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.

Busy Time of Year.

 Yesterday was our 57th Wedding Anniversary. It is a busy time of year and it's all to easy to just overlook the date, so we went out to lunch.

 Realizing traffic into the city would be so, so busy we went the opposite way. We went to Omokoroa and had lunch upstairs at Alma.

 While we waited for our meals to be cooked we had a great view of the surrounds.

 The water here is calm and shallow, so ideal for little people to play and splash about and learn to swim. There are 2 jetties. One seen here where boats can tie up or folk can fish and the other where the ferry to Matakana Island  loads and unloads. It was really busy.  Vehicles waited patiently in a queue, some lucky ones under trees. 

 The ferry seen loading here.

Side on as it takes off the number of vehicles on board parked two by two can be seen, 16 plus I think. If the tide is right it can return in 20 minutes. There is also a kids playground mostly under trees or sail and plenty of space for picnics. Also adequate parking.

 We enjoyed our time there.

Seasons Greetings Dear Readers.

 Relax and enjoy .

Happy Christmas Everyone.

 

🎅🎄

Things are Looking a Bit Different.

Things are looking a bit different because on Monday morning this week ( 18th ) I had cataract surgery on both eyes. The right one first and the second one 5 minutes later. The actual procedure under the microscope was surprisingly quick. No pain or discomfort just strange noises and bright lights. Such a nice surgeon and nurses.

 The drive home( as a passenger )  was rather scary as it was pouring with rain and the  traffic was heavy. At that stage I was seeing double and there seemed to be cars and lights everywhere. I was glad when we got home as I was feeling nauseous. As soon as I got out of the car I was fine.

 I have recovered very quickly and am remembering to put my drops in 3 times a day. I can see very clearly mid and long distance but am wearing hobby glasses to read, text and use the computer. Not sure if this will change. I may still require reading glasses. Driving should be so much easier. I can see clearly across the estuary and use binoculars again. Looking in the mirror is a bit of a shock - all those wrinkles!

 What am I finding difficult. Not gardening! Feeling naked without glasses. ( wearing provided sunglasses outside or in bright light )

 I can see a bee in this pohutukawa flower ( click to enlarge ) and I can see the first bananas forming on our plant. We have the first 2 bunches forming rapidly - very exciting.

 

Baking and Sewing Today.

Much needed rain and drizzle here today.

 So fruit mince pies it is. Everyone  in this family seems to like them better than Christmas cake so I'm making heaps of these instead. They freeze well.

 ( click to enlarge )

 My Quirky Garden wall hanging is 99 % finished. I just need to stitch the hanging sleeve at the top, take out the pins and give it a press. It has a wooden rod through the top. Hope it hangs straight. I've measured and remeasured.

 Here you can see the top stitching around the edge .

 This is the bright bold backing fabric. I had nothing grey to match so decided to go bold. If I get tired of the front I can flip it and look at this amazing fabric.

 *****

 Brightness in the garden outside too.

 There are lots of these dotted along the big border. Yesterday Today and Tomorrow (or Brunsfelsia I think.)

 A new red pompom Dahlia is just about  out.( the round pompom will form more.)

 Hydrangeas of all colours except pink. Blues, purples , lace cap and regular. Here the white is flowering way  down in the  fruit tree area . It's always best before any flowers fade and brown. It will be liking the rain. It will plump the plums up too.

 The vege garden is doing well. It has been hosed every second day.

In the Pink.

 

The final and largest flowering cherry has been out for weeks but is now getting its leaves and carpeting the ground with pink. As the wind blows pink snow wafts thru the air and into every corner.

 The white alstromeria below it is thriving and very pickable.

 The big gardening project at the moment is removing more agapanthus from this very long curving garden bed.

 The new edging and lawn looks established now and so much neater and easier to care for.

 As with any big garden there is still lots to do. ( like pick asparagus and blueberries! )

*****

 Last weekend we had our bonfire ( of garden rubbish ) down on our bottom lawn beside the estuary. Son was able to get some fireworks still ( but maybe not in the future ) and the boys and some friends enjoyed it all. 

*****

Now for a book recommendation. I have just finished reading"The Frozen River, " by Ariel Lawhon.

Its a gripping historical novel based on the life of Martha Ballard , set in Maine USA  in the late 1700s.

 This amazing woman and midwife delivered over a thousand babies in her 35 years and kept a diary of it all. She never lost a baby or a mother. She traveled on horseback through mud and snow , day or night.

 Such an amazing story.

  ***

Quirky Flowers .

 

 I decided to try trianglar buttons as the centres of these mauve flowers. That's  anatomically incorrrect but they are imaginary flowers not specific species. I think lime green and mauve work well together.

What a Slack Blogger I am.

 Quite a few times I have meant to put something up here and haven't. Maybe I getting old and lazy or worse slow!

 We have had family birthdays. R turned 80! ( seems just the same! )

 Elder Grandson turned 9 and is achieving so well in all areas .

 Lots happening in the Spring Garden. Colour and perfume everywhere.

 Rhododendron Unique in flower. On the property there are 8 bushes in different areas all flowering. All the same variety so that is rather nice. It's a small compact delicate looking rhodo that is at its best when just coming into flower. It fades off to soft pink almost white.

 The areas where we pulled out a box hedge is now looking good out the dining-room window. Both the black flax and the green Libertia are New Zealand native plants -  the libertia flowers are quite pickable on long stems.

 My blue Dutch Iris are well finished but these later white ones are stunning.

 Inside on the couple of rainy days we have finally had ( much needed ) I have been working on attaching flowers and here long legged birds to my wall hanging.

 Lots still to do on it. This is just the bottom right hand corner.

Annual Repeat Walk.

Our bright early cherries are now finished and in leaf. The next to flower called Awanui are  coming out nicely. They are in properties all around the area so I knew the 50 in a row on the Cycleway between Te Puna and Omokora would be out. In Sept last year I showed you my walk.

 So here we go again. Much of the walkway / cycleway is on railway land

 I meet lots of cyclist these ones young, and runners and electric bikes and the fastest an electric scooter.

 There are native planting suitable for wetlands and with them lots of weeds. This not Queen Anne's Lace but could be was the best example I looked at.

 I stood under one of the cherries and gazed straight up.

 When I got back I was suitably hot and felt I had had some worthwhile exercise for a Sunday afternoon.