holidays, visitors and nature

My last few weeks have been with visitors. And this is some of the fab food they made us while they stayed with us. And just when I thought christmas was over we had lots more yummy food to eat. The kids loved the cooking and alas it is all gone.

But of course I could not spend all my time eating so I have branched out into some dyeing. I guess it is the natural progression from spinning to dyeing. Those colourful ones will become socks and the tan wool will become a jacket for number 3 child, if I can find a pattern to fit him. Now I am totally taken with the dyeing process and will have to get to and spin some more so I can dye more wool. I am eager to see what effect the sock wool will have when knitted up so I can get an idea of what type of pattern to use while dyeing. JUst lots more trial and error. Fun, fun, fun.

But in amongst all this spinning and dyeing I have been really lucky to have been visited by some great natural sights. Nature will never stop to amaze me and make the world a better place to live. This blue tongued lizard has been sunning himself in the middle of our driveway for a few days, which means stopping the car, moving him out of the way and then driving on. Luckily I have not seen any snakes yet.
While away for a beach break we were luck enough to see a stingray really close in to shore. He seemed really happy to just flap around in the shallows as we watched on. Then at the other end of the beac I saw a pacific gull drop something from high and them dive down to the sand and eat it. So of course I had to go and see what it was. He had dropped a sea urchin, the shell had brocken so he could eat the animal but what amazed me was that the spines on the shell were still moving as if it was still alive, even with nothing inside. It was one of natures amazing sights that had me captivated.