That's it for the year, folks!

A last post to say farewell to 2024....and to practise writing 2025.  It sometimes takes a few days for one's brain to catch up with the different numbers, doesn't it?

Good news on the photo front, I have worked out how to download pics from my camera to the computer.  It entails a new card reader and a new SD card for my camera and takes a few more steps than it used to, but what the heck.  So long as it works.  In between feeling somewhat unwell (although, I'm pleased to say, slowly improving; if I don't talk too much I don't cough, so the house is fairly quiet at present) I managed to make last week's and the previous week's trees.

This blue and brown batik is leftover from a kit for a bag bought on a trip to Canada, some years ago.  I like the contrast with the orange/red and yellow.

This interesting batik has the Colorado state tree and state flower - thank you, Dianne!  This is the second quilt it's been used in, and there is still some left.

A pretty pale yellow batik with highlights of blue/green; the trunk and branches were going to be a bright turquoise with hints of purple, but then my eyes lit on this mottled green in the Big Basket of Batiks.  I seem to recall buying this yellow fabric in a pack with a few others in Canada, too.

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There are fires burning not far from our town at present, and very bad fires in Victoria.  The colours of this tree block say 'Aussie summer'.....I have to say it just might be my favourite block, so far.

And.....look who came home before Christmas!

Poor thing has been languishing waiting for me to feel well enough to think about binding, or adding a hanging sleeve, or even making a label, but a corner seems to have been turned and the label information has been printed off ready for tracing.  It will be embroidered by hand.

How was everyone's Christmas?  Ours was quiet; we managed a video chat with our Canaussian son and his partner in Toronto, Canada, which was wonderful.  We also spoke to our son in Canberra.  Our Christmas dinner was yummy, we had a small turkey roast (bought from the shop at the turkey farm on the outskirts of town) with vegies, and Christmas cake with gelato instead of the more traditional custard or cream, and even a glass of bubbly.  Yes, I know it's hot.  We have often had a cold meal on a hot Christmas day but this year decided to have our meal in the evening.  It was jolly nice, too.

Words have been read, a few stitches have been sewn....none by hand yet, but those tree blocks were made.  Not one note was plinked - or sung, as the result would have been a credible imitation of a donkey braying.  We did manage to get out to hunt and gather, although it took a lot of my energy.

One of the downsides to feeling so unwell (or 'crook', as Aussies say) was being unable to enjoy a coffee, thanks to the medicated lozenges which helped with the cough but left a taste in the mouth which did nothing whatsoever for coffee.  On Friday while we were out and about we stopped in at a favourite café for a cuppa but I didn't fancy my usual hot coffee so I had an iced coffee, and jolly nice it was too.  This morning I managed my first hot coffee for over two weeks which was thoroughly enjoyed, and now I am about to partake of another.

Many years ago when we lived in the Big Smoke we had to make a decision on where to move when we retired from work, as we both wanted to move out of the big city - big cities are not always user friendly for older folk.  In our travels we often visited Victoria, a state we both like very much, and were even thinking that we could up sticks and move down there.  (My father was born in Victoria's capital city, Melbourne, so I joke that I have Victorian citizenship.  The wonderful staff at the two Victorian hospitals where I was treated after the Big Fall earlier this year thought that was funny.)  However, one day I read that Victoria is the most bushfire-prone state in Australia - I have since read that is one of the most fire-prone areas in the whole world, and that would be heartbreaking. That is the sole reason which decided us to stay in New South Wales, albeit in a country town rather than the big city.

There are only a few days left of the year, so here is some advice should you be travelling:

"If, in riding in the street tram-cars or crossing a ferry, your friend insists on paying for you, permit him to do so without serious remonstrance.  You can return the favor at some other time."

Indeed you can.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

The computer has been unwell

So, too, have I.

The computer spent several days in hospital having its innards poked and prodded before returning home.  It seems to be just hunky dory tickety-boo, now.  However, when I suggested earlier that it could get some photos from my camera's SD card it shook its head and said, nuh-huh.....and the computer hospital is closed now for the next couple of weeks.  

Fortunately my innards didn't need to be poked and prodded like the computer's did, it was a very nasty dose of sinus/hayfever with a non-stop cough.  While the cough is settling it hasn't left, but I have high hopes that it, too, will soon be healed.

Hence the radio silence last weekend.

With the SD card reader not working the pics taken earlier today cannot be uploaded, which is disappointing.  Take it from me, though - two trees started last week were finished this week.  Autumn Rhapsody has come home from Margaret quilter and looks great; sadly I have been in no position to start on making the label, hanging sleeve and binding....but that, too, will happen, hopefully before too long

We survived yesterday's summer solstice, and can now look forward to summer.  We have been having hot temps for some time now anyway, and more is forecast, but now the solstice is over I am telling myself -  every day that passes is a day closer to autumn.

A couple of Christmas pics to round out the post.  This is my collection of Christmas wombats, a small tree and my Jim Shore angel.

My collection of Canadian decorations, another small tree and even a sparkly red maple leaf.

So.....no matter where you are, and no matter what - if anything - you believe, best wishes for a time of love, and peace, and good health.

And chocolate.  Good quality dark chocolate.

Enjoy your Christmas days!

Jennifer

Adding to the forest

This week's blocks have been made.  First a yellow and blue tree.....

......then a sort of reddish-pinkish-goldish tree......

then they stood side by side.

The reddish-pinkish-goldish fabric was included in a kit bought several years ago in Canada; all the leaves were cut from the one fabric, and fabric quantities included with the kit were very generous so there is more than enough left to make a tree.

The different fabric tones made the leaves come alive on that project, and now the leftovers can be part of Arboretum.

How has everyone's week been?  We have had a busy time running here and running there, and trying to stay cool....not always easy when the temperatures is as hot as it has been.  We have had a little rain but nothing to get excited about, so we didn't, but the frog in the drainpipe certainly did.  Some rumbly thunder from time to time, and that was about it.

The mangoes are all sliced, diced and in the freezer, just waiting to be eaten.  It occurred to me that I have a mango recipe which might appeal to some of you; it was published (typed by hand, of course) in the 1988 Bicentennial Cook Book put out by the primary school our sons attended in the 1980s.  You will need:

1 mango

1 tub sour cream, 200 ml - 250 ml.  You can use light sour cream if you wish, but it must be sour cream not regular cream

Flaked coconut.  If you can't get flaked you could use desiccated.  I don't recommend using shredded coconut as it's drippy and messy.

Peel your mango, cut off the flesh and mash with a fork.  Stir in as much sour cream as you need; the quantity will depend on how juicy the mango is, and how runny the sour cream.  You want to have a slightly runny but not liquid consistency.  Lastly, stir in the flaked coconut (as much as the mango/sour cream mix happily takes), cover and store in fridge overnight.  The coconut will absorb some of the sour cream/mango mixture, and it will thicken.  Serve dolloped on fruit salad, or if you really want to push the boat out it can be served in a pretty glass bowl surrounded by cut fruit for dipping - peach/nectarine/apricot slices, strawberries, orange slices, whatever your little heart desires.  This is when you will be pleased that you didn't use shredded coconut.  If memory serves me correctly, it's called 'Mango Fruit Dip'.

Each year Pantone, the colour people, release a 'Colour of the Year' based on trends happing around the world, and the colour for 2025 has been announced.  It is 'Mocha Mousse', and is a rather unfortunate shade of brown.  Now I like coffee, and chocolate, and cocoa, and mousse - all of those - but like many others I lived through the 1970s when brown ruled supreme and 'Mission Brown' was the colour of the decade!  I can only assume that the folk who chose Mocha Mousse weren't alive back in those days.

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn.  Notes have been plinked and sung.  The U3A uke group has been getting into the odd seasonal song or two.  We hunted and we gathered, and that was about it.

A few months ago Emma physio loaned me a piece of equipment for the strength exercises which were part of my daily routine, so this week I made an appointment to take it back and to check on how my arm and hand were doing.  Quite well, it seems, especially considering the severity of the injury and the fact that it was on a joint - joint injuries take longer to heal.  Emma has a folding ruler that is used to measure the angle my wrist can bend forward and backward, and it is much more advanced that it was on the last visit.  She also has a grip gadget for measuring strength and, while my right hand isn't yet as strong as the left, it has certainly improved.  Both Emma and I were pleased with the visit.  She felt that it would take a year for my wrist and hand to get back to what they were before the fall, and it certainly seems as though that will be the case - next week will be eight months, so it's on track for a year.

"Attending to the wants of others.

See everywhere and at all times that ladies and elderly people have their wants supplied before you think of your own.  Nor is there need for unmanly haste or pushing in entering or leaving.  There is always time enough allowed for each passenger to enter in a gentlemanly manner and with a due regard to the rights of others."

Of course there is.  There is no need for a gentleman to be ungentlemanly.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Can't see the forest for the trees

Or so it is said.

During the week the first two trees were made for 'Arboretum'.  First there was an orange tree....

......then there was a green tree......

......and then they stood side by side.

The fabrics for the next two trees have been pulled from the Big Basket of Batiks.  They are quite easy to make; the only fiddly-diddly bit was lining up the side seams on the angled cuts so they weren't too far out of whack, but I reckon that by the time I have made a heap ton of blocks I should be pretty good at it.  The blocks are trimmed to size anyway, which accommodates for discrepancies in piecing.

Like the original quilt some of my trees will have co-ordinating branches and leaves while some will have contrasting; some will have two cuts, or three, or even four - or maybe more! - while a few might only have one in addition to the centre cut.  It's certainly going to be fun dipping into those gorgeous fabrics, I didn't realise I had quite that many.....it's been a while since the Big Basket was raided.

How has everyone been this week?  We have had rain, not as much as the folk further out west had, but rain is rain after all.  More is forecast for the coming week so our garden (and all the other gardens in town) will be smiling again.  The recent nasty hot temperatures have cooled somewhat, making for much more pleasant days; even the nights are not too steamy for sleep.

The Frog has been croaking in the drainpipe quite a lot recently, which could be a sign of more rain to come.  Ever since we moved here we have heard and seen the occasional green tree frog; several years ago one even made its way up through the drain into a toilet bowl (fortunately I looked before I sat down, just imagine those cold clammy little fingers tapping on one's bare bum, I would still be in orbit) but so far - touch wood - we haven't had one inside.  Somehow I suspect that our current croaker is not the same frog which welcomed us over 14 years ago, but you never know.....they can apparently live quite long lives......

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn, and more diamonds need to be cut.  Songs have been plinked and sung.  We hunted and we gathered, keeping clear of much of the festive Stuff currently around.....plenty of time for that still.  A little running around here and there, hither and yon, and that was another week done.

For the past few years our neighbour kiddos have knocked on our door late in the year as their school has a mango fundraiser to make some funds for the "over and above" things that kids in primary school need.  The two older kiddos are now in high school but the youngest still has four years to go - so, four more years of yummy mangoes!  The mango tray is sitting on the kitchen counter and as they ripen I am peeling, slicing and dicing them to go in self-seal bags in the freezer.  They are good on ice cream or gelato, and really good blended with milk for my breakfast smoothie.....and, of course, the kitchen smells mango divine.

"The comfort of others.

In seeking his own comfort, no passenger has a right to over-look or disregard that of others.  If for his own comfort, he wishes to raise or lower a window, he should consult the wishes of passengers immediately around him before doing so.  The discomforts of travelling should be borne cheerfully, for what may enhance your own comfort may endanger the health of some fellow-traveller."

Words as relevant in these days of air travel as they were in those far-ago days of train travel.....although I wouldn't recommend opening a window on a plane.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Sending my baby out into the wide world

'Autumn Rhapsody' has gone off to spend time with quilter Margaret.  It has taken so much of my life for the past several months that I will be quite bereft until it comes home again.....but it will be much closer to being a finished quilt when it does.

Now I wasn't going to succumb to another project straight away but the little buzz in my brain said, go for it.....so this morning I pulled some fabrics from the Big Basket of Batiks.

These fabrics will be the first two blocks of 'Arboretum'.  There are smaller pieces in the Big Basket which will be suitable for the leaf veins, and which will be paired with a print in a similar range for the leaf.  The bright orange print came out first and was paired with a blue and green print but, much as I loved the contrast, I decided to go in a different direction.  When the houses for the neighbourhood quilt were being made a couple of years ago the decision was taken to make two a week, so that's what I will do with this quilt too.  

That should keep the brain buzz from getting too annoying, yes?  In the meantime, other projects will be worked on too.

Thoughts have been thought on a label for 'Autumn Rhapsody', but none have settled.  It will probably be embroidered rather than written as my embroidery stitches are neater and nicer than my writing, these days.  Thoughts will continue to be thought on the subject.  

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn; after the peeper border was all stitched down during the week a few diamonds were picked up again, so more will need to be cut to keep the supply going.  Notes have been plinked and songs sung even though the choir is now in its end-of-year recess, because of course the ukulele players sing too.  (Well, some of them sing.....)  My various hurty bits are healing well.  The usual weekly hunting and gathering was done to avert starvation, and so passed another week.

The year is winding down....yesterday the quilt group went out for its Christmas/end of year lunch, and jolly nice it was too.  I had a radicchio, fennel and orange salad with citrus dressing served with grilled haloumi, and oh my - that was good.  It wasn't as heavy as a hot meal in the middle of the day would have been, and was quite different to the salad I would normally choose.  What's more, unlike many salads, it didn't contain tomato!  One of my earliest memories is of my mother holding me down with one hand and trying to force me to eat tomato with the other.  I didn't like it then, and I don't like it now.  Don't like the taste, especially don't like the texture, so now that I am an adult - I don't eat it.

Decorations are appearing in shops and I suppose it won't be long before the fat bloke in the red suit perches on his throne for photos with the kiddie-widdies.  Festive food has been available for some time now, and Glorias and ding dongs have been creeping into radio programming.

Summer is well and truly upon us, the next few days are forecast to be fairly hot before rain later in the week.  Roll on the rain and cloud, I say, because those clouds provide a little shade and keep the hot sun from frying us, even though they raise the humidity as they do so.....but as we live in a dry inland town, a little humidity doesn't matter.  I couldn't go back to living in coastal humidity, something the Big Smoke has in plenty.

"Ladies may assist other ladies.

It is not only the right, but the duty of ladies to render any assistance or be of any service to younger ladies, or those less experienced in travelling than themselves.  They may show many little courtesies which will make the journey less tedious to the inexperienced traveller, and may give her important advice or assistance which may be of benefit to her.  An acquaintance formed in travelling need never be retained afterwards.  It is optional whether it is or not."

In other words, spending a little time helping a less experienced traveller doesn't mean to say she will hang around you like a bad smell for the next few years.......at least, we hope not.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Having a whole heap of fun!

That was what the choir did last night, at our World Premiere.  We sang our little hearts out, managed to achieve our bits of (sitting) choreography without making fools of ourselves, and enjoyed listening to the lead actors sing their parts with and without us.  It was a pleasure and a privilege to be part of it....and even if our composer/director/musical director Bill is able to have it orchestrated and produced on a stage somewhere, we will still be able to say "we did it first"!

So now our moment of fame and glory is over, and it's back to everyday reality once more.

The back of Autumn Rhapsody is done.

This is a queen-size bed; the bottom corner was pulled up to show the outer border of that gorgeous leaf print.  Almost all of that pale background piece was used, there was very little leftover.

The strip goes from over an inch at one end to over two inches at the other as it wasn't quite cut straight - not much was wasted, was it?  It won't be thrown out either; you never know when it may be Just The Very Thing for a scrappy project so it will go into the bin of autumn fabrics, and probably be thrown out on some future date when it isn't big enough to use for anything anyway

Stitching down the peeper border is proceeding well, the final side is almost half done.  What an achievement that will be....then quilter Margaret will be contacted and decisions made as to thread colour/s and quilting design.

Words have been read.  Stitches have, of course, been sewn both by hand and by machine.  Songs have been sung and strings plinked.  A little shopping here and there to keep the hungry wolves at bay, and that was it.  The various hurty bits are healing well, for which we are thankful.  Today is the seven month anniversary of the big fall and subsequent damage and, while the hand and arm are still weaker than they were beforehand, they are slowly recovering.

It has rained, wonderful rain, which came with lights and music - thunder and lightning - and more is forecast for tonight and tomorrow.  The rain delayed my sewing the quilt back together as My Lovely New Bernina has computer Stuff in its innards, and according to technical sewing machine people it's not a good idea to use a computerised machine during lightning storms......so I don't.  The plug is even pulled out from the wall socket, because I'm not taking any chances.  About 15 years ago we lost a computer to a lightning strike; it was plugged in at the time, so we know these things happen.

What is blogger playing at these days?  Every comment comes up in my email inbox as a "no reply"; hopefully though I can still reply if you are in my contacts from previous replies.  I love reading  your comments, every one is appreciated, and I endeavour to reply as and when I can.

"A lady obliged to travel alone.

A lady, in travelling alone, may accept services from her fellow-travellers, which she should always acknowledge graciously.  Indeed, it is the business of a gentleman to see that the wants of an unescorted lady are attended to.  He should offer to raise or lower her window if she seems to have any difficulty in doing it herself.  He may offer his assistance in carrying her packages upon leaving the car, or in engaging a carriage or obtaining a trunk.  Still, women should learn to be as self-reliant as possible; and young women particularly should accept proffered assistance from strangers, in all but the slightest offices, very rarely."

Assistance offered to those of us of the more senior persuasion is much appreciated, let me tell you.  One cannot do everything by one's self any more.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Around the back

There has been fabric spread out on the sewing table while Big Decisions were made about the backing for Autumn Rhapsody.

The orange leaf print at the top has been sewn to the brown print.  (That's a fold you can see vertically in the fabrics, not a join.)  Two of these have been made, one for the top and one for the bottom.....or perhaps it's one for the left side and one for the right?  The orange leaf and brown prints will be sewn on each side of the centre panel when it's done, and the back will be complete.

The print with leaves and writing is about six inches short of being wide enough, wouldn't it rot your socks?   Using a piece of the orange leaf print in the centre will, however, make it wide enough and (hopefully!) add interest to the back.

It's a bit tricky trying to get a good pic of fabrics on a cutting table which is higher than a normal dining table when one is short, you know.  The proportions are better in real life.

The tidgy widgy stitching continues, work is now proceeding along the third side.  It's quite slow going because of the tiny stitches; if I had any sense I wouldn't have started off so small, but......ah well.  At least the point of the quilting foot shouldn't poke underneath when Margaret quilter is working her magic.  My hand complains after a while so it takes a break, then I don't always get back to it, something else gets done instead.....

All the various hurty bits are now doing well, for which I am thankful.  Words have been read, stitches have been sewn.  Notes have been plinked and sung; only one last rehearsal remaining for our World Premiere Extravaganza next Saturday night, and hopefully all will go well.  We have hunted and gathered, so we won't starve.

A couple of nights ago we treated ourselves to a visit to the theatre where the musical society were performing 'A Grand Night for Singing', a show made up of songs from different musicals by Rogers and Hammerstein.  The small cast of five did a sterling job, the staging was very well done, it was a fun evening.  Many of the songs were familiar - the soundtrack of my childhood!  The costumes weren't fancy; two of the women were in short floaty sequin-trimmed dresses - one rosy red, the other a pinky lilac - while the third was in white pants and sequin-trimmed top accessorised with different scarves and, at one point, a red feather boa with red flower atop her hair.  One of the blokes was in a cream three piece suit, the other in blue-grey; their jackets were on and off for different songs, and a couple of times Mr Cream wore a blue jacket with his cream suit while Mr Grey wore a cream jacket with his grey.....a way to add interest while avoiding elaborate costume changes.  The only quibble I would make was that Ms Pinky Lilac's dress was straight; she is quite short, and a little flare in the skirt would have given her more freedom of movement as she tried to keep pace with the taller members of the cast during dance moves.

We've had a taste of the coming summer during the week, a couple of quite nasty hot days.....don't like that at all....fortunately today is milder, in fact rain is forecast for the next couple of days.  It could be a correct forecast too, the frog in the drainpipe has been croaking away today.  We've been hearing it of late, so perhaps it knows something?  The frog must have a few places where it hangs out because quite a long time can pass when we don't hear it at all, perhaps it's like a cat which visits every house in a neighbourhood but doesn't really belong to any of them.

Continuing on with the duty of a lady to her escort:

"A lady should give her attendant as little trouble and annoyance as possible, and she should make no unnecessary demands upon his good nature and gentlemanly services.  Her hand-baggage should be as small as circumstance will permit, and when once disposed of, it should remain undisturbed until she is about to leave the train, unless she should absolutely require it.  As the train nears the end of her journey, she will deliberately gather together her effects preparatory to departure, so that when the train stops she will be ready to leave it an once, and not wait to hurriedly grab her various parcels, or cause her escort unnecessary delay."

Some of that sage advice would also apply to those travelling by air, these days.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer