Preparing a label

A label for the neighbourhood quilt is being prepared.  It still needs interfacing ironed to the back - that will take care of those wrinkles, I wish it were that easy to get rid of people wrinkles - and to have the words traced on and embroidered.

This is the same size as all the houses, 6-1/2 inches square (it will finish at six inches) with a very pale garden and sky, because they may need to be embroidered over.  The thread is Valdani floss, colour 'bright', a single strand will be used for the stitching.

The green borders aren't quite finished, but are getting closer.  There seem to have been many demands on my time this week and, when I wasn't needed for something, I was too pooped to do more than just sit and veg out with the current book.  There are a lot of leftover green strips; there could even be enough to make another border....a double border would look really good....but, apart from the extra work (which, when all is said and done, wouldn't be that bad) it's already a large quilt, 84 inches or so square, so do I really want to make it another five inches larger?  The answer is - no.  Probably not.  Maybe not.....it might look good though, mightn't it.....

Many years ago I embroidered two flower pictures.  It was so long ago that I don't remember why they were done, but a little niggle in my brain tells me that there were never any plans to use them for anything particular.  They were just something to do.  The overcasting stitch around the edges was done on my Singer machine which was pensioned off in 1999, so it was a long time ago.

The stitches are simple and both pieces used similar colours so an idea may have been to use them together, perhaps as cushions.  Fabric is, I think, synthetic linen, the embroidered section is about six inches wide by less than six inches high, so not quite square, and they are from iron-on transfers.

They recently turned up when I was looking for something in my sewing room; I knew they were there, but couldn't recall where they had been stored.  They might become table centres framed with floral prints, or perhaps they will turn into bags.  No doubt inspiration will eventually strike.  

Spring is well and truly springing, and 'Wee Johnnie' is flowering in the backyard once more.  He's a bit erratic and doesn't put on a good display every year, but he's currently looking good.

A larger version, which we don't have, is called 'Little John'.  

How has everyone been this week?  We made it to the mechanic at stupid early o'clock on Friday....we weren't battering down his door at 8 a.m., but we weren't very much later....then we shouted ourselves breakfast at the café a few doors away, and jolly good it was too.  And yes, I had eggs Benny.

Stitches have been sewn but none knitted, as neither of us had appointments with waiting time.  Songs were sung.  Food was foraged.  Many words were read.  The coming week will be taken up with some baking as a couple of slices will be needed for the weekend; my quilt group is having its show, and as it's been three years since the last one we want to do it well.

An friend from interstate has been working in a town not very far away and yesterday she drove to Tamworth, where we took in the Textile Triennial currently on display.  We then drove to a café for lunch, checked out the gallery next door to the café, then drove back down the hill to finish looking at the Textile Triennial.  It's always fun to catch up with friends, especially one not seen for a year, and Arboretum was flashed around for show and tell; when we met up last year it was just some blocks, so my friend enjoyed seeing the finished quilt.

We need to arrange our ceremony.

"Arrangements for the ceremonies.

In weddings at churches a person is often provided, who is expected to be at the church as soon as the doors are opened.  He arranges beforehand for the spreading of a carpet from the church door to the pavement, and if the weather be inclement, he sees that an awning is also spread.  He also sees that a white ribbon is stretched across the main aisle of the church, far enough back from the altar to afford sufficient room for all invited guests to occupy the front pews of the main aisle.  Sometimes an arch of flowers extends over the aisle, so as to divide those who come in wedding garments, from those who do not.  The organist should be early at his post, and is expected to play during the arrival of guests.  The order of the religious part of the marriage ceremony is fixed by the church in which it occurs."

I don't think I have ever been to a wedding which had a section of the church all to itself.....or to a church which was similarly divided, so that only invited guests in their wedding finery could sit in the Best Seats while the hoi polloi was relegated to the cheapies at the back.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Melting, melting.....

The past week has been almost unbearably hot, with many towns seeing record-breaking temperatures.  While our town didn't see records tumble (to quote a favourite media cliché) it has been quite nasty, at times, and we will be glad to see the last of it.  We even have hopes of some rain later; the heatwave has negated any benefit from rain of two or three weeks ago.

As a result almost nothing of consequence happened in the sewing room, certainly nothing worthy of a photo.  The moose table topper is now layered and pinned ready for quilting, which will be done during the coming week once cooler temperatures arrive; my brain turns to mush and I can't concentrate in such extreme heat as we have had.  

Trawling through the photo vault has yielded some gems.

During our last visit to Canada we stayed with friends on Vancouver Island, and while there we visited the Northern Island Wildlife Recovery Centre where we made the acquaintance of this interesting bird.

You have to smile at that comical face, don't you!  It was a large owl which came to the Centre after being hit by a vehicle; due to its damaged wing it could no longer fly and hunt, so it was living out its best life and educating visitors while doing so.

The year before we shook the dust of the Big Smoke from our heels we took ourselves on an outing to Mount Tomah Botanic Garden, which specialises in cool climate plants.  I don't remember the name of this plant but it was spring, so perhaps those autumn-like colours are its new spring growth; many Australian native plants have pale pinkish/bronze colouring for their new shoots.

The visitor centre had a display of waratahs, our state floral emblem.....I love waratahs.  There was a children's colouring competition, a display of individual blooms, mostly red but with some white - yes, white waratahs really exist - and floral arrangements featuring waratahs.

A close up of a vivid red waratah surrounded by its serrated leathery leaves, with a few fern fronds peeking in at the side.

On my bookshelf is a slim book about the waratah as a decorative feature, and very interesting it is too.  Back in the late 1800s there was a great interest in using Australian flora and fauna as decorative motifs, and the waratah was up there with the best;  you could decorate your home with waratahs carved in wood for your fireplace, printed on wallpaper for your wall or fabric for your curtains, painted on plates or cups to decorate your table....just about anything you desired could be decorated with waratahs, and very exuberant they were too.

Words have been read, many words, because staying out of that fierce heat with one's nose buried in a book was one way to spend several hot days.  No stitches have been knitted.  More diamonds have been cut for hand-piecing, and hand-piecing of diamonds continues.  At this rate, I will be able to open my own gem mine in no time at all. We braved the heat to go out for food.

In recent days the socials, as they seem to be called, have been alight with plaintive pleas of "can anyone hem my daughter's school dresses before school goes back next week?".  While I realise that not everyone has advanced or even basic sewing skills, if you have a daughter or two who wear dresses which need to have hems taken up and let down, would it not be an idea to learn some sewing skills in order to do so?  It's not haute couture, after all, just very basic sewing for which basic supplies are needed, and would save you money in the long run.  Basic sewing used to be taught in schools, to my knowledge it no longer is ('Textile and Design' was a subject when I worked in high school before retiring; students could make quite complicated creations, but I could not attest to their hemming skills) but as a 'life skill' it is invaluable.

Off my soap box.....

Our visitors departed on Tuesday morning, our musician friend sporting four new tyres on his blue car ($$$$!), something he wasn't expecting when he arrived here ten days earlier.  At least those new tyres made his long trip home a safe one, albeit something of a sticker shock.  We have sometimes had to sort out mechanical issues while away too, not a fun activity but a necessary one for a trip to continue.

"Conduct of the fiancée.

The conduct of the fiancée should be tender, assiduous and unobtrusive.  He will be kind and polite to the sisters of his betrothed and friendly with her brothers.  Yet he must not be in any way unduly familiar or force himself into family confidences on the ground that he is to be regarded as a member of the family.  Let the advance come rather from them to him, and let him show a due appreciation of any confidences which they may be pleased to bestow upon him.  The family of the young man should make the first advances toward an acquaintance with his future wife.  They should call upon her or write to her, and they may with perfect propriety invite her to visit them in order that they may become acquainted."

No doubt the young woman would be apprehensive to meet her future in-laws, as indeed he was to meet his.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Green, green, it's green they say....

....on the far side of the hill.....

Anyone else remember that song?  It seems appropriate, considering that I've been cutting green fabrics for the outer border of the neighbourhood.  This is what's been cut so far.

But - there is still lots to go, because in my wisdom (not sure that it was very wise, but there you are) I have been cutting short pieces, and it's a fairly big quilt.  It might be a good idea to get cracking and cut some longer strips, those shorter pieces can be used between the longer ones.

This is Butchart Garden on Vancouver Island, Canada, in autumn.  That garden is famed world-wide for it's wonderful floral displays but when it's not flower season all the tones of green are highlighted, as they were back in November 2012 when this was taken.

Speaking of colour - no doubt you may have already heard that the Pantone colour of the year for 2026 has been released, and after so many colourful years it seems like a cop-out that white has been chosen.  It's been gussied up with a fancy name.....'Cloud Dancer'.....but white is still white.  I always thought that white was the absence of colour - yes?  If that's so, how can it be chosen as colour of the year?  I must admit to being somewhat....underwhelmed.

