More Happy Mail

 I received a message last week telling me that my parcel was on the way.  What parcel, I thought, I'm not falling for that, next they will be sending me a message asking for payment for delivery.  So, thinking it was a scam, I ignored it.  Imagine my surprise when a parcel was delivered to my door.  Obviously it wasn't a scam at all, as I recognised the name of the sender.

The parcel was sent by Jo from Australia who blogs as ButterZ, she had seen the tiny stockings on my blog I had recently stitched.  Then remembered these ones in a box, they had been hanging around for 10 years or so, and she wanted to pass them on, to be completed and put to good use.

Sent all the way from Oz

The parcel contained  such a wonderful assortment, with fused decorations and a band to finish each stocking, with a few being started.  Wow, what a bounty.

This one is almost completed

Stockings of many colours

Thank you so much Jo, I will enjoy doing some slow stitching on these.  I may even learn how to do blanket stitch properly.  Such a lovely variety of colours and decorations, and I'll pass them to a suitable cause when done, although it will no doubt take me a while.  But that is what slow stitching is all about, isn't it.

We have had some lovely days lately, along with plenty of warnings about a polar blast traveling up from Antartica, and forecasting the coldest overnight temperatures the country has had in several years.  Roads over the mountain passes have been closed in the South Island, schools closed for snow days down there as well.  And snow fall in areas not really used to snow at all.  Keep off the icy roads unless your trip is really necessary, we have been warned.  Gemma has been tucking herself up nice and cozy in her cat tower, the heat pump has been going all day long, and I've been making soup.  Broccoli and blue cheese is my latest culinary adventure,  so delicious.

Gemma is nice and cozy in her cat tower

So I hope everyone is keeping themselves safe and warm in my part of the world, and it seems that the heat wave is still around in the Northern Hemisphere too, that must be so draining to cope with, together with the threat of wild fires in some areas.  Lets just keep stitching on!

Here comes a Tuatara

I've spent a little time stitching around a tuatara on my New Zealand panel.  I've been lucky enough to hold one of these rather special creatures.  Those spines on the head and back are not sharp, but rather feel rubbery - yes, I had to touch and see for myself.

Stitching a tuatara

The tuatara is endemic to New Zealand and is known as a "living fossil".  They are the only surviving members of an ancient lineage (Sphenodontia) that thrived alongside dinosaurs, and are unique because they are not lizards.  Introduced predators brought in by settlers have taken their toll, and tuataras are now only found on predator free off shore islands and in fenced sanctuaries.  They can live for 60-100 years.

As well as a little slow stitching, I'm keeping busy with knitting, and have started another pair of socks, using the pink 4ply sock yarn my daughter gave me on Mother's Day.  Because  I prefer thicker socks, I'm pairing it with pale pink double knit.  And doing flat knitting, two at a time, because that's the way I like to knit socks.

A new pair of socks for me

Guess I'll have to admit to having several other knitting projects on the go.  A couple of babies hats,  my summer cotton jumper, and a 12 ply blue cardigan are waiting to be picked up and worked on too.  Just like  quilting, with lots started, it seems I'm just the same with knitting as well.  But they will all get finished sometime, I'm sure.

There has been quite bad weather over parts of the country lately.   Once again, the ferries and planes were cancelled, there has been bad flooding and road damage,  but it seems to have missed my area, luckily.  Today has been cool but sunny here.  Gemma has been soaking up the sun streaming through the venetian blinds while relaxing on a dining chair.  She likes to tuck her head under the corner of the tablecloth.  Cat's have the best life, don't they?

Gemma does a great job of relaxing

But it is mid winter so that means plenty of home made soup.  I love making, and eating soup, and this pumpkin soup was nice and tasty with a little curry powder and cooked bacon added.

Pumpkin soup for lunch

The days have been cool but sunny, with the mornings and evening cold enough to enjoy the ease of the heat pump.  I can remember the years of open fires, buying and stacking wood, chopping kindling, cleaning out the grate,  lighting the fire after returning home from a long day at work.  Fires do look so cozy and comforting, and have a wonderful relaxing ambience, but I'm pleased things are so much easier for me now.

