rows - and realised that the previous cable row had been worked wrongly.  Well, bother, I said to myself (I said more than that, but I won't sully your delicate ears) but after un-knitting several rows, and correcting the mistake, all is now going well again.  Songs have been sung and plinked.  Food has been foraged, and that's another week done.

Am I the only one having problems with Blogger again/still?  The comments issue seems to have sorted itself out, but now no posts from the blogs that I follow are appearing in my feed.  Perhaps I'm holding my mouth wrong.  If you have posted and I haven't commented, it's because I haven't seen it and I have no idea what in the name of tarnation is going on.

Our daily lives continue.  Kevin has good days, and days where he isn't so good.  The hardest thing I am finding is sharing my life with someone with whom I can't have a lucid conversation; if he's having a good day we can talk, but if he's not - well, that's how it is.  His speech problems make it difficult.  Later this month he will be going to see the $$$geriatrician$$$....my gawd, those specialists can charge!  The proverbial wounded bull has nothing on them!  Hopefully whatever he tells us will be worthwhile hearing, because I don't like to think about the rate per word.

The hayfever from Hades has made an unwelcome return visit, fortunately not as badly as last time a few months ago, but I can do without the hacking coughcoughcough.  Never mind; it, too, shall no doubt pass.  And no doubt return again....

Now for the second time around.

"The marriage ceremonials of a widow.

The marriage ceremonials of a widow differ from that of a young lady in not wearing the veil and orange blossoms.  She may be costumed in white and have her maids at the altar if she pleases.  This liberty, however, has only been given her within a few years."

This will be broken up into smaller bites, as it's a bit long for one post.  No doubt the rules for remarrying as a divorced person - shock, horror! - would be different again; divorce is not mentioned in my book.  Perhaps it hadn't been invented in 1885.  (yes, I know it was.  It just wasn't very commonly done.)

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

I ain't got the blues

But I do have a third place.....

....which I am happy about.  

Autumn Rhapsody is quite large; I wasn't able to get far enough back for a full pic but this shows most of it, although the colours are more vibrant in real life.

Arboretum now has its own award, too.

They were hung facing each other.

So that's the show done and dusted for another year.

I treasure the comments I received from strangers; when we were walking back to the car this morning after picking up the quilts a woman stopped me to say how much she loved Autumn Rhapsody, which I was carrying.  She is not a quilter but had one of her paintings of autumn leaves hanging which also won an award in the painting section, so we congratulated each other.  Both of us are lovers of autumn, it seems!

On Friday I went along to see my quilts hanging and while there was talking to a couple of women, one of whom I know slightly.  She loved Arboretum, do you mind if I take a picture she said....not at all, I said, flattered to be asked....it should have won its section,  she said.  I suspect there may be an Arboretum quilt in her future; she would like to make a quilt for the caravan she and her husband own, but doesn't want pink and frilly.

There was jousting but the grounds where the show was held are quite vast, Kevin was having trouble walking around; we stayed in the main building and the jousting was in another building so, sadly, I missed seeing it.  

Ah well.  Ever upward and onward.

A highlight of our week was meeting up for lunch with Janice and Mick when they were passing through Tamworth on their way back from further out west.  We even managed show and tell in the middle of the restaurant - and Margaret, who quilted Arboretum for me, was also there having lunch with a friend that day.  That's the thing about country towns, you often see someone you know when out and about.

Is anyone else having trouble with comments on Blogger?  I have tried commenting on posts recently, the comment window comes up, I type my words, then it just sits there and the comment is not published.  Technical Stuff like that is above my pay grade, I'm afraid.  I read on another blog yesterday that the problem is fairly widespread.

How has everyone been this week?  Words have been read, stitches have been sewn.  There have been no appointments so no stitches have been knitted.  Songs have been plinked and sung.  We shopped.  We delivered and collected quilts. That is all.

I am getting used to driving the vee-hickle, and Kevin is getting used to being driven.  I suspect neither of us are happy about our roles in this, but that is how it has to be.

The weekly wattle, which seems to be nearly past its best now.

However, there are already little shoots getting ready for next year's flowering.

"The wedding ring.

All churches at present use the ring, and vary the sentiment of its adoption to suit the customs and ideas of their own rites.  A jewelled ring has been for many years the sign and symbol of betrothal, but at present a plain gold circlet, with the date of the engagement inscribed within, is generally preferred.  The wedding ring, a plain hoop of gold, is used at the church.  A jewelled ring is placed upon her hand by the groom on the way home from the church, or as soon after the service as is convenient.  It stands guard over its precious fellow, and is a confirmation of the first promise."

The darker blooms on our wattle are nearly the same gold colour as my plain-hoop-of-gold wedding ring.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Arboretum is - finally - a finished quilt!

Not the best pic in the world, but good enough to give the general idea.

The holder-upper had gone for a walk, so the fence had to stand in as substitute.

After all, trees grow outside.

Finished is a good feeling!

There still needs to be a cover made from leftover backing fabric tacked over the label for both quilts, and a hanging sleeve improvised with backing fabric and pins for Arboretum, before they are delivered on Wednesday.  The Cunning Plan is to attend the show on Friday and see them hanging, although I don't expect to see blue ribbons pinned on.  

While at the show I am hoping to see - jousting!  Something I have never seen live, but it looks interesting; two people on horseback galloping towards each other, lances at full tilt.  One could pretend that one was back in the middle ages in days of old when knights were bold and all that Stuff, couldn't one.

The weekly wattle.  It is starting to look a little scrappy compared to the past few years, but it still puts on a glorious show.

Of course the little breeze sprang up again.....

We had some good rain early in the week, and the green hill is a sight to see.  That's our (slightly boring) wire fence which visually disappears and doesn't interrupt our view, unlike a solid wood or metal fence.

Well, here we are again at the end (or the beginning, depending on which calendar you follow) of another week.  Kevin hasn't made a final decision as to handing his driving licence in but I think that will come sooner rather than later, so he won't have to do that assessment in a couple of months.  I am getting the feel of driving in a car that I don't like, that is too big for me, that wasn't my choice, but that I am stuck with because at this stage in our lives it doesn't make financial sense to get something different.

Ah, well.  It's quicker than walking, isn't it.

We have a bus stop across the road, and during the week Kevin took the bus into town to collect his watch which was having a new battery put in.  It's very convenient for us; no worries about finding a parking spot, or having to contend with traffic (for a country town we seem to have a lot of traffic, as several highways converge here), we are taken right to the centre of town, and dropped off again just over the road.  We have used it from time to time over the years, and I can see it being very useful in future too.

Stitches have been sewn, as you can see.  None have been knitted as there have been no appointments, for a change.  Words have been read.  Songs have been plinked and sung, and a decision has been made as to next year's Eisteddfod song - 'Ukulele lady', a song which celebrated its 100th anniversary two years ago; not just the chorus which is familiar to many people, but the verses as well.  A choice of poem is still pending.  Yesterday we betook ourselves to the 2nd hand book sale down the road, run by one of the Rotary Clubs, which is open twice a week, and a book of Aussie poems was purchased.  Perhaps there will be a gem inside that I won't be able to resist.....if not, then I will make a return visit.  

Being a service club the book sale is manned (personned?) by volunteers who do a wonderful job of sorting and shelving the thousands of donated books, CDs, DVDs, jigsaw puzzles, you name it.  While looking for the poetry section, I was tickled to see books on war adjacent to books on religion.  There were a lot of quilting books but I kept away from them, likewise music books, as my goal was poetry.....but I have more books to drop off, so there will be another visit in my future.  A CD of music from an Ozzie guitar quartet also came home with me, I am looking forward to hearing it.

Now that we have had our "at home" reception and dropped many of our former friends from our list, no doubt causing offence to many, we come to "Calls".  

"Calls.

All guests and friends who receive "at home" invitations, or who are invited to the church, are required by etiquette to call upon the family of the bride, or to leave their cards, within ten days after the wedding."

That would be if we have any friends left after offending so many, yes?

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

The weekly wattle

Is looking glorious.

It's fairly sunny today - just a few clouds, as you can see at the top - and the wattle is looking good.

There is, however, a sneaky little breeze, so some of those golden fluffballs are more out of focus than others.

It's also snowdrop time; we didn't plant them, they were here before us, and they pop up to brighten our days.

Yesterday we took the trailer to Phil the wood bloke's place out of town to bring back a trailer load of firewood, and with his permission I took a few pics at his yard.  Aren't these granite boulders wonderful?

The large one on the left is bigger than some houses.

 

He lives in the hills which border our valley, among some spectacular country.

Arboretum's binding is coming along slowly, because my aging fingers whinge and complain if I sew for too long.  The fact that I (stupidly) take teeny weeny tidgy-widgy stitches is probably a bit foolish too, but never mind - it will be finished one day soon, I hope.

Tamworth Show is on in two weeks and this needs to be finished to be handed in on Wednesday week.  I found out yesterday that, although a hanging sleeve is needed, it doesn't need to be sewn down; pinned in place is fine.  The label also needs to be covered, so a piece of backing fabric will be tacked over it; the label on Autumn Rhapsody also needs to be covered because it is being entered too.  

Our changing lives continue.  Kevin received notification from the state transport people that he can still drive pending an assessment in a couple of months, but must now have a condition on his licence that he has to be accompanied by a fully licensed driver.  I don't like that as it puts an onus on me; he drove to the wood yard yesterday, but I have to say his driving is not what it once was, or what it should be.  Now there are more phone calls to be made about that assessment, so guess who will probably have to make them?  Perhaps I should go on strike, and refuse.

How has everyone been this week?  Words have been read, stitches have been sewn.  Notes have been plinked and sung, and on Friday I ventured forth to the music shop to buy a tuner for my recently refurbished guitars.  For the time being they can share a tuner, but a second one will soon be purchased.  They can then fight over who gets which one.

Some years ago an excellent music shop here closed when its owner retired, and its new owners ran it into the ground.  Not long after that another music shop opened at the other end of the main drag, and its owners were unhelpful and ~ almost ~ rude, so I only shopped there once - never again.  At the end of last year it, too, was taken over by a new owner - and what a pleasant young bloke he is!  He was very helpful; we debated the merits of different tuners, I bought a well-known brand to try and said I would be back for another, either the same brand or something different.

More on our newly-wed couple.

""At Home" Receptions.

When the newly-married couple commence life in a home of their own, it is customary to issue "at home" cards for a few evenings, at an early date after the wedding, for informal receptions.  Only such persons are invited as the young couple choose to keep as friends, or perhaps only those whom they can afford to retain.  This is a suitable opportunity to carefully rearrange one's social list, and their list of old acquaintances may be sifted at the time of the beginning of housekeeping.  This custom of arranging a fresh list is admitted as a social necessity, and nobody is offended."

Well, I don't know.....I think there will always be those who are offended, for one reason or another.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

The binding choice is turning out well

I was hoping it would, but of course until it's actually sewn on it's not always possible to tell, is it....but it sets off the colours of the various trees beautifully.

It looks good with the backing fabric, too.  They hold hands and play together quite nicely.

The weekly wattle.

Today is overcast and cool, but the wattle's perfume is a foretaste of spring.

Just as I pressed the button a little breeze sprang up, just a gentle zephyr, but still enough to make those golden blossoms dance.  

This species is, I have been told, a sawtooth wattle, so named because of the shape of those small fingernail-sized leaves.  Their edges are a bit prickly, but fortunately not too sharp.

Well, the day I have been dreading has arrived.  At Kevin's medical appointment during the week his doctor said the time has come for him to give up driving, so I am now the (reluctant) chauffeur.  He has alternated between disbelief, resentment, annoyance....all understandable, but no need to take it out on me.  Driving has always been important to him; back when he was young and silly he was into motor sport and used to race on weekends.  He doesn't take well to being a passenger.  Yesterday he said he thought he might go to the bowls club for a while....do you want me to drive you there, I said....no, he said, I'll take the car.....you can't, I said, doctor said you can't drive now.  That was just a few days afterward, and it was already out of his mind that he had been told "no driving".  He hasn't yet handed in his licence, I thought I wouldn't push that too hard, but it looks as though it might have to be sooner rather than later.  

As people say, it is what it is.  Much as I dislike that expression, it's pretty spot on at present.

Next year will be 30 years since Kevin's father died, and he had to give up his licence a few years earlier - much to his resentment, too.  "Nothing wrong with my driving......"  However, I recall one time a few years before he died MIL's mortification one day on answering a knock at the door, to find the police asking to speak to FIL.  He had damaged someone's car while in a car park and had been seen doing so; a bystander had made a note of his car's number, hence the police. He had no memory of hitting another car badly enough to leave damage and had driven merrily on his way.  His licence was taken away but was given back on appeal, however it wasn't long after that (thankfully!) he stopped driving.  

How has everyone been?  Time has been spent accompanying Kevin to his various appointments - that's my life now, whether I like it or not; I can't leave him and go off somewhere, because of his speech problems.  Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn and also knitted, as the knitting comes with me to fill in the waiting time.  Songs have been sung and plinked.  The weekly hunting and foraging happened.  

On Tuesday evening I filled out our census form, something which is done every five years.  For many years now, even before we moved out of the Big Smoke, we have using the online option rather than paper forms; it's easy, much less tedious and is soon finished.  The year after we moved up here was a census year and talk at a sewing group turned to filling out the forms.  We'll do ours online again, I said, it's easy....oh no, said one woman, I'll use the paper form because I don't want the government knowing all about me.....well, isn't that the idea?  In vain did I say they don't care who you are, only what you are, but to no avail.  Closed minds, and all that.

We're still getting married.

"The evening wedding.

If the wedding occur in the evening, the only difference in the ceremonials from those in the morning is that the ushers or groomsmen wear full evening dress, and the bridal pair retire quietly to dress for their journey before the dancing party disperses, and thus leave unobserved."

An evening wedding seems like quite a civilised idea, to me.  We were married in early evening, but there was no dancing party.  Kevin does not and will not dance.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Binding away

The sewing of Arboretum's binding has begun.

The next side is pinned ready to be machined down.  

The weekly wattle.

I made sure to hold my breath when taking this.  There are, of course, more blooms out in the main part of the bush but they are scattered, whereas this shows them clumped together.  When I was snapping away I was even able to get a waft of its delicate perfume, letting us know that spring is definitely on the way....not that we have had a really cold winter, but we have had some very chilly frosty mornings.  We won't be sorry to say goodbye to them.

My guitars have come home, and they look and sound wonderful!  During the coming week the plan is to pop into the music shop for a couple of tuners, so each guitar will have its own tuner in its case.  An out-of-tune instrument, no matter what it is, is not lovely to listen to.  When I was playing them regularly the nifty clip-on tuners now available were fairly new on the market; I had an older tuner which had to be held close to the instrument to get the note, and before acquiring that I used a tuning fork.  Many years ago there was a lovely man (sadly no longer with us) who used to attend various folk festivals and who had a collection of different instruments - and his car bore a sticker saying "Love thy neighbour.....tune thy piano", which always made me smile.

Now I need to get back into practice, however I won't be volunteering for a duet with our muso friend when he returns in January for the country music festival.....he would leave me for dead, he's a professional after all and I am but a mug amateur.....

How has everyone been this week?  Stitches have been knitted as we both had appointments so there was (of course!) waiting time.  Stitches have been sewn by hand and by machine.  Songs were sung and plinked, as choir has returned from its brief break.  We shopped.  We won't starve.

These days our house is fairly quiet.  One of Kevin's symptoms is a form of aphasia, meaning he finds it difficult to get the word he wants; many a conversation is left unfinished as those words prove to be too elusive, and a lot of the time I have no idea what we are talking about anyway as his speech is often mumbling and indistinct.  If we didn't have the radio playing, our world would be nearly silent.