Here's a site I found which shows the colours of the year going back to 2000.  While I don't care for them all (although I do quite like 2017's colour) each and every one of them is more inspiring than boring white.

For many years now home renno shows have been showing white kitchens, which remind me of hospital laboratories.  Give me some colour any day.  Our kitchen (which came with the house but we like it, so it's been left) is light creamy-beige; it's not brown, it has warm yellow undertones with enough colour not to be boring but is still light enough to be practical.  There is also a fad on those shows to have dark kitchens with dark floors, dark cabinets, dark bench tops.....why, fergawdssake?  You would have to have the lights on all day, and even then you would need a magnifying glass to chop vegies so you didn't chop your fingers instead.

We have had more storms, and a few more small branches have fallen from our front yard tree.  They seem to recover, though, so we won't panic just yet.  Don't want to waste a good panic, do we.

The festive season is getting closer.  On Wednesday my sewing group had our Christmas lunch and jolly nice it was too, while the ukulele group finished for the year on Monday.  One of the members, Chris, gave me a jar of sweet onion chutney that she made herself (which is very nice too, it's already been opened and tried) together with a card, the hand-written message inside thanking me for, as Chris put it, "sharing your love of music with us".....isn't that sweet?  So, that's the end of music groups for the year...but I can always plink and sing away to myself, can't I.

Words have been read.  Stitches have been knitted and sewn but that summer top isn't yet repaired, as time just ran away from me; while the coming week also has some appointments, I live in hope that the top will be done by next weekend.  We hunted and foraged and will do some more this week because, even though there will just be the two of us for Christmas, we can still enjoy some festive foods.  The idea of going out to a restaurant for an indulgent Christmas lunch has been left in the dirt as these days it's way out of our budget, so we will just have to indulge at home.

When you are the person responsible for meal planning, and shopping, and preparation, though, Christmas is just like any other day.  Compared to a meal which someone else has prepared, served and cleaned up here's nothing special about a meal you have had to make yourself, is there?

The One And Only Grandkid has an upcoming birthday.  He will turn eleven next Friday.  We have deposited some money in his father's account so he can be taken shopping and choose what he would like; there is an excellent children's book shop in Canberra, and we are told there are also good toy shops.  We don't see him enough to know what he would like (although you can bet that fantasy/superheroes would feature somewhere, just like his father at that age) so it's better that he makes his own choice and has something he would like.

"How to treat a refusal.

As a woman is not bound to accept the first offer that is made to her, so no sensible man will think the worse of her, nor feel himself personally injured by a refusal.  That it will give him pain is most probable.  A scornful "no" or a simpering promise to "think about it" is the reverse of generous."

We certainly don't wish to be ungenerous, do we?

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Moving along.....

Now that the trees are made, it's time to take another look at the Neighbourhood.  It was coming along really well but last year's broken arm pushed it to the back burner where it has stayed and stayed - but now it's time to make a start on the borders.

The inner borders have been cut....black cat prints on a white background....the outer borders will be a mix of random green prints cut three inches wide.  First, though, the edges need to be trimmed because, as you can see, they are far from even.  The Cunning Plan is to get this out of the sewing room and off to the long armer early next year.

Don't worry, though, those trees haven't been forgotten.  They are percolating away in the back of my brain as we speak.

There is also a top which needs fixing, the elastic in the neckline and sleeves has to be replaced with the casing re-sewn in some places.  That won't take long but now that the warmer weather is well and truly upon us it is needed as it's light cotton voile, in a favourite red/brown colour. 

This is our poor tree which didn't fare too well in storms two weeks ago.  See the gaps on the right?  That's where some very large branches broke off, and spoiled its lovely shape.  Another large piece broke off in the storm a couple of hours ago after this pic was taken.

Social media posts indicate that most damage has occurred on the south side of town; we're on the north, so although there was wind and rain it wasn't as bad as in the previous storm.  It has cooled down by nearly 15 degrees in a few hours, too.

Once again it's mango time of year!  Our young neighbour, the youngest of three children, is still in primary school so we joined in their mango fundraiser again, a whole box of delicious mango-y goodness, all of which is now sliced, diced and packed in the freezer.  She still has a few years to go before she is off to high school, so the annual mango box will continue for a while yet.

Many schools hold fundraisers which are a long way from the lamington drives of my children's primary school days - 'primary school' is called 'elementary school' in some countries - thank goodness the fancy doughnut drives passed us by.  Fresh mangos are so much better than fried cakes laden with cream and sugar and all that unhealthy Stuff, aren't they.

