Daphne.

The rain has stopped for a while so I went to see if the Daphne bush which I had been keeping a close eye on had actually opened some flowers. Not many yet but just one fully opened flower is enough to get whiffs of that beautiful fragrance.

For perfume it has to up in my top 10 list, along with violets, freesias, roses etc. 

I dug the rest of my yams on Monday; a lot of smalls but I will try them again next year. I dug over the small bed and found lots of worms ( good ) but also lots of grass grubs ( bad ) or they might be wire worms - they had done some chomping on a few of the yams. So I had no hesitation in digitally squashing them Isabelle! It hasn't really been gardening weather since.

I have been doing some preparation for a class I am teaching  next Friday13th at my P and Q group. We have the rooms all day and evening too, so it will be a good long session for ladies to maybe complete a bag in that time.  I've printed off very full illustrated 3 page instructions sheets for them to keep so they can make another if they wish later on. Although I have made I think 5 of these bags it has been a while so I am having a practise and adapting the pattern to use just 2 fabrics as another alternative to the pattern. I am thinking of using the 2 fabrics above but so far have just cut out the very stiff batting ( needle punch ).

 While I was sorting fabric I also put aside these greens. I don't have a green bag so some of these might be good. The top one is enough for a soft lining and any 7 of the others go well together. So maybe I will make 2 more bags if I make time.( and it keeps being cold and wet ) I also need to be making small items for the sales table at our Exhibition in September. Sounds a wee way off but has a way of creeping up on me.

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 This morning I had along phone call with my friend D who is now home from Hamilton hospital She is doing quite well but needs to sleep a lot. She is fancying very plain simple food like a runny poached egg on hot buttered toast; stewed apple and home made soup all of which are really good for her. She also has an urge to breathe fresh sea air so as long as she wraps up really warmly and her husband D goes with her she can slowly walk the 200 metres to the beach and get her fill. ( she said the air in her isolation room was awful .) She reckons she plans on coming to P an Q on the 13th;  going home for a sleep and coming back later - which knowing he she probably will do.She is still on lots of medication which she hates but knows it is helping her stay alive.

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 My cousin the same age as me has shifted  on her own to live in BOP.  I met her last week for lunch. I have been arranging for 4 old school friends to get together for lunch next week. 3 of us did all of primary school and secondary together.The same 3 also went to Teachers College  one in Dunedin 2 in Palmerston North, so we have a lot in common. I have seen the other 2 who have lived here a long time quite often but my cousin hasn't seen the other 2 since school. Wow that's a while now.