A Return to Simplicity.

 It is good to be participating in the sew in again, and what's even better, is that I can stitch with everyone while recuperating from a nasty respiratory virus! 😷   I have been working on A Day in Happy Land for a while now and although I have recently completed all the blocks, there is the quilting to be done. So..........now I am starting back at block one.   I started this quilt a good while ago and it was an easy and light project to take to my craft groups. Everyone would comment and tell me it would take forever to finish......I used to just laugh and keep going.   Lately the ladies have been surprised at quickly I had motored though them and that I was almost finished. I can't wait to do a show and tell! The wet season helps when you can't get into the garden and the craft room is the only option!  I think I have finish quilting blocks, 1,2,11 and 12. I can't wait to see what everyone is up to . Check out Wendy's blog and FB for updates.     ...

 I have decided to blog again after a lengthy absence. I guess I'm not alone, as others have decided to quit blogging and then returned. So........the story so far. I have been retired for a couple of years now and have settled into a new way of life with my hubby of 53 years. No more early starts or late finishes. When I hear the rain at night, I simply turn over and go back to sleep! You might think that I would learn to sleep in... but alas, I have not! I take my cup of tea out into the early morning light and just admire the beautiful beginning of the day.  It's very peaceful at this time of the morning with only the company of my 3 dogs. Hubby stays inside reading the paper, but that's what retirement is supposed to be....doing something or doing nothing! Lagerstroema or Crepe Myrtle As the wet season is currently keeping the yard wet, wet, wet, there is not much going on in the garden. I do put on my wellies from time to time and slosh about in the yard hoping my Anth...

 The weeks are certainly moving very fast with the New Year just around the corner and Christmas even closer. While I have not worked at the hospital as much as I usually do it is still busy on the home front.  I have been trying to get some sort of routine into my days but with casual work still ongoing it is difficult to stick to allocated days for doing the necessary home stuff. This should change in the new year when I no longer work at all! Yay!!   I can say that I am super organized this year.    Christmas shopping  done ✔  I have added a few bits and pieces to the usual shopping for the last few months so I don't have to get it all at once, looking for specials that I can freeze and store until needed. We will only have the food that has to be brought fresh a few days before needed to buy.     Presents mostly done ✔  With just a few handmade things on the go but plenty of time to have them completed and wrapped.   I am making...

 I originally planned to only stitch for a small amount of time last night as I was too tired to stay up too late stitching and you know what happens when you're tired.......that's right......mistakes are made!       But as luck would have it I did stay up and made this new door stop in my favourite colours of blue and white with a touch of green. They were just wide enough to cut out a couple of sides. This is a line of fabric from years ago by Debbie Beaves for RJR. I used some of my stash and not only made the door stop but some smaller cute pears for my coffee table.   Once you start they are so easy to stitch up and stuff and Voilà...they are finished.     The pattern is by Heather Bailey and I have made them before in a different color-way.  The larger door stop pattern was found on Pinterest. I'm heading over to Wendy's page to check out what everyone else was up to.  Thanks for dropping by,   

The garden is providing a bounty of produce this year and as I don't like to waste, in between working and renovations,  I have been very productive in the kitchen. Large green tomatoes just make me think of Green Tomato Pickles. Although I haven't made it for a number of years I thought it a good time to drag out the old Women's Weekly recipe book and gather the ingredients. The only item I had to buy was half a cauliflower, but everything else was on hand, onions, green tomatoes, cucumber, and spices.     I have loved this cook book for ever and I keep coming back to it time and again. We also have a Tangor Tree (it's a citrus fruit hybrid of the mandarin orange and the sweet orange) in the hen house and each year it's full of fruit and the marvelous thing is the cockatoos don't touch the fruit!  I have never used the fruit for jam making but have often wondered about it, so I thought I would give it a go as it would answer the question once and for all! WOW!...

 How prepared are you when something unexpected happens?   I recently needed to host overnight guests that were stranded in my town  due to a fatal crash on the highway!  What I quickly realized that I was not prepared by way of toiletries, bedding, clothes......lucky for me I had food aplenty. I was able to scrounge up some new toothbrushes and I did have plenty of toothpaste, but I forgot I had some small guest soaps! Bedding I had but, nothing suitable for adults, just the old (and clean) grand-kids linen. A bit faded as they haven't slept over for a couple of years.   Clothing.....well I guess you can never be prepared for this as people come in all shapes and sizes and they were kind enough to compromise. Food was not an issue as I have worked that day so the slow cooker was on with spiced pulled pork. All good there! So that was one thing off my mind.   I had to work the next day, leaving at 0530 for a shift in the hospital, so I sorted out breakfast ...