Continuing on with weddings at home.

"When the marriage ceremony is concluded, the party turn in their places and face their friends, who proceed to congratulate them."

Short and sweet, and probably very decorous.  No doubt the happy couple yipee-ing and turning cartwheels would be somewhat frowned upon; however, a smile of happiness would be considered suitable.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Moving along slowly

Arboretum's label is finished, ready to be stitched on the bottom right hand corner of the back.

Two of the label edges have been finished with a narrow border of the backing fabric, the remaining sides will be tucked under the binding; a hem would be slightly bulky, as interfacing was ironed to the label before the embroidery was started.  The thread is DMC floss, colour 3781, using one strand.  I wasn't sure if quilter Margaret wanted her full name slathered across the internet, so....when in doubt, don't.

This is the controlled chaos of Arboretum, with its binding made, pressed and ready to be sewn on.

The Cunning Plan was to have it done by Tuesday morning so it could be taken along to quilt group for hand-stitching the binding to the back, but that may not get done.  Never mind....

.....because.....

tomorrow morning my guitars are coming home from the guitar spa!  They didn't suffer too badly in our two plumbing floods back in 2017 because they were in their cases, but the cases were on the floor sitting in water.  I have been meaning to get them made playable again, but you know how it - life gets in the way sometimes, doesn't it, and there is always something more pressing that needs to be done.  A couple of weeks ago our musician friend stayed with us for a night on his way to warmth and sunshine up north and I showed him my guitars, which he hadn't seen before.....oh, this is nice, rosewood with a cedar top, he said, and the other one has a Brazilian mahogany back, very very nice, he said.....when I'm back here in January I want to play these, he said, so I decided it was time to stop thinking about it and start doing it.  Off they went to Matt the instrument repairer, and it will be wonderful to have them back again.

Now my aging fingers will have to re-learn to play instruments with wider necks than a ukulele, but that's probably good for my equally aging brain.  The classical guitar has softer nylon strings but a wider neck to stretch my fingers, while the steel string guitar has a narrower neck but harder metal strings for my fingertips, so they require slightly different techniques.

It always saddens me when I see instruments in museums used for display but never played.  Some of them may be past playing, I understand that.....but just the same they need to sing, because they all have a voice which shouldn't be silent.

The wattle is now blooming.

It's difficult to take a decent photo of a plant which shivers in the slightest breeze, even my breathing is enough to move it, but hopefully it's in focus.  One needs to breathe even while taking a photo, doesn't one.

How has everyone been this week?  Stitches have been sewn, binding strips has been cut, joined and pressed.  No stitches were knitted but the coming week brings appointments, so they probably will be.  Songs were plinked and sung.  Words have been read.  Food was foraged, and so passed another week.

Despite some quite chilly frosty mornings, and the promise of more to come this week, days have been fairly pleasant.  A sheltered spot to sit on a sunny winter day can be a treat indeed.

We have finished with the duties of groomsmen, so now we move onto to domestic weddings.

"Weddings at home.

Weddings at home vary but little from those at church.  The music, the assembling of friends, the entree of the bridal party to the position selected, are the same.  An altar of flowers, and a place of kneeling can be easily arranged at home.  The space behind the altar need be no wider than is allowed for the clergyman to stand.  The altar is generally only a table with cloth over it.  Other floral accessories, such as the marriage-bell, horse-shoe or white dove, etc., can be arranged with ease by a skilful florist, if desired."

While I have been to weddings which were not held in a church (including our own wedding) I have never been to a wedding at a private home.    As far as my experience was concerned, home weddings only happened in movies.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

It's nearly wattle time again

I have just strolled around our large wattle bush looking - sadly, in vain - for some little yellow balls of fluffy goodness, but as yet there are none to report.  It shouldn't be long, though, until it's bright gold again.

There is a little breeze blowing, just enough to wave those branches around and make it tricky to take a clear pic.

Wok continues on Arboretum's label, which is now down to the last few words.  Once that's done the final trimming and binding can be done - and oh! how I am looking forward to seeing it finished.

This is a project from a long time ago, so long ago that it wasn't on the computer.  It wasn't a quilt, it was a banner made for the Scottish country dance group of which I was a member, back in the very early noughties.  Each year a school, 'Winter School', was held with visiting teachers and musicians, culminating in a ball with participants in full Scottish regalia, kilts for the men, tartan sashes and brooches for the ladies, and I'm sure it was a very grand affair; however, tickets were a bit pricey, so I never went.  One year each group was approached about making a banner to decorate the hall for the ball, so I volunteered to do ours.  We were given a large piece of unbleached calico (muslin, for some of you) with the design drawn on with black marker, sample pieces of poly/cotton fabric to use as colour inspiration, and a smaller copy of our design to help with colour placement.  Each design was different, and groups could choose their method, paint, fabric, whatever they wished.

Well, what fun that was, tricky but fun!  The original was used to make tracing drawings for placement, and to work out yardages of the poly/cottons.  I decided on the gold for the background and used the other colours in different parts of the design.  A whole roll - 30 metres - of black 1/2" wide bias was bought for the leading (24 metres were used), and an attempt was made at gluing down the smallest pieces of bias prior to stitching.  That didn't work too well, so pins were used and the bias was machine stitched down along both sides.  The under-over crossing of the design meant that all raw edges were covered.  The background had already been hemmed along one end with a casing for a hanging rod on the opposite end, something I didn't need to worry about doing; the design was about - from memory; it was a long time ago - about 36-38 in wide.

