We were surprised and quietly delighted when we found a Peacock wandering in our back yard - it is 20 acres. What an exotic and beautiful bird - the irridescent colours are just amazing. His tail expanded and held overhead in display is very dramatic.
BUT - it appears a neighbour has decided to let his birds free range, the Peacock spends most of his days here, with up to four hens. They eat every seedling that pops its head up in the vege garden, they graze on spinach and capsicum leaves and scratch through the mulch on the garden beds.
The owners are away at the moment and I wish the birds would just go home.
I play croquet twice a week when the weather is fine and not too hot. I have the odd hit at Golf Croquet, but my choice is Association Croquet. It is quite complex and challenging, makes you think and plan, helps you learn to relax - you can't play well if you are uptight. There were no coaches at our club when I began, so I completed a coaching course and set about coaching myself.
A member of a nearby club taught me to respect the Laws of the game. He trained players as referees, and worked hard to lift the standard of refereeing. I am now the State Director of Refereeing in NSW. Thank you Merv.
The pattern is designed for Christmas - but I'm afraid that I really don't like the commercial trappings of modern Christmas, so, my fabrics will suit any season.
The sarong is a gift from my daughter and includes three patterns that I can use for borders and blocks. Black, cream, gold and bronze are perfect accompanying colours. More as the set comes together.
Another daughter and her partner have been staying on weekends as they renovate a house in town. The work has taken many weekends, and I have tried very hard to offer meals that are never repeated. It has been wonderful searching through my books and magazines to find delicious menus for them to enjoy.
Last weekend was a simple green salad with tomatoes, fried haloumi cheese and a dressing of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, plus grilled polenta with mixed garlic mushrooms, followed by Italian coffee cake and mascarpone. Simple to prepare and very impressive and tasty.
My newest finished quilt is a scrappy, Jigsaw Puzzle. This is part of an event with International Friendship Quilters. I have been with this group for two years now and thoroughly enjoy the projects and much more, the contact with patchers and quilters all around the world.
I have made baby quilts for each of my grandchildren, and now they are no longer babies I will be planning bigger and very different quilts. My mother has one of my quilts, as have two of my daughters and children of my dearest friend. Some of my quilts are planned and made with the recipient in mind, but others are simply an indulgence - I cut and stitch for myself - then when someone tells me how they love it, it's theirs (maybe).
The fabric for my latest effort is drying on the line now.
