A Little Luck.

At P and Q on Friday my name was drawn to win this prize. 2 fat quarters and a coffee mug. Very Lucky!

*****

When I made my hexagon quilt, I made and in the end, didn't use  as a border, some very dark blue hexagons ( 5 finished ). Having put in the effort to get them half done I decided to make a set of 5 large coasters or small place mats from them.( A good size to fit under pot plants )  The fish motif is cut from a Laurel Burch fabric and I am hand blanket stitching them on. I needed a hand sewing project to take to P and Q so this is currently it.

*****

 3 days in a row it has rained. On my list of jobs to do, almost all were outside jobs, so some Spring cleaning of my wardrobe took place, then my sewing cupboard. The outside jobs still await me. I popped out during a break in the rain to take this shot of the first of my strawberries showing colour..

 These are on the new plants; my similar plot from last year are a bit behind but looking promising too.

 *****

I am halfway up the 2 sleeves ( I always knit both at the same time ) of this jersey. I hope the colour isn't too bright for Grandson. I have made this same pattern twice before in smaller sizes. It is from Eco Baby by Debbie Bliss.

 Please may we have some sunshine now?

Of Bees and Blossom.

We currently have 3 bee hives in our avocado block. Also in our area just across the road a bee keeper stores hives and some of those bees fly over and visit our trees.
 I took some photos of bees working for us. I was most interested in the flowers or blossoms that were going to produce fruit or nuts for us.

 Perhaps the most attractive flowers were on the feijoas which are just starting to bloom.

( feijoas are related to NZ pohutukawa or Christmas tree )

 No bees there but if fruit is set it will be pickable next April or May.

 Near by the apple tree was attracting some bees.

 It has quite a covering of blossom and it too might have apples ready next Autumn.

Rivalling the feijoa for attractiveness ( in my eyes ) are the Macadamia nuts.

I have enlarged that photo so the bees visiting it are  easier to see.

 Any nuts set will be harvest able next August or later.

 Avocado are one of our commercial ( exportable )  crops and that is why we pay to have bee hives on site for them.

This is the best flowering tree in the top block facing North and getting lots of sun.

 Avocado flowers are tiny but there are millions of them - only a few will survive to become fruit .

There is a bee flying into this cluster of flowers many of which are still buds.

That pic shows the bee about real size so you see how very tiny the flowers are. Any avocados set by pollination now will not be picked till November/ December or even later next year ( 2018 ) so a very long time.( a year or slightly more )  I suspect such a tiny flower takes that long to become such a nutritious fruit.

*******

 The plum tree has already flowered and set a few fruit. My broad beans are producing some yummy beans . The blue glass really sets the lime green colour off a treat. The top of the plants are still being visited by bees so beans for a while yet.

 Probably the most visited flowers on the property at the moment are the 2 huge oak trees. I can stand under them and hear the Hummmmmmm.

 They of course only produce acorns .

The Lost Door Wedge.

 The "Lost,"  door wedge, to hold the back door open if it's windy, has been found...unharmed .

 It mysteriously went missing back on the 28th of December last year. We had lots and lots of young folk and their families here for  the day. Many toddlers and under 5s.

 We imagined  the door wedge was lost for all time somewhere in the garden where some little fingers had taken it but no it was right here inside the house all the time.

 It happened like this. Monday this week  the washing machine decides to malfunction. We called the repair man who came very promptly and installed a new part. Tuesday one load of washing done - no drama.

 Wednesday morning the washing machine bleated again and said it wasn't getting any water....but was half full.

 I went off to talk to my sister on the phone and about 10 minutes later I heard the machine beeping constantly, so rushed ( shouldn't have ) to the laundry. As I rounded the corner near the laundry door I aquaplaned into the tub which I was able to grab to stop from falling. I hadn't looked down to notice the pool of water emerging into the kitchen and backdoor area.  The machine had obviously just continued filling and filling over the top. Of course the entire laundry was awash. My slippers were soaked as were all the things on the laundry floor including the wooden 2 layer wine rack.

 Much mopping up happened. All the wine was taken from the rack and stacked in a corner and the rack put out to dry.

 Later being helpful R returned the wine to the rack and there hiding inside the back of the rack was the lost door wedge obviously "posted "there all that time ago. Just shows I don't clean the wine rack out very often. We are still awaiting the return of the repair man, later today.

  It's useful to have the door wedge back though..

********

Happy 2nd Birthday Grandson.

 ( taken last Saturday .)

 You have given me ( us )  2 years of Joy and fun and laughter . We love you very, very much.