And, the best part - my banner was hung in the position of honour directly opposite the entrance!  It was considered to be the best, although it wasn't a competition with a prize.  I could have had it back afterward, but gave it to my group (after all, they paid for fabric and bias) and it was going to be hung every time there was a dance.  

How has everyone been?  I have been trying to make phone calls on Kevin's behalf, and ended up frustrated with people who don't return calls.  Some stitches were sewn but not knitted, words were read.  No songs were sung or plinked, but U3A ukulele starts again tomorrow afternoon; choir is still on a break.  We hunted and foraged.  We haven't starved.

We managed to keep warm despite yesterday morning being the coldest day of the year, it was very freezy frosty chilly.  It would have been nice to stay inside but no, it was my quilt group's AGM; we meet in one of the coldest buildings in town.  There are heaters but the ceiling is very high, it started life as a large old industrial tin shed and, although the interior walls are lined, I don't think there is any insulation so it's not ~ quite ~ warm inside.  Today is also fairly cool, but not as cold as yesterday's minus 6 C with a 'feels like' of minus 9.5 C.

Oh well, it is still winter, after all......

We haven't finished with our groomsmen yet.

"At the church the groomsmen are the first to arrive.  They stand by the inner entrance and offer their arms to escort the ladies, as they enter, to their proper seats in the church.  If a lady be accompanied by a gentleman, the latter follows the groomsman and the lady to the seat shown her.  The groomsmen, knowing the two families, understand where to place the nearer, and where the remoter relatives and friends of the bridal party, the groom's friends being arranged upon the right of the entrance, and the bride's upon the left.  The distribution of guests places the father (or guardian) of the bride at the proper place during the ceremony."

Do people still sit on the bride's or the groom's side of the room, or has that custom gone with the wind?  Where does one sit if one knows both bride and groom equally well, I wonder?

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Quilted trees

Arboretum is back from its visit to Margaret quilter, and I couldn't be happier with it.

The quilting design shows more in the light blocks, as dark green thread was used.  The quilting pattern is, so Margaret tells me, called 'ebb tide' - but it evokes wind blowing through trees, to me.  The back is quilted with dark brown thread which blends so well with the fabric that it's difficult to photograph, so I didn't....but perhaps will when it's bound and finished.

Embroidery is continuing on the label, several lines have been done but there are still a few to go.  It's been my TV project for a few nights, however last night's program choice was so dreary that the TV stayed off and my book came out instead.  Goodness gracious, there is a lot of sport on free TV....far too much, for a non-sporty like me.  Kevin usually drops off to sleep so he doesn't notice if it's on or off anyway; watching through one's closed eyelids is a bit tricky.

Yesterday afternoon's choir concert went off very well, nice things were said to us and about us, and our audience seemed to really enjoy it.  Afternoon tea was excellent (much of it was provided by choir members) and was so generous that the organisers from the cancer charity plated up the leftovers and sold them off for the traditional 'gold coin donation' - i.e. a $1 or $2 coin per plate, each containing several pieces of something yummy.  I had some coins with me, so left a few behind and brought home a couple of plates of goodies.  My contribution was lemon squares, a recipe found many years ago on the web site of a now-closed quilt store in Ontario, Canada, which has become a favourite of ours.  

It tastes as good as it looks, too.

A phrase which has long puzzled newcomers to Australia is 'bring a plate'.  It is, of course, understood that the plate will contain a contribution to afternoon tea (or morning tea or lunch, depending on the time of day) but many a newcomer has turned up with an empty plate, expecting to have it filled!  At the last couple of Thursday rehearsals we were reminded "don't forget to bring a plate" to which some wag usually added "with something on it".  In days gone by it was usually "ladies bring a plate and gents bring a bottle".....which, back then, meant a bottle of beer.

Words have been read, songs have been sung.  Stitches have been sewn, but I don't think many were knitted as we had - for once - no appointments to attend.  We hunted and foraged, so we won't starve....although I have no idea what we are going to eat tonight.....no doubt something will come to my brain.  I just wish a food idea would come to Kevin's brain, for a change, but unfortunately there is little chance of that.

"The groomsmen's duties.

The groomsmen at the door of the reception room offer themselves as escorts to parties, who arrive slowly from the church, conducting them to the bridal party, and there presenting them by name.  This announcement becomes necessary when two families and two sets of friends are brought together for the first time.  If ladies are present without gentlemen, they accompany them to the breakfast or refreshment room, or provide them with attendants."

For many years a wedding reception was known as a 'wedding breakfast', because weddings often took place in the early morning.  Breakfast was then served before the happy couple set off on their wedding journey, with many daylight hours for travelling.  Even when most weddings moved to the afternoon, the wedding meal continued to be known as 'the wedding breakfast'.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

It's not ~quite~ warm here today

It is far from being freezing cold, it's quite nice when the sun peeks out from the clouds....but then it goes into hiding again and it gets cooler for a while.....still, July is the coldest month and we aren't even halfway through.

Never mind; it won't be long and we will be complaining about the heat again.....

Some diamond trios have been joined into strips.

