Moving onward and upward

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now for the second time around.

"The marriage ceremonials of a widow.

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

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

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

The road ahead

At Kevin's last medical appointment the doctor confirmed what we had suspected for some time - a diagnosis of dementia.  He has Alzheimer's.  It's early stages yet but given that both his parents suffered from it in their later years, it's not surprising.  I don't know if there is a hereditary component, but it wouldn't surprise me if there was.

So we don't know if the road ahead will be bumpy - I suspect at times it will be - or smooth, which it mostly is now.  It will probably be a combination of both.  

Oh, well.  We can only do what we can do, can't we.....which is to keep our sense of humour as intact as we can as much as we can, and smile when we can't.

Moving on to happier Stuff.

We both had medical appointments during the week (mine was nothing drastic, just the Olde Pharte quarterly check-up) so the knitting came along with me to pass the waiting time.  The finished back and sleeves are plain knitting but I can't resist adding a pattern panel in the centre front; it's interesting to knit, and it's interesting to wear.

This is a cable panel from one of my knitting stitch dictionaries.  I can't remember what it's called, but its basketweave effect puts me in mind of wet sand on a beach as the tide goes in and out.

The collection so far of three-inch strips for the outer border on the house quilt.  It's a large quilt so is quite a long way round.....and I haven't cut very long pieces, which was probably a bit short-sighted of me......so some longer strips, which can be mixed in with the shorter ones, will be cut.

The house quilt will have its turn back in the sun once Arboretum is off being quilted, and I am looking forward to working on it again after so long.  There are a couple of days in the coming week which don't have commitments, so that drive to the quilt shop further north looks like being a goer; it certainly has a much bigger selection of batik fabrics than the local one here.  Kevin is still able to drive, for which I am thankful (I don't like driving but I know that one day I will have to be The Driver) so it's an excuse for an outing.

How has everyone been this week?  We spent time at appointments, and foraged enough to avert starvation.  Stitches were knitted, and also sewn by hand; the pile of diamonds waiting to be sewn together is getting smaller, then the three-diamond hexagons will be sewn in rows, or perhaps in blocks of three or four.  Yet to be decided....songs were sung and plinked, but there will be no uke group tomorrow as it's a public holiday for the monarch's birthday.  Most of my life it was the queen's birthday, it's been a few years but I'm still not used to saying 'king'!  There was a king when I was born, but I was quite young when he was replaced by a queen.

It's now June, so winter is well and truly here.  This morning was cold enough for a frost and quite frosty it was too, we are enjoying having a fire.  There is chicken simmering away in the slow cooker which, I suspect, will be welcome in a few hours; chicken thigh fillets cooked with Dijon mustard and maple syrup which we will have with rice and vegies to soak up the sauce.  On the kitchen bench is a butternut squash waiting to be turned into soup tomorrow as it's definitely soup weather now, and I haven't made any yet.  My version of pumpkin soup is cooked with green Thai curry paste, chopped onion and chicken or vegie stock, and some coconut milk stirred through once the squash is soft enough to be blended.  Depending on how heavy-handed one is with the curry paste it can be a good way of clearing out one's sinuses, too.

Neither of us like very spicy foods so there will be enough curry paste to an interesting bite, but not enough to take our breaths away.  We prefer flavour to heat - they aren't necessarily the same thing, you know.

"Presents of the bride and bridegroom.

Where the bride makes presents to the bridesmaids on her wedding day, they generally consist of some articles of jewellery, not costly, and given more as a memento of the occasion than for their own intrinsic worth.  The bridegroom sometimes gives the groomsmen a scarf pin of some quaint device, or some other slight memento of the day, as a slight acknowledgement of their services."

Pictures are appearing online of the wedding of a minor member of the British royal family, a second wedding for both bride and groom.  The bride went for the full white regalia, even a veil over the face when entering the church (an anachronism if ever there was one, I reckon; these days a groom is quite familiar with his bride's face before they meet at the altar) and the teenage daughters of both bride and groom had to wrangle a long train and veil while walking into the church in the rain.  I don't know what, if any, gifts were given.  Those girls certainly deserve a diamond or two each, for sure.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Upside down - or downside up?

The back for my table topper is pieced.

The decision was made to reverse the stripe for added interest, and because it then doesn't matter which way is up.

It's been a busy week, so this is pretty much all the sewing which has happened.  We have been going out and about, and taking in some music and poetry, and enjoying time with our musical guests.  They had planned to leave tomorrow but, due to a blown tyre which needs to be replaced and tomorrow being a public holiday (meaning that few businesses will be open, certainly not tyre shops) asked if they could stay another night.  Not a problem, we said, we don't mind.  Which, of course, we don't; a few years ago we had valuable help from a caravan park manager when we suffered a van mishap, so we don't mind paying it forward.  They have a long drive ahead of them, down south....way down south......so need to make sure that the tyres on the little blue car are in good condition.

The package for our Canaussian son and his partner is, at last, on its way.  We took it to the general store/post office not far out of town from us but, being such a small post office agency, they weren't sure what to do with a package for overseas.  So....back to the post office in the shopping mall on the other side of the river where much filling-in of forms took place, money was handed over - my goodness, postage costs have risen! - and a sigh of relief was heaved.

My house quilt is now registered as my UFO for the annual challenge of my quilt group, an easy decision because I really want to have it finished this year.  Once my table topper is done work will resume on the neighbourhood; more long green strips need to be cut for borders.....it's a large quilt and so far I have been cutting short border pieces, not such a good idea as it turns out.....but that's all right.  It was doing quite well until it was interrupted by my broken arm the year before last, but normal service can now resume.  The plan for the label is to make a very pale house with no colour on window or doors, almost no garden and very pale sky, and embroider its details in a multi-coloured stranded thread, something which wasn't easy to find, I can assure you.

Much fruit slice has been consumed, in fact there is another tray cooling on the kitchen bench as we speak.  Hopefully you can read this without having to pay....https://www.smh.com.au/goodfood/recipes/mrs-atkins-fruit-slice-20111019-29v86.html because it's very easy, and certainly worth making.  I don't stick exclusively to "vine fruits" as in the recipe, I use a mix of whatever is in the pantry, including nuts.  So long as you don't exceed the quantity of fruit, 225g, it doesn't matter what the fruit and nuts are; this batch has Australian sultanas, craisins (dried cranberries), chopped dates, and pecan pieces.  If you wish you could also reduce the amount of sugar, it is caramelly and very nice....I don't.

Words have been read.  Songs have been plinked and sung.  Stitches have been sewn, but none knitted; appointments during the coming week mean that some possibly could be.  We managed to avoid the festival crowds in order to get some hunting and foraging done, and that was our uneventful but busy week.

"Presents after engagement.

When a couple become engaged, the gentleman presents the lady with an engaged ring, which is worn on the ring-finger of the left hand.  He may also make her other small presents from time to time, until they are married, but if she has any scruples about accepting them, he can send her flowers, which are at all times acceptable."

We didn't get engaged, we just got married, so I have no engagement ring.....but 50 years later it really doesn't matter, does it?

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

Trees within a tree

More fabrics have been bought.

On Friday a trip was undertaken an hour north to Armidale, because Armidale has two quilt shops.  One has quite contemporary fabrics and is run by a young bloke whose machine quilting is amazing and wins prizes - I spoke to him about my house quilt as I plan to have him work on it - but has no batik fabrics.  However, the other shop more than made up for that.

Aren't these fun fabrics?  A few are Aussie native flowers....the orange/red with yellow grevilleas fourth from the right, and the two on the far right which have eucalypt blossoms although they are both quite different....and, of course, some green.  With what was bought recently, that should be enough to make the required trees.

I also bought fabric for backing, a black and white  print of Callistemon flowers, otherwise known as Bottle Brushes.  We have a few growing in our garden, but ours aren't black and white.

The maple leaf fabric planned for binding suits well, and adds colour contrast.  As many of the fabrics came from Australia and some came from Canada, the backing ties down the links between those two countries quite nicely.  Perhaps it can be a Canaussian Arboretum.

So onto this week's trees....a pinkish-beige with enough life in the print to stop it looking like a blob of indeterminate colour, paired with a goldish-pinkish-berry-grape contrast.

A green tree with more trees in the contrast, so....trees within a tree.

That makes 83 and 84.  Those new fabrics were purchased at just the right time, because next week's two trees will use the last of the already-in-the-stash fabrics.

How has everyone been this week?  We mooched along as usual; went for our Nice Sunday Drive to Armidale on Friday which we quite enjoyed, but which gave my ears trouble coming back down into our valley (reminding me why we don't go up the hills more often); and we hunted, gathered and foraged to keep the wolf from the door.  Stitches were sewn and knitted.  Songs have not yet been sung because our choir leader is still unwell, but I have high hopes for next Thursday afternoon.  Many words have been read.  Some household chores have been attended to.

We are getting adjusted to daylight saving.  Today's forecast is for possible showers later which would be welcome, as things have been somewhat dry of late.  Kevin is watching the Bathurst car race on TV and it seems to be pouring rain down there; we betook ourselves for a spin (not literally!) around the track earlier in the year.  As a boy racer in his younger days he would have enjoyed not being limited to only 60 kms an hour, but he was very good and stuck strictly to the speed limit.

Despite a wet start to that day it was dry when we had our trip round the track.  This is the car we sold a few months ago.....I have suggested that we take the new(ish) car for a whirl next time we're in the area, too.

My house quilt has been calling, lately.  In my stash of black and white fabrics is one from several years ago of little cat footprints in black on white which I have decided to use for a one inch wide inner border.....so it is on the cutting table waiting its turn for the cutter.  The quilt also needs trimming before the borders are sewn on, so perhaps that should be done first.  Decisions, decisions......it was coming along nicely early last year before I fell and broke my arm, so it had to be shelved for a while.  It's now time it came off the shelf.

For nearly 30 years now I have been a member of an online quilt group, and recently an interstate member posted that she was coming to a local town for work.  We arranged to meet up last week for dinner at a local pub in a village between the town where she was working and here, and what a fun evening that was!  She asked if I would take along my tree blocks as she had seen my pics online, so I did....we had fun going through them.....and now she, too, is making trees, spreading the tree love over more forests.

"Another requisite for conjugal happiness is moral and religious sympathy, that each may walk side by side in the same path of moral purpose and social usefulness, with joint hope of immortality."

Probably.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

A busy week with not much to show for it

We all have weeks like that, don't we.  We seem to have been on the go for most of the week, but when we look back not much seems to have been achieved.  

Work is proceeding on sewing down the peeper strip on Autumn Rhapsody.  I had high hopes of getting to the half-way point last night, but alas - it was not to be.  Some of the pieces for the back are pinned ready to be sewn but that doesn't make for an exciting pic, so there isn't one.  

Thoughts have been thought on which project will be worked on next, and it will probably be borders for the house quilt.

I thought there was a pic of the finished top, but it must be hiding in the photo vault.

Imprismed will be worked on. 

I am determined to finish it next year, it's been taking up a project box for long enough.

A quilt found online some time ago has been burning holes in my brain, so it's time it was started.  'Arboretum' ticks a lot of my boxes; mine will be made in batik fabrics rather than the fabrics used in the original.

That should be enough to keep me out of mischief, yes?

The hairdresser was duly visited, and my head now sports its summer cut.  That should keep me going until autumn, making it several months before the next staring-at-myself-in-the-mirror episode.  Summer means bright sunshine, which means wearing sunglasses and a hat outside, and the hat sits better with shorter hair.....but I miss my longer hair.

My hurt eye is doing very well indeed, if I hadn't remembered hurting it I would never have known the injury happened.  Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn.  Songs have been sung and plinked, there are two more rehearsals before our World Premiere performance, and I'm sure we will be fine.  My nemesis in the U3A ukulele group turned up on Thursday, and true to form was under my skin before we had even sung one song.  I told her she could run it if she wished, and was ready to pack up and walk out; we were drifting along nicely without her.  We hunted and we gathered, often the social highlight of our week.

For the past few weeks our town has been fortunate to have an exhibition by renowned quiltmaker Jenny Bowker which finishes today and I have, of course, been along to see it a few times.  During the time of the exhibition Jenny has given a couple of lectures, one of which was on my monthly day for volunteering at the gallery - how fortuitous was that? although I would have gone along anyway - and the second was last Friday evening as part of the annual lecture series run by ArtsNational.  The first talk was about Jenny's techniques, how she builds up layers and colours for her appliques, and was very interesting; the second was about her life as the wife of a diplomat in various countries in the Middle East, the theme of the quilts in this exhibition.  The organisers had a fund-raising raffle at the entry table so I duly bought a few tickets - I'm always happy to support worthy causes - and, much to my surprise, one of my tickets was the winner!  So now I am the proud possessor of a beautiful platter made of jacaranda wood and a selection of yummy gourmet goodies which will not, I assure you, go to waste.

I've often said I couldn't win an argument, let alone a raffle, and I am more than happy to be proven wrong.

Summer has arrived, the coming week looks like being a bit warm for my liking, but there's not much I can do about it.  We stay inside during the hottest part of the day; sometimes we have to venture out for an appointment or for shopping, but we head for home as soon as we can.  It's not unusual to have a burst of heat early in the season before it settles down to more moderate temperatures for a while, so let's hope that pattern is followed this year too.

"The duty of a lady to her escort.

The lady may supply her escort with a sum of money ample to pay all the expenses of the journey before purchasing her ticket, or furnish him the exact amount required, or, at the suggestion of her escort, she may allow him to defray the expenses from his own pocket, and settle with him at the end of the journey.  The latter course, however, should only be pursued when the gentleman suggests it, and a strict account of the expenses incurred must be insisted on."

We don't need someone else to be out of pocket on account of our journey, do we?  

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Melting moments again

Not the sweet treat, just the weather.  There is a severe heatwave forecast for the coming week which will be unpleasant, but hey.....it, too, will eventually pass.  At least we had some good rain a few days ago, although campers setting up tents and vans for the country music festival probably didn't enjoy it as much as the locals. 

This morning's gospel breakfast went off well, but could have been better organised.  Other performers took their sweet time getting ready......oh, perhaps I'll do this song.....oh no, I'll do that one instead.....come on, folks, you know you will be performing.  Is it too much to hope that you will be ready when it's your turn?  As for those two singers who had their karaoke machine and fancy microphones with them, the less said the better.  It is possible to sing in tune without spoiling a song, you know.

Oh well.  Onward and upward.

Next performance is on Tuesday evening, also out of town.  Being outside on what will probably be quite a warm night won't be too bad; we have already wised up to taking along insect repellant.  It should be much more lively than this morning's gig.  We have been told that we are tight performers - which is a compliment, as it means we don't dither around.  

No sewing has happened this week apart from a few stitches in some diamonds, but that will change again after Tuesday night.  Words have been read.  It has been a busy week with not much to show.  Many notes have been plinked and sung, but once they are done and sent out into the air they are gone forever with nothing to show for them.  The usual hunting and gathering has been indulged in.....although shopping for the necessities of life isn't really an indulgence, is it?

Recently I was thinking deep thoughts about finishing the house quilt once the outer green borders have been added.  Binding....well no, not green.  Not yellow, there is almost nothing left of the yellow and black sashing or I would use it.  Black and white.....yes!  In my stash is a goodly amount of a black and white plaid; it was used to bind another quilt a few years ago, and I think - I hope - it will make an excellent binding for this, too.

This is the extra wide backing fabric purchased some time ago, the uneven plaid will be cut on the bias for binding, and the multicoloured Valdani stranded floss will be used to embroider a fun label.  It couldn't be sourced locally so was purchased from a very helpful shop in another state, Sew Bright Alpine Quilting in Bright.  We haven't been to Bright for years, it's quite a pretty town.

During the week my so-far-borderless house quilt came with me to sewing group to be admired; not everyone in that group is a quilter, but everyone sews.  Our oldest member (in her mid-80s) remarked on how cheerful it was, she specially liked the black and white fabrics bordering the houses.  "I wouldn't have thought to do that", she said; "I would have probably used a neutral colour".  So I said......"and wouldn't that have been boring?"  "Oh, yes!" she said.

Continuing with Etiquette of Public Places, Conduct in Church:

"If books or fans are passed in church, let them be offered and accepted or refused with a silent gesture of the head."

One does not need to pass, accept or refuse a book or fan noisily, does one?  A nod of the head, with or without a smile, is sufficient.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

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

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

Oh, well.  We'll try again.

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

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

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

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

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

.....and there it sat.

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

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

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

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

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

Continuing with Etiquette of Public Places, Conduct in Church:

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

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

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Melting moments

'Melting moments', for those of you who don't live in the wonderful land of Oz, are a favourite Aussie treat which have been around for a long time.  There are many recipes online, to make it easy I found one for you....Melting moments......not having tried it I can't vouch for it, but I'm sure they are yummy.

We've been having our own moments of melting this week.  It has been, and continues to be, very very hot with not much relief at night for sleeping....although the daytime heat is so tiring that the night time warmth certainly hasn't kept me awake.  In C degrees we have been nudging 40 for the past several days with those temps to continue for much of the coming week.  (That's over 100 deg F in old money)  We stay indoors as much as possible and drink plenty of water, we know that one day it will be cooler, and then we will feel better.

A few nights ago there was, as they say on the news, quite a bit of storm activity around.  Here on the northern edge of town we had a bit of wind, some lightning and thunder and about half a dozen drops of rain, while on the other side of the river there were blackouts, trees down, car accidents (because people don't know how to drive in anything other than bright sunny weather, do they) and teeming rain, even hail.  The official weather station at the airport on the south-west of town received - not one drop.  So, it didn't happen.

Unfortunately the heat fries my brain making it difficult to concentrate so not much has been achieved, but I did manage to get the three blocks made that I need for next month's BOM.

The two blocks on the right will be cut once diagonally.  There will be one intact block left to show the group what is expected (there will of course be a pic on the instructions which I will hand out); two of the cut blocks will be joined with black sashing, while the remaining two will be left so I can explain my idea.  I has also occurred to me earlier today that those blocks could be cut twice through the middle - up and down, and across, mixed around and sashed with black - but I like the diagonal idea better.  If you want to try it for yourself the centre square is cut 3-1/2 in, and the surrounding strips are all cut 2 inches.

It will not be long until the season is upon us, the musical wreath will be hung on the front door once more.....probably during the coming week.  Ding a ling.

Last night the ukulele group played for a Christmas carols evening at a small village 15 minutes out of town, and it was fun.  Despite the horrible heat we enjoyed ourselves, the audience seemed to as well, and we all had fun singing along with Christmas songs old and new.  The choir included one of the Australian Christmas carols......yes, there are some; in fact there are 15.....in their set, and we sang another.  My generation grew up singing them at school so of course are familiar with them, and they do reflect an Aussie Christmas more than carols from colder climes.  When there is a total fire ban (as there is again today) we would certainly not think of roasting our chestnuts on a fire, open or otherwise; in the words of 'The North Wind': "The north wind is tossing the leaves, the red dust is over the town....the sparrows are under the eaves, and the grass in the paddock is brown......" which is Australia in summer, and Australia at Christmas.

Some work was done on the neighbourhood at quilt group on Tuesday, then the bobbin thread ran out halfway through adding a setting triangle to the end of a house row.  It was nearly packing-up time anyway, so - when it's not quite so hot and when the social seasonal happenings let up for a while - it will be finished off at home.

Diamonds have been joined.  Words have been read.  Notes have been plinked and sung; choir has now finished for the year, and U3A ukulele group finishes next Thursday with lunch at the club where we hold our weekly meetings......first we will eat then we will play and sing, which sounds good to me.  Hunting and gathering, as usual, happened, and a birthday gift was posted off to The One And Only Grandkid who will soon turn nine.

Each year a 'Colour of the Year' is released by Pantone, and next year's colour was released this week.....'Peach Fuzz'.  Now I don't know about you but I would call it 'Blergh'.....or perhaps 'Bare Bum'.  I can't see it setting my world on fire, that's for sure.  When I posted about it on my online quilt group it reminded many members of sampler quilts they made in the 1980s-1990s which were peach/apricot with pale green or blue - a scheme they thought (hoped!) had gone forever.

Continuing on with Etiquette of Public Places, Conduct in Church:

"People should preserve the utmost silence and decorum in church, and avoid whispering, laughing, staring, or making a noise of any kind with the feet or hands."

Indeed.  Attending a church is not the same as attending a theatrical performance, although there is an element of theatre just the same.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Even more streets in the neighbourhood

  It's up to seven streets, now.

Eventually they will meet in the middle....and I will soon need to find somewhere other than the spare bed to lay them out, as they will outgrow it!  It will be a fairly large quilt, and it has to be one of the funnest quilts - is there such a word as 'funnest'? because there should be - that I have ever made.  It's been a portable project for a while, going to the monthly first Tuesday quilt group with me, but after next month's streets have been added it will become a 'work at home' project; those seams are getting quite long, so it can stay here.  The only fabric bought is the wide backing, it's all from my stash.  The decision to make pieced setting triangles was a leap of faith, and I love the result.

How has everyone been this week?  We are doing well; we even had some welcome rain, although it came in the form of a storm.  My Thursday evening drive to choir was through barely sprinkling rain, the heavens opened while we were singing for a couple of hours (although we didn't hear it) and I barely made it home before it started up again; fortunately it's only a five minute drive, or six minutes if the one and only traffic light on the way is red.  However we aren't complaining, and our garden is smiling.

Stitches have been sewn on the musical hanging.  Some diamonds have been sewn and more cut.  Words have been read, notes have been plinked and sung.  The usual hunting and gathering has taken place, and heigh ho.....so passes another week.

It's been an anniversary week for our town.  Back in 1888 Tamworth was the first town in Australia - yes, even before much larger cities - to have a municipal street lighting scheme.  You can read all about it here and here.  In those days it was a town of only a few thousand people, so the town council of the day took quite a brave decision.  Don't you love the concern - from men, of course - that the new lights would make women look pale!  The large building in the first pic of the article is the post office, which is still there today.  Mrs Piper, wife of the Mayor - Madame Lady Mayoress - turned the lights on with a golden key which stayed in the family for a long time, and is now held in the Powerstation Museum.  While Tamworth was not the first town in Australia to have electric lighting many were run by private owners......but ours was the first municipally-owned scheme in the country.  

On 9th November every year those noisy old steam engines are fired up to celebrate the anniversary, and quite a sight (and sound!) they are too.  And of course - as is often the case - Hizzoner The Mayor Mr Piper has a street named after him and we hope also after his wife, although Elizabeth Street is not far away.

There is getting to be more and more Christmas Stuff appearing in shops......Chrissy food (I love mince pies)......decorations everywhere......the occasional piece of music on the radio......c'mon, folks, it's not for several weeks yet......the ukulele group is practising Christmas songs for a couple of gigs....all together, now...."I want a ukulele for Christmas, dear Santa please".......

We have come to the end of our Etiquette of the Street, so we move on to Etiquette of Public Places.

"All well-bred persons will conduct themselves at all times and in all places with perfect decorum.  Wherever they meet people they will be found polite, considerate of the comfort, convenience and wishes of others, and unobtrusive in their behaviour."

It seems to be fashionable to decry today's manners and standards.  I don't usually join in the decrying, but I must say that find decorum to be sadly lacking at times.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Hidden treasure!

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

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

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

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

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

The neighbourhood is coming along well.

