When you slow down

We walked on the beach this morning, and found this beautiful shell, which looks like an angel wing.

There was a strong southerly wind blowing, some gorgeous clouds and more than a hint of emerald green in the waves. It was so good to start the day this way! 

We are taking some time this week to slow down again, because we have been a bit busier than usual: good things, but not our usual slow life. 

Last night we went to the Pines at Joondalup to see a wonderful film about Gurrumul Yunupingu 

Do go and see it if you can. 

The week which started with a comedy show called Pirate Church in which I was interviewed by a couple of reprobate pirates! 

The week included a concert with the Australian String Quartet in the Government House ballroom, and it was absolutely sublime. 

I also went to the Community Sewing Day on Saturday -where the show and tell of amazing donated quilts was quite wonderful. 

So it is time to slow down a little, read a book or two, catch up with some routines, take care of things and enjoy a slower life.

Second quilt finish this year! #HappiestWhenScrappiest

Yay! Christmas In Australia is quilted and bound! 

I love the fact that this quilt used up some bits and pieces I found when I did a major clean-out of the fabric in my sewing room. I also love the way that the "playing patience" block we were shown at the WAQA January sewing day took on a new look when I used four patches which were found during that clean out. 

I really love scrappy quilts, and of course if you are a quilter you make lots of scraps! 

My  favourite quilt designer is Bonnie Hunter -the scrappy queen! 

#HappiestWhenScrappiest

Taking pictures in my summer garden showed me just how much this quilt captures an Aussie summer, right down to those blocks with Christmas decorations printed onto yellow and green backgrounds. 

I adapted my usual meandering free motion quilting, to be more angular and block-like. It gives a nice effect, though when I went to the WAQA sewing day this month and looked at other people's quilts, I couldn't help but notice that my quilt has a LOT more quilting than other people do on theirs. I like to make sure every seam is going to stay put! 

This quilt came together very quickly. 

Now, what quilt will I make next, I wonder? 

Summer days in green and gold

Just pinned the "Christmas in Oz" quilt together. Don't know why it has taken so long to get to this stage, but there you have it. Partly it was because I was in full magazine production mode for WAQA, but still, it took a while to get this far. Not sure how to quilt it yet -it might even work with diagonal straight lines. 

The Eureka lemons are going well at the moment. I have a new citrus juicer that I bought second hand, which will help me cope with our citrus harvests. My hands struggle with some things -like opening cans and squeezing lemons. I am thinking we might make lemon passionfruit butter! 

Glorious summer days in the park behind our house. The sheoak nuts are ready to eat, and the pink and grey galahs are enjoying them very much.

DH's leg is so much better! He walked with me around Carine Open Space this week- just look at this lovely colour! Extra points for finding the coot in among the reeds. 

Our Kalamata olives are getting so big! No sign of them ripening as yet, but I am keeping my eye on them.  We have had to be a bit wary because we think there might be rats around again! We have heard some noises on the roof (in the roof?) at night. This is their hungry time of the year, and when the fruit is ripening they come for a feed! I am watching the pomegranates in particular. 

Making the best of things

This post was going to be full of pictures of our trip to the South Coast. We were looking forward to long white sand beaches, granite outcrops and cool weather.  Last Sunday we packed up the house, got a neighbour to feed the cat, hitched up the trailer and we were off....as far as Williams before we had to turn around! DH managed to twist his knee so badly he couldn't walk on it, and the medical centre at Williams was not open on the weekend. What to do? We could go on -to another town with no emergency weekend clinic...we could go all the way to Albany  (another 200 kms) and then go to the hospital there... with DH either admitted for treatment during our holiday or released to a bed for some days to recover.....

We decided to come home. We got home, unhitched the trailer with some neighbour assistance, and I drove DH to the Joondalup Emergency department. We were given every consideration and care, and by 9 pm we were driving away with painkillers and crutches. We both have words of praise for the Australian free medical system, which is world class.

For about a minute we considered getting take away food on the way home -but realized it would be quicker and nicer to eat with what we had, even if we had been running down supplies before leaving for a week.  Supper consisted of cheese and crackers and home made mango chutney, followed by home made bread from the freezer toasted and served with home made cherry jam and cream! Not too shabby at all.

At least the cat was glad we were home!

So DH spent the week on crutches, gradually improving. He is a volunteer treasurer for a small community group, so being immobilized actually worked out quite well, as he spent the week preparing the books for the auditor. 

This is not the south coast, but it is still a beautiful morning at Mullaloo. 

What have I got to complain about really? 

In the UK it is traditional to  take grapes to the sick, so every day I have been out to the Rubio grapevine to get DH some grapes. They were tied into stockings to keep the birds off them, and it has been quite successful in producing beautiful ripe fruit. A bunch a day for a whole week! 

DD and I decided to try to have fun this week, anyway. We did a tour of our favourite Op Shop haunts -and had coffee and lunches out just as we would have done on holiday.

This was my favourite op shop buy -just $3 for two pristine condition useful quilting books, and the French dictionary thrown in for free! Thanks to St Martin's Bookshop in Kensington.