Three strips, two of five trios and one of four, seams not yet pressed (which won't get done until I know which way they have to lie) but enough for a preview of the finished product.  The maths have been worked out; there need to be 11 strips of four trios and all the rest, however many that is, will be joined into strips of five.  First and every other row is 20 across, rows in between have 19, and the holes along all the sides will be filled with partial blocks continuing the pattern.  It's very therapeutic sewing, something much needed at present.

These days there are many phone calls to be made and some forms to be filled in on Kevin's behalf.  I have never liked filling in forms for any purpose....it makes me feel like I'm back at school doing a test, something I always dreaded, and I freeze up.  Ditto on the phone calls.  No good asking Kevin to make them, he gets confoozalated and difficult to understand, so it falls to me.  I find it quite stressful and I'm sure he has no idea that I do, because I can't seem to make him comprehend.  Come to that we don't really have many conversations about anything much, any more.

On to happier Stuff.

The choir has been practising for our winter concert to be held next Saturday afternoon, with proceeds going to a charity which supports cancer sufferers.  A few years ago our director Bill announced that we would no longer do concerts, and there was quite a bit of mumbling about that; just going along each week to sing is one thing but practising for a performance really gives us incentive to strive to do better, so we were all pleased when he eventually decided that yes, we would still perform after all.

Stitches have been sewn and knitted.  The label for Arboretum has been printed and traced onto fabric, a floss colour has been chosen (a warm brown DMC colour, a favourite for labels) and the non-woven interfacing has to be ironed onto the back before stitching can start.  It will take but a moment to do - the trouble is finding the moment!

Songs have been sung but not plinked this week as I've been too busy to pick up an instrument, and I miss it.

The new white kettle works very well.  The pretty green one would have worked equally well too, but would it make my coffee and Kevin's tea taste any better?  Well, that's the question, isn't it.....

Our musician friend has already booked his bed with us for next January's music festival, and we are looking forward to spending time with him again.  He, too, will be able to try out the new white kettle.  I'm sure he will be impressed.

Many folk during the past week have had phone problems, myself included.  I could send and receive text messages but couldn't make or receive calls.  That was somewhat of a nuisance so I had resigned myself to some time spent getting frustrated in the telecommunications shop trying to make young folk understand, but this morning I had a brainwave.  I turned the phone completely off then charged it fully.  Turned it back on, tried ringing Kevin's number - it worked, yay!  Tried ringing my phone from his and once again, it worked.  Fingers crossed that it stays working.

We are still finding out about the latest ceremonials.

"While the bride and bridegroom are passing out of the church, the bridesmaids follow slowly, each upon the arms of the groomsman, and they afterward hasten on as speedily as possible to welcome the bride at her own door, and to arrange themselves about the bride and groom in the reception room, half of the ladies on her side and half upon his - the first bridesmaid retaining the place of honour."

How many bridesmaids and groomsmen were in a wedding party, one wonders?  Sounds like rather a lot.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Doesn't look like much, does it?

However - it is, because this is block number 449.  The (hopefully!) last block which needed to be made for the design I have in mind.

Each block is three inches across, or at least that's the size on the diamond template.  I haven't actually measured them.  It's a useful size to work with, anyway.  The top diamond is lightest in colour, the right-hand side is darkest, and the left-hand side is something in between.

Two blocks have already been joined but not yet pressed, and another two are also being joined.

The Cunning Plan is to alternate rows of 20 blocks and rows of 19 blocks across, each second row needs to be shorter so the blocks fit together and create the design.  The tops and sides will be filled with partial blocks, because I don't like quilts with wiggly edges.  

Arboretum has gone off to quilter Margaret and should be home soon, although she has a few to be done before mine but that's all right; there's no tearing great hurry.  A label still needs to be made (it will be hand-embroidered) and I am dithering over the wording.  Name of quilt, of course....name of designer....name of maker (me)....name of quilter, because the quilting plays a part in how it looks....date (2025-26).....and a quote I found which appealed to me, "Trees are always a relief, after people" by writer David Mitchell (although I have left his name off the label, something which I plan to remedy before making it).  There are many quotes about trees but most of them are quite long-winded; I like this one because it is short, sharp and sweet, if slightly cynical.  Like what I am.

How has everyone been?  As you can see stitches have been sewn, and also knitted.  There are a couple of appointments in the coming week, so the knitting will come along to pass the time; I need to attend Kevin's appointments with him now as his speech is not always easy to understand, sometimes a translator is needed.  Songs have been sung and plinked, the uke group is now on holidays as U3A only meets during school terms, so we will be back later in July.  Words have been read.  Stocking up of the pantry took place, so we won't starve.

The great excitement during our week was on Friday afternoon when our electric kettle shorted out and blew all the power - we had lights, but no power.  We didn't realise at first what had happened.  When we arrived home from shopping Kevin brought the bags in while I poured coffee beans into the grinder and pressed the button on the kettle to heat water.  But - oh dear! - the grinder didn't work....bugger, I thought, and probably said too....then I became aware that the computer (which I had also turned on) was showing a blank screen, then I noticed the lack of music as the radio had stopped working too....then I checked the kettle.....all dead as the proverbial dodo.  Rang our neighbour whose husband is an electrician, he won't be home for a couple of hours she said....looked inside the fuse box but all that technical Stuff is a mystery to me, so closed it again....we rang an electrician who has done work for us in the past, and one of "the boys" (I'll send one of the boys to have a look" he said) came out to check.  He found the source of the problem fairly quickly; we managed by boiling water in a saucepan on the stove when needed, then yesterday we went shopping for a new kettle.  It works, it's the same brand as the previous one but a slightly different design, and is basic white.  I could have had a pretty pale green kettle, you know....but our basic model was $39 and the pretty green one was (gulp) $239 (gulp)!  $200 difference!!  So reluctantly (because it is a very pretty colour) I said, no, we'll take the white one.  Even though the green one is very pretty.....

"The latest ceremonials.

The latest Australian form for conducting the marriage ceremony is substantially as follows:

When the bridal party has arranged itself for entrance, the groomsmen, in pairs, march slowly up to the alter and turn to the right.  Behind them follows the groom alone.  When he reaches the alter he turns, faces the aisle and watches intently for the coming of his bride.  After a slight interval the bridesmaids follow in pairs, and at the alter turn to the left.  After another brief interval, the bride, alone and entirely veiled, with her eyes cast down, follows her companions.  The groom comes forward a few steps to meet her, takes her hand, and places her at the altar.  Both kneel for a moment's silent devotion.  The parents of the bride, having followed her, stand just behind her and partly to the left.  The services by the clergyman now proceed as usual."

Back in 1885 wedding parties must have been somewhat substantial, if there were enough bridesmaids and groomsmen for them to walk in pairs.  

If you search for "1885 wedding dress" you can see some amazing creations.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Not a very productive week

This week hasn't seen much accomplished, although stitches have been knitted and sewn...songs have been sung and plinked....the backing pieces for Arboretum have had one selvedge trimmed ready to be joined into a bigger piece....and, of course, words have been read.  Reading is my escape from the reality of our lives these days.

Never mind.

It is still midwinter.  I chuckle at those optimists who say "now that the winter solstice has passed we can look forward to longer warmer days" - well, yes, you can.  However, that doesn't happen instantly; scientists tell us it takes several weeks to notice much difference, and even then it's gradual.  We have had a few fairly cool days, and mornings with light frost, but so far (touch wood) it has been a fairly mild winter.

With that in mind, let's see if we can find some winter pics.

Back in 2009 we hitched up our caravan and headed for Nundle, a small village less than an hour south-east of Tamworth.  By then we had planned to move here the following year anyway, and we knew that once we did there was a very slim chance that we would take the van to Nundle - so we stopped there first.  Back in the mid-1800s Nundle, as well as many other towns, was the scene of a gold rush.  A steep drive from Nundle takes us to Hanging Rock, once the scene of a thriving settlement, but today just a few houses and a community hall.

This is one of the two Sheba Dams at Hanging Rock - and you cannot tell from this photo how cold it was.  It was a very still day with no wind, but the air was so crisp and chilly that we didn't stay out of the car for long.  The temperature was probably a low single digit.  In summer this is a popular camping spot, people even swim in the dams....but I wouldn't be dibbling my fingers in the water on a cold day!

Taken the same day, and yes, it was very cold.  Snow is not unknown at Hanging Rock because of its altitude.

At the top of that steep climb, before arriving in the village itself, is a path to a lookout overlooking the valley below.  That's Nundle in the distance on the right.

It's hard to imagine how busy and bustling those towns were in their heyday with a population of several thousand, but that is the story of so many gold mining towns, isn't it?  Some still thrived after the gold was gone, some stagnated with a few optimists hanging on, and some have disappeared completely.

Several years ago I read a book, "The Wallabadah Manuscript".  It was written when the author was getting on in years - dictated to his daughter, who wrote it down - and in it, he describes a shipment of gold taken on horseback from Nundle to Tamworth.  These days it's an easy 45-minute drive on a sealed road, but back in the 1850s it would have been a track through the bush which would have taken much longer.  The policeman leading the horse containing the gold, it seems, stopped at every farm along the way to slake his thirst; of course in those days it was safer to drink beer than water, so that's what he did.  He eventually fell off the horse somewhere, the horse continued on to Tamworth and arrived with the gold but with no rider.  As a result the policeman lost his job, something which doesn't come as a total surprise.

"Invitations to the ceremony only.

When the circle of friends on both sides is very extensive, it has become customary of late to send invitations to such as are not called to the wedding breakfast, to attend the ceremony at church.  This stands in the place of issuing cards.  No one must think of calling on the newly-married couple who has not received an invitation to the ceremony at church, or cards after their establishment in their new home."

I wonder if that is still done?  More than 30 years ago our younger son was involved in gymnastics, and two of the coaches married - the girls' coach married the boys' coach.  Kevin and I were invited to the wedding as were many of the parents, but all the kids - and there was quite a large number - were invited to just the church ceremony.  They still felt as though they were part of the day, and I don't blame the happy couple for not wanting to feed a horde of hungry teenagers.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Midwinter sunshine

Today is the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year...and the longest night.  The sun is shining brightly, but the warmth isn't ~quite~ there.  It's definitely not the day to be prancing around in shorts and bare feet, that's for sure.

This is today's view looking over the back gate.

Not so long ago there was no lush green grass, everything was dead and brown....but we have had good rain in recent weeks, and this is the result.

Looking to the left below we can see one of the cows from the other side of the hill, who roam freely from time to time.

Lots of lovely shades of green!

During World War II all this land was occupied by the Australian Army, and many soldiers spent time in camp here - my father included.  When I was a child, some of the old wooden huts which had been used to house soldiers were still in use as social housing; there was a great shortage of houses for all those returning servicemen (in those days they were nearly all men) and their young families.  In the early days of their marriage my parents lived with my maternal grandparents, certainly until after I was born....and, I think, until my brother was born just 13 months later.

When we decided to buy this house I had forgotten all about that connection, it only came to mind when I was looking at the photographic history of the town on my bookshelf.

How has everyone been this week?  We have been drifting along; the backing pieces for Arboretum have not yet been joined, but that's on the list.  Stitches have been sewn and knitted.  Words have been read, many words (probably the reason why those backing pieces haven't been joined, if truth be known).  Songs have been sung and plinked.  My troublesome foot spent time with a physio but is feeling better every time it goes, so we are spreading the appointments further and further apart.  We hunted, foraged and gathered.

Much time has been spent on the phone trying to make the appointments that Kevin needs.  It's frustrating to be left on hold until a call drops out - especially as the hold 'music' is not something to which I voluntarily listen - or being told, "no, we're not the people he needs to see, you need to talk to so-and-so else".  No doubt there will much more time in future spent in the same manner, time in which I could be sewing, or knitting, or reading.  

Many years ago I spent six months working in the city - the heart of the Big Smoke - I was the telephonist, and one day had occasion to hear their 'on hold' music.  Much to my surprise it wasn't the latest hits, or even a spiel for the company (which supplied legal stationery and software), it was music of the Baroque era, early to mid 1700s, which is music I really like.  When I mentioned it to one of my colleagues he said that studies had shown that, when people have to spend time on hold, the music which puts them in the best frame of mind is Baroque music - who knew that?  Not me!

All I can say is, it doesn't happen these days......

Continuing on with our bridesmaids-less wedding.

"The bride leaves the altar, taking the bridegroom's right arm, and they pass down the aisle without looking to the right or left.  It is considered very bad form to recognize acquaintances by bows and smiles while in church.

The bride and bridegroom drive away in their own carriage, the rest following in their carriages."

These days it is smiles all around as the happy couple leave the church.....and oh, how perfectly spiffing it would be to have one's own carriage.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Behind the trees

Backing has been bought for Arboretum - much to my surprise I was able to find Just The Very Thing at the local quilt shop, so there was no need to take that drive north.  The batiks in the main part of the shop were all delicate tone on tone pastels in shades of pink, lavender, blue, etc.  Very pretty if that's your thing, but not at all what I wanted.

Let's have a look in the sale room, said the assistant......

.....where my eyes lit on this.  The background is a deep rich chocolate, with little yellow/gold - squiggles? commas? hooks?  

Here's a mock-up with the intended binding fabric around the edge.  Today is dull and cloudy, not ideal conditions for photography, as the colour looks more washed-out than it is in real life.

So, yes - Just The Very Thing!  I must admit I had been hoping for lighter brighter fabric but this suits the binding and the price was amazing.  If the bolt was emptied the price was even better, so there is now a leftover piece in my stash; a hanging sleeve will be needed as the plan is to enter it in both the local show in September, and our quilt group exhibition in October.

How has everyone been?  We have had a fairly quiet week.  Stitches were sewn and knitted, fabric shopping was done.  Songs were sung.  We hunted and we foraged in order that we may not starve, and that was the week.

To make up for missing out on my trip north let's go to a pub in a small - very small - village half an hour south, said I, so we did; we drove to Currabubula where we had lunch at the pub.  There has been a pub in the village for a long time.  Australian author Kate Grenville has written a book "One Life" about her mother, and her grandmother, and her great-grandmother....I came across it in the library several years ago not knowing of the local connection, and found it fascinating.  

The weather has been winter on-and-off.  Days are fairly mild but nights and mornings are cool enough that we are glad to have a fire to keep us, and the house, from cooling down too much.  We've even had some more rain - it's unbelievable how much every blade of grass has changed to bright green from the dead dry brown of just a few weeks ago; we are even seeing the occasional kangaroo on the hill behind us.

Finally the hay fever cough, the gift that keeps on giving, seems to have abated - for which I am thankful.  It still catches me unawares from time to time, but not as severely as before.  

"Ceremonials when there are no bridesmaids.

When there are no bridesmaids, the marriage ceremonials at the church are as follows:  The members of the bride's family proceed to the church before the bride, who follows with her mother.  The bridegroom awaits them at the church and gives his arm to the bride's mother.  They walk up the aisle to the altar, the mother falling back to her position on the left.  The father, or relative representing him, conducts the bride to the bridegroom, who stands at the altar with his face turned toward her as she approaches, and the father falls back to the left.  The relatives follow, taking their places standing, those of the bride to the left, those of the groom to the right.  After kneeling at the altar for a moment, the bride, standing on the left of the bridegroom, takes the glove off from her left hand, while he takes the glove off from his right hand.  The service then begins.  The father of the bride gives her away by bowing when the question is asked, which is a much simpler form than stepping forward and placing his daughter's hand in that of the clergyman.  Perfect self-control should be exhibited by all parties during the ceremony."

Today's quote is fairly long, but there isn't really a suitable place to break it into smaller bites.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer