The day before the day before the day before the day before.....

....the fat bloke in the red suit comes to call!

But only if you have been very, very good.

Because we are currently suffering in a heatwave there hasn't been much action in the sewing room, but temperatures are expected to drop somewhat after today (although it will still be a long way from what could be considered 'cool') so more green fabrics will be cut.  My brain doesn't cope well with extreme heat, and I can't settle to doing much at all.

As a result, we will be trawling in the photo vault today.

Another view of Butchart Garden, mostly green with just one red tree for contrast.

It shows how successful a monochromatic colour scheme can be, doesn't it?  The garden beds are planted with flowers that aren't yet flowering, just the young green leaves are visible.

More Aussie natives from the big store display, taken in our last year living in the Big Smoke.

There are those who decry our native flowers...."oh, they're not as beautiful as roses or pansies" they say.... but all have a place in this wonderful world of ours, don't they?  This selection is bright and vibrant, and has some of my favourite colours.

Different doesn't have to mean worse or better, does it.  It just means - different.

That applies to people, too.  Just because someone looks different to us, or thinks differently, or worships a different deity or indeed doesn't worship anything at all, doesn't make them worse than us.  

We have had a fairly quiet week, a couple of appointments to liven things up, lunch on Monday with my ukulele playing friend Clare, some suitably seasonal hunting and foraging.  Stitches were sewn and knitted; the jumper (the second sleeve of which is proceeding well) came with me to a medical appointment as there is always waiting time which can be put to creative use.  Repairs to the summer top have been started but didn't go well, so Plan B will have to come into play.

Problem is, there doesn't seem to be a Plan B yet......

Tomorrow is the summer solstice, which will happen at 2.02 a.m.  I don't plan to be nekkid dancing around the bonfire at the time.  I have other plans, chief of which is being deep asleep in the arms of Morpheus.

I wonder if our ancestors really did dance nekkid around the bonfire at solstice time, as they are reputed to have done?  It mightn't be too bad in summer, but winter would be a different story.  In any case, given our current heatwave and fire danger conditions, a bonfire would be out of the question.  Perhaps the crafty ones could improvise with some strips of red cellophane and a fan set to 'high'.

Many many years ago - before we bought our caravan - we were travelling in Victoria, and I had addresses of quilt shops to check out; in those days one had to peruse the ads in quilt magazines to find shops, as the internet was in its infancy.  One shop was half post office/half quilt shop, the post office's owner was a quilter.  (I looked it up, and it's no longer operating....it was nearly 30 years ago, after all!)  While paying for my purchases the owner and I were chatting, and she told me that she always started a new project on Boxing Day which had been not long beforehand, it was her reward to herself for her hectic Christmas each year.  That seems like a good idea to me although I have seldom followed through with it, but I plan to this year.

So - come Friday, who wants to join me?  Pick a project, no matter how large or small, and start it. I've picked mine, and it is small.

My Canadian tree featuring decorations we bought in Canada, or were gifted by Canadian friends.

In parting - no matter what you celebrate, or even if you don't celebrate anything at all, best wishes for a season of peace, happiness and love.

And chocolate.  Good quality dark chocolate.

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

Spring is sprung

The grass is riz, and all that......

When we moved here back in 2010 there were a few plants in the garden that we couldn't identify, one of which was a bushy shrub just in front of the house....a camellia, I thought.  Kevin wanted to park the caravan on that side of the house and the shrub was in the way so he hacked into it somewhat severely, only to find that there wasn't enough room to wiggle the van past the house anyway.  Fast forward a few months and we noticed it sported masses of unassuming little flowers with the most heavenly scent, so I took a sample to the plant nursery to be told it's a Port Wine Magnolia, a slow-growing  - and very expensive to buy - plant, so he probably hacked several years and goodness knows how many dollars growth from it.  I have since said that judicious pruning is allowed; hacking is not.

I had to stand on our verandah to take this shot, the shrub is much taller than I am.  The neighbours' house is two story, to give you an idea of scale; and it's also taller than our caravan which you can just see at the side.

The leaves are not really as yellow as they look here, it was late afternoon on an overcast day.

One sprig was picked to bring the fragrance inside, sadly it only lasted a day before wilting but the scent hung around for longer.

The smell is fruity rather than flowery, and is a little reminiscent of apples.  Sort of but not quite......

This week's houses, one surrounded by tiny yachts.  I like the starry print on the green house.

Some people make a quilt by making one block a day.  For mine I am making two houses a week, plus one or two strips of greens for the setting triangles.  It's being nibbled at, rather than bitten into.

