In which we find out all sorts of Stuff

It has rained, it is warming up.  Tomorrow is supposed to be the start of some unpleasantly hot weather, but never mind.  We are Ozzies.  We are tough.

Two more houses were made, a house of cats ('cathouse' has, I believe, unfortunate connotations) and a flower house with a lairy door.

And a lovely surprise - two houses were received from Sally, after flying all the way over the big ocean!  One even has an American flag displayed in the window, so we know where it was built.  

Thank you, Sally - how nice is that!  The darker house takes me to autumn, and the blue house is definitely spring.

Now - are you sitting comfortably, with a cuppa and perhaps a snack to hand?

This watercolour painting, bought many years ago (sometime in the 1990s from memory; I wish now that I could remember, but never mind) has quite a story.  The caption reads 'Mallee Parrot', and it is signed by 'E.W. Elmslie'.  I loved it at first sight but it was out of my budget at the time.  Occasionally I would check out the antique/junque shop to see if it was still there......and one day, it wasn't.  Oh well, I thought to myself, someone else obviously loved it too, and thought nothing of it.

Then one day I found it again stacked on the floor at the back of the shop with a considerably reduced price because the glass had cracked - so it came home with me.  After we moved here I had the uninspiring frame replaced but couldn't do anything about the brown mount, because the painting and mount were glued to a backing and removing them would have caused damage.  Deep teal and white boards were chosen to compliment the paint colours and cover the old mount, and the new frame resembles a smooth tree branch.

From time to time I looked up "E.W. Elmslie' but could only find out about a British Architect of that name, however that was before the wonder which is Trove, a repository of digitised media.  One day I found out that Miss E.W. Elmslie had won a prize for two watercolours of birds at the Dubbo Show in 1914 and, while this may be one of those, I have no proof that it is or isn't.

This morning I looked up Miss Elmslie again and found information that hadn't been there in earlier searches.  Her name was Edith Ward Elmslie and she remained 'Miss' all her life, which was from 1862 to 1921.

Miss Elmslie's father was Lt James Aberdour Elmslie, RNR (1827-1908) and for many years he was captain of the 'Sobraon', a famous clipper ship of the late 1800s, which made many voyages between England and Australia.  It was later acquired by the Australian Navy as a training ship and renamed 'Tingira' after which it became a floating school for boys at risk, until being broken up during WWII.

Now, this is where we cue the creepy music......

Kevin's grandfather Adolphus Peter Robilliard (1849-1933) was a merchant seaman who worked on the 'Sobraon/Tingira'.  What are the chances that, all those years later, I would buy a painting by the daughter of my husband's grandfather's captain?

"Table manners and etiquette.

It is of the highest importance that all persons should conduct themselves with the strictest regard to good breeding, even in the privacy of their own homes, when at table: a neglect of such observances will render one stiff and awkward in society.  There are so many little points to be observed, that unless a person is habitually accustomed to observe them, he unconsciously commits some error, or will appear awkward and constrained upon occasions when it is important to be fully at ease."

I concur.  Even if you aren't particularly 'well bred' there is nothing to stop you from acting as if you are.

Enjoy your days!

Days are getting longer

We've had a full month of daylight saving now, and days are starting way too early......for me, anyway.  Never mind.  In just five months we will change back.  I don't mind daylight saving time, I happen to like my mornings to be dark.

A couple more houses are finished.

An autumn house on the left and a summer house on the right, because - of course - flowers dance in the sky in summer.

Some time ago I decided I didn't like how my scarf was turning out, so pulled it undone and started a different pattern.  This is Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf, from Ravelry.

It's easy and fun to knit, and I like how the stripes fall.  The darkest colour isn't black, it's deep brown.

Our week has been pretty much the same as the one before it, and the one before that......some tumblers have been sewn, the second large panel is done but not yet photographed as it doesn't look much different to the first.  Once all three are joined there will be photographic proof.  Books have been read, some better than others.

While the world was shut down and we couldn't go anywhere except for food and drugs it was very easy to become lazy and now it's difficult to get un-lazied, but I'm working on it.  Having choir and ukulele group back has helped tremendously, and of course sewing and quilting groups too.

Our lives have changed slightly as we now have a new doctor, who - fortunately - seems quite nice.  The doctor we had both been seeing for several years moved to the Big Smoke earlier this year because his new wife wanted to go.  He was originally from Iran and really liked living in our town, we liked him too, but.....happy wife happy life, I suppose.  The staff at the medical centre told me they miss him.  However on Friday a pleasant young doctor named Genevieve and I bonded over our shared name, because Genevieve and Jennifer are variations on the same name.

