There Was Movement.............

 

 

There was movement at the Convent

Word had got Around;

A Band of Batty Bloggers

Were taking over their Ground!

 

 

They were coming from all directions

Some from near and some from afar;

One hitched a ride in a plane

but most rolled up in a car!

 

 

Fabric and Thread, Food and Drink

and Fun and Laughter was on the Agenda

It was to be the Highlight

of their November! 

 

For more Fabric and Thread

It was Planned to do some Shopping

Then back for lunch

And some present Swapping

 

All sorts of Surprises to Unwrap

Each one was so Good

It Deserved a Clap!

 

New Skills were Learnt

and Old ones Practised

New projects were started

and old ones were finished,

And some of us just socialised

because work we weren't!!

 

 

 

Some stayed Up late to continue their Toil

Others slept early

Their Shopping they would not Spoil

 

Eating was such a Pleasure

we ate to our Hearts Content because

Vicki our House Mother was an absolute Treasure!!

 

Outside it was Hot and Dry

no sign of Relief

could be Seen on the Horizon;

But guess who drove through a Storm on her way Home

and nearly stopped driving

because we had no vision!!

 

So now we are back to our daily grind,

Our Bathurst Bloggers meet

we have all left behind;

With our purchases, presents, photos and memories

our lives will be complete;

until next year when Bathurst is where

 we Batty Bloggers will Meet!!!!

 

 

Thanks must go to our Bathurst Blog meet Mumma

CHOOKYBLUE

for organising a fabulous weekend.

And thank you to each of the Batty Bloggers who attended for making it a weekend of fun, laughs and inspiration!!!!

 

That is all from me today - I will be back later in the week to show you my beautiful swap present and all the goodies I purchased!!

Have a great week!!

 

 

 



WANDERING

 

A late night last night and a sleep in this morning - really don't have the energy to do anything I should be doing today so I have been wandering around outside. A horrible 42deg here yesterday with a hot wind - depressing weather - today is a cool 24deg and no wind! rain predicted for late this afternoon and boy do we need it. Our irrigation quotas are reduced and as we have only a small amount to play with at full supply the garden watering has been cut back. But on my wanders I have found the old faithfuls are still flowering and a few surprises!

 

 

I can always count on the roses to brighten my day - even when they are at their flowering end they are still beautiful!

 

It is Mulberry season - nearly to the end - picking this afternoon to make some Jam. Corn is growing well, the new fruit trees are surviving well ( a couple of the 8 new ones) and tomatoes on the plants!

 

 

It is dry - the paddock above was lush and green with a mix of feeds 6 weeks ago. The feeder is for feeding my sons horses twice a day.

 

These fellas are very busy - usually a sure sign of rain - we have had a couple of light sprinkles - hope the forecast is correct for 40 points later this afternoon.

 

This will grow anywhere though no matter how dry - it is on the banks of a supply channel so it has had a couple of good soakings when the Lucerne is being watered.

 

 

Bella peering out from underneath mum's kennel - best to check what is going on before venturing out. 

 

Bella, Whiskey, Jim and Bob - my eldest son's working dog's litter. I am very partial to Whisky (I do go for the more unusual looking animals). The father is a German Coolie (one of my favourite working dogs) hence the multi colours.

 

 

Feed time is exhausting. Mum is not a good feeder (excels in everything else a mother does) so we have been feeding them everyday.

 

My all time favourite friend at the moment - Kinky (he has a kink in his tail). Another one of my sons working dogs but he gets so excited when I am outside near him and is so affectionate to me that I would break the rule of 'no male dogs' for him!! below him is Adam's other litter - these are some sort of cross that he uses for hunting. Of course my favourite one is the multi coloured!!! (I don't like brown or black horses either!!! multi coloured, palamino, dunns etc are).

 

 

Nothing gets thrown out on this place!! The old stoker is down the driveway - that is ok because I am slowly getting the old stuff lined up down the drive and planting bottle brushes behind them - a feature of sorts). The same with the old chaff cutter. The 3 tier stand is storing... you guessed it - keep that it might come in handy - it would look much better in my garden with plants on it!!!

 

More of - keep it just in case - the old Fiat sat just there for 5 years while they worked on it - they used it for a couple of months and parked it back there because something isn't working - guess another five years might see it fixed!! two views of some of the 'keep it just in case' behind the hay shed. And the next picture tells it's own story. Weeds and roly poly growing up through it - it will be hiding in a couple of years!!!lol

 

 

What else do you do on a lazy cool morning - sleep of course. Lady is well retired and the matriarch of the place. Libby is just very fat and lazy!! Just a snap of across the paddock nearest to me - Lucerne growing for the second cut and the remaining bales of the first cut to be picked up.

 

 

More junk - but see those darker small spots - RAINDROPS!!! And see the circular ripples on the dam - RAINDROPS. Then it went away!! maybe it will come back as they are saying!!

No sewing or craft to show - what I have been able to get done is all secret! getting very excited for next weekend - I so need a great weekend away and the Bathurst Bloggers Meet is shaping up to be a fabulous weekend of fun, laughs, eating and drinking and laughing and shopping and the list goes on!! this afternoon is shaping up to be lazy also - maybe a little bit of sewing!

have a great weekend!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



GRIFFITH GARDEN FESTIVAL

 

Each year in October the Griffith Garden Festival is held. Local gardeners open their gardens for the public with gate takings going to various charities in the town. Each year I visit one garden. This year it was a town garden, the owner is elderly but she was able to open it this year with help from family and friends.

 

 

There is only one tiny patch of lawn at the front. The rest of the front and the back yards are garden. Most of the plants have been sourced from friends and family, many a s cuttings. The owner opened her garden for many years but had to stop when insurance became an issue. I had been going to visit it every year for a number of years but missed out. I was so pleased when I learnt it was opening again.

 

Karah and mum, seated in one of the little nooks; and the view across the back yard. This is my style of gardening; - all the work has been done by the owner and her late husband; and every available space is used.

 

 

Every year, a feature of the festival is the Citrus Sculpture Display in the main street. I took the photos at night, the sculptures are lit up all night with huge overhead lights - there have been instances of vandalism - the glare from the lights has affected some of the photos.

 

The sculptures are set up and maintained by business houses, schools and community groups from within Griffith.

 

It started out with a few and has grown to over 60 this year.

 

It is really quite spectacular.

 

If you look close to a couple of them you will see Karah posing within - tourists from all walks of life spend a couple of hours looking, photographing and posing with them all.

 

If you ever get the chance to come to the festival do it. There are usually 7 - 8 gardens open, both urban and rural, and each one unique and a different style!

I am off to the kitchen to put some chicken soup on. I fell in a big heap yesterday - think the last 8 months has caught up in one big whammy. Every joint is aching, back pain, stomach cramps, nausea, coughing, runny nose - time to hide from the world for a few days I think. Probably a time to look at diet and the pace of my life also. maybe a new me coming up - but first the chicken soup and back to bed for a few hours!!

 

 



SOME FAVOURITE PHOTOS FROM OCTOBER

 

No photos of the ring pillow or the size 1 and a bit vest I made for Rheis' wedding but some of the service and reception. Photo quality not great because my camera is not working and I had to rely on my phone. have fixed them up as best as I can though.

 

 

The service - couldn't get all of the bridal party in due to where I was sitting.

 

 

Oliver leading the bridesmaids and bride in (wearing the vest I made for him); and being the church clown all through the service!!wearing

 

Abbey & Karah - my two favourite grand daughter ( I only have 2 natural grand daughters lol!!) Karah was flower girl (a teary moment for me when she got out of the limousine - her mum was so excited that she was going to be flowergirl and she was missed out on the moment)



 

Rheis & Oliver after the ceremony.

 

 

 

Mr and Mrs Brill (Rheis & Sarah) with Oliver starting their walk as a married couple!

 

 

Cutting the cake.

 

 

Mum & Dan (school friend of Rheis' and one of the groomsmen). Mum had a ball at her first grandchildren's wedding!!

 

 

Rheis and his Nanna - she was the third to dance with him and even did a little bit of a jive!!!! She pulled up well today (wedding was yesterday) for an 82yr old!!

All up it was a lovely day enjoyed by everyone yesterday - it was so nice to have a 'happy' day full of love and laughter!

 

 

Karah wearing her Dalmation dress up that she thought up and made herself for a dress up day at school a couple of weeks ago!; and in her glory at the Leeton Show mid October - she will try anything this girl!!

 

This brown hat frightens the life out of him when his uncle Adam has it on (he happily goes to Adam when he isn't wearing it) - Adam stuck it on his head a couple of weeks ago and he tolerated it for about 20 seconds!!!

 

On the right is thunder thighs - we wonder where the 14kg is - soon find out when he is in his summer clothes. He appears to have Rheis' skin and colouring but instead of burning and blistering like Rheis and I do, Oliver just changes colour - luckily he got his mothers skin type!!

 

That is it from me tonight - I have heaps of photos from the Garden Festival held here recently - I will keep them for the next post!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Quick Check In

Oh dear! Nearly a month since my last post. No excuses, life just takes over sometimes. I HAVE been sewing and being creative but it is nearly all SECRET STUFF!! I did manage to finish these tho.....

 

 

3 Skinny Pinnies with a mat to fit under the sewing machine. 3 for the present box and with Christmas coming up I am going to need them!!!

Spring has certainly made itself know here over the last month. 36deg one day then back to 24 the next. We have had a little bit of rain but as usual not nearly enough. We have even had the aircon going and then the next evening I was lighting the fire!! Any wonder we are a family of colds, sneezing, runny noses and eyes. Pollens flying around everywhere!!

Nothing much to tell this time. Next post will have more.

have a great weekend everyone!



Let's Stitch Together Swap.

 

This year I have been part of the Let's Stitch Together Swap organised by the lovely Maree. Our third swap was to make a Pamper Gift bag. My partner to make for was sweet Sharni from Lyrebird and Lamb designs.

 

 

I made for Sharni the tote bag above and filled it with the gifts pictured below!!

 

 

Fridge magnets, no sew scarf, all natural goats milk soaps and a hand towel.

Today has been windy and all the pollens have been stirred up and I am sitting here sniffling, with itchy swollen watery eyes, and blocked sinuses. Tomorrow we are supposed to have a drop of 9 degrees in temperature down to 20deg. We sit on the low 20's for the remainder of the week then over the weekend we bounce our way upward to 36deg on Monday - can you believe a forecast 16 degree rise over a week!! No rain on the horizon and the winds keep coming (quite a gale blowing outside tonight). Oh well I guess I will be indoors doped up on anti histamines, upside I might get to sit and sew each day!!

have a great week everyone!!

 

 



I THINK I AM A LOST CAUSE

 

Well the last 2 weeks have just disappeared on me - if anyone sees them floating by please send them back!!! The first weekend of the school holidays we took Karah to meet her dad at Coonabarabran. Seven hours up, travelled back to Dubbo, stayed the night and then drove home the next day. I had big plans for the first week of the school holidays but I think events of the last 6 months and the trip paired up and I have been flat all week.

 

I did start sorting through the piles of boxes and containers that are supposed to fit into my sewing/craft room - fat chance of that!!! And it all came to a halt when I came across the UFO and Kit Boxes!!! Oh dear oh me. I think I am a lost cause. Luckily these things don't go off over time!!!

 

 

In no particular order of age!! Candlewick Quilt all drawn up and waiting to be done for approx. 5yrs.

 

Harvest Spice Quilt - a BOM that I started about 10 years ago and spat the dummy with when block 3 didn't go as planned. YAY!!!! I just spent 3 days making the remaining 6 pieced blocks. By the end of next week I WILL have the top together!!!

 

I love this quilt. And I have been doing it for about 10 years also (maybe a bit longer).

 

Oh!!! How sad am I as a patchworker?? I started this about 15 years ago for my 4th child (3rd son). Rheis maybe lucky enough to get it next year!!!

 

The saddest one of all!!! In May 1992 I did a Wedding Ring Workshop!!! I was 5 months pregnant with Isaac (my baby who just turned 22!!). Yesterday I finished joining the arcs that have been waiting for soooooo long!!! I have a total of 330 arcs made (4 per ring is about 82 rings. It was originally going to be a queen size, floor to floor. It will now be whatever these 330 arcs make up!!!! I was going to have cream centres and corners but I am not really happy with that idea now. I also have no idea what colour to put with these arcs. Does anyone remember using any of these fabrics?

 

 

The Tea Party Quilt I bought as a BOM about 6 years ago and haven't started yet. And I have no Idea what I was making with the applique on the left!!! As I said, I am a lost cause.

 

The top photo - these have all been cut out and a little bit done on each one!!! The bottom photo I have read all the instructions but am yet to make a start!!! OMG - I am such a lost cause. Well guess what my new motto is for the next 12 months!! NO MORE KITS OR PATTERNS OR FABRIC TO BE BOUGHT. FINISH WHAT I HAVE GOT SITTING ON THE SHELVES LOOKING AT ME DAY IN DAY OUT!!!!

That's all from me tonight. I am off to do some stitching on one of the above. Have a great weekend everyone!!