December

 I am finding it hard to believe it is December already! We have celebrated David's birthday with lunch at the Queenscliff pub with his sister and bro in law, we all enjoyed our ourselves.

The garden has been going well, we had a lot of rain in Spring which helped

Some poppies have come up and flowered which was very exciting, I spread a lot of seed last year but only got a few plants. Still better than nothing.

The cactus plant I put into the gumboot a while back has finally flowered, the flowers have opened more since I took the photo.

I have quilted another quilt sewn by Christine from a box of two and a half inch squares I had, this in #3, since taking the photo Christine has bound it, I have labelled it and it has gone to the Bellarine Quilters, to be delivered to the Geelong Hospital Wellness Centre next year.

I have been spending some time with young Finn, one afternoon we made yoghurt, banana and blueberry ice blocks, he was not impressed that he had to wait over night to eat one! He loved them and wanted MORE NOW!! Sadly it was too close to dinner time 😀

Early December I met up with the lovely Robyn and her hubby in Geelong, we had lunch together before they went off to do a little exploring before catching the ferry to Tasmania. I met Robyn and her hubby and boys many years ago on a trip to Brisbane top present Michelle with her replacement Christmas quilt. Robyn and her family put up both Raewyn and myself for a few days and drove me to and from the airport. They were very generous with their time to two strangers.

I have been having a few walks along the beach and found many of these recently

I do not want to meet one of these when out in the water, not that I have started swimming yet but it is forecast to be 30 deg tomorrow and then 34 the next day so I might be tempted! I always thought if you got stung you poured vinegar over the sting but after looking up Mt Google apparently not, you need to wash off with sea water and then immerse in hot water. You learn something new every day!

Local ladies who knit and crochet have been busy decorating the trees down the main street for Christmas

these are just two of many, they are great to see.

Looking down to the Bay today.

We have had a few challenges from the Guild for this month, one is for an extravagant Xmas hat, the other is and 8 inch square using only aqua and purple, with the assist of Circles, we are going to be challenged once a month to make different blocks, no idea what happens to them but I guess I will find out.

Another challenge was to make something to be used at Christmas at home we were given a piece of fabric - I cut mine in strips and glued it onto a metal circle I found at an op shop

Jo from Bellarine Quilters kindly got her hubby to cut me the wooden base, I covered the wire circle and stuck on the decorations and the tree and wove the little lights around everything. It looks lovely at night time and will live on the dining table for a while. Fabric is now unrecognisable. I need to get a photo of the left over bit...

that is the fabric 😀

Early December Carleen and I went to Tracee's place for a Christmas gathering, we caught up with Tracee and Marg and some of the City Girls, we had a great lunch and then Tracee had us playing games 😳

Maxine concentrating on her bumble bee gathering a ball

more bumble bee gatherers, we couldn't see what we were doing but had a good laugh! Sorry about the finger in the photo!

Ann and Gail, bouncing ping pong balls into an egg container

Carleen and Julie

Maxine and Marina

Tracee and Elyte, we had a great day and lots of laughs.

This quilt and the one below have been finished and donated.

They were in show and tell and the Bellarine Quilters.

I have been trying to be good and go for a walk each day, this day I rode the bike to Indented Head, St Leonard's pier

Indented Head beach.

I think that is enough for me at present, I have been chipping away at the Temperature tree, and in November so not too far behind. I hope to get some tops into quilts over the holiday time.

Happy stitching.

Back again (photo heavy)

 Life has been a little busy of late, hubby had an overnight in hospital having an ulcer removed from his leg, caused by a mosquito bite. He then had a week at home keeping his leg up with a pressure dressing on it, with a pump attached. We were visited daily by the hospital in the home nurses, who were wonderful. A visit to the hospital a week later, saw the pump removed, dressing changed and one happier hubby. He has had the best attention at the public hospital in Geelong, but boy the wait for each appt is so long and the time of your appt means nothing! I did manage to get quite a bit of reading done. Hubby now gets visits every third day fro the community nurse to have the dressing changed, healing is going well.

A little sewing has been happening here, some are secret sewing, some are me finally getting binding onto quilts.

The horse quilt is finished and has gone to Belinda to be taken to the new owners

I loved the horseshoe quilting, done by On Point quilting in Clifton Springs

The Schoolgirl Sampler finally has binding and is finished.

I finished the wasgij, this was a bit challenging but good to do.

The heart quilt is bound. labelled and finished

as is this quilt made by Lisa of the Geelong Guild, I quilted and bound it and it has now gone with the heart quilt to SJOG to the Oncology ward. I am sure it will make someone very happy. When I took the horse quilt to Belinda, one of the patients waiting for her treatment told me she had been given a quilt and she loved it and really appreciated the sentiment behind it. Very nice to hear.

I have been plugging away at the blocks for the Wendy Williams pattern Thought Bubbles

A few more flowers needed here

The colonial knots I found really hard, some were beautiful and others a mess!!

I have another three to make and then they can be joined together, the I need to make lots and lots of fabric circles. 

The garden is still looking good, although we have had very windy days lately, the rain we have had has kept everything green.

The poppies have flourished. I was given this seed, the seed I bought and scattered has not taken at all.

These were all supposed to be the same but some have different colours. They range from the red in the front to the purple at the back.

A line of mushrooms has sprung up, I have no idea if you can eat them or not, nor am I game to try!!

From near the back of the garden looking towards the house. The fig tree in the centre has done so well, no hot north winds to tear its leaves off so far.

We had some wonderful news last weekend

Adam and Beth got engaged! We managed to surprise Beth by meeting them at the pub for lunch after Adam asked the all important question.

The ring is made with a ruby from a ring belonging to Davids mother and the diamonds are from my maternal grandmothers engagement ring. Beth was super happy with the family connection.

Here we are Palmers to the left and McConnell's on the right. We are all very happy for them. 

Last Tuesday we went over to Sorrento to meet David's sister and brother in law for lunch, to celebrate David's birthday. The Spirit of Tasmania passed us on the way.

We went over on the small ferry, had to sit outside, it was cold and windy and not a pleasant trip

Cold and windy was the weather for the day, but we enjoyed ourselves anyway.

Well that is enough from me for now.

Happy stitching.

This Week

 has been a slow week, lots of resting, a little gardening, while trying to avoid the mossies, and a little sewing.

This week another Anthology block was done

The piano keys border was put onto the string quilt, and has been moved to the to be quilted pile.

I went to see Adam and Beth yesterday and had to take a photo to Tira, she is so cute

and Hank with his chewey in his mouth.

a little sleepy bear.

this poppy has survived the heavy winds and rain in the garden, I think because it has grown up into the tree and is supported

signs of more flowers to come

we had a rain shower last night followed by a double rainbow, the colours were beautiful

I found some Christmas fabric so made two mug rugs.

That is all from me this week

Happy stitching.