Charity Quilt Finished.

 I got the binding sewn down and simple quilting finished on this group Charity quilt. ( about time ! )

 and the back

Now I can get back to my own projects.

 I learnt some things while doing this project. Having many ladies piecing and cutting and sewing on one project makes putting it together so, so much more difficult. Lots of easing and redoing required. When the seams don't match up perfectly the straight line quilting I was doing was rather tricky. I would totally pick a larger ( less seams matching ) project next time! )( one where blocks could be trimmed to be all the same.

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I am trying to spend all day indoors today as the pollen in the air is really upsetting my eyelids this year.( some years are worse than others )  I started back in the orchard last Tuesday and that's when the eye irritation started. Some days it is worse than others.

 It was a bit better over the weekend when I wasn't outside for hours on end.

 Yesterday must have been really bad as everyone Bay wide is commenting on the pollen all over cars and people sneezing etc.

 It would be nice if there was something I could take that would just make it go away....lots of remedies make it sting and  itch and be far redder.

 I have taken anti histamine but it doesn't totally fix it, so staying in is part of an experiment to get some relief. ( good for getting projects finished )

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 Yesterday and today we have had men working on the property doing 2 different jobs. One lot with a large tree grab have been felling some huge gum trees . The thump when they hit the ground is quite amazing and tremors run through the ground.

I managed to capture this one as it fell!

 All the gums on the right side  of the picture got toppled. ( the one on the left was too large! So is still standing )

 The beautiful straight clean trunk of this gum plunges to earth through a clump of giant bamboo.

 The contractors are dragging the trunks into a pile where they dry and  become next year and the year after's firewood.

 Over in the avocado blocks 2 other blokes with a post rammer are putting in big poles to build a safety barrier above the gully.  It will act as a warning to pickers in hyraladas, not to go too close. 

 More and more things have become our responsibility as far as Health and Safety on our property goes.

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 What a thoroughly enjoyable watch the Olympic games  turned out to be for Kiwis. I thank all the competitors for the pleasure they gave me! 

What Has been Happening Here.?

 Just today I have started picking these Macadamia nuts from one tree ( The others don't seem to be ready yet ) The outer green shell splits and we pick the nuts and dry them on a trolley in the sun. That shell is then removed and the hard brown inner shell needs dryinyg, before we Crack /shell them. We store them in the freezer so they don't go rancid.

 I quickly knitted Grandson another hat as he lost a couple.

 I have now started his next ribbed singlet / pullover.

 Grandson and his parents and other Grandma spent 3 nights here and went home yesterday

 He is such an active little boy and just a delight. I love him dearly.( 10.5 months ) 

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 Today R is out with the  tractor and big mower mulching up the prunings under the kiwifruit vines. As my exercise for the day I will walk the rows with a rubbish container and pick up all the food wrappers, cigarette packets, drink containers etc etc. That the 25 pruners dropped.

 Its good to have the vines now pruned and new canes tied down to the wires. We will have to do some adjusting and titivating to get them to our liking. But the sun is shining these last few days and everything underfoot is drying up.

 I haven't finished quilting the Charity quilt yet so that awaits my attention.

It's Not Raining.

It's not raining today which makes a very pleasant change. July had rain most days and even more at night.

 The first sweet smelling  Freesias  are out.

 The lovely face of hellebores have to be lifted towards the camera, they naturally seem to hang their heads.

 Getting up close to ....

 Magnolia stellata King rose

 Which is from this photo.

 It is always the first of the magnolias out.

 Lots of sunshine to dry up all the mud would be good.