Daylesford Girls Weekend

 

Here I am finally blogging about my Girls Weekend away in October to Daylesford!  Since I'm a month behind (where are the weeks disappearing to?) I'll keep this shorter........  The original accommodation meant to take 8 of us turned out to be "under construction due to damage" but we hadn't been notified which meant last minute finding a couple of places to spread ourselves accross and just meet up for various things.  

Such a pretty little town ....

Karen and I did lots  and lots of walking whilst there ...... around the lake before breakfast on the first morning finishing at a lovely little coffee van....... and yes, the weather was cold!

Then a meet up with everyone and Around the convent and grounds after a wonderful morning tea

They had a whole host of these great paintings on various walls and we all lined up next to one to grab a fun photo and try to look similar to one of them lol

 Then Karen and I were Up to the botanical gardens which had a wonderful view from this high tower which had lots of steps! ...... I felt like I was in a lighthouse ....

You can be sure I was hanging on going down all those concrete steps!! ...... slowly, slowly lol after the big climb up!

How cute were these Wombat Statues ...... there were a few others around the gardens as well.

The view from on top of the tower ...... only room for a couple of people to stand at a time

And there you have a very quick round up of the Girls weekend in October at Daylesford!

Catch Up Time

 The weeks have been flying by with the days slipping through my fingers so I need to catch you up on all sorts of things but I'll try to make the wording short and work through the photos ...... 

Firstly - apologies for those that sent comments and I didn't reply to ..... I had a gremlin enter my email inbox and I'm in the midst of sorting throug 15000 plus emails ....... now down to 13000 ish

September ...... I started off crafting wise by crocheting up a couple of items for the campervan and also made a couple of drawstring bags for various items to keep them organised but easily stored 

And after a week  or so of vertigo - I fell down a Gnome hole as it saw me knitting my very first ever Gnome which I actually really enjoyed watching come together ...... Meet Gneil (pattern: Gnome Pun Intended)

Gneil was sooo much fun and it just happened that the designer was about to have a Gnome MKAL ........ 

I couldn't decide which one and figured I'd give them both a go ..... this was after Clue 1 - Clues will arrive throughout October.  I'm hoping to have Gnumpkin completed by the end of October with Gnettle not far behind.......

During some decluttering I stumbled upon a WIP so I decided to get it finished and give myself another cowl to wear

Another Test Knit for Fogbound Knits - something I haven't done for quite a while...... must be almost a year...... this was a fingering weight double beanie - I should have gone for a larger size as this fits very snuggly - I didn't account for the double fabric when I tried it on whilst knitting. I'm sure somebody will enjoy it

Also managed to knit up another Road Trippin Beanie which is also nice and warm and little  more comfortable to wear

A start has been made on the "In Control" travel caddy ..... I'm halfway through it - can't say I'm enjoying the process but I know I want the finished item so I'll continue to plod along..... 

The other excitement for September was to attend a sewing day retreat with Christine and Silvia west of Melbourne where we had a lovely day stitching.  It was very popular (and crowded) with 130 women in a hall...... so a tad squisshhy ...... but fun non the less.

Of course spending a couple of nights at Christines also included us taking off for a shopping trip lol

A new dress may have also found its way into the shopping bag, but we won't talk about that lol

And then October arrived ......... I've started working on a little jacket - Idalou by Fogbound Knits 

We've finally been able to stop feeding the fire, but still have some cold morning and nights.  This lovely fellow started chatting to me as I came in from the morning walk making it clear he would like some rolled oats put on the feeding tray if you please lol

Which leads me into the garden........ with spring all the flowers are beginning to bloom - I'll leave you with these and catch you again soon - very soon I hope!

Look What We Did.......

She's yet to be named (I'm leaning towards Annie) .....

Our new to us Aline Campervan.   Something I never thought would happen but a chat on the way into Wang a couple of weeks ago and ...... Bam!  She has to get her NSW Rego sorted first and Pete is working on some Ute topper configurations for a little boat with a small 15hp motor and we will be taking her for our first trial adventure.  Lucy is most impressed with her and smells upcoming adventures!  She folds right down in just a couple of minutes into a trailer - no canvas to get wet or dirty and so easy.

Come on and I'll show you inside ....... she will be getting our (my) special touches once she has been to the mechanic to get her important Blue Slip for registration ...

A nice inner spring double mattress which lifts up to reveal heaps of storage,  Fridge, Microwave, hot plates and sink 

And comfy chairs with a table and more storage at the end (including a hanging rack for clothes) - its all we need and it came with an annex which we can pop up when we decide to stay somewhere for a bit longer

We are actually planning a Big Trek next year leaving here in May and making our way up to Townsville and then over to Broome in WA from which we will decide which way to head back...... so lots of planning ahead.  I'm excited I won't have to search for dog friendly cabins a year in advance!

Excited ??? Totally!!!

Its been busy around here since I last blogged ..........  The Fusion Quilt is finished and I'm super happy with it - 

Front and Back .....

Joining and Edging:   

It even managed a Trophy Nomination in the HPKCHC Ravelry Group which was nice. (and yes, I do plan to make that post showing how to make one)

Lots of projects made over the past couple of months - some gifted, some requested to purchase and
some for here

The larger wood fire we installed over the Summer has been a blessing - its been keeping the house super warm (we haven't needed to turn on the gas at all this winter and its been much colder this winter).  Its also been busy helping with the cooking at times, keeping the kettle hot and drying the clothes.

The fence between us and next door which was falling apart and quite low was pulled out and a digger brought in to get out the stumps from the Yukkas the neighbour had growing that had moved the fence and posts out of shape ........ and then I was enlisted to help with the fence building over a few days!   

Above - fence down and digger finishing off (our house is left side with water tank in foreground) 

Below: working out how to attach it to the brick garage (neighbours) that forms part of the boundary line - and thats my vegie garden which is why I wanted it completed before Spring hits

Below: Posts are in

Fence pretty much completed - I didn't get a finished photo from the neighbours side which shows it all (looking towards our house)

It's soooooo lovely having it done and sooooo nice to have that privacy and not being asked what I'm doing each time I walk out the back door or checking what washing I'm hanging up.  We've also had a pool blanket installed so that hopefully we can use the pool a bit more this year (its a solar one that is meant to help heat the water a couple of degrees and also reduce the amount of water that needs topping up all through summer....... Guess we shall see. 

Working on decluttering I came across a yoghurt/cheese maker I had bought from Aldi a couple of years ago and shoved into the cupboard (Things were way too busy when I had Dad to see to every day)....... anyhow, when a friend down the road mentioned she had started making her own yoghurt and saving quite a few $$ I decided to give it a go .......   This is the little beast - makes no sound whilst working and the yoghurt is lovely ..... you pop it into the strainer so it can get rid of excess fluid and then

A couple of hours later you have this .......

I gave the cheese a go the other day and ended up with this lovely round of a Feta like cheese - I'll be making more of it for sure

On other notes the past few weeks have seen me reading this from the library which I'm half way through and really enjoying .......

More knitting ...... longer fingerless gloves

I'm in the midst of planning to make this - just trying to get a few more of the things needed to make it

And walking of course ....... thankfully the weather is beginning to change - just a little - today its back to freezing but the signs of Spring are in the air.