A Long Long Time Ago

I seemed to have much more time for everything ... but that was a long long time ago.  Either time is speeding up or I'm getting older and slower or busier or all 3?

Just made it with my March blocks for Natures Journey ... happier with my needle turn but there's room for improvement.

My progress for block 2 of Merry Christmas Garden ... more needle turn.

The wool is still in the bag but I did get "Little Maccas Farm" quilt back from the quilters (decided to have this one professionally quilted because its extra special and to save time) so I'm machine sewing the binding on the front this afternoon ... just the hand stitching of binding and adding a label to go!

Special month for mum and me ... we both celebrated "0" birthdays and enjoyed a lovely lunch with family.

Time to dash and get this binding on ... hope you have a great week.

>^..^<

About Time?

Basically between 'not enough time' and 'can't be bothered' there isn't much to blog about around here. The basics are covered ... we eat and we wear clean clothes and just enough house work is done to call the place respectable. Once I get to sit down at night, either my eyes are too sore or I'm too tired to stitch. Not grumbling ... just how it is.

I did have some lovely mail that I had forgotten to share and also a purchase ready for some cooler weather (one can hope for cooler weather!). There's a blog book for every year I've been blogging and they're great at Christmas time when the kids go looking through them. The centre book is 2014 and my first book (top left - blue) spans 18 months.

The wool is a cotton blend to make some more knitted dish cloths ... I'll never use store bought again if I can help it ... love my cloths and DD has ordered some more too.

When I do stitch I'm working on 'Merry Christmas Garden' block 2 or 'Natures Journey' for March now. Funny how years ago I tried needle turn embroidery, hated it, and said I'd never do it again. Fast forward and here I am doing needle turn for both these projects ... and enjoying it!  Never say never as time, helpful hints and new products can turn things around.

Blogging has also suffered a downturn and while I don't often comment these days, I still manage a quick skip through blogland and try to keep up with everyone's happenings. Now I need to go take photos of my blog books and wool so I can have some pictures in this post. Then it's lunch time and I might just get to sit down and do a little sewing.

Enjoy your weekend and make a little time to stitch.     >^..^<

FNSI and Cyclone Watch

Considerable time was spent online last night watching the path of Cyclone Marcia as she came through our region on her way south. Thankfully downgraded to a Cat 1 by then but still plenty of wind and rain.  We measured 105 mm (4") in the gauge this morning but some wouldn't have made it in the gauge with the wind factor. Towns further west of us measured up to 8 inches and lost power while Yeppoon and Rockhampton to our north bore the brunt of it.

So back to my sewing ... I managed to prep and needle turn one more block for 'Natures Journey'. Thank you Wendy for getting us all together for another Friday Night.

This morning called for a drive down to the creek for a look see ...

With the road in the other direction also cut, we'll be staying put for a little bit ... more sewing time.

Weather Update

Tropical Cyclone Marcia - Category 5

She's starting to cross the coast just north of Yeppoon this morning ... watching the updates on TV and Internet ... keep safe everyone. Waiting to see what impact we experience in the pathway south.

Whether the Weather

Whether the weather be fine,

Or whether the weather be not,

Whether the weather be cold,

Or whether the weather be hot,

We'll weather the weather,

Whatever the weather,

Whether we like it or not.

At the end of last year we were out feeding cattle to keep them alive through the drought. Good rains December and January grew the grass and I found myself stuck at flooded creeks driving home from work. Now this is knocking on the door!

Tropical Cyclone Marcia

On the sewing news, I managed another finish earlier this month but just haven't had the time to share. The block was from our groups Christmas swap and our challenge is to make the block into an item by July ... big tick for me ... I'm done!

Also needle turning my way through the February blocks for 'Natures Journey'.

Last Sunday night our area experienced a 5.2 earthquake ... I somehow managed to sleep right through it even with hubby trying to wake me ... thankfully no major damage reported. So now I'm taking my tired body to bed and listen to the wind howling outside ... see what tomorrow brings.

Night Night     >^..^<

This and That for 2015

First is my recap for finishes in 2014.  Dealing with drought had a big impact on my sewing mojo but I did manage a few small finishes.  There are still a couple of quilts waiting to be quilted so all in good time I guess.

My first finish for 2015 is also my first mini quilt ... with another mini almost finished.

A finish for January also puts me on track for OPAM 2015 hosted by the lovely Kris and Peg ... and also a count for 1 Xmas Item A Month and CTTY over at Anthea's

This week was back to work in town and wouldn't you know it!  I will never complain but with the recent rain event for Queensland I was faced with this 3 afternoons on the way home. I've begun taking an overnight bag and pillow to work with me just in case. I should have some stitching in the car with me to work on while a wait for them to go down.

Preparation for 'Natures Journey' and 'A Merry Christmas Garden' took precedence over housework yesterday. These are going to be my 2 main projects for 2015 as well as finishing off a couple of quilts and ... did I mention DD has set a wedding date so best make that 3 main projects!

Happy Australia Day for tomorrow.

Sewing In A Storm

This has been much of today. 27 mm of rain with lots of bad lightning, thunder and small hail.

After the heatwave of the past few days I can't believe I said I might have to put a coat on. So with 'back to work' tomorrow it's time for some last minute (first for the year) sewing.

This year I've joined Chooky's SAL and my pattern for 'Natures Journey' arrived last Friday. Our target for January was a little Christmas stitchery which I finished stitching Thursday ...

This sweet angel now has borders ... been sandwiched ... and binding machined on ready to hand stitch down.  Also another Christmas block I received at our local patchwork group's breakup last year. We've challenged each other to finish the 12 1/2" blocks into a project by July so I'm well ahead for once.

We are so thankful to have received good rain through December. Now that the grass has grown some, the cattle are finally back in their paddocks happily grazing ... follow up rain is still needed but for now the pressure is off.  It's so lovely to see some blooms back in the garden too.

Time to get 2015 rolling.

>^..^<

Swealtering

It's just way too hot and steamy to feel like doing much at all.

Farewell 2014

Hello 2015

Green Hills and Dam

Now that title is sounding a lot like someone's favourite story.  Computer is also charged and operational ... so much nicer all round. What a difference some good rain can make.

Beautiful red from the poinciana tree and the mock orange tree's white blossom has the most lovely fragrance.

We've fenced off some of the house yard so the horses can have a treat.

Still busy moving cattle about so that they all get access to some new green grass. There's not a lot of it yet ( a long way to grow back) so some have gone back to their paddock and the others are rotated about to give the grasses a chance to rejuvenate.

So time to get organized for Christmas with a few last minute chores around the house before family arrive in a couple of days.

To all my lovely blogger friends and visitors, I wish you a Merry Christmas full of love and laughter with those near and dear to you. 

May 2015 be everything you hope for and the weather be kind to all.

Oooops!

Lightening isn't good for electrical things ... even when you think you're being safe.  When I went to recharge my laptop battery, it appears the ac/dc adaptor has fried (yes, it was all disconnected but not pulled out at the wall) so until I can get my hands on a new one, I'm struggling at slower than snail pace with an oldie but still faithful laptop. So for now it's only the bare minimum.

We're expecting more storms this afternoon and tomorrow ... it's soooo hot and steamy at the moment. After the fall of 44 mm we had on Sunday, we measured another 33 mm on Monday and 10 on Tuesday ... you can hear the grass growing (biggest grin).  I do hope everyone is having their turn of the wet stuff.