Autumn has Sprung!

Happy Autumn to the Southern Hemisphere
and Happy Spring to the Northern one!

Either way it means more mild temperatures if we are all lucky.
:)

We have a butternut pumpkin that looks like it is ready to pick any day now.
It was a complete surprise- a volunteer from the compost bin. I don't remember the last time we had butternut pumpkin- so you could've knocked me over when that is the kind of curcurbit it grew to be. The little female flowering fruits are so adorable- and quite big for an unfertilized "fruit"- the first one we had I thought for sure must've got pollinated without our help, it was so large when it withered. But since that happened the next one we made sure we helped Mother Nature along. We had plenty of bees around when the gum tree was blooming- but that was done by the time this blossomed... and now we have a lovely butternut to grace our table one of these days. I need to look up on how to best take care of it after picking. Some pumpkins do better left on the vine as long a possible- but since the butternut is so thin-skinned- I am not sure.

Made some cupcakes for St. Patrick's Day- will try to place a photo or two here to show them to you. I baked and iced- DS decorated.







Hope you are well.

Homesick

Even after 10 yrs of being here and making some lovely friends and owning my own home ( well- paying it off), which is a lifetime dream- I am still homesick.
Homesick, family- sick, friend-sick, tree-sick... the whole lot.
Not everyday, but often enough that I wonder that even if we won the lottery (Which we don't play, BTW) would moving to the bush/countryside make me happy enough to want to stay? I don't know how one figures this kind of thing out.

I know I should be thankful for what I have- and I am- but I long for more peaceful surroundings. Sirens and loud vehicles, smelly exhaust, and constant human voices are my daily life and it doesn't sit well with my interior. I don't know how to help that either.

It was a lovely day today- mostly sunny with cooler temps- about 23C as the high.
I got laundry,dishes, and two skeins of handspun all washed and dried. That's saying something for a Monday!
I also got an entire batt of fibre from Kathy (www.KathysFibres.com)spun!
Just into singles at the moment.
Last week I did a pair of slippers (as a test for a designer) in crochet and finished up a hooded scarf that I was testing for someone else. I have been quite prolific for someone who seems to get little done in a week most weeks! I am feeling happy about that.
Now I've agreed to test crochet a pair of baby slippers- if they turn out nicely I'd like to send them to Karla- my friend Jane's daughter - who, along with her DH of course, is expecting their first child this September!!!! I am so very excited for them!!

Thanks for reading.
Hope you are well.

Happier Post

Since it's been so long since I had posted before the last not so happy post- you'd think I would have so much to write and tell. Not so. Well- not to my mind so much.
It's summer- it's already 25C/80F in the house.(at 6 in the morning!) It's been hot this summer- not so many days of over 35C but we have had a few bouts of around 35C and it stays warm at night (in the 80's- fine for a deacde but not so fine for a night temperature!) and is just hot hot hot outside- and in. I am VERY thankful it hasn't reached 40C too much this year. Enough about the weather- let me just say I am ready for summer to leave and cooler temps come back.

DS is in Class 2 at school. This year is more like 'school' than the previous years. They are even learning to write in cursive this year! ( Wasn't I in, like, 4th or 5th grade before I learned that!?) It is very interesting how Waldorf schools teach/help children learn.
I recommend it.
( I don't like the forced socialization of the adults/families, but that's me. Most others seem to enjoy it. But as far as learning goes- I couldn't ask for more/better by the end of the year!)

Still spinning and crocheting. Not as much as I'd like.
Still disorganised and messy- at this age I am wondering if I will ever be neat. I aspire to it- is that good or bad?

I am still homesick on a daily basis. Some days I think I am just tree-sick- or greenery-sick. The train station is horrifically moving along as they plan. And the govt. has decided to turn the fields below Seaford into more suburbia- and many trees lost their lives for a new $18 million overpass at McLaren Vale. We needed to do something about the clogged T junction there- but this answer is extreme. UNLESS you are the govt. and knew in advance that you were intending on eradicating one of the major drawcards to the south- the green area. It is my firm belief they knew more than 10 yrs ago they were going to do all this. However what they 'promised' was no more urban sprawl beyond Seaford. They'd fill in and not extend building any further South. So they have filled in alright- again at the expense of Nature and healthy living spaces. And they are not 'technically' going much more south than "Seaford" because they just keep renaming the areas built to be "Seaford SOMETHING"-Seaford Heights, Seaford Meadows, Seaford Esates...
Of course we won't mention all the housing (read: tiny houses on virtually NO land all packed together like sardines in a tin...)they have not only allowed to be built in Seaford and the northern areas from us, but also McLaren Vale, McLaren Flat, Aldinga/Aldinga Beach ( horrific for sure!), Mt Compass, even Victor Harbor can't escape the grip and greediness of the govt. and the developers. I complain- but the real losers are the animals. The kangaroos and koalas are being pushed out. Well- road kill for the 'roos... there aren't many Koalas anymore because there are virtually no trees and they apparently just move on and don't try to live with humans and their stupid ways.
Hmm...... I thought this was a happier post??
Let me see.....
happy... happy....
oh- I know! Fruit has been very lovely and affordable this summer! Mmmmm.
Coming into apple and pear time now. And some oranges too. But I'm not buying those yet- we will have all winter to eat them- I am sticking with peaches, nectarines, apricots, strawberries, and melons! Oh - and grapes! Goodness the grapes are lovely this year too!- until we can't get those in season anymroe ( Nothing has beat how nice the peaches were this year overall though! We've eaten several kilos over the last two months!) :)
There! Something to smile about.

Hope you are well.

It's Nearly Summer *and* The End Of The Year!

Aw heck- it's been more than a year since I posted- I am not even going to try to catch up or apologise profusely... If you are reading this, please know I am thankful for your visit!

Not much new/different to talk about.....
I just thought I would copy a post I had on Ravelry and put it here for posterity's sake....
about the hopeful wantings for our garden. :) It was a pretty wet winter for us here so things have really responded and the soil has even been diggable in places it hasn't been for 8 years!
I am planting things in hopes of the sun being 'nice' this year and the weather cooperating for us to have a very nice garden.... I'm also investing in some more pea straw and potting mix to help improve the chances.

I'm still spinning / creating yarn- and even used a good amount of it making a 6 pointed star blanket for DS. :) It's a continuing work in progress... it's big enough for him now- but probably not so much by next winter so will spin some more soft smooshy merino for the rest of the blanket.

OK- here's my garden line-up......
in no particular order:
I/we have plants: 2 wax begonias ( 1 green, 1 red )
2 coleus- 1 green with pink, 1 burgundy with pink /green
1 dusty miller
3 cockscombs ( yellow,pink, multi) (DH’s choice) (can’t think of the proper ‘latin’ name for them- will fill it in when I do! Celosia!)
1 snapdragon (pink) (DS’s choice)
2 strawberry plants & a petunia mix ( in hanging baskets)
Seeds/seedlings started at home: Popcorn avocado watermelon pumpkin( halloween ones) dill basil lemon balm silver beet/swiss chard (white) thyme cucumbers Marigolds (african, not calendula although we have these as well!), snapdragons, alyssum, cosmos, nigella (love in a mist), salpiglossis(painted tongue), rockery and cottage garden packet mixtures , and nasturtiums. Oh and volunteer tomatoes in pots out front. (fingers crossed)

The lily of the valley plants ( 2 of 5) are coming up! I AM SOO excited about that!),
a tuberose is also coming up that I didn’t know if it would make it or not!,
Iris/Flags from freecycle,
------------------ ended here as it was time for school drop off! --------------------------
On the way home from school this morning we stopped at the McLaren Vale nursery where we found rose scented, pot-pourri scented, and peppermint scented geraniums, of which the latter has come to live with us. :) I also had DH help me pull up a healthy piece of Vinca Vine from the outside the Kindy fence….. I love vinca although I know it is a big old pest going crazy and filling up space- but that’s OK with me! ( except things like that tend to be a haven for the snails….). They had an amazing little plant that looked like it was a cross between a small dogtooth violet and a maiden hair fern that was growing everywhere - it is sooooo pretty and charming- it obviously wouldn’t grow here too readily as it likes moist shade, but when I asked about it all he said is that it is a weed and that I don’t want it to get started! :( I would say it’s my business if I want a lovely delicate looking weed like that to grow in my garden- but I just really wanted to know what it was!!!!!! I also know one needs to be careful so as not to cause a problem. ANyhow- now I am back but I am out of sorts as to what I have plants/seeds wise that I haven’t listed. I know I would like to get a zucchini plant or two in….. still waiting to see if my old seeds are going to sprout at all before I go buy new ones- or seedlings likely at this late of a date.
oh! I have seeds that I saved from a nice butternut squash/pumpkin we just had the other day… so might plant some of those and a few of the seeds from the halloween pumpkin that I saved as I mentioned before. ANd ohhhhhhhhhhhh I would just LOVE to grow a few cantaloupe/rockmelons! But not sure.
( chives, parsely, and choc. mint plants from last year/earlier in the year also should be mentioned I reckon!!! The first two varieties having been put into the ground after surviving last summer and winter in pots…… )
Also hope to manage a few pea plants and red /purple runner beans. :)

Yellow peppers and zucchini plants came to live at my house today too.

I also just remembered I have a “Rose of Sharon” bush that was given to me ( small stick with leaves! lol) last Autumn which needs a permanent home…. it’s a deciduous hibiscus….not sure what it’s called here.


Hope all is well.

Happy December!

Woo- November was a fast month...December already!



Haven't been able to get my thoughts organized for very long lately. Not sure what is up.
So I haven't written here.



I have acquired some LOVELY fibre ( via eBay and Mandie at EGMTK! 3 of which are shown here)-

"Tequila Moon" from EGMTK! ( above) - 22 micron merino wool~


(Left) this is a bamboo fibre top handdyed by Mandie- in a colourway she called

"Sublime Exchange"









And this one is Optim ( fine silky wool- amazingly soft!)- and is called "Raynbow1"
over the last few weeks- (some yarn to try dyeing too- a future project...!)- and have done some spinning but not much- not even last Wednesday.
I *did* crochet- a small mystery CAL ( crochetalong)... I'll finish it today ( only a flower to go) and then can post a pic of it... I am not even sure what it is called..... maybe a ponchette?

I think I will be sending it off as a gift to someone- as I think I will look ridiculous in it. We'll see.
No- make that *I'll* see-lol!

It's been quite warm over the last few days- so that might explain my lack of spinning, etc.
After tomorrow we are to have a small break in the temps and then go back up later in the week.

Two more picutres to share:
Rocks at the beach.

A bunny shaped one-found as seen complete with small 'tail' made of a seaweed bubble!



a string of rock flowers.



There was a link posted on a yahoo group board called "ANZweavespin" about a group/movement/idea of making rock formations on the beach, then posting the pics to be seen. ... Dh really loves this idea so while at the beach last evening- we walked to the rocky area and got some ideas going.

Patterns/pictures.... many choices- will take HOURS- thankfully RJB loves the beach now!

This is just a 'warm up' piece. Will post the link to the project site one Dh is up and I can ask him for it.

Hope you are well.

Nature Photos

Here are some pictures taken in the last few months I've wanted to share but hadn't yet.... some were taken by me- some by DH...
all are gifts from Nature.



A daylily- a neighbour was getting rid of hers-so we took them. :)

A storm cloud that never became a storm- but sure is AMAZING- please click on the photo to see it full-sized- the depth and texture is worth the wait. ( Taken by DH)

A torch lily/red hot poker flower/kniphofia

The guardsman's watchtower- sand fun at the beach. ( taken by DH)

Not sure if there is a proper term for this foamy frothy surf water- but the texture is great-another one worth clicking on to see larger. 'Frozen' water droplets and all. :) ( taken by DH)

Now- here are two that are not nature photos... but nice to look at-

Banana Bread- fresh out of the oven!

Holiday smiles to you !

Hope you are well!