Surprise Gifts

I have been blessed with several surprise gifts lately. Some of them from family some from nature.

This is one from nature, random poppy came up in the garden

Gorgeous birthday flowers from my Sister.

Look at that electric blue

I moved them so I could see them more often. Thank you Sister! I love them.

 Here are our very first potatos from the garden!! We had them for dinner with salad completely from the garden & some lovely chicken. Feels so good to be growing our own food again. At this stage I can only dream of a house in the country where we can have a huge vegetable garden & chickens.

Yummy!!!

That is a 1 pound coin for perspective - about the same size as an Aus $2 coin

 We had a fantastic day of gleaning yesterday. We had both spotted a cherry tree loaded with fruit in a small park on the way up to Stratford. So off we went with the ladder & a box for the bounty and didn't we attract some strange looks & comments! My favourite was the guy who asked if they were cherries like you get in the shop? 

I recently read some statistics that discovered that only 60 % of those surveyed knew that milk came from cows!!! I believe they were surveying schoolkids but I have to say that the questions we get when gleaning, this is unfortunately a common occourence.

How can it be that we have become so removed from our food? It is truly astounding & sad.

 They were very small cherries & were a little sour but after about 2 hours of pitting, we had them in the pot & cooking away into jam. It only made one jar of jam but that little jar is bursting with flavour. You should have seen my hands though, I look like I had been at the salon getting a WAGs tan!

Doing what we love

Lush x

Lulled into a false sense of security

Don't panic, nothing dangerous. First Lull. It has been a lovely warm, sunny Spring day today but the blue skies are not set to last as rain is predicted until Saturday.

The other half of the grafted fruit tree - we think this could be apples but no idea till it fruits??

The Bramley apple

See all that lovely blue sky, it is just mocking me. I am sure as soon as I put out the washing it will rain. LOL

Look at those potatos grow!! (green stuff at bottom of pic) The Prince is convinced we will have hundreds of potatos. I am wondering where we will store them??

Our herb wall

Broad beans & rosemary

You can just see in the middle of the picture a helicopter, supposedly there for our protection during the Olympics. too soon I say.

2nd Lull. We have been getting helicopters hovering for weeks now. I find that once I hear the noise I can't shut it out! I have been getting into having music playing all day which is helping a little.

Here are some photos of my machine quilting sampler from last Friday. It is a beginning. Now if I could just get Gretchen to cooperate :/

Not bad for a start.

Gretchen's efforts - see my problem?? Grrr!!

My third "lull" today is the boiler. It is steadfastly displaying a temp of 14 to 17 degrees but do you think that translates to actual hot water from the tap?? Not on your Nelly!!! I think it is time for the service call. Again. Actually for the 3rd time.

I am still thinking if I should go to the Fat Quarterly retreat. Anyone else going? Will it be good??
I would love to learn how to do a frame purse & also the zip pouch could come in handy but I am still not sure. Gee it is annoying being shy & all the other things that stop me doing things. Le sigh!

Still doing what I love.
Lush x

PS: Just saw that this is my 50th post!! Whoo hoo!!

And the Universe provides.

I have undertaken several machine quilting courses over the last decade (4 that I can remember!!) and still consider that I have not "got it". So it was fortunate that when I was at my quilt group the other evening, one of the women received a text advising that 3 people had dropped out of a machine quilting course for the next day. When asked if I would like to fill a spot I was hesitant at first (for several reasons) but decided that if nothing else I would have a nice drive in the country & get to know some of my fellow quilters better.
Off we went to Hertfordshire. Beautiful English countryside just like I have seen on telly! Have I mentioned how much I love this country?? It is truly beautiful. Saw my first thatched cottages "in the wild"!!
Anyhoo I had no real knowledge of the presenter, I had heard of her but could not place her name or her work but that soon changed when I saw her quilts. Have a look at her website Phillipa Naylor
To say I was gobsmacked by her work is a total understatement!!

I was worried that this would be another exercise in machine quilting futility. An expert & talented quilter trying to teach me to have the talent that so clearly comes as second nature to her, however I could not have been further from the truth. I got amazing results from her instructions with the key point I came away with being to SLOW DOWN!! & when you feel you are in a corner & no idea where to go - STOP!! Incredible!!
I have always been told to go hell for leather & just move the fabric faster. Well let me tell you that if you make the machine go at speed & slowly move the fabric you get much more control & better stitches. I am very excited by the prospect of being able to extend my quilting beyond straight lines.

Much thanks to Janice for the invite & doing the driving & especially to Stephanie for letting me use her spare machine when mine was experiencing severe technical difficulties. I have to say if Gretchen does not get it together it could be a fate worse than Ebay for her & I may convert to Bernina!! Another woman had the same machine as me & I was somewhat relieved to hear that she has had similar problems. At least this means it is not user error, cold comfort when you consider the money I have outlaid to get this machine.

On the home front there has been more skip retrieval for garden beds - literally in this case. This is a child size bed 170 cms long by 90 cms wide. Makes a perfect size for the front part of our home, we needed to cobble together a bit of timber for one side & the base but this does not show much & the growing plants will conceal it completely. Gives us another 2 square metres of growing space. We intend to put more greens like kale, chard, peas etc. At present this is just a rhubarb plant but loads more to come soon.

Still loving what I do.

Lush x