Birthday Fun

Yesterday was a significant birthday for me and I have been spoilt all week receiving birthday wishes, phone calls, cards and some lovely gifts!  Our Son, DIL and grandchildren sent this beautiful necklace down for me as they can't get down from Townsville this year.

Hubby surprised me with an Ipad!!!  Once I get blogger loaded onto it that should be great as I'll be able to put my photos straight on to posts (at least, I'm hoping it will be that simple lol)

I've decided we must be good neighbours as our old neighbour from Bundalong surprised me with the awesome Coffee Mug to last this next decade - it has all the 60's on it!  And then when we arrived home from lunch yesterday there was a lovely gift box waiting for me from our neighbours up in Maryborough!!!   The other little gift in the corner was sent through the mail from an old work pal - we have a theme of birds that just happened somehow and we've tried to keep to it lol

We decided to go for a drive to Beechworth for lunch - such a lovely drive over with the changing season and it was quite a nice day although a few clouds were around from rain the past few days

We went for a walk around visiting Beechworth Gold and most importantly the lolly shop which is quite big and the moment you open the door it brings back childhood memories of the really nice lollies that used to be around!  We came out with old fashioned jelly babies, rocky road and some turkish delight .......  they have lasted till today but I expect the remainder will be eaten up before the day is out lol!

We enjoyed a lovely lunch at one of the pubs there and a bit more browsing before heading back home.  Sunday whilst at the market Pete stumbled on this lovely lantern for a very good bargain so it came home with us - its quite a pretty one.  For those wondering about my arm - I'm still on pain killers to sleep at night and manage the swelling as I begin to use it a little each day.  It's not broken as far as we know, but there is obviously some inner damage been done which the ultra sound may show when I can finally get it done on 24th May!  Knitting and craftwork is still out - I can manage a small amount of typing and some small weights  like a coffee mug holding in my hand so getting better!  Anyhow, many thanks for all the lovely wishes!

And a special thankyou for the lovely snail mail from a couple of friends earlier in the week.......... I love snail mail  although the number of those still doing this old fashioned art has decreased by about 70% in the past 4-5 yrs.  Postal charges have had much to do with that I think!  Anyhow, I'm hoping it will slowly creep up again.  Until the next post take care!

 Hugs, Sharm xo

 

Oooooops

 

Went walking Saturday and a km from home looked behind me and my foot stumbled on the edge of the road which had a couple inches drop from the bitumen to the gravel - just enough for a massive tumble.  Many hours spent between the doctors and Gp run hospital they dont think the arm is broken but too much internal swelling to rule out a break.   still limited movement - hence 1 handed typing and bruises to lots of other parts ..............anyhow - some photos of walking prior to the fall.  all knitting and sewing and many things are out for the moment .......... stay tuned.  hugs sharm

they are draining the lake at mulwala/yarrawonga so the river has dropped significantly

The Change in Seasons

 You can feel the change in the Seasons now .... Cooler mornings and evenings. I love how the leaves change colours and I really missed seeing the change of seasons whilst we were living up north.  These leaves are from the trees at work - such a range of colours that I couldn't resist taking a photo.

  Our vegie garden is almost spent with a few late Rockmelons left to pick this week or next. I pulled the tomatoes and plums (both bought cheaply a couple of months ago - our tomatoes were full fruit fly this year) out of the freezer to get the jam and relish made up.  We should have enough now for the year although I still have more tomatoes in the freezer if I need to make up more (otherwise tomato soup).

On the crafting front  and April's OPAM  as well as finishing the summer t-shirt I showed you at the start of April, I've managed to get a nice pile of dishcloths made up.  Daughter Stacey and her husband John have put an order in for more as they have only used the dishcloths I make for a good number of years now as well as the kitchen towels (an order is in for a couple of those as well). I have 7 dishcloths ready for them to cover the week, and a couple of new ones for me as well.  I've almost got the kitchen towels finished but not quite so can't count them in my April finishes lol.  I had hoped to have the jumper finished knitting but I'm quite slowed down on the sleeves and keep getting distracted by other things so it's been put to the side many times during the month.

I went to Benalla to the Spinners group there last week and decided it was time to pick up that 2nd pair of socks again that I had started.  I'd wanted to do the heel in the yellow as well, but after getting advise from Jill, who initially helped me get my first pair of socks made - I found it couldn't be easily done with the particular pattern I'm currently using - so now I'll get on and get them finished!

I've just started reading the book that you can see on the table with the socks "Daughters of the Resistance" which seems good so far ....... Just finished the one below which was also set in the War - It was a little sad, but quite an intriguing read and a bit more insight that I hadn't realised occured.

The other exciting thing that happened right at the end of April was that we bought a small wood heater for the house!  Yes, we do have a gas heater in the lounge and the house does have ducted gas heating ......... but after using the gas heater in the lounge the first few weeks we moved down and getting the bill for that, we know that a winter worth of gas is going to be expensive!!  Particularly when you are wanting to keep the house maintained without the chill factor each morning when you get up!  Besides which  we've had a wood heater at a good number of our "southern" homes and I just love them!!!  So we went shopping for one and I checked them to ensure they would fit a kettle and a cooking pot on top (most essential!).  

I already had an idea for where I wanted it to sit as being a smaller one we figured it would only heat up so much of the house - I wanted it in the dining/ living area so that the kitchen also gets warmed and my craft room which is off the living room might also get some of the heat!   Pete got the job of checking to see if the reality of where I wanted it to go would actually work!

And Voila!  A few days of installation processing and several trips to Bunnings for items not included in the heater pack or the flue kit and it was running!  To our surprise it actually heats up more of the house than we imagined it would - right up the hallway and taking the chill off our bedroom up the far end of the house from it!   And yes, I've already had the clothes airer out to dry clothes by it!  

And yes, it does mean gathering wood, but we have a friend an hour from here that has huge amounts of wood that he has given us access to ...... in his words " we have a wood supply for the rest of our lives" - how lovely is that!  I don't mind the gathering and lifting of wood into the utter and trailer as its one of the things - those "chores" that as well as enjoying doing with hubby, also helps to keep me fitter!

Almost to our turn off to home and we passed a couple in a bit of trouble - they had pulled off the road thinking to stop and have a cuppa and a bit of a break and found themselves bogged!  Being Anzac Day it was not going to be easy to get help ...........  

Pete turned us around  and we went to the rescue as he attached a pulling strap and was able to get them pulled out and back on dry ground!  Such a lovely couple who hail from Tamworth and are on a trip over to the West.  So after a bit of a chat we exchanged numbers and we may see them pull into our place on their way back, or we may see them in Tamworth on one of our travels!

Meantime, I've been keeping up the momentum of walking and trying to get into more of a habit with it again!  It's a lovely time of year to be out walking

And with that, I'm off to go and get some chores done and also to head into Wangaratta today to run some errands and I'm also planning on dropping into the Spinners Group at  Milawa that I went  to last month so I best get moving!!  Have a great day everyone xo

Easter 2022

 

Happy Hoppy Easter to you all ........... I hope you've had a lovely few days whatever you've been up to!  

We had originally thought we would go camping, but alas there were things needing be done around the home front - I sure hope I can get away camping before too long but I don't like my chances.

Meantime I worked on some of my Spinning over the weekend while I learn how to keep the momentum going - the yarn is still thick and thin in lots of places but I'm really enjoying the process and find it rather relaxing!  

   My bobbin is almost full now and I've had a go at adding in some of the colourful stuff I have on hand  - This is the bobbin part way into me getting it going.  I'm going to need more bobbins by looks of things as the ones I have here obviously went with one of the wheels that Pete off loaded before we left Maryborough.  One of the ladies from the Wangaratta Spinners mentioned she had some spares that she would be willing to sell cheaper than getting new ones.

I've been trying to get out walking more with the start of April and with my 60th Birthday getting closer - I'd like to be a little fitter again, not to mention get my weight under control once again and be able to fit into clothes I have in my wardrobe!! 

 

I went for a walk across the Bridge at Yarrawonga the other day whilst I was in there which was lovely - such a beautiful day and looking across Lake Mulwala it looked just perfect!

The hardest part about walking is Just getting out the door and doing it!!  It really needs to be part of my daily routine but I'm struggling with what routine actually looks like with Hubby at home as I find things can change very quickly lol.

Keeping motivated seems to be the key ........ I've had a thing popping up in my Facebook feed for a while now ........ The Conquerors Challenge ......

 but the other day it had one based on The Lord of the Rings ........... I'm  afraid I have been a Tolkein Fan sine I was about 14 and it hasn't changed in all these years!  I still enjoy reading the books as well as watching the movies (which as usual miss out much of the story). 

So............ I bit the bullet  yesterday and decided to take on "The Shire" Challenge for a bit of fun and motivation.  It has an app that you follow along with to see where you are on the map, and with each bit of exercise you get a bit more of the storyThe best bit is that all types of exercise count so not just walking or bike riding .....     Anyhow I think its a bit  of fun 

Adding to the fun and with it just starting to rain yesterday I took this photo thinking it would make a good avatar for this challenge ..... what do you think?

Seems yesterday it was so overcast that the internet didn't want to work properly so I never got to finish this post ...............

And today we've woken to rain - thankfully the new shed roof that Pete put on at the start of the Easter weekend is weather tight!!! 

 Hooray - Such a relief, as the first roof he did got a buckle in the iron and we had water pouring through over everything, so had to bite the bullet so to speak and he took it off on Good Friday and put a different type of iron on this time which seems to have worked ..... and just in time!   

My garden will enjoy the rain ...... the front garden has come on well in the past six months and I've just put in a new garden out by the pool  which is still a work in progress but hopefully finished in time for my birthday celebrations in May.     

No Way!

 

It just simply can't be APRIL already!!  That means we have been here in the new house just on 6 months a
couple of days ago!!  Perhaps its because we've been keeping so super busy that the time has flown by so quickly??  For sure there have been a number of things we've had to do here on this place that we hadn't planned on (or for)!  Just last night we had the plumber here - 2 of the toilets which we had thought would just need new seals in the cisterns actually required us purchasing 2 new toilets and having the old ones removed and the newbies installed!  Last week a gas leak out the front from a worn O ring that required the emergency call to the Gas company to have it seen to immediately .... the list goes on of bits and pieces of worn out stuff needing either repairs or replacements - Still, that's what happens when you move (so lets not move for a long time!!!)   Anyhow ......onto OPAM with March finishes :

Woodland Table Runner (Sewing)   John's Beanie (Knit)   Miss Potter Shawl (Knit) ....... 

I'd been a bit worried that the beanie wouldn't fit John and since they live far away from us no way I could check the fit .... so once they arrived by post they both tried on the Beanies I'd made for them - they fit!!! Hooray  and they like them !!!  These guys are very knit/ sew/ crochet worthy as they always appreciate handmade items and often put in requests which is a little bit special ❤️😊  Hard to believe they will be down here in less than 2 months!!

I nearly had another finish with the Summer Knitted Tee that I was testing for Fogbound Knits but it ended up being finished on April 1st.  I used Bendigo Cotton which is 100% cotton in an 8ply.  Bendi
Cotton has a lovely feel to it compared to lots of other cottons, but it was hard knitting - I much prefer to crochet with Cotton I've decided!!  Hubby did the photo shoot which ended up being quite funny - so I decided to just put the whole lot together as one!  As you can see above ....... and here it is hanging on the line drying ....  The pattern is Kitty Hawk by Fogbound Knits (Laura Aylor) and since its just been released today - its on special for a few days!

The vegie garden is pretty much finished apart from 3 more rockmelons which are close to picking ....... then it will be dug over and we might pop in some peas, garlic ?? I've seen too many white moths around to think about putting in cauliflower or broccoli.

I'm having a party in May for my "big" birthday so I need to get the rest of the boxes unpacked and things cleared up in and outside the house if we are going to be having a party!!  In some respects I think I'd prefer to go somewhere so as not to have to do much, but having it at home means not having to be on a time limit..... so back to at least having things clear lol

I have a number of projects to work on and things I will need to get made up over the next few months, but my knitting bug can't be tamed at present and I've picked up a WIP from last year in the hope of getting it finished this month!  I started working on this last year - when we had planned to come down this way to look around and see if we wanted to move back and if so, check out what was for sale ..........  We had thought we would be down for at least 3 weeks but that changed rather quickly with COVID stuff and starting the process of getting our last house up for sale and things packed up ........ It's a dream to knit during the cooler weather as one of the yarns I'm using is Bunny Mink and its just so soft and fluffy!!!  It should be lovely and warm ........ just hoping I can loose the weight I've put on in the past year so it fits me!!  

And then cast on for a beanie for myself this morning in the hope of getting it done by end of Easter .......I'm using a fingering weight (4ply) Wollmeise yarn in variegated so not sure what the finished look will be depending on  where the pooling takes effect - should be interesting to see it grow, and hopefully I like the finished result!!

OH......... And I finally got to a Spinners group this week - the Wangaratta Spinners as I ran into an old friend that I knew from when I had started to learn a number of years ago and came over to the Corowa Spinners which disbanded with Covid and not being able to have a premises to use - so I went with Sue to visit the Wang one and a fellow there was able to fix the little issue I was having with my Ashford which means I can now get back to practising some spinning ............ maybe I'll have something to share with you next time.   Till then, Take care my friends and enjoy the upcoming weekend!  Easter is just around the corner!!

And So it Goes .........

 Time marches on and we are almost at the end of  yet another month and well into our beautiful Autumn Days here.  The mornings are cooler but the days can still get quite hot and I've used the pool a few times to cool down after working in the garden!   Dad had a fall the morning we were leaving for our trip - he had a good skin tear which I put steri strips and bandaging on but unfortunately he got it infected while we were away so needed a course of antibiotics when we got back and I've been having to attend to wound care 2 -3 times a week since getting back.  With aging skin healing takes longer but after being there today for another dressing change it looks like its not too far away from getting better (depending on how much other "imput" it receives).  I was surprised the last visit on Saturday that it didn't have the scabbing I'd expected and wondered what was going on with it (luckily today I discovered it wasn't the way I've been tending to it - the scab was sitting on the bedside table with other bandaging.......... so perhaps it will take a bit longer to heal than expected ).  

Knitting has become my sanity time -   I finished knitting the shawl but made it smaller and I'm happy with how it turned out - useful for wearing around the neck with shirts.

Currently I'm working on a test knit for a cotton t-shirt style by Laura Aylor (Fogbound Knits) - If you click on the link it should take you to my project page on Ravelry.  Using cotton to knit with is hard on the hands and shoulders as it doesn't slip along the needles the same way that wool does.  

I sent the beanies for Stacey and John up last week and was surprised when they received them the very next day!!!! They took a photo with them both wearing them which was great to see as I was a bit worried about the fit for John, but it seems to have worked out just fine!  I'm so looking forward to seeing them when they come down in May for my "big" birthday!

Can you believe we pulled 12.5kg of carrots from our garden beds?  I've never had such a crop like it ever before!! 

They are sooooo sweet too.  I've sliced, grated and top/tailed them all and placed them into bags in the freezer to use over winter.  I've kept some in the fridge to use the next week or so - I've made some yummy carrot cake (recipe at the bottom) and plan to make some carrot and ginger soup as well.

  I still can't believe the sweetness - just sooooooo different to supermarket ones - but then nearly every supermarket vegetable and fruit tastes pretty much the same these days and goes to rot before you get time to use them! 

 The vegie garden has been well worth the initial effort we put in when first moving here as it will save us $$ (particularly with the price increases) and be better for our health.

We enjoy our trips to the markets and the occasional garage sale - it doubles as both an outing where we often see people we know and have a good catch up ........ and sometimes we find a bargain or two ............ like this old Treadle sewing machine base - Pete will tidy it up and put a piece of redgum on the top to work as a lovely table

I picked up this little tin for a couple of dollars as its just the perfect size for me to use to put some of my knitting stitch holders and a large sewing needle into it to pop into knitting project bags that I take with me when we go places (you never know if you might just want to do a bit of knitting while you are waiting or sitting having a cuppa with a friend who happens to have knitting or sewing to work on as well).

Pete tried this old hat on - I think it suits him and told him he should buy it but alas it didn't come home with us .........   And now I best get going with a few other things needing to be done.

Take care my friends.  May God answer your prayers as we head through the week ahead of us!

Hugs Sharm xo      Here is the Carrot Cake recipe I used - I divided it into a bar cake and a ring cake and froze the bar cake which I took out and used 2 days ago and it was just fine having been frozen.