Quilted trees

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

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

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

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

It tastes as good as it looks, too.

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

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

"The groomsmen's duties.

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

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

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

May the fourth, and all that Stuff

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

Moving right along.

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

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

This week's bright trees.

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

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

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

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

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

"Assisting a lady to alight from her horse.

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

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

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

A year in the making

A few days ago was the 12-month anniversary of the fall which resulted in a broken arm and a truly spectacular black eye, and I'm pleased to say both arm and eye are working properly, or nearly so.  There are still some wrist movements which are stiffer than they used to be and unwelcome twinges of pain from time to time but, as the orthopedic specialist pointed out, "given your age, your arm may never be what it was before".  He's right, you know.....it isn't.  However, considering the damage (and, of course, my advanced age!) it's not too bad.

During our autumn trip to Canberra last year I visited a fabric store, and bought a few batik fabrics for the trees which I hoped to make one day.  The day has, of course, arrived, and now those trees are being made.  First a smokey blue, with a pale contrast whose design makes me think of mysterious hieroglyphics from an ancient civilisation.....

....then a brownish-greenish-khaki with touches of red.  The red fabric used for trunk and branches were already in my stash, but the others were bought on that trip.

Not a bad effort for the week.

During last month's trip there was, of course, another visit to the same fabric store for a few more batik fabrics.

This was before we departed on our recent holiday, all the thread which was left on the spool after making that week's two trees - certainly not enough to make another tree.

Talk about cutting it fine!  I find this Guttermann colour to be a Very Useful Colour for piecing.

During the week my autumn quilt was laid out once more, this time to have its hanging sleeve added.  That wasn't done in time to enter it in the show a couple of months ago, so it will certainly be done for next year.  I have found a good spot to photograph it, once the sleeve is on.

Yesterday we picked up our hot cross bun order from the bakery on the other side of the river, and jolly nice they are too.  Kevin doesn't eat fruit buns - although he really like date scones - so I will have to eat them all myself.  To make them last longer all six buns were cut across into two halves and placed in the freezer, so my daily treat isn't too huge.  Even though I could quite happily eat a whole bun by myself....those buns are my consolation prize for not being at the folk festival this year.

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn, and fabric cut.  Sorting of music has commenced, and I am being quite ruthless culling anything which I don't want to keep.  We hunted and we gathered, and went here and there, and that was another week done.

During our trip away we took the opportunity to try a couple of different - to us - roads, and we drove through Binda.  Thirty years ago I heard (and have been singing ever since) a song called 'Binda Ball', about a trio of bushrangers crashing the 1864 Boxing Day ball held in the small town of Binda.  The Binda police were away at the time escorting prisoners to Goulburn, so Ben Hall and his gang took advantage of that to kick up their heels for a few hours.  The storekeeper Morris, a former policeman, tried to get some of the local men to rush the bushrangers during the dancing and capture them, but the plan was overheard and foiled.  In revenge, they burned down Morris's store; he lost all his stock and his account books, without which he couldn't continue trading.  The girls who had such fun dancing with their 'bushranger sweethearts' were arrested; there are accounts published in newspapers at the time which can be read online.  All three - Ben Hall, John Gilbert, and Jack Dunn - died the following May.  Many bushrangers were descended from convict parents or grandparents; as such, most had scant respect for authority.

We all make choices in our lives, and these three men made unwise choices.  Others, in the same circumstances, made different choices and consequently lived (mostly) blameless, if less adventurous, lives - and longer ones.  Jack Dunn was still a teenager when he was hung for bushranging and murder.

Last week's etiquette post was about assisting a lady to mount a horse, using a side saddle.  One of the items held in the historical museum here is a side saddle belonging to Esther Stace - Mrs Arthur Stace, because women were known by their husband's name in those days - who held a side saddle jumping record which stood for nearly 100 years, only being broken in 2013.  Side saddle always looks awkward to me, but perhaps it's really quite comfortable.....who knows?

"Riding with ladies.

In riding with one lady, a gentleman takes his position to the right of her.  When riding with two or more, his position is still to the right unless one of them needs his assistance or requests his presence near her.  He must offer all the courtesies of the road, and yield the best and shadiest side to the ladies.  The lady must always decide upon the pace at which to ride.  It is ungenerous to urge her or incite her horse to a faster gait than she feels competent to undertake."

It is indeed.  Not every side saddle rider has Esther's skills.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

There are quiet trees, and there are noisy trees

As you can see from this week's additions to the forest.

First, a quiet tree.....

Quiet trees wear quiet raiment, and enjoy quiet music, and they mix with quiet company.

Noisy trees never quite let go of their 1980s neon clothing, and there is nothing they like more than a disco party with their friends.

However - they still like to hang out together, having more in common they they realise.  Despite their differences, they are both still trees.

Last week's pics didn't do justice to the pretty colour of the butterfly wing print, this is much more accurate.

How have you all been this week?  We have mooched around, and done some Stuff, and continued to get the caravan ready to sell.  We have found a flat car park not far from home, so the photos will be taken early in the coming week.  A few days ago we dropped off a box of caravan Stuff to an op shop, items that we don't need; we already have enough Stuff in the house, so anything from the caravan is surplus to our current requirements.  All cutlery, cooking pots and pans, and plate and bowls will stay with it.  It's a small van, ideal for beginning caravanners (as we were ourselves, all those years ago) and beginners may not have everything they need to just hitch up and go.  We have, however, taken out pillows and linen; although some of it is many years old we can use it up ourselves - and anyway, who would want someone else's 27 year old pillows?  Far better for the new owners to use their own.

