Sunday, December 25, 2011

The Twelve days of Christmas in Australia

The Twelve Days of Christmas are the festive days beginning Christmas Day (25 December). This period is also known as Christmastide and Twelvetide. The Twelfth Night of Christmas is always on the evening of 5 January.

Twelfth Night is followed by the Feast of the Epiphany on 6 January.

I love the peacefulness of the Christmas season. These twelve days are beyond the stress and rush of Advent's preparations, and we can slow down and enjoy the holidays.


Nearly all of Australia closes for the period between Christmas and New Year at least. Many will go to the beach. We like it in the early morning, whilst it is still fresh and cool-ish. We have got back into walking every morning since Boxing Day and we are loving it.

My Christmas decorations are enjoyed now that there is time to ponder their meaning.

Christmas presents can be explored and used for the first time. I have a new Kindle which I am enjoying very much. I have downloaded free books including "On Walden Pond" that 'simple living' classic by Thoreau.

We eat up the leftovers from Christmas.

My DH is able to 'listen' to the cricket whilst sleeping on the couch in the post lunch period.

Our days stretch to a new rhythm -siesta becomes a reality. As Perth Western Australia has a Mediterranean style climate with short wet winters and long hot summers, we really should adopt this as a lifestyle choice. We get active in the early morning, then retreat to a cool place until the sun goes down.

Stone fruit appears in the shops along with grapes and the most popular drinks come out of the fridge -rose, Semillion Sauvingnon Blanc , and gin and tonics! My coffee now needs to be icy cold and I am thinking of getting back in the routine of making iced tea.

This is the time when we try to have friends over for lunch or dinner -eaten outside -sometimes we barbeque.

Relaxation, renewal, recovery.

I do hope that you have the opportunity to enjoy some of the Christmas season in a quiet reflective way.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Progress being made

I had a sudden rush of energy to make a 'crazy quilt as you go" project and found it a great deal of fun. It came together very quickly and easily, and I hope the person who is getting it for Christmas enjoys it too. This is the front.

And this is the back:


I wish I could be so happy about the progress of our bathroom renovation. We are so close and yet so far! We have the bathroom cabinet installed and the taps in the shower installed and working. Now we need to have the glass shower screen delivered and installed, and then the whole thing needs painting.


We are really happy with how it is coming along, but now we want to get it done and be able to move in. After all, Christmas is coming!

I hope to be able to post the whole 'before and after' bathroom pictures soon, but till then, I guess we will just keep on hoping!

Saturday, December 3, 2011

My Quilting story so far



I started quilting when I took long service leave from my job in 2008. I was lucky enough to find a great teacher, who gave me the skills and confidence to start quilting and to keep going.

Today I gathered together all the pictures of quilts I have made since then.

I am on a journey which has given me a lot of joy, and it certainly keeps me off the streets! LOL.

I have given a few of these away, and it was great to be reminded of them as I put this together.

I hope you enjoy it!