A GIFT AND GETTING THERE SLOWLY.

I am still here, packing, sorting, tired, but also excited.  Less than two weeks to go.
The weather has been atrocious for Autumn.  Feels more like the middle of winter already.

Now the gift I've mentioned came from my friend Judy from News from Jude, who I met in August 2013, but she also blogs and I won a gift on her giveaway recently, which was a real surprise as I didn't realise she'd had one.

I received this lovely sewing case full of goodies, including some sweets, needlecase, cotton, tape measure, glossy photo paper, covered notebook, tweezers and a lovely charm pack.  I'll think what I may do with the charm pack once settled.  I was absolutely amazed at winning and just love it.  THANKS Judy.

There's not too much to tell at the moment, but I have finished the binding on the Xmas Raffle quilt and am just about to label the quilt for my nephew and get it sent off.  The two baby quilts arrived safely, one just in time for my great nephews arrival.  My niece put a photo on Facebook of him lying on it.  Great!

We've taken our caravan over to my friends' place, along with a lot of pot plants that they are going to look after.  One that didn't go was my little cyclamen someone gave me about 6 years ago.  I had thought about repotting it this year, but haven't, but just look at it at the moment.  I brought it inside so I could see it flowering.

Can you see the tiny bud?  There are some more coming too.

Well not much more to tell, except that hubby and I wrapped the rollers on my long arm in cling wrap today and we will dismantle her over the next week, so won't be doing much machine sewing of any sort for a few weeks.  I've knitting and some embroidery to keep me amused at night.
Just for a treat we bought some of these, as our local supermarket hadn't had any for a few weeks, and they had a fresh lot in.  We will make them last (giggle).

Yummy!

Thanks for being with me on this our second move in such a short while and I value your comments very much.  I'm so looking forward to going home, being near friends, a lovely garden and just being more like the old me.  It's been a bit of a journey, but life is like that sometimes.
Hopefully I'll be able to post at least once before we move and that our internet doesn't play up again, which is one reason I've not posted.  We had 2 blackouts last week and had to have it reset.
All for now, take care and huggles,
Susan.

BREATHING SLOWLY!!!!!

Yes, I'm still here and first, I want to THANK  everyone so much for the comments you left and feel that you understand.
Next, along with the decluttering, I actually put an old pieced top on the machine and quilted it and am now hand sewing the binding.  This was made as a mystery quilt from the magazine Traditional Quiltworks (no longer in publication) around the mid nineties and I will donate it to Vision Australia as the Xmas raffle this year.  Just getting in early for a change.

Mystery quilt made also as part of a challenge with a couple of other ladies to use this rather "garish" fabric.

Yesterday saw us pop on down to Geelong to pick up a cover for our caravan, which has been leaking again, although the top has been resealed.  Whilst there, we decided to drive on to Portarlington and have our lunch by the bay.  They are building a new pier alongside the old one and we took a walk down to the breakwater, but the most amazing thing is what we saw on the way.

I've not seen so many starfish, ever.  They were literally covering all the new piers and along the bottom of the water near the small marina.  For some reason I cannot locate the photo of them on the bottom and do hope I haven't deleted it.  The little bird was perched on a rock, but I heard it before I saw it.  He was then joined by another one.  Quite a nice day out, although it was an unexpected trip.

Now, I wasn't going to tell about this, but I'm not good at keeping surprises or secrets.

As most of you know, moving to Ballarat hasn't been good and I'm sure I couldn't live here for another 10 years or so.  This house has the most unpleasant feeling and we've decided to go back to the West Gippsland area, where we lived from April 2004 to January 2014.  We made many friends and the area itself is quite scenic, so by the end of May, we will be back in our old stomping ground.
We've sold here and bought over there, hence my anxiety, which I can usually keep in check and also the decluttering.  This was one of those expensive exercises in financial terms as well as experience.
We thought we were doing the right things for retirement, but we've learnt a valuable lesson and will move on.
Just a quick peak at our new home and garden.  I have used these from the real estate page, but did crop them a little.  None of the inside for now, but it won't be long before I can start showing some once there.

View from near the little shed.

Front.

Part of the back garden.

Again, a big thanks to all my followers and hope to be able to post again a couple more times before "moving day", when our internet will be turned off for probably about a week or so.  I'll keep you all up to date with what is happening.  Hopefully I will settle and we can breathe freely again and start living the good life.
Take care, huggles from Susan.

CONFESSIONS !

Sorry this post has been so long coming, but I'm still in extreme declutter mode and not liking it here either, isn't helping with the stress levels.
Apart from that I've actually finished the two baby quilts and the cat mat.  All should be winging their way to UK in  a short while.

On the clothes line this morning before the rain set in.

Closeup of  "Bookshelf Bears" for K & G.

"Tiny Creatures"  for A & L.

Cat mat made from leftovers of the quilt I made for nephew and partner, which I showed in either February of March.

