The flowers of lavenders are assets to any cottage style garden. The bees love them and they have a delicate perfume that wafts across the garden on warm days. I have planted many lavenders in my various gardens over the years. Although that’s a fact, it doesn’t tell the whole story. The brutal truth doesn’t […]
Newsletter: punnets and statues
Hello creative dabblers! Have you enjoyed your week? Mine was full of sunshiny days and cold nights; as we approach the winter solstice in a couple of days, that’s what I’d expect. We had the first heavy frost on Tuesday morning and everything outside started to sparkle when the sun came out. So pretty. Sometimes, […]
Pickle Dish quilt
I’ve always been attracted to the Pickle Dish block, so I tried it in a small quilt measuring 59cm square. I rarely use red fabric in a design so that was another trial, too. The mustard-coloured print makes the red triangles pop. I hand pieced and quilted this quilt. Making small quilts is a useful […]
Book review: Lessons in Chemistry
Oh, Elizabeth Zott, how I wish I had met you. Impossible, you may say, Elizabeth Zott is a fictional character. She can’t be known outside Lessons in Chemistry, the life-affirming novel that shows us we all have the ability to change ourselves – and the world around us – if we try. I disagree. I’ve […]
Newsletter: winds and lounging jackets
Hello! Have you had a good week? When I looked through my diary entries since the beginning of June, I see I’ve written the same description each day: “mostly sunny with COLD winds”. The temperature varies (yes, I’m one of those people who records weather observations every day) but the constant is that, for most […]
On being a gardener
I read an article by Georgina Reid this morning; I probably read it when it was first published but it has resonated strongly with me today. In it, she reflects on why she resisted the terms ‘garden’ and ‘gardening’ but has now reclaimed them. She says: “I am a gardener. I can’t think of a […]
Book review: Cold, Cold Bones
Even after many books, the characters and storylines in this series are still able to hold my interest. That’s no mean feat for Cold, Cold Bones, the 21st story about forensic anthropologist, Temperance Brennan. Tempe’s daughter Katy has left the army for civilian life but that doesn’t prevent Tempe from worrying about her (as mothers […]
Newsletter: camellias and phones
Hello! How was your week? Mine was cold and busy. The frigid weather has hit most of south-eastern Australia and that includes us. We had our first frost for the season last Thursday – later than the past two years. I’ve abandoned my garden this week because I prefer to stay cosy inside, though I […]
eBook pricing
To state up front: I don’t know anything about how eBooks are priced or why the prices change from one day to the next. I’m a reader and have never been involved in publishing a book. To an outsider, though, some pricing seems inexplicable. I read book three of a cosy mystery series recently and […]
Virtual quilt exhibitions
One of the developments among quilters during Covid shutdowns has been an increased use of technology to spread the word. When face-to-face workshops and lectures were not feasible, many quilters improved their technology skills to teach online, with both pre-recorded and live sessions. As a result, quilters who wanted to learn had to upskill as […]