This and that

We're well into spring, but it's still only 10C during the day and the heater is still on at night! The winter woollies won't be packed away just yet. I finished another Sawyer Scarf, which will warm someone as soon as I can sell it. Just love crocheting them; the (Lincraft) wool is just wonderful, both in colour and texture, and to work with.
I'll be switching to a Wordpress blog in the new year, so I wanted to print out my blogs, which I've written since 2010. My friend Susan from Kiwikids gave me a contact, and I have them all now. Quite happy with them, too. Net time round, I might make the photos a bit bigger.

Everyday cooking is always a challenge, most of the time it bores me senseless. Often, I'd be happy with just some toast and eggs, or crackers and cheese. DH is pretty good and will make his own dinner if I'm really not into it. So, when my friend Melva put me on to a new recipe, I thought I'd give it a go. It's a recipe from Borg's Pastry, Chicken and Leek Pie, and also contains Mushrooms and (my version) a little bacon. I was quite impressed with how easy it was and we had three meals each out of it. Here's the link to the recipe (http://www.borgcraft.com.au/pages/recipes/our-recipes/chicken-mushroom-pie.php).

Our Manchurian Pear tree is absolutely magnificent at the moment, with clouds of white flowers providing nourishment for bees and a spectacular focus for the garden. We've got another, small one coming up, but it will take a while until it's as superb as the older one.
We've also had some visitors to the garden. The kangaroo mum with the twin joeys has been here once or twice. The joeys are healthy and bouncing around happily. The big hare had raced across the paddocks a few times, just a streak in the grass, but one day he just sat for a couple of hours under the trees, catching some rays. 

And yesterday a rare visit from our blue tongue lizard. We see him rarely, but fairly regularly. He was also enjoying a few sunny moments, and curled up against the warm bricks. I wonder where he goes to sleep at night. 

September - almost gone

 It's been a few weeks since I last blogged. DH has been back for 4 weeks from his Canada/USA trip (which he enjoyed a lot). Sherman the Birman has settled into our household really well. He's become less of an outdoor cat, more of a lap cat, which is lovely. He's got us well trained by now, except when Wayne want's to sit in his favourite chair. Sherman thinks it's his chair now, and uses every opportunity to claim it.
We met friends at a restaurant in town, 'Gazi'. It's next to the Press Club and also belongs to George Columbaris. The food was good, the service excellent, but it was noisy enough to give me a headache. The upturned flower pots had no acoustic effect. I rarely order sweets, but couldn't go past these Loukomades. Don't they look wicked?! Tasted wicked too.

 It's been so wet and cold, still need the heater on most days, at least for a while. A few things are blooming, including this pretty red flowering gum tree with its tiny blossoms. Good to see a little colour in the garden. There is hope yet for spring.
I hurt my knee last week, and seem to have injured the cartilage between the bones. That has slowed me down in terms of walking and driving, which is annoying. It would be quite bearable though if it wasn't for the pain. Thank goodness for chemistry... Because of that, I have been busy in the studio.

 Have been working on tags and a bookmark. The tags are for Xmas, and I also want to get some cards done soon.I wasn't going to get into cardmaking, but what the heck. I got some good bagains in terms of dies and embossing folders, so I can play with my Sizzix cutter. I get a lot of inspiration from Pinterest. I'm in love with all the Tim Holtz products, especially my trees dies. Now I just need to make sure I get wifi in the studio.
I also received a layer cake from Keepsake Quilting with McKenna Ryan's 'Sugar Plum' range. I cut the layer cake into 4 pieces, and used the Accuquilt Go to cut them into hexagons. The Accuquilt Go was also used to cut the Pellon wadding, which worked very well. These

 hexies will be used to make table toppers for Xmas.
OMG, only 2 1/2 months until Christmas! Better get crackin'!

More Autumn Foliage