It’s getting chilly here, so I thought I would knit a new cardigan. If I had any sense, I would have started it six months ago since I’m such a slow knitter. This required a decision about what pattern to use (cue hours of internet searching for a pattern I liked) and a decision about […]
ANZAC Day
Always a sad day for Australians and New Zealanders as we remember how many lives were altered by wars. For me, this song and video by Redgum sums it all up. I always cry while listening to the lyrics. Click on the link to view it on YouTube.
Orangery dreams
During the many years I’ve been reading about and making gardens, I’ve encountered tantalising ideas from different climates that have inspired dreams. An orangery – a greenhouse or glasshouse to protect and grow oranges during winter in a cool climate – is one of those. Other exotic plants can also benefit from this overwintering. I […]
Book review: Tipping Point
Tipping Point is an engrossing read. It is third in the Detective Kate Miles series and shows us Kate’s strength as she investigates a case that implicates her brother Luke. Luke returns to Esserton for the funeral of Ant Reed, a friend of his from his younger days. Within a few days, another of Luke’s […]
Is a fabric stash a collection?
There are 163 blue fabrics in my stash. How did this happen? What could ever make me think I would use that many fabrics in my lifetime? If I possess this many blue fabrics, how many do I own of other colours? I have been buying fabric for patchwork for more than 30 years. I […]
Quality time with technology
I’ve spent many hours since Friday fine tuning the programs and functionality of my new laptop computer to get it just the way I want it. I’m keen on new technology but I believe it should work for me rather than simply accept everything that a new pre configured system offers. I loved using my […]
The importance of people-free days
Last week was a busy one for me as I had three consecutive days as a member of various groups. Monday was the garden club, where two of us organise and run the plant sale table. Tuesday was a full day hands-on quilt workshop and Wednesday was my writers’ group. All involved plenty of face-to-face […]
Newsletter: February 2024
This is a short note from me this month. I will be sending newsletters less frequently this year. I have several projects in progress and I’ve decided to spend more time on them. Since there are still only 24 hours in each day (how annoying!), I need to reallocate my time. What are these projects? […]
Accidents with colour
I was trying to pull a piece of fabric from the bottom of a precariously arranged pile of objects on the top shelf of my bookcase. The fabric came out easily but so did my set of coloured pencils. The tin crashed to the ground and all the colours of the rainbow landed on the […]
Once upon a greenhouse
I spend a lot of time lusting over photos of gardens in full bloom. Who doesn’t? I particularly love gardens frothing with flowers that punctuate the green backdrops, with patches of colour inviting closer inspection. I’m drawn to photos of cottage-style gardens showing healthy plants, clean edges around garden beds, and not a single weed […]