Post 547 Early signs of Spring

 

It was relatively busy at the Guild on Wednesday when I did 'hostess' duty. The SALA exhibition is on in the Gallery, staffed today by 3 members of the NoLimits Group. They directed visitors to the Museum display in the house, so showing them around, or directing them to the display, fell to me. To be a good example I embroidered at my station, rather than knitting, finishing another flannel flower centre for (yet another) bag (top). At home I finished another for the back of the bag.

Several visitors (including Lori, a wonderful ex-member of WESGroup) asked about the Ink&Spindle linen and I promised to send them the link. When I got home and checked it out, I&S had several bag-sized remnants on sale. Do I need to say more? 

These arrived on Monday. There's enough for 7 tote bags. I hope someone, somewhere, wants one.  I counted the pieces I already had earmarked for bags. With the new linens I now have 20 bags to make. 

I seem to have joined the ranks of those who undertake an activity because they can. Even so, I promise to buy no more linen.

I spent an hour at the dentist on Friday morning, with both dentist and hygienist working on and checking my teeth. I am full of admiration of their professionalism and thoroughness. A chipped filling was repaired and 3 ‘watch’ items added to the dentist’s notes. Afterwards I went for a walk in the nearby Himeji Garden. It is a beautiful, peaceful and contemplative place, always providing new points of interest.

This group of trees will look very different soon.

I've been following the dermatologist's instructions re the abscess diagnosed last week. The course of antibiotics is finished and seems to have had the desired effect. I'm still using antibacterial solutions and exercising caution.

Because of this, I have been at home a lot of the week.  This has enabled me to finish one of each of the 6 blocks in the healing blanket. I blocked them and put them together in the order recommended.  There will  be two more horizontal rows added below these, and five more vertical rows. It's good to get the schema clear in my head.

I have finished  and blocked two more since. 

The weather is warming and the first signs of Spring - increased bird activity - are evident.  Rosellas were active outside the dentist on Friday but I didn't manage to photograph. 

Around my eastern balcony the doves are very active.

I'm keeping an eye out for budding on the sticks behind. The lorikeets and rosella will spot them before me!

The town is abuzz with SALA (South Australian Living Arts) which occurs each August. Local artists exhibit in any available space, halls, shops, streets, businesses, studios, foyers. It has been a bit sparce during COVID but has returned this year with a vengeance. The A3 catalogue has 63 pages, listing 10598 artists over more than 700 venues. It's a  bit overwhelming. 

On Saturday, on the recommendation of a Guild member who is exhibiting there, I visited the backyard studio of textile artist Alli Symons. Her work is varied and very interesting - dolls from her own clothing fabric, collages, felt works, embroidered fabric. I spend the best part of an hour talking to her. 

That left Sunday as very much not a day of rest. I changed the bedding, did the washing and hung it out, prepared a moussaka and cleaned up the kitchen afterwards before falling in a heap. In short breaks I managed to read the lengthy Strata AGM agenda, email a question to our rep and work out what I now think I need to do to replace my bed. There's a way to go with the latter, but I think I now know the questions to ask of salespeople. 

Having made the moussaka on Sunday, Monday was fairly relaxed. Niamh arrived with a request to alter her winter school uniform. We worked out a new hem length and some tucks to reduce the waist size. Luckily I had brown thread in the machine, so did the tucks, shortened the lining, cut off the hem fold-over and overstitched the new edge. It was then easy to turn a new hem and stitch it by hand. Job done well before it was time to set the table for dinner.

This evening I ran up a fairly crude pencil case from the off-cut.

After a podiatry appointment this morning I returned home to tidy for the cleaners and go over my preparation for tomorrow's WES Group. We are going to discuss the group's SALA entries, on display around us. I need to remind myself of the detail of the lives of my Early Women of the Book.

I expect to take down my balcony sign tomorrow, when my friend goes home from hospital with instructions to build strength for chemotherapy in a few weeks time. It feels unlucky to take the sign down before he leaves the hospital. 

My other friend with cancer, is in respite care and a fair bit of pain.

It's been dry and fairly warm so far this week, but that's about to change to rain and lower temperatures in a few days, so we are all making the most of it. 

It's almost time to fertilise my plants. They are beginning provide a lovely cheerful display of colour on the eastern balcony. 

Now back to tomorrow's notes - and knitting!

Post 532 Balcony, bags and books.

On Wednesday I had my annual audiology check up. There has been no change in my hearing since last year and my 9 year-old hearing aids are still working.  There have, of course, been technological advances in that time. I'm still pretty happy with the status quo, so I'm sticking with what I have. If something goes wrong, I'll upgrade - and I'm thinking 10 years is  probably the limit!

Afterwards, I went to Kmart at Kurralta Park looking for drawer organisers and a Book Club book. With a bit of help from staff, I found both items in the barn of a shop.  I bought drawer organisers in two sizes and early the next morning cleaned out three drawers and inserted organisers loaded with jumpers, trousers and scarves.  They are so promising I plan to go back for (lots) more! I even had a bag of clothes to take to the charity shop on Thursday.

The bobbins I had ordered following Janet’s talk  on braids at WES last week arrived - a packet for me and 4 packets for WES friends.  These open for winding the wool, then clip closed for use. As well as keeping the yarn untangled they provide weight when  braiding. They are not easy to find in Australia, but I found a source in Victoria.

On Thursday I skipped Pilates to take Veronica to Aptos Cruz Gallery in the Adelaide Hills. The Hills were in full Autumn glory which I didn’t manage to photograph as I was driving. I should have asked Veronica, who is a good photographer, to  oblige but didn’t think at the time. That evening I went to friends for dinner and had a great time . 

The Sheepjies blanket is now out as an extra layer on the bed as needed.

On Friday the upholsterer came and picked up the chair. It was a very quick and smooth operation without parking hassle. As the chair that's gone is my favourite for stitching, I rearranged so I can now use my Men of Skyros chair before heading to Frewville to shop for Monday night. I always enjoy shopping there, and ended up with a few bakery items to keep my spirits up while I put in a few hours proof-reading in the afternoon.

I grabbed a shot of one of the honeyeaters through the flyscreen on the balcony. They certainly love those flowers. 

I finished the Flannel Flower bag I mentioned last week.  I'm very happy with it and have lots of ideas to vary it. Detail  of this one is in my embroidery blog.

I'm also progressing the Kaffe Fassett Andes cardigan. At the moment I am knitting 5 rows that use two brown shades. It is hard enough to tell them apart in the ball, but when they are side by side as a thread it is nigh impossible.

The colour marked in red triangle is different to that in the blue triangle!

I have worked out a way of keeping them apart as I knit, so one is on my right and one on the left, but it requires concentration and vigilance!

Today our Strata maintenance team came to regrout my back balcony in an effort to stop a water leak on the balcony below. Leakage through my worn grout is likely to be a contributing, rather than a causal factor. Apparently the drainage pipes running through the ceiling below are worn at the joins and will be replaced - from below. 

The tilers were professional and considerate, agreeing to do half the floor at a time, moving my plants from one side to the other. It took about three and a half hours. The floor needs to dry overnight so there will be quite a bit of plant moving for me to do tomorrow. My cleaner helped me move the marble-top table back into place this afternoon - a job I struggle to do on my own.

I took the photo while sitting at my sewing machine,  making up a second Flannel Flower bag. I don't think the faces are clear enough to require me to seek permission to use the photo!

I began the Flannel Flower bag in the Fennel and Saltbush  colourway as soon as the Spice one was finished. I completed the embroidery yesterday. It's been fun experimenting with embellishment and it makes a decent bag. Detail, of course, in my embroidery blog.

I also sorted out the various Ink and Spindle linens I have and worked out how I will turn them into tote bags. Looks as if I will be busy with bags for a while. I have at least a dozen in mind. I've ordered another metre of plain Spice coloured linen for linings. 

The weather has varied considerably from several warm, sunny days, when the Ibis moved in and out of shade in the Square, to overcast, stormy skies. temperature drop and sudden showers this afternoon. I guess it is not only the colours of the leaves on deciduous trees that is changeable in Autumn.

It was lovely yesterday when we gathered here for a meal. Although it is still school holidays and Niamh is in Indonesia, Veronica was working her usual late afternoon shift in the city and the Uni term has started, so it was convenient for five of us to eat here.  

I really enjoyed the Richard Coles book I began last week and have ordered the second in the series. I've been trying to reduce the pile of books I have acquired. I  read Margaret Hickey's Broken Bay, set in South Australia. Next weekend is my Glazig Workshop at the Guild - so I need to spend a bit of time refreshing my understanding. Between this and moving plants back into place, bags and books may take second place this coming week.