Not that I'm averse to the occasional creamy treat, you know.....

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn and a small amount of knitting done, too, although it's not quite cool knitting weather.  Songs have been plinked and sung; choir is on its annual break until the first week of February, so there hasn't been as much singing as there would normally be.  We hunted, gathered and foraged.  The physio tells me that my sore foot is doing well, it certainly hasn't fallen off and is less painful than it was, so we are thankful for that.

"A doubtful answer.

Nothing can be more unfair or more unjustifiable than a doubtful answer given under the plea of sparing the suitor's feelings.  It raises false hopes.  It renders a man restless and unsettled.  It may cause him to express himself or to shape his conduct in such a manner as he would not dream of doing were his suit utterly helpless."

Indeed.  One should be decisive in one's answer.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Finally....unstressed trees!

Things are proceeding well on the injured hand.  It can now be left uncovered to enjoy the fresh air, and is enjoying its freedom - as is its owner, and as am I.

Consequently the stress has pretty much disappeared, so this week's trees are stress-free.

First, a lime tree with what could be berries.....

....I'm not sure if one can grow blue, red and purple berries on one tree, but this tree does.

This puts me in mind of a creeper growing against a rusty metal fence, so perhaps it's not ~quite~ a tree.

Although I still like it.

Numbers 79 and 80, how good is that?  Only 19 to go; at two a week, and three in the last week, that makes nine weeks' worth of trees left.

This fabric will be used for binding.  It was bought on our last trip to Canada and is from the same range as the border fabric on my Canadian quilt.  It was made in red and black (the border fabric is red and black), red and red (which I liked, but the black/red contrast appealed more for the border), blue and black, and gold and black.  As it was well into autumn by then, the gold had to come home with me.

I couldn't remember how much had been purchased - turned out to be half a metre, more than enough for binding.  Decisions still need to be made on backing, but as there also need to be more fabrics bought - eight or nine or so, not many - an eye can be run over the batik choices in the local quilt shop.  If she doesn't have anything which appeals to me, there is another shop in a town an hour north.

Today is an early taste of summer warmth.  The bluebells (which we didn't plant) have joined with the snowdrops (which we also didn't plant) flowering in the back yard, and their (mostly) annual flowering is a delight.  The huge port wine magnolia in the front yard is flowering this year because we have had good rain; it doesn't flower at all in dry years, and the flowers are fairly undistinguished anyway, but oh - their scent is wonderful.

How has everyone been this week?  We spent time at the medical centre having Kevin's hand checked - thank goodness those visits have now ceased, although I achieved quite a lot of waiting-time knitting - and we managed the usual hunting and foraging.  Words were read, stitches were sewn and knitted.  Sighs of relief have been heaved at the thought of no more medical Stuff for some time.  

Songs were plinked and sung, and my tenure as leader of the Thursday U3A ukulele is now over.  In a few weeks I will taking up my new position as leader of the new Monday group instead, and best of all....next Thursday I can go back to choir after having to miss two long months, something I am really looking forward to.

We are, I hope, nearing the last of the annual footy season, although these days it seems to go on for most of the year.  Time was when cricket was the main summer sport, and various styles of footy were played in the cooler months, but not so much now.  I find myself wishing that they would disappear from our screens forever, I don't watch them; boofy blokes kicking/throwing/hitting a ball around doesn't appeal to me in the slightest.  Kevin is welcome to watch with the sound turned off, as we can't stand the commentary either.  As for motor racing....well, you can see what's happening, you don't need the screaming of the cars, the spectators and the commentators, do you?

We find ourselves turning the TV off more than it's on.  We don't do streaming as we can't see the point in paying for things we wouldn't watch; both of us grew up in the era before television took over everyone's lives, so we don't mind just having music instead.  Let's face it, when one considers the dross available on the screen these days, it's no great loss.

"Another condition of domestic happiness is intellectual sympathy.  Man requires a woman who can make his home a place of rest for him, and woman requires a man of domestic tastes.  While a woman who seeks to find happiness in a married life will never consent to be wedded to an idler or a pleasure-seeker, so a man of intelligence will wed none but a woman of intelligence and good sense.  Neither beauty, physical characteristics nor other external qualifications will compensate for the absence of intellectual thought and clear and quick comprehensions.  An absurd idea is held by some that intelligence and domestic virtues cannot go together; that an intellectual woman will never be content to stay at home to look after the interests of her household and children.  A more unreasonable idea has never been suggested, for as the intellect is strengthened and cultured, it has a greater capacity of affection, of domesticity and of self-sacrifice for others."

Times have changed, haven't they?

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Reverse trees

The fabrics used for this week's trees have also been used for past trees, but in reverse - which makes for interesting results.

A tree using fabric from my prize bundle, and contrast that was a bright tree several months ago.

A tree which puts me in mind of light shining through foliage.

Both blue and green, but both very different......that makes 72 trees.

The view from just outside our kitchen window of sunlight filtered through the wattle bush, with trees on the hill beyond.

It's a noisy bush, as there are many bees a-buzzin' in it.

How has everyone been this week?  We have hunted and we have gathered, and we have been hither and yon for appointments and meetings.  Words have been read, stitches have been sewn and knitted; the first sleeve is now well up in the raglan armhole decrease so every second row is shorter by two stitches, which makes for quicker rows.  Songs have been plinked and sung.

As of next term, starting in mid-October, I am moving the U3A ukulele group to Monday afternoons so I can once more attend choir on Thursday afternoons.  The email announcing this was duly sent around and garnered several replies, some of which made the writers sound like chooks with their feathers ruffled, but I am adamant.  I am moving to Monday afternoons.  Those who cannot do Mondays are welcome to have their own strumming group on Thursdays (which I suspect they will) and I wish them well.  I am by far the most experienced musician in the group, so we'll see how it goes. 

Early in the week I received a call from one of the workers at the gallery where I used to volunteer - I decided at the start of this year that, as I was nearly 15 years older than when I started, it was a good time to gracefully bow out - during our many hours there together our past work history occasionally came up and we realised that we had both, at one time, worked for the library which is downstairs in the same building.  I started there as a 15YO school leaver (that's right, folks, I was a high school dropout, but that's a story for another day) in January 1963 and left when I moved to the Big Smoke in October 1970, nearly eight years later.  The library service is celebrating its 75th birthday tomorrow with a morning tea, and as an employee from so many years ago, possibly one of very few left from those days, I am officially invited.  Hizzoner Mr Mayor will be there.  I would not be surprised if there were cameras, so better make sure I wear a good bra and some lippy, yes?  As it's a daytime occasion the tiara will probably be left at home.....and how does one address the mayor?  Mr Last Name? Mr Mayor? or 'Russ', which is the short form of his first name but which might be regarded as just a teeny bit disrespectful for an Official Occasion?

I'll let you know next week.

Winter has been reminding us that whoever said, way back in late autumn, that we would be in for a warm mild winter was wrong.  This morning was a minus temperature which, of course, felt much colder and which equalled the previous cold temperature back in mid-June; the fire is very welcome as the wind has been biting.  Blossom trees all around town are blooming, however, so we know spring is on its way, and before we know it we will once more be complaining of the heat.  Days are getting longer, mornings are too bright too early - I am not an early riser by choice, you know - and evenings are hanging on for longer before the curtain of night falls once more.

Our parents are still keeping an eye on their girls.

"A watchful care required by parents.

Parents, especially mothers, should also watch with a jealous care the tendencies of their daughter's affections; and if they see them turning toward unworthy or undesirable objects, influence of some sort should be brought to bear to counteract this.  Great delicacy and tact are required to manage matters rightly.  A more suitable person may, if available, be brought forward, in the hope of attracting the young girl's attention.  The objectionable traits of the undesirable suitor should be made apparent to her without the act seeming to be intentional; and if all this fails, let change of scene and surroundings by travel or visiting accomplish the desired result.  The latter course will generally do it, if matters have not been allowed to progress too far and the young girl is not informed why she is temporarily banished from home."

I suspect that these remarks pertain to those folk of a certain social level and above.  Ordinary working class folk could not afford to be so choosy.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

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

Two thirds of an Arboretum

66 blocks are now finished, and there are only 33 to go.

Would you call this colour greyish-green, or greenish-grey?  Not sure about the creatures either, they look like something which lives under the depths of the deep dark ocean.  It's leftover from fabric which came with a bag kit purchased in Canada several years ago, the fabric quantities given were very generous.

Such a dull colour needs a bright contrast, yes?

This blue fabric also made an appearance in Summertime Blues.  It puts me in mind of life under a coral reef, seaweed gently waving with the movement of water.

This week's underwater blocks, or sub aquatic if you like.

The weekly wattle pic, more of those little yellow balls of fluff have opened since this was taken a couple of days ago.

Next year's flowering shoots are already growing!