More work was done on "Imprismed", but there's no hurry to finish as it will be one of next year's projects.

A few days ago the dreaded bag over the head mask was donned, a brief visit (see what I did there?) paid to a shop which sells undies, and a purchase was made to keep dignity intact.  While out and about I called at the closing-down quilt shop and asked advice about my quilt as you go problem, which hopefully is now sorted.  There isn't a lot of stock left in the shop now but I did manage a purchase, all that was left on the roll of a lovely autumn leaf print.  Sale price is 50% off fabrics, 60% if you buy what's left on the roll.....so I saved more money that way, yes?

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.......

Kevin also managed to get his hair cut.  We have to grab opportunities with both hands when they present themselves in case there is another sudden snap lockdown, which is the way of our world at present.  My hair could also do with a trim, but it can wait a couple of weeks until after the school holidays when there won't be so many people out and about.  Let's face it......when your hair is already below shoulder length a bit longer doesn't matter, does it?  

This morning we woke to heavy fog with our expansive view completely gone, it has turned into a sunny afternoon - but winter is coming back in a couple of days with a very cold change, just to remind us that it hasn't, after all, completely left.  Just as well we haven't used all the firewood.

"The dress at a musical matinee is the same as at a reception, only bonnets are more generally dispensed with.  Those who have taken part, often remain for a hot supper."

Perhaps that means one could wear ribbons, flowers, feathers or some other such frippery in one's hair instead of the bonnet?  I have flower hair clips in many colours......except for pink.  I don't do pink.

Enjoy your days!

A new start

It's time to meet the new starter in the knitting stakes.

The new jumper has been started, this is the back.  The colour is called 'Mustard' but is more brown than it looks here, a warm cinnamon brown, rather than yellow.  Perhaps the camera's flashing 'charge battery' light means the photo colour isn't very true.

This week's houses.  The purple house was the first ever house made last year - I like its cheerful hippy dippy flower power daisies, while the other house is surrounded by a grassy jungle.

There has also been progress made on the Canadian blocks......my goodness, there's a lot of stitching required to hold all that applique down......but it will be worth it when it's done.

Unwelcome news came through this week.  We have two quilt shops here, and the announcement was made that one of them - my favourite - is closing in September; the building has been sold, and rather than negotiate a new lease the owners have decided to retire.  We wish them well, however they and their store, which includes a really nice cafe, will be much missed.  There is a large classroom at the rear of the shop which is where both my quilt group and sewing group, and many other groups, meet so the shop's closure will leave many groups with nowhere to go.  I have been told that at least one group will be folding as a result.  It's well set up with tables, power, etc., and while there are other halls around town they all have drawbacks.  It is also very handy at a group meeting to be able to pop into the shop if supplies such as thread - even fabric! - are needed in a hurry.  The shop is also a Bernina dealer, but one of the owners has said he will continue to service our machines until someone else takes on the dealership.

Yesterday the backing, a bright red solid, was bought for the Canadian quilt at the 'closing down' sale price, possibly my last (or one of the last) purchase from there.  It's very tempting to go overboard and buy lots more lovely fabrics at the sale prices but honestly, do I need it?  No.  Do I want it?  Probably.  Would I like it?  Oh yes!  So back to:  but do I really need it?  No......

There is another quilt shop here but I avoid shopping there as the owner can be rude and abrupt.  When she first opened several years ago I went in out of curiosity but her manner was very off-putting, so I seldom went back.  She moved to larger premises (which I never even set foot inside) for a few years before moving to where she is now, and I have only been in the current shop twice.  The fabric for the inner border of my tumbler quilt was found there on the second visit, and it really bummed me out to buy it......but it was just so right for the quilt that I couldn't leave it, even though I resented putting money in her pocket.  At least the fabric for the outer border came from the other shop.

Sigh......

Yesterday's Eisteddfod performance went well, although I didn't win.  One of the judges said to me later "you know, you were on the short list" but honestly - I don't mind.  Several people came up to me afterwards to say how much they enjoyed my song, and my performance, and coming from fellow musicians that means a lot.  However - I have been asked to do a solo spot at our choir concert late in the year!  Our choir director went along to hear the music; he has heard me sing before, but so enjoyed yesterday's effort that he wants a repeat.  Who knew - fame and glory at my advanced age!  

"Never lean back in your chair, nor sit too near or too far from the table.

Keep your elbows at your side, so that you may not inconvenience your neighbours."

Indeed.  If you sit too far back you run the risk of dropping food into your lap, too near and it will be awkward to eat.  As for elbows......no more needs to be said.

Enjoy your days!