AWAY ON HOLIDAY.

No photos as yet and I'm not snubbing everyone, but having trouble trying to get into my blog on this new small laptop.  In now at the moment.

As we are now in UK and catching up on sleep due to Jetlag, I'll try and do some browsing blogs when I sort this out a bit better.

Today was spent with family on a day out in Skipton.  Was great to be back in this neck of the woods.  Hopefully I'll get some photos on over the weekend, although we do have the christening of my great niece on Sunday and catching up with lots more of the family. 

Hope everyone has a great weekend and take care.

Susan.

SEASIDE

Just a quick post leading up to us going away.  Not sure whether or not I'll be able to post whilst away, but sure will try.  I'll do another over the weekend and we leave on Tuesday.

Last Friday, we had an outing to Geelong (again) to get something signed for our heating rebate.  As we had to wait for the person to return, we headed out to Barwon Heads to eat our lunch, but went for a walk first along the promenade, up the stairs to the lookout and then down and back along the beach.

 From the promenade..

The headland...

 The top of the stairs with signage...

 Looking out to sea.....

Looking west towards Torquay.

Walked back down to the beach and look what I saw.

 A molusc leaving tracks in the sand....

 Very white seaweed.....

 Patterns in the sand......

More seaweed....

 And more...

The cafe at the end of the pier.

 And what do we have here?  A blanket keeping the engine warm on our car.

No, our lunch heating up.  Lovely gooey ham, tomato and cheese croissants I'd made early in the morning.

Don't laugh, but it works.  It was a lovely day out, as we both love the coast.

Next, just a taster of what I hope to get up to once we get back from our holiday.  Over the years I've amassed many quilt tops which still need quilting.  So far this year I've only done one of the many, although I've quilted both baby quilts and 4 of the test patterns for Sue.

This pattern is from QNM no. 187, dated Nov/Dec 1986.  I made it a version of my own around 1997/8, as a result of my late cat Fluffy playing with the blocks laid out on the floor.  I was also going through a very colourful phase.(giggle).

This past week has seen me trying to get some sewing done.  I can't show exactly what it all is, but just a peek.

Well, that's all folks.  Oh, and I didn't make the doorstop.  It was my Xmas present from our youngest and family.  Take care and hope the end of the week goes well my fellow readers.
Susan.

FLOWERS, BIRDS, QUILTS.

Just a quick update on what has been happening in our part of the world.
I've been busy with sewing and usual mundane housework, but on a brighter note we've had slightly warmer days, so got out and about yesterday.  Went for a lovely walk along the lake edge and then over to the Botanical Gardens Glasshouse, took some photos and had a coffee.

An orchid sitting on the front counter with the weest flowers.

Cinerarias, ornamental cabbages,cyclamen and standard trees.

The indoor fountain.

More cinerarias, cyclamen and primulas.

Some very pretty umbrellas which are for sale.

I also took a couple of photos of two quilts amongst the beautiful blooms.  Pa's garden you have already seen quilted, but Cat Flaps has just come off the machine.

Cat Flaps

Pa's Garden.

Whilst walking along the Lake, we saw many different birds.  They were out and about everywhere.

Moorhen, black swan and a white ibis.

Purple swamphen.

One lonely pelican.  I couldn't see any others around at all.

Along with these photos, I could also see magpies, corellas, seagulls and ducks.
The walk around the Lake takes you past many different areas.

Bare trees.

Wattle, now in flower.

A very English looking house.  I do like.

The adventure playground.

And lastly, the newly refurbished monument to the 1956 Olympics.  Lake Wendouree was created for the rowing events.  My dear Dad worked here as a Telegraphist, sending messages all round the world of the winners and news of these wonderful games.  I was only seven at the time and was in awe of the whole thing.
I've still got the souvenir handkerchief he brought home for me.

All for now and hopefully will catch up again over the weekend.
Take care.   Susan.

LOOK AT THIS!!!!!

It   "SNOWED"  today.

The courtyard with snow flurriesand not much else at the moment.

Just a couple more pictures.

Looking over to the reserve.

"Icing" on the hedge.

It wasn't very much, but it was snow.  The Eastern Rosellas were still out and about, even though it was flipping cold.

There were two, but on opposite sides of the tree.

Now for a finish.

Hubby's ripple rug.

Just a quick one to show that we do get cold here in Oz.  Ballarat very rarely gets snow, but there it is.
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.  Take care.
Susan.

MY FAVOURITE TOOLS

I was once asked what my favourite tools were, (this was in relation to quilting), and my answer was "my hands".  This lady gave me a strange look and walked away.  Jo (Through the Keyhole), got me thinking after her comment about my chillblains and this gave me an idea for this post.

My old hands.

As a child with my little hands,

I learnt:  to feed myself, first with my fingers, then cutlery.
             to play pat a cake, clap and wave.
             to colour in and write.
             to tie my shoelaces.
             to play with toys and dolls.
             to hold and play with my baby brothers.
             to play the piano and recorder.
             to craft, knit, sew and crochet.
             to play tennis.

As I grew older, with my hands,

I learnt:  to play netball.
             set my neighbour's hair in rollers.
             stroke my cat.
             drive a car.
             work as a filing clerk, typist, accounting machine operator, in a canning factory and finally as a proof machinist  and teller in a bank.
           
As life progressed, my hands,
             held my hubbie's hand.
             tended my children daily as they grew.
             learnt to make meals and bake.
             to do all the daily household chores.

As I matured, my hobbies needed these hands for,
            patchwork and quilting,
            gardening and flower arranging.

Then, I started to "blog", still needing these hand to make friends all around the world.
 There are probably many things I've forgotten that our hands do, but I'm still sure these are my most important and favourite tools.

What do you think?

That's all folks.  Just a little thoughtful post.  Take care.
Susan.

ISN'T SHE BEAUTIFUL!

SHE,  being this lovely camellia, I planted only about 6 weeks ago.  It is only a small as yet, but has this flower and another four buds.  I've wanted to buy the camellia, VOLUNTEER since seeing it planted and flowering at Vision in Warragul a few years ago.

I was going to do some gardening today and plant these, but with light misty rain on and off all day, I decided maybe tomorrow if it's finer.

Instead I did this.

 Loaded onto the machine mid-week.

 Quilted today.

The back showing the pattern called Luscious Leaves by Hermione Agee.

Just a quick post, as I'm still having hand issues with my chillblains, which are very swollen and now starting to split.  This is more of a nuisance than anything.  I also have a lot of sewing to do, but can't tell what it is yet.  Hmm!  That will leave you all wondering.
Hope everyone is having a great weekend and take care.
Susan.

CHILLY START!!!!!!

Just a quick post to show how cold it was this morning, though the day became sunny, but still quite cool.

Around 8am

Closeup of frost.

Then the fog rolled in around 9am and it was still -2deg at 9.30am

Ice on our water feature in the courtyard around lunch time.

Trying to take a photo of an ice shard.

Well it is now close to 5pm and our house is cosy and warm, as the heater has been more or less finished and is working.

I'm going to work on hubby's ripple tonight in the hope it is long enough so I can start/finish a few other things.  Tomorrow I hope to be able to get to Bunnings (hardware store) to find something for a larger design wall and we also have our gym assessments, so hopefully we should soon be fighting fit.(lol).  Hope you all have a lovely Tuesday and until next time, take care.
Susan.