Wattles are known for not being very long-lived compared to other trees, but this keeps hanging on; I can't remember when we planted it, but it was several years ago now.  We have had native plants which were going along quite happily suddenly turn up their toes and die for no apparent reason - Aussie native plants are notoriously finicky, but that doesn't stop me from loving them - we keep expecting the wattle to succumb to a similar fate, but no.  Not yet.  If we had known when it was planted that it would grow so big, it would have been put in a different spot.....but perhaps then it might not have considered that to be the 'perfect' spot, and might not have grown as well as it has.

Not bad for a plant which nearly died soon after being planted.  Something was eating its tender green leaves and it looked a poor sick little thing; Kevin was going to rip it out....don't you dare I said, it's not dead yet, it has three little green leaves....so he left it......those leaves are slightly larger than a fingernail.  The card which came with it has been lost along the way, but it could be Knife Leaf Wattle.

How has everyone been this week?  We mooched around as usual; words have been read, stitches were sewn and knitted, the back of my jumper is finished and work is coming along nicely on the first sleeve.  (The decision has been made - it will be a jumper rather than a cardy.)  Songs were plinked and sung.  Sadly I am now on a break from choir, at least until such time as the U3A ukulele group moves away from Thursday afternoon.  An email was sent to members this week laying out the options which were - find another time to meet, or find another leader.  To date there have been a couple of replies, so we will talk about it on Thursday. 

We are still properly courting.

"It seems that circumstances must determine whether courtship may lead to engagement.  Thus, a man may begin seriously to court a girl, but may discover before any promise binds them to each other, that they are entirely unsuited to one another, when he may, with perfect propriety and without serious injury to the lady, withdraw his attentions."

These days we have forgotten how much damage could be done to a young woman's reputation by a broken engagement, haven't we?  Once tarnished it was very difficult to polish it up again, and indeed she could be considered 'damaged goods' which could make it hard to find her true love.

Australian writer Andrew 'Banjo' Paterson, as a young man, had a reputation for being of the love-'em-and-leave-'em persuasion.  For several years he was engaged to a woman named Sarah but the engagement was broken off - Sarah never married.  Her friend Christina was also pursued by young Mr Paterson, there were rumours of a dalliance - Christina never married.  It was said that mothers of eligible women did not trust young Mr Paterson.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Strolling around

Our weather this week has been distinctly un-wintery, although overcast, so it's not a bad day for a stroll around our small - very small - back yard.

The rosemary bush in front is threatening to take over the universe; it was planted a few years ago during the last drought and seems to quite like being where it is.  We also planted one in our front garden but as it doesn't get as much sun - the back gets sun nearly all day - it's much smaller.

Another rosemary planted not long after we moved here several years ago and now growing through the fence, this one has lighter-coloured flowers.  The rather scrappy-looking shrub (which is actually very healthy, this is just how they grow) behind is 'Eremophila Aurea'.  Eremophila is an Aussie plant which is much loved by birds and pollinating insects - this yellow flowering one ('Aurea' means yellow or gold coloured) is a favourite with honeyeaters and with Eastern Rosellas.  Honeyeaters have long beaks and tongues which they poke inside the flowers to reach the sweet nectar, while the rosellas bite the flowers off at the base and extract nectar that way, leaving dropped flowers in their wake.

A clump of snowdrops, which we didn't plant!   They were left by the previous owner and pop up nearly every year.....not bad, considering we have been here for 14 years now.

Our disappearing fence.  The back yard is narrow, so a wire fence - once again, it was in place when we moved here - visually 'disappears' giving the illusion that our backyard is extensive instead of small and easy-care.....and yes, sometimes kangaroos come fairly close to the fence.

The week hasn't been entirely wasted, as the third border for Autumn Rhapsody was finished.  This is how the design wraps around the corners.

A start has been made on pinning some of the final border.

Words have been read. and both hand and machine sewing has been done.  Diamonds have been cut.  Songs have been sung, and notes plinked; our U3A ukulele group is drifting along nicely, although there are always people away.  We hunted and gathered to keep the wolf from the door, and that was the week.

I had my final visit to the orthopedic surgeon on Friday, and he is pleased with how my arm, wrist and hand are progressing.  Talk about a run around; on my previous visit to Emma physio we made my next appointment for Friday as the appointment with the orthopedic bloke was tomorrow, Monday, and Emma wanted to see me beforehand.  Early in the week a phone call from the ortho bloke's receptionist full of apologies, so sorry, Jennifer, he has a full day of surgery on Monday, can we re-schedule.....no problem, says I, so an appointment was made for 11.15 a.m. on Friday.  My physio appointment was at 10.30 a.m. the same day but the receptionist and I decided that, as they were only a few streets apart, it shouldn't be a problem getting from one to the other on a tight schedule.  Then, blow me down as they used to say, while Emma was going through my exercises with me on Friday morning another call came from the receptionist....so sorry, Jennifer, he's had to go to hospital (presumably to check up on a patient, not on his own account) so can we change it to this afternoon.  Once again, no problem, in fact it took the pressure off the morning, but that was pretty much a whole day gone for just two appointments.

It's no wonder I seem to run around like a mad thing on some days but achieve very little, is it?  That was the final physio visit unless I feel I need a follow-up - just keep doing the exercises says Emma physio, which I am doing - and although it will still take several months, I should have most of the use of my hand back again.  Most isn't as good as all, but it's better than just some.  It is getting stronger and activities which used to be quite painful aren't so bad now; full strength isn't yet there but I'm sure that, too, will come.

At least that frees up some of my calendar for something other than medical Stuff!

Here's an interesting article for you to read - it's been 100 years since the last mail coach run and a recreation is planned.  However, I take exception with the bloke who said "it was a better way of life".  No, it wasn't.  The "good old days" weren't always good; many children didn't live long enough to celebrate their first birthday, women died in childbirth, domestic violence was something to be suffered in silence.  Medical conditions and accidents which are classed as trivial today could, and did, kill within a short time.  These days life has its challenges, but I wouldn't go back for any amount of money....no matter how glamorous the hats were.

Continuing on with Conduct in an artist's studio:

"Never take a young child to a studio, for it may do much mischief in spite of the most careful watching.  At any rate, the juvenile visitor will try the artist's temper and nerves by keeping him in a constant state of apprehension."

I heartily concur.  Keep those little kiddie-widdies out of my studio, please.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

It's wattle time again!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ah well.  

Continuing on with Conduct in an artist's studio:

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

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

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Only another woman will understand!

My progress continues with another milestone this week, a milestone that most women take for granted......

......I managed to hook up my bra behind my back correctly!  Yay for me!

Instead of asking Kevin to do it, or fastening the hooks in front, turning it round and wriggling my arms in (which is not all that easy, either) I can now dress myself correctly - it was almost 14 weeks to the day of the break, so you can see why I am celebrating!  My hand continues to improve, slowly getting stronger and more flexible, for which I am thankful.

Stitching has continued on the second side border of Autumn Rhapsody; it, too, will soon be done, and the third side can be commenced.  My brain has been thinking thoughts of how best to ensure that the borders are attached to the correct sides - yes, it will matter for the design, they're not identical - and this is what I came up with; a 2-1/2 inch square was cut in half and each half pinned (using safety pins, rather than straight pins which can slide out of place) to the quilt top and the border.  When the time comes to attach the border those fabrics will be matched, and all will be hunky dory.....and yes, before you ask, four different fabrics were used to avoid confusion, one for each side.

Speaking of hunky dory, do you know the origin of that phrase?  No one seems to be certain - but all sources agree that it first appeared in print in the mid-1860s, so it was known then.

It is time for the annual glorious golden yellow wattle gorgeousness pic, just a few fluffy balls yet but that will soon change.  It's a bit soggy and droopy at present as we have had good rain over the past couple of days, but as it dries the branches will spring back.

Not bad, considering it was at death's door as a very young plant.  I can't remember its name as the card which came with the plant on purchase has been put in a Very Safe Place, probably never to be seen again.

Words have been read, hair has nearly been torn out in frustration over a computer mystery, but I have high hopes it will eventually be solved.  Machine and hand stitching has happened.  Songs have been sung; last night the choir held its Christmas in July party, and great fun it was too.  The usual hunting and gathering to keep starvation at bay, trips to the computer problem solving place, and that's been our week.

The uke will come out for a plink this week to see how my hand copes, as the U3A ukulele group resumes on Thursday.  It's official, I am now the (slightly reluctant) leader.  Most of the players are fine but there is one woman....there's always one person, isn't there.....who is challenging.  If she is so musically fabulous and considers that she knows so much more than I do (which wouldn't be hard) she is welcome to be leader.  I wouldn't care in the slightest.  We'll see how this term progresses.

Thoughts are being thought about whether we should keep our little caravan, or if it's time to let it go to another owner who will enjoy it as much as we have.  Kevin found it difficult without my help on our return trip home, and we are now 26 years older and 26 years less able than when we first started travelling with it.  It has just been re-registered for another year, which gives us several months to ponder on whether we will or whether we won't.  I would like to finish the trip that was cut short by my unfortunate fall, but whether we do.....well, who knows.

This week has been milder, some days were almost warm!  Over the past couple of days, though, we have had good rain, which that means our mild weather has run out for a while.  The next few nights are forecast to be somewhat chilly, downright cold in fact, minus several degrees below zero.

Continuing on with Conduct at charity fairs:

"Be guilty of no loud talking or laughing, and by all means avoid conspicuous flirting in so public a place."

Oh, yes.  No PDAs at the charity fair, nothing, in fact, which draws attention - unwelcome or not.  The true lady and/or gentleman of those times was not one of the "look at me" current generation, they knew how to be discreet.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Back in the land of the living

The computer living, that is......our computer has been in for repair.  The verdict is - its condition is terminal, something quite annoying considering it's only a few years old.  Forgive the recent lack of blog comments, we've been cut off from the world without it.

Oh well.  We have ordered a new computer, and will continue to nurse this poor old thing along until its replacement arrives and is installed.

The annual record of the blooming back yard wattle bush.

She's getting to be quite a big girl, isn't she?  (Anything this gorgeous has to be a girl, no way could it be a boofy boy!)  Considering she came *this* close to being pulled out when she was a mere stripling, just a few nearly dead sticks with three tiny green leaves, she's doing very well.  Kevin was going to get rid of it, don't you dare, I said, it's not dead yet....it has green leaves.....so, fortunately, he left it.

There have been no pics of diamonds for a long time, have there?  These are on the ironing board waiting to be pressed; it's more a summer project when the weather is a bit too warm for knitting.

Although......it's not the act of knitting, the problem is the weight of a woollen garment on one's lap on a hot day.  The current jumper is all knitted, and the seaming is well underway; there won't be enough winter left this year for its auspicious debut, so it can be flaunted next year.

Many words have been read.  Not one stitch has been sewn either by hand or machine, the motivation hasn't been present, but it will return.  Notes have been plinked and sung.  There are songs waiting to be arranged but that will be left until the new computer is ready; no sense spending that time until I know the result won't disappear into cyberspace never to be seen again.

Yesterday we took ourselves off for a Nice Sunday Drive to Nundle, about an hour away, for a concert featuring harp and classical guitar.  The music was sublime, the instruments amazing - I greatly covet that beautiful guitar, even though we're not supposed to covet other people's gorgeous Stuff.  Nundle is a higher altitude than here in the valley and winters are much colder, but yesterday was pleasant; there was no nasty wind, and the sun was almost nearly not quite warm.  Nearly.

Back when I was a stripling of about 17 or so there was a 'music shop' here which sold, among other things, LP records.  (Remember them?)  I used to check out the sale racks for anything that looked interesting, having begun to develop fairly wide musical tastes, and one day I bought a recording of Spanish guitar music by Brazilian guitarist Laurindo Almeida.  What a revelation that was!  It sparked a love of classical guitar which has never abated, indeed, I had lessons in classical guitar for a couple of years in my 20s before I started having babies.  There never seemed to be time to go back to it but I still use the techniques that I learned to this day, even when playing ukulele.  Several years later I bought another guitar and still have them both, one classical, one more folky/jazzy...and of course, three ukuleles.  Kevin is very supporting of my musical efforts and I appreciate that very much, because I cannot imagine my life without music in it.

As a child and teen I wanted to learn music but it wasn't possible, there was no spare money for frivolities such as a daughter's music lessons.  (It seemed, and still seems to me, that there was really no place in that family for the fish-out-of-water-daughter anyway.)  Both my brothers learned because a state-wide youth organisation had a branch here including a band which was free to join and to learn music, but in those days it was an organisation for boys only.  My mother had played piano in her younger days and picking out tunes on her piano, still in her parents' house (but sold with the house a few years later when they died) gave me endless fun.  My father had played violin as a child.  I was the only one in the family who was left out of playing music, and I have always resented that.  While I know there is no point in dwelling on what's passed and can't be changed it still saddens me that I was never given that chance - even though it probably would have meant learning scales on piano, something that didn't appeal at all.  But....once I heard that guitar recording, I knew it was for me.

Continuing on with Etiquette for Public Conveyances:

"Never talk politics or religion in a public conveyance."

One might add, especially not using a loud voice on a mobile phone.  The rest of us neither want nor need to hear your thoughts on these or indeed any other matters, unless we are engaged in conversation with you.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer