Post 555 Birds, Blooms, Beans, Bookmarks, Bed, and Bereavement.

After last week’s post a friend from my days of employment contacted me to point out Feng shui principles of flower arranging dictate always even numbers of blooms - 1, 3, 5 never 2,4 6, not something I knew. I therefore removed one of the Waratahs, a good chance to use this elegant single stem vase. It’s an odd cultural mix, but pleasing to the eye ( mine at least). The Waratahs developed sprouts from the bracts, suggesting, apparently, they had been over-fertilised.

I did a bit of searching. As far as I could ascertain, they are best propagated from seed and can be propagated by cutting. While not frequently used, the sprouts should work for propagation, provided they don’t have to compete with the flower..

I was intrigued (and the flowers were pretty much ruined) but don’t have space here in the apartment to experiment. A phone call, and my Waratahs are now at a friend’s place where Frank, who also grew up in NSW, is having a go.

Wednesday’s WES Group meeting went really well. We looked at the work of Phoebe Anna Trequair triggered by a workshop I did in 2015 with Meredith Willett. Influence spreads a long way! This is the panel I made at that workshop. 

We also worked on a program for next year.

After the meeting I submitted, to the Guild's monthly newsletter, an article  about Lee's contribution to our group. It has been accepted and should appear next month.

While I was at the meeting, the Postie  attempted unsuccessfully to deliver the bookmarks I had ordered. I picked them up from a locker at the PO later. Once again, a box 20 times the size of the contents, which, in an envelope, would have gone easily through the letterbox. Sigh. 

One set of bookmarks, the Agave, was again, for my Pilates Studio - the photo of the Agave in full bloom 2 weeks ago. The last hurrah.

After I made my breakfast coffee on Friday, the coffee machine displayed the ‘clean me’ message. I’d been waiting for it, getting prepared, so this time didn’t rush in. I had breakfast, deliberately did a few jobs, then read the instructions again and set out to follow them. It went like clockwork. Everything happened as it should. I cleaned the coffee machine! - and had another coffee to celebrate. Pathetic, maybe, but I was hugely relieved. I can do it!  My joy, however, was shortlived. On Saturday morning the machine switched on and displayed as normal. It did not, unfortunately, deliver coffee. No messages, no warnings, just no coffee. The bean container was full, the water tank full. A grinding sound, return to ‘ready’. No coffee. Repeat several times. Same.

On with the jug, out with the plunger. First thing Monday morning I returned the machine to the shop, which, fortunately, is the licensed service agent. This morning I had a call from the technician. The coffee beans I've been using are too big! They don't make it to the grinder. Since 1985 I have been using Maragogype (or as it was then known here, Nicaraguan dark roast). It's only now that I realise it has an abnormally large bean (apparently the largest known!). As I also use two other coffee varieties with much smaller beans, this will not be too great a lifestyle change! I can only shake my head and laugh.

To keep my mind off coffee machines, a group of lorikeets arrived on the native frangipani and made a racket. Two stayed behind to feed when the others got bored, so I grabbed the camera.

Below, play spot the bird. 

Late on Friday I received a message that my friend Lorraine had died on Thursday night, her struggle with pancreatic cancer over. 

I am sad,  remembering the meals we shared, her enthusiasm for dressing up, and the mysteries she kept to herself. I am also glad her suffering is over. It is likely to be 12-14 days before her funeral.

Several years ago, Lorraine gave me a cactus garden in a shallow terracotta bowl. Over time one plant came to dominate and a couple died. I noticed while tending my plants this week that the weight of the dominant plant had pulled it right out of the bowl (left), so I have replanted it in a much larger pot. The shallow bowl is waiting, with a few other empty pots, for me to  spend a few hours replanting. Maybe a tiny memorial.

Throughout the week, a male blackbird has been visiting my balcony, flying in silently, often behind my back while I am hanging out washing, sitting in the same spot on my wall garden, and, except once, flying away as soon as I turn around. On the exception, I turned from hanging out washing, to see him watching me. I quietly greeted him and asked him not to chase away the other birds. I’ve glimpsed his arrival through my window, but he flies away immediately- seeming to sense I am watching. I don’t recall seeing him before. My mother,  would certainly, I reflected,  have said it was bringing me news of a death.

On Monday he once again flew away as I tried to take a photograph. This time, however, the camera clicked, revealing a female amongst the plants.   My mother, once again, would have rolled her eyes and said 'For an intelligent child, you can  be very stupid at times'. 

Yes. a pair of blackbirds seem to have made a nest on my eastern balcony. I can't get high enough, without a ladder, to look inside.  I panicked a bit, read all I could about blackbirds nesting on  balconies in Adelaide (not a lot) and followed one suggestion of hanging some aluminium foil strips to put them off. I felt a bit mean, and it didn't work. They may or may not have eggs according to local bird advice.

My inclination now is to leave them alone. I might regret it, but so far the male has not been aggressive towards me. This afternoon they appeared to fight over who was to sit on the nest. At sunset tonight the female was quietly bunkered well down in the nest. *

Installing a webcam is beyond my technical ability. Hopefully in 4 weeks time they will leave and I can either spread some netting over the wall garden, or instal a deterrent WhirlyBird. I don't want to become a permanent nesting site but can probably put up with one clutch.

When I delivered the Waratahs to my friends to experiment with, they gave me a bunch of their beautiful roses for my dining table that evening. They look, and smell, divine.

Niamh not only helped me extend the table, but to move the dining table and chairs off the rug, and turn the rug around, so the trip-risky creased corner of the rug is now safely where it gets no traffic. It's been troubling me (and my cleaner!) for some time. With the table extended the flowers AND the food fitted!

Today  I have been to a Retired Secondary Principals' lunch, half an hour's drive into the foothills. I haven''t been for a couple of years. It was pleasant to catch up with some of the 15 who were there and, after a lunch of grilled fish and chips,  hear about some research into school leadership. On my return I had a phone call to say my new bed is ready. Delivery (the scary bit) sometime next week.

It's been quite a week! 

I progressed the second left-over-wool shawl a bit, and started work on the lovely Chaffinch kit. 

It's a joy to work on. I won't be posting any detail in my embroidery blog, as it would breach copyright. It's interesting, varied stitching - and lovely to look at. Great to be working Crewel again.

Above is Sunday's sunset, left is tonight's moonrise.

The rhythm, and beauty, of life. 

Carpe diem.

Post 554 Spring, a long weekend and daylight saving.

You know Spring is here when Waratahs appear in the florist. These had been picked on Friday morning, in the Adelaide Hills, a few hours before I bought them. They are not native to South Australia, but I am, after all, a native of NSW! 

Apart from people, I don't miss much from my first 24 years in Sydney - Southerly Busters, humidity and flowers native to the Sydney region - flannel flowers, Christmas bush, Christmas Bells and Waratahs, none of which are commonly seen in Adelaide. I still love them and if I see them for sale, I buy them. My English migrant parents and grandparents cherished them, gathered them and tried to grow them. Uplifting.

In front of our apartments, and at the Pilates Studio, the wild irises are at their best.  Gentler than the Waratahs, they are nevertheless intricate and cheerful.

The Agave has finished flowering at Pilates. I took a final photo. I can’t resist the shape, perfect for a bookmark, so accordingly ordered another set. Hopefully my Pilates classmates will find a use for them. Again.

I had a quiet day as desk hostess at the Embroiderers' Guild on Wednesday. The computer tech was there setting up the new admin computer with our office manager while a couple of the Museum team were doing a handover on the Museum database. When left in charge I failed once again to answer the phone! It’s a tricky handset, and doesn’t respond to my button pressing. I progressed my knitting and wrote a tribute to Lee for discussion with WES group next week.  

The Bottlebrush- which IS native to South Australia, is on display everywhere, including in the Guild garden.

I saw my GP on Friday, getting the results of last week’s blood test. I’m pretty happy. My kidney is in good condition and my weight very slowly coming down.  My blood sugar is lower than last time but ideally should be a little lower.  We’ve agreed our current regime is working so should continue. I’ve made an appointment in about 4 months time. I like this new GP.  He listens, checks records, explains his thinking and provides data. It feels like a conversation and a joint effort.

Afterwards, having completed and tidied up all last week's work on passwords, I took a sealed package to my solicitor to add to the deed package before shopping for the long weekend and buying the Waratahs. 

I also took more jewellery to Pink Carat for repair. An 80cm long gemstone necklace given to me by a work colleague some 15 years ago had broken. I often wear it.  The central stone is heavy and had worn through the wire. We decided to make up the necklace without it. Can I find a use for a 3.5cm stone? Clasp on a bag?  (It's much more brown than the photo indicates.)

I also took the glittery clip-on earrings to see if they could be converted. Removing the clips on the back was not possible but I convinced them to add hooks through the little picots on the edge. They hang nicely, clips hidden behind. I often wear the matching brooch so now I can be truly glam! The amber pair were originally hanging from smaller amber beads on posts. One had detached and was lost. I prefer hooks anyway so got them to simply hang the teardrops from silver hooks. I also took advice on cleaning the sterling silver brooch.   This result was just using a silver cleaning cloth.

This morning I dug out both the ultrasonic cleaners I own.and experimented using the tips provided by Pink Carat. The tank on the older white one is larger, so I tried a silver pin tray in it. In the green one I placed 3 pieces of trench art, a coin medallion, a ring and a WWI medallion on a chain.

After several sessions all came up reasonably clean and shiny. The ring is made from a 1947 coin from India, the chain holds a regimental medallion engraved Div 5 1920-21. Once the pin tray was clean (relatively) I was able to see a hallmark, and out of curiosity, looked it up. I have never done this before, and had to dig around for a bit to find it. However, I am now confident the tray was made by William Aiken, silversmith of Vyse St., Birmingham in 1904! It seems amazing to have been able to discover that.

I experimented with a couple of vases for the Waratahs before settling on the one above. The dark vase looks good here, but was a bit heavy and dominant. 

It was the Labour Day long weekend and the commencement of daylight saving. As forecast, there was some rain on Saturday. The dripping noise came back. As promised, I notified the tradie who came last week, who, as I expected, did not come. He did ask if water was leaking into the apartment (it's not). It seems that other apartments also have leaks, and the Strata Committee is taking it up with our management company, so I'm happy. A problem shared....  Fortunately, contrary to the forecast, the rest of the weekend was rain-free.

As three books I had ordered on Libby were suddenly available to me, I spent much of the long weekend reading. In the Blink of an Eye was an interesting fictional projection of the use of AI in policing. My review, for anyone interested, is on Goodreads.   The Ledge by Christian White, as I realised too late,  is a thriller (with echoes of Lord of the Flies). I don’t much like thrillers. 

The treescape behind my apartment has changed with recent pruning and rainfall. I have a better view of what turns out to be a Callery Pear (left). 

I can’t remember seeing the golden leafed tree (right) bloom, but it is now beginning to do so, declaring itself, I think, a jacaranda alba. The next month or so should confirm or disprove this theory. Either way, it’s a lovely outlook.

I finished and blocked the Uradale shawl over the weekend. Details in my embroidery blog. I'm pleased to say spreading it in the sun yesterday has removed the sheep smell, and the woolwash has made it wonderfully soft. (The red is from the geraniums below the shawl!)

I have begun the next shawl based on a Dathan Hap pattern in Kate Davies' Knitting Season book.  The pattern is simple and interesting, increasing at the centre as well as the edges in a four row sequence, a lovely encircling shape with plenty of scope to vary colour.  

It will use up a lot of the Rowan wool left from the coatigan and blanket. It's fun to knit and nice to try something other than an expanding triangle.

I've also worked another small section of my sashiko square, and prepared two pieces of Huckaback for the hand-towel pattern in The Handpicked Collection 3. It's been a long time since I did Huck weaving, So I had a quick try. It is marvellously relaxing and effective.

I confess that this morning I dashed out to Create in Stitch  and bought the Chaffinch  kit advertised in their weekend newsletter. A Chaffinch, I know, is not a Bluebird, but it is a blue bird,  and I'm partial. I also know what I am going to do with this when finished.

I seem to have achieved (and committed to!) a lot this week. It is a product of spending much of it on my own over a long weekend with family away and few outside commitments. I have had trouble remembering what day it is. Tomorrow, however, is WES Group, and I need to make a presentation. Better check that over and head to bed.

Post 553 ticking off the list

Lee’s funeral was on Friday. Margaret and I travelled together to the Coromandel Valley Uniting Church and met another Guild member there. We parked in front of this tree with its remarkable ‘birthmark’. 

It was a service programmed in advance, in detail, by Lee, with, I think, 8 hymns  (1 cut because of time overrun) several readings, prayers, eulogies, a slide show and homily followed by finger food (sandwich filling specified by Lee). I was pleased to be there with friends and to come away with a rounded view of a life,  both purposeful and fulfilled.  I'm thankful to have known her.

Prior to that, the week was relatively quiet. I spent much of Wednesday finishing off my presentation on Phoebe Anna Traquair for the October WES Group meeting. My memory needed refreshing since my interest derives from a 2015 Crewel Work Company Embroidery Tour. 

I ticked off a bit off the ‘to do’ list on Thursday, washing, having a prescription made up, picking up hearing aid batteries, Pilates and then a very late lunch at Queen St Cafe - an enormous vegetable frittata.

The Noisy Miner is back, terrorising the doves and strutting briefly around my balcony.  Hopefully the lorikeets will arrive before too long and reestablish a less autocratic pecking order.

It's been windy, quickly drying out the plants. A few on the western balcony need repotting, but it's not yet quite the weather to do it.

It is, however, a good time to buy plants. Nurseries are full of Spring plants. I decided to skip the Certificate Workshop on Saturday, which was all about dyeing. I’m interested, but couldn’t face messing about with paint and an A4 sheet of fabric.

Instead I went Adairs and bought another plant stand for a large philodendron I bought a few weeks ago. I’ve had it on the balcony but as the weather has warmed it has looked sad so I've brought it inside.

The main purpose of this Saturday excursion was to buy a new stick vaccuum cleaner. The technology has improved significantly since I bought mine in 2015. I had researched and chosen my updated model, which was currently on special. This pushed me into biting the bullet. I had done my research but had not reckoned with the skill of the salesman at The Good Guys, who talked me into a different brand AND the extra 5 year warrantee which I usually steadfastly resist. 

My old one, (left) which after much rearranging on my part, fitted neatly into a kitchen cupboard, has a 7 minute working time in between charges. 

The new one, which, with it’s stand of attachments, fits into the cupboard only with a lot of effort, will run for an hour in between charges and is housed in a casing which,  on docking, extracts the dust into a disposable bag. 

I'm looking at alternative arrangements that might make this a bit easier to access. At the moment I'm still a bit scared of it. I managed to charge it and try it out on Sunday after Book Club. It certainly moves smoothly and does a better job than the old on. I'm still smarting from having been convinced by a salesman, but comforted somewhat by checking the new one out on Choice and finding his claims born out and the rating of its previous iteration equal to that of the one I had in mind. The warranty does give me substantial discounts on things I use. 

Once I’d taken the plunge on replacing the vacuum, and bought a plant for the Fair Isle rope pot, I continued to a bedding shop and spent quite some time discussing my replacement bed requirements - a job I’ve been avoiding for weeks. To my surprise, I found this far less pressured than the vacuum cleaner experience. The saleswoman took a lot of time to discuss my situation and needs, took my research seriously and suggested only minor modifications to my choices. My big issue was delivery and removal.  I chose this company because they will remove the old bed at the same time as delivering the new, and recycle it. Not every bedding company will do all those things - or won't do them at the same time.  My worry has been that at least the base of the old bed will need to be carried down three flights of stairs. Other components may  go in the lift, but I can't be sure. On Monday I had a call  and a quote, with the delivery cost negotiated with the deliverers, who usually change per item, per floor but have compromised.  I will go ahead and order.

Book Club was at my place on Sunday. There were only four of us, and parking was no problem. It was, again, an interesting and lively discussion of aspects of the genre as well as the chosen books themselves. I think the format of our meetings is a good one. Discussion of the chosen books is followed by each of us talking about the Crime Fiction we have read since the last meeting. It provides lots of ideas, and also discussion. More books added to the want-to-read list, of course, but also to the books-to-avoid list. 

I've managed to borrow one I thought interesting on Libby - which means, of course, I have to move it ahead of others I own on my reading list!

Monday began with a blood test at 8.15am. Amazingly no wait. Home for breakfast, then off to the CBD on the city loop bus to pick up the package of documents from the legal firm they were lodged with 10 years ago. Home again to scan the documents before heading to a meeting with my accountant/solicitor. So much got sorted in just over an hour. My tax return is lodged, my will, Advanced Care Directive and Power of Attorney are with my solicitor and I have both hard and electronic certified copies. Even though no changes were needed to the documents, they are now in the appropriate place and condition. A 10 year check and update was certainly needed. I have a few other documents to add to the deposit. 

It was hard to know what to wear for this day of visits. It was sunny but cool when I first left home but quite warm when I finished around 4pm. I settled for bamboo trousers and a brushed cotton top which proved to be the perfect colour for a necklace made by a daughter several years ago. That acted as a talisman (/woman?) throughout the day and saw me through. The shawl I added in the morning was discarded when I shopped for fruit on the way home and bought fresh prawns for my dinner.

Today I found another top that went well with the necklace since the weather is suited to wearing wool against my skin. Today it saw me through hours reviewing my password register, now reduced from over 700 to 350 entries. A printed version is in a sealed envelope to add to the deed deposit. 

Around 3pm two tradies arrived to check out the roof leak. Their inspection, inside and out, hypotheses the problem might be a screw, on a solar panel strut, piercing the roof - but they want to see it in the rain! I'm not hopeful. Steady rain, lasting more than 20 minutes, is rare in Adelaide, and the chances of getting them here in time are not high. However, we make progress, however slow.

These mundane tasks today prevented me making the progress I'd hoped to make on the shawl of left-over Uradale wool. I'm now increasing every row rather than every second in an effort to widen it. I have about another 40 grams to use up and blocking will improve the spread a little. I'm liking the look, and think it will prove useful.

As the sun went down this evening, I felt as if a lot had been, if not put to rest, at least progressed and somewhat tamed. 

Tonight I can feel all is well, safely rest.

Post553 Birthday, books, batteries, birds and Boreray

This week's highlight was Niamh and Veronica's birthday, celebrated with a family lunch at Osteria Oggi. It was an amazing lunch but not half as wonderful as the young women they have become. I am so privileged to be part of their lives. 

Their birthday this year fell on the Spring Equinox, with its harvest moon peeping through the clouds a few hours after their celebrations. My  hasty photo, DSLR held in hand at 1am, created twin moons!

The week began with an early message from Di, my immediate neighbour, offering me some lemons. When she delivered them an hour or so later we had a bit of a catch up. Theo is slowly on the mend.  After that I picked up We Solve Murders from Cumberland Park, then Seamless Embroidery from  Burnside. This has some lovely patterns and ideas. I might even embroider a couple of Christmas crowns!

I had been unable to download the photos of the supermoon I took with the DSLR last Tuesday night. Although I had purchased new connectors to accommodate my updated laptop, neither of my card readers was working (even the new one seemed to have bent pins), nor was the direct camera-to-laptop connection. In addition, one battery wasn't charging at all. 

So on Thursday I took the camera, the connectors, the charger, the batteries and my laptop to the market camera shop. Parking in the Market was a bit of a nightmare, cruising cars, tight corners, few spaces, but eventually I nabbed a spot. It was worth the effort to get their great professional help.  

I haven't kept up with camera technology. I didn't realise DSLRs have been superceded by mirrorless cameras. Nevertheless, I emerged with nothing more than a new battery and a lot of information. The card reader problem is from wear on the SD card and apparently almost always happens. Advice: don't use card readers with SD cards . The charger is fine, and the direct connector from laptop to camera works if the camera battery is well charged!  I could upgrade the camera body but the lenses are excellent. At home I downloaded the supermoon photos and read a lot about mirrorless cameras and newer DSLR camera bodies. For now I'm staying with what I have.  The twin harvest moon photo above was taken and downloaded subsequent to the advice.

As it was the girls' birthday weekend, I decided to shop on Friday for a smorgasbord of food for Monday, rather than cooking a single meal. I scoured the supermarket, deli, bakery and greengrocer for likely contributions, then called at the coffee shop to replenish my supply of coffee beans. I ended up getting the old suitcase wheel trolley out of the boot of my car to carry it all upstairs - three layers on the trolley and two to carry! Did the trick though.

After putting it all away I settled in to finish the Shetland hat. Details in my embroidery blog,

Wanting a knitting break, but still in a Shetland mindset, I dug out the Fair Isle Rope Basket kit I bought in March and took the plunge after dinner on Friday.

It was a bit of a challenge, but by midday Saturday I had a small basket to hold a potplant. It reminded me of the knot work my father did.  Again, details in my embroidery blog.

Outside the coral trees are shedding their flowers and donning their leaves, keeping a lovely symmetrical shape. 

The council does a fine job of keeping them trimmed and both provide favoured spots for picnickers and walkers.

Still on a break from knitting, I took my Sashiko on Saturday night, finishing it when I got home. Now, with help from Vivienne, I have 6 panels finished and 4 to go before hopefully joining them into a tablecloth. These are a blend of Japanese and Indigenous Australian designs which I find particulary interesting and attractive. 

Meanwhile, had been going through some of my many knitting books, looking for a pattern that would use up the remainder of the Uradale wool. It took quite a while. Along the way I found a pattern I think will use up the felted tweed I have left and also the British Breeds left from a couple of Marie Wallin projects.

I eventually found a shawl pattern in bands of garter stitch and simple lace which I thought might work. When I tried it, I didn’t like it (right). The Uradale wool seemed to lose it’s softness in garter stitch. It would, I thought look better with a colour pattern and stocking stitch.

Eventually I chose one from Mary Anne Mucklestone’s 200 Fair Isle Designs. It needed to be simple and narrow.. I settled on one, undid the first try and knitted it up again, keeping the basic concept of increases and lace bands.

I’m much happier with this, so proceeding. The plan at the moment is to change the background colour after four bands of pattern, (one in each of the four contrast colours) until the wool is used up. The lacy bands will become more open when blocked.

I had, of course, bought far too much of almost everything for last night's dinner, what I call 'bread and what you can get' and Brigid calls 'a feast'. Most of the left-over party pies and salami disappeared with my guests and I had salads, bread, cheese and mortadella meals today.  With holidays coming up, holiday jobs, sport commitments and some parental travel, I don’t expect to see much of the family in the next couple of weeks. It is wonderful to see them spreading their wings.

This morning I did a dash out to Create in Stitch to pick up a copy of The Handpicked Collection 3.  I resisted 1 and 2, but was captured by Di Kirshners Daisy Hussif, which I have come close to buying as a kit or doing as a class. I do like it -  but also have at least two similar hussifs. Christine Bishop's Tessellations pushed me over the line for this volume - I think it is beautiful. There are two or three other projects I’d like to do…one day.

From there I gritted my teeth and braved KMart to buy some organisers for my linen cupboard. The ones I has seen online proved to be too big so I left with two smaller ones to try. Haven't taken them out of their package yet. 

On the way home to prepare for cleaners I dropped in at the Guild to deliver some honey to a friend and chat with Tuesday stitchers. I came away with my square of pink silk for next year's anniversary challenge. No ideas yet, but they will come.

Much of the afternoon was spent trying to find a copy of the Advanced Care Directive I made in 2014.  Medic Alert bracelets can now be engraved with a QR code to provide paramedics with access to that information, but to have it done I need an electronic copy of the directive. My files turned up only the cover page. 

The original is held in a deposit box in the Law firm my solicitor previously worked for so we are now in the process of retrieving it, scanning it and storing it more appropriately, Should be done by next week's post (and I'm very pleased to have had a trigger to find it!)

Today was pleasantly fine and warm (22C) with rain beginning around sunset. The Alamanda Blue that Cathy gave me several months ago has done really well throughout winter, partly because of rain. The main pot, from which I extracted three chunks to start new ones, has not only recovered but is now spilling over on its way to covering the pot. The doves are attracted to them, drinking out of the saucers, which are always full of water.

Unfortunately, the Wolemi pine is not looking as healthy. I knew it was a risk. 🤞🏼

I'm currently meandering my way through The Lost Flock about the Orkney Boreray sheep, which fits nicely with the Uradale wool knitting. I need, however, to stop knitting for long enough to read at least one book for Sunday's book club. Better get to it.