Post 72 Flowers

This is a photo I received last night, just after I had pressed the button on yesterday's blog post. It is from my friend Christine Thatcher in Watford, England. These are her irises now blooming in her garden in front of her grape vine.

It's lovely to have this evidence of Spring in the UK. I love irises, especially mauve ones. They are so flamboyant and bold - an excellent signal of VE Day, which I know is being celebrated today in the UK.











When I visited the shops two days ago, I indulged in a bunch of unopened oriental lilies, some of which are now open. I enjoy watching these open. Looking straight down into the flower provides great lessons in shading and I admire the way the pollen looks as if it is suspended . The side view is quite different, with those almost transparent stamens.

I also indulged in a pot of bloom for a spare container on my balcony. It looks lovely against the autumny foliage of the trees beyond.

There are a couple of succulents getting ready to bloom. I haven't taken a lot of notice of them before, but  they are now better established and I have plenty of time to do so.

This morning I had a long conversation with my friend Lorraine, who gave me cuttings for many of these succulents. Lorraine had a very bad fall several months ago, which put her in hospital with concussion. She has been housebound for months and still has headaches but she has been making short excursions for grocery shopping and even for fish and chips!

I don't usually discuss our Covid restrictions or management in this blog. I choose to think on, and share other things. I'm including the next bit of news because I think it might be of interest to some readers as a framework - and because watching it roll out occupied much of my day.

Our National Cabinet - the meeting of the heads of all States, Territories and the Commonwealth, agreed to a plan for easing restrictions for opening up to a 'Covid-safe economy'. The stages are agreed in framework form, and each State and Territory develops its own specific plan with timelines. As I have said before, I am a strong supporter of this very collaborative decision-making structure. I watched the Prime Minister's Press Conference then the various State Press Conferences.  State responses vary,  particularly in timelines, but they are all moving in the same direction. For those who might be interested, this is the South Australian version.

From next Monday cafes and restaurants can serve food outside and a number of activities can occur - but all in the context of no more than 10 people. The numbers increase somewhat in June and some indoor activities also open up.

I'm pretty hopeful of strong take-up by the South Australian community. I was confident enough to go out and buy some milk!

There is, by the way, a very strong message from all leaders, that international travel (with the possible exception of New Zealand)  is NOT likely for the foreseeable future.  Most commentators are taking this to mean not before 2021.

On my return with the milk I found the larger dove collecting the last of the seed on my balcony. He has a very dark tail and is long. His partner was cooing loudly all the time he was here.

Yesterday I made stock from the ham bones I bought on Wednesday. Today I skimmed the fat from the stock, discarded the bones after removing the flesh and added the vegetables. This is my mother's very old-fashioned vegetable soup with swede, turnip, parsnip and carrot. It's boiling away at the moment.

I was planning to begin the reading for my writing task for my brother, but I didn't make it. It's my weekend priority.

More good news of Jennifer this evening. She has moved to a respiratory ward and had 2 visits, one from a speech pathologist and one from Susan. She is tired but progressing well. She can speak in a very soft whisper. She was eating her dinner this evening when her nephew called. Susan will visit her again tomorrow before returning to Adelaide by plane via Melbourne on Sunday. This seems like miraculous progress and I am so grateful for the care, community and science that has made this happen.



In between Press Conferences, emails, phone calls and watching Poirot tonight,  I kept on with my hexies. I have a nice pile, ready to put together.

I hope that VE celebrations have brought much joy to all celebrating in the UK. I'm hoping to find some photos tomorrow of my father's RN ship on VE Day 1945.

Post 71: Friends

First up today is the mystery of  the plant on my balcony that a friend suggested was a the Lachenalia, unusually flowering in Autumn. Another friend contacted me this morning to suggest it is in fact a Aloe.  I've checked it out and it is Aloe ciliaris. Many thanks to both friends for their help. I love the way information gets shared in the blogging community.














I had another identification challenge when a new bird came to investigate my balcony (Yes, that is two photos of the one bird). It ate a few grains of seed, but not many.  This, I think is because it feeds on insects and worms and there were none on offer.

This is a magpie lark or peewee. It is a smaller relative of the piping shrike, or white-backed crow shrike, which appears as the emblem on the South Australian flag, but has never been officially declared the State bird,

It had a good explore of the balcony before taking off.

My two doves have settled into a daily routine. The smaller, (I'm assuming femaile) waits on the edge of the roof, calling for me to get up in the morning. More often than not she stays there while I throw down some seed and comes for some of it as soon as I go inside. She returns several times during the day. The larger (I'm assuming male) comes around midday for his share. 


My songbird embroidery was not quite dry this morning, so I set to work to make what I could of the bag without it. I got the back, sides and bottom of the bag machined, the handles and the lining. 







By early afternoon the blocked piece was dry, so I added it in and completed the job. I had to do a bit of adjustment to the lining.

Here it is in all it's splendour.










I realised as I blocked it that a red thread had run. I managed to prevent disaster, but have been slowly and carefully removing the offending thread - the over-dyed Mossipots that I was so pleased with. I haven't removed it all, but may do so.


It's a decent bag.



The news from Jennifer in hospital in Perth is pretty good. Her two tests for Covid19 infection were negative. Jennifer has her piece of get-out-of-jail paper! The tracheotomy is out. She can speak softly and croakily, but should not be doing too much of it. She stood up beside her bed several times and a physio is helping her sit in a chair. Tomorrow she moves to a respiratory ward where she will have a physio program. Doctors are saying 4 more weeks in hospital. Susan can visit her tomorrow - her first visitor since she went into hospital a month ago today. I don't have exact dates, but I think she has been in ICU for close on 24 days and with a respirator for probably 20. She has been the longest time of any patient in the Royal Perth Hospital Covid ICU. She's alive, standing, sitting - even speaking - and Covid-free.

I had bubbles tonight to celebrate, quietly, while enjoying a Live Stitch with Phillipa and Laura Turnbull and  3 of my fellow Stratford retreaters. Phillipa was in Cumbria, Laura in Spain, Genevieve in Brussels, Margaret in Brisbane and Tamara in California. There was lots to talk about. Those who are working are stretched, keeping families and fellow workers well and operational in addition to their own work. It's easy to make no time for your own sanity. No one expects this to be over soon. We all have at least one piece of stitching going and lots of stitching hopes and dreams.  There was more talking than stitching but I did tack papers to 30 I inch hexies. It lasted two hours instead of one - and worth every minute.

This is my tribe. Not all of it - but a vital part. To borrow a term from a local funeral company advertisement, it nourishes the soul.

This post is  a bit short on photographs. Two parcels were successfully delivered to me today. One contained two cooler-weather tops and the other a book. I had forgotten I had ordered it, second-hand from England. It's the Martha Grimes detective novel set in Stratford around the Black Swan Inn, where Melody and I had a drink on our second day in the town, before the retreat began. It's years since I read it The book isn't available electronically in Australia, because of historical publishing agreements and it's out of print, so I ordered a second-hand print copy

How appropriate that it should arrive today!

So much to be thankful for.

Post 70: Must be Jennifer's Post!

Today is Jennifer’s 70th birthday. She is strong and has been sitting up in a chair, able to receive sms. I texted her birthday wishes. I think she has had the tracheostomy removed. She sent me a message that she has been ‘decarded’! 🙏🏼🥂💐😀

Wednesday is the day I send something out to the World Embroidery Study Group of the Embroiderers Guild of SA. Today’s post was an account by one member of the textiles she saw on her visit to Peru and a newsletter on Andean textiles from another member. It’s a versatile and talented group.

I was very keen to progress my songbird. I wasn’t happy with the stark pinkness of the tail feathers. I had a skein of Cottage Garden Threads'  Mossipot which I thought might blend with the body of the bird and soften the contrast.

I applied a little to the outside tail feathers (left), then applied it more heavily (right). I prefer this moderate  blending to the separate colours.

I had an appointment with a spinal specialist early this afternoon - a referral suggested by my GP in January to check for any change in an old injury that causes sciatica and a range of limitations which, since my knee operation, I manage with help from Physiotherapy and Pilates. My GP thought this specialist, who in her view is ‘low intervention’, might have some further suggestions. Interestingly, since I have been largely housebound, doing very little exercise, I have had very little pain. The appointment however, came around and I went.

He talked a lot - advice, theory and an ironic commentary on his own position (‘good for you if it works and good for me because I have to make money’). There is scientific evidence that some interventions (surgical and chemical) work, no evidence that physiotherapy works, but no one can tell you what to do because you know your pain levels and everyone has different experiences and you are in charge. Mental and physical health make a difference to how you experience pain. Injections are highly effective for some people and surgery can remove the pain. Now you’ve had the lecture.(Yes, he did say that). 

I was trying to work out if he was somewhere on the autism spectrum or simply patronising. I opted for an MRI referral and phone the surgery for the results (rather than a telemedicine call with him) on the condition he would ask me to see him again if there was any reason to intervene further (highly unlikely, he thinks).  

His rooms are close to the North Adelaide Village so I parked there and did a little more shopping before returning home - some cream and lemonade to try making three-ingredient scones, soup bones, berries, watermelon and mandarins. it wasn’t crowded and I wiped trolley surfaces and used hand sanitiser which I kept in my pocket.  I also picked up a parcel that the post person apparently tried to deliver yesterday. I was home, but could have missed the buzzer.




A big excursion, reminding me of a time when it was normal! Today is the 14th with no new Corona virus cases in South Australia while test numbers continue to increase. I’m inclined to continue to visit North Adelaide  to shop rather than relying on deliveries. It is so good to choose my own fruit, and veg. 

I was home in time to message Jennifer, watch the sunset and finish the songbird,








I worked the legs and feet in a darker green silk.


















and played around with blues, green and a little sparkle on the thin tail feathers, which I whipped.

It came out of the hoop in the usual crumpled state,
but it works.

Tomorrow I need to sort out and organise the leftover threads. The skeins of linen thread did not pull out easily!

I have blocked it, hoping it might dry overnight so I can construct the bag tomorrow

I have agreed to begin a writing task for my brother by the end of the week, so I’m need to clear the deck a bit.






I do hope Jennifer has had a happy birthday. It will certainly be memorable.

Post 69: chair and songbird

The Mellerstain firescreen was quite dry this morning so first job was to unpin it from the block and try it on my chair. I then had breakfast and set about stitching it on to the chair cover.















I'm getting better at taking the cover off the chair (and, fortunately, better too, at putting it back on!).

I then needed to pin it on, without wrinkles and stitch it down.

So here it is in situ.




For anyone who has not seen the chair before, here is the front, back and other side.





The plan is to put the Aesop frame on the back. I've also decided that I need to work a mirror image of the Muncaster Oranges to put on the other side of centre inside back.

I also need to work some leaves and vines on the seat cushion. It will look good when finished and its a lot of fun.














My friend Robin in Katoomba tells me that the plant I photographed yesterday is a lachenalia, originally from South Africa. I checked it out, and it certainly seems to be part of this family. I wasn't able to find a photo of one so tall and vine-like, but it certainly looks like part of that family.

I worked for the remainder of the day on the song bird. I enjoyed working the tail feathers in the linen thread.


Another message today was from a friend who is also a Midsomer Murders fan. She sent me this photo from her last trip to England. Now how come I didn't think of making this visit?











I managed stop stitching to catch the sunset.

Jennifer has had a 12 hour period withouttusing the ventilator, and tonight will begin a 24 hour trial without it. If that is successful, doctors will check that her vocal chords are not unduly swollen.  If they are satisfied they will remove the ventilator and also the equipment from the tracheotomy. This means no vocaliser being inserted and the expectation that she will be able to speak for herself. If it goes to plan, and the Covid tests she has had are negative, she will be out of ICU in 4-5 days.

This is good news. The caution is that she is likely to spend at least another 42 days in hospital, either in a respiratory ward with a physio, or in a rehab hospital, taking small steps to full recovery. Jennifer is, fortunately, a trouper.

I'm continuing to stitch the song bird. I have a medical appointment tomorrow, but I now have only the long thin tail feathers and the legs and feet to go. I think I should finish the embroidery  tomorrow and can look at construction of the bag on Thursday.


I'm not convinced I have the colours right on the tail feathers so far. A variegated thread might have been better on those dark feathers.


It will look better or worse in the morning!

Post 68 : Flu Vac

In spite of it being a a cool, dull day, this succulent was brightly blooming this morning. It wasn't there a week ago.  I don't think I've seen it bloom before.

I spent much of the morning finishing Richard Anderson's Australian crime novel, Boxed then working on the wing of the song bird. In the end I took it out of the hoop and held it in my hand. The wheatear stitch was much better worked by scooping rather than stabbing, and I'm still programmed to 'never scoop in a hoop'.

This afternoon I had my flu vac. My doctor had suggested I wait until May because I had a booster in February before going to England. The surgery, which is in a house, runs vaccination clinics. You make an appointment, then sit of the verandah on one of three chairs (spaced well apart) until called into the front room where a young doctor, checking a computer, asks some questions and a nurse administers the vaccination. The nurse commented that I'd better come back for a pneumonia shot. No, says the doctor, she's had one. Nurse smiles at me and says 'That's good. So all you need to worry about is tetanus.' 'No', says the doctor, 'She's had that too'.  'I'm pretty conscientious about vaccinations' say I.

The nurse looks as if she's won the lottery and says, 'I could hug you!'.
Of course she doesn't. 
It doesn't take much to make a nurse happy at the moment.

While I was at North Adelaide for the flu vac, I called at Romeo's Foodland. I was surprised at how easy it was to shop.  Signs about sanitation and distancing, but no policing - and no obvious problem. I got my muesli and a salmon fillet for my dinner. Metropolitan Fresh Fruit and Veg was also open - and had Bravo apples!

I really enjoyed being able to choose what I wanted - which wasn't much. I had antiseptic wipes to use before and after each transaction. I might make further short shopping excursions here.

There were plenty of cars parked around North Adelaide, but not many people on the golf course,



It is quite strange to see all the restaurants, cafes and hotels closed in a place that is normally buzzing with people eating and drinking coffee.












Similarly, in the city, Frome Rd, which I drive down  to get home, was pretty much deserted at 4pm on a Monday afternoon.


Jennifer has had the pressure from her ventilator reduce further. Tomorrow it will be connected but not operating. If that goes well it will be removed completely. They took a direct test for coronavirus today and will do another tomorrow.  If both are negative she will be able to be free of quarantine. She was too tired today to read or colour in.





I spent the rest of the day working on the songbird, back in the hoop. I might go over some of the variegated silk. but will wait to see how it looks with the tail feathers in. I'm really liking the linen thread.

Post 67: a Bit of an Idea

The first job of the day was to block the Mellerstain Screen. To my joy, the polystyrene blocking board that I had obtained from Christine Bishop (a piece of polystyrene covered in cling wrap) was just about the perfect size for the screen. This made the job so much easier. Any larger and I would have had to use a towel on the carpet. While that works quite well, it means getting down on the floor, which my knees do not like.

This wayI could do it seated, on  my lap. This gives me a good grip and makes it easy to pull the wet fabric really tight. I went around the edges about 3 times, tightening the pins each time.

Next time I will remember to put a towel on my lap first.


It is drying in front of the window. I expect it will take about 24 hours to dry.

The next job was to prepare the fabric for the Anna Scott Songbird project from Inspirations 106. I had assembled some cream linen, lining and, last night, Appleton's wool. I wasn't really sure about the cream linen that I had. I also had some green cotton that might work.

As I measured out what I had, including the lining (a piece of printed linen from Ink and Spindle), it suddenly occurred to me that the printed linen might work with an adaptation of the design.

I had made a printed copy of the design to trace. I cut out the bird from the printed copy and tried it on the fabric.

It seemed to work.













So I worked out the layout , ironed it, positioned and traced the bird  using the cutout.


The piece of Ink and Spindle fabric was enough to make a bag about 35cm x 45 cm, with inset sides and base.

The green cotton will become the lining. so I cut that out as well. There is quite enough for a handle.













By early afternoon it was in a hoop, on a seated stand and ready to roll.
There was, however, a snag. The Appleton's wool I had spent an hour of so choosing and organising last night did not seem suitable for this fabric. For one thing, the bag might need washing and I wasn't sure washing the wool and this linen together would work.

Back to my threads to find alternatives. I had a collection of linen threads that I had bought on a Guild trading table last year. The colours seemed to fit, supplemented by a few silk threads of various kinds.




I spent the afternoon working on it. It's a bit mad I think - or at least obsessive. I just want to see if it works, so kept stitching, and watching (well, listening to) the daily news updates from the states and territories on the virus.

The couching thread is silk but all the other threads are linen.




Katherine rang and we caught up for an hour. The return to school has gone well for the kids.

I cooked lamb cutlets, potato, tomato and snow peas for dinner, but mostly I kept stitching.

It's working!

I'd like to know more about this songbird. I'm not sure the habitat is right - but it's going to look good.

I checked on the dove a few times. I think I now have two visiting doves. It's difficult to tell because I don't see them together, but this one seems slightly larger and has fewer white feathers in the tale. Perhaps the male?

Finally, many thanks to everyone who has asked after Jennifer and those who have been praying for her. Today's bulletin says she is communicating with the nurse and indicating she'd like a wheelchair so she can move around! The plan is to remove the ventilator in 2 days time and probably install a vocaliser in her trach tube. Susan is going to deliver Jennifer's phone, books, and a colouring book to her. It's a great improvement and good news story.


I am having some trouble with the Feedburner that emails these blog posts to subscribers. The emails are scheduled to go out between 11pm and 1am Adelaide time each day, but every now and then they fail to go. I check when I wake in the night and if necessary reprogram. I suspect that Feedburner is not programmed to take account of daylight saving. I am experimenting with using GMT rather than Adelaide time tonight, so hope there is no disruption.