Forwards and backwards

The computer has been back in hospital....doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it, they said.....I'm not convinced.  Anyway, it's back home for now.

How has everyone been?  It's been a busy couple of weeks; we're in the hottest part of the year and as usual the heat is quite unpleasant but it, too, will eventually pass.  The country music festival has come and gone, we had a new musical friend staying (I don't know where he gets his stamina from; his time was spent running from one gig to another and he had some very late nights, although he never disturbed us no matter how late he came home) and we enjoyed going to a few concerts.

No trees were made last week but the binding has been machined down on Autumn Rhapsody, and it's now being hand-sewn down on the back.  My bad hand doesn't enjoy long marathon sewing sessions, but so far it's behaving.  The panic over the too-short binding turned out to be misplaced in the end, as that extra strip wasn't needed after all.

Never waste a good panic.  You don't know when it may be needed for something really important.

If we were to hop in the trusty chariot and drive an hour or so south, we would be in sunflower territory.

A sunflower tree for the farmers who grow the sunflowers, and for tourists who love taking selfies in a field of big golden blooms.  Some farmers are now planting a field of flowers just for that purpose as it keeps the aforementioned tourists from trampling their precious crop, and the 'selfie fee' still raises some welcome money for their coffers or for charity.

Not sure what sort of tree this one is, but it's very colourful!

Don't they look good together?  

A reminder that one day this enervating heat will come to an end, and autumn will be with us once more.

To answer the comment from 'Anonymous' on my last post about a purple tree:  my least favourite colour in the whole spectrum is pink.  My second least favourite is purple, therefore a purple tree may continue to be missing.  There will, however, be more green and yellow trees to come.

Yesterday was Australia Day.  We spent the morning at home and the afternoon at a concert enjoying our musical guest's talents, before saying 'farewell' to the performers until next year.  As usual many words have been read and spoken on the subject of "should we celebrate Australia Day when it commemorates the arrival of European settlers to the detriment of the First Peoples" but I don't think the answer is simple, as any alternative date put forward is also problematic for some reason or another.  The date also marks the date of 26th January, 1949, when the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948 was enacted.  That meant that we all became Australian citizens; prior to that date we were considered British subjects and even had to travel on British passports....and that, to me, is something worth celebrating.

My Posh Melbourne Grandmother, Florence, was one of five girls and two boys born in Sydney to Phoebe and Arthur Nelson.  (She and her new hubby moved to Melbourne after their marriage and spent the rest of their lives there.)  For several years from the mid-1890s Arthur, an engineer with his own business, was a member of the N.S.W. Legislative Assembly, and according to information found on Trove he attended Federation conferences in both Melbourne and Adelaide, prior to Federation in 1901.  In those days the prospect of Federation - all Australian states and territories combining to form one country - was obviously on Arthur and Phoebe's mind, so much so that a daughter born in 1887 was named 'Australia'.

She seems to have gone by her middle name of Mae.  Can't say I blame her, really.

Words have been read.  Notes have been plinked.  Stitches have been sewn, by hand and by machine.  We managed to avoid the festival crowds (not always an easy exercise when there are over 50,000 of them to avoid) in order to hunt and gather because the food supply was getting a bit low, but we are stocked up again now.  We keep out of the heat as much as possible, although it's a struggle to stay cool sometimes.

Further to our last point of etiquette:

"It shows a great lack of proper manners to see two ladies, or a lady and gentleman, occupy a seat in front of them and fill it with their wraps and bundles, retaining it in spite of the entreating or remonstrating looks of fellow-passengers.  In such case any person who desires a seat is justified in removing the baggage and taking possession of the unused seat."

It's even worse when people put their feet on the opposite seat.  Who would want to pick up someone else's feetsies and place them on the floor?  Not me.  Not even I.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Trees, and binding, and a label......

How has everyone been this week?

This week's trees.  I've never seen a turquoise, blue and yellow tree, but no doubt they exist somewhere....even if only in my imagination.

An autumn tree, just for me.  This is my new favourite.

The twelve trees made so far were laid out to see how they look.....there are definitely some autumn colours going on there.  

My eyes are detecting a shortage of green trees, though.....that's something to be remedied, yes?

The label for Autumn Rhapsody is done.

It has, believe it or not, been pressed.  No doubt when it's sewn to the quilt that stubborn crease across the middle won't be so noticeable.....or so I'm telling myself.

The binding strips are joined and pressed in half, but I have a feeling that it won't be long enough.  The trusty tape measure will be pressed into service before starting to sew binding to quilt because another strip may need to be joined in, and that would be easier before it's three-quarters sewn to the quilt, wouldn't it.

Words have been read.  Stitches have been sewn, by hand and by machine.  No songs have been played or notes plinked; my tenor uke has gone to have the machine heads replaced (that's the things that the tuning pegs are attached to) but I still have two ukes and two guitars I can play when the fancy strikes.  We hunted and gathered, food was bought.

It was also the time for the annual eye check-up.  My eyes, so the optometrist tells me, are in excellent health - something for which I am thankful; my vision, however, is another story.  The cataract which has been slowly....oh, so slowly.....forming on my left eye is still nowhere near needing an operation yet, and now another is starting to form on my right eye.  If you feel that your vision is getting worse come back and see us, said the nice optometrist.  My reading glasses are having new lenses fitted, a previous prescription is serving the purpose for now, but I will be pleased to have my others back again.

The tourists are arriving....there's a big country music festival here in January; many locals bail out and leave town, some rent their homes out to visitors, some rent out a spare bedroom or two.  For the past several years we have billeted one of the performers but our usual musical friend, Paul, can't make it this year (he has medical and health stuff happening).  We will miss him, and miss our chats around the table over a cuppa, but no doubt we will make a new friend with a different muso.

Best of all, we've had rain.....not heaps and heaps, but enough to make the dead dry brown grass on the hill behind us start to show a little touch of green.  More is forecast for this week, in fact the storm radar shows that we may get rain later today.  Just in time for those festival campers setting up their tents and caravans....

The occasional visiting frog in the down pipe has been croaking frantically (well, it sounds frantic to us) sending out his "I'm available, girls....how about it?" signals to the girl frogs.  He was very loud last night; we were hoping his lady love would soon arrive and put him out of his misery, but as he was croaking earlier today he had no luck last night.  Well, that's the way love goes, isn't it.

"Occupying too many seats.

No lady will retain possession of more than her rightful seat in a crowded tram-car or railway carriage.  When others are looking for accommodations she should at once and with all cheerfulness so dispose of her baggage that the seat beside her may be occupied by someone who desires it, no matter how agreeable it may be to retain possession of it."

Yes, she should.  When I was commuting by train I noticed that many school children took up more than their one seat with their school bag, while I always kept my bag on my lap.  More than once while waiting for the afternoon train it was common to see a teen - not always the same one - spread herself and her bag over a seat which was intended for three or four people, so I would turn my back to the seat and say in my best 'teacher' voice (despite not being a teacher) "would you move your bag, please" as I lowered myself to the seat.  

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

Happy New Year!

Just think, that means we're a quarter of the way through the century......

Did you all have a peaceful New Year celebration?  We certainly did; we drove out of town to meet up with a friend for lunch, which was a lovely way to spend time at the end of the old year.  Consequently we ate very sparingly later, and of course we watched 'Dinner for One'.  If you have never seen it I would recommend watching it - it's quite funny, and we all need a chuckle at times, don't we.

The new year started with two new trees.  Not all trees will have foliage, some will be more impressionistic.

Something different was tried with the branches too - a branch growing off a branch, rather than all branches growing from the centre.  After all, trees have branches growing in different directions, yes?

I like this deep gold fabric.  The leaves are purple so some leftover binding from my autumn tree hanging makes good branches, as it, too, is deep purple.  (Wouldn't that make a good song title?  Oh wait......)

Side by side.  One of these days all the trees made so far will be lined up for a pic, to see how they look together.

Binding was cut for Autumn Rhapsody, and while doing that I couldn't resist a pic of the selvedge.

The Cunning Plan for the coming week, as well as to make two more trees, is to join the binding strips and maybe - just maybe - start sewing binding to the quilt.  The label is in progress as we speak; the information is being embroidered with one strand of DMC floss 3781, a warm brown, on a mottled light tan fabric which is one of the background fabrics used in the quilt.  3781 has been used for other projects, it's a very useful floss colour.....one of those projects now lives in northern Ontario, Canada.

How has everyone's last/first week of the year been?  

Words have been read here, stitches have been sewn.  No songs have been sung or plinked yet.  We hunted and gathered; in fact we took ourselves for a drive to a small town half an hour north to try a different butcher.  A few months ago we voted in local council elections at a small village 10 minutes north and, after casting our votes, bought a democracy sausage each to help the village school funds.....and what nice sausages they were, too.  Upon enquiring we were told they came from a butcher in the aforesaid small town, so on Friday off we went.  We harnessed up the trusty VW and drove up the road to Manilla where we went to both butcher shops, making purchases at each.  Well - what nice meat from both shops, and what pleasant staff!  We have tried some already, and more is waiting in the freezer.  We have decided to repeat the exercise from time to time; it's a pleasant drive, the meat from both shops is certainly good, and parking is very easy, something that can't always be said for our bigger busier town.

Summer's heat is well and truly upon us, but some rain would be nice.....our rainfall total last year was above average, but the last couple of months were not; December was well blow average.  It's easy to see who waters their lawn regularly, and who doesn't....we don't.  Our lawn will recover when it rains, and it will rain eventually; we had a couple of storms over the last few days, but not much rain to speak of.  So we won't.

"Reading when travelling.

If a gentleman in travelling, either on tram-cars, railway or steamboat, has provided himself with newspapers or other reading, he should offer them to his companions first.  If they are refused, he may with propriety read himself, leaving the others free to do the same if they wished."

One wonders what those travellers in 1885 would have thought of today's tablets, e-readers and indeed phones taken along on a journey for reading....would they offer theirs to their companions first?  Somehow, I don't think so.

Enjoy your days!

Jennifer

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.

.

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