Orange RSC Stitching, and South Island Memories

I'm running a bit late with my orange stitching, but this is now the last of it.  For someone who doesn't particularly like the colour orange, I think I did quite well.  It was time to have a dig into my bag of "bag bits" of fabric pieces, linings and cord to make drawstring bags for foster kids again.  And I had enough for seven  bags.  I found a rusty orange floral fat quarter with strips pinned together for the cord casings, and made two bags from that.  Then there were chickens clucking around, so they got made into a bag as well.

Florals and chickens

What's next?  Two bags featuring orange and yellow kiwis topped with bright orange, and two smaller bags made with clown fabric, and the same orange bands on top.

Kiwis and clown

And if you think that kiwi fabric looks familiar, you are right.  It was given to me by my friend Eileen quite some time ago now, and I used it on the borders and back of the table cloth I made to commemorate our 3 month 2012 South Island caravan  trip with three other couples.  Gemma is having a snooze on the dining chair under the edge of the tablecloth.  I'm pleased to have finally used up that last piece of the fabric in the two kiwi  bags.

Gemma is hiding under the tablecloth

Each day I wrote with a Micro pen on Rail Fence blocks of our adventures

What a great trip we had, way back in February 2012.  Here we are, aboard the Interislander, ready for our adventure.  Sadly, both Robin and Geoff C have passed away.

Robin, Jenny, Dot, Pauline, Eileen, Geoff T, Derek, Geoff C

And just one more photo from this long ago trip.  Here we are at Slope Point, the Southern most point of New Zealand.  My goodness, it may well have been summer, but it was blowing a gale down there.

Jenny and Robin at Slope Point, March 2012

Another Lovely Day

I can't believe this run of calm, mild, sunny weather we have been having lately.  No complaints of course, but Winter is starting tomorrow 1st June!  I've been sitting outside for an hour or two, once again, making the most of the gentle warmth.  Gemma joined me too, once she woke up from her afternoon nap.  She is always very interested in this small bark garden when she comes outside, especially in the far corner.  I can't see anything which would catch her attention, but maybe there are some tiny ants running around in the bark, who knows?  But it certainly holds her interest.

Wonder what she can see?

I was working on my New Zealand Land and Sea panel again.  The other day I went to my favourite quilt shop, Foxes Cottage, In Foxton, and purchased two skeins of Perle no 5 which I needed.  But I still needed a couple of shades of turquoise which I couldn't find on the stand.  The helpful staff member then directed me to another stand, which had reels of Sue Spargo threads, including the colours  I was looking for.  I didn't realise that this brand was available, so that is certainly another option  for me in the future.

Filling the gaps for my stitching

So today I worked on finishing up this gull, he needed his head, face and feet completed.  Slow stitching indeed, but so restful, and nice to be sitting outside.  And I gave my thread bag a tidy up, so that is good.

Hello, Mr Gull

How about a knitting finish?  This was easy and simple and was my evening TV knitting for the last wee while.  Some time ago at my Monday craft group, one of the ladies bought in a box of stuff she was going to take to the Op Shop, she wondered if any of us would like to check the items out first.  We certainly did, we were like bees around a honey pot!  There were all sorts of goodies, I selected a pink fat quarter and  some eyelash yarn to take home.

Eyelash yarn

Then I cast on 25 stitches on very big needles, and set about knitting a scarf.  Each evening I would knit some more rows, and it grew, and grew, till I had used up all the yarn.  It's a little bit prickly so I'll give it a wash and maybe add some fabric softener to the rinse.  I will be donating this to Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, and maybe a pre-teen girl might like it.  When I met the co-ordinator Fleur last week, she told me she was starting to gather up Christmas gifts for all the children, so the scarf may be just what someone will love.  

Pretty white scarf

So that's what I've been up to lately.  It's time to wish Autumn goodbye today and say hello to Winter tomorrow.  I do wonder how much longer the weather will play nice and allow me to sit outside?

Red for RSC

Red is the colour selected for March for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.   I had a few simple blocks to make - the same block in two sizes, so that didn't take too long at all.  The baby blocks were first, and I wanted to keep it soft, no bright, glaring red, I decided.  So I chose a pink and red print to keep the look I was after.

Baby blocks

The dinosaurs were next, and I used a bright red solid for these ones.  Another donation quilt, I'm sure some young boy will love snuggling up with the dinosaurs.

Dinosaur blocks

I have a couple of red draw string children's bags to stitch for RSC, hopefully I'll do them next week.  Then I want to get on with my own stitching, as well as the monthly Chook Shed Challenge - there is always plenty to keep me busy.

There was an E-Waste collection today, I discovered early in the week so I have been gathering up items to dispose of.  Such as a lap top computer, a tablet, and three old cell phones.  Plus a whole lot of computer cords and things which have been lying around in cabinets and drawers.  The local Lions Club organised the day, and for a small fee took these things off my hands.  They go to be recycled safely, and the Lions get some funds for their continuing good deeds.

Two bags of stuff to be recycled

Hard at work sorting the E-Waste

Gemma often likes to hide out in the cubby hole on her tower, but yesterday hopped right up on top, surveying her kingdom.  She is very sure that she rules the house!

Hello Gemma

Home again

I'm back home again from my two week South Island Tour.  As you probably know, I took my knitting with me, but hardly touched it.  I didn't want to be knitting in the coach, and after a day sight seeing, plus a big dinner together every night, I was just too tired.  But I did almost finish my Wuthering Heights book, nearly at the end of that.  A good thing too, as I'm off to see the movie very soon, and I wanted to refresh my memory of the convoluted story. 

I was sent a picture of Muffy from the cattery which shows her completely relaxed.  She was grumpy in the mornings, and all lovey dovey later in the afternoons, I was told.  She always did have a mind of her own, I told Carol.  Now home,  Gemma hid away in her tower for a while, she then came looking for a cuddle, and some food.  All is forgiven!

Gemma at the cattery

I found a nice quilt shop in Geraldine one day, when we stopped there for lunch  and had a little time to look around.  As usual, I'm often overwhelmed with choice when I enter a new quilt shop.  I did find a panel for a reduced price featuring forest animals, and purchased it to use for a child's donation quilt.

The Pin Tin, in Geraldine

That's all for now, it was a great trip, and I'm happy to be home in my own bed again.  I'll tell you more about the wonderful places and adventures I had shortly.

Knitting and a trip

I'm coming along quite well with knitting my cotton summer top, although to be honest I don't find cotton very nice to work with.  But that's what I'm using in this project so of course I will persevere.  The back is completed, and I've started on the front, which I will take away on holiday with me.  It's always good to have knitting at the ready, just in case I feel like doing a few rows now and again.

 The back is now finished

I couldn't help myself and have cast on two little toddlers hats, to use up some part balls I had hanging about.   They are easy small knits so I decided to do two together.  One in burgundy, and the other in navy with stripes.

Oh dear, you can't see them, Gemma is checking them out

Two little hats

Of course, I need to take a book on my holiday as well, but didn't want to take a library book.  So I'm packing my copy of Wuthering Heights, to read again.  There is a film out at the moment which I plan to see on my return, so I thought I would refresh my memory of the story.  I do wonder how a clergyman's daughter living with her sisters and dissolute brother in the wilds of Haworth  could write such a book of love, lust, revenge and cruelty.  But the girls were very well read, I believe, and had been writing stories since childhood.  Maybe Emily was full of imagination and longing for love herself.

Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights

I'll be away for two weeks traveling around the South Island, so will tell you all about it when I return.  I'm flying down to Christchurch tomorrow, haven't flown for several years so I'm just a little nervous.  It certainly doesn't help that I have just enjoyed  watching a series of air crash disasters on TV!  Gemma is  having her own holiday in the cattery, she wasn't at all pleased when I picked her up while she was sleeping, bundled her into the carry cage, then took her for a drive this afternoon.  She usually takes a day or two to settle down, and I know she will be looked after very well by Carol.  

Out and About and Lemon Honey

 I've certainly been out and about lately, meeting up with friends.  Firstly with Louise and Robert who came down this way in their motor home to attend a country and music festival in Marton.  Then they had people to see, family to catch up with, and arranged to meet me for lunch too.  There was a communication breakdown about where we were meeting, as my text message didn't get sent, for whatever reason.  After a bit of telephone tag later in the morning, everything was smoothed out, and arrangements confirmed.   We went to a favourite of mine, Salt and Pepper Cafe.  There was plenty to catch up on, we pondered the menu and ordered our lunches.  There was only one choice for me, with soup on the menu - mmm, delicious leek and potato soup, so tasty.  Louise and Robert only wanted a light meal too, as they were moving on after seeing me and meeting up with family for dinner that night.  And then driving back to Papamoa over the next couple of days.

Lunch at Salt and Pepper

Once they arrived safely home, there was really sad news from their home town and nearby Mt Maunganui.  The severe rain had triggered landslides.  One in Papamoa, which buried a house, killing a grandmother and grandson.  And another which came down at Mt Maunganui at the motor camp, burying caravans and damaging the toilet block, with the loss of another six lives.  So very sad

Then several days later I had a big (for me) drive down to Paraparaumu, I'm not too keen driving along the expressway, especially in the rain.  But I made it, and needed a coffee to recover!  Then I had a couple of things to do on my list, including going to the local Spotlight to purchase some wide backing for the blue heart and and star quilts I'm working on.  That was a  bargain, luckily it was on special at one third off the price!  I had arranged to meet friends Bill and Val for lunch at nearby Waikanae.  Bill and Val went out of their way to help me that day I lost Robin, towing the caravan safely home for me from Hastings, I will be forever in their debt.  We met at Relish Cafe, such a very popular place with great food.  I enjoyed some pate and toast for a change, delicious indeed.

Relish Cafe

Then I had an unexpected invitation to meet with my daughter Nicky and her husband Robert for breakfast.  They were staying in Foxton Beach for the weekend, and the weather had turned bad, so I think they were bored.  Once again, I set off in the pouring rain, luckily the traffic was fairly quiet.  I enjoyed the most delicious mushrooms and bacon with blue cheese sauce, served on toast, so nice and tasty.  Nicky had her favourite Eggs Benny, and Robert had the Big Breakfast.  

Robert and Nicky

So what else has been happening here as well as me being a social  butterfly?  Gemma has been her beautiful self, and here she is getting some treats out of of her little plastic mousie.  She bats it gently with her paw and mousie wobbles about, releasing a couple of treats.  What fun for her, and she soon gets them all.

I think she's got most of them out

And I've also made some lemon honey (lemon curd),  so delicious.  And really easy to make in the microwave.  The recipe just makes a couple of jars which I store in the fridge.  Mmm, so tasty on a slice of toast, or fresh bread.  I think it can be used in desserts too, I'll have to check that out.

Microwave lemon honey

Knitting and Mending

 I've got three things on the knitting needles at the moment, no socks though, but I'm concentrating on a light summer top I'm making for myself.  For this I'm using some pretty pastel knobbly sort of yarn I found in the local op shop (thrift store). 

 I only have four balls so it's been a bit of an adventure to see just how far it was going to go.  Not too far at all, as it turned out, so I had to purchase  some balls of pale pink cotton yarn to eke it out in stripes.  After knitting part of the back four times in various widths of stripes, I've settled on two rows knobbly and two rows plain, so I know I will have enough to finish this project.   Finally I'm on the right track with this project,  so will just keep on knitting.  

Soft and pretty for summer

And after such a long time of procrastination, I have finally dealt with the mending.  First up was a small lumbar cushion which had a hole in the corner of the velveteen cover.  Not actually a hole, as it turned out, just the seam had come undone.  So that was an easy fix, the seam was restitched, the cover was washed, and it is now looking as good as new and I'll be able to use it again.

Then I had to fix the neckline of a summer top, which was too loose, which  I can't abide.  I threaded some shirring elastic through the top of the back neck band to pull it in a little and secured it.  Now it fits so  much better and doesn't slip off my shoulder.  And it didn't take too long to fix, either.

The last one was an alteration  - I had a pretty dress purchased ages ago from Hilo Hatties in Hawaii, which was also much too loose in the top.   I was heavier back then.  This dress has been residing in the back of the wardrobe for quite some time, lonely and forlorn, and needed a new lease of life, I decided. Out came the scissors, I chopped the bodice off,  made a simple elastic waist band, and now I have a new summer skirt to wear.  I've got a couple of tops I can wear with my new skirt.  Once again, I wondered why completing these simple fixes took me so long.

All the way from Hawaii

Gemma doesn't care much for mending, although she will happily jump on my lap when I'm knitting, and I have to quickly gather it all up.    Luckily she settles down to snooze and so I can get on with knitting a few more rows.  Here she is after I disturbed her looking out the window - she's always on the lookout for birds.  When she sees then hopping about on the lawn she focuses on them, making funny little chirpy noises.  I'm sure she is saying, "I really, really want to catch you, but I'm stuck inside  and you are outside hopping about".

Don't bother me, I'm busy trying to look for birdies.

A Rainy Day in Summer

 I awoke to rain, rain and more rain today.  It's the middle of summer so why so much rain?  But as everyone says, it's got to be good for the farmers, and the home gardeners too.  It was raining so hard that the rain drops were running down the window, and Gemma was fascinated with the movement.  Perhaps she can catch one of these things, whatever they are.  But try as she might, those little critters, as she thought, just kept rolling down the window, oblivious to her paw batting away, trying to catch them.  

She can't catch the raindrops

I went up town to have morning tea with an old friend, and yes, it was still training hard.  When I had just parked the car, there was a knock on the window.  A lady informed me that my petrol cap was open.  Oops, I had put fuel in the car the other day and obviously had forgotten to close and lock it.  Over the last year, I have been using petrol vouchers for fuel. Robin had been given quite a few in appreciation of a voluntry  job he had done for a number of years, and for this fill I had just used the last of them.  So it will be back to paying with  the credit card from now on.  

Just used the last of the vouchers

I went inside to the cafe and awaited for my old school friend Robyn to arrive.   There was plenty to catch up on since I'd last seen her, and we enjoyed a hot coffee and something nice to eat.  Not that I needed anything to eat, and I keep reminding myself that when I'm out for coffee.  We said our goodbyes and then the next stop was the adjacent library.  What's this - quilts on display.  My club, Town and Country Quilters, had a display of smallish quilts, there wasn't any space for any big bed quilts here.  Hopefully, this display will attract a few new members, our membership had fallen during Covid and lock downs and hadn't recovered.

Members quilts at the library

Time to head home for lunch, and the rain was still falling.  If it's raining, I tell myself, it must be soup time.  I always have some tucked away in the freezer, for a soup emergency, and I had defrosted a container that morning.  Yummy soup for lunch. this one was creamy cauliflower, zucchini and golden kumara.  Just what I needed.

Soup for lunch

It will be a quiet afternoon for me, tucked up snug and cozy as the rain continues to come down.  Maybe I should get on to the job of mending a couple of items needing attention.  Why oh why do I keep putting these small jobs off?  I know it won't take to long once I get started.  Perhaps you are the same?

Blue for January, and Fred Dagg

 Blue is the colour chosen for January for those of us taking part in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC).  As I've got a multitude of UFOs from taking part in previous years RSC I was in two minds whether to start any new blocks this year or not.  But we all know how that turned out, I just couldn't help myself.  I had seen a scrappy quilt top on Lou's blog, and thought, why not.  Just a simple square, bordered on two sides, so it makes a zig zag line when the blocks are stitched together.  Thanks Lou.

I had found several long strips of 5in wide white fabric scattered with tiny pale blue flowers.  That would make a pretty little baby quilt, I decided, so found some blue floral scraps to edge the the blocks with.  

Baby blocks

But why stick with one block set when you can  make two?  This one utilises a rescued duvet cover featuring rather cool looking dinosaurs with sun glasses and head phones.  These blocks are cut larger, and I stitched four in blue.  I plan to  use solids or near solids for this one.

Dinosaurs

That didn't take me too long, so then I got to work on the blue heart blocks I'm making for a secret quilt, and stitched around each block.  That's one step further on, I'm pleased to say.

Hearts all stitched down

I had a trip to the movies last week to see all about the life of comedian John Clarke.  Kiwis and Aussies know all about his character  Fred Dagg, the iconic Kiwi sheep farmer, but I'm not sure how far his fame had spread world wide.  His signature clothing of black singlet, shorts, floppy hat and gumboots are forever enshrined in Te Papa Museum in Wellington.  He left New Zealand at the height of his fame to live in Australia and became a well loved comedian, writer and satirist over there.

Fred Dagg

The weather has been quite hot lately, and will get even hotter, due to high temperatures wending their way  from Australia.  The Met Service is giving heat alerts for some areas - I don't remember this happening before.  This is what Gemma thinks of it all - there is nothing for it but to stretch out full length on the carpet and try to cool her tummy down!

Gemma says "I'm so hot"