Sunday, November 29, 2020

The Waltz of Spring; How Lovely It Was



Hello lovely lovelies❣ The fondest of greetings to you❣ I hope you are well, enjoying your weekend. I have delighted in a lovely weekend; oodles of gardening, much too much drinking of tea, playing with pretty fabrics, and a little hand stitching. Here at my little place the smooth, gliding steps of the Spring Waltz is nearing an end. Summer is waiting in the wings to step and slide onto the stage, delighting all who gaze upon the beauty that summer gifts. I can feel a touch of the warm breath of summer whispering on my cheek, just a little. There is a sense of warm summer air beginning to pervade the landscape. 

I cannot believe the Waltz of Spring is nearly over. Every year it is the same. Every year it floats by much too quickly. Here at my little place there is always much ado about spring. After what invariably seems like an over-long winter, spring slowly takes its place on the stage, where day after day, blooms dance in the gentle breeze. First it is the appearance of the daffodils and jonquils; then the waratahs, tulips, bluebells, camellias, cherry blossoms, azaleas, forget-me-nots, irises, granny bonnets, foxgloves, rhododendrons, lilacs.....so, so many blossoms all doing their thing....just blooming beautifully.

With just a touch of the breath of summer the first rose buds are beginning to unfurl their delicate petals, filling the air with intoxicating perfumes. Each rose different, each scent divine. There is one rose bush which has exploded into frothy, peachy pink gorgeousness. So, so very pretty.








This week I enjoyed a little more stitching of my clamshells. Not a lot, as the garden demanded that time be spent in it. Gardens at this time of year are a never ending battle. Oh, the weeds!! I stitched five more rows of clamshells onto the quilt. With every row that is added I cannot help but smile. Each clamshell dances with gorgeous colour and the prettiest of patterns. Truly, this quilt is scrappy deliciousness at its very best.










Teatime❣  Lovely friend, please join me in a cup of tea; I'll think of you, you'll think of me❣

And.....if you are so inclined, won't you join me in a little happy, Slow Sunday Stitching over at Kathy's lovely place❣


Until the next time..........



Sunday, November 22, 2020

Well.....Hello ❣


Well.....hello❣ I did wonder if you would return. =) It seems my little political musings last week threw the cat among the pigeons. Not that I condone throwing a cat or indeed any other animal. A disagreeable person or two perhaps....just joking....hmmm.....but then....! =) The only cat here, is my Boo, and I suppose, though he might not be disagreeable to a pigeon or two, me thinks he would rather snooze his day away. He is a rather aloof fellow who looks upon most people with disdain, regardless of their political persuasion (but he does seem to tolerate me). Boo just snoozes his day away in a cosy corner, with one eye open just to make sure nothing is amiss. He doesn't take too kindly to disagreements and commotions. For it is a quiet world that he craves, and I must say, as do I. Oh, to be a cat where all one has to worry about is his next feed or what pretty quilt he will rest on.

I have thought much about my blog this week. I have mulled over and over what my blog is reflective of. I'm just thinking aloud. =) Though my little blog waxes lyrical about all things pretty; pretty flowers and pretty pretties which I imagine and then fashion, and other such fripperies and frivolous nonsense; sometimes, just sometimes my toes do tend to step over to the other side. The dark side, where I visit and linger a while, where subjects such as political intrigues, fractious governments and other social issues are pondered and spoken about. Then, to my horror, I shriek "what on earth have I done??!!", and quickly step back into my happy place once again, where dastardly topics such as foreign affairs, political back room dealings and the like are once again smothered and blotted out by bouquet after bouquet of pretty flowers; and stuff and nonsense reigns supreme yet again. There are those who don't necessarily want to broach the subject of politics or other social issues in the blog arena, and that is perfectly fine and acceptable,  but sometimes, just sometimes I desire to address the metaphorical; uncomfortable and controversial, socially and political 'elephant in the room'.

I have watched the 'The News of the World' less this week. I wonder as it is early Sunday morning and I have decided upon a news-free day......are the tenants in the big house, in the 'Land of the Free', beginning to pack their worldly goods and chattels, and put practices into place to evacuate the building yet?? Now, this is intended as a rhetorical question in case some of you want to put me straight, in no uncertain terms, as to the legalities of the  lodgings of the aforementioned tenants and their future eviction. I suppose the news will trickle down here to this far rural outpost, one day. BUT enough of this waggishness, as I fear such frolicsomeness....such  impishness will once again get me into a  a helluva lot of strife. Please excuse me, for it is a wicked and rather droll sense of humour that I have. Us Aussies are a quirky and laconic lot. We really don't take ourselves too seriously. We are a self-deprecating mob, who love to take the mickey out of both ourselves and others, and sometimes our leaders. I know.....how shocking! Those of you who have followed my little blog for a long time know that the sense of the ridiculous is always percolating just below the surface. But enough! Let us chat about happy and more agreeable things. Let us chat about quilts and pretty flowers; books and other such pleasurable things, shall we????

My week has disappeared in a fog of busyness. It seems I have been a bit of a social butterfly this week, enjoying convivial conversations and many a cup of tea; and may I add, much laughter and amusement did seem to have bubbled over. It always happens when a group of Aussies with the same sense of humour gather. After all, laughter is the best medicine is it not?? A lovely day was had on Tuesday stitching with my dear friend Anne; me stitching my clamshells, Anne stitching some sweet stitcheries. And then, on Wednesday afternoon, a couple of fun hours hanging out with Holly, at 'The Kim Sharman School of Stitching Excellence'. I always look forward to Wednesday afternoons when Holly visits. She is the most delightful teenager  and her outlook on life from a young person's perspective is always enlightening. I am going to miss Holly when she goes off to college next year. Whatever will I do on Wednesday afternoons?? Then yesterday, both my good husband I were invited to afternoon tea with some lovely friends.

More little clamshells made this week. More little scraps of fabric glued to clamshell papers and stitched together to sit next to each other in an orderly and straight line; well almost. Mostly this is 'easy as' but every now and then for no apparent reason the odd  clamshell just will not toe the line.  I have no reason why, this is so. Don't you hate that?? I know I do. But these little imperfections are not really noticeable even to those with x-ray vision as the plethora of different fabrics and patterns trick the eyes. Love, love, love when this happens.

Anyway, notwithstanding the odd pesky little clamshell I have enjoyed another week of playing. It is always a joy for me to play with as many fabrics as I possibly can. It is always a happy day when I can re-visit fabrics which haven't seen the light of day for a very long time. 'Tis a shallow gal that I am, but what can I say. Playing with fabrics, a little stitching and the odd flower or two does bring smiles to my day.

A lot of gardening has happened this week, too. Weeds and me have been involved in the toughest of wrestling matches, having a torrid battle with me slowly banishing them to the weed heap. I have been getting a good workout too, by shovelling wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow of woodchip along the paths in the garden. Truly, it seems chores in the garden are never done at this time of the year. What is the star in the garden this week?? Why, it is a stunning purple rhododendron which is huge. Of course me being me, I wanted to use it as a backdrop to style a little flower photo shoot. =)











Sometimes, when the news of the day was a tad exasperating, just like Mrs Bennett of Pride and Prejudice fame, feeling a little vexed I took to my boudoir, with smelling salts in hand and enjoyed a little reading. At any given time I have a wide variety of books by my bed ready to be enjoyed. My little flower-filled boudoir is a place where peace pervades the most troubled of souls. A few sumptuous flowery books, a couple of my favourite magazines, and, a book I read a couple of years ago which I wanted to revisit. It's title is "To Obama, With love, joy, hate and despair. I loved it then, and I love it even more now. Oh, by the way, when I retire to my boudoir for a little book reading, I always take tea in the grandest of fashion........I wonder....do you?? =)




This book is based on the popular New York Times article "To Obama". Every evening at Barack Obama's request, before retiring to bed he read ten letters from a diverse range of his constituents. Letters that were rants, pleas, thank yous, full of gratitude, venting frustrations, apologies; not just those who loved him as their president, for Barack Obama wanted to know what America was thinking. He answered each letter, too; many in his own hand writing. It is a book that goes behind the machinations of the White House Mailroom and  staff who sifted through the ten thousand daily letters addressed to their president, choosing those reflective of  the narrative of America during the Obama years. Jeanne Marie Laskas interviews the letter writers themselves; and the White House staff to gain an insight as to how they chose each letter. Impossible really, when you consider that each day Barack Obama received thousands upon thousands of letters. It is a powerful book. This book is those stories of people, who in their desperation just wanted to be heard. It is a book which made me sob many times.....and made me laugh. Regardless of people's political persuasions this book is a powerful read.

As I close I am mindful that some of you will be preparing and celebrating Thanksgiving this coming week. It will be like no other that has been experienced before. I am so sad that at many Thanksgiving tables there will be an empty chair where once a family's loved one sat, and conversed and laugh. This is devastating to me. As dearly as you would love to celebrate with your extended families I am supposing because of these times  it might be difficult to do so.  May I say that however you decide to celebrate this special time in the American calender, may you and yours enjoy a blessed day, making new and special memories. May your day be sprinkled with a little beauty and much love♥

Until the next time............




Linking up to Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching.







Sunday, November 15, 2020

Oh Spring......How Beautiful You Are ❣

The loveliest of welcomes to you❣ A lovely welcome to my little spring place where the sun is smiling upon me, and my flower-filled garden. It is early morning and I am sitting here in the stillness of my garden with pretty teacup in hand, drinking in the beauty before me that God has gifted me.  For it is He who paints the garden before me with his impressionistic brush strokes. Sweet Maisie is here too, as she is my shadow. It is quiet. A beautiful hushed quietness interrupted occasionally by the  birdsong and the whispers of the flowers and trees. Every now and then ripples of water are heard where fish pop up their heads to see if there might be a morsel or two to feed upon. My little spring world is rejoicing in blues and purples and pinks. The lilacs, irises, rhododendrons, foxgloves and granny bonnets swaying in the gentle breeze are as pretty as a picture. Why, the foxgloves are reaching ever so tall up to the blue, blue sky. Would you believe some are over 6ft.....they truly, truly are. There were only a few foxgloves last spring but oh my goodness, this year there has been an explosion of these gorgeous flowers. I can only imagine that last season's seeds danced and floated on the breath of the wind, finding a place in which to settle deep in the earth in readiness for this year's show. They truly are magical. Why, I almost expect to see little fairies peeking from inside the bell-shaped flowers, smiling at me.

Though a lot of time has been spent in the garden this week (the weeds are taller than the foxgloves) I have started a new quilt. A simple quilt using clamshell patterned papers; once again using fabrics from my stash and smidgens of scraps. Yet again, I want to use only the fabrics that are sitting in my armoire. Yet again, a completely hand stitched pretty which will be the size of a throw. Clamshells are a lovely pattern; one which I have always wanted to make. There are some gorgeous ones out there but mine is going to be one where scrappy delight is evidenced everywhere. No plan really, just playing with little clamshells and placing them here, there, everywhere, in a fashion which is pleasing to my eyes. Such fun! But then, scrappy quilts where playing is the only prerequisite, with an explosion of patterns and colour, are always the best fun for me. 

 







As I sit here I think of you and send lovely thoughts and prayers your way. Some of you are ploughing through difficult days. Some of you are battling health issues; COVID is raging worse than ever in some countries; and America....well what can I say?? I admit I look at the TV in complete disbelief at the theatre that is called American politics. Quite bizarre really. I am fascinated by it all....and deeply saddened, too. A new narrative is  beginning (thank goodness). The page has  turned over and a new page is being written, a new chapter being drafted and then recorded; 'tis time to move on. 'Tis such a pity that this most  un-presidential president will not realise this and accept it. I suppose for the most part, the history books will not look favourably upon these last four years of the outgoing administration.

I am thinking of you my lovely friends. Wish oh wish I could tap on your front door (I know I say this all the time....but I do) give you a hug and the biggest bouquet of sweet-smelling lilacs, rhododendrons, foxgloves, orange blossoms....all bunched together, cinched with a pretty ribbon; to bring a smile to your day. Why we could chat about tea and cake, our families, flowers and gardens, fabrics and quilts, friendship, faith, why....perhaps even politics (just a little, I promise....and if you and I don't agree, then we would be kind and listen to each other in a respectful way even if we have different points of view, wouldn't we....because that is what grown ups do); oh, there is a gazillion things you and I could natter about. I often think I cannot change the world but I can make a difference in my little world each day, for the better; showing kindness, respect, unselfishness and love, to those I might meet. I suppose it's not much really, but for the other person who is hurting,  perhaps my smile, my kindness; a pretty flower or two will be that one little thing that might bless their day. You just never know, do you??

So, as this world spins around on its axis and history is being played out, I suppose I will just keep on chatting about stuff and nonsense, and keep on sending you much too many happy snaps of my peaceful little place where flowers and fabrics and all things pretty, abound. Take care my lovely friends and please, keep well. Make time for the whispers of loveliness this fine day. As for me I am going to enjoy some lovely clamshell hand stitching, because today is Sunday, and I always try to delight in a little slow stitching on Sunday, of only for a little while.



Until the next time.......................



Linking up to Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching