Wildlife in the city.

We live in a coastal suburb and I am amazed at the wildlife that we do see occasionally around us.

I went for a walk this morning ( I usually walk in the evenings, but rain has been predicted for today and it was already rather overcast) and was pleasantly surprised by this sight just a few feet from where  I was walking. I went home to get my camera.
                                                          

Seal lying on it's back

Apparently it was sighted at the same area last week-- but I had not seen it , and there it was again today. My neighbour, who loves fishing in the bay from his kayak, tells me that there has been a lone seal around for years. I wonder if this is the same one.

Whilst I had my camera with me, I spotted a flock of seagulls and it was interesting to see a few of them just standing there on 1 leg!

Seal gulls at the beach

This is the pool that we walk down to for a swim in summer--- just a few minutes walk from home.

As you can see, the ocean is very flat today, and it is very overcast. In summer, this is a very popular spot with swimmers.

At this time of year, we also often see pods of dolphins.  There was a pod swimming in the ocean about 2 weeks ago.

The whales migrate up to the Queensland coast and they start now and will peak in about 2-3 weeks. They are too far out to sea to spot them from here, but occasionally, one will come in close.  If we drive to an area about 20mins away, we can see them from the cliff tops.

Kookaburra

This kookaburra was sitting in the jacaranda tree just outside the bedroom window and was watching me make the bed. It continued sitting there quite happily and let me take it's photo.

By the way, whilst I was browsing the different  craft blogs, I came across Hanne's blog and the "Tour de Fibre 2012". If you want to join in, go onto Hanne's blog and find out more at www.hannequilt.blogspot.com  I thought that I would join in and it will help me concentrate on getting through my SKOW project and not get side tracked on other things.

The rain has arrived and I am glad I walked this morning. It looks like it is set to stay for awhile.

Have a lovely weekend.

What the Postman delivered

It is always lovely receiving a parcel in the mail. "What is in the parcel, and who is it from?" is the thought as you tear open the parcel.

And this is what came in the mail on Thursday -- from a lovely blogging friend, Tatyana. The bead fob was made by Tatyana, and a fat quarter of fabric with lovely wording--"create, influence, inspire, laugh, love, shine, appreciate, feel, imagine, dream"-- all the things that relate to a craft person. These were accompanied by a cutest little card with a picture of Major Mitchell Cockatoos on the front. THANK YOU , Tatyana.

It came all in time for my birthday today. Today I am having a lovely relaxing time and I don't even have to worry about cooking dinner. My daughter is organising that and my sister is bringing a cake. My son is away and will come home next week end, and I am being taken out for dinner then  to my favourite restaurant called "Fratelli del Mare". My husband bought me a book called "South coast journey--- Victor Harbor to Barwon Heads"as he knows I would love to do the Great Ocean Rd trip. I am hoping that that is a hint as to where we will be going for our next holiday.
Have a lovely weekend.

A Lovely Victorian Holiday

We have just come home from a lovely holiday in Victoria. We were in Melbourne, then stayed in Birregurra, Creswick, Echuca and Beechworth. As you can see, we stayed mainly in the smaller towns. The countryside was varied -- from beautiful undulating country to flat plains around Echuca, back to lovely undulating countryside again around Beechworth with the Great Dividing Range as a backdrop.

Heatherington Cottage near Creswick. It is on a Poll Hereford stud and the bull was in the paddock right next to the house

 I loved the change in the Eucalyptus trees-- each area having their own variety of trees.I was surprised to see rainforests down in the Otways.Tiny little scrub wrens were rummaging on the forest floor. The Murray River Gums were beautiful, and the iron bark trees were majestic.The autumn colours especially in Beechworth and Bright were fantastic. I wished I had more knowledge of the trees we saw along our way-- I have been trying to google them to get the names and varieties. Will look out for a book on native trees of Australia to learn more about them.

Magestic gum trees in the Otways

Fungi growing on the dead wood

A paddle steamer on the Murray River

Autumn colours in Bright

A quilt on the wall of a house  we stayed in in Beechworth

I love tiny birds and wrens were everywhere. We saw a flame robin and lots of finches. They are too difficult to photograph as they flit from one thing to the next.

Needless to say I came across a few patchwork shops along the way. I was being very sensible and trying not to buy much, as we were flying home and my suitcase was full as it was. ( Took too many clothes, as usual!). I had already bought a gorgeous Laura Ashley umbrella in Ballarat and that was already going to be part of my hand luggage. When we got to Albury, we had a couple of hours before our flight home, I came across a flyer for a shop called  The Christmas Beetle, and it was close to where we were. Of course I had to find it. It had a tiny section of patchwork material, but they were mainly country colours-- my favourite. Of course I had to buy some and totally blew the budget, and had an extra bag of fabric to carry on the plane as well as my umbrella and backpack! I managed to get them all home without leaving anything behind somewhere.

Some of the country style fabrics bought in Albury.

I took the applique blocks from The SAL quilt that I am involved with, and had time to get some sewing done-- very pleased that I managed to do that.                                                                      

Back to reality now and back to work and the old routine again tomorrow.                                          

                                

The Magazine has Arrived!

I went to collect my mail today and you guessed it-- the May issue of Homespun was sitting in the letter box. My hands were shaking with excitement --- I could not wait to see the finished product.
I have taken a  couple of photos and here they are:

May issue of the Australian Homespun magazine



Cot quilt--- A Day in the Country

A page from the magazine

. ( When I have some free time, I will need to do a photography course--- taking photos is not my forte--- but you can still see it here anyway).


Now I am going to make myself a nice cuppa and browse through the magazine-- Heavenly!
Cheers,
Yvonne

Great Excitement!

I am just so excited today.

It all started in about August last year. I had completed a cot quilt that I had designed and sewn myself. I took it to be machine quilted and the result was very pleasing, so much so that the lady who quilted it was keen to have the pattern to make it  for her grandchild who was due at the time. I decided that I would  see if  the Australian Homespun Magazine would be happy to publish it. To cut a long story short, it was accepted, the quilt got bundled off for the magazine and that was in November. I have been waiting patiently (and I am not normally patient), and I know that it will be out in the May issue-- and May is  ALMOST here.

I looked in the Homespun magazine today ie the April issue-- and what a surprise! My quilt is pictured in the preview for the May magazine. I could not believe my eyes.  I am still  on Cloud 9 and cannot get back down to earth just yet. Who would think that something as simple as a quilt being published  would create such excitement.

Greetings from Cloud 9,
Yvonne.

Beautiful early Autumn days

The last summer was very wet and not as warm as past summers. However, autumn has arrived and we have had a most glorious weekend-- blue skies and great days to be outdoors. We had a family BBQ on Saturday ( we have many birthdays in April) and I could not have asked for a lovelier day.
One of the things I love in my garden are these beautiful flowers that come out in autumn-- and this year, the Japanese wind flowers have been extra good because of the rain.

When I first received cuttings of this plant from my sister in law, they were mainly white and there was 1 pink flower that appeared in the midst of the white ones. Each year, the pink ones have increased in number and now there is a mixture of the two.

The curly leafed spider loves creating their home amongst these flowers. I am amazed how the small spider can transport this leaf all the way off the ground and suspend it in midair like this.

These camellias are so delicate as well and grow just outside our dining room window. The edge of the flower has this faint pink as if a drop of light pink water colour was added to it.

I have also been madly painting my brooches and buttons for the Australasian Quilt Convention to be held in Melbourne after Easter. Marilyn from www.thepatchworkteahouse.com has these brooches and buttons each year. If you do go to the Show, you might be able to say Hi to Marilyn and these 2 excited bears who will be there.

We are off to Canberra to visit family over Easter. The autumn days are usually beautiful there and the colours should also be good this year.

Take care.

Lack of Sewing/Painting Time

The weeks seem to be flying past, and I have not achieved much at all. All I seem to do is get up, go to work, come home, cook, clean , go to bed and repeat the process again. Fun things like sewing and painting have gone out the window! I feel like I am in a rut and need to get out of it! Do you have weeks where this happens?--- extremely frustrating.
I am making a new resolution right now! There will be sewing time and/or painting time each day from now on , no matter what!! ( I wonder if it will work?)