Blocks for baby.

One of the staff at work is expecting her first child in a couple of months and seeing that there are a couple of others quilters where I work, I thought it would be nice if the three of us put together a small quilt for her as a gift.

Blocks had to be 12 1/4" square.

Lemon and cream the colours.

Two blocks with applique and two without.

Nothing to over the top was the style we were to adhere to as one of our group is just starting getting interested in quilting.

One of our threesome has not long bought the top of the range Bernina sewing machine (not me) and she has kindly agreed to put the quilt together when finished and do some lovely free motion quilting on it. I will do the binding.

It's a shame I didn't realise these blocks needed ironing before I took a picture of them, isn't it. Oh hum !!!

Have a good day.

The best birthday he has ever had.

G'day. Hubby's 60th birthday surprise went off without a hitch. He knew nothing about it and no one spilled the beans. The flight, he just simply loved and yes, he had the thrills and adventure ride. Loops, barrel rolls, spins, you name it, he and the pilot did it. The look on his face when we pulled up at the airfield was priceless and when he knew he was going on a Tiger Moth, words failed him.  Then it was the long trip home where everyone was waiting. Another total surprise for him. I was told that his jaw just dropped open when the group (about 42)  were all standing under the outdoor entertaining area and he walked through the gates and they all started sing Happy Birthday to him. He told me numerous time that it was the best birthday he has ever had. Take care. Liz...

A surprise 60th ( I hope!!!)

G'day. This coming Saturday, hubby turns 60.I have been planning a surprise for him for some months now and so far it is all going to plan. I think...................

Friday night we are staying at a motel and on the Saturday morning I have booked hubby on a joy flight, though of course he knows nothing of this yet, well he knows we are going somewhere on Friday night, but he doesn't know where. The joy flight is on a WW1 Tiger Moth airplane from Point Cook, a fully operating military base about a two hour drive from where we live, though it is only 15 minutes from the motel we will be staying at. After the flight we head home, where hopefully there should be about 42 guests waiting to jump out and wish him "Happy Birthday". Hubby has the option on this flight to take the 'Ride of his life" meaning, loops, spins, you name it, this plane/pilot will do it. Maybe hubby won't be in the mood for a whiz, bang party after this adventure!!!, but he has the long drive home to get his act into gear. I don't think he has ever had a surprise party and I have threatened anyone who spills the beans, that I will get revenge. I will post more about this next week.

Thanks to everyone who has left a comment on my blog. I do appreciate it. Rosaria, you asked if I think about our former farm and what I miss. I can honestly say, we have been way to busy here to think a great deal about it, but, yes, there are times  I do think about the chooks, the garden and of course the beautiful cows and bulls. I don't miss having such a huge garden to worry about and the central heating here is divine. No more lugging wood around and the dust from the wood heater to worry about. The  new owners have called in many times and I always hear about the latest antics of the chooks and I try not to worry with what they tell me.The old girl was left outside for two nights to fend for herself, because she wouldn't go in her pen and the owners went away for a couple of days, so just left her. She was ok and there is nothing I can do, it is all out of my hands. The bird life has suffered also as they have two cats, once again, nothing I can do. I think of the many families of beautiful Fairy Wrens that were always bopping around and the lovely Grey Strike Thrush that came back every year with her mate to have their babies and how I used to worry about the babies when they fell out of their nest in the open bay of the machinery shed and the first year we were there, we picked them up, one by one and put them back in the nest and the mother bird stood by and watched us and hopped back in with them when we walked off and every year after that we kept an eye on them. Sadly we don't have such bird life here in town, but every now and then a few parrots will fly into the yard and I have seen a couple of Fairy Wrens once or twice, but that's it.

We have started a small garden  in the backyard and have planted a few bird attracting plants, in the hope of encouraging some of our feathered friends to come and visit . 

Last weekend we planted lavender bushes under the front bedroom windows, just to pretty it up. At some stage it will all look lovely. I bought a lot of pot plants with me and they have added color to some of the areas and it's all starting to come together.

The photo is of a ceramic watering can that I painted many moons ago when I was going through my ceramic phase.This "phase" lasted about 15 years, until a move (to the farm) put an end to it and then I went back to patchwork and quilting. I have  a great  love of pansies, they add color and brighten up any area. I have two very old wheelbarrows, that mainly have pansies growing in them and they look just spectacular.

Take care. Liz...

Rain, rain go away.

G'day. We have had so much rain here over the last couple of days, that this area of the yard is awash with water. This is along the back side of the house, the previous owners really let this get overgrown. The ornamental ginger that covered most of this area was dug out some time ago and the raised garden bed is in the process of being cleaned up and will at some stage look lovely and I think we will just lay gravel on the ground.

Hubby thinks that the agi drain that runs below the surface here is blocked and therefore is not letting the water run off. On his way to do a plumbing job this morning, he said "Don't let me forget to have a look here when I get home". Meaning he will dig a fair bit of this area up to find out the problem and because it backs against the house, it has to be fixed otherwise we could have problems. 

You can see on the left side, something black with a white cover, this is actually a worm farm that some girls from work gave me. Needless to say, I haven't even opened it yet and no ,there are no poor suffering, suffocating  worms in it. I keep meaning to get it started, I can buy the worms at the hardware store here in town and at some stage will have lovely worm wee to dilute and nourish the garden, but it will have to wait, there are other things to do.

This lovely daisy bush always puts on a great show. It is one of my favourites.I have some daffodils bulbs in with it as well and when they bloom, it really looks quite pretty. In my last post I added a link to my new blog, but have been told that the page cannot be opened, so I will try again http://cottonreelcorner.blogspot.com    Maybe this one will work. Thanks to those who have let me know and as always thanks to everyone who responds to my blogs. I really do appreciate it. I am out of quarantine now, so a girlfriend and I are hitting the town and treating ourselves to lunch at a nice local restaurant and seeing that my friend is driving, maybe a small glass of wine might be in order. Oh dear, what a life.!!! Take care. Liz...

Flowers to brighten my day

 



G'day. This old watering can and  kettle belonged to my late mother in law. I asked hubby to drill some drainage holes in them so that I could use them as planters and I think they are just so lovely.



I got a shock to find these Irises growing in the area of the garden that we haven't bothered about yet. I decided to start to clean it up as the previous owners had really let it get very untidy. This area is on the side of the house and runs the full length of it and at some stage we hope to have it looking very pretty. The irises are growing among some sort of violet, but I have pulled most of this out now as it was taking over everything.

We have had over two inches of rain here yesterday, in a storm front that brought massive lightening displays, thunder that rattled the house (and dog) The weather bureau warned of flash flooding, hail as big as golf balls and they were right , we got it all. This is our lovely spring weather here in Melbourne, Australia and it doesn't dissapoint.

Thanks to everyone who has left lovely comments in regard to my thyroid problems and my  new car.  I had a phone call yesterday from the lovely American doctor who I was luckily enough to get to meet a few weeks ago. She is out here for a year ( with her family )working and studying in the hospital where I have had my treatment. She rang to enquire how I felt after the radiation dose and she answered a few more questions that I have been thinking about and has set my mind at rest over a few issues. So at the moment all is just peachy in my world.

I have even started another blog.  Cotton Reel Corner  This one is all about my sewing, quilting, embroidery etc. I really haven't fiddled with Blogger much since starting my original one and still have to get the hang of how to get the pages right, how to get the pictures to go where I want them and the words. Oh well, I will keep trying. Take care. Liz...









Oh, you sweet little car.

G'day. Well here she is. This is my newly acquired Toyota Echo and boy do I just love her. Of course I still love my old car, but being fickle, my thoughts are with this little beauty now. She is so cute, don't you think ?

Yesterday hubby and I went to the hospital so that I could have my thyroid treatment. This was a single tablet, that delivers a kick. It was housed in an lead container and hopefully it will fix my thyroid problems. I am now in quarantine, though at home. This little tablet contains radiation and therefore I must not venture out. Hubby has to keep his distance and so does our dear little dog to a certain extent. I have to wear gloves when preparing food, though hubby has taken on this task. Flush the toilet twice, wash my hands continually, drink lots and lots of fluids etc, etc.

I was told that my jolly old thyroid was running out of control and that a extremely overactive thyroid is dangerous. My metabolism has also shut down because of this. I wondered why over the last few months my appetite was increasing, I just wanted to gorge myself. Well, at least I feel marginally better that I can blame the thyroid. Apparently it controls so much and if it plays up, a lot can be blamed on it. If I get cranky I can say to hubby "Darn, it's my thyroid playing up"!!! Oh well, it might have been worth a try and of course, I would just happen to be one of these people  with an overactive thyroid who doesn't lose weight, quite the opposite in fact. Under very strict orders I have been told to eat fruit and veg, lean meat and try to cut out the carbs, otherwise I will be in trouble. I won't know for about six weeks if this one dose has worked, another blood test will tell that. So we will see and hopefully watching what I eat, I might shed a few kilos. I have also been told that it will be a battle and that  I will still want to eat all the time, because of the metabolism not working I have to try to control it myself until the thyroid loses it's power.

Back to my little beauty. We took my car yesterday for the hour long drive to the hospital and hubby asked could he drive it home, with me sitting in the back (we have to keep our distance). Well, he hasn't stopped raving about it, how fantastic it is on fuel, how comfortable the seats are, how good it handles on the road, how zippy it moves along, how this, how that. Of course I was sure of all of this anyway, but it's always good to get a great report from a guy who really does know a thing or two about cars and he takes pride in the fact that he was the one who said it was a good buy when it was between the Toyota or a Hyundai that I liked.

I wonder if I will have to fight him to drive it if we go on any trips. He loves it as much as I do and now I feel guilty that my old car doesn't feel loved, wanted or needed any more. Oh fickle, fickle me. Take care. Liz...

Farewell old faithful.

G'day. Tomorrow my new car arrives, though I have just told you a lie, it's not a "NEW" car, but it's new to me. Last Saturday I bought a Toyota Echo 2005 model.

Since the move to our new home and no longer having to drive on the long dirt road to our farm, I decided it was time to get rid of my lovely dual cab ute, petrol guzzler that it is and splash out on something a bit more economical and smaller. Hence the new wheels that I will be driving soon.

I will miss the old girl. I have had her for a number of years , but she does have a big motor in her and therefore just loves to see me spending a fair amount of money at the petrol pumps every week. She will  still be here for a little while yet though, as I have decided to sell her privately and until a good home comes along I will continue to look after her, even though I may not drive her again, not on any long distances at any rate. I will be sad when the day comes to see her for the last time, she has been faithful, reliable and trustworthy in every regard. Has never broken down and left me stranded and has always started first go, even on the coldest frosty mornings.

Will my new car be as good? It's no where near as old as my ute and has no where near the kilometers on the clock that old faithful has. It has a digital dash and a few bells and whistles, that no doubt will keep me amused for some time. Hubby of course had to test drive my little zippy mobile, after all he is the car man in this family, so I bowed to his knowledge and he proclaimed it a good buy. He is a bit concerned that the you beaut display panel will grab my eye instead of me watching the road. !!!! Does he think I am silly, is that what he is implying??? I have only ever had one serious car accident and that was many moons ago when a truck pulled out in front of me and then he couldn't get across the road because of oncoming traffic and the car behind me couldn't stop in time and slammed into the back of my lovely little red Pulsar and destroyed both our cars. I had hold of the steering wheel so tight that with the impact (I saw it coming) that the seat runner snapped and I bent the steering wheel nearly in half as we both went backwards. My seat belt saved me, there is no doubt about that.  Enough of the drama. I am a good driver, though I am not too sure about the majority of people on the road these days.

I will enjoy my little zippy car and will post a picture soon. Take care. Liz...