Words have been read, stitches have been sewn.  Autumn Rhapsody is - finally - finished, yay!  Pics will be taken when I work out how to photograph such a large quilt.  Sadly, I have given up on the idea of entering it in this year's show.  Even though the binding is done it still needs a hanging sleeve, and there just wasn't enough time to sew one on before entries have to be handed in on Wednesday.  Never mind.....there is always next year, isn't there.  Thoughts have turned again to hand-piecing diamonds, so more of them need to be cut.  They will make a good travel project when we go away next month.

Notes have been plinked, and sung.  We have a new lady at U3A ukulele, and fortunately she can already play.  My nemesis from last year has not returned, in fact she hasn't renewed her membership, and the previous leader hasn't turned up either.  She is not my favourite person anyway since she announced in the middle of last year "I'm not doing this any more"; we were co-leaders, but nothing was said to me before it was all suddenly dropped in my lap.  Actually, we're managing quite well without her.

On Valentine's Day we betook ourselves to a fairly new restaurant to celebrate Kevin's birthday, and jolly nice it was too.  He had grilled steak and I had chicken scallopini in creamy mustard sauce with mushrooms and capers, then we finished with chocolate and walnut brownie with vanilla gelato and chocolate sauce (for him) and honeycomb ice cream parfait with chocolate sauce (for me).  It was all jolly nice, and we would go again....I always enjoy a meal that someone else has cooked.  The only jarring note was the background music, vocal country music played a bit too loud.  Instrumental jazz is less obtrusive - I hope it was switched for something more mellow before all the young lovers went out for their Valentine's Day dinners in the evening, else the sweet nothings murmured in ears would be wasted.

"Discretion in forming acquaintances.

While an acquaintance formed in a railway carriage or on a steamboat continues only during the trip, discretion should be used in making acquaintances.  Ladies may, as has been stated, accept small courtesies and favors from strangers, but must check at once any attempt at familiarity.  On the other hand, no man who pretends to be a gentleman will attempt any familiarity."

Advice which could be heeded today, as much as when it was penned in 1885.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Happy New Year!

Just think, that means we're a quarter of the way through the century......

Did you all have a peaceful New Year celebration?  We certainly did; we drove out of town to meet up with a friend for lunch, which was a lovely way to spend time at the end of the old year.  Consequently we ate very sparingly later, and of course we watched 'Dinner for One'.  If you have never seen it I would recommend watching it - it's quite funny, and we all need a chuckle at times, don't we.

The new year started with two new trees.  Not all trees will have foliage, some will be more impressionistic.

Something different was tried with the branches too - a branch growing off a branch, rather than all branches growing from the centre.  After all, trees have branches growing in different directions, yes?

I like this deep gold fabric.  The leaves are purple so some leftover binding from my autumn tree hanging makes good branches, as it, too, is deep purple.  (Wouldn't that make a good song title?  Oh wait......)

Side by side.  One of these days all the trees made so far will be lined up for a pic, to see how they look together.

Binding was cut for Autumn Rhapsody, and while doing that I couldn't resist a pic of the selvedge.

The Cunning Plan for the coming week, as well as to make two more trees, is to join the binding strips and maybe - just maybe - start sewing binding to the quilt.  The label is in progress as we speak; the information is being embroidered with one strand of DMC floss 3781, a warm brown, on a mottled light tan fabric which is one of the background fabrics used in the quilt.  3781 has been used for other projects, it's a very useful floss colour.....one of those projects now lives in northern Ontario, Canada.

How has everyone's last/first week of the year been?  

Words have been read here, stitches have been sewn.  No songs have been sung or plinked yet.  We hunted and gathered; in fact we took ourselves for a drive to a small town half an hour north to try a different butcher.  A few months ago we voted in local council elections at a small village 10 minutes north and, after casting our votes, bought a democracy sausage each to help the village school funds.....and what nice sausages they were, too.  Upon enquiring we were told they came from a butcher in the aforesaid small town, so on Friday off we went.  We harnessed up the trusty VW and drove up the road to Manilla where we went to both butcher shops, making purchases at each.  Well - what nice meat from both shops, and what pleasant staff!  We have tried some already, and more is waiting in the freezer.  We have decided to repeat the exercise from time to time; it's a pleasant drive, the meat from both shops is certainly good, and parking is very easy, something that can't always be said for our bigger busier town.

Summer's heat is well and truly upon us, but some rain would be nice.....our rainfall total last year was above average, but the last couple of months were not; December was well blow average.  It's easy to see who waters their lawn regularly, and who doesn't....we don't.  Our lawn will recover when it rains, and it will rain eventually; we had a couple of storms over the last few days, but not much rain to speak of.  So we won't.

"Reading when travelling.

If a gentleman in travelling, either on tram-cars, railway or steamboat, has provided himself with newspapers or other reading, he should offer them to his companions first.  If they are refused, he may with propriety read himself, leaving the others free to do the same if they wished."

