Well - that's been interesting!

What a time we have had....and it's not yet over!

Many places in the region - not us, which is probably a good thing - had their heaviest snowfalls for over 20 years, and possibly longer.  The main highway north has been (and indeed still is) cut in several places due to snow and ice on the road, and now many more roads are cut due to flooding.  Tamworth has three crossings over the Peel River, and as we speak two of them are cut due to water over the road; the bridge on the closest crossing to us is above the river level, but the approach road on the west side is not.  The main bridge, the only one remaining open, isn't far below major flood level; folk have been posting pics on social media showing water lapping onto the roadway as the river flows swiftly - very swiftly - just below.  You can read some of the news stories here.  One person is missing after driving through a flooded crossing a few hours south-east of us.  The rain has stopped for now, but more water is still making its way down the river toward us so it's not over yet.

While the story about the missing woman is tragic, I couldn't help a little smile at the yellow duck sign in the picture.

Tomorrow morning I have an appointment on the other side of the river, so fingers crossed that getting there (and home again!) isn't too much of a drama.  My memories of growing up here are of regular floods; my parents' house was on a hill, and from their backyard we had a view over the town and a very good view of the flooded river.  In those days there was no levee so when the river overflowed its banks the water would go right into the main business district, but that is now a thing of the past....some of the flood gates failed last night, but the water was pumped away.  Those childhood memories are the reason we bought our house on a hill well away from the river - if our house ever goes under, the rest of Australia is in deep trouble!

And now onto our regular programming.  This week's trees:

Another blue from Summertime Blues, an interesting print in smokey blue with red contrast.  There aren't many blue fabrics left unused now.

Our wattle bush is starting its annual blooming, so of course there has to be a wattle tree!

I love this deep gold, and the contrast was bought in Canberra during our trip there a few months ago.  I can't resist sharp lime green.

Now we're up to 64 trees.  Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm 64.....I was once, you know.....

Some of those wattle blossoms at the beginning of their annual flowering, not quite the same colours as the fabrics in the golden tree but close enough in spirit.  Several species of wattle have deep gold blooms, while others are so pale they are nearly white.  Mine is bright lemon yellow.

It's not easy getting a photo on a windy day; those are my fingers on the left as the branch needed to be held still.

How has everyone been this week?  We shopped to avert starvation, stitches were sewn and knitted.  Words were read.  Songs were plinked and sung, and thereby lies a dilemma.  When we first moved here one of the things I did was to join the choir of which I am still a member, and our regular rehearsal has always been on Thursday night from 7.15 to 9 p.m.  Our recent concert didn't enjoy a huge audience; having it on a cold winter night is not a guaranteed way to draw a crowd, especially as many of  the folk who support these concerts are not on the young side.  Our leader Bill has now decided that we should meet in daytime and any future concerts should be in daytime too, which is probably a good idea - except that he decreed that we would meet on Thursday afternoon from 2p.m. to 4p.m.  

Guess when U3A ukulele group meets?  Yes indeedy, Thursday afternoon from 2p.m. to 4p.m......oh, just change your U3A day, said a few choir members to me when I pointed out that I would never be able to get to choir.....but when one is a small cog in a larger wheel it's not always easy.  Bill is going to see if that is the only time available to us, and I will sound out the U3A people about a change of day.  The issue with that is, many members are also enrolled in other courses so clashes would seem inevitable and venues are not always available when needed..

Oh well.  We shall have to see how it goes.  I'm certainly not going to do what the previous U3A leader did and drop my duties like a hot potato.

This week's etiquette quote is short, it is part of a topic which will be spread over a few posts as it is much too long for just one post.

"Proper manner of courtship.

It is impossible to lay down any rule as to the proper mode of courtship and proposal.  In France it is the business of the parents to settle all preliminaries.  In England and Australia the young man asks the consent of the parents to pay addresses to their daughter."

Did your parents arrange your courtship?  Mine certainly did not; by the time Kevin and I were married my parents were divorced and my father was...we knew not where.  Our courtship was self-service.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Cool rainy day trees

Today is definitely a better day to be in looking out, than to be out looking in.  The wind is a bit nasty, the sun has forgotten to shine, and every now and then blustery rain hits the windows.

Last night the final stitches were taken on the hanging sleeve of Autumn Rhapsody, so yay goody for me!  It can now finally be counted as a finish.

This week's trees, numbers 61 and 62.  We're getting through the blue fabrics - not many more to go, now.  This pinkish-orange (or is it orange-ish pink?) makes a good contrast.

I remember buying this leaf fabric in Canada, at a quilt show in Kincardine.  How did I get to know about a quilt show on the other side of the world, I hear you ask?  Back in late 2012 we were waiting at Sydney Airport for those l-o-o-o-n-g flights to Canada, so to keep myself entertained I had taken along some hand-piecing.  Another woman who was waiting sat beside me and we started chatting; her name was Mary, she was from Kincardine, and she mentioned her group's quilt show.  We hired a car and off we set for some exploring in towns along Lake Huron, one of which was Kincardine, and goodness me - look at that sign, dear, there's a quilt show at Knox Presbyterian Church today!  Fancy that!!

The contrast is left from my tree hanging.  It made an excellent trunk then, and it makes another good one today.

Slightly shaded trees, because the cloudy day means lights have to be on.

Thoughts have been thought about the yellow quilt, and fabrics pulled from the stash.  Lots of tone on tones, checks, florals, spots......you name it.  A couple of fabrics have some orange on them, which really pops; I was unsure about them at first, but they can stay in.  The fabric with blue flowers may go, however, as I have already made two yellow and blue quilts.

Many years ago....many, many years ago......I fell in love with this fabric and bought some intending to use it for borders, but have now changed my mind.  It will make an excellent backing instead.

A pattern in a magazine from about 2007 is inspiration, but rather than the original designer's plain borders mine will be pieced.  This has been percolating in my mind for many years, so it's about time it popped out, yes?  There is a lot of cutting out to be done, my least favourite part of the quilt-making process, but the rotary cutter will have a new blade inserted and it will be good to go.

Never mind about all the other projects waiting in the wings......

The view from my sewing room window a couple of days ago, while making trees.  The sun was getting ready to set, but the trees further up the hill had a golden light on their tops.  In the short time it took me to go outside the light changed but it hadn't completely gone, so I took this pic.

How has everyone been this week?  We have had the usual uneventful week: we hunted, we gathered.  We drove to a smaller town half an hour away to take the new(ish) car for a bit of a run and to visit its two butchers, both of whom have very good meat and most of which is now in our freezer. Stitches have been sewn, words have been read.  Songs have been plinked and sung.  That's about it, really.  We've been staying inside out of the weather.

There has been so much rain this week that roads have been closed, the river has had a minor flood, and more water is probably still making its way downstream toward us as we speak.  A check of the rain radar shows showers all around us, so we may still get more before we turn off the day and go to bed later.

It's better than being in drought, though.

"Thorough acquaintance as a basis for marriage.

Perhaps there is such a thing as love at first sight, but love alone is a very uncertain foundation upon which to base marriage.  There should be thorough acquaintanceship and a certain knowledge of harmony of tastes and temperaments before matrimony is ventured upon."

This is probably true.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

A couple of late trees

Yesterday afternoon we were at the theatre, so this week's post is a trifle late.

First, a turquoise tree.....

....then an azurite/malachite tree......

.....and these make 60 trees finished!

If memory serves me correctly these are the last trees made from fabrics from my prize bundle, and they were both, of course, used in Summertime Blues.

Azurite/malachite is a real mineral.  It has both deep blue azurite and rich green malachite, and examples I found online were quite spectacular.  I can see it making beautiful jewellery, I could fancy some earrings....or a ring.....yummm......

Yesterday's theatrical afternoon was a play with music about the life of George Formby, a British performer of years gone by, whose trademark was his ukulele.  Many of his songs are still popular today, however his career, like that of several others, fizzled away after the end of World War II.  His morale-boosting concerts and films did a lot to lift the spirits of civilians and servicemen and women alike, but once the war was over people didn't want to be reminded of those sad times so they turned away in droves.  He was only 56 when he died, just a few months after his wife Beryl, but his songs live on.  The play was very clever, just two performers, a real-life mother and son; mother played the parts of George's mother and of his beloved Beryl, while son played George.  With just a few props and some quick on-stage costume changes, the story was very cleverly done.

How has everyone been this week?  Apart from our jaunt to the theatre it's been a busy week; the choir's charity concert on Saturday night went off well and I had the chance to repeat my award-winning performances with both song and poem, which was fun and which was well received.  Stitches have been sewn but not knitted, one of these days the knitting will be picked up again, however the two-part hanging sleeve on my autumn quilt is now half done.  Once it's finished, those needles and yarn will once more take the quilt's place on my lap.  We hunted and gathered, so we won't starve.

The new car is very comfortable to ride in.  It has now been in our lives for several days and we are getting used to looking at a different shade of silver/grey than in the past.  It might look slightly posh, but it's still a boring colour.  We have had a silver/grey vee-hickle since 2002 so we should be used to boring by now, shouldn't we.

Lime green would have been so nice.....sunshine yellow would be lovely....deep golden orange would be scrumptious, or perhaps bright turquoise......anything but silver/grey.  This will be the last car we ever buy, however, so I suppose we are stuck with boring.

Oh well.  Sigh......at least we have a car.....

Winter continues with some quite chilly mornings.  Earlier this year the long-range forecast was for a warmer than average winter, but so far it's been fairly cool; days are nice, but mornings are definitely not for roaming around barefoot in the grass.  Some rain has fallen and more is forecast which is good, as winter is usually our driest season.  The fire has been doing its job of keeping us warm.

My thoughts have been turning to cutting fabric for another quilt, something I really don't need to do - yet - but after Arboretum is done that might be the time.  For many many years I have wanted to make a yellow quilt, the fabrics have been pulled, and it just might have its turn once those trees are finished.  A search through an older magazine has yielded an easy design, so perhaps that will be The One.  Just think, sunshine gold....lemon yellow.....mustard....butter yellow......wattle flowers and daffodils and other yellow flowers....the more I think about it, the more I want to fondle those fabrics.

Way back when I first started patchwork in the early 1990s yellow was a difficult colour to find, so I bought it when I found it.  It's easier to source these days, but I really don't need to go shopping for yellow fabric as that golden stash is calling.

"Premature declaration.

It is very injudicious, not to say presumptuous, for a gentleman to make a proposal to a young lady on too brief an acquaintance.  A lady who would accept a gentleman at first sight can hardly possess the discretion needed to make a good wife."

I had to look twice at the heading.....and yes, accepting a gentleman at first sight seems somewhat impetuous, to me.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

A tree growing underwater, and a winter tree

It must be underwater, because there are fish.

Another fabric from my prize bundle which was used in Summertime Blues....fish swimming in a tree is not something that you see every day, so perhaps it's in the depths of the ocean somewhere.  The contrast is left from my Canadian quilt, in keeping with the blue watery theme.

My memory tells me that this fabric was bought on one of our trips to Canada.  I'm not sure if the background is blue, or grey, or even edging toward pale lavender, but it suits our current freezy frosty chilly weather.  The contrast was a piece of fabric from I know not where which would have made an interesting tree; sadly it wasn't wide enough, but it livens up the pale background.

Two very different trees, numbers 57 and 58.

How has everyone been this week?  We shopped for various things, including the ongoing search for another vee-hickle (of which more later).  Words were read, stitches were sewn; the hanging sleeve on Autumn Rhapsody is about one quarter done, and it keeps my lap warm while doing so.  

Songs were sung, and my Eisteddfod song is being practised again because - I have been asked for a repeat performance!  How fabulous is that!!  Our choir director Bill has asked me to reprise both song and poem at a concert we are doing next Saturday evening, for an organisation which raises money to give practical help to local folk who are given a cancer diagnosis.  Bill himself was on the receiving end of their help a few years ago, so he does as much as he can to assist.  His original plan was to ask a few of the shining lights in the local music theatre scene to perform, but he has since decided that "we can do it ourselves, we don't need outsiders to put on a good show!"  I feel very honoured to be asked.

The search for the new car has moved onto Plan B.  Last weekend we went for a test drive in a car about which we know absolutely less than nothing, and an online search turned up quite a  bit of dissatisfaction among owners.  Added to that Kevin drove it to our regular mechanic around the corner from the car yard, and was told "nah, mate, I wouldn't touch it".  The four-letter word starting with sh and ending with it was also used by the mechanic as a description, so we hastily backed out of that deal and went to another dealer up the hill.  Result:  we have found our new chariot and will take possession when the money side of things is sorted, money is being moved around as we speak, and hopefully it won't be long.  It's a smallish-medium SUV; much as we would both like a little car for zipping around we are finding that small low cars are getting difficult to get in and out of as we age, and as neither of us are tall we like the extra height while in traffic.

Only thing is, like many other cars on the road the new car is grey....the current car is very light silver/grey, the new one slightly darker silver/grey......grey is not a colour.  Grey is a mood.

The rain which we were eagerly awaiting last week eventually fell that day, but not in any great quantity.  We are told there may be some sprinkles during the coming week - we certainly hope so.

The elbow which is being treated with the fancy (expensive!) cream hasn't fallen off yet, for which we are thankful.  I am assuming that the cream will do wonders and, eventually, make it heal.  We live in hope.

Continuing from last week's quote:

"A lady's conduct toward gentlemen.

No well-bred lady will too eagerly receive the attentions of a gentleman, no matter how much she admires him; nor, on the other hand, will she be so reserved as to altogether discourage him.  A man may show considerable attention to a lady without becoming a lover; and so a lady may let it be seen that she is not disagreeable to him without discouraging him.  She will be able to judge soon from his actions and deportment, as to his motive in paying her his attentions, and will treat him accordingly.  A man does not like to be refused when he makes a proposal, and no man of tact will risk a refusal.  Neither will a well-bred lady encourage a man to make a proposal, which she must refuse.  She should endeavour, in discouraging him as a lover, to retain his friendship.  A young man of sensibilities, who can take a hint when it is offered him, need not run the risk of a refusal."

There has to be quite a subtle knowledge of behaviour in these situations, yes?

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

In which we have a citrus fruit salad tree

Yes - there is such a thing!  A 'fruit salad tree' is a tree bearing different species of fruit on one tree, achieved by grafting different fruits onto one parent tree....so, theoretically you could have lemon, lime, orange and even finger lime on one tree.  You could also have peach, apricot and plum, or you could have different varieties of apples and pears - the list is probably endless.

Like this citrus fruit salad tree, perhaps.

This interesting fabric, and the one below, were purchases on our trip to Canberra in March this year.  I hesitated to buy this at first, wasn't sure if it would make a good tree.....but it does.  Its contrast is a graduated lemon/lime fabric cut across the stripe, which suits really well against the deep dark green background. 

It's difficult to know if the figures on this fabric are butterflies, or flying women, or angels, but I like the background colours and the stars.  The contrast was used for a tree a few weeks ago, and was one of my prize bundle which was the start of Summertime Blues. 

Quite an interesting pair of trees, this week.

These weekly pics are taken on a white cloth spread on the cutting/working table in my sewing room, which has an overhead light.  Consequently, it's quite difficult to avoid getting my own shadow in the shot; I have tried standing in different places, and tried laying the blocks on another part of the table, but the shadow is always there.  The time of day factors into the success or otherwise of the shot too, as the light levels vary from hour to hour.

Work has also started on stitching the hanging sleeve to my autumn quilt, slightly awkwardly because of the hand which doesn't like being held in some positions, but it will be finished eventually.

How has everyone been this week?  We have drifted along as usual; words have been read, stitches sewn and knitted, fabrics cut out.  Songs have been plinked and sung, and now U3A ukulele is on school holiday break.  Many of the members have grandparent duty during school holidays so there's not much point in meeting, we'll start up again at the end of the month.  Fortunately choir continues during the hols, so I still get my musical fix.  We hunted and gathered for the usual food and Stuff, and that was the week that was.

Some slightly different hunting and gathering this week, too - we are shopping for another car.  The trusty VW was bought 11 years ago, and earlier in the week Kevin popped in to see our usual mechanic because he had noticed spots of oil on the garage floor.  Mechanic duly checked it over and presented us with a long list of "probably shouldn't leave it too long" repairs with an eye-popping amount at the bottom of the page.  If I were you I would put this money toward another car instead of throwing it at this one, said the mechanic.  Not what we wanted to hear.....so Kevin has been out and about to various car yards checking what's available, and we have pretty much settled on a white (sadly not green or yellow or orange) car.  At least we no longer have to factor in having to buy a car which can tow a caravan, which makes the choice easier.  We need to have another test drive, Kevin drove it yesterday, but I have yet to sit behind the wheel to give my considered but totally un-mechanically minded opinion.

Some folk might taking buying another vehicle in their everyday stride, but for Olde Phartes like what we are it's quite a big deal.....my goodness, the excitement......be still, my beating heart......

Some quite changeable weather this week, not much in the way of frosty mornings but quite a lot of cloud.  Yesterday when we were out and about test-driving cars it was so sunny that sunglasses weren't enough for me, one of my summer hats had to come out again.  Today's forecast was for showers, but here it is nearly 4 p.m. and we are still waiting for the drops to start falling.

Following on from last week's advice for gentlemen, this week we have advice for ladies.

"A lady's conduct toward gentlemen.

A young lady should not allow special attention from anyone to whom she is not specially attracted, because, first, she may do injury to the gentleman in seeming to give his suit encouragement; and, secondly, she may keep away from her those whom she likes better, but who will not approach her under the mistaken idea that her feelings are already interested.  A young lady should not encourage the addresses of a gentleman unless she feels that she can return his affections.  It is the prerogative of a man to propose, and of a woman to accept or refuse, and a lady of tact and kind heart will exercise her prerogative before her suitor is brought to the humiliation of an offer which must result in a refusal."

Well, yes.  

The folk in those days certainly knew how to string a long sentence together, didn't they?

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Canada Day trees

When one has family in another country one enjoys joining in their celebrations, even if at a distance.....so, best wishes for Canada Day to the Canadians!

This is one of my favourite pics that I have ever taken, late in the afternoon on a cool showery October day on the driveway of a B&B where we stayed in Owen Sound, Ontario.  The featured leaf must have not long fallen; the colours were so vivid that it looked to have a light shining through from underneath.....and next morning it looked the same as the other leaves around it.

Coincidentally these two fabrics also came from Canada, part of my giveaway prize, and both were used in Summertime Blues.

Another blue from the same quilt, this time not from Canada.  There were a lot of blue fabrics in that quilt......the contrast was used for the background, border and backing of an autumn batik quilt for which it was, as Goldilocks said, just right.

Numbers 53 and 54 done, so there are still 45 to go.

Because my stash probably doesn't have 198 different batik fabrics there will be some fabrics used for both the 'foliage' and the 'trunk and branches' of trees, but only once for each.  When the blocks are put together it won't matter, anyway.

How has everyone been this week?  We shopped to avert starvation.  Words were read, stitches sewn and knitted; the back of my knitting is progressing well and the first large ball of yarn is just about all used.  It will be interesting to see if the colours vary from ball to ball.  Songs were plinked and sung.

It seems that my Eisteddfod performance made it onto the news on Sunday night, something I could do without!  I really really dislike having my photo taken as I consider I am not at all photogenic, I never like the result, so I certainly don't want to see myself on the screen.  Oh well, it's last week's news now, isn't it.

Last week's post finished up with the sentence "One can't help wondering what constituted "mature age" in those far-ago days, can one?"  Sunday's Eisteddfod section was for 'Mature Performers' which, when I started back in about 2016, was for performers aged 40 and over.  After a couple of years the organisers were approached by younger folk who complained that there was nothing for the over 25's, so could they be included?  I was one who put my hand up for "no" but it was decided that, henceforth, the lower age limit would be 25....as it still is.  Mind you, there is a wealth of difference between a 25 YO with a strong young voice, and a.....shall we say....more mature performer, so it was good to have our mature (very mature!) trumpet player win again.

Back when I was a Sweet Young Thing the age of adulthood was 21, as indeed it was in many parts of the world; my reading threw up the information that in earlier times a male was not considered to be strong enough to bear the weight of armour until that age.  In the 1970s the age of adulthood was changed in Australia to be 18; up till then young males were described as being 'youths'....'a 19 year old youth was apprehended while breaking and entering'......now it would say 'a 19 year old man etc.'   However they still seem quite immature, to me.

Some freezy frosty chilly mornings, fairly cool days, a little rain, and that was our weather this week.  More cold weather is on the way, and more rain, quite a lot if the forecast is to be believed.  We shall see.  It seems like a good time to stay inside and sew, and cook warm food.

