Post 466 Mostly blooms, bags, books and bats

 Plenty of hot days again this week, so I've been watering every day in the hope of keeping the blooms coming.

It has worked so far, but I'm not sure what will happen while I am away next week. 

At least this precious Almanda Blue, propagated from one of John Walmsley's original plants and given to me by a friend, should be OK in its saturated pot and saucer filled with water.   It has quite a way to go before it creates the ball for which it is famous, but it's well on the way. 

I've been bunkered down reading and stitching. I have a chapter to read for my brother, but have not given it my full attention yet. I've read The Maid, for Book Club, another in the Cathy Ace WISE Detective Agency series and 3 more in the G R Jordon Highlands and Islands series. I think I still have enough between my Kindle and my Kobo to not run out while at the beach next week.

For several weeks now, the toilet sistern in my bathroom has been dripping and occasionally refilling suddenly. I have tried to pretend it will fix itself and told myself there is no point in calling a plumber over the holiday period. Yesterday morning I bit the bullet and called the plumbing company I use. They promised a plumber around 3pm. Scott arrived at 1.15, borrowed a screwdriver, investigated, explained what he was doing, went and bought a replacement part, returned, installed it, tested, demonstrated - and left just before 2pm. I've never had anything but fabulous service from them. No more drips. I always stress about calling up a service - and I always end up happy and relieved. Slow learner! 

On Friday, while walking around the Square to clock up a few steps, I glanced up and realised that my Christmas bunting was still on display, but my neighbour's string of lights had disappeared. Checking the date ( I lose track at this time of the year) I realised I had missed my mother's 5 January deadline to remove Christmas decorations. I hurried back and went about restoring them to storage. For this year I am now following the tradition that says the Twelve Days of Christmas begin on Boxing Day and  end on 6 January, rather than my mother's Anglican tradition of beginning on Christmas Day and finishing on 5 January (which happened to be my parent's wedding anniversary). I was brought up in the belief that it was unlucky to leave decorations up beyond that date. I hope I've squeezed in by switching dating tradition! In southern parts of England, Twelfth Night is 17 January.  Maybe none of it works Down Under.

The 125 extra bags from the green and checked fabric purchases from the Guild are now completed and stowed away. I've begun work on a sampler apron for the Guild Exhibition in March. This is using up some seersucker I bought to make nightdresses but which proved to be rather too pink.

                     

It's a project with enough challenge to keep me interested. I have embroidered the front to the right of the centre line and  now have to embroider a mirror image on the left side Each column is a different stitch.

It has slowed down my baby cardigan knitting, but not by too much.  I'm now on the first sleeve. I've also borrowed a copy of Vintage Knits, from Katherine, which has a couple of baby jacket patterns without lacy holes. I might try those as well.

I spent today at a friend's place entering another set of data into a database for the Embroiderers' Guild, this time an amazing collection of samplers, mostly associated with the Guild's Certificate Course. This is the work of one retired member (now sadly suffering from dementia) over some 15 years,  8 variously sized folders of samples worked to illustrate every aspect of the certificate course, probably 150 beautifully worked samples or samplers. They form an extraordinary resource for others doing the course, or just interested. It was a two person job to sort, categorise and enter the details. Hopefully the database will make the samples accessible. We completed 6 of the 8 folders and will hopefully finish the job before the end of the month. We are in awe of the skill and persistence that went into this collection. It is hugely satisfying to work on a project like this for a whole day, both of us focused on the task and the joy of handling such skilled work - becoming part of its imparting.

The bats have been very active of late, flying in just after sundown and making a terrific racket feeding on the figs. The sounds are apparently echolocations, guiding others to the food. In the heart of the city! I took these photos last night.

The bats are arriving again as I write this. I'm resisting the urge to take more photos. 

This time next week I  expect to be writing from Carrickalinga where I will be staying with family. It has been difficult for interstate family to get leave and my fingers are crossed for smooth travel in difficult times. I am so looking forward to seeing them.  

The wifi isn't good at Carrickalinga, but I hope to be able to post. Until then.

Post 465 Welcome 2023

My original pink Mandevilla produced its first flower of the season for New Year's Day. It's on my East-facing balcony, doing better than the white and red ones facing West.

Mandevilla lose their leaves in Winter, and I've been watching them slowly reappearing. A flower emerged as a new year gift, worthy of the macro lens.

It has been an exceptionally quiet week for me. The cards and messages have continued to bring joy and news (from Minneapolis today). I've caught up with a bit of reading and a little research for my brother. Mostly I have been occupied making another batch of bags - more of that later.

On Friday I visited Jim's grave and went for a walk at Centennial Park. The birds were audible but not visible and the flowering grevillea, eucalypts and agapanthus were everywhere. The gardens are superb. The small hedges have grown quickly and provide guidelines rather than barriers. So peaceful. 

I have never made a big deal of New Year's Eve. I think my grandparents celebrated with friends around the pianola. After 1963, when we first got television, I would stay up watching with my parents until midnight but that's about it. It was not something my friends, at school or university, were into. This year, after a relaxed, delicious and refreshing dinner with Katherine, Anthony and Niamh, I made my way home in time to catch the end of the 9.30pm fireworks from my back balcony, then watched reruns of murder mysteries while stitching until the midnight fireworks. Adelaide fireworks do not compare with Sydney's, which I watched the next day, but I love the sight and sound of this local welcome of the new year, about 1km from my back balcony.

I have always loved Auld Lang Syne - which I'm pretty sure my grandparents played and sang around that pianola in my early childhood. I have a vivid memory of singing it in Edinburgh Castle in 1972 at the conclusion of an Edinburgh Tattoo. I enjoyed it on an ecard from a UK friend and took a cup of kindness to dear absent friends before heading to dinner with family. 

After the success of last week's bag making using the Christmas fabric, I remembered that I had also purchased 2 other fabric collections from the Guild Trading Table- one of greens, and one of checks and tartans.

What was I thinking?  Whatever it was, I decided I would try to use them up on bags before the end of the year. Amongst the checks was some gingham, which  I set aside to embroider. The rest, and the greens, I cut into 124 bags. Making them has taken up most of my week. 

I didn't quite make it, but I am nearly there. I have 79 completed bags, 30 finished except for the  stops on the end of the cords, and 15 cut out and ready to stitch. I expect to have them all finished tomorrow, when I will write it up for my embroidery blog. Some are quite small - whatever it took to use the fabric.

Madness, I agree. However, it is part of my resolution to be purposeful in my purchases (however big a bargain!) and to use up what I have.

The bags will be used over time - and the fabric is put to good use. I have enjoyed doing it. There have been several very hot days in the week. On Sunday and Monday I didn't leave the apartment - such a luxury. A couple of good Sydney friends had invited me to join them visiting Canberra for the Cressida Campbell Exhibition but I wasn't ready to fly. It would have been great to catch up with family and friends, but I'm still in abundance of caution mode.

My treat today was to try the new cafe along Hurtle Square - A Prayer for the Wild at Heart.  My oysters were served on cold rocks, the Barramundi with fondant potato and  leek and shallot  compote.  The food was really good as was the service.   The initial table I chose was near a noisy aircondition outlet, but  I moved before my food arrived. 

So far so good 2023!

Post 464 - The last 2020 Blog Post for 2022.

Just in time for Christmas, the Summer solstice and the anniversary of my mother's birthday on 21 December, the descendant of the tree begonia we inherited when we bought a house in Gawler in 1973 flowered on my balcony. I regard it as a blessing and reminder of both continuity and change. Maybe because of my mother's birthday, I have thought a lot this week about family no longer with us and how much they gave me and future generations.

They have been uplifting and sustaining memories this week.  

I had a lovely Christmas Day with my Adelaide family. Many thanks for all the hard work that went into making it so enjoyable. I have a fabulous new plant on my balcony and I am learning to use my circle maker.   I feel a lot of pinwheels coming on in 2023! 

In the lead up to Christmas I was kept busy connecting with friends and family as well as preparations. I love the news that flows in at this time from friends and family, some of whom are in contact through social media, some not.  It is a priority to stay in touch and catch up, by phone, email, card, ecard or visit - to maintain the community to which my whole life belongs. I'm still adjusting my response to the variety of Christmas media - but reckon I can keep evolving my practices.        

I finished off the 30 Christmas gift bags I started last week - a bit more than I originally intended, but a very enjoyable job jobbed  The whole process is in my embroidery blog. The bags were a big success and will be reused for years to come. They are not much use outside Christmas, but that just makes them special. 

My other project was to finish 11 of the Shetland Wool Week Bonnie Isle Hats to go with the Christmas crackers. They too were well received and several people continued to wear them through the afternoon. Again, details and photos of all the hats in my embroidery blog. Consensus is they be put away for next year.                                                                                                                                                                                       I've moved on to knitting a baby's cardigan requested by Christine Bishop for the Guild gift shop. 

In Adelaide it was 32C on Christmas Day, 39C on Boxing Day and 40C today - an extraordinary contrast to the weather being experienced by friends and family in the UK and USA. It's also dry, in contrast to the South Australian Murraylands and Riverland where 4000 homes are being inundated by floodwaters and evacuees swelter in temporary accommodation. 

I have not ventured out (or online) for the sales, or for anything else, except watering my plants. I bought half a leg of ham and plenty of salad. Tomorrow's forecast is 24C, so I will replenish eggs and tomatoes once Simon the technician for our entry system has called to answer my questions. 

This is the Boxing Day moon setting over Adelaide. It may  be the last I can capture this year. 

Hope 2023 dawns peacefully - and brings relief to those in peril.

Post 463 It's beginning to feel a bit like Christmas

It has been an incredibly busy week. I've had medical appointments, pre-Christmas catch-ups, Book Club, World Embroidery Study Group, hairdresser - and lots of preparation and project finishing.

After a bit of experimenting, I managed to establish the air plants I bought last week. I glued one to a mineral paperweight I've had for years, and the other to the side of my wall garden. I try to spray them with water at least once a day.  So far so good.

After a discussion with the green-fingered receptionist at Pilates, I realised that plants in clay beads need to be in transparent glass containers to access light on the beads. That means the handleless cup won't work with beads. I got out some glass vases and used up the remaining beads I had with some philodendron cuttings and another begonia.

Worth a try. 

The World Embroidery Study Group final meeting for the year was last Wednesday. There were two last minute apologies who were COVID close contacts. We were all appreciative of this consideration. Most members are vulnerable and cautious - but still enthusiastic to meet. The 9 of us who made it had a terrific session with Junette talking about Smocks. I took the opportunity to wear a top I smocked years ago and rarely wear - along with the crystal Denise gave me last week.

There were lots of examples of smocks to examine and a really interesting history. About 6 of us stayed on for lunch - keeping our distance and with doors open - and enjoying the chance to share and catch up. It's a fabulous group - and next year's program is looking good.

After WES Group, I made a quick trip to the Yarn Trader at Port Adelaide to pick up a tube of wooden darning needles, then on to a Guild friend's place for an early dinner. She had cooked a delicious salmon meal to go with the bottle of Stan Ivanova's wine that Nelly gave me when the Guild Museum accepted some of Stan's mother's embroidery. I've been saving it to drink with these friends who need and appreciate organic wine. It was a lovely meal - and lovely wine. Other than half a dozen or so glasses of prosecco, this is the first wine I've drunk in over a year - and it was worth waiting for. 

On Thursday I had an extended dental appointment with the lovely Clemmie - an Xray and tricky filling. All good. I made it to  Pilates where there were only two of us and the anaesthetic eventually wore off.  Friday was a rarity - I had lunch with a friend and dinner with other friends. I try hard to follow my nutritionist's advice to have only one main meal a day, so avoid eating out for 2 meals, but I chose carefully. It was a privilege to be able to do it - and to have such friends.

In between commitments I have been preparing for Christmas. Last year I bought re-usable crackers, so needed to remake them. That involved sourcing and purchasing snaps, downloading and printing this year's Christmas jokes and riddles (which bear a striking resemblance to last year's) and finding fillings for them. It proved a bit tricky and took a couple of hours or so, but I got there in the end. Two have gone in a parcel to Canberra and the rest are now ready for Christmas Day in Adelaide.

While preparing the parcel for Canberra, I decided to get all my presents organised. A couple of months ago I bought a basket of Christmas fabric from the Guild Trading Table, with a view to making more of the drawstring bags I use in place of wrapping paper. While I could have managed with the bags I have already, it seemed timely to use the fabric now. Realistically, if I don't, it will sit there for another year. So I took the plunge. It turned out to be more than I had bargained for. There was A LOT of fabric. I cut out and machined what I needed for this year - maybe 10 bags. For several days my sitting area had piles of gifts, fabric, beads, ribbon. 

Eventually it transformed to this.

During the process, it dawned on me, that there might be something in the advice of my one-time dressmaker several years ago, that it was more efficient to prepare and iron the bags I cut out, rather than just zooming them up on the machine and tidying them later. 

So I gave it a go. 

Last night I cut out a further 30 bags from the Christmas fabric. Some are quite large, some small. When I got home from the hairdresser today, I got out the iron and pressed the side seams and turn-overs.  They are sitting on my machine - hopefully tomorrow's task - more professional than my usual effort - and hopefully efficient.

On Sunday I took time out from bags for a commission from Veronica - two Christmas stockings for family visitors.The wool felt is left over from the coat I made a few years ago and the rest is felt and bling left over from felt Christmas ornaments in past years.

Book Club was relaxed and fun. I had managed to completely read one of the books - Exiles by Jane Harper, listened to half on another The Tilt by Chris Hammer, and read 20% of Day's End by Garry Disher. All good reads - but I just ran out of time this month. I'm trying to finish them.

A couple of other books arrived this week (just what I need!) I ordered Fabric after it was lent to me in hard-back. It was available at a reasonable price in paperback and I thought it would be useful for WES Group. I read her Jewels  when it was first published in 2005 and really enjoyed it. I've looked for it a few times without success. It too has just been published in paperback. 

Maybe in January I'll have time......

The other adventure this week was a visit from my friend Cathy. She called me seeking directions from Frome Rd, around the corner from me. I (irrationally, I realise) assumed she was heading south and gave her instructions accordingly. She was, of course, heading north. By the time we worked out the problem she was crossing North Terrace, so ended up touring Adelaide University before retracing her path and arriving in one piece, with a pile of embroidery books for me. Several, on Candlewicking, are reviving my once quite intense interest, and another, by Helen Stevens,  has great chapters on Anglo-Saxon and Medieval embroidery. A Guild friend is enjoying the two Jane Nicolas Stumpwork books. It was a very generous gift. We had a good catch-up, in spite of the directions drama. 

My local Post Office has moved - same great staff, more convenient to me, expanded and with parcel lockers! I have my access code!

Finally, my second order of Christmas cards arrived.

I have made my own Christmas cards for many years. In recent years I have had cards printed with a run-down of my year. I still add a personal note but the broad news is printed. I no longer send them to friends I see regularly, or many who keep up with my news online (don't want to bore them silly!). Cards are a bit of an anachronism in an age of social media, and every year I ask recipients if I should stop. There are some friends and family who like the annual connection and news, so I continue.  This week Jeremy Ng posted a link   V&A post on Victorian Christmas cards to the Guild website. The history is interesting.  I'm not sure of the purpose of Christmas card greetings in 2022. I have come to see cards as a vehicle for catching up and communicating with absent friends but  I was so pleased with this year's card,  that I decided to have it reprinted without the lengthy text for a few people who like cards but don't need the news. Now these have arrived I will send a couple tomorrow and hope they arrive in time. Evolving traditions.

I do hope your Christmastide is Joyful.

Post 462 Christmas is coming....

On Wednesday I ventured to Hahndorf to meet my brother at Otto's Bakery during his lunch break. He was in Adelaide for the day on a cruise ship, accompanying a tour group. Very sensibly, he took them to The Cedars, the Hans Heysen house in Hahndorf. He has done this before and we take the opportunity to catch up in his lunch break. I wish I had taken a photo - but I was living in the moment, enjoying the rare chance to meet in person. It's not gourmet food - but an easy and pleasant place to meet. A rare and treasured opportunity.

On the way to Hahndorf, I took the opportunity to stop off in Crafers at Atelier - a gallery with a shop selling local crafts (and food). I hadn't been before but had found online that they carried the ceramics of Jane Burbidge (Just Jane Ceramics), whose beautifully shaped and sized coffee mugs I have used for well over a decade. From at least half a dozen, I am down to two with handles - and I wanted replacements. The gift of the Claire Unger mug a fortnight ago only made the loss more acute.

The ones I am replacing are no longer available but I was hoping she had retained the shape and size in her current Ginko range.  My hope was realised. The gallery ( a great find - I'll go back!) had two of her Ginko mugs (right), good size and very pleasant shape to hold. They also had a range by Indigo Clay, slightly different shape, and a rather more 1970s colour and texture, but still promising. Of course I bought both. I am now enjoying my first coffee from a Ginko mug and have retired the most recently broken original (centre) to service as a succulent pot.

The basket in the photos above was another find at the gallery, interestingly made with a sewing machine and washable. I reckon it works well for my Big Red Geranium.

I couldn't resist trying for some more bat photos. I can't get closer versions. They are too fast for me using my DSLR. A bit of distance does show their size against the landscape.

As a follow-up to my saga of sending a registered medical report to the Dept of Infrastructure & Transport, I had a feedback request from Australia Post, so I politely pointed out that yes, the letter had been delivered, but no, I did not think the matter was resolved until I understood why I had no tracking or delivery advice. Within 5 minutes I had a phone call to explain that registered mail to departments that receive mail in volumes is signed over in large batches, not individual letters. Great for the department and Australia Post, hopeless for senders. I have now suggested they place "Not Suitable for correspondence with Government Department" on the registered letter form.

Saturday was the Maggie's Mart Footpath Sale of Goods  at St Margaret's Woodville and I went along to stock up on plants, which are always good there. For $50 I got a load of succulents and daisies to fill gaps on my balconies. I resisted the very healthy looking frangipani.  As much as I love them and these looked very healthy, three frangipani trees are enough for any balcony!

Over the weekend I placed them into spare spots, these ones on the front  balcony

and a few on the back. 

        

During the week I also soaked and prepared the clay beads and planted a succulent and a begonia in the chipped glass and the handleless mug.

I'll  be interested to see how these go. The ones I bought from my Pilates Studio are doing very well, but they were well established when I bought them. 

There is now an array of Just Jane planters on the front balcony - and I have plenty of coffee cups! 

I managed to get to Grange in time to find a parking space and have lunch at the Grange Hotel before Sit'nStitch on Friday. It was a lovely day, a relaxing time at the beach and also at stitching. It is now very busy at Grange (and other beaches) as the weather has warmed up.  Not everyone swims or fishes. Many just meet friends, walk their dogs and, like me, soak up the wonderful sky and sea.

On the way home I managed a photo of Carrington Street in full Jacaranda glory. A few days later, the purple is being overtaken by the green leaves. That's also a good look, but I am pleased to have captured the purple at its best.

I've still been knitting, but yesterday I played around with some striped plisse that I had originally purchased to make nightdresses for granddaughters, but abandoned. The Guild exhibition next year has a theme of 'It starts with a Stitch' and I decided I could use this very pink fabric to make aprons with sampler-type stitching down the stripes. I think it could work, so I used an apron I had bought for the purpose as a pattern and cut out one apron. 

I'm not quite ready to start stitching. The next couple of weeks are mostly spoken for but but it won't be long. Hope it works. 

Today I spent 3 hours having coffee and lunch with a past neighbour. It was good to catch up. She gave me a very pretty necklace which also serves as a a pendulum for divination. She also suggested my granddaughters might like to borrow it sometimes. 

On my way home I stopped at Bunnings to buy secateurs. I also bought 2 air plants on impulse. By next week I will have them sorted.

Earlier in the morning I made my gingerbread biscuits for Christmas. They look a bit pale here, but they are done, and taste good. There is sugar and golden syrup in them, so I am not going to add more by icing them. 

Finally today, I am sad to learn my sister-in-law's mother died last night after a long illness and decline. A big loss and sadness. Rest in Peace, Wenda.