Sunday 18 March 2018

ALL SORTS, but not licorice!!!!

Ah yes, I've been a little absent lately due to ever so busy with life in general.
Weather has been atrocious, with more extreme heat, wind & no rain, but that changed today a little, with cooler temps & some rain.  Our rainfall for this year has been 61mm for January, which was pretty average, only 12mm for February, well below & today our first rain for March ---- 😊, though the wind is absolutely howling outside, so definitely a stay indoors day.    Being so dry, there are also a number of bushfires burning throughout the state.
Now for a few bits'n'bobs that have been happening lately.

A weekend was spent in Geelong where I attended a quilt class in Toquay (no photos, as I forgot to take camera to class), but I do have a few others from the weekend.  A day to Ballarat, where we wandered through the Botanic Gardens, which if you are one of my older followers, will know is a place I love.
Twisting.

Monkey Puzzle tree.
A little relaxing while the wife took too many photos.

I also whiled away an hour or so in my favourite quilt shop & did come away with a few bits.  Eureka Patchwork always has the most wonderful array of floral prints, which I love.
A couple of lonely chimneys from an old homestead, stand beside the road from Ballarat to Geelong.

On the Sunday afternoon, we checked a couple of NT properties The Grange in Newtown, a suburb of Geelong, with a guided tour by a very young volunteer, who made it so interesting.  The next property will have to be visited again as they were just about to close.
Part of the beautiful homestead at above property.
I could just imagine spending hours pottering about in these sheds in the gardens.
March has been quite eventful for us, as we waited the arrival of our granddaughter from the UK at the beginning of this month.  She has come to Oz, on a working holiday & will be staying with us whilst fitting in both work & travel.  One other event has been hubby's big "0" birthday which we celebrated on Thursday.  Just a day out with some sightseeing of the Mornington Peninsular for J, then dinner at a hotel, which we've been to before, with good meals & service.
J picking up seashells on the seashore.
Permission was granted to post this photo.

Merricks Beach, where we had a walk.  If you click on the photo, you will see in centre, a bird wading across the water.

Bush scenery along the back of the sand.

A coastal Banksia, surviving despite the wind & odd angle at which it is growing.
CRAFTING.

In amongst the business, I've tried to relax with my craft.
Night time has seen me challenging my brain with this crochet.  It is coming together allbeit very slowly.  It is keeping the grey matter working, that's for sure.
My Sunshine & Shadows rug.
Bubs has also been up & running in between times & these two are quilted & bound, ready for handsewing.
Not the best photos due to the overcast day, though the sun has shone on & off, as it was coming through the window when I took these.
On the left is a very old quilt & the one on the right made last year.
Close up of quilting on both.



One last photo today from this morning, when it was raining & blowing a hooley.  If you look at our hedge in the photo below, you can see just how far the top is leaning.
Enough from me & if I'm quiet again,  I will be back for the Scavenger Photo Hunt at the end of March.  Take care all.
Huggles, Susan.

11 comments:

  1. Oh for the warmth; we have snow again. Love your seaside photos and especially the lone Banksia. Your rug looks complicated - well done.

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    1. Thanks Carol. I'll admit to liking cooler weather than the scorching heat we've had of late, but I'll send sunshine if you want.

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  2. Happy belated birthday to hubby, there seems to be lots of big '0' birthdays in blogland this year. How lovely that J has come to stay, do you know how long she'll be with you for? It will be a wonderful experience for her. Don't mention the weather, we've got snow again here. It was earlier in March last year when we went to visit Daniel and were walking about without coats, it was so warm, yet here we are with the white stuff again. You've certainly been keeping busy, lovely to read your catch up post.

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    1. Thanks Jo. Yes a few big "0"s this year including yours.(smile). Think weather has been weird this March north & south, as our fires are very late in the season, (think they said 40+thousand hectares here in Vic so far have been burnt)& the ones near us are so inaccessible), as well as cyclones in our far north. Take care & stay warm.

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  3. we have been 'blessed' with another dousing of snow - it is bitterly cold, rather the wind is. The actual temperature is -2 but with the windchill factor it feels about -8deg c - fed up now, want some sunshine!
    Lovely images as ever Susan, happy belated birthday wishes to K xxx

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    1. Thanks Kate. Keep seeing both blog posts & family facebook about the late snowfalls in UK & can't believe all the crazy weather lately, as above reply points out. We had 35 on Saturday & yesterday finally reached 21 late in the afternoon, after being sat on about 14 for most of it. Less than half the day before mostly. I got plenty done, though not outside in the wind which has now eased thankfully for the fire situation. Take care & stay warm.

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  4. Wow that crochet is amazing Susan! Mine is rather boring compared to that :) Hope the weather gets cooler again until next summer xx

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    1. Thanks Joy. I'll show it to you in June. Weather cooler for the last 2 days & more rain last night. Hope everywhere got some for the fires. They've been really bad.

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  5. Gosh, you don’t do things by half! That crochet would certainly challenge my grey matter too! It’s going to be well worth the effort, I look forward to seeing the finished rug. I love those sheds, when I was a child I always wanted a shed of my own! Now that I’ve got one it’s full of stuff because m’s shed needs a new roof! Can’t win them all! Hope the weather settles down for you x

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    1. Thanks Juanita, I do try & make an effort to keep learning and busy. I'd give anything for a "she" shed, as I've no studio for my quilting anymore & miss being able to shut away mess. Still very windy, but blowing from the east today, so I'm sure someone has sent in your Beast from the East without the snow(giggle). Take care.

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  6. Looks like you have had a lovely March. I think that may be some sort of heron on Merricks Beach. The NT property looks very elegant. And that is super colourful crochet. X

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