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

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

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

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

"Keep to the right.

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

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

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

You're the top....

....you're the Coliseum, you're the top, you're the Louvre Museum......

With apologies to Cole Porter!

My top is done.

I am very pleased with it....once the sewing table is cleared off it will be layered and quilted.  It measures 48in by 60 in as is, without any borders.  I quite like its borderless look.  Some of the greens are edging a little toward yellow but not ~quite~ getting there, while a few of the blue fabrics are leaning toward lavender - but also not quite getting there, which makes for a good mix of fabrics.

Work has also started on sewing together the top for 'There goes the neighbourhood'.

It's a fun design.....and it will be fairly large!  I must admit I hesitated over those pieced setting triangles, but now I can see they were the right choice.  A decision has not yet been made as to trimming the outer edge, or whether borders will be added; if so, they will be more pieced greens.  These are opposite corners, and they will eventually meet as more rows are added.  The backing fabric is the only thing purchased for this quilt; it's all from my stash, but has left not even the tiniest weeny little dent in it.

Now that winter is beginning to wind down a little, it's wattle blossom time once more.  Our wattle bush is in full bloom once more, looking spectacular and smelling delightful as always, and is much beloved by bees and other insects; when we get close we can hear the bush buzzing and humming with insects.  This was taken late yesterday afternoon - it's a much brighter yellow in full sunlight, but is also a bit tricky to get a good photograph without too much golden glare.

Australia has nearly 1,000 species of wattle - Acacia - so many, in fact, that there is wattle blooming somewhere in Australia every day of the year, although Acacia is by no means exclusive to Australia.  We celebrate Wattle Day on 1st September, but our bush may have finished blooming by then.

Have you all had a good week?  Ours has been, although being retired Olde Phartes it's been fairly quiet.  No diamonds were cut or joined, stitches were knitted - the neckband on my jumper is nearly all cast off.  I am using an elastic cast off so it can be turned under and stitched down, I prefer a double neckband to a single.  Words were read.  Notes were plinked and sung.  Hunting and gathering was done so we can eat again, which is a good thing.

The song arrangement for the ukulele group was finished, has been tried out and approved.  There are two or three more arrangements I want to do, but as they aren't needed for next month's gig they will get done they get done.

Continuing on with Etiquette for Public Conveyances:

"A lady may, with perfect propriety, accept the offer of services from a stranger in alighting from, or entering a tram, omnibus or public conveyance, and should always acknowledge the courtesy with a pleasant "Thank you, sir," or a bow."

She should, indeed.  Acknowledging a courtesy with a "thank you" is the right and proper thing to do.

Enjoy your days!

It's been said before....

....and no doubt will be said again......if I had half a brain, I would be dangerous.

All the narrow sashes for between the house quilt blocks were cut last weekend.  The shorter sashings had already been attached to the left side of each and every block, and the blocks joined into rows.  On Tuesday at quilt group one more sashing was sewn to the right side of every row so now all the blocks are sashed vertically, if one can have 'vertical' in an on point setting.  That just leaves the long strips for joining the rows into a quilt top.  (I dislike the term 'flimsy' used for quilt tops.  Believe me, there is nothing flimsy or insubstantial about this one.)  The shorter strips were the length of the blocks, so were all cut nine inches.  All well and good.  Hunky dory, one might say.

When cutting the longer strips a little voice in the back of my brain said to me "you need to allow nine inches for each block width, plus the half inch sashings, plus two times one quarter inch for the two outer seams".  Calculations were calculated and strips cut.  

However.....when I went to attach the first strip it's too long......because the blocks are not nine inches between the sashings, they are eight and a half inches.  That's what happens when one doesn't measure, one just assumes the guess is right - so now each and every one of those strips will need to be measured again, and shortened.

Oh well......although I suppose it's better than cutting them too short, isn't it?  Silver linings and all that stuff, but still....

Sigh.

I want to start sewing the green and blue blocks, but those sashings need to be corrected first.

My jumper is now being seamed in preparation for knitting the neckband.  Having the weight of a whole jumper on one's lap is really good on a chilly night.  Words have been read.  No diamonds have been cut or joined this week.  Ukulele groups aren't meeting because it's school holidays and some folk have grandparent duty, so it's a quiet couple of weeks.  A little hunting and gathering has been indulged in, although I'm not sure that 'indulged' is the right word for a foray into the supermarket during holiday time when some of the kiddie-widdies are a bit feral.

Some plinking will be done this week as the choir is having a 'Christmas in July' hooley next Saturday night, and I have been asked to reprise my recent prize-winning performance.  It's probably a good idea to practice before that so as not to make a complete and utter fool of myself, yes?  It has been suggested that we wear 'bright clothes', something not easy during the dead of winter.  I have a purple lightweight wool jumper, and a lime green silk scarf, and a sparkly brooch which was my mother's, so that should do nicely; if memory serves me correctly I may have given her that brooch a long time ago either for a birthday or for Mother's Day.  Some of those vintage brooches are quite sought-after now.

Wearing a brooch isn't 'done' as much these days as it used to be, is it?  I wear brooches in winter because they set off a plain jumper or jacket nicely, but summer clothing fabrics don't always lend themselves to a brooch.  Woven fabrics are usually sturdy enough to have a brooch pinned on, but not knits.

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"It is an insult for the salesman to offensively suggest that you can not do better elsewhere, which should be resented by instant departure."

Indeed.  If it is suggested that I may get a better price or article elsewhere, I shall be off post haste to find out if this is so.

Enjoy your days!

Sleepy wombat comes home

My baby wombat drawing, a birthday gift from our older son, is back from the framer.  It is really cute.

Isn't that sweet?  It's not on the wall yet as I need to find just the right spot to hang it, which is why the protective corners are still in place.  The mat and frame colours were chosen to compliment the muted tones of the little feller; much as I like bright colours they would have been out of place here.

The artist's label is on the back.  Hopefully it's legible, as the 'low battery' light was flashing while I was taking this pic.

Although it says 'Common Wombat' the preferred term is now 'Bare Nosed Wombat'.  Unfortunately they aren't as common as they used to be, and this also differentiates them from Southern and Northern Hairy Nosed Wombats which are two different species again.

Have you all been as busy this week as I have?  In addition to the usual Stuff like hunting and gathering, the ukulele group had its retirement village gig on Wednesday.  Once again our audience enjoyed our performance - they are very responsive, and enjoyed singing along.

We joke among ourselves about "singing for the oldies", but then we remember some of the folk living in these places are younger than we are!  At afternoon tea the woman next to me started chatting, we realised we had been in high school together....and she was in the year behind me, so that makes her younger.  What a hoot.

Our musical friend came for a couple of days, and we attended a house concert in which he played; that was a fun night, and also an opportunity to catch up with some folk we hadn't seen for a while.  After hopefully (!) sorting out his car's oil issues he departed late on Friday morning, and that evening I realised he still had our spare house key.  I sent him a message....."oh gosh yes, I do" he said, "I'll send it back when I get home"......"don't worry", I said, "you'll be back in January and you'll need it again!"  Over the past couple of years he has become a friend rather than just a guest; we enjoy having him to stay, and he enjoys staying here.

Progress on the knitting: the front of my jumper is now done, so three of the raglan seams can be sewn and stitches picked up for the neckband.  That will make a good in-front-of-TV project for the coming week.  Words have been read.  No diamonds have been cut or joined.  Many notes were plinked and sung.

The house quilt is back to the fore.  Those loooong sashing strips need to be pieced; as it's a diagonal setting the strips on either side of the centre row are quite long indeed.  However they are now done, as are the next two.  Quilt group is on Tuesday and the Cunning Plan is to work on some of the sashings while there, as it's easy mindless sewing.

Mindless anything at all is good, really......

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"Avoid talking down the prices of articles in any way.  If the price does not suit, you may say so quietly, and depart, but it is generally best to say nothing about it."

This is probably a good idea.

Enjoy your days!