Sunday, 14 January 2018

DEFLATED!!!

Yes I've been a bit absent of late...............
The lead up to the silly season was quite hectic, but in amongst car club events, some child minding, carpet laying & then our visitors, we didn't get to see any of our children or grandchildren over the Christmas period.  I think this makes me feel somewhat flat, but distance is our biggest problem & DD spent it in Sydney with in-laws.  Luckily our visitors took our minds off it till they went home.😞
Now I need to get some motivation back & find my mojo.  Hot weather & sore back & ribs (once again), don't help, but I'm telling myself, "just get on with it".
A blog post might help!!!!!          Where to start..............

THE GARDEN.

More blueberries.  This morning the I tallied up my amounts, which I've been writing down and it comes to........ (drum roll please), 14.5 kgs.  WOW.

The photo on the right, was hubby a couple of hours ago, starting to erect an arbour at the top of the steps to support a wisteria we purchased, just before the hot weather set in.  Has been a little cooler for the last few days.










The two raised veg beds we built & I showed a while back are now quite full and we've tomatoes, that aren't doing well, although they look quite lush.  My fruit seems to have lots of blossom end rot.  I've picked a few feeds of beans, zucchini (courgettes), and silver beet (chard).  That rather wayward pumpkin is sporting a few small fruits for now.  The rhubarb also needs harvesting again.



Still with the garden, some months back, we were told about some timber & fittings being given away by the owner of some shops.  An Indian Restaurant had closed it's doors & was to be leased out once more as shop space, so as long as one was willing to do the work of dismantling things, the timber was ours.  We came home with some of these (not in our plan), but we've put them to good use.
The panels, which reeked of curry.😄
Now some of them are hiding the water tanks behind the shed.  We've planted a banksia rose to clamber over them, which will form the first part of a small garden in front of them.  We'll plant it up once the weather is more favourable.

CRAFTING.
I'd really not done any sewing for some time, either on my Bernina or the Gammill, which had not had a quilt on it since August (naughty girl).  Earlier in the week, decided I had to get some things done or else.  I had started a quilt that I designed myself to use up some of my rather embarrassing stash.  The main piece is now done and just needs borders.
Has not been named yet.
Next on the list was to oil Bubs (Gammill) & starting her up.  Yellow backing pinned on and two quilts ready and waiting, so a small one (made in 2000 from a magazine), was put on late yesterday afternoon, and low & behold, it is done as I write this.
And as I worked, I was watching the One Day Cricket between England & Australia.
Not so much watching, but listening, as I can't really see the small TV in the corner of the familyroom.
This isn't so much crafting, but something I fiddled about with.  I picked up the eagle feather a long time ago and behind that is a galah feather.  The pretty pink seed heads were found on a day out in early December, lying on the ground.  I think it looks cute for now.

Sunshine & Showers CAL by Janie Crow.
During the evenings, I've been doing some crochet.  Mid last year I ordered some wool from The Wool Warehouse in UK for myself & DD and made the rash decision to tackle a CAL from an old magazine that I thought looked interesting.  Luck was on my side as each part of the pattern was also available on the designers website for 95p each.  I bought the first 3 and made a start.  This is where I'm at now and need to purchase the next 3 to keep going.  It's been quite challenging, but  I am pleased with it so far. 


OUT AND ABOUT.

We needed to pick our visitors up from their friend's house one evening after dinner, so had a day out for ourselves too.  A quick trip to Torquay was decided upon so I could check out Amitie Textiles, where I am booked in to do a quilt class with Angie Wilson, a young Australian quilt designer, that I'm really looking forward to in February.  The above photo is looking toward the water at Torquay from a walking track

.
A mosaic sundial, again at Torquay, where you stand beside the month and you can tell the time of day from your shadow.  It is both beautiful and interesting.
On through Geelong on our way home & I quickly snapped these painted bollard figures that adorn the bay.

Another day out in early December, saw us have a quick picnic lunch in Braeside Park, where these wonderful carved tree stumps are.  This is a suburb of greater Melbourne.

 
 A quick round up of just a few things that have happened in December and January, that I've not blogged about.  I'm just about done for this post, as my photos seem to have a mind of their own and keep jumping about.


ONE LAST THING.
Jewel Parti.
This is the quilt I made at a Mystery Case Quilt Retreat in Bordertown, back in June 2017.
As soon as I saw the one I picked I knew who would receive it.
It now resides with my friend Kate in the UK.

OK, I'VE HAD ENOUGH.
Silly Blogger!!!!
Take care all and huggles from Susan.
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18 comments:

  1. KC'sCourt!14 January 2018 at 20:47

    Wow! all those blueberries. Love the ex-restaurant fencing. I'm sure the smell of curry will go away after being outside a few weeks. Love the crochet and patchwork

    Julie xxxxxxx

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    1. Susan Smith15 January 2018 at 07:16

      Thanks Julie & the curry smell has departed, especially once they were painted.

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  2. kjsutcliffe14 January 2018 at 20:53

    I recognise that last photo!!!! I have to say thank you again for such a beautiful and generous gift xx xx my quilt sits on my legs most evenings and during the day lounges on the back of the settee.
    Love photos of your trips out and at home. The transformation of the screens from restaurant to garden looks great, they do make excellent garden screening/plant support.xxxxxx

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    1. Susan Smith15 January 2018 at 07:21

      Thanks Kate. The garden seems to have its moments of things done, then a lapse if the weather is not very conducive, which it hasn't been recently. I should do a "just garden" post soon, as I've a lot of photos of individual things out, but overall it's not how I want it. Take care.

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  3. Jo14 January 2018 at 21:36

    A lovely newsy post. Wow, all those blueberries, I bet they take some time to pick, they're quite fiddly, aren't they? Your vegetable beds look to be doing well but I bet you spend some time watering them in your heat. Lucky Kate having such a wonderful quilt made by you, it's a beauty. Hope your back and ribs improve soon.

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    1. Susan Smith15 January 2018 at 07:25

      Thanks Jo. The blueberries do take time, then they need to go into small containers to either give away or occasionally sell & I freeze lots, that do me till they start again next season. Gardens do take time, but for me, as long as the weather is nice, I enjoy. As for back/ribs, I just need to manage the pain & get on with life. Take care.

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  4. jude's page15 January 2018 at 08:46

    Great post Susan, love blueberries, and especially love the last quilt, think I need to repeat that pattern, in different fabrics. Doing lots of repeats at the moment, as have counted up 96 that I have cut!!

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    1. Susan Smith15 January 2018 at 18:45

      Thanks Judy. I haven't shown it till now, although I finished it in early August, as it was a gift for Kate. Hope you are ready for the next retreat.

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  5. Fil15 January 2018 at 10:12

    Happy New Year Susan - Great post and oh it's lovely to see the sunshine - I hope it's not too hot where you are. Your Indian restaurant fencing looks wonderful and I can't believe you're growing your own blueberries in such quantities. Have a good week and I hope your back and ribs are feeling a bit better - nothing worse. Fil

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    1. Susan Smith15 January 2018 at 18:50

      Thanks Fil. We've had both sunshine and showers today, but it's hotting up for Thursday & Friday this week & I don't do extreme heat. I've only 2 blueberry bushes and have been told they were probably planted in about 2003, so are about 14 years old. We've been here 2 1/2 years. I'm learning how to manage the pain, as it won't be getting any better as I age. Take care.

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  6. Onceuponathimble15 January 2018 at 18:40

    So lovely to be in the sunshine and heat via your post!!! Blossom end rot indicates lack of calcium due to erratic watering, which in your heat is possible. I get it from time to time. I was still picking tomatoes in November in the greenhouse.

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    1. Susan Smith15 January 2018 at 18:55

      Thanks Carol. I do like sunshine, but not the extremes. That is an interesting fact about the tomatoes, but what do you do, when you have 42deg one day, then the next is only 21 and raining. The weather man doesn't always get it right either. I've quite a few that look OK. Take care.

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  7. Bag End Gardener15 January 2018 at 22:22

    So sorry you didn't see the family over Christmas :( Loving your blueberries - I am eating mine from the freezer every week.

    Those screens are FAB! What a great recylcing haul - just the sort of thing I would have done if I got the chance.

    Well done for getting the longarm running, and you know what I think of Kate's quilt :) {{hugs}}

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  8. Susan Smith16 January 2018 at 07:09

    Thanks Jayne. We like to recycle if we can & made a table for the BBQ from some of it, & the arbour (except the 4 uprights) is using it too. I've actually got a wee container of berries left from last season too, that I should use for some muffins. I've another quilt going on the rest of that backing today. Huggles.

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  9. Rosie19 January 2018 at 00:29

    Mmm... love blueberries and the fencing that came from the restaurant looks wonderful and will look splendid with the rose growing over it:)

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    1. Susan Smith19 January 2018 at 08:12

      Thanks Rosie. Amazing what you can make out of scrap.

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  10. Joy from Days Filled With Joy19 January 2018 at 04:41

    Wow, that is a lot of blueberries! Wish I was there to pinch some!! I really want to plant some when we get "home"..... all your quilts look so lovely.. and what a great "curry" fence :) xx

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    1. Susan Smith19 January 2018 at 08:14

      You could have some if you were back here, but I'll make sure I've some in the freezer for you when you're home next & you must come & see the garden etc. It's going to be hot here today. 40+ Take care.

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