A few weekends ago we did some more of the Rail Trail on a lovely sunny day, and saw the remains of a road bridge, which at one time crossed the rail-line.

As you can see from the fact that hubby is standing there under what remains, it must have been some bridge.  BTW, he is 6ft 3 inches.

OK, I said I was only stressed, but I've not been 100% due to the fact that I've developed bad anxiety over the last couple of years, which could actually be a side affect of my blood pressure medication.  It has come back to bite me of late and I know it will pass and saying that I'm actually doing a post is something. So may be I'm on the mend.  Medications can be nightmare and the fact that I've always stressed doesn't help.  Hope no-one minds me telling this, as I do love my little blog and the friends I've made, so hope you'll all understand and I will try and post a little over the next month or so,  and do some catching up with my blogroll.

GARDEN SHOW!!!!!!!!!!

Sunday was shaping up to be a lovely sunny, mild day so we packed some sandwiches and fruit and headed out the door for the train station.  We'd never been to a Garden Show before so decided it was time for us to see one.  Of course I always watch Chelsea if they record and show it on Australian TV and am always blown away by what I see.  This big one was on in Melbourne.  Catching the train saved finding somewhere to park and is quite relaxing .  This time it wasn't so good.  The train stopped between Ballan and Bacchus Marsh, went a little bit, stopped and so on.  Evidently the brakes kept coming on, so by the time we reached Bacchus Marsh, where we all had to get off, whilst they switched around the cars, it was nearly 9.30 and we should have been in Melbourne.  Finally reaching Melbourne after 10am, we had a quick coffee and caught the tram to Carlton Gardens.  To say I was disappointed was nearly an understatement.  It is nothing like Chelsea, with a handful of show gardens which you just look at from the path.  They are about 20' long and about 12' wide.  The hanging basket competition was pathetic, after seeing all the colourful baskets hanging outside pubs etc, in UK.  Probably the only upside was that I bought some bulbs to be planted some time soon.  I've now decided, been there, done that!
A couple of photos, though, I was even disappointed with these, but here goes.

I took this from the train window whilst waiting to get going again.

The only show garden photo I took, which was probably the only one with plenty of colour int it.

This was rather captivating and thought provoking.  These are all knitted and crocheted poppies.  We will be celebrating Anzac Day next month (25th April).

A mountain of pumpkins at The Diggers  Club stand, which is one of our well known nurseries.

Yesterday and today, I worked on the second baby quilt, which now just awaits a border.  I will take some photos of the two quilts through the week.  I also made a Chocolate Fudge Brownie slice and some Brown Sugar biscuits.  I found the latter recipe after doing some major decluttering.  I am in clean out mode at the moment, as I think this is what is hampering my mojo.  I made my first ever quilt in 1977 and have collected so many magazine clippings, books etc that I think I'm overwhelmed by all my "stuff", so am going through it big time and have also come up with the fact that I won't live to be 300 years old and use all the patterns.  I'll sort through again later this year and maybe make a scrap book of just the picture of the quilt or craft item and not keep all the instructions.  Good idea?  As I design a lot of my own quilts, I can usually put pen to graph paper and work it out from the photo.  I think I'll feel a lot better once it is done.

Oh, by the way,  we won the cricket.  I don't usually crow about it, but am just a little chuffed.  Sorry all!
We finish daylight saving time over the Easter weekend, so will only be 9 hours ahead of my blogpals in the UK and then I suppose I realise it really is autumn, even though the weather today is a complete contrast to last week, sunny and warm.
OK, that's my lot for today and should be able to post again later this week on quilting.  2nd April is our 38th wedding anniversary and we might just go and see the Shaun the Sheep film that has just started showing and have a good laugh.
A BIG THANK YOU for all your comments, but I've got a bit behind on replies.  I'll try and rectify that this time.  I do so appreciate them and feel very guilty not answering.  Please accept my apologies.
Take care and huggles, Susan.

A VERY QUICK POST.

This quick post is mainly for my DD to show the finished quilt, but of course I'm hoping that others will appreciate the photos too.  It hasn't been the best day for photography, as the weather has been atrocious.  Is it March or May?  Today has been cold, very windy and occasionally wet, but I did get the towels and sheets dry on the line.  At 3pm, our weather station said it was about 10deg outside, but felt like 7, and we have the heating system on and now it's raining.  Strange!  We have the TV on watching the cricket match between Australia and India for a place in the finals of the World Cup and luckily it is being played in Sydney where the weather is fine.

PHOTOS

The quilt

Closeup of one of the embroideries.

Now I know that a lot of people would not do an allover pattern on this, but it will be loved to death by Missy Moo and needed to be able to cope with being so well used.  Her older brother takes his in the car and they sit and watch TV cuddled up with them.  I showed the one DD made for Master L that I quilted on an earlier post.  My two little cuddle quilts have now been superseded, but I'm sure will still be used occasionally, but of course they are growing up fast now

Another two photos.  These are then and now pics.  I posted the first one early last year to show what I could see from our side verandah.  Well, here it is again, but the following photo is what I can see now.  I'll let you wonder how I feel about it.