One wonders what those travellers in 1885 would have thought of today's tablets, e-readers and indeed phones taken along on a journey for reading....would they offer theirs to their companions first?  Somehow, I don't think so.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Adding to the forest

This week's blocks have been made.  First a yellow and blue tree.....

......then a sort of reddish-pinkish-goldish tree......

then they stood side by side.

The reddish-pinkish-goldish fabric was included in a kit bought several years ago in Canada; all the leaves were cut from the one fabric, and fabric quantities included with the kit were very generous so there is more than enough left to make a tree.

The different fabric tones made the leaves come alive on that project, and now the leftovers can be part of Arboretum.

How has everyone's week been?  We have had a busy time running here and running there, and trying to stay cool....not always easy when the temperatures is as hot as it has been.  We have had a little rain but nothing to get excited about, so we didn't, but the frog in the drainpipe certainly did.  Some rumbly thunder from time to time, and that was about it.

The mangoes are all sliced, diced and in the freezer, just waiting to be eaten.  It occurred to me that I have a mango recipe which might appeal to some of you; it was published (typed by hand, of course) in the 1988 Bicentennial Cook Book put out by the primary school our sons attended in the 1980s.  You will need:

1 mango

1 tub sour cream, 200 ml - 250 ml.  You can use light sour cream if you wish, but it must be sour cream not regular cream

Flaked coconut.  If you can't get flaked you could use desiccated.  I don't recommend using shredded coconut as it's drippy and messy.

Peel your mango, cut off the flesh and mash with a fork.  Stir in as much sour cream as you need; the quantity will depend on how juicy the mango is, and how runny the sour cream.  You want to have a slightly runny but not liquid consistency.  Lastly, stir in the flaked coconut (as much as the mango/sour cream mix happily takes), cover and store in fridge overnight.  The coconut will absorb some of the sour cream/mango mixture, and it will thicken.  Serve dolloped on fruit salad, or if you really want to push the boat out it can be served in a pretty glass bowl surrounded by cut fruit for dipping - peach/nectarine/apricot slices, strawberries, orange slices, whatever your little heart desires.  This is when you will be pleased that you didn't use shredded coconut.  If memory serves me correctly, it's called 'Mango Fruit Dip'.

Each year Pantone, the colour people, release a 'Colour of the Year' based on trends happing around the world, and the colour for 2025 has been announced.  It is 'Mocha Mousse', and is a rather unfortunate shade of brown.  Now I like coffee, and chocolate, and cocoa, and mousse - all of those - but like many others I lived through the 1970s when brown ruled supreme and 'Mission Brown' was the colour of the decade!  I can only assume that the folk who chose Mocha Mousse weren't alive back in those days.

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn.  Notes have been plinked and sung.  The U3A uke group has been getting into the odd seasonal song or two.  We hunted and we gathered, and that was about it.

A few months ago Emma physio loaned me a piece of equipment for the strength exercises which were part of my daily routine, so this week I made an appointment to take it back and to check on how my arm and hand were doing.  Quite well, it seems, especially considering the severity of the injury and the fact that it was on a joint - joint injuries take longer to heal.  Emma has a folding ruler that is used to measure the angle my wrist can bend forward and backward, and it is much more advanced that it was on the last visit.  She also has a grip gadget for measuring strength and, while my right hand isn't yet as strong as the left, it has certainly improved.  Both Emma and I were pleased with the visit.  She felt that it would take a year for my wrist and hand to get back to what they were before the fall, and it certainly seems as though that will be the case - next week will be eight months, so it's on track for a year.

"Attending to the wants of others.

See everywhere and at all times that ladies and elderly people have their wants supplied before you think of your own.  Nor is there need for unmanly haste or pushing in entering or leaving.  There is always time enough allowed for each passenger to enter in a gentlemanly manner and with a due regard to the rights of others."

Of course there is.  There is no need for a gentleman to be ungentlemanly.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Can't see the forest for the trees

Or so it is said.

During the week the first two trees were made for 'Arboretum'.  First there was an orange tree....

......then there was a green tree......

......and then they stood side by side.

The fabrics for the next two trees have been pulled from the Big Basket of Batiks.  They are quite easy to make; the only fiddly-diddly bit was lining up the side seams on the angled cuts so they weren't too far out of whack, but I reckon that by the time I have made a heap ton of blocks I should be pretty good at it.  The blocks are trimmed to size anyway, which accommodates for discrepancies in piecing.

Like the original quilt some of my trees will have co-ordinating branches and leaves while some will have contrasting; some will have two cuts, or three, or even four - or maybe more! - while a few might only have one in addition to the centre cut.  It's certainly going to be fun dipping into those gorgeous fabrics, I didn't realise I had quite that many.....it's been a while since the Big Basket was raided.

How has everyone been this week?  We have had rain, not as much as the folk further out west had, but rain is rain after all.  More is forecast for the coming week so our garden (and all the other gardens in town) will be smiling again.  The recent nasty hot temperatures have cooled somewhat, making for much more pleasant days; even the nights are not too steamy for sleep.

