post christmas

Well here we all are at the other side of christmas and woow. It all started with a pre christmas swim at the water hole. So relaxing and not too cold. Then christmas day with the rellies at our house. What a great day. i made cooked too much food, but it is christmas and it was good to have at the beach later on. I am so happy and lucky to have family that enjoys each others company. It was a really great day and we had some yummy pud and fruit meringues and ice cream cake.
Our family then had a few days at the beach. Not huge waves but enough to atch a few waves and give the new wetsuit a whirl. I am a convert. Wetsuits are the way to go for someone of my age that feels the cold. The beach and the water must be one of my all time favourite places. I could stay in the water for hour, just floating about and enjoying the waves.
The dogs had great fun checking out all the new dog friends that passed their way. For dogs that never see dogs pass there possie at home I reckon they must think it is dog heaven.
All this was served with a huge dose of backyard cricket, Just like when I was a child. Can I never get away from the game?
I hope you all had as enjoyable a christmas time as I have , and there is still more to come.

st Lucia

Well we know it is getting close to christmas when we have the st lucia celebration. The kids were happy to go in the parade for atleast one more year. Each year I am so happy to see them being involved. There were lots of children there this year and of course the swedish choir was great as always. Not that I braved to sing in swedish. And then there was the wonderful lucia buns and hearts and stars. YUMMMY. Will I ever get to see the real thing again in denmark. I was thinking that we could try to arrange to be there for one of the festivals, for the children of course.

I must say that it is really starting to feel more like christmas now. We all went to the local carols, the tree has been chosen from my parents place and the boys decorated it. The advent candle is burning lower. BUt where is the warm weather. I even went out and bought a new wet suit for the summer but I am thiking I was a bit optimistic when it comes to the weather.
The only thing that we seem to have in abundance around here is crows. I saw a huge flock the other day. They settled in the dead tree and there must have been at least 100 of the things. The noise was just deafening. A little like something out of an alfred hitchcock movie. I can totally emphasise with the farmer of old when they really must have fortold a future of doom to those liking on the land.

december has arrived

Well I have finished my argosy scarf and am actually blocking it at the moment. It is such a great design and I think Vyvyan Neel is a wonderful designer. I would love to have a go at doing one of her shawls or wraps. But this time I would really like to use a really colourful graduated yarn. I saw some great Noro the other day. So Maybe if I find some on sale I will get it. But where to get cheap wool is the eternal question.

But of course before I can start anything like that I have to finish this wrap. It is the Muir by Rosemary Hill. I have really wanted to try a lace pattern and I am really happy with this one. I just go slow and do it row by row. I will keep everyone updated as this goes. I was really inpressed with being able to knit this while on a knitting retreat out in the bush with some other wonderful ladies. How great is that, to get away and sit with a group of women all knitting and talking wool and patterns. Food for the soul.

Not only did december arrive today but it is also the start of our advent calendar. I had fun searching out the lollies to go in the treat bag. Now we are really on the count down for christmas.

And where would dinner be without the advent candle. And it is a "made in Denmark" candle. What more can I ask for? Well it is a small part of denmark in my house for christmas. Sad I know but it helps to know others that still decorate with danish christmas decorations. I have to try to decide how much time to spend on knitting and how much on christmas decorations. I just love this time of the year and making christmas decorations. I hope you all have a great december and let me know what you are making for your christmas.

a few photos to share

Well take a clos look at this cute face as from tomorrow on he will be looking more like a black rat after he has his clip from the professional groomers. After all my home done cuts I thought he deserved a good job, and wont he look great.

Thiught I should add some more of my knits. This vest is made from some silk wool my mum gave me along with the pattern. I am not really all that happy with the way it has stretched. I have more yarn left but cant think of what to make with it.

This is the back of a vest I made for my hubbie. It was based on a Kaffe F design. I lined it with charcoal fabric. I really like it and it looks great on.

Another cardi. You can never have too many.

A garden to remember

These rhodos are from my grandmas garden and even though we have a problem with soil and water out here these plants have continued to flower ever year for me. They are getting pretty old now and they remind me of my grandmas garden and her love of the out doors. They have pride of place on the "rhodo hill".

I should remember never to grumble about how slowely my garden does grow, because as we all know all good things take time to grow and take root before eventually setting seed. This is the best time of the year to be out in my garden as it is full of so much bright colour and that means it is filled with love.

Rememberance iris

As it was rememberance day here yesterday I thought I would share with you my rememberance iris. This was given to me by a family member who died recently and it is the perfect way for me to remember him. As I walk around my garden I can see and enjoy many plants that have been given to me by people that have been dear to me but have died. I really cant think of any better way for me to remember and cherish those people and their memories.
I was in the supermarket yesterday at the checkout when it was 11 on 11th of 11, and was really touched by the total respect everyone had at that minute. Everthing stopped in the shop, everyone was silent and I was touched that there is still so much humanity left in all of us that we can stop something important and just remember those that have come before us.

New seasons

Well it seems like the time for starting new things, not just for me but the animals too. The swallows have arrived and started their new nest. I must say I was a little worried at first with their choise of places for their new home. It was right above the laundry door on the back verandah, where the dogs roam. But they dont seem worried about the dogs at all and the sparrows have alreaddy made nests at the other end of that part of the verandah and also restarted their old nest on the front verandah. Anyway as the swallows started their nest in their strange place I was worried by their youth and a nest that looked very muddled, but as time passed I must admitt they have now made a really good looking nest. They are now starting to line it with chook feathers and hair from the labradoodle. It should be really cosy. I cant wait to see the new chicks.

The sparrows are always good at their nests and they seem to love this conical nest spot in the join of the front verandah. The air is alive with the sound of birds. Ahhhhh what a great time of year.

With all this new building going on I had to start some new knitting. But where to start. So I decided to start by going through all my wool and then try to decide on a pattern for each wool group. So I have decided on a lace shawl for my merino two ply, but after many hours searching for patterns I still am undecided about what I should choose. Since this is my first lace shawl I want to make something nice and with a pattern. Has anyone got any ideas????? But while I try to decide I have started the "ARGOSY SCARF" by Vyvyan Neel.
I really love her designs but of course my wool is not graduated like hers, so I thought I would start with this wool my mum had spun years ago and then if I like the look I could make another one in graduated wool.

And of course the possums have now found our apple trees and eaten most of the leaves. What can you do? We have a fence and an electric line but if they are hungry they must be flying in for a feed, maybe it is their way of saying we want more cat food.

argosy scarf

sparrow nest

swallows nest

a busy week

Well time has been passing quickly. WE had our second weekend beach trip for the long weekend. The surf is up. I dont know who enjoys the shack break more, the parents, the kids or the dogs. Of course the dogs had great fun running on the beach, swimming and chasing sticks. And of course the huge window view of the dinner table.
I took my cardi with me and almost got it finished while away. But it is finished now and I have to decide what my new project will be. Ohhh where to start. Do I made something to wear, a toy or a tea cosy.

And HALLOWEEN . woowh it was great. The house was decorated by a mum with too much time on her hands, the pumpkins cut out, the costumes ready. Then there were the kids, it was great. all had a good time and ate lots of yummy food and talked lots. I have decided halloween is a great time of year.

saving frogs

The wonderful warm weather is here. It is that time of the year when the garden tank is full(wonderful water) and I can hand water the garden without worry of there not being enough water to go around and the bulbs are up, the iris's are looking good and a few are starting to show their flowers. The first red and pink rhodo's are in bloom, and the garden is starting to kick back into life. But not all is so good at "Bishopstone", there are some amongst us that are doing it tough and those are of course the tadpoles. There is not enough rain to keep the frog pond full and so it is the annual frog saving time. Yes you can find us out there with little containers scooping up little tadpole and putting them into the water lilly containers for what will hopefully be a full and long life. I still have not found any baby banjo frogs this year. Last year we saved a few of these big taddies only for them to dissapear, maybe eaten by one of the many animals around here. Atleast the frogs are in full voice at night. I love it, and every garden should be full of these great brilliant creatures.

It is also the time of year that I find it hard to decide between being outside and trying to help my garden through the warm weather, flourish is not going to be a term to use on this patch, and the other passion of starting a new knitting project. If I am out in the garden I am often thinking about things I would like to be knitting, but when I am knitting I am thinking about all those weeds, and boy this place has plenty of those. What do I do? I should find a good,chaep mulch that wont be blown away or be washed away down the valley.

I did notice that now the wallabies have finished eating the geraniums ( go figure that one) they have decided to break the tops out of some of them. They have already broken my daisy bushes to the ground while jumping into the frog pond. I dont think they saw the path on the other side of the bush.

When it is all said and I've done my "oh'no's" I would still rather to have my furred friends here, after all they were here first. I say if you dont like the wildlife and all those brilliant trees dont live in the bush.

Rain and peace

The other night it was a brilliant moon lit night and I just stood looking at the view outside. And I realised how happy we become by familiarity. It was dark, quiet and still I really liked what I saw. I may not have felt the same about looking out someone elses window late in the night knowing I had to venture outside. I walked the dogs around the driveway and could have lingered out there for hours. Everything was still and even the sheep were quiet. I just could not imagine being anywhere else. I have been enjoying some fantastic photos from blogs in America. How I would love to have those autumn tones to look at, but the mighty gum tree has its own beauty too. I love to see how life is around th world and love to hear from people with same interests but living in different parts of the world








Well I have to venture back to the topic of halloween. Of course, I made it into town to go decoration hunting yesterday and I came back with some goodies. I found some great material to drape over the windows and then some all essential spiders web stuff . Now it is just the costumes to make(oh the thought of sewing is not thrilling me), oh and lots more witches and bats to cut out. The pumpkins are under daily threat of being cut open by the kids but I have convinced them they have to wait a little while longer.


Luckily it is still raining slightly, I guess that means an inside day and lots more cutting out to do.

The dogs are asleep and I am the only one up at the moment so thought I would do what all good people do, waste some time on the net. And where better than on this new blog. I would be so much happier if it would let me upload my photos easily. I will have to work out what the deal is with that, may be the old computer problem.
Ahhh to be a dog. My old girl is fast asleep in her basket, the middle one is on duty staring out the doorjust waiting for our possum to arrive for dinner. She must be the best fed possum around this area with a great variety of home cooked food. And bless because now she has a little babe to share the food with.
And of course my little poodle is fast asleep on the couch, how a small dog can take up so much space is beyond me.
Tomorrow I will try to upload these photos again, I am sure there are lots of things I should be doing at the moment and definently should be making a list of all those things I should do tomorrow.
I have a free evening ahead of me to read my book "Yeats is Dead". I think it is more like one of those books I just want to finish so that I can start a new one. I really hate to start a book that I do not finish.
My middle dog has just spotted the possum and that is a good time for me to go and drag myslf away from this computer.

pumpkins are home

Well I am getting closer to finishing my jumper and that means I can start something new. But which one should I start. I get so inspired by fab patterns on the net. Then there is all the halloween decorations to start. I've made some bats. Anyone got any must have ideas for the night. I got the pumpkins today and am now thinking about what design to do. Maybe go for something a little easy for a first time pumpkin cutter.

I want to check out some more halloween decorations on the net. Some of those ones in america are soooo cool.

Had better go and finish my jumper.

halloween hunting.

While the weather decides to keep blowing I thought I would try and check out some halloween party ideas. Yes I am going to have my first Halloween party. And why not get into the american idea. The kids have wanted to have one for ages so now is the time. I am so happy so many people out there are happy to share their ideas on decorations etc. I would love to do some of the out door decorations but I think they would just blow away at this time of year.