We shall continue from last week's quote.

"A gentleman's conduct toward ladies.

"As soon, however, as a young gentleman neglects all others, to devote himself to a single lady, he gives that lady reason to suppose that he is particularly attracted to her, and may giver her cause to believe that she is to become engaged to him, without telling her so.  A gentleman who does not contemplate matrimony should not pay too exclusive attention to any one lady."

No indeed, he should not.  He will raise her hopes which will then be dashed if, as used to be said, he does not come up to scratch.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Solstice trees

Yes, I know the solstice was two days ago, but that's when they were made.  Yesterday was my annual chance at fame and glory - which was a lot of fun! - so that was the afternoon gone, and the rest of the day was taken up with other Stuff.  So here we are again, just a little later than usual.

A red tree, the colour of desert sand....just looking at that colour makes me feel hot.  The contrast is left from an earlier tree and was also used in Summertime Blues; there was just enough left for a few one-inch strips, and now it is all gone.  It has served well.

Love this green and blue fabric, it was a purchase in Canberra a few months ago.  The clear bright orange was the binding for Summertime Blues.

A fun pair for the solstice.

Yesterday was the annual Eisteddfod performance, and it went well.  The audience was wonderfully responsive - they laughed in all the right places, of which there were many - and although I didn't win the "most entertaining" award I was given a special "most versatile" award, which was a great thrill.  I was the only performer who recited a poem (in which some lines were sung) and also accompanied myself on ukulele while singing another song, I don't think any of the other performers had quite as many tricks up their respective sleeves.  (Perhaps they're not trick ponies like what I am.)  It's always nice to chat to other performers over a cuppa afterwards, and to say as we're leaving "see you next year!"

So now I have to find a song for next year, there is one in mind....and another poem.....

The winner of "most entertaining" was Ron who played trumpet, and who is pushing 90; in fact, he may have just tipped over its edge.  He plays every year, and has also won previously.  We both thought that his playing last year was perhaps getting past his best, but yesterday he more than made up for it and played beautifully.  I hope to be that good when I'm pushing 90!

The red of today's sandy desert tree puts me in mind of the time Kevin and I attended a camping and caravanning show, back when we lived in the Big Smoke.  We liked to check out different vans, although we had no intention of buying, because we could often pick up ideas for our little van; I remember one van being completely fitted out with terracotta red, cupboards, curtains, upholstery, bed furnishings, the lot.  As soon as we walked in the temperature felt several degrees hotter than outside - perhaps it wasn't, but the strong colour had that effect - we both decided that we wouldn't want to take that van to the outback, because it would feel much hotter inside than out.

On another occasion we stepped into a van which was done in black, black cupboards with black benchtops and blinds, and which had been staged with a frou-frou red satin quilt and pillows and vases of red silk roses.  It put both of us in mind of an over-the-top bordello in an old western movie, and we couldn't stop laughing.  Fortunately the salesman saw the funny side, and laughed with us.

How has everyone been this week?  We hunted and gathered so we haven't yet starved, words were read, stitches were knitted and sewn.  Songs were plinked and sung and many moments were taken up with practising my party pieces for Saturday, so now that's over I may have some spare moments.  The hole on my elbow is slowly healing and my arm hasn't fallen off, for which I am thankful.

Some recent mornings have been freezy frosty chilly, and the fire has been welcome.  Today is quite mild by comparison while tomorrow's forecast is for showers, so that seems like a good day to stay inside and do inside Stuff like sewing....or perhaps trying out the possible song for next year....

This week's quote is a long paragraph, so it is broken into two sections.

"A gentleman's conduct toward ladies.

Young people of either sex, who have arrived at mature age, and who are not engaged, have much freedom in their social intercourse in this country, and are with the consent, knowledge and approval of parents or guardians at liberty to associate and mingle freely in the same circles with those of the opposite sex.  Gentlemen are thus at liberty to invite their lady friends to concerts, operas, balls, etc., to call upon them at their homes, to ride and drive with them, and make themselves agreeable to all young ladies to whom their company is acceptable.  In fact, they are at liberty to accept invitations and give them if parents or guardians knowingly approve."

One can't help wondering what constituted "mature age" in those far-ago days, can one?

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer