Post 533 Long Post for a Full On Week.

Wednesday turned out to be busy as I set about restoring order to my balcony after the re-grouting of the tiles. The tiles needed washing, the pots and furniture returning to position. The first discovery was that my squeegee, the only mop I own, was broken. The sponge squeezing mechanism had come apart, and was missing a connector. I could still operate it awkwardly, holding the disconnected rod. 

I took the opportunity to clean the runners on the door and insect screen of their accumulated grime. The two water dishes were slimy. One contains shells, which in turn were covered in slime. I soaked the shells in a mild solution of bleach, then scrubbed each one with a nail brush. They now look clean and the water clear. I've moved the dish out of the sun in the hope the algae won't form.

I deadheaded flowers, tidied a few plants, swept up petals and reconnected the hose. 

I noticed that the zygocactus is about to flower - so the honeyeaters will be competing with the noisy miner for access before too long.

By the time the balcony was restored and clean I was exhausted. I made a coffee and explored potential replacement of my squeegee. 

I keep a short broom with attached dustpan on the balcony. The broom has nylon bristles, now misshapen and sticking out at all angles. An online search revealed the Frewville Foodland had suitable replacements, so I set off and found what I wanted, a squeegee with a more robust mechanism and a small, handmade broom from Vietnam. 

I already have one of these with a stiff bristle. The new one is soft, and very good at finding fine dust. One on each balcony

When I got home I returned the shells to their dish and finished the job. I decided to replace the hose as well, with one that is tidier and takes up less room. (Yes, this really is tidier!)

Around 3pm, as I was having lunch, a courier delivered the four printed tote bags I had ordered - the Early Women of the Book.

I am delighted with them . Two are for friends in Sydney - fellow students of Early English Literature and Language in undergraduate days, who are as excited as I am.  One is destined for a charity auction and another for the Guild SALA Exhibition - along with the explanatory booklet. 

This has been a very productive exercise. As with the earlier bag, one side has printed the photo as uploaded and the other has somehow removed the white background. It is obviously how the printing process works. I'd like to understand it, but, as they are printed overseas, I doubt I will. 

There was a fabulous full moon that night and I managed to get a decent shot through the slats of my Vergola using my phone. It's the best moonshot I have managed.  A Proud Titania kind of night.

Thursday was ANZAC Day, a public holiday, with Dawn Services and marches of Veterans and service men and women all around the country. I don't attend. I do, however, acknowledge the service of family members and remember their sacrifices - including the mental health issues that followed throughout the lives of those who survived. They needed to forget, but we need to remember.

I had decided not to bake Anzac biscuits. It is school holidays, so no one but me to eat them and  I already had a few left from last month's batch. The point about Anzac biscuits is their keeping capacity. They were developed to last for months on sea voyages to France and Egypt in WWI.  However, when I received this email from a cheeky friend  Dont forget the ANZAC biscuits are in the oven and they burn quickly. WE DONT want them burnt again this year, I got on my high horse and immediately made a batch. That'll show him! No fool like an old fool! At least they will keep.

I had bought fresh prawns on Wednesday, intending to have them in a salad, but in view of the chilly weather, stir fried them with broccolini and peas. A good meal.

On Friday I met a friend in Stirling for coffee and scones. It was busy and crowded, but we did a lot of catching up. She brought me another Alamanda Blue, one that is ready to propagate. Mine is doing well, but isn't old enough to be divided, and I promised one to another keen gardener. Cathy seems to have the Alamanda magic  touch. She has several plants, all excelling themselves.

A balcony isn’t ideal for plant division on this scale, and it has taken me several days over this busy week, but I now have three new plants from this giant, which will grow back over the gap. This is quite a rare local swamp plant and would be best in a pond. It’s important to keep propagating them.

When I arrived home from Stirling there were two parcels in my letterbox. One was a metre of Spice linen - the lining for several bags I am working on. The other was a total surprise - a shawl knitted by an overseas friend as a gift. I was so warmed in every way. An unexpected, personal, perfect gift. It went perfectly with what I was wearing. I feel wrapped in friendship and heather.  

And speaking of heather, Marie Wallin’s new collection was released, and yes, against commonsense, I have ordered a kit. This one is simply too beautiful to pass up. And, from the sublime to the ridiculous,

Even worse,  I also ordered an Uradale (centre) colour way kit for the newly released 2024 Shetland Wool Week hat. 

My Saturday workshop on Glazig embroidery for the Certificate Course went really well. The 12 attendees were enthusiastic, diligent and creative working right up to 2pm. 

I captured 9 of their efforts, thanks to Lee who prompted me to photograph the results before it was too late! The one that looks messy is because I photographed it too close through the plastic bag after it was packed up. I really liked the edging but didn’t want to ask the student to unpack it.

Niamh arrived home from her school trip to Indonesia with stories and gifts. Mine is a pair of lovely filigree silver earrings in a batik box, accompanied by a berry for cleaning the silver. I’ve been to Indonesia a number of times but never encountered these. 

I might just try following the instructions.

On Sunday I had a 2.30 pm concert at Ukaria. It’s a 40 minute drive with my friend Lorraine, and this time also  another friend of hers, in time to secure a convenient car park and enjoy a platter lunch beforehand. The Dudok Quartet of Amsterdam played Mozart String Quartet No.23 in F,K.590, Grazyna Bacewicz String Quartet No4, Tchaikovsky String Quartet No3 in E flat minor. The Ukaria garden is at its very best, and the music was great.

Although school term has begun, yesterday was a pupil free day so no family dinner. I needed a day to shop and recover after a pretty full-on week. Much of the day was spent in a panic, trying to find an example of embroidery a student had given me on Saturday for the next WES Group meeting. I had been too busy and tired on Sunday to unpack my Glazig teaching bag and when I got to it yesterday the example was missing. I searched the car and house and phoned the organiser. I was working out how I was going to explain the loss to the student. Several hours later I worked out where I had tucked it, to keep it safe. Phew! 

Today I had lunch with Panayoula, catching up and sharing our opinions on world problems. At home I finished off making a pot of soup to keep me going for the rest of the week.

I have now reached the sleeve cast-off on the Andes cardigan. It’s looking good. I'm looking forward to seeing the impact of shaping.

It has been a busy, productive week - thanks for reading to the end!

Post 415 Stitching all the way.

On Wednesday friends came to lunch - quite an event. The street is now open and, although there were a lot of workers on the building site and parked in the street, there were spaces! Makes quite a difference.

Margaret bought me a birthday present - a lovely Hardanger ornament in an exquisite bag, both worked by her. Wow! The bag fabric is so soft. I've been stroking it while watching TV. So satisfying to have been given such a beautifully worked item.

We had a very pleasant afternoon catching up. Time got away from us - just lovely to be able to do this. 

Thursday began with the dentist and hygienist. My 20-something hygienist has just accepted a job in Western Australia at the end of this month. She was very excited. She has cousins and friends in Perth and was trying to decide between two accommodation offers, one an apartment on her own in the city, the other a shared house near the beach. She plans to drive over (!!) because she is nervous of planes in Covid times, leaving her dog behind with her mother until she is settled. She also has a sister in Adelaide who is 31 weeks pregnant and has been diagnosed with Covid. Her sister's gynaecologist thinks the baby may have immunity from the mother's vaccinations, but if she has any signs of pain, or labour, she needs to drive across the city to Flinders Medical Centre, where there is the only Covid birthing ward in Adelaide!  So Rosie plans to come back to visit when the baby is born. By Saturday, Western Australia had once again closed its border. I don't know if Rosie qualifies for an exemption - but it's an example of the impact on ordinary lives. It's a hard time to be starting in a career.

Alison needed some cushion covers, so on Thursday afternoon we decided on fabric from photographs and I ran these up, posted them Friday and here they are in situ today. I'm so glad I had years of working in online education. Nothing can replace being together, but being at ease with online communication goes a long way to keeping me functional and happy. Photo by Alison.

Susan and I sat and stitched on Friday, both of us are working on knitting projects - Susan's larger (and rather more successful) than mine. She is up to blocking the 5-6 strips for her blanket. I am struggling with the pattern for my bag. The instructions are that each line of the graph represents two lines of knitting - the same pattern row on the right and wrong side. It is evident, however, that the bag in the kit photograph has been knitted with only one row per graph row. I've followed the instructions, resulting in a much longer bag. I'm now adapting. I stopped when I reached the given bag measurement - two patterns short of the graph. I cast off loosely, which may be a mistake, but the bag is lined.  Now I have to knit the other side.

Saturday was the first Certificate Course Workshop for 2022 - Chican Embroidery with Barbara Mullan. I really enjoyed it.  Barbara eschewed the PowerPoint, showed us her books and examples then plunged into the 8 stitches she'd decided we could manage in the time.

I thought I had some cotton muslin, but when I looked on Friday night, all I had was some very fine muslin I'd used for an RSN class which I'd abandoned, so I unpicked it, beads and all, washed, dried and ironed it.  I worked  6 of the 8 stitches in one of the motifs Barbara gave us. It is photographed here on top of some pink lining fabric.

Following a suggestion from Margaret Adams, I turned the sample into (surprise!) a bag, using the lining overlaid with the muslin both inside and out.  

To finish off, I made a twisted cord and added some cowrie shells as stoppers at the end.  I'm pretty pleased with it. The mauve colour is closer.

I also finished off the Hearts and Roses bag. The outside leaves got attached to the double base and a bias strip added, the sides were hand stitched together, then a gusset added for the cord.

This is  the finished product, in various views.

It is quite a piece - but I have no idea what to do with it. I don't think I will really use it - but it's very pretty and I'm pleased to have made it.

Our book club met on Sunday. It was a very engaged and informative meeting - a lot to catch up on - in spite of one of our six members being unable to attend because they are close contacts of a Covid case.

It's been a wet few days in Adelaide and quite humid. Adelaide usually has a dry desert heat. I like the humidity, but most locals hate it and complain loudly ("like Sydney!"). 

I've been concerned about the cover over my Vergola filling up with water. The abseiler came on Monday morning and emptied it. He tells me there's not long to go on the work.

I captured the water-laden clouds just after sunset on Sunday. There are actually 3 bats in the photo - returning to roost in the big Morton Bay Fig on the left.

On Monday my new Kobo arrived. I was a bit concerned it might be too big. It is great! I like the design. The corners fold back so you can see the status, place and page very quickly. The colour is much mauver than the photo. The back light works, it plays audio books, AND it links to Overdrive! Might even rival my Kindle.  My pack of Kim Diehl's Applique Freezer Papers also arrived. 

In between a good phone catch up with my brother, and another with Vivienne, I managed to make this top which I hope will fit Brigid. I'm nervous. It looks as if it will fit a 4 year old but it should be right from the pattern size I used.  I bought the red-back spider fabric from Missy Rose  on a whim- a preorder, then  couldn't think of a anyone who'd like it. 

Brigid rescued me and said she'd wear it as a top, so I found a pattern. Just before posting I received the good news. It fits!

Today I've been to the hairdresser, dropped my portable lights off at the Guild to be tested and tagged then dropped the top off for Brigid. The hairstyle is a little bit Nicola Spurrier, our much loved Chief Medical Officer who has fabulous greying hair - apparently people now ask for hair like hers! I wish.  

Two more Christmas cards arrived today, both from the USA. 

I need to decide on my next embroidery project. Do I return to the Aesop Frame or work on the two Dijanne Cevaal guardians holding koalas ?  I'm tempted by the latter, but am a bit conflicted about a very European spirit figure in an Australian context. Hmmm.

It's still humid in Adelaide, currently 30C.  I've had two messages while finishing this post, one letting me know a friend in NSW is home from a long stay in hospital, and one from an Adelaide friend cancelling dinner tomorrow because one of them has Covid.

A very strange world at the moment.

Post 414 Birthday Celebrations.

This week began with my birthday celebrations. I'm truly grateful to my daughters for ensuring we were together for this auspicious birthday. Birthdays themselves have never really been great events to me. Early January in Australia is when most people are away and difficult to get together. In recent years we have managed to gather at the beach but it wasn't possible last year and only possible this year through the grit and determination of my daughters. Alison especially had to make sacrifices, detailed plans and endless adjustments and inconveniences to come from Canberra. 

She also took this and several other photos, for which I am grateful.

As you can see, I broke out and had a lime milkshake!

My habit of asking a waitress to take a photo of us all at the lunch table at the Normanville Jetty Cafe did not pay off this time. The photo isn't a good one, and I agreed not to use it. 

We therefore have two photos, one taken by Alison and one by Karl, so everyone gets in. I haven't attempted to meld them into one.

After lunch we repaired to one of the holiday rentals for candles and cake - not together. The apples that were blown upon have not been eaten but the icecream cake disappearing. I didn't indulge. 

I was given some really lovely gifts, all so carefully chosen: the SA-made, Celtic style brooch from Brigid (top left), the Canberra-made and designed one from Alison and Karl,(lower right), a necklace from Katherine and Alison, an amazing locally made paperweight from Fionn, a Normanville made clove scented leopard trivet from Veronica (it emits the scent when heated by a dish!). Niamh always makes me a pin-cushion (a much needed continual reminder not to put my pins and needles into the arm of the lounge chair). This year's is a book - cleverly designed and made by Niamh. While it is puffy and solid, pins will not get lost in it. The thickness and shape prevents that happening. It is great. I should have placed all these on the tray cloth my friend Vivienne made for me, but didn't think until too late!

It was a really lovely day. There were also lots of messages from friends. Carrickalinga phone reception is still terrible, but sms and online messages get through. I am really grateful. It was my kind of day. I hadn't thought much about reaching 75 but it now does seem a bit of a milestone - one that Jim knew he was unlikely to reach, and that my mother missed by 9 years in spite of expectations of longevity. I am very, very blessed, and will try to make the most of every day.

On Thursday we were up early to pack so that Alison and Karl could return to Canberra. Their afternoon flight had been brought forward to 9.30am and it's a 90 minute drive to the airport. Sad to say goodbye, but so fabulous to have had the time. I returned the key to the Agent before 10am, then took this photo along the road on my way back. I moved in with Katherine and her family at their holiday rental up on the hill - another blessing. 

On Friday we went into Yankalilla to get a few supplies. Katherine and I visited the Second Hand & Book Exchange. Katherine found the doilies she was looking for. I was looking for Amanda, who runs the shop and was at one stage an active SA Embroiderers' Guild member but she wasn't there. However, I did find some books that I couldn't resist.

None of them are specifically on embroidery or textiles, but they do have significant relevance. I've finished the Viking one, which has proved really useful and dipped into the others. 

I've now done as much as I can without a sewing machine on the Hearts and Roses bag. Once I stitch each of the six outside pieces to their six inside lining pieces there's another round of hand stitching to join the six together. A job for next week.

The weather has cooled down - mostly in the low to mid 20sC. I have no regrets, but I think, although it hasn't stopped them swimming, everyone else would prefer it a bit warmer.

The kangaroos have moved somewhere else for their evening graze in the last few days, or maybe they don't like the cooler evenings. 

On Sunday the paddock was taken over by a flock of galahs, their screeching silenced while they fed. I regretted not bringing my DSLR.  The photo taken with my iPad is live, which improves it, but inserted here they look like stones.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         They were easier to photograph as they flew away! 

By Monday morning they were feeding on the road verge! Presumably they have stripped the paddock of whatever it is they like.

Carrickalinga turned on a smashing sunset for our last night.

I've started on the Marie Wallin Fair Isle Bag I bought as a kit last September.  I brought the kit with me, but forgot to add the needles! Katherine managed to find some for me in Normanville. 

It is proving difficult. I knitted the first section, which is half the base, without realising the whole bag is knitted in garter stitch, not stocking stitch. I swapped over when I started on the wider section, which is the front. 

It is intuitive, and much easier, to work purl rows on the wrong side, otherwise you spend a lot of time moving your working and resting threads from one side to another to avoid carrying thread across the right side. 

The pattern also shows up more crisply in stocking stitch. Since arriving home I've worked the next section in stocking stitch and I'm much happier. I will continue in this mode.

Before we left on Monday, there were some moments where it is obvious why so many artists have painted this part of the SA coast. The light was lovely and the cliff line clear.  I even managed to catch a couple of birds in flight.

I arrived home to find the wind had upset the pot of on my back balcony, and also blown over the container of seed for the birds. The lid was nowhere to be found - no doubt acted as a frisby over the nearby roofs. The spilt seed had not, as far as I could see, been found by birds. Perhaps they were waiting for me to return, because within minutes one dove appeared, ignored the spilt seed, and attempted to get the seed remaining in the container, which I had righted. The dove had several attempts to get to the seed, but couldn't manage the balancing act without upsetting the container, gave up and retreating to the spilt seed. I did oblige by tipping out the seed left in the container!

Today I made two forays into the outside world, one to Ecolateral at Magill to pick up the two things I ordered online in their New Year sale. While I was in that side of town I called at Heyne's Nursery to replenish a few plants. I bought a red Aloha Mandevilla,  The pink one on my Eastern balcony has done so well, I thought I'd try another in the West. I also bought another bowl-shaped pot and some white geraniums to put in it. I dropped these at home, then went out again to Unley to get fresh milk, fruit and vegetables. 

The two trips, a bit of washing and watering took all the energy I had today. I read a fair bit of the Bruce Beckham Inspector Skelgill book I had been saving. Late in the day I did manage to find and purchase some pdf versions of a series of books on goddess embroidery by Mary Kelly. That should keep me busy for a few weeks - once I've read the Celtic book above!

Thank you for all the birthday wishes and messages. It's been an awesome week! 

I did, incidentally, maintain my weight loss program. 18.6 kg down now. Thanks for all the help and support.