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

Well, that's February half done

Seems like the year is racing by, and Christmas will be upon us again before we know it.

Yesterday was Kevin's birthday, so off we went for a Nice Sunday Drive - yes, I know it was Saturday, but one can go for a Nice Sunday Drive on any day of the week - to a small town in the hills to the south-east.  Nundle is nearly an hour away; the road is not a multi-lane freeway by any stretch of the imagination, but is a really nice drive through the hills.  The pub has a reputation for being a place for a good feed, and it certainly didn't disappoint, my trout (from a local business) was delicious.  It's a place I have always enjoyed visiting as my family's history is tied up in the area, my maternal grandfather was born not far away, and his birth and the births of several of his siblings were all registered at the Nundle courthouse, a handsome building dating from 1880 which is now a museum.

Which is why the binding on my Canadian table topper isn't yet finished, as there wasn't much of yesterday left by the time we arrived home and I seldom use the machine at night.  Tired eyes, tired brain and machinery make for unhappy results, as I have found out in the past.

As you can see it has been cut, the strips joined and sewn to the topper, but the binding ends need to be joined then turned to the back and sewn down.  This red leafy fabric was in my stash - isn't it delicious?  As it has maple leaves and is red, it seemed just the Very Thing for the binding.

Over the past few days we have been planning our annual March trip down south.  We will be joining with our son to celebrate his 50th birthday - how can I have a 50 year old kid when I am only 29 and some months, I wonder? - and before that our 50th anniversary, which falls a few days earlier.  It didn't matter at the time, and 50 years later it matters even less, although my MIL was a bit shocked and scandalised that her only son would take up with a not-yet-divorced woman.  We are planning a few days in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains, basing ourselves in Tumut and using it as a base to do some exploring.  Then it will be off to Canberra for ten days, before heading off home.  We will be away for three weeks, and are looking forward to it.  We have stayed overnight in Tumut a couple of times, nigh on 30 years ago, and remember it as a very pretty town.

At least I was legally divorced when we married, unlike my grandmother who married my grandfather before her decree was absolute, making their marriage bigamous.....and my mother and her brother illegitimate.  My mother would have been mortified to the ends of the earth, had she known.  I enjoy watching genealogy programs, the scandals are often more interesting than boring everyday living, aren't they?

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn but not knitted.  Notes have, once more, been plinked and sung.  Appointments have been kept.  Hunting, gathering and foraging have been on the menu, and so passed another week.

Some rain would be nice....this weekend's forecast was for good rain, but not a drop has fallen from the sky.  Not a dribble, not a drip.  Oh well, no doubt rain will come when it comes.

"Position of an engaged man.

The same rules may be laid down in regard to the other party to the contract.  Neither should assume a masterful or jealous attitude toward the other.  They are neither of them to be shut up away from the rest of the world, but must mingle in society nearly the same as before, and take the same delight in friendship.  The fact that they have confessed their love for each other ought to be deemed a sufficient guarantee of faithfulness; for the rest let there be trust and confidence."

Very sensible words.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

The bear went over the mountain

On Thursday we will be heading south, this time sans caravan.  After so many years it's going to seem a bit strange not to take our home with us.....but never mind; we will still have fun.

Because we had a busy day yesterday, this week's post is a little late.

Before I retired a work colleague and her husband enjoyed a cruise to Alaska, and she very kindly brought me (and another colleague who was also a quilter) some Alaskan fabric with bears and moose.  Some of mine has already been used in one autumn quilt, but there was still a big enough piece to make a tree.

The bear is nearly disguised among the branches, ready to pounce on an unwary passer-by.  The choice had to be made between using the bears, or the moose.  As moose don't climb trees and bears do, it just had to be the bear - yes?  Unfortunately the remaining fabric isn't long enough to cut another tree, so those errant moose will be used for something else.

Another peacock, this time featuring more peacock-like colours than the last one.

The bear and the peacock.  

Part of the fun of making these blocks is making fabric decisions.  Sometimes a contrast is the right choice - as in this peacock block - and sometimes a co-ordinating fabric, as with the bear and its tree, is better.  Fabrics for the next two blocks have been chosen, and they will be made after we return.

How has everyone been?  We've had a busy few days; on Saturday we took ourselves for our annual drive to Armidale for a quilt show.  As usual there were some very interesting quilts; each year they have a theme for their 'entrance quilts' - small quilts hung immediately in front of the door, the first to be seen on entering the hall - this year's theme was birds, and they ranged from very realistic birds to funny cartoon birds.  

The elevation of our town is about 400 metres above sea level, and Armidale is over 1,000, so there is usually quite a difference in climate....as there was on Saturday, but that, of course, means a downhill run home; unfortunately it took my ears a painfully long time to 'pop' afterward.

Yesterday afternoon we enjoyed a visit to the theatre to see the play written and directed by our choir leader, the second time we had seen it (although last time was several years ago).  The story:  the idea of reviving the fortunes of a very small outback town by growing.....ahem......illegal leafy plants in derelict mining tunnels was the brainchild of a few of the local blokes, but of course it's difficult to keep a secret in such a small place!  The usual Sunday night zoom trivia quiz with The One And Only Grandkid, his mother and her parents (his Other Grandparents), our usual Sunday evening activity, finished off our busy weekend.

This week will be appointments, and clothes washing, and lunch on Wednesday, before starting our drive on Thursday.  Even though it will be a short week, it will be somewhat busy.

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn, and more diamonds cut.  Songs were plinked and sung by the hummers and strummers of the ukulele group, and now they will have to do without me for three days.  I'm sure they will cope.  Our neighbour Yvonne has friends who were interested in buying our caravan but they have decided against it, so after we come home we are expecting a woman to come from interstate to check it out; she seems quite keen.  While we will miss it, we know we have made the right decision.

Last weekend's rain was a bit of a non-event.  For quite some time forecasters had been saying our region would get a lot of rain, but no.  We had "some" rain.  We did not get "a lot" of rain.  What we received was very welcome but summer has been quite hot and dry, so while we fared better than the folk further north who suffered floods and associated damage even more would have been appreciated.  

Never mind.  Thursday is the autumn equinox and autumn can be rainy, so we are still cautiously optimistic.

"Learning to ride.

The first thing to do is to learn to ride, and no one should attempt to appear in public until a few preliminary lessons in riding are taken.  Until a person has learned to appear at ease on horseback, he or she should not appear in public.  The advice given in the old rhyme should be kept in mind, viz:

        Keep up your head and your heart,

            Your hands and your heels keep down;

        Press your knees close to your horse's sides,

            And your elbows close to your own."

As I have no intention whatsoever of learning to ride, I can probably safely disregard that sage advice.

Back in a few weeks, but until then - 

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Forwards and backwards

The computer has been back in hospital....doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it, they said.....I'm not convinced.  Anyway, it's back home for now.

How has everyone been?  It's been a busy couple of weeks; we're in the hottest part of the year and as usual the heat is quite unpleasant but it, too, will eventually pass.  The country music festival has come and gone, we had a new musical friend staying (I don't know where he gets his stamina from; his time was spent running from one gig to another and he had some very late nights, although he never disturbed us no matter how late he came home) and we enjoyed going to a few concerts.

No trees were made last week but the binding has been machined down on Autumn Rhapsody, and it's now being hand-sewn down on the back.  My bad hand doesn't enjoy long marathon sewing sessions, but so far it's behaving.  The panic over the too-short binding turned out to be misplaced in the end, as that extra strip wasn't needed after all.

Never waste a good panic.  You don't know when it may be needed for something really important.

If we were to hop in the trusty chariot and drive an hour or so south, we would be in sunflower territory.

A sunflower tree for the farmers who grow the sunflowers, and for tourists who love taking selfies in a field of big golden blooms.  Some farmers are now planting a field of flowers just for that purpose as it keeps the aforementioned tourists from trampling their precious crop, and the 'selfie fee' still raises some welcome money for their coffers or for charity.

Not sure what sort of tree this one is, but it's very colourful!

Don't they look good together?  

A reminder that one day this enervating heat will come to an end, and autumn will be with us once more.

To answer the comment from 'Anonymous' on my last post about a purple tree:  my least favourite colour in the whole spectrum is pink.  My second least favourite is purple, therefore a purple tree may continue to be missing.  There will, however, be more green and yellow trees to come.

Yesterday was Australia Day.  We spent the morning at home and the afternoon at a concert enjoying our musical guest's talents, before saying 'farewell' to the performers until next year.  As usual many words have been read and spoken on the subject of "should we celebrate Australia Day when it commemorates the arrival of European settlers to the detriment of the First Peoples" but I don't think the answer is simple, as any alternative date put forward is also problematic for some reason or another.  The date also marks the date of 26th January, 1949, when the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948 was enacted.  That meant that we all became Australian citizens; prior to that date we were considered British subjects and even had to travel on British passports....and that, to me, is something worth celebrating.

My Posh Melbourne Grandmother, Florence, was one of five girls and two boys born in Sydney to Phoebe and Arthur Nelson.  (She and her new hubby moved to Melbourne after their marriage and spent the rest of their lives there.)  For several years from the mid-1890s Arthur, an engineer with his own business, was a member of the N.S.W. Legislative Assembly, and according to information found on Trove he attended Federation conferences in both Melbourne and Adelaide, prior to Federation in 1901.  In those days the prospect of Federation - all Australian states and territories combining to form one country - was obviously on Arthur and Phoebe's mind, so much so that a daughter born in 1887 was named 'Australia'.

She seems to have gone by her middle name of Mae.  Can't say I blame her, really.

Words have been read.  Notes have been plinked.  Stitches have been sewn, by hand and by machine.  We managed to avoid the festival crowds (not always an easy exercise when there are over 50,000 of them to avoid) in order to hunt and gather because the food supply was getting a bit low, but we are stocked up again now.  We keep out of the heat as much as possible, although it's a struggle to stay cool sometimes.

Further to our last point of etiquette:

"It shows a great lack of proper manners to see two ladies, or a lady and gentleman, occupy a seat in front of them and fill it with their wraps and bundles, retaining it in spite of the entreating or remonstrating looks of fellow-passengers.  In such case any person who desires a seat is justified in removing the baggage and taking possession of the unused seat."

It's even worse when people put their feet on the opposite seat.  Who would want to pick up someone else's feetsies and place them on the floor?  Not me.  Not even I.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

It's wattle time again!

Once more our wattle is blooming in all its golden gorgeousness.  This is our view from just outside our kitchen window, on a cloudy grey day......

.....and from outside.  The bush is getting so big that's it's difficult to fit in one photo, and it has grown into a beautiful shrub.  Isn't it a glorious shade of yellow?

Many Aussie native plants aren't long-lived, so we enjoy them while we can.  I have had large healthy plants suddenly keel over and depart this earth forever - especially grevilleas; much as I like them, they can be so finicky that I have given up on them.  We know that our lovely wattle may one day suffer the same fate, but until it does we will enjoy its annual display and try not to trip on those low branches when we go outside.

Bees like it, too.  The world needs more bees, so any plant that they like is a good thing to have.

We are noticing more signs that winter's days are on the way out, even though it will be a while before we can say "yippee - it's spring!"  Magnolia and blossom trees are blooming, and some bulbs are popping up although I haven't seen daffodils anywhere.

How has everyone's week been?  Mine has seen some time spent in the sewing room; a couple of blocks made for members of my quilt group's monthly BOM were made now that I am able to use a rotary cutter again, and some of the third border on the autumn leaf was made.  Before we went off on our holiday back in March I had cut a good supply of diamonds as a take-along project; some were made while we were away, and since being able to sew again more have been assembled.....so much so, that the supply of cut diamonds was diminishing at an ever-increasing rate, so more needed to be cut.  That is being attended to, each day I try to cut enough to make two, three-diamond hexagons - so, two light, two dark, and two somewhere in between.  That's enough for my hand; no matter what I do it usually complains after a short while anyway, so frequent breaks are the way to go.

While tootling around on the internet (as one does) I came across another tutorial for the twisted column quilt, this time as a runner called 'Ribbon pole quilt'.  Check out this bloke's videos - he has some fun projects; the tool pouch is a good idea, and I really like his 'Fields from above' quilt.  

Words have been read.  Songs have been sung, and notes have been plinked.  Our challenging friend wasn't at U3A on Thursday so we had to manage without her, and manage we did.  Jolly good for us.  The usual hunting and gathering to round out the week and stave off hunger, and that was our week.

We have had more rain this week, something we probably didn't need....the ground is already saturated from the last lot.....but with every drop that falls we remember the bad drought of just a few short years ago, and we don't complain about rain.

Another anniversary coming up in the week ahead.  On Tuesday it will be 25 years since my mother died, a whole quarter of a century ago.  We didn't have a close relationship; during my childhood she was emotionally and physically abusive and I was glad to move out when I married, even though it was to the wrong bloke for the wrong reasons. 

Ah well.  

Continuing on with Conduct in an artist's studio:

"Use no strong expression either of delight or disapprobation at anything presented for your inspection.  If a picture or a statue please you, show your approval and appreciation by close attention, and a few quiet, well-chosen words, rather than by extravagant praise."

That seems like a good idea.  Extravagant and fulsome praise can, and indeed probably is, insincere.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Home again!

We had a good time in Canberra catching up with family and friends, and enjoying some musical shenanigans.  The antique quilt exhibition was wonderful, as were other exhibitions we attended....Canberra has many venues for such things.

Or musician son had a gig that we were able to attend; he's a good player and we don't get many chances to hear him because we live so far apart, so we take the chance when it arises.  The One And Only Grandkid is shooting up and is a bit obsessed with superheroes and such phenomena - just like his father was at the same age.

We extended our stay in Canberra by a week due to wet and stormy weather (better to stay put than to travel in heavy rain if we didn't need to, we decided) and eventually crossed into Victoria.  Our plan was to travel to Shepparton....but we didn't make it.  We stopped in Benalla for fuel and when Kevin was filling the car I thought I would stretch my legs, climbed out of the car, started walking, and tripped on an unmarked bump in the forecourt.  Down I went....result, a badly broken right arm and bruising in places I didn't know I had, including a spectacular black eye caused by my sunglasses when I fell onto my cheek. 

Ouch......double ouch and triple ouch......

The staff at Benalla Hospital were lovely, the paramedics who ferried me around also great, and the staff at Wangaratta Hospital (my broken arm was deemed too complicated to treat in Benalla's smaller facility so I was taken to Wang, as the locals call it) were also terrific.  Back home after cutting our holiday short now, for the past week we have been running around from one medical appointment to another, but the good news is my arm, although badly broken, doesn't need surgery (although it was touch and go for a while there) and it hasn't fallen off.

A slight chuckle has been caused by the fact that Kevin realised, when we were on our way, that he had forgotten his hearing aids....so when I was squealing in pain on the Benalla forecourt being ministered to by two complete strangers, he was happily pumping fuel into the other side of the car not hearing a thing.  You may be sure I won't let him forget that.  Fifty years together and he ignores his poor wife's sufferings....

We did get to see the Rajah quilt in Canberra though!

Probably the best quilt label ever.

It's quite large.

It was a bit tricky to photograph as it was laid out tilted behind glass, so reflections are unavoidable.

Some of the fabrics used; I love that rich dark yellow.

There were other quilts in the exhibition.  I photographed one from this time period, but as typing is slow and laborious - and quite painful - I will save it for another post.

Continuing on with Conduct in Opera, Theatre or Public Hall:

"A gentleman should, on no account, leave the lady's side from the beginning to the close of the performance."

Indeed.  Especially if she is injured.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Not such a good way to end the year, but well......

 This afternoon I typed out the final post for the year but somehow my fingers hit more than one key at once......and my post disappeared into cyberspace.

Oh, well.  We'll try again.

Earlier in the week the top - so far - of the house quilt was finished.  The holiday break wasn't spent in idleness, you know.

It still needs borders.  I am thinking - perhaps two rows of 2-1/2 in random strips, and that should finish the edges nicely.

The purple house with orange roof was the first block made, nearly four years ago, so it has a place of honour on the bottom right hand corner.

A few years ago I was looking through some magazines ("free to good home") when a quilt in my beloved autumn tones caught my eye.  I took the magazine home - only to find out it was already in my collection!  It's a now-defunct Australian magazine published in 2007.

Fabrics were selected....an easy task, because I have quite a stash of autumn prints.....and all the cutting was done.  Using the 'leaders and enders' system all the half-square triangles were made, both small and larger.  The 15 autumn blocks required for the pattern were made.......

.....and there it sat.

It is coming out of hibernation to be taken to quilt group on Tuesday because there will be lots of mindless piecing, something easy to do when chatting is happening.  The original quilt had green leaves, yellow leaves, red leaves - but as you can see, I have mixed my fabrics around.  These four blocks (or perhaps a different four, yet to be decided) will form the centre of the medallion style quilt.  There are still borders to be cut as every round or two is bordered, but I will start the piecing and let the quilt tell me which of the border choices it would like as we go along.

How was everyone's Christmas?  Ours was quiet although we did lash out and cook a small turkey roll, enough for two with some leftovers.  A glass of bubbly with it, and we were happy.  We spoke to our Canberra son and enjoyed opening the package he sent which included a fun calendar of wombats doing - of all things - yoga, which will hang in my sewing room.  The wombat paintings are by Lenny Pelling, and you would have to be a sad sack indeed if those pictures didn't make you laugh, or at least smile.

Last day of 2023 today, or Hogmanay for those of us with Scottish blood in our veins.  Mine comes from my father through his mother (my Posh Melbourne Grandmother Florence), then her father, my great-grandfather, born in Australia in the early 1840s to Scottish immigrant parents.  Contact with that side of my family was severed by them in the early 1970s, and although it was later picked up by my brothers I have had none since then.

As usual I do not plan to make new year resolutions, although I do have hopes of accomplishing a few things.  We can always dream.....

Diamonds have been joined, and some cut.  Words have been read.  Seasonal hunting and gathering has happened in order that we may not starve, and so it goes.

Continuing with Etiquette of Public Places, Conduct in Church:

"Ladies always take the inside seats, and gentlemen the outside or head of the pew.  When a gentleman accompanies a lady, however, it is customary for him to sit by her side during church services."

Have you seen the fashions of the mid-1880s, when these words were written?  Although the wide crinoline was no longer worn the styles were quite elaborate (over-elaborate in many cases) which would have made it difficult, if not impossible, for two ladies to pass in narrow pews.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Hidden treasure!

When my 1926 treadle machine went for its recent visit to the house museum it was taken apart for transport, as it's far too heavy for two Olde Phartez to lift.  First the staple was unclipped from the leather belt join, and the belt removed.  Next two screws holding the machine were removed, and the machine head lifted from the wooden cabinet.  Finally - this is the tricky bit, although Kevin assured me it wasn't difficult, just fiddly - the four vertical screws holding the wooden cabinet to the metal base were removed, and the wooden cabinet lifted off.  When it returned home, the process was repeated in reverse.

To make re-assembly less fiddly Kevin laid the wooden cabinet on its back, first removing the six drawers so they wouldn't fall out and get damaged. (The floors in that part of the house are tile, anything dropped on it is likely to break.)  Imagine his surprise when he looked inside the cabinet and found some very old things which had obviously fallen out the back of one of the drawers, become wedged in and never found - possibly not since the 1920s!

There is a piece of floral fabric, possibly fine cotton or rayon (viscose); a large piece of pale blue fabric, also fine cotton or rayon; a piece of gold brocade; a length of narrow lace, and a piece of floral beaded trim - it appears to be unused - which could be used for an evening garment or bag, and which has a 1920s look to it.  There was also a bonus certificate from 1927 for the amount of 100 pounds, equal to $200 in today's money, with a 25 pound ($50) bonus.  Converted to today's money value it's worth several thousand dollars - but I can't cash it in; for one thing I am not the person whose name is on the certificate - and for another thing, the company no longer exists.

The machine was a freebie, back in 2001.  My brother rang me to say his neighbour had "an old machine like yours" (our grandmother's 1925 Singer machine, by then in my possession) so if I wanted it, get there quickly or the neighbour was going to take it to the tip.  We hot-footed it over to his place in peak hour traffic (peak hour traffic in the Big Smoke was not for the faint of heart then, it's probably much worse now) to find the neighbour had taken the machine apart but everything was still with it.  Some of the fancy feet - the manual - even the key to the cabinet! - a plastic bag of screws - all was there.  Nothing was missing, so putting it together again was just like doing a not-very-hard jigsaw.  We had, however, never looked behind the drawers before!

I wonder how that long-ago seamstress felt when she couldn't find the certificate, and her leftover pieces of fabric and trim?  "Oh dear, it was here somewhere......"

The neighbourhood is coming along well.

It has become my take-along project for the quilt group first Tuesday of the month meeting, as it's just pinning and straight sewing.  Lots of pinning is required, as those strips are only cut one inch wide and I don't want them to slip while being attached, but that does make for slower results.  Never mind; every painstaking pin will be worth it when it's done. 

The pas couple of days I have been helping Kevin with some of his family history research.  It's been interesting finding out about his paternal grandmother, Emily from the circus; he remembers her as a little old lady - but before she married she was a bareback rider who was regarded with awe because she could swing down and pick up a handkerchief while at full gallop!  She also danced the 'Highland fling' and 'sailor's hornpipe' in the ring, starting out as a child.  She retired from the circus in her mid-20s when she married and never, it seems, performed again.

Diamonds have been joined, and more have been cut.  A wooden hanger has had its old knitted nylon cover removed (remember them?) and replaced with a pretty floral one, following a helpful online tutorial.  Words have been read.  Notes have been sung but none plinked, as my aging fingers have been resting after the previous musically busy week.  Hunting and gathering has been done.  That was the week, that was.

Daylight saving started at stupid dark early o'clock this morning, at 3 a.m.  We set our clocks as we were going to bed so our brains could start to adjust from waking-up time, but just the same I expect to feel a bit lagged for a few days until my brain kicks into gear.  Which it will.  Just not immediately.  Our state has had daylight saving since 1971, but there are those who still whinge and complain about it every year at this time.  Just get over it.  Your moans won't make it change back.  I don't love it, but I certainly don't hate it either.....there's no point in hating something so trivial, is there?

"Keep to the right.

On meeting and passing people in the street, keep to your right hand, except when a gentleman is walking alone; then he must always turn aside to give the preferred side of the walk to a lady, to any one carrying a heavy load, to a clergyman, or to an old gentleman."

Well, yes....I understand sheltering a lady from mud and splashes of the street, and an old gentleman who perhaps couldn't nimbly leap out of the way himself......same with a heavily laden person....but a clergyman?  If a clergyman is walking with a lady he would walk on the outside, surely - clergyman or not?

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

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!

Forty seven years and counting......

Yesterday was the 47th anniversary of the day we stood up in front of family and friends, and said nice words to each other.  47 years!  My gawd, that's a long time!

To mark the occasion we harnessed up the trusty steed and drove up the hill to a town an hour north, because their annual quilt show was being held.  I entertained myself at the show for a while, and Kevin strolled around enjoying the architecture and streets of Armidale.  Once again I met up with my Armidale namesake - another Jennifer Richards, how cool is that?  Her quilts on show were lovely, and her hand quilting beautiful.  I have been to that show before; it's not a large one as the hall isn't big, the group isn't huge, and because they have an annual exhibition there is usually only one year's worth of quilts to be shown.  I was impressed by the standard, however, especially the quilts of this young feller.....he is very talented and has great colour sense, while his quilting is superb.

It was International Quilting Day on Saturday, so a show on that weekend is very appropriate!  Here's a few of my quilts, even though they weren't done at the weekend.

Every quilter, it is said, has a blue and yellow quilt.  This is one of mine.

This was made from the leftover star triangles of the quilt above - same blue and yellow fabrics, different borders.

Love this one, just a study in black and white.  It was started in a class back in the Big Smoke and finished here.

Autumn - my favourite season!  Started in another class with the same tutor, after moving here here to the Small Smoke.

A soft pretty quilt made for a friend undergoing some health issues.

If I was asked which of all my quilts is my favourite - and of course there more than these shown - this one would be very close to the top of the list.  I love its exuberance, how could you not?

Words have been read this week, stitches have been knitted.  No diamonds have been joined - indeed, more need to be cut so as to have enough to take away for a few weeks in the caravan; it is only two weeks now until we leave so I had better get cracking with the cutting.  More music has been sorted, in fact I can almost - almost! - see the bottom of those piles.  Songs have been plinked and sung.

It's going to be a busy couple of weeks with shopping, a musical gig, and various appointments for both of us.  Once we are in the car heading off down the road, I suspect there will be a big collective sigh of relief.  We are going down south to catch up with the family, and for me to attend the big folk festival.  Kevin will probably spend time with our son while I am off making music, they can do Boy Stuff together and perhaps The One And Only Grandkid will join them for some of it.  There has been a marriage split so the aforementioned Grandkid now lives with his mother, although of course he spends time with his father.

We will just keep out of the way as much as we can, and smile sweetly while offering no opinion on anything or anybody.

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"Carrying packages.

A gentleman will never permit a lady with whom he is walking to carry a package of any kind, but will insist on relieving her of it.  He may even accost a lady when he sees her overburdened and offer his assistance, if their ways lie in the same direction."

Not sure about the use of the word "accost"?  These days it has cme to mean "to approach someone boldly or aggressively", something I hope a proper gentleman would not do to a lady of his acquaintance.

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!

Woe is me, shame and scandal in the family......

Anyone else remember that old song?  It was around when I was a Sweet Young Thing, and never failed to raise a chuckle.  I was reminded of it earlier in the week while watching one of those genealogical programs, which - even if we don't know of the person concerned - are usually interesting.  

My maternal grandmother Edith married twice, we grew up knowing that our mother and uncle had a much older step-sister.  Given that it was the early 1920s we always assumed - even my mother assumed - that Edith's first husband Albert had died, but no.  Edith took their daughter and left, and Albert sued for divorce on the grounds of desertion.  The decree nisi was granted in March 1923; I have a copy of the court proceedings (and very interesting reading it is too) which states bluntly "If you marry again before this decree is absolute you will be committing bigamy".  The decree absolute period was five years, probably standard for the time, which would mean that Edith and Albert were free to marry again in 1928.  Albert remarried in 1930 but - Edith and my grandfather Frank were married in September 1923, possibly because my mother was on the way.  I have long wondered if it was really a legal marriage so recently joined a social media genealogy group and asked the question.  The general opinion was, no, it was a bigamous marriage.  That would have made my mother and her brother illegitimate, something which would have cause great mortification and embarrassment to my mother had she known.  Finding out in her 60s that she was born just six months after her parents' marriage was bad enough for her.

It was nigh on 100 years ago and these days it doesn't matter, but it's still interesting to know, isn't it?  These are my grandparents Edith and Frank - Francis David - with my mother Mavis in 1924.  It's behind glass, hence the flash.

It's time for the annual wattle pic!  Our wattle is starting to bloom, we love its glorious golden gorgeousness.

Some shopping was done and a suitable top purchased for next week's gig, bought new on sale ($55 reduced to $20, not bad eh?) to be worn under this jacket.  The appliqué reminds me of the lotus design on my Singer treadle machines, both from the mid-1920s, which is very apt as the evening has a 'Roaring Twenties' theme.

This was bought a very long time ago at a quilt show in Canberra, the flowers are cut from a stripe while the foliage is an irridescent olive green, and the machine appliqué is exquisitely done.  The lining is a very deep dark olive green, the main fabric a black cotton blend.  It was a little pricey but I liked it, it was different and unique, beautifully made.....and twenty years later I still wear it, so it was money well spent.  Some sparkly jewellery, a flower for my hair, and I will be good to go.  

The quilting between the white and outer leafy print border on my Canadian quilt has been completed, now I am waiting for a decent block of time to free motion quilt the outer border.  Later in the week is looking hopeful, fingers crossed......diamonds have been pieced, more diamonds have been cut.  Stitches have been knitted, words have been read.  Shopping has been shopped.  Food has been cooked.  General running around has been run.  All the things that make the daily grind exciting, in other words, have been done.

Continuing on with General Rules for Balls:

"Though not customary for a married couple to dance together in society, those men who wish to show their wives the compliment of such unusual attention, if they possess any independence, will not be deterred from doing so by their fear of any comments from Mrs. Grundy."

'Mrs Grundy' was not a real person, but concern about offending her seems to have been strong in past times.  Many years ago Reg Grundy was a TV entrepeneur, and his name is now used as an Aussie rhyming term for underwear.....'Reg Grundies' for 'undies'.  I don't know what Mrs Grundy would have thought about that.

Enjoy your days!

And......back home again

These few weeks have flown by!  We had a fun time down south (which would have been better had the weather co-operated, it was either cold or wet or cold again) and it was so good to catch up with family and friends again.  The One And Only Grandkid is shooting up, he's up to my chest now.....we enjoyed the autumn colours, and indulged in a little bit of shopping.  Well, perhaps slightly more than a little bit....here in the Small Smoke our options are limited, so we take the chance to stock up when we can.  We also took in a few exhibitions.

On our way south we stopped off at Sofala, an interesting little town made more so since we learned that Kevin's great-grandmother Eliza was born there back in the gold rush days of 1863.  This is the Turon River, quiet and peaceful now, which would have been a hive of activitity in those days.  You can see where branches have been carried along and left behind as recent high water receded, the Turon River in its steep valley can become a raging torrent when flooded.

We stayed at a caravan park north of Canberra as our regular park is currently closed.  It meant a bit more driving, but was quiet and peaceful with plenty of autumn colour.  This view was just behind our van site late one afternoon.  Don't be fooled by the blue sky.  It was cold.

A stop off at a favourite cafe provided entertainment on a wet day - the sulphur-crested cockatoos and galahs are fun to watch.  We were told these were all juvenile males, a teenage gang.  The galah with its back to the camera took exception to something it heard, flapping its wings and sqwarking.

Not all fallen leaves in autumn are autumn colours.....this plane tree leaf was still bright green.

We had ducks and rabbits regularly visiting our spot, each and every one of them incontinent; there was plenty of 'fertiliser' around.  I had to zoom in to get this shot because bunnies and ducks would disappear if we walked too close to them.

On the way home at a stop - one of many - for roadworks, on the Mid-Western Highway between Cowra and Blayney.

It was so chilly that we probably won't go to Canberra between the end of April and September/October in future.  If we weren't in a caravan - if we were in an insulated bulding - it wouldn't be so bad, but there were times when it was really unpleasant.  Our outdoor chairs and table weren't taken out of the car at all and my ukulele didn't leave its case either; it was just too cold to sit outside and plink away, my usual preference.

Some fabric shopping was indulged in, and some home-made jam shopping, and chocolate shopping (we found a place to have a birthday chocolate lunch, and very yummy it was too), and book shopping.

Now we are home, clothes are unpacked, washing is done, but my shopping is not all unpacked yet.  That's always the worst part of a holiday, isn't it?  Unpacking and putting away Stuff.

Some diamonds were stitched - a pic will be taken - and knitting helped to pass the long journey, the back of my latest jumper/cardy (still not decided but leaning towards a jumper) is done and one sleeve has been started.  It will probably become a TV project this winter, when there is something worth turning on the TV.  Which there frequently isn't, we find.

Continuing on with General Rules for Balls:

"The lady with whom a gentleman dances last is the one he takes to supper.  Therefore he can make no engagement to take out any other, unless his partner is already engaged."

Well, yes.  This is indeed so.

Enjoy your days!