Old view.

New view

.
Hmm!  Amazing what can happen in the space of 12 months.

Now I'm off to finish getting our tea ready, which is Orange Chicken Casserole with veg on the side.
Hope you are all having a good week.
Take care and huggles, Susan.

TAKING A WALK --- THAT'S BETTER.

OK, first thank you so much for words of thoughtfulness and encouragement.  I was so overwhelmed, I just couldn't reply, but thanks again.  I am still very stressed, but am working my way through it.

Today, Sunday, as it was a lovely day (although windy), we decided to tackle another section of the Skipton to Ballarat rail trail.
I'll just show some photos with captions.

Ooh, gorgeous donkeys.

Ever so dry scenery.

 Coming back, we followed the road, which had been running parallel to the trail.

A small stone hut.

An old iron shearing shed.

Letterboxes on the corner of a lane.

Old horse drinking trough with no water in it.

An old waymarker.

Has this rusting car lost it's back end or is it down a hole?

We walked for just over an hour and decided it was time for lunch, so went back to the car and drove a little way to a road signposted to Nimons Bridge.  Now this is actually on the trail, but we thought we'd have our picnic there and that would be the point we could start from next time.  Hopefully the following photos show how high the trestle bridge is.

Hubby making our cups of tea after we'd eaten.  We take our trusty picnic basket and thermos with us everywhere.

The trestle bridge.  We walked across the creek, up the hill, and then over bridge.

Looking to my left, I could see the spoil heaps left from the gold rush days, which dot the area all round Ballarat.

Looking to the right, I could see the creek flowing across the paddocks toward the horizon.

On the way home we passed through a small town called Cape Clear, which is nowhere near the coast, but they have a sign in front of the pic below, which reads  -  Every Cape needs a lighthouse.

Now, although I've not posted of late, I've still been doing.  Mostly decluttering, which isn't very exciting, but I have managed to finish my blogiversary gift and get it posted and have this quilt on the machine ready to go.

Isn't this just gorgeous for seven year old.

 My dear daughter made this for Missy Moo and it's up to me to quilt it.  She does the most beautiful stitcheries and then designed the surrounding blocks herself.  Some may remember that I also quilted Master L's quilt and showed it in the early days of my blog.  I hope I can do this one justice.

Well, at least I'm back on the computer and even if I can post at least once a week, it means I'm getting there.  I've also started a nice thick woolly jumper for myself, as our winter will be with us before we know it and I've got to get those two baby quilts done and the cat mat, so hopefully I'll have some crafty bits to tell about in the near future.

That's all for now and hoping everyone is having a good weekend.
Take care. lots of huggle and thanks.
Susan.

BEING ME ------ NO MOJO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My first thing to do is a big  THANK YOU to all the comments I received on my last post and to say sorry for not replying and being away for so long.

Explanation to this, is that some of you know that I suffer with very bad anxiety, which is a bit out of hand at the moment, as we are trying to work out what to do soon.  Neither of us enjoy living here and we are contemplating moving back to where we were.  We've decided that we didn't really think things through and it's been a tough 12 months, with too many changes all at once.  As well as the above, my poor arthritic feet are giving me merry hell at the moment, which although painful, is also a jolly nuisance. So much for getting older and wiser.  For the last couple of weeks, I've not done any sewing, gardening, baking, photography, flower arranging, piano playing or even been near the computer. (just housework)   I've no mojo at all, so maybe doing a blog post will get me on the go again.

I want to congratulate HAWTHORN on knowing exactly which garden I showed on my last post.  It was Parceval Hall near Appletreewick in North Yorkshire.  I absolutely loved it and seeing a "real" hedgehog made it even more special.

As this supposed to be in part a "QUILT" blog, I'll show the six quilts I took with me to England in 2011.  There were three wedding quilts, although two had been the year before and three baby quilts.

Baby quilt for my niece's first little one.

Baby quilt for my above niece's best friend's little one.

Wedding quilt for the above little one's Mum and Dad.

Baby quilt for my great niece's third little one.

Wedding quilt for another niece.  This was the wedding we attended on that particular trip.

This is the wedding quilt for the above niece's sister who got married in 2010.

OK, that is my lot for today, just letting everyone know that I'm still here, although very stressed.  I'll try and catch up on some blog reading tonight and hopefully won't be away for so long.  I do love that so many of you have become good pals and I don't want to lose those special friendships, as long as you don't mind that I probably told you too much about myself.
Hope everyone has a lovely week and that my northern hemisphere readers are slowly warming up with nicer weather coming.  Are the daffodils in bloom yet?
Take care all and lots of huggles.
Susan.