I don't like doctors and medical stuff and things like that.  Sadly as one gets older some bits don't work as well as they used to so drugs are called for, and that means a visit every six months.  I just ignore any symptoms until bits fall off, and so far so good.  My mother was one of whom it could be said "she enjoyed ill health" and I vowed I would not be like that.  (When my brothers and I cleaned out her house after she died we filled a large plastic garbage bag three-quarters full of partly used medications; she was a great one for 'doctor shopping'.)  Probably gone a bit far the other way, but that's all right......although I am glad I had that eye surgery, because my new big wide vision is amazing.

The birds have been very entertaining lately.  Young galahs have been practising how to fly - they aren't too bad in the air, but the landings sometimes leave a bit to be desired and we have seen several face plant into the ground.  When I was a child my grandparents had a galah - 'Cocky' - it went to a large aviary in a nearby town after they died; galahs and other cockatoos can live to be over 100 years old, so frequently outlive their owners.

"Retiring from the table.

When the hostess sees that all have finished, she looks at the lady who is sitting beside the host, and the company rise, and withdraw in the order they are seated, without precedence.  After retiring to the drawing-room, the guests should intermingle in a social manner.  It is expected that the guests will remain from one to three hours after dinner."

Of course they will.  Meanwhile, the hostess is probably wondering "when, oh when, will they leave?"

Enjoy your days!

A couple of houses

Two houses were made yesterday, taking the total to 21.......only 40 more to go, but there is no hurry.

This is a long way from being a stash buster, some of those pieces of fabric are quite small, but it has used up some leftovers.

This is another piece of tatting by Aunty Laura - isn't it beautiful?  The removeable lining is pale green fabric, possibly rayon taffeta, with a plain front and back joined by a panel of ruching.  Inside that is a white padded cosy which would have kept a teapot warm. 

I don't know the date this was made, but am guessing perhaps in the 1930s......there's something about it that reminds me of Thirties clothes when ruching was a popular trim; you could imagine a set of pretty underthings in pale green (which was called 'Eau de Nil') with cream lace.  The green is similar to "30s green" quilt fabric, isn't it?  

The next panel of tumblers is more than half done.  There were nearly 100 pieces too many cut because I didn't check the dimensions of the tumbler in EQ7; the height was correct, but theirs was narrower than mine.  So, those leftovers will go on the back.  I prefer the proportions of mine......the EQ7 ones seem a bit skinny.  As I used to be.....sigh.......

Do advertisers really think that those of us of more mature years are fooled by TV ads for "younger looking skin" using Sweet Young Things who seem to be barely out of their teens?  I know they are selling an illusion more than a product, but really.......we're not stupid, you know.

Meanwhile on the larger screen today the world bids farewell to Sean Connery, the first and in many people's opinion the best James Bond.  Earlier this year (I think - time has a way of stopping and starting, these days) we watched some of the earlier James Bond movies made before they became all about special effects at the expense of the plot, and honestly.....some of the bedroom scenes are almost non-consensual by today's standards, aren't they?  It makes for slightly uncomfortable viewing now, when once we would have shaken it off.  The world has moved on.

"No matter what may go wrong, a hostess should never seem to notice it to the annoyance of her guests.  By passing it over herself, it will very frequently escape the attention of others.  If her guests arrive late, she should welcome them as cordially as if they had come early, but she will commit a rudeness to those who have arrived punctually, if she awaits dinner for tardy guests for more than the fifteen minutes of grace prescribed by custom."

In other words, don't be late without a very very good excuse.

Enjoy your days!

One done, two to go

One third of the centre panel of the tumbler quilt is finished.....each and every stitch hand-pieced.  It is 24 inches wide.

It is difficult to get a full picture when one is short.

One thing you notice about many of these repro fabrics from different decades of the 1800s is that stripes were very popular.  Nothing was fussy cut; as with the little houses, the fabrics were cut where they were cut.  Some fabrics are......I hesitate to call them 'ugly' but they are a long way from beautiful; however, once they are put together it doesn't matter.

Now the second panel is underway, and the feeling of achievement has to be felt to be believed.  It still doesn't, however, have a name but that will come.

There is a small amount of derision from a few members of my quilt group who would not ever dream of doing anything by hand ever never.  This is their problem.....not mine.

Despite my good intentions no houses were made this week.  This will be remedied.

It has rained again, indeed as we speak right now there is thunder rumbling and storms showing up on the weather radar.  We had really good rain yesterday and last night......our gardens, include the new plants purchased a few days ago, are beaming their little faces off.

Do you ever have one of those weeks where you don't feel like doing much?  That was me this week, hence the lack of houses.  Notes were plinked though, so that's something.

Had the world not been in the fix it currently is we would be in Dorrigo this weekend, enjoying catching up with friends and listening to (and playing) music at the folk festival......but alas it was not to be, as the festival had to cancel.  Who knows what will happen next year?

People are now looking forward to the occasion at the end of the year, a TV announcer said we have nine weeks left......I thought it was all being cancelled this year, like everything else?  That being so we have made our booking at a restaurant for a Nice Christmas Lunch, because when there are only two of you with no family near the alternative is to stay home and grin at each other.  The sewing group and the quilt group will each have a pre-Christmas party lunch, so that will be something to look forward to.

Continuing our quote from a couple of weeks ago:

"The host must aid the hostess in her efforts.  He should have ease and frankness of manner, a calmness of temper that nothing can ruffle, and a kindness of disposition that can never be exhausted.  He must encourage the timid, draw out the silent and direct conversation rather than sustain it himself."

Does that sound like your bloke?  Maybe......

Enjoy your days!

Wet stuff is falling from the sky!

Do we dare to hope that it's actually raining?  It has also cooled right down, so Kevin is a picture of sartorial splendour in the trakky daks.  I may be joining him soon as my bare tootsies are feeling a little chilly.

Two more houses have been made.

There's definitely an orange and purple vibe going with these two.  The aim is to make two houses a week; I'm not trying to bust a speed record with this, but they are fun and I enjoy making them.  I'm deliberately not matching patterns.......how they are cut is how they are sewn.

All the black and white fabrics for "Imprismed" are now cut, yay!  It will be foundation pieced, so lots of mindless sewing - my favourite kind - is involved.  Some thought is being given to how the edges will be finished, although that decision won't be needed for a while; I am leaning toward a narrow black and white stripe.  Perhaps.  Maybe.  On the other hand I had also thought of a facing sewn to the back, facings are often used on modern and art quilts......but I don't know if mine will be modern enough, or arty enough, or what.  (Probably or what, if truth be known.)  I'll let the quilt tell me what it needs when the time comes. 

Ukulele group met here on Monday afternoon, and we certainly had fun.  It was good to be getting together again after so long, and Clare arrived with these beautiful roses from her garden.  We have been enjoying them, they smell wonderful.

This beautiful tablecloth was made by my mother's Aunty Laura.  It was photographed to show to Karen - now you can all enjoy it.  The centre is linen, probably Irish, and measures 20-1/2 in square.

The tatting border is a bit over nine inches wide all round.

Aunty Laura's two children both died young, in sad circumstances.  She and her husband were left in their mid-forties with no children, so she seems to have turned her hand to making exquisite lace; I don't know whether she could already tat before then, but judging by the pieces she left she was no novice.  I also have several of her doilies (some with linen centres, some all lace) and a padded tea cosy of cream lace lined with pale green taffeta, possbly from the 1930s-early 1940s, as Aunty Laura died in 1948.

The question is, what's going to happen to all this beautiful lace when I die?  I very much doubt that either daughter-in-law will want it, and as I have no female descendants it will probably end up being thrown out or donated to an op shop.  I would prefer the op shop option, because hopefully then someone will see it and love it enough to want it.  

In the meantime, I shall enjoy owning and displaying it.

"Accepting hospitality a sign of good-will.

As eating with another under his own roof is in all conditions of society regarded as a sign of good-will, those who partake of proffered hospitalities, only to gossip about and abuse their host and hostess, should remember, that in the opinion of all honorable persons, they injure themselves by so doing."

This is true.  

Enjoy your days!

The village is growing

Two houses were made this week.

Bright pink spots - my stash is not entirely lacking in pink - and I don't know what you would call the house on the left, rust, perhaps?  Brick?  It's not quite brown, anyway.  My village will not be Dullsville, and there are a few more cut out ready to be sewn.

It needs a witty name, but that will come in time......probably in a blinding flash of brilliance when least expected.  In the shower, perhaps.

More black and white fabrics have been cut.  A new blade in one's rotary cutter makes a world of difference!  That one does have a name - 'Imprismed', because of the rainbow which will flow through it.

Stitches have been sewn on the tumbler quilt, and the panels are becoming larger; the first of three wide panels is now underway, each panel is eight tumblers wide.  

Blogger has been playing up a little of late - why are we not surprised?  A couple of comments didn't make it into my email inbox, they were dumped into my spam folder which I only check when I remember to, so if you leave a comment and I don't get back to you fairly soon don't worry.  It's in hand.

Our local birds have been active this week.  A male Crested Pigeon has been strutting his stuff to no avail; the object of his affection seems to be muttering "dirty devil" under her breath as she flutters away from him.  Doesn't stop him from pursuing her, though - they are quite funny.  A pair of magpies pop in regularly for some steak, a Grey Butcherbird is aso a regular visitor, a family of Magpie Larks - peewees - tells the larger magpies off, and a Red Wattlebird tells them all off.  Talk about the pecking order......they are very entertaining.

No special outings to report this week, just the usual hunting and gathering.  Quilt group met on Tuesday, choir was on Thursday night - suitably distanced with everyone sitting, as it has been since we resumed - and tomorrow afternoon the remnants of the ukulele group are coming here to play together for the first time in over six months.  If we meet at the golf club (as we did for quite a while) we have to abide by government regulations of sitting, no standing or walking around......most of us prefer to stand while playing......signing in, etc.  By coming here we can be more relaxed and informal.  Our town hasn't had a case of the covid plague since April so we feel confident to go ahead.  Most cases are happening in bigger cities with much larger populations, but everyone has to abide by the same regulations.

The thought of playing music with friends again has me all a-flutter with excitement, I can tell you - notes have even been plinked in preparation!

 "Duties of a hostess and host.

Tact and self-possession are demanded of the hostess, in order that she may perform her duties agreeably, which are not onerous.  She should instruct her servants not to remove her plate until her guests have finished.  If she speaks of any omission by which her servants have inconvenienced her guests, she must do it with dignity, not betraying any undue annoyance.  She must put her guests at their ease, and pay every possible attention to the requirement of each and all around her.  No accident must disturb her; no disappointments embarrass her.  If her precious china and her rare glass are broken before her eyes, she must seem to take but little or no notice of it."

I shall endeavour to be a gracious ukulele hostess tomorrow, but won't be using the precious china or rare glass.

Enjoy your days!

Been and gone and come back again

We've been out and about!

On Friday we took the Nice Sunday Drive that we have been promising ourselves, and oh - it did feel good.  We drove through beautiful country and saw amazing scenery, none of which was immortalised because I left my camera at home.  One would, however, need a very fancy-nancy camera to do it justice because it was a huge view especially when going over a mountain range looking out into the distance; I have no idea how far we could see, but it seemed to be a very very long way.

We started our trip an hour from home with morning tea, in which Kevin partook of a chocolate-y slice with his coffee and I, being very fond of apricots, had apricot and white chocolate slice with mine .  We ended up having lunch in our destination, a small town which was buzzing with folk passing through, but we managed to pick our times and places so we didn't feel crowded.

Just as well we didn't have the caravan with us!  The purpose of the trip was a trial run for future reference, and we have decided that while it's a beautiful trip the road is not a caravan road.  It used to be dirt for much of its length but last year it was upgraded and sealed all the way.  Problem was, however, that heavy rain earlier this year had washed some of that new road away - half a lane width had collapsed over the side of a mountain, not something you would want to be on when it happened!  Now there are repairs to be made at the cost of some squillions of dollars because it wasn't done properly in the first place.  You know what they say......do it once, and do it right.

Apart from our day trip not a whole heap has happened this week.  Stitches have been sewn in the tumbler quilt.  Black and white fabrics are still being cut, some fabrics which I had thought of using have been decided against, decisions are still being made.  Stitches were knitted.  Books have been read.

So - we will be revisiting the photo vault this week.

This was my quilt group's annual challenge, the year after we moved here.  We were given a design to copy which it didn't inspire me, but on looking closer I could see stars hidden among the lines.....and I like star quilts.  It was drawn out in EQ7, lines were erased (there were lots and lots of two inch finished squares and half-square triangles in the original), and I dipped into my stash for this fun stripe.  The black and white was purchased; I wanted all the background to be one fabric rather than scrappy.

Cutting instructions were printed out, and rotary cutter was taken in hand.

The finished quilt - all from stash, except for the background and binding.  Colours for the stars were taken from the stripe.

It was quilted by me too.

See those lavender triangles?  That's the size of the original squares.  

I like my design much better.

Not that there's anything wrong with making someone else's design.....I have done it before and will do so again......but making up one's own design is fun.

We seem to have left winter behind, and are descending headlong into summer - who could believe that, just a week ago, we needed a fire to keep us warm?  I have bared my arms in short sleeved tops, and my toes in sandals, but haven't yet flashed the legs.  That will come, no doubt very soon.

"Monopolizing conversation.

For one or two persons to monopolize a conversation which ought to be general, is exceedingly rude.  If the dinner party is a large one, you may converse with those near you, raising the voice only loud enough to be distinctly heard by the persons you are talking with."

Have you ever been near a group of people who are talking, and noticed that there is often one person who talks louder and more forcefully than anyone else in the group?  We have decided that these folk are the 'special people' of our world, so 'special' in fact that normal rules of polite behaviour don't apply to them.  They are related to the 'special' people who push themselves into a waiting line, or who push their car into a row of traffic.  'Special' people indeed......so special that we should consider ourselves lucky to be on the same earth as they.  As of course we do.  

Enjoy your days!