Lots of Sorting Cleaning and Deciding.

 Last week we had a rubbish skip delivered . We had it for a week. The main thing to go in it was an old slide from our garden playground. It was dangerous in my opinion and was degrading so powdery plastic got all over boys clothes if the did use it. R chainsawed it into pieces. After that was in the skip we filled it ( not quite ) with stuff ( garden shed ,under the stairs, cupboard etc etc. )  To keep or toss...that was the recurring question. It proved to be a good clean out after 7 years living here.

 Arriving. He easily backed down the drive.

 Collecting. He lifted a bigger one on top of ours and picked them both up.

 Very worthwhile      having a clean up.

    ******

 I went through scrap fabric and that determined the size of these simple drawstring bags. For the sales table.

 

I finished another small item for the Sales Table.( all hand stitched out of felt.) Others are making Christmas decorations too.

 They will sell for next to nothing so not a good use of our time really.

 Today I am making drawstring bags of various sizes out of scrap fabric which are much quicker.

 The persimmons, one each side of the driveway, are ripening. I have picked quite a few already and ripened them inside. Fully ripe on the tree and the birds get them first. We are using flashing objects and streamers as a bird deterrent. The trees are getting too big to net easily. Such a Yummy fruit.

A Sunshiny Day.

 After a family Birthday outing for D in L  on Sunday I went for a walk up the Canal. ( often used to do it but its a bit far away so haven't for some years )

 I went up the left side and across the top and back down the right side. About 50 minutes.

 Do you see the little spillway on the right. It was quite deep where the path  crossed it and looked slippery.

 When I reached there a young bloke and 2 young ladies ( very slim ) and their white dog were crossing. The young man was wearing jandals and jeans which he had rolled up. He piggy backed  his 2 ladies across and said, " come on You next! You'll probably slip and get very wet! " I was gob smacked but he backed up to me and said jump on and he safely piggybacked me across. SOOO funny. So very kind. Thanks Shannon ! You are a useful bloke to meet. ( hope he isn't suffering from a sore back now ) 

 Maclarens Falls ( that flows into the canal ) .

 . I also picked up 50 cents. - my lucky day.

2 Finishes.

 Thanks Janice, Loulee and Louise for replying and giving me suggestions.

 Someone has already made bowl cosies. 

The basket idea would need to contain something else( not Easter )  as its not needed till June. But I did make a small cloth basket . It took me far too long ( I'm slow ) to make but could be made more quickly using a solid fabric strip instead of pieced. ( the idea originally came from Pink Penguin many years ago ) ( she has a very good tutorial )  Back then I made several in different sizes. Some I am still using.

 The other project finished has been nearly a year in the making. Biggest Grandson and I together started knitting peggy squares. His knitting is quite good for a 9 year old boy ( they do a little each day at school ) ( Waldorf school ) The squares are left over 4ply pure wool from jerseys I knitted the boys.

 I sewed them together and knitted an edging then blocked it to try and straighten the slightly scalloped sides.  ( photo is on the floor drying after I pinned it out and sprayed with water. )

It will be suitable for tucking around a toddler in a car seat. We are sending it to Christchurch with  grandson's other  grandmother this week. ( for her great Grandies down there. )

 I can't crochet. I tried to learn quickly in order to do an edging on the above. My tension was sooo bad it would have ruined it. 

 This edging I did use was just  knitted;  3 rows of knit one, purl one rib. ( about 200 by 160 stitches. )

 It's nice for oldest Grandson to know he helped make something good enough to gift to another little person.

What to make for the Sales Table.

 With our exhibition coming up in a few weeks time all the members of our P and Q Group are asked to make items for the Sales Table. Easy request you would think. Try to come up with something novel; new idea; not too expensive; well made and appealing.

From past experience we know shoppers don't want to pay much. Some will inspect and handle everything and then buy nothing. Other quilters and sewers know the value of items and are the best customers.

 I have made this so far.

 Its just tiny.

The previous one I made I gave to a 2 year old with a baby brother.

 

 What to make next???? Has anyone seen some good ideas....I'd love to know.

 Googling it comes up with the same old ideas.

********

Late season Dahlias are attracting a following.

 Finally they decided to have a flower each.

 A  Painted Lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui ) and a bumble bee.

An Amazing Specimen

 

 I have been watching this Nursery web spider for a couple of days. Dolomedes minor

 ( pisauridae ) or in NZ where it is indigenous Nursery web Spider. Length including legs about 7 centimeters. Female.

 This is the" Nursery," web she built further up the plant. The tiny spiders are moving around inside hatched and ready to leave. 

Looking Ahead.

 

 As this (above )  is happening in June I am working to have something to enter.I have taken my Tall Flower wall hanging down off the wall and am now long stitch quilting it to make it firmer. The weight of the felt flowers has made the felt background sag. By quilting it it will be attached all over to the cotton backing. So far it looks better and more complete so I will keep at it.

 I am also making small items for a Sales Table. I am also contemplating making an entry in the President's Challenge. ( only thinking at this stage ....can I be bothered...have I got an idea what to do....)

 Also coming up in early June is my 80th so I have been working on retaining my Drivers Licence. With advice from my optician I started early ( last year ) to book in and get both cataracts done. I had quite a long wait for an appointment but as you will have read here  the op was done just before Christmas. It took 8 weeks till I got my all clear and went back to my optician to see what glasses I might need.  None for Driving! A pair for reading/ sewing / up close stuff with clear glass at the top. So still progressive but  not strong at all. I got very light frames and am pleased with them and can see clearly everything I need to Do!

 On Monday I went to get the mandatory doctor's check. Was given an old bloke doctor  I never met before. It took 5 minutes ( 10 at the outside )  and cost $95.

 The next day Tuesday  I went to Waka kotahi ( AA ) and paid just $22.50 to get my licence renewed. Using the same photo they took at age 75. 

 So all in all pleased to have that done. I live in the country and although I don't go out that much I need to be able to drive myself when I want.

 On the garden and produce front walnuts are falling,  apples are ripening and vege crops are finishing. Maybe best of all feijoas are dropping! Yum yum.

Some Finishes.

 

I made a cushoin cover to attach my felt mandala to.( it seemed to look best on plain grey ) and added big stitches in blue around the flange.

 I completed my scarf by using wool that matched. Part of it is slightly wider where I had to use thicker ply.

 I got a nasty shock when I picked it up ( after a week ) to finish it and found a hole on the top. A clothes moth had eaten it in that time. I found the culprit nearby and killed it. I mended the hole non too easily and decided I had to live with it. It is being stored in a zip lock plastic bag in the walk in wardrobe, till I wear it in the Winter. 

 Last weekend I had 3 days away with my sewing friends at Whangamata. The weather was awful. We tried to walk every day but got rained on and sand blasted. We all took the wrong gear/ clothing!  We went shopping all one morning and that was very pleasant. Great shops. We didn't actually get that much sewing or knitting done! 

             *******

 The fruit  ready now  are pears. 2 varieties. NZ Bartlett (Williams Bon Chretien )

 and Beurre Bosc. Both trees have a good crop.

 Pears can be hard to judge for ripeness as they are unusual in that they ripen from the inside outward.

 Our freezer is full up but still R is picking tomatoes by the bucketful about every second day.

Blueberries.

 

 I've been out picking blueberries. Such a labour intense job when they are this small variety. There are 3 plants in a cage ( bird protection is essential ) 2 are  called Oneal and they fruited earlier and are in bud again now. They are easy picking and large. These ones came from the middle tree are called Blast. The fruit is barely larger than black currants if you remember those. These tiny ones have a parentage called  Rabbiteye  and are ever green. The Oneal have different parentage called Southern Highland.

 Back at the orchard I started growing them in 2005 as friends gave me a plant as a gift. That one and 4 others were called Blue Dawn or Tasty Blue.

 They are a great easy plant to grow but must be totally bird proofed but allow bees to get in.( so not too fine mesh ) Lots of water is good. They are high in anti oxidants.

These are  the bigger Oneal variety. Almost marble size.

A Very Warm Busy Harvest Time.

 

 Luisa plums coming ready right after the Billington have finished.

 

 The most perfect tomato picked so far ( after several buckets full.)

 It weighed 315 grams.

 Courgette or zuchinni has almost become a dirty word. Just so many...some getting too big by hiding.

 A large savoury scone tray bake I made at the weekend. We ate some but I cut it up and froze 3/4s. Our own tomato and tomato paste and herbs . Pity I had to buy the cheese and olives.

 I spent all this  morning cutting back the passionfruit vine which was collapsing. Hope it survives. It was my own fault for not cutting it back hard after last years crop ( of over 500 ) 

*****

 This is how far my fancy ball of wool went.

 I am joining in now the best match I could find but its the wrong ply so I am doubling it.

 I also made one cushion cover.

 Roses struggle in this heat, even with frequent watering. These buds opened in the vase. Lovely smell. Pretty face.

Good Read.

 

 I have just finished this book. I  really enjoyed it . Fiona writes a great tale. Hard to put down. 

fionamcintosh.com/books/     I have read about 8 others by her and this would rate with the best.

                                                        ***********

Home grown sweetcorn is a favourite of ours. I microwave the cob with some of the green outer still on, for 2 minutes 10 seconds. . Cool for a couple of minutes, peel and slather with butter and lemon pepper.

Less Not More.

 5 days into a new year already and not a great deal to show for it.

 I did complete this new jigsaw in about a week after Christmas. A rectangular shape is quite unusual.

 My eyes are okay. I am still putting drops in 3 times a day. I am finding the constant changing of reading glasses and dark glasses a trial - not used to it. My previous glasses which I put on in the morning and took off at night did everything for me. I didn't appreciate how convenient they were. Maybe when I go back to my optician we can work out something more convenient for me.

 The Billington plums are ready and the tree is loaded. The Grandsons helped pick some by climbing the tree.

 R has pickled 2 large jars ( In vodka )

 

 My friend Jan gave me this beautiful wool. She got it on her recent travels in Europe.100% merino and so so soft.

 I've started knitting it but will need to find  similar to have enough for a  simple scarf I have started knitting.

I have decided to try and do less....of some things. Record keeping. I didn't buy a diary to write up each night for this year.(I have previously done that for years and years )

 I have plenty of other lists and records. Books Read. Plants planted.  Sewing projects work notes.

 And of course the occasional blog post.