AUGUST PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT - 2020

Catching up with Kate and the photo scavenger hunt once again.  Not missing it this time, even though I found these prompts somewhat difficult in "difficult" times.😖

1.  MOVING.

         Fast moving car on the race track on Phillip Island taken from the archives a few years ago.

2.  BOXES.

Taken this afternoon on my well loved blanket box.  To the left is my late Mum's "hankie" box where she always kept her clean handkerchiefs.  Centre and right are two boxes DH has made me over the years.

3.  STARTS WITH......D

The old "DREDGE" at Porcupine Flat near Maldon in Central Victoria where gold was once mined.

4.  BREAKFAST.

Ah......breakfast is finally here.  One taken from the archives of a couple of King Parrots at the feeder one morning.

5.  MAKING.

"Making" pieced backings for some recent quilts that I've quilted over the last few months.  Not having access to any of my favourite quilt shops for widebacks, I've resorted to using leftovers or larger pieces from my stash and sewing them together to be big enough.  

6.  MY OWN CHOICE.

Our magnolia "Susan" just coming into flower, but already being blown to pieces by the extreme winds we are experiencing today.

My lot for this month and although I've found this difficult, I think it is just the fact that we cannot venture anywhere and won't be able to for a long time to come.  Photos 2, 5 & 6 were all taken about 5 minutes before I started doing this.  We'd planned on going for a walk in the rare sunshine, but it is just too windy and I know that I'd have trouble with my mask in the wind and my ears would pain terribly.

Hopefully tomorrow or Saturday, before the next cold front and rain arrive.

Take care all, stay safe and huggles from down under.

Susan.

I will link up this time................

IT'S SATURDAY.

 Not much of a title, but then each day seems to come and go at the moment with not much meaning to it.

Just plodding along at home, not venturing out & wondering if this is what the rest of our lives will be like, though I've had the camera handy to capture whatever the imagination can find.

A walk very early this week near one of our new estates netted this.................something I actually detest!

The benching of the hillside into little blocks that are flat.
UGH!!!!!ugly.

TODAY..............weather!!!!

Looking from the study window at about midday.

The back verandah a little later covered in itty-bitty hail (sago snow).

Looking along the back paving beside the steps & retaining wall.

We also had a thunderstorm amidst all this and at 3.30pm as I type this it is 6.5℃  It is cold & the fire is lit, though the sun has just appeared briefly with lots more grey storm clouds on the horizon.

A FINISH and A PHOTO SHOOT.

My quilt now named "Whimsy" inspired by the colours of Attic 24's dahlia rug is now quilted & bound.
I took this photo today after waiting for a break in our weather, but it hasn't come so this is the best I could do.

I also finally finished this butterfly embroidery, which has similar colours, though I started it a couple of years ago.  Not sure how to finish the back now it's in the hoop.  Any suggestions?

This is one that didn't really come out how I'd envisioned, but I did use what I had available in my stash.  It was designed by me on trusty Quilt Wizard & I'd thought of using a plain tone on tone mauve, but this was about the only mauve fabric I had.  It is quilted and bound & although not what I planned, I don't hate it.  I've come up with the name Sonora & can't fathom why.
A very "pandamic" quilt I think.😖

Just a quick lot today after being a misery guts for most of the week, due to weather, a computer that's been playing silly, not venturing out & missing family.
Luckily I've a little project to do for a newborn bub.  That makes me happy & busy at the same time with purpose.
Take care all, stay safe & huge huggles from down under.
Susan.

PS:  Still having trouble using this new blogger.  How's everyone else coping?

STAYING BUSY ....TO KEEP THE DEMONS AT BAY

 Being back in Stage 3 lockdown is becoming very tedious.  Even heard "rumours" about nothing happening till 2022.  Really!!!!

Need to keep myself busy and as the weather hasn't been playing nicely, nothing is being done in the garden, which is annoying me and not sleeping well hasn't helped my mood or mojo.  We've been trying to make sure we at least get in our walking routine, but today that isn't going to happen with intermittent light misty rain & when you need to wear a mask when not in your own home/garden, it seems to make it even more uncomfortable.  A wet mask that is......

OK, we'll make a start and just to let you know the camera has been put to good use around the home.

GARDEN.

2 different pink hellebores.

A very pale greeny/lemon hellebore.

The blueberries are just starting to flower.

The tiny pink bluebells are up & sure have multiplied.

The circular garden out the front with many bulbs either flowering or nearly flowering.

A closeup of the crocus.

The rather untidy area beside the shed. 
 DH intends to extend the shed in the very near future, which is why we need to relocate the veg beds & rethink the layout of this area.

On the right is the olive tree we inherited when we purchased this house.
The house was built in 2001 & I'm sure the tree is much, much older than this, going by the size of both the trunk & canopy.
I do need to re-sort that garden on the left to, which is above the retaining wall & being so short I cannot reach most of it.  Another on the list of the list of to-dos.

FLOWERS INSIDE.

Remember I showed on my last post our daffodil farm just outside town.  These below were bought from our local greengrocer & they were from said farm.  I had fun arranging them in 2 vases.

CRAFTING.

Designing on my computer.

In progress.

Designing labels on the computer, which has been a big learning curve, but I did it all by myself.😊

And playing with another design after speaking with my friend Joy from Days filled with Joy.
She had ideas for another QAL & I came up with this design, which I may or may not do.

OTHER HAPPENINGS.

I had a small lapse about buying books............

The box arrived.....

Opened it....................Oh boy, I wasn't expecting this!!!!

Ah.............but underneath were these.
2 gorgeous garden books, 2 quilt books which were on special and to my surprise the one at the top on the right turned out to be a children's book.  I thought it was a true story, which it is, but only in pictures with captions.  It is still beautifully done & one day when all this pa-lava is over, I'll be able to read it with some small children    Hoping.......

ONE TO FINISH.

                              I've done a little colouring in too.  The child coming out in me.   😉

I think that is enough nonsense from this old lady.  It is still cloudy, but some blue sky has appeared, though too late for a walk, as I need to make a start on our evening meal.  

I'm trying hard to keep blogging & staying calm and know one day there may again be a semblance of normality to our lives.  Until next post, stay safe, take care & huge hugs from Susan.

SORRY & JULY SCAVENGER HUNT.

A huge sorry to any of my followers for being on the silent side of late.  The Pandemic is doing my head in & what with the "huge" new wave here in Victoria, it's hard to stay focused, have any mojo or inclination to even blog.

Another issue I have too, is this new interface on blogger.  It's been a learning curve over the years and as I'm not very tech savvy, another change is a challenge, but here goes.

JULY PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT.

I've missed the link up, but this run by the lovely Kate over at I live, I love I craft, I am me.

1.  SOMETHING PURPLE.

                                            The wisteria on the pergola over at No. 4

                 I snapped these this morning after I had washed up & as I realised I could use them for                                            "purple' too.  Our hand wash, violets from the garden & my gloves.

2.  SHADES OF GREEN.

The hills, paddocks, trees & hedges around West & South Gippsland.  Taken on a rare outing before we went back into lockdown.

3.  STARTS WITH... F

FARMYARD on the hill in the middle of our town, which we can see from our driveway.

4.  STILL LIFE.

A beautiful black cockatoo snapped whilst I stood very still & he kept still too.  

5.  SNAPPED AT THIS MOMENT.

This was taken yesterday, when I thought about posting after I realised that I was way behind on the HUNT & reading blogs.  We had a very cold day, which brought a few snow flakes, tiny hail, which we call sago snow, and rain.  It was "miserable".

6.. MY OWN CHOICE.

                                                                           Terracotta pots.

I love these, especially the rhubarb forcers, which we don't see out here.  This photo was taken last year on our UK trip at Great Dixter garden, a place I loved visiting.

OK, that's it from me & although I'm late, hope somebody enjoys and I'll be back sooner than later this month, catching up on a few other bits & pieces.  

Take care, stay safe & huggles,

Susan.

PS:  Not sure I like this new interface, but I will try and come to terms with it.  Does anybody know if there is a "caption" bit anymore?

😌💖

THIS 'N' THAT.

A little bit of what has happened in the last few weeks. 
I've not always  remembered my camera for our local walks, but did take it one day last week.

 From the small park behind our court, we head down the next street and this is the view that beholds us.  A big new estate with clouds of steam from a La Trobe Valley power station in the distance.

 The new school on that estate under construction.  Looks to be quite colourful.

And further along a new wetlands appearing.  We saw a lone pelican circling over this and I didn't have the camera with me.

A DAY OUT.
Before we headed back into lockdown in Melbourne once again, we had a day out in our own area.  We can still do that, being a regional shire, but due to our car being in for repairs, we are a little stuck for going anywhere.
This particular day we made for the coast, picnic basket & thermos in the back & looking forward to a nice walk along the beach.

Just as we headed south, we noticed the mist hanging between the hills, so stopped and took this                                                                                          photo.

Our destination was Shallow Inlet on the south coast of Victoria, about an hour's drive away.

Looking across the inlet to the mountains on Wilson's Promontory. 

 Our car sitting on the sand of the deserted northern side of the inlet.  There were some cars at the southern end with trailers, as this is where fishermen launch their boats to go fishing.

 Walking to the end of the sand, you see this vegetation leading on into marshy land at the head of the inlet.

                                                       DH all rugged up on the track.

                                                       Looking out over the marshy ground.

              Back on the beach, I noticed these 3 pelicans had dropped by to do some fishing.

A FAMILY VISIT.
One of the best days happened about 3 weeks ago now, when some restrictions had been lifted and DD & family could make their way across Melbourne & visit us.  It was wonderful & although I don't show photos of them, DD did bring some of her crafty stuff for both a fun playing session. Crochet blocks & fabric star blocks and also a quilt for me to pop on the big machine when I can get some appropriate backing fabric.  Still can't get to my favourite quilt shops.

The crochet squares on the floor.

And the stars being played with.  A few more are needed, then she has big ideas for some borders.

This the quilt she left here for me to quilt.  I remember her appliqueing these hearts many years ago.
The round plaque on the wall above the ladder was made for me by my younger brother who is intellectually disabled,  at the support group he attends in Sydney.  A mosaic of pebbles & colourful pieces of glass arrived in the post last Christmas & was a lovely surprise.

Occasionally over the last few weeks, we've driven 5 minutes out of town, whichever way we feel like, to give our Morris Minor a run to keep her going.  Taking my camera I was able to snap a few photos on different days.
South of town we have a DAFFODIL farm & it's fun to spot where they have put the bulbs each year.

Rows of daffs in flower last week.
I'll try and remember to see if I can get another photo, maybe soon, to show more.

To the north of town we often spot this camel and lucky for me he was in the front paddock this particular day.

TRYING TO STAY BUSY.
Although I've always plenty to do, I'm struggling to find my mojo at the moment, with this crisis not going away and our cold and dreary weather.  Over the weekend I did some baking & put a little quilt on the machine.

Blueberry Muffins.

Malted Mocha Slice.

                                                                     The small quilt. 
I'm not exactly happy with the quilting, but so be it.  The blue stars were made many years ago & the stitcheries a little later.  Not sure what I had in mind for either, so they ended up as this.

OK, enough waffling from me and I'm off to make us some lunch & wait to see if our car is ready for picking up.
Take care all, stay safe & huggles from down under.