CATCHING UP ---- AGAIN!

Now where do I start?

Ok, we'll begin with the day out to the zoo, last Friday with DD and family.  I'd never been to Melbourne Zoo before and looked forward to seeing the family, but found some of it just a bit stressful.  I'm not sure I like to see large animals without lots of freedom, but that's just me.  I did love the butterfly house and although it sprinkled on and off, I did enjoy the day on the whole.

Peacock posing for many cameras, including mine.

Butterflies feeding.

Isn't this one beautiful.

Saturday saw us set off to Phillip Island to pick up the last of my "SWAP" gifts, which didn't go exactly to plan.  The place (not giving too much away), where we headed was in the throws of renovation and they are marketing their wares differently, hence not being to get exactly what I wanted.  I gave in and purchased something along similar lines and have made the best of it.
Next, we went on a mini adventure to the other end of the small island to see if we could spot seals on the rocks.  Even with our binoculars, I wasn't sure if I could make any out, but do have some great photos to show of the island and some wildlife.

The Nobbies, just beyond the main island.

Many headlands and coves along the island's coast.

Looking down to one of the many coves.

The penguin viewing area, where the Little Penguins cross the beach at dusk every evening on the way to their burrows.It is very controlled and no photos are allowed. 

Cape Barren Geese, one of the island's lovely inhabitants.

Monday I made a Lemon Shortcake and we picked our first blueberries.

Yesterday I finished quilting this.

OK, so this is the back.
I have a 'confession' to make.  I am trying to write a book, but don't know how to write patterns.  I design by using my Quilt Wizard software or on graph paper and just make notes for myself.  I've been asked several times if I have a pattern for something and my mind boggles as to how to put it down in understandable format.  I've produced quite a few tops that DD thought would do well as a book, so now I'll get them quilted and see if I can't do it.

Today I went to the Post Office with this.

Xmas Swap gifts should now be somewhere in the system ready to fly off to their destination.

ANNOUNCEMENT.

"We have frogs in our pond".  Some of the tadpoles are now wee frogs.  I can't believe that they grow legs and lose their tales.  Amazing.  I'll try and get a photo when a little larger.  I find nature so fascinating.


So that has been our week so far and now will settle in for the night after having a lovely massage this afternoon.
Hope everyone is having a good week and take care.
Susan.

A LITTLE OF NOTHING!!!!!

A bit absent of late, but I am still here.  I'll post bits and bobs occasionally till I feel a lot better than I do now.

MY FIRST QUILT.

Most people probably don't know that I made my first ever quilt in 1977 between the birth of my two boys. (Dec 1976 and Jan 1978)  Now work that one out and you realise they were pretty close.  My great aunt suggested it and sort of told me what to do.  Cut 6" squares from leftover dressmaking fabric of which I had a lot from years of making my own clothes, as well as DD's, put in some wadding and a back.  Wadding was so thick back then and I think all polyester.  I possibly sewed the back to the front, put in the wadding, then tried to quilt across it, not very successfully, but it lasted from then till about 2004 when my late cat passed away and it was by then falling to pieces.  The boys played on, under and with it for many years, then our two cats used it to sleep on.  I found this photo of it when sorting through some photos one day.  Glad I have some sort of record.  I've made many more since then.

First quilt.

I've suddenly noticed this photo must have been taken whilst we lived in Tasmania from 1987 to 1994.

Now here is a photo (taken today) of how my sewing machine is set up and is especially for my US blogpal Joanna.  Hope you now understand what I was trying to say in the comment.

Not done too much, though I have managed to quilt the little quilt I showed last time and have even  machined the binding ready to finish.  I've hardly even used the camera much.
I have a large project I really want to get done, as it has been in the pipeline for years.  I thought if I try and get stuck into that it might actually happen, so just another bit of info if I don't get to your blogs a lot over the coming weeks.  I don't want to tell what it is, in case it doesn't happen.

Just a note to end on.  I do wish we could have PEACE in this wonderful world of ours and my thoughts go out to all those affected by this latest incident.

Have a great week all and take care.
Susan.

NOVEMBER CATCHUP

Boy, I am rather behind on posting, so will do a quick catchup.

CRAFTING WITH LEFTOVERS.

2 1/4" strips leftover from bindings.

These are being sewn together 'willy-nilly' and then I'll work on a layout and it will become a picnic rug for the car.  Over the 35+ years I've been quilting I've accumulated a lot of these strips, although some have been given away over the years for charity things.

The above little quilt has been sitting over the machine for a week now.  I made this in the late 90's in a workshop with Mary Ellen Hopkins and will be popped in with the other charity quilts.  I really do have a lot of things to finish.  Oh dear!

THE WEEKEND BEFORE LAST.

On the Sunday, we decided to visit the State Rose Garden of Victoria, as I knew the roses should be well out by now.  We'd had quite a hot week, then on Saturday morning a deluge of rain, but although a bit battered they looked very colourful.  We then went on to visit DD and grandkids before heading back across Melbourne to here.

The above 2 pics are overall views from a rise.

One of the many swags.

A new rose in the trial bed.

OUR GARDEN.

Not a lot to show at the moment.  Weather has been quite erratic with cool days amongst warmer and humid ones and today is about 30 with tomorrow predicted to be only 17 with some rain.  As for rain, last month we had 28mm, the lowest for October that we know about and yet we've already had 24mm this month.  Crazy!

We've netted our two large blueberries to hopefully deter the birds.  It was very hard trying to get a photo of the actual blueberries, but that is a little of what is on the bigger of the two, below.

I'm still not feeling 100%, but am trying to get at least some things done.  This morning I made an easy ginger cake and a date & walnut slice.
I've also been trying to get some Xmas gifts done as well as the 12 Days of Xmas thing I've joined in with, from Jo's blog.  These are all a bit secret so can't show anything.
Well, I'm off to water some pots, do the veg for tea and then just after 7pm will be talking to someone on the other side of the world I hope.

Take care all and have a good week,
Susan.