Keeping Square.

Thank you Meg for your letter. I thought you might be interested to know that although Percy Peacock doesn't live on our property much any more he greeted me at the mailbox this morning. He has a really huge tail this year and was quite chatty as far as birds go. His friend Polly was found in the vege garden just the other day and R had to give her a hurry up out of there with the spud gun ( all noise ). It always seems to make me jump more than the bird.

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I don't think I said I am back doing kiwifruit stuff again now. ( boring! ) R is crushtipping the new growth -( to stop it growing passed where it is needed - instead of cutting it which promotes growth ) and I am cleaning up after the pruners..... taking off the used cut  clips which have sharp ends, the twists of old cane; dead pieces still hanging there. I am also beginning to bud thin. Where there are triples instead of one bud the 2 side buds need to be rubbed off - it is very delicate work and ladies' fingers are smaller and more useful. As they grow there will be heaps more bud thinning to do. Yesterday and today it keeps raining which means we are in and out trying to stay dry. So in between showers I have made some progress with the selvage blocks.

Here I have got my 12.5 " square  ruler over the top after adding more strips to ensure I keep my piece square. It will be trimmed when it is finished but needs to stay fairly square as I make it. I am glad I haven't used a backing fabric as it is heavy enough with all those seams and overlap of fabrics. I like the resulting interest all the words and coloured circles of the printer's pallet gives.
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Some progress is being made getting the oil off Rena. We heard that some containers have been found floating off East Cape!