More golden goodness

One of this week's trees could be a wattle tree.

There are apparently so many species of wattle that somewhere in Australia, every day of the year, wattle trees are blooming.  Some are dark gold, some are so pale as to be nearly white, and there is every shade of yellow in between.....we have certainly seen wattles this colour.

The second tree reminds me of an underwater scene in a tropical lagoon.  It's quite a bit paler than many of the trees, but then an Arboretum needs trees which are light and trees which are dark.

This week's trees.  

We're now into re-using fabrics but each fabric is only used once for a tree, and once for a contrast.  Once all the blocks are together I am hoping it won't be too obvious, but the alternative would have to be 198 different fabrics - and while I have a good stash of batiks, it's not that extravagant!

These two pics are fabrics chosen to make bags.  In a few weeks the Historical Society museum will have its Spring Fair and Open Day, and will also celebrate the house's 150th birthday.  As I have done in past years I will be taking along one of my 1920s Singer treadle machines and demonstrating how sewing used to be done - and, indeed, still is.  All fabrics will be already cut out and any pressing will be done in advance, as I won't have access to an iron on the day.

This bag may be donated to charity but I quite like the yellow fabrics, so that bag might stay with me.

The garden from the other end.  You can see how green it all is, and this week's rain has certainly helped.  I even managed to avoid the wash line with my undies flapping gently in the breeze, for which you are no doubt thankful

Snowdrops planted by the previous owner, which pop up annually in late winter.

How has everyone been this week?  We have had even more rain, so much in fact that the river flooded again for the second time in a couple of weeks.  Fortunately it was classed as a minor flood - there are, it seems, minor, moderate and major floods - so while two of the three river bridges were closed, the water went down quickly.  The ground is already saturated, so it doesn't take much rain for a flood.

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn and knitted, in fact I may have overdone it because last year's broken arm has been rather painful, so it's having several days' rest from knitting.  At my quarterly check-up earlier in the week the doctor suggested going back to the exercises prescribed by the physio while my arm was healing, so I have been doing that.  Songs have been plinked and sung in readiness for performance at the Historical Society's open day, so it will be a busy day.

A shout out to Barbara, wherever you are - thank you for visiting my blog!  I wasn't able to reply to your comment as you came up as 'no-reply-blogger'.

This quote reminds us how things have changed in the past 140 years.

"Parents should exercise authority over daughters.

Parents should always be perfectly familiar with the character of their daughter's associates, and they should exercise their authority so far as not to permit her to form any improper acquaintances.  In regulating the social relations of their daughter, parents should bear in mind the possibility of her falling in love with any one with whom she may come into frequent contact.  Therefore, if any gentleman of her acquaintance is particularly ineligible as a husband, he should be excluded as far as practicable from her society."

I don't think so.  How will she ever learn to pick good from bad if she is not given the chance?

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Well - that's been interesting!

What a time we have had....and it's not yet over!

Many places in the region - not us, which is probably a good thing - had their heaviest snowfalls for over 20 years, and possibly longer.  The main highway north has been (and indeed still is) cut in several places due to snow and ice on the road, and now many more roads are cut due to flooding.  Tamworth has three crossings over the Peel River, and as we speak two of them are cut due to water over the road; the bridge on the closest crossing to us is above the river level, but the approach road on the west side is not.  The main bridge, the only one remaining open, isn't far below major flood level; folk have been posting pics on social media showing water lapping onto the roadway as the river flows swiftly - very swiftly - just below.  You can read some of the news stories here.  One person is missing after driving through a flooded crossing a few hours south-east of us.  The rain has stopped for now, but more water is still making its way down the river toward us so it's not over yet.

While the story about the missing woman is tragic, I couldn't help a little smile at the yellow duck sign in the picture.

Tomorrow morning I have an appointment on the other side of the river, so fingers crossed that getting there (and home again!) isn't too much of a drama.  My memories of growing up here are of regular floods; my parents' house was on a hill, and from their backyard we had a view over the town and a very good view of the flooded river.  In those days there was no levee so when the river overflowed its banks the water would go right into the main business district, but that is now a thing of the past....some of the flood gates failed last night, but the water was pumped away.  Those childhood memories are the reason we bought our house on a hill well away from the river - if our house ever goes under, the rest of Australia is in deep trouble!

And now onto our regular programming.  This week's trees:

Another blue from Summertime Blues, an interesting print in smokey blue with red contrast.  There aren't many blue fabrics left unused now.

Our wattle bush is starting its annual blooming, so of course there has to be a wattle tree!

I love this deep gold, and the contrast was bought in Canberra during our trip there a few months ago.  I can't resist sharp lime green.

Now we're up to 64 trees.  Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm 64.....I was once, you know.....

Some of those wattle blossoms at the beginning of their annual flowering, not quite the same colours as the fabrics in the golden tree but close enough in spirit.  Several species of wattle have deep gold blooms, while others are so pale they are nearly white.  Mine is bright lemon yellow.

It's not easy getting a photo on a windy day; those are my fingers on the left as the branch needed to be held still.

How has everyone been this week?  We shopped to avert starvation, stitches were sewn and knitted.  Words were read.  Songs were plinked and sung, and thereby lies a dilemma.  When we first moved here one of the things I did was to join the choir of which I am still a member, and our regular rehearsal has always been on Thursday night from 7.15 to 9 p.m.  Our recent concert didn't enjoy a huge audience; having it on a cold winter night is not a guaranteed way to draw a crowd, especially as many of  the folk who support these concerts are not on the young side.  Our leader Bill has now decided that we should meet in daytime and any future concerts should be in daytime too, which is probably a good idea - except that he decreed that we would meet on Thursday afternoon from 2p.m. to 4p.m.  

Guess when U3A ukulele group meets?  Yes indeedy, Thursday afternoon from 2p.m. to 4p.m......oh, just change your U3A day, said a few choir members to me when I pointed out that I would never be able to get to choir.....but when one is a small cog in a larger wheel it's not always easy.  Bill is going to see if that is the only time available to us, and I will sound out the U3A people about a change of day.  The issue with that is, many members are also enrolled in other courses so clashes would seem inevitable and venues are not always available when needed..

Oh well.  We shall have to see how it goes.  I'm certainly not going to do what the previous U3A leader did and drop my duties like a hot potato.

This week's etiquette quote is short, it is part of a topic which will be spread over a few posts as it is much too long for just one post.

"Proper manner of courtship.

It is impossible to lay down any rule as to the proper mode of courtship and proposal.  In France it is the business of the parents to settle all preliminaries.  In England and Australia the young man asks the consent of the parents to pay addresses to their daughter."

Did your parents arrange your courtship?  Mine certainly did not; by the time Kevin and I were married my parents were divorced and my father was...we knew not where.  Our courtship was self-service.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Cool rainy day trees

Today is definitely a better day to be in looking out, than to be out looking in.  The wind is a bit nasty, the sun has forgotten to shine, and every now and then blustery rain hits the windows.

Last night the final stitches were taken on the hanging sleeve of Autumn Rhapsody, so yay goody for me!  It can now finally be counted as a finish.

This week's trees, numbers 61 and 62.  We're getting through the blue fabrics - not many more to go, now.  This pinkish-orange (or is it orange-ish pink?) makes a good contrast.

I remember buying this leaf fabric in Canada, at a quilt show in Kincardine.  How did I get to know about a quilt show on the other side of the world, I hear you ask?  Back in late 2012 we were waiting at Sydney Airport for those l-o-o-o-n-g flights to Canada, so to keep myself entertained I had taken along some hand-piecing.  Another woman who was waiting sat beside me and we started chatting; her name was Mary, she was from Kincardine, and she mentioned her group's quilt show.  We hired a car and off we set for some exploring in towns along Lake Huron, one of which was Kincardine, and goodness me - look at that sign, dear, there's a quilt show at Knox Presbyterian Church today!  Fancy that!!

The contrast is left from my tree hanging.  It made an excellent trunk then, and it makes another good one today.

Slightly shaded trees, because the cloudy day means lights have to be on.

Thoughts have been thought about the yellow quilt, and fabrics pulled from the stash.  Lots of tone on tones, checks, florals, spots......you name it.  A couple of fabrics have some orange on them, which really pops; I was unsure about them at first, but they can stay in.  The fabric with blue flowers may go, however, as I have already made two yellow and blue quilts.

Many years ago....many, many years ago......I fell in love with this fabric and bought some intending to use it for borders, but have now changed my mind.  It will make an excellent backing instead.

A pattern in a magazine from about 2007 is inspiration, but rather than the original designer's plain borders mine will be pieced.  This has been percolating in my mind for many years, so it's about time it popped out, yes?  There is a lot of cutting out to be done, my least favourite part of the quilt-making process, but the rotary cutter will have a new blade inserted and it will be good to go.

Never mind about all the other projects waiting in the wings......

The view from my sewing room window a couple of days ago, while making trees.  The sun was getting ready to set, but the trees further up the hill had a golden light on their tops.  In the short time it took me to go outside the light changed but it hadn't completely gone, so I took this pic.

How has everyone been this week?  We have had the usual uneventful week: we hunted, we gathered.  We drove to a smaller town half an hour away to take the new(ish) car for a bit of a run and to visit its two butchers, both of whom have very good meat and most of which is now in our freezer. Stitches have been sewn, words have been read.  Songs have been plinked and sung.  That's about it, really.  We've been staying inside out of the weather.

There has been so much rain this week that roads have been closed, the river has had a minor flood, and more water is probably still making its way downstream toward us as we speak.  A check of the rain radar shows showers all around us, so we may still get more before we turn off the day and go to bed later.

It's better than being in drought, though.

"Thorough acquaintance as a basis for marriage.

Perhaps there is such a thing as love at first sight, but love alone is a very uncertain foundation upon which to base marriage.  There should be thorough acquaintanceship and a certain knowledge of harmony of tastes and temperaments before matrimony is ventured upon."

This is probably true.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

A sunset tree

An Aussie sunset tree, at that.  This is the only batik fabric in the Big Basket which has an Aussie design, of eucalypt leaves and blossoms.  The colours are 'late afternoon/sunset', aren't they?  The contrast is a deep creamy colour.

Another fabric used in Summertime Blues.  The contrast is a smokey grey/green with more colours than it shows here; it reminds me of some species of eucalypt leaves which are grey/green colour rather than bright green.

An interesting pair, taking the total up to 46.

The knitting's progress.  The back of whatever it is going to be - jumper probably, cardigan possibly - is now long enough that decreasing for the armholes can start.

I like the colours, but am not sure that I love the stripes - I was hoping for more random patterning.  Never mind; it will probably be worn at home rather than out, as when one is no longer in the first slenderness of youth (not like I was once.....sigh......) horizontal stripes are not flattering. This blue/purple/green colourway is not as green as I thought it might be, to judge from the sample yarn in the colour card, but I can live with it.

I remember when yarns with more than one colour first appeared on the market, and what a novelty they were!  Most were variegated shades of one colour, but some were multicoloured; many was the child in those days (late 1960s/early 70s) who wore bright multi-coloured jumpers, so much more cheerful than the single coloured yarns previously available.  I remember making and wearing a sleeveless crocheted buttoned vest, in variegated mossy green.....it went very well with a white shirt with a big wide collar (also made by me, as were most of my clothes in those days) and a long dark green woollen skirt made of woven fabric, not knitted or crocheted.  Long woollen skirts were The Very Thing back then, as was crocheted clothing, and I certainly made and wore my share. 

One of my 'makes' was a crocheted top in good quality (read: expensive) bright red wool yarn, .  The body was plain crochet with a lace work yoke, and the tops of the short sleeves were the same lace design.  It was pretty, I wore it with pride, until one day it needed to be washed and the bloke to whom I was married at the time threw it in the washing machine with everything else.....I wasn't home at the time to throw up my hands in horror and say "fergawdssake don't do that!"......and, of course, it shrunk and felted.  It still fitted - just - but had lost the crisp stitch definition.  As you can probably guess, I wasn't impressed.

Many of those patterns came from women's magazines of the time.  In later years those same magazines were derided by feminists for their recipes and knitting and crocheted patterns, and while many of them are still around they now seem to be filled with rubbish articles on so-called "celebrities", people we neither know nor care about.  At least those magazines of years gone by were useful.

Last week's rain has resulted in the garden looking lush and green, and the weeds doing amazingly well.  More is forecast for the coming week, enough to keep those weeds growing higher and higher.  Now it is June, winter is lurking around the corner, and those warm jumpers of mine will come into their own.

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn and knitted.  Notes have been plinked and words sung.  We hunted and gathered and ran around a bit, and so another week passed us by.

"In assisting a lady to enter a carriage, a gentleman will take care that the skirt of her dress is not allowed to hang outside.  A carriage robe should be provided to protect her dress from the mud and dust of the road.  The gentleman should provide the lady with her parasol, fan and shawl, and see that she is comfortable in every way, before he seats himself."

Taking a carriage ride in those days was quite a business, wasn't it?  All those things to remember, although most of them are just common sense.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

One down.....

.....three to go.

The four border strips have been assembled for Autumn Rhapsody; they were laid out on the design bed to keep them from being creased.  I'm pleased with the fabric choice for the inner border; it had already been rejected for other parts of the quilt, perhaps it was just waiting for its perfect spot.  The design bed is, of course, not flat, but this was enough to give the idea of how it will look.

A short while ago the first border was sewn to the quilt, then pressed......I am more than happy with the result!  The tan/gold/brown inner border is a good buffer between the different background fabrics and the bright border.  

Three more borders still to be added, then the corners will be mitred.  Mitred borders have a higher fiddly-diddly factor than straight borders, but sometimes they are just what the design needs.

How has everyone's week been?  Ours has been fairly quiet; some of my regular activities cease during school holidays, so there is still another quiet week to go.  The following week it will be a case of hitting the ground running, I suspect.

The big thing here is probably the start of daylight saving, which was at stupid dark o'clock this morning.  We set the clocks before we went to bed so at least, when we stirred, we could look at a clock and say "ah.....so that's what time it is!"  There has already been a whinge on social media about it, as there is every year; I'm not bothered enough by it to wail and whine, because that won't change things.  Must admit, not being a morning person, it was nice to have a darker morning again.  Many years ago we were visiting a state which doesn't have daylight saving; after 30 years we were already attuned to it, so having the day start very early (it was getting light at 4 a.m.!) was quite a shock to the system.

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn by machine and by hand, diamonds have been made into hexagons and more diamonds have been cut.  Exercises have been done, although not as diligently as a few months ago.  We hunted and we gathered, doing our best to avoid school holiday crowds.  Songs have been sung, practice for our world premiere is coming along nicely, and all is well with our world.

A couple of years ago some areas on the north coast were hit by very bad flooding.  Even though one of the towns, Lismore, has a well-deserved reputation as being flood-prone the waters surprised everyone by how high they rose, even higher floors in buildings which were thought to be safe turned out not to be so.  Mind you, it is a low-lying town at the junction of two rivers, and no doubt flooding over many years has brought down silt which has raised the river bed level - so flooding is higher than it once was.  

On some of our trips to Canberra we have visited the Woodworks Gallery at Bungendore, a short drive away, and been amazed by the work on display, none more so than the Hannah Cabinet.  We have seen other cabinets made by Geoff Hannah, but this one is really special - and is worth well over a million dollars.  The people of Lismore raised funds to purchase it and it was, until the last big flood a couple of years ago, in the gallery.  Despite being on a higher floor it suffered a great deal of damage, and having seen up close how beautiful it is, we found that heartbreaking.  (Yes, I know people are more important than 'things'.....but this is a truly exquisite 'thing' of amazing beauty)  A few days ago I read that it is to be restored, the restoration will be overseen by its maker, and it will be beautiful once more......and this time, hopefully, out of flood reach.

"Where gentlemen may keep their hats on.

At garden parties and at all assemblies held in the open air, gentlemen keep their hats on their heads.  If draughts of cold air, or other causes, make it necessary for them to retain their hats on their heads, when in the presence of ladies within doors, they explain the necessity and ask permission of the ladies whom they accompany."

I can remember my maternal grandfather, a man who lived all his life in the country (he was born in 1885) raising his hat to a lady when out and about, and always - always! taking it off inside.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Twenty-five years of a wonderful relationship

The other day it occurred to me that the anniversary of the day that My Lovely New Bernina came to live with me could be approaching; I remembered that it was bought in August 1999, but not the date.....so I checked on the original receipt, and it was 5th August.  Last Monday was the day, and it has been a beautiful friendship.  Here it is, hard at work on a quilt which, like many others, was pieced and quilted on it.

Back in 19-umpty-um when I was 18 and first starting to sew, I bought a machine from a co-worker.  It didn't have a free arm, but I learned quite a lot on it and even made the dress I wore to my first wedding, allover lace with a long train, made from a Vogue pattern.  (Nothing like being ambitious, is there.)  Five years later it was time for a better machine, so off I trotted to the Singer shop where I bought a Singer 726.  It had more stitches, did better buttonholes - and wonder of wonders, it had a free arm.  I wouldn't like to add up how many seams were sewn on it, but there were a lot.....clothes for me, for our two boys, even for Kevin, and my first foray into patchwork.  Probably enough seams to stretch from here to the moon several times over.  As time went on the old Singer was beginning to chug a bit, and I thought perhaps its time had come....but no, it still sewed happily.  When I started out most home sewing was done on woven fabrics; stretch fabrics came along later, and it didn't like handling some of those fabrics.  That's all right, I thought to myself, I'll buy an overlocker (serger) to do what the Singer can't manage.  However, one day I had a talk with myself and a talk with Kevin and after 29 years with the Singer decided to go for a new - brand new! - machine; after some shopping around I settled on a Bernina Virtuosa 160.  

We still have fun together, and it is still called - and indeed will always be called - My Lovely New Bernina.

Some work was done on a side border for Autumn Rhapsody.  It is chugging along nicely.  My original plan was to make extra HSTs and make it square following the original rectangular design (if you can follow that), those extras would be added to both sides.  After thinking it over and realising it would have made a larger quilt than was wanted or needed that idea was shelved; it will be square, but not enormously so.  That now means there are 78 leftover HSTs.  Seventy-eight!  That's enough to start another quilt!!

On our 2018 autumn trip to Canada our DIL and I attended a quilt show - our third time seeing that show, it was always held when we visited, which was jolly nice of them - and this was one of the raffle quilts hanging in the foyer.

Love the twisted column design!  This pic was taken, and the idea filed away in the back of my brain for some time in the possible future.  It's even easier than I thought, here's a tutorial.  Wouldn't those HSTs make a good start......more would need to be made, but it's not as though I lack fabric to do so......it could be called Autumn Twist, couldn't it....wheels in my brain are turning......

How has everyone's week been?  We had some excitement during the week; last weekend's promised rain came, and came, and came some more....the main highway around town was flooded and closed for a while, thereby causing a certain amount of traffic chaos.  One foolish bloke drove onto a flooded road and had to be rescued by emergency services, getting his few minutes of fame and fortune on the news that night and being the subject of some derision on social media in the process.  That road, which runs beside and over a small creek, is fairly low and it floods whenever the rain gods so much as sneeze.  Locals know to keep off it during times of heavy rain and this bloke found out the hard way that driving onto a flooded road early in the morning, while it's still too dark to see how deep and how fast the water is flowing, is not a good idea. 

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn by hand, and by machine.  (On My Lovely New Bernina, of course.)  Songs were sung, and notes were plinked.  Our strumming 'friend' was there but was quiet, for which I was thankful.  On Tuesday Emma physio was pleased with my progress, and best of all - yesterday I used my rotary cutter!  Yay for me!  It was a bit difficult at first then I had a brainwave and put in a new blade, and it was like cutting through butter, even with a hand that isn't yet working to its full strength.

It's possible that my hand and wrist may never be the same as before the break.  I have to accept that.  Given my age - I'm no longer young - and the severity of the injury it may be something I have to face, so long as I can do what I want and/or need to do without too much difficulty or pain. 

"Conduct in an artist's studio.

If you have occasion to visit an artist's studio, by no means meddle with anything in the room.  Reverse no picture which stands or hangs with face to the wall; open no portfolio without permission, and do not alter by a single touch any lay-figure or its drapery, piece of furniture or article of vertu posed as a model.  You do not know with what care the artist may have arranged these things, nor what trouble the disarrangement may cost him."

Indeed.  I would have added, "or her", as not all artists are men, are they?  We are all artists, every time we set foot in our sewing room or studio.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Just hanging around

The hanging sleeve - actually two shorter sleeves, to spread the weight more evenly - for my Canadian quilt has been prepared, and the next step is to cut the binding.  Sleeves are on the right, matching the solid red back.

The instructions have been good, but I think cutting instructions for the binding may be a little extravagant; pattern says to cut 7, 2-1/4 in strips, but by my calculations I should only need five or perhaps six.  So......five can be cut, joined and measured, then more can be cut if needed as there is ample fabric.  I really lurve that border/binding fabric, it's so gorgeous.

The second label is not far off being done, a couple of evenings' work should see it finished.  The quilt edges also need to be trimmed, but that's a quick job.  It's getting closer to being finally completed, and believe me - much rejoicing will happen when it is.

The coming week is really busy with two rehearsals and two gigs.  Rehearsal tomorrow afternoon, performance on Wednesday afternoon at a seniors' village - we have been told not to eat much lunch beforehand because the home-made afternoon tea will fill us up, cream horns were mentioned, yummo - rehearsal again on Thursday afternoon, performance on Saturday afternoon for a fundraising fun day at a lawn bowls club.  A big sigh of relief will be heaved on Sunday, I can assure you.  A week to recuperate, then two more gigs the following week.

The last Saturday in November will be a sad day too, because it will be our last choir concert.  We won't stop getting together each week to sing, but our director/piano player Bill said, being in his late 70s, he feels he doesn't play as well as he used to and some members are getting past performing although they enjoy singing.  We used to have more members, but all the shutdowns over the past couple of years has meant that several folk have dropped out.  I enjoy the buzz of performing for an audience and feel that having a concert to aim for keeps us to a higher standard than just singing for fun, but I also understand Bill's point of view.  Especially having sat in front of the men a couple of weeks ago.....

Of course there was yet another flood earlier in the week, two of the three river crossings were closed and the main bridge through the centre of town came perilously close to also being closed as the river was so high.  One crossing is mostly across the flood plain and goes under water easily; another has side by side bridges which are above the river but the approach road on the western side is quite low so it doesn't take much for it to also close, meaning the one bridge remaining open gets very busy.

I really feel for those who have had flood damage to their homes and businesses.  Back in 2017 we had two floods just nine months apart caused by plumbing issues (one in a bathroom, one in the kitchen) which meant having to re-carpet twice, throw out three-month-old furniture, live away from home for seven weeks after the second flood while the house was dried out and repaired - but it was clean water.  River floods are not clean, the water can contain sewage, dead animals, all manner of things you wouldn't want floating through your house.

To say nothing of the smell.

My etiquette book was bought at a library surplus sale several years ago back when we lived in the Big Smoke, and from memory only cost a few dollars.  It was first published in 1885, with a facsimile edition - my copy is one of those - published in 1980.  Facsimile editions are exact copies of the original text of an older book, usually photographic  copies; these days it would be easier to scan the text, but back in 1980 that technology hadn't yet been invented.  This book (which may have been first published, I think, in the U.S.A. or Canada) when compared to another etiquette book on my bookshelf is quite relaxed - the newer book, published in Great Britain, is much more stiff and formal.

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"Forming street acquaintances.

A lady never forms an acquaintance upon the street, or seeks to attract the attention or admiration of persons of the other sex.  To do so would render false her claims to ladyhood, if it did not make her liable to far graver charges."

 Indeed. 

Enjoy your days!

Reverse label is done

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

Even if it isn't logical to anyone else.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

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

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

Enjoy your days!

Decisions, decisions.....

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

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

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

Enjoy your days!

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!

Another week of nothing much

Which is probably better than too much excitement, I suppose.

Diamonds have been cut, and sewn.  Stitches have been knitted.  Words have been read.   Music has been played....but no choir because of the public holiday and we meet in council-owned premises, so all council buildings were unavailable for the day.  

Now some of the world has farewelled one monarch and greeted another, can you just imagine how many things will have to be changed?  Currency, for one....those little royal badges on some products which are supposed to endow them with magic because a royal personage has used them.....

Our callistemon is flowering, 'King's Park Special' is blooming, a long way from where it was developed and bred on the other side of the continent.

It's been a case of 'just plant it and stand back', because it has grown quickly; I am wondering, though, if we might have planted it a bit close to the house.  Never mind, Kevin enjoys pruning and cutting plants back, even hacking into them severely, when he is allowed to.

We also have a tree in front of the house which started growing about a year ago, from a seed dropped by a bird (probably) or drifting in the wind (possibly).  It is now just starting to bloom and is a very healthy specimen of whatever-it-is.  I suspected an acacia of some sort so earlier today we took a piece to a horticulturist and were told it's probably Blackwood.  Many acacias don't live very long so I don't suppose we need to worry it it undermining the house, but it is growing very quickly.....very very quickly.....and it might grow huge, it's already as tall as the house......

Another flood, less than a week after the previous one.  We have had a heap ton of rain - if that's not an official liquid measure it should be - the ground is so sodden that it can't soak up any more moisture.  On our way out and back earlier this afternoon we crossed the river on different bridges, and couldn't believe how much water is still flowing.  

Temperatures are warming up but unlike some people I have not yet found it warm enough to flash my bare arms, and certainly not my bare legs.  It's still warm enough for us  to stay covered, and to wear socks; my sandals haven't yet seen the light of day since being put away at the end of last summer.  Never mind, no doubt we will soon be complaining that it's too hot.  If only we could go from spring to autumn, bypassing summer and winter, what a happy woman I would be - but I don't know that there is anywhere in the world with such a climate, is there?

Continuing on with General Rules for Balls, which will finish next week:

"Gentlemen should engage their partners for the approaching dance before the music strikes up."

Indeed.  When the music starts everyone should be ready to take the first step in the dance, they should not still be fumbling and stumbling trying to find a place on the dance floor.

Enjoy your days!

That was fun!

Last Sunday's treadle demonstration and ukulele gig went well and was fun, but oh my....it was a busy day.  By the time we arrived home, unloaded the car, put the machine back together and sat down with a cuppa I was done for the day, so no blogging.

This is the base - doesn't it put you in mind of a skeleton!

It looks a bit naked without the cabinet and machine, doesn't it?  The cabinet screws into four holes at the top of the base.

The green bag was started and finished during the demonstration and the red bag would have been finished too, had it not been for the machine having conniptions with its tension.

See the tension wheel on the front left?  Part of the tension assembly includes a fine wire spring which had slipped out of place and moved, allowing the thread to wrap itself around the next guide, pull taut and snap.  Fortunately Gina (a choir friend who knows old machines inside out and backwards) was at hand to help, we fixed it and had it going again.

The ticking fabric was given to me by a former boss who, with her husband, had a side business restoring old furniture.  They did the wood finishing themselves but had an upholsterer do the seats, backs and pillows who didn't stint on quality fabrics......I know because she gave me some bags of leftovers; this sturdy ticking was included.  There were two long pillow forms already sewn along the sides and ends with openings left for stuffing; cut across the middle they make good sized bags, with strips cut off for handles.  The backing on the straps matches the lining fabrics from my stash, so they are colourful as well as being strong.

Our ukulele songs were well received, people said nice things to us and about us and the young children who danced around to our music had a great time, so much so that we have been booked for the next Spring Fair - in two years' time!

The big news item in recent times has, of course, been the death of Queen Elizabeth II.  While I sympathise with her family losing a loved mother and grandmother I really don't understand the outpouring of grief from those who would never have moved in the same circles.  She (and various other family members) visited Australia several times, but I have never seen the attraction of being squashed in a crowd just to see a hand waving out a car window.  I would, however, love to put dibs on all the emeralds....she had some beautiful emeralds, I am quite fond of green and emerald is my birthstone.....she often wore a beautiful Golden Wattle brooch which my country gave her on her first tour and which I covet mightily.  There is also a gorgeous diamond and sapphire brooch which was a gift from Canada which I really like, but will leave for my Canadian friends to fight over.  There are some very pretty jewels and trinkets in the royal vaults, I do like a nice trinket....and these are very nice indeed.

Some quilting has been done on the Canadian quilt border, yay!  Hopefully some more can be done later today.  More stitches have been knitted, more diamonds have been joined.  Words have been read, notes have been plinked.  Hunting and gathering has been done, and so passes another week with more of the same to come.

Much great excitement here on Friday, after very heavy rain the previous night we had a flood with two of the three river crossings in town being closed.  The river has gone down for now but more rain is expected later in the week, goodness knows where it will go as the ground is so wet already.  Those Who Know have assured us that another flood is possible.  Meanwhile, smaller towns downstream are currently seeing major floods with the prospect of being cut off from the outside world for several days, so I don't suppose they will need more water.

It hasn't been the weather for a barefoot frolic in a flouncy summer frock.

Continuing on with General Rules for Balls:

"When balls are given, if the weather is bad, an awning should be provided for the protection of those passing from their carriages to the house.  In all cases, a broad piece of carpet should be spread from the door to the carriage steps."

Such an awning would have been needed here on Thursday evening.  Fortunately the building in which our choir practices are held has such an awning going from the door nearly to the street, so one didn't have to sprint through the raindrops for too long before arriving at one's (self-drive) carriage.

Enjoy your days!

Keeping out of mischief

That's about all has happened this week, actually.

Books have been read.....most not memorable, but enjoyable at the time. 

Stitches have been taken on the flower basket quilt and a name is percolating around in my brain - 'Flower baskets'  - but in French, 'Paniers de fleurs', which sounds more posh and less boring than English, n'est ce pas?  Many years ago a suitable label was bought for that quilt, and last year backing was bought. 

The soft lime green will compliment the flower prints on the front as many of them have green somewhere in the design, and the label will have the details hand-embroidered.  The label is not *quite* square, and not *quite* printed on the straight grain, but I'll make it work.

The diamond templates I ordered have arrived but nothing has been cut yet, as my back decided to be annoying every time I stood up.  Never mind.....it will get done.

Some house blocks have been trimmed, once again the rebellious back made that difficult.  Trim two blocks, sit down for an hour......trim another block.....give up.  Make coffee.  Sit down and read.  Fortunately it is slowly improving.

The big news in this part of the world of late has been floods.  Fortunately we don't live in a flooded area but having undergone two floods in 2017 I can feel for those who have been washed out of their homes - and our water was clean, straight from the town system, not muddy water carrying along trees, dead animals, parts of buildings and sewage in its wake.  Lives have been lost, homes have been irreparably damaged; farmers have lost stock, crops and buildings.  Our hearts go out to them.  I remember bad floods when I was growing up and a family we knew was regularly flooded out of their timber cottage; I remember Mrs Wilson saying to my mother "you can sweep out the mud when it dries but you never get rid of the smell, because it has seeped into the wood".

One of the saddest stories though - to me, anyway - is the damage done to a beautiful piece of furniture, the Hannah Cabinet.  On a visit to the Bungendore Woodworks Gallery several years ago we saw the Hannah Cabinet on display.....and I don't think I have ever seen such an exquisite man-made object; we walked around and ogled it, and watched the video, and walked around some more.....admired the marquetry made from many different woods and stones featuring Aussie birds and flora.  Those of us who make Stuff can appreciate things made by other makers, the hours of work it takes, the skills needed (even if we don't use the same skills), and to have it damaged so badly must be heartbreaking to its maker.  I hope it is able to be saved.

We have been lucky enough to see other pieces of Geoff Hannah's work, one being the cabinet held at 'Yarralumla', the official residence of the Australian Governor General.  Once a year (this was pre-covid, of course) the ground floor public rooms are opened to the public for charity, and we saw the Yarralumla Cabinet there.  I coveted it mightily then, and I still do today......and I love the "secret drawers", so watch it to the end.

We enjoyed a concert from a visiting choir last night, our first outing for a long time.  We even enjoyed a choc top ice cream at interval - our first for two years, how good is that!

More 'Duties of Guests':

"Another duty of guests is that each one should do all in his or her power to contribute to the enjoyment of the evening, and neither hesitate nor decline to be introduced to such guests as the hostess requests."

Sage advice.  The hostess, after all, is trying to keep her guests mingling, and a shy wallflower contributes very little to the occasion.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Another "Ta-da!" moment

The centre panel of my Canadian quilt is done.

Oops.....chopped off some of Saskatchewan on the bottom left corner.  The borders still need to be added, but that will be done after a couple of other obligations are cleared up in the sewing room.

This one plus the completed tumbler quilt were duly flashed around at yesterday's quilt group meeting for show and tell, and were duly admired by our group, and also by another group sewing in the room next door.  We then adjourned to a restaurant just out of town for a very nice lunch.

I always enjoy a delicious meal I haven't had to plan, prepare, cook, and clean up after, don't you?

This week's houses, kangaroos with cockatoos flying in a bright blue sky, and an autumn house.  The swirly print is for the kangaroos who seldom hop in a straight line and for the cockies flying erratically overhead, while I haven't decided on what the little things in the other print are......caterpillars? leaves? branching coral?  Something, anyway.

Only seven more houses need to be set with their black and white triangles, yay!

Well......it has rained, it has poured, it has flooded.  Twice during the week flooding caused the closure of two of the three river crossings from one side of town to the other.  Right now as we speak at this very minute it is not raining, but that can - and probably will - change again.  My trip to the restaurant yesterday meant driving across bridges over swirling flood waters which added to the excitement of the day, for sure.  The main bridge doesn't go (fortunately!) under water very often; the bridge used for my trip home is above the river level but the road onto the western side of that bridge is lower, so the approach road rather the bridge is closed.  The river was still over the banks at that point and had flooded into a grassy car park, where for once there were no picnickers or people dropping a line in the river.  The nearby sporting fields were no longer under water, but they were covered in a coating of brown mud instead of the usual lush green grass.

Perhaps it will have to be hosed off.  The thought of hosing the grass clean with water which would then flow into the river has me chuckling, considering how much water is currently in the river anyway.

Kevin had plans to go to a small town north of here to play lawn bowls, but with so many roads closed, and the fact that is was still raining, his team decided not to go.  It was a fun day for the club's anniversary.

We have made the sad decision not to attend next year's big folk festival at Easter in Canberra.  The current restrictions mean that all performers will be Aussies, no visiting overseas performers at all, and while we have some great local artists many of those will also be here in January for the annual country music festival.....and their music isn't to our taste.  Over the years we have been lucky enough to see some wonderful musicians from overseas and hopefully we will be able to again, one day.  We have always enjoyed catching up with friends in the camping area, but that has also changed.

We still have plans to visit Canberra after Easter because autumn is such a lovely time down there, and with a bit of luck I may be able to time it for a craft fair at the same time.....how good would that be!  Our craft fairs have mostly been cancelled for the past year or two because of lockdowns and shutdowns and 'stay inside' orders; I heard of one which was cancelled at literally the last minute, when stallholders were already unpacking and setting up their stores.

Oh well.  Perhaps one day, in the dim and distant future, the world will once again be something that we can consider 'normal', whatever that is.

"The dances.

The dances should be arranged beforehand, and for large balls programmes are printed with a list of the dances.  Usually a ball opens with a waltz, followed by a quadrille, and these are suceeded by galops, lancers, polkas, quadrilles and waltzes in turn."

Would it surprise you to know that I can dance, and indeed have danced, each and every one of these dances?

Enjoy your days!