The Frog has been croaking in the drainpipe quite a lot recently, which could be a sign of more rain to come.  Ever since we moved here we have heard and seen the occasional green tree frog; several years ago one even made its way up through the drain into a toilet bowl (fortunately I looked before I sat down, just imagine those cold clammy little fingers tapping on one's bare bum, I would still be in orbit) but so far - touch wood - we haven't had one inside.  Somehow I suspect that our current croaker is not the same frog which welcomed us over 14 years ago, but you never know.....they can apparently live quite long lives......

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn, and more diamonds need to be cut.  Songs have been plinked and sung.  We hunted and we gathered, keeping clear of much of the festive Stuff currently around.....plenty of time for that still.  A little running around here and there, hither and yon, and that was another week done.

For the past few years our neighbour kiddos have knocked on our door late in the year as their school has a mango fundraiser to make some funds for the "over and above" things that kids in primary school need.  The two older kiddos are now in high school but the youngest still has four years to go - so, four more years of yummy mangoes!  The mango tray is sitting on the kitchen counter and as they ripen I am peeling, slicing and dicing them to go in self-seal bags in the freezer.  They are good on ice cream or gelato, and really good blended with milk for my breakfast smoothie.....and, of course, the kitchen smells mango divine.

"The comfort of others.

In seeking his own comfort, no passenger has a right to over-look or disregard that of others.  If for his own comfort, he wishes to raise or lower a window, he should consult the wishes of passengers immediately around him before doing so.  The discomforts of travelling should be borne cheerfully, for what may enhance your own comfort may endanger the health of some fellow-traveller."

Words as relevant in these days of air travel as they were in those far-ago days of train travel.....although I wouldn't recommend opening a window on a plane.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Sending my baby out into the wide world

'Autumn Rhapsody' has gone off to spend time with quilter Margaret.  It has taken so much of my life for the past several months that I will be quite bereft until it comes home again.....but it will be much closer to being a finished quilt when it does.

Now I wasn't going to succumb to another project straight away but the little buzz in my brain said, go for it.....so this morning I pulled some fabrics from the Big Basket of Batiks.

These fabrics will be the first two blocks of 'Arboretum'.  There are smaller pieces in the Big Basket which will be suitable for the leaf veins, and which will be paired with a print in a similar range for the leaf.  The bright orange print came out first and was paired with a blue and green print but, much as I loved the contrast, I decided to go in a different direction.  When the houses for the neighbourhood quilt were being made a couple of years ago the decision was taken to make two a week, so that's what I will do with this quilt too.  

That should keep the brain buzz from getting too annoying, yes?  In the meantime, other projects will be worked on too.

Thoughts have been thought on a label for 'Autumn Rhapsody', but none have settled.  It will probably be embroidered rather than written as my embroidery stitches are neater and nicer than my writing, these days.  Thoughts will continue to be thought on the subject.  

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn; after the peeper border was all stitched down during the week a few diamonds were picked up again, so more will need to be cut to keep the supply going.  Notes have been plinked and songs sung even though the choir is now in its end-of-year recess, because of course the ukulele players sing too.  (Well, some of them sing.....)  My various hurty bits are healing well.  The usual weekly hunting and gathering was done to avert starvation, and so passed another week.

The year is winding down....yesterday the quilt group went out for its Christmas/end of year lunch, and jolly nice it was too.  I had a radicchio, fennel and orange salad with citrus dressing served with grilled haloumi, and oh my - that was good.  It wasn't as heavy as a hot meal in the middle of the day would have been, and was quite different to the salad I would normally choose.  What's more, unlike many salads, it didn't contain tomato!  One of my earliest memories is of my mother holding me down with one hand and trying to force me to eat tomato with the other.  I didn't like it then, and I don't like it now.  Don't like the taste, especially don't like the texture, so now that I am an adult - I don't eat it.

Decorations are appearing in shops and I suppose it won't be long before the fat bloke in the red suit perches on his throne for photos with the kiddie-widdies.  Festive food has been available for some time now, and Glorias and ding dongs have been creeping into radio programming.

Summer is well and truly upon us, the next few days are forecast to be fairly hot before rain later in the week.  Roll on the rain and cloud, I say, because those clouds provide a little shade and keep the hot sun from frying us, even though they raise the humidity as they do so.....but as we live in a dry inland town, a little humidity doesn't matter.  I couldn't go back to living in coastal humidity, something the Big Smoke has in plenty.

"Ladies may assist other ladies.

It is not only the right, but the duty of ladies to render any assistance or be of any service to younger ladies, or those less experienced in travelling than themselves.  They may show many little courtesies which will make the journey less tedious to the inexperienced traveller, and may give her important advice or assistance which may be of benefit to her.  An acquaintance formed in travelling need never be retained afterwards.  It is optional whether it is or not."

In other words, spending a little time helping a less experienced traveller doesn't mean to say she will hang around you like a bad smell for the next few years.......at least, we hope not.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Driving to......distraction?

Yesterday I drove the car for the first time in several months, yay for me!

Council elections were held yesterday, and instead of voting here in town we drove to a small village not far from us; we have voted there before, parking is easy and there are no queues, making it simple to place one's mark on the paper for one's candidate/s of choice.  The local school was running a barbecue outside the hall so one could buy a Democracy Sausage and help out a small school's fundraising efforts at the same time.  Kevin enjoyed a bacon and egg roll while I had a sausage, my sausage was one of the nicest I have had for a long time while Kevin said his roll and its contents were delicious.  The meat came from a butcher in a town further away from us.....I can feel a Nice Sunday Drive coming up on a weekday to visit that butcher and bring home some of its meat for ourselves.

And - I drove home!  I sat behind the wheel of the car for the first time in several months, turned it on, made it work and drove 15 minutes home.  It felt a little odd; the vibration coming from the motor to the steering wheel into my hand and arm was an odd feeling, but one I will no doubt get used to.  My hand is strong enough to hold the wheel now although it still can't make a tight fist, but that's another milestone passed - so that feels good.  There can't be many milestones left now, but I will a happy woman again when my hand finally stops hurting.

There has been progress on the quilting front, too.  All four peepers were sewn to Autumn Rhapsody's centre panel, and the two side borders joined as well.  The peeper isn't as prominent as in the magazine illustration because of my different fabric and colour choices, but it still draws a line between the centre and the borders.

The top and bottom borders will be added over the next few days then only the outer borders will remain to be done, and they still need to be cut.  I love it.....it's very mellow, isn't it?

The binding was cut for my blue and green quilt, and machine sewn to the front.  I'm glad that Fossil Fern 'Bluebell' fabric was used, it has turned out to be a good choice.

Sewing it down on the back is my in-front-of-TV project.  The weather has turned wintery again - today is downright chilly - so having a small quilt on one's lap isn't a problem at all.  Those olive greens don't, unfortunately, photograph well, they are much nicer in real life than in this pic; one of these days I will try to find out why this happens, and see if there is something which can be done to correct it.

As usual the daily wrist/hand exercises have been done.  Words have been read.   Stitches were sewn by hand and machine.  Songs have ben sung and notes plinked.  We shopped for supplies to get us through the week, and that's another seven days gone by.

Here we are, halfway through September already!  Daylight saving starts in this state on Sunday 6th October, just a few weeks away now.  Mornings are getting quite light quite early now, something not enjoyed by those of us who are not morning people, so darker mornings for a while will be good.  One summer many years ago we took our little caravan to southern Queensland, a state which does not have daylight saving, and those sunny early mornings were quite a shock to the system for those of us no longer used to them.  We have had daylight saving since the very early 1970s, indeed for much of my life.

Our rapidly approaching summer has been forecast to be either quite warm, or cooler and wetter than last year, depending on who you believe.  Personally, I like the idea of cooler and wetter, but if it's warmer - well then, there is nothing I can do about it, is there.  We will just have to suffer.  We will try to suffer in silence, but perhaps you will have to suffer with us.

Continuing with Conduct in an artist's studio:

"If you have engaged to sit for your portrait never keep the artist waiting one moment beyond the appointed time.  If you do so you should in justice pay for the time you make him lose."

Indeed, you should.  

We have been to the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra which has an excellent café and gift shop, and many many portraits.....so many that, after a time, I found myself longing for an occasional landscape.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

More achievements!

The machine sewing shown in the last post has been joined by a few more strips.

There are now four strips ready to be joined to the next pieces but that may require pinning, for accuracy - and I'm not yet sure if I can manage pins.  I did get these strips pressed using my left hand, a slightly awkward process, but at least it's done

And....some hand sewing!

These three pieces were sewn by hand - slowly and shakily, it is true, but they are done.  It will join the rest of the completed blocks when it, and the blocks made during our holiday before The Big Fall, are pressed.

No knitting will happen until my hand has full use again because of tension issues; the knitting done so far will need to match up anything done from now on.  I am still having trouble holding a pen or pencil, but that is something else which will become easier with time.  I hope.

Apart from the first session of physio on Tuesday the week has been blessedly free of medical appointments, something for which we are thankful.  Some use is coming back to my hand but my fingers are still sore and swollen;  they were underneath when I fell so were badly bruised and have not yet recovered.  Never mind, though, all is good.....nothing has yet fallen off.  The bruise on my cheek is still evident and has not yet faded enough to be hidden by make up.

So....words have been read, some sewing has happened, yay!  Songs have been sung, and some ukulele chords were plinked.  The usual hunting and gathering, and so passed another week.

Earlier today we joined with members of the choir for lunch to wish Bill, our fearless leader, a happy birthday....a significant Big 0 birthday, so we all joined in serenading him.  We went to one of the many Chinese restaurants in town but I have to say I found the food disappointing; I had my favourite honey chicken but didn't enjoy it as much as the version served by a restaurant on the main drag....and it cooled down much too quickly, something we don't want on a fairly cool wintery day.  We hadn't eaten at that restaurant before, and I don't think we will be in a hurry to do so again.

Yesterday afternoon I finally made it to quilt group where some of the hand-sewing happened.  We were greeted by the news that our meeting fees are rising, something which doesn't thrill me; in the absence of our own space we meet in a community craft centre.  While we don't have to be a member of the craft centre to use the space non-members have been paying $6 each time they come (members only pay $4) but I have no interest in joining, having been a member several years ago before letting my membership lapse for various reasons.  Now the fees are rising to $10 for non-members (!) and $5 for members.  I think the incentive is to get us to join and pay the annual membership fee of $70, I probably will as the alternative is more expensive, but I am not happy about it.  I certainly have no intention of getting involved with the craft centre in any way again.

Oh well.

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

"The gentleman should ask permission to call upon the lady the following day, which permission she should grant; and if she be a person of delicacy and tact, she will make him feel that he has conferred a real pleasure upon her by his invitation.  Even if she finds occasion for criticism in the performance, she should be lenient in this respect, and seek for points to praise instead, that he may not feel regret at taking her to an entertainment which has proved unworthy."

Yes, indeed.  Even if one wasn't thrilled by the performance, one could still find something praiseworthy about it.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Save the date

In just nine days the heavy plaster on my arm will be removed, something which will make me a very happy woman.  When I saw the specialist during the week he said he pleased with its progress and told me to make the removal appointment; he also mentioned using a splint or brace for a while, but that couldn't be heavier or more awkward than the layers of plaster in which my arm is currently encased.

I'm sorry, I led you astray in last week's post!  The quilt which won first place for ten years was made earlier than my imperfect memory thought, from 1887 to 1897.  It's still quite an achievement, though.

While in Canberra we visited the Australian National Archives, as I had read of a photography exhibition which sounded interesting....and it was!  For nigh on sixty years the Australian government sent photographers out around the country to capture what they saw, and a selection of those 10,000 photos was on display at the Archives.  It was such a fascinating place that we went again, to check out other exhibitions....and to try out their café, where we partook of excellent coffee and yummo Cherry Ripe Slice.

For the non-Ozzies, Cherry Ripe is a cherry coconut bar encased in dark chocolate....and this year is its 100th birthday!  Cherry Ripe slice, or squares or bars, can have a biscuit or pastry base with a cherry coconut filling, and is topped with melted dark chocolate.  Should you feel inclined to try it yourself, there are any number of recipes to be found online.

One day we drove west of Canberra along Paddys River Road, and stopped at Lambrigg Lookout.

William Farrer lived near here, and it was here that his experiments with wheat led to the discovery of disease-resistant strains; we learned about him at school, as he was a very important figure in Australian agriculture.  For some years his portrait was on the $2 note; unfortunately due to sun glare the sign isn't as legible as I hoped.

The house, built by Farrer, is privately owned.  I found this article with pics of its beautiful garden.

Another week has passed.  Words have been read, medical appointments have taken place.  Songs have been sung.  

When the plaster is removed I am hoping to have approval from the physio to play three chords - just three - on my uke, as my annual Eisteddfod performance will take place just five days later.  I can sing unaccompanied and indeed plan to do so on the day, but a starting introductory note would be a help.  Just D - G - D - A - that's all I ask, it's not much is it.....

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

"During the performance complete quiet should be preserved, that the audience may not be prevented from seeing or hearing.  Between the acts it is perfectly proper to converse, but it should be done in a low tone, so as not to attract attention.  Neither should one whisper.  There should be no loud talking, boisterous laughter, violent gestures, lover-like demonstrations or anything in manners or speech to attract the attention of others."

I wonder what the folk back in 1885, when these words were written, would think of the 'look at me' behaviour of so many people nowadays?  

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

I can see clearly now!

That would make a good song title, wouldn't it?  Oh, wait......hmmmm.....

My new glasses were collected a few days ago, and now all is clear.  Deep teal and sort-of-bronze, with more of those details on the arms.  They are quite pretty, with a slight Art Deco styling.

Much to the interest of the staff I took along a needle, thread and fabric to try the new glasses before bringing them home, and yes - they worked!

With my spiffy new specs, I should be able to read a menu correctly too.

A couple of weeks ago we met up with a friend for lunch at a pub not far from here - when you live in a country town, an hour is considered "not far" - and when perusing the menu I thought is said "bananas and mash".  Well, no....it was "bangas and mash".  For the non-Ozzies "bangers" (the usual spelling) are sausages (definitely not hot dogs) grilled or broiled, and mash is of course mashed potato.  It is usually served with copious amounts of gravy, and sometimes "dead horse" - tomato sauce.  Not ketchup.  We don't do ketchup.  

The week hasn't entirely slipped by, some sewing has happened, and the quilting on my musical hanging is done.  Now the edges need to be stitched and trimmed, then it can be bound with the dark yellow fabric shown; it picks up the yellow in a couple of the music notes, and will add a bright touch to the edge.

Nothing fancy about the quilting, just some lines echoing the design.  Perhaps they are sound waves.  It's supposed to be a guitar - tenor guitars (and ukuleles!) have four strings, so we will say it's a tenor with slightly crooked strings.  Once it is bound and hanging on the wall it will look like a true work of genius.  I hope.

Diamonds have been sewn, and more cut.  Words have been read.  Notes have been plinked and sung in readiness for an annual gig next Sunday morning at silly early o'clock, for a gospel breakfast at a small church just out of town; the folk who run the church are all nice people, and they like our songs.  The usual foray for hunting and gathering has taken place, and that's it for another week.

Our next caravan trip away will be in March, so thoughts need to be thought about a knitting project to take along.  It's over 700 kms from here to Canberra by the most direct route - which we don't always take anyway - so that is a lot of knitting time.  There is some bewdiful new yarn waiting in my stash for inspiration to strike......cardy or jumper, jumper or cardy......

Recently while eating our way through (chocolate chip!) shortbread, part of a Christmas gift, I wondered why shortbread seems to be associated with New Year, so looked it up......and yes, it is, particularly in Scotland.  Shortbread was once considered quite a delicacy, and Hogmanay - New Year - used to be an important celebration in Scotland; indeed, it still is in many places.  Of course a celebratory occasion calls for celebratory food, and so the association between New Year and shortbread was started.

Last night we watched two parts of a documentary on railways of the world.  The first part was set in Scotland, but we weren't provided with subtitles or an interpreter.....those Highland Scottish accents were very thick and broad......just because we speak the same language (sort of, more or less) doesn't mean to say we can understand each other.  The scenery was pretty, so we just watched it roll by and picked up the occasional word as best we could.  Part two was in California, we had no trouble with that!

Once again the rain has passed us by, but we have hopes - which may be doomed to disappointment, but we can always hope - for the coming week.  We might be doing that rain dance yet.

Continuing with Etiquette of Public Places, Conduct in Church:

"Do not turn around in your seat to gaze at anyone, to watch the choir, to look over the congregation or to see the cause of any disturbing noise."

No, not at all.  Eyes front, and all that.  Not even if something untoward occurs.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

 

Counting chickens and all that

Something it seems we must not do, seeing as how a couple of things which had been looked forward to had to be cancelled this week.

Last weekend one of the uke group folks had a positive test to the plague.  With someone else already away we were already down on voices, so the remainder of us made the reluctant decision to cancel Wednesday's performance.  While we really hated to disappoint those lovely folk at the seniors' residence, we just didn't have enough people to put on a good show.  However all is not lost; next month our town is taken over by a humumgous country music festival.  Many locals welcome it with open arms while many others pull up their drawbridge and stay home, only venturing out if they really must.....including, it seems, the lovely folk at the seniors' residence.  The manager and I had a nice little chat and I suggested bringing the festival to them which she heartily approved, so that will be fun.

Then on Thursday night at choir our director pointed out the lack of singers who were there that night, the fact that at least two folk - a married couple - have also come down with plague, and told us that last night's Christmas extravaganza was also being reluctantly cancelled. He has promised it will happen in the middle of next year; we will have Christmas in July instead of in December, and he still wants me to sing my Christmas ukulele song.  That gives me several more months of practice.....perhaps I may be able to play without looking at the music!  I know the words and just need to learn the sequence of chords, some of which is already in my brain.

Oh well.  C'est la vie, and all that.

The roster for next year's morning tea and BOM duties has been handed out, and I am down for late January.  Earlier this year an idea for a block popped into my brain, so I might just try it.  This is how it begins:

A 3-1/2 inch square, surrounded by two rows of strips cut two inches wide; it should measure 9-1/2 inches when finished.  Fabrics to make two more of these blocks are sitting on my sewing room table as we speak.  Once the blocks are done they will be cut once on the diagonal and joined with a black strip, probably one inch wide when finished.  All I am asking the group members to do is to make one of these blocks; I will do the diagonal cutting and rejoining, as I want the colours mixed up so it doesn't look too matchy-matchy.  I don't know if it will work, but thought it would be fun to try.

The diagonal of a 9-1/2 inch square is over 13 inches, which is a piece of mathematical trivia for you, and which will be how long my black sashing strips need to be cut.  

Words have been read.  Diamonds have been sewn.  Notes have been plinked and sing.  Hunting and gathering has happened, and so has passed another week.

It has rained, more very welcome rain, but the coming week is forecast to be hot, hot, hot......and dry.  Good weather for staying inside and sewing, perhaps.

Most of the books I read have been downloaded to my tablet, but sometimes I let my hair down and read a Real Book as I did this week.  The bookshop here is one of a chain which publishes a "reading guide" twice a year, so I have decided to use it as my reading guide too.  One book mentioned caught my interest, the library had it in their collection, so I reserved it and duly collected it on Friday.  It was finished last night (I'm a quick reader, always have been) and thoroughly enjoyed it.  It's by Ariel Lawhon and is called 'The Frozen River'.  I won't spoil it by leaking any of the plot, but it's a good read.  Most of the story takes place over a cold winter in Maine in 1789, a winter experience foreign to many Aussies, but it really makes you feel as though you were suffering in the cold along with the characters.  The central characters really lived, Martha the midwife certainly did - as her descendants still do today.

The mangos from a local school's annual fundraiser are now all peeled, sliced and in the freezer.  The kids next door have all attended the primary school not far away and, for the past few years, they have had a fundraising drive in which I have happily participated.  ("It's mango time again......")  Girl 1 has been in high school for a couple of years, Boy goes off to high school next year - but Girl 2 still has several years at that school, so there will be mangos for a while yet.  Yum yum.....

Continuing with Etiquette of Public Places, Conduct in Church:

"A gentleman may walk up the aisle either a little ahead of, or by the side of a lady, allowing the lady to first enter the pew.  There should be no haste in passing up the aisle."

Indeed, no.  There is no need to sprint.  No doubt there will seats for all.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Counting down to the finish

It has turned freezy frosty chilly, something to be expected now that we are racing through June, making it good weather for inside pursuits such as sewing.  We even had some welcome rain, with more forecast.

This week's finished blocks.

Long blocks behind, small in front.  I hesitated about using the frog fabric as it's not an I-spy quilt, but it's such a fun print (and it's green!) that it had to be included.  I wasn't sure, either, about the print second from left on the top, a green design on a blue background with the blue leaning more toward purple.  Various fabrics were tried with it but in the end the decision was made to go with a sharp acid green, and I think they hold hands nicely.

If my counting is correct there are only two large and four small blocks still to be made, then they can all be laid out and Big Decisions made as to placement.

My house quilt has come back out from its box into daylight once more.  Earlier in the week was quilt group meeting day so I took along my 1950 Singer Featherweight, and tried out its new 1/4 in foot.  I am not used to a foot with an edge guide but it went well, and now all the blocks are joined into diagonal strips.  Next is to join the sashings (strips are already cut) and trim them to the lengths required; as it's set on point the two middle rows are really long.  It's going to be quite a large quilt!  For the label I am thinking of making a house block in very pale colours and embroidering the quilt's name 'There Goes The Neighbourhood' on it.  

Stitches have been knitted - the front of my jumper is now up to the decrease for the armhole, yay!  Words have been read, notes have been plinked and sung.  No diamonds have been joined, but some will be during my time at the gallery on Tuesday afternoon.  On Thursday a couple of friends called in on their way further north, we had a cuppa and some fruit slice together, then waved them off on their journey.

Over the past few years I have been noticing that more and more foods have chili in them.  Now, I have nothing against chili so long as I'm not forced to eat it; when I buy smoked salmon dip I expect it to taste of smoked salmon, not of chili.....although chili doesn't really add flavour, does it?  Just heat, which is not always needed.  In fact chili has to be up there on the list of my least favourite foods, close behind tomato - which is right at the top.  One of my earliest memories is of my mother holding me down with one hand and trying to force-feed me tomato with the other.  I didn't like it then, and I don't like it now.  Don't like the taste, definitely don't like the texture.

I much prefer chocolate.....

This week will be marked by a sad farewell to a good friend, one who enjoyed sharing a cuppa and a piece of fruit slice with us.  I hope the fruit slice is waiting for him, wherever he is.

Continuing on with Shopping Etiquette:

"You should never take hold of a piece of goods or an article which another person is examining.  Wait until it is replaced upon the counter, when you are at liberty to examine it."

That is excellent advice.  If the other person buys the article and you miss out, then it wasn't meant to be yours.  If, on the other hand, you succeed in purchasing it - it was definitely for you.

Enjoy your days!

One of these days....

....this quilt will have its borders pinned ready for quilting.

It seems that every time I have a block of time to get it done, something intervenes....it is so frustrating....time had been reserved yesterday but we went shopping for a dishwasher.  By the time we returned home, had a cuppa, fiddle-faddled around for a bit, there wasn't enough of the day left for something I prefer to do in natural light.

Oh well.  The coming week doesn't look too hectic....fingers crossed....

Just because I love autumn pictures:

Taken on a cool damp day outside our B&B in Goderich, a small town in Ontario.  If I ever moved to Canada (not much chance of that; I don't think I would survive the first winter) I would live in Goderich, it's a very pretty town.

How have you all been this week?  It's still winter here, not much has changed, life for these two Olde Phartes drifts along.  

A few of us from the ukulele group provided some entertainment on Friday for a Refugee Week function, which was interesting; it makes you realise how lucky we are to live in a safe country free from conflict.  When I was a child we heard about 'displaced persons' as European refugees were called after World War II.  Many came to Australia in search of peace; most found it, although life here in what was still considered a colonial outpost would have been so different from the life they were used to.  

When I think about the bland boring food we grew up with - lamb chops served with mashed potato and peas, every week - I am so pleased times have moved on, driven by people who have settled here from other countries.  My mother didn't like cooking, it was a chore she did from necessity, and as a result she was an unimaginative cook.  A pinch of curry powder in the savoury beef mince - always boiled, never browned in oil - was the most adventurous dish she served.

I remember when convenience foods started appearing in shops, and my mother seized the opportunity with both hands.  Packet cake mixes were her favourite, she made two double-sized cakes a week because my father took lunch from home.  'Smoko' (morning tea break) was not considered complete without a large piece of cake for those doing manual labour - including bricklaying, my father's occupation.  Many older Ozzies still call the morning tea break 'smoko' even though a much smaller number of people now smoke than used to, and many of us (myself included) have never ever not once lit up even one surreptitious puff.  Not ever.

Something else which pleased her was the advent of synthetic fabrics, fabrics which advertised themselves as 'wash and wear', no ironing needed.  However Ozzie summers can be fearsomely hot, and the last fabric you want to swathe yourself in is a non-breathable fabric; we have gone back to realising that cotton and linen fabrics are more comfortable.  If ironing bugs you, then don't do it - who is going to care if you are wearing wrinkled clothing?  Not me....

Continuing on with General Rules for Balls:

"When dancing a round dance, a gentleman should never hold a lady's hand behind him, or on his hip, or high in the air, moving her arm as though it were a pump handle, as seen in some of our western cities, but should hold it gracefully by his side."

Yes indeed, gentlemen.  I have danced with blokes whose dancing style is....shall we say.....creative.

Enjoy your days!