Post 457 Birds, beach, balconies - and a blood moon.

This week's bird is the Noisy Miner, managing to dominate the native frangipani for much of the time, although the lorikeets are not too deterred, sometimes insisting on staying while the miners are screeching. These belong to the same family as Bell Birds - Bell Miners - but are not as pretty, nor as melodious.

 

I had a plumber come on Friday morning at 8am. He did a great job, fixing the mixer tap that had come apart, installing a new water filter under my kitchen sink and cleaning out the bathroom sink that was draining a bit slowly. He was done in under half an hour. I decided to roll with the early start and wrap my balcony wall pieces in plastic. 

It looks nothing much but took me over an hour. The  smallest are covered in tape, the others have plastic over them, tucked right under the edges ( handy to have long nails!) and the edges taped.

The Balinese mask on the back balcony looks a bit creepy.

I also moved all the pots on the back balcony into the middle, and added any tools or supplies into the spare bathroom.

I ended up doing quite a bit of cleaning - including  a dish of shells and stones that act as a water source for the birds. and the brass candlestick that belonged to Jim. The brass is taking quite a bit of cleaning to restore its shine. My Brasso was ancient. I did try it, but have assigned it, unfortunately, to landfill. I'm currently trying vinegar. I've added three brass pins and a brass hook to the soak. There's a way to go to get them all into a shiny state!

I invited Theo to inspect and advise, which he did on Sunday morning.  He thinks it's all OK. He brought his ladder and covered the dish mounted too high for me to reach.

 

Saturday was a JEMS day. I had promised to help, and Niamh was able to attend for the first time in several months, since netball has switched over to the Summer program and she no longer has a clash. There were nine JEMS there, five in the younger (8-10) age group - lots of activity, lots of requests for help, lots of sharing. Really good - but I reckon Margaret, the convenor, will have slept well on Saturday!

Afterwards Niamh and I went down to Grange. I had left a bag behind after Friday's Sit'nStitch (ditsy!) and wanted to retrieve it, which I did. As we were there we had our milkshakes at the Jetty Cafe. It was a lovely day. I'm not sure the milkshakes are as good as those at Queen St Cafe, but they are larger, and you can't fault the view.

Katherine was away at a hen's weekend for the wedding of a friend. Anthony got back from Queensland on Saturday morning, but still managed to shop and cook a barbecue, for which I stayed. Great to catch up with everyone. It's exam time.

On Wednesday the wood rounds I had ordered from Stringybark Supplies, arrived. They were much better than I expected. The ready-made set of Christmas ornaments are really bright and cheerful. 

Most exciting, however, were the plain rounds. These are made from radiata pine, old plantations which are now being removed and the land restored to native forrest. An enterprising farmer is creating these rounds from the radiata pine, sanding and selling them - and in some case printing them for corporate merchandise - or as tokens or souvenirs of special occasions.

I found them inspiring, and, by Friday had created 8 of my own, using photographs of lorikeets and Adelaide Rosellas.

I traced the outline of a bird from a photo on my ipad screen, resized it on my printer, then retraced it on to the wood. Then I used either coloured pencils of fine line pens to colour and contextualise the birds.

 I found it utterly addictive. I just wanted to keep going. I was a bit restricted in the birds I could use, because I didn't have a good white colour in either medium, so couldn't try a magpie, or seagull, or raven. 

I have played with Brolgas, to pick up on John Wheeler's The Carol of the Birds. which I learned in Primary School. The white pencil almost worked. I might try acrylic paint.

I've left some with Veronica to see what she can make of them. I am tempted to order another box.......

Monday morning saw me preparing potatoes, broccoli and chicken Marylands for dinner before heading off to the Guild to talk about Bulgarian Embroidery, dashing to buy the bread then home by 2.30 when Niamh arrives from school.  

The painters were already at work - hosing the front balconies down at about 8.15 am.  By the time I got home around 1.30pm  they were working on the overhang above the apartments. To my surprise they had finished my balcony. They apparently painted the ceiling while the first coat dried on the wall, then did the second coat.  I could, the boss told me, remove the plastic sheeting. So I did! 

I was prepared for 5 weeks, and it took 1 day! There is, of course, the back to do, but they now say that won't happen till January! I've reconnected the hose! I might also remove the plastic from the mask.

The Guild session went very well (apart from a few glitches with the technology - fault of the Guild computer setup which needs attention) and there was a lot of interest in both the information about Bulgarian embroidery and the pieces acquisitioned by the Museum.

The footpath outside our apartment entrance has been blocked off - very confusing for visitors, but easy to navigate when you know how. I waited outside for Niamh and Veronica to help navigate. 

Today I was up early to begin the move back. I washed stands and pots as I moved them and (repeatedly) washed the floor. At 10.30am I stopped and went to the Guild to finish labelling Maureen Holbrook's folders. They were in Margaret Morgan's car boot, and she was stitching there today, so it was a good opportunity. I got the job done and had a good time with the group. The folders are now  in my boot, ready to be handed over to Christine in a fortnight's time.

Back home around 1.30pm, I tackled the rest of the balcony restoration. It was fairly heavy work - moving and cleaning a lot of plants. The windows are very dirty, but my efforts with Windex mostly resulted in smears so I think I'll give up on that for a while. 

Probably best to wait and get a window cleaner. I'm now very tired . I'm not used to being on the go all day - and it's 33C today. The plants need a good water (so do I) - and I'm back at the Guild for WES Group tomorrow. 

I watered the plants, had dinner and a big drink before photographing the beginning of the luna eclipse. The blood moon will be at its peak in half an hour - and beyond my photography skills.

A calm end to a busy week.

Post 454 A lot of productive time waiting for car services

The big news this week was that the painting of the exterior of our apartment building is about to begin on 7 November. It will take 6 weeks and includes our balconies. The bad news is we are asked to clear our balconies! My balconies are gardens and I have art works riveted to the walls. Removing either plants or wall art is a major undertaking. The alternative is to move the plants to the centre of the back balcony, or the window side of the front balcony. I have, of course, chosen this option. 

Theo, my neighbour, very kindly knocked on my door and offered to help. That is immensely kind. He also came up with the idea of covering up the pieces on the walls. That made me feel a whole lot better.

On Saturday, Ali, my cleaner offered to move all the plants - and we rearranged the front balcony. The two cane chairs are now stashed in the spare bedroom. I've decided to only put one cane chair back when it's done, and to put the other on the back balcony. That means I can dispose of two mesh outdoor chairs. I never use more than one on each balcony, so this minor downsize should work. 

I also bought 4 packets of eco-friendly Glad Wrap and plan to encase all the wall pieces before 7 November. I might need Theo's help for a couple. l I feel much more relaxed.

On Sunday morning, before the rain  I moved the hose, potting mix, fertiliser and tools into my spare bathroom and a couple of pots from the back balcony inside.

I now have a couple of pots right next to my bedroom chair. My bathrooms have no windows, so not an option for plants for 6 weeks. Next weekend I'll finish stacking the plants in the centre of the back balcony and, hopefully, cover all the wall art with plastic.

A friend and I had plans to visit St Dominic's Priory on Sunday when their embroidered cope was being exhibited. It turned out to be only from 10.30am -12.00 noon, and my friend was rostered on for her church service at the same time, so we cancelled. 

Possibly a good thing, given the rain that was bucketing down by 11. 

It cleared up a bit in the afternoon, so I went for a walk in the wetlands. There were quite a few dog walkers and a family of ducks assessing the water. 

While I was waiting for my cleaner to arrive on Saturday,  a pair of Adelaide Rosella's began feeding on the native frangipani. I managed to get some photos to brighten up this post.

I spent last Wednesday morning waiting while my car was serviced - no hardship, there is decent coffee and a wide open, well-ventilated waiting area with wifi. I read an article in a  New Yorker sent to me by a friend, caught up on emails and didn't get any knitting done. All is well with my car, although it was due for new tyres. These were replaced today - a 4 hour job. Once again I chose to wait, rather than chance spend time walking in the rain and catching buses.

I finished off this post, worked on my WES presentation for next week, and had a surprise visit from a friend from Melbourne, passing through on her way to Ardrossan. The time passed very quickly.

Last week I also finished off the pouch I was making from last week's Certificate Course. The detail is in my embroidery blog.

The New Yorker article I read while waiting for the car last week  (thanks Pat) was "On the Rocks: A hundred years of The Waste Land" by Anthony Lane, When I got home I found my copy of The Waste Land  and read it aloud, not as well, I'm sure, as Benedict Cumberbatch, whose reading, accompanied by an orchestra and Anthony Burgess's score, Lane had attended, but enough to retrieve the rhythm and some of the nuance.

I had to go back quite a way in my archive of photos (not, of course, back 100 years!) to find any that were remotely suitable for discussion of The Waste Land.  Oddly, those I found were taken on a visit to the Flinders' Ranges in 2009, with the friend who sent the article! We were flying over Lake Eyre on one of the rare occasion it was in flood. Obviously these were taken outside the flood area!

One thing Lane discusses is the different context to which generations apply the poem - more environmental today and more political in its early years. 

At the moment, Eastern Australia is experiencing severe flooding, while the west is in drought.   The Murray River System is as full as it's ever been - while, I gather, the Mississippi River is barely navigable in places. We maybe need the Ancient Mariner alongside The Waste Land.

Eliot's words are still powerful - and say far more than any photograph. 

I think I'll stick to my knitting, embroidery - and the birds, all life-affirming.

I had a request a few days ago to talk about Bulgarian embroidery at the Guild's General Meeting on 7 Nov, using the newly acquired Museum items. I'vs agreed. I don't usually go on Mondays, as I am  preparing for dinner, but I'll have to get organised in advance. 

Sunday's excursion was cancelled, but Saturday made up for it. Dinner was at Grange Jetty Cafe because the surf season has begun and Anthony & Brigid spent the afternoon on surf patrol. After our relaxed, pleasant meal we had coffee at their place, did the crossword, and I picked up my year's supply of Who Gives a Crap toilet paper which is more easily delivered to a house than an apartment.

Also on Saturday, an old friend, now living in Darwin, was in town and called in. I haven't seen him in years and it was wonderful to catch up. He is still trying to convince me to write with him! Maybe.

I've put in a bit of work on my last PowerPoint for the year which began as Celtic and Anglo-Saxon Embroidery but is morphing into English Embroidery in the Early Medieval Period, for the November WES meeting. This has been a long and wandering journey, which I reckon started in my undergraduate course. I had planned to do my honours work on Culture and Society in the Middle Ages, but the option was pulled a month before my final year. Embroidery - or even textiles - would not have featured in research back then, but I'm making up for it. It is now a rich mine of information and has led me unexpected places and conclusions . 

A friend sent me a clever and amusing article I had missed on the joys of knitting, Thanks Peter.

Meanwhile, my brother's vest has reached the arm holes. I am delighted to be now working the top in sections, knitting back and forth - no steeks! What a sensible pattern! 

I haven't progressed it as much as I hoped while waiting for my car, but I'm back on it between wrapping the balcony in plastic.

Post 453 Birds, bougainvillea and 'broidery.

On Thursday morning around 7am two lorikeets were busy on what I think is a native frangipani tree the near my balcony.  They had a fine time. They are supple contortionists, hanging and bending to extract the nectar.

The two worked independently, in different parts of the tree, but stayed in touch by sound and left together. I now have quite a collection of lorikeet photos. I just click away, then edit for an hour or so  afterwards. 

Later in the day, while balancing near the window at Pilates, I noticed bees moving around on the lemon blossom, so detoured past the tree on my way out to get a couple of photos.

Better still, however, was the Bougainvillea - nothing quite like that colour.

On Friday an electrician came,  checked my outdoor powerpoint (all good) and put the powerpoint I wanted on the wall near my sewing machine. I've wanted that for so long - no more extension cord across the room!

He finished in time for me to have lunch at the Grange Hotel and a short walk before Sit'nStitch. We covered a lot of (mostly knitting related) ground and I got a whole cable done.  

           

The Gymea continues to fascinate. The bees have been at work, and the lily has expanded to fill the pot it sits in . You can now see the seed pods that will emerge under the pollen.

It is an extraordinary plant. This is one single flower head!  

On Saturday I got home from the Guild Certificate Course Workshop to find two Noisy Miners feeding on the nearby tree. They are harder to spot than the lorikeets but my patience was rewarded with a couple of shots. 

           

The workshop was on Needle Weaving on Perforated Fabric with Di Kirshner. She is a great teacher, and the session was relaxed, informative, friendly and engaging. Most of the time was spent setting up our piece ready for the weaving but I did get to begin before I left. 

I finished off the first motif when I got home. It is an inspired design that I look forward to finishing. I'm afraid there is a bit of a queue forming! I have finished the piece, but will write a bit more in my embroidery blog when it's constructed.  It has also given me an idea of my Christmas projects - there's a bit of a queue for those too!

The painting of Para Wirra from last weekend's auction is hanging now at Katherine and Anthony's place - and looks splendid. As Katherine says, it is exactly as Para Wirra looked in the 70s. I haven't been there for decades, but I imagine it is more bushlanded now.

Our Book Club met on Sunday and as usual, talked a lot. As well as the nominated books, there was much discussion of Marple: Twelve Stories  and the latest Ellie Griffiths.

My picks for our November discussion are  All That's Left Unsaid  by Tracey Lien, Better the Blood by Michael Bennett and Black River by Matthew Spencer. The first and last are set in Sydney and the middle one in NZ.

The doves have been visiting a lot - especially when I am out on the balcony. One, in particular comes to keep me company. 

Yesterday's family meal was very pleasant. I heard a lot about school dynamics and got some advice on the construction of my Saturday embroidery project. My brother also called with a request for some information - which occupied much of the evening and this afternoon. I had a lovely relaxed morning with Panayoula hearing all about her recent trip to the UK. I so enjoyed sharing experiences. 

When I got home, I had missed a parcel delivery. When I picked it up late this afternoon it turned out to be Genevieve's gift kit of Glazig embroidery. These are the contents.What I haven't captured in the photo is the wool felt that goes under the linen. I am really excited about this. I've got a couple of small projects to finish before I begin this - and a bit of preparation - but it's coming!

Many, many thanks, Genevieve.

I also, of course, have knitting on the go. I've got another 2" (about 2 cables)  to go before the arm decrease. My car is being serviced tomorrow, so I might get quite a lot done while waiting.

I had a bit of drama over the weekend, when, during the Guild workshop, someone found a tub with my name on it, and an attached note, in the office. It was the container of embroidery belonging to my friend Nelly which I had left for the Museum team to see if they would like any items to add to the Museum collection. The note on the tub simply said "Not accepted". I was shocked and upset but kept my reaction to myself. I won't go into all the details, but it turns out that 6 items have been accepted and accessioned based on the note and documentation I had provided (as opposed to the forms I was expecting to provide to Nelly once the team had decided). 

The team is impressed with the items. It is a large acquisition for a space-challenged Museum. Only the remaining items were in the tub. I had taken the note at face value without checking the contents! The letter of thanks to Nelly has been written, but not sent because the volunteer who wrote is has crashed her computer!. This was made clear to me by Monday night, but not before I had mis-informed Nelly and been through a lot of angst!. It is ultimately a very good news story Hopefully, all's well that ends well! Photos of the items will soon be on the Museum website.