Friday, October 21, 2016

A bit of colour never hurt anyone?

Have had the builder here recently doing a few inside jobs.

The splashback behind the cooktop use to look like this...
 red/maroon is NOT my colour


It now looks like this...
 stainless (and colourless) steel splashback :)
And I even had to put the blue water filter (in previous photo) in the cupboard because the colour 'jumped' out at me...


Got him to buy a 2 door melamine pantry cupboard and put together for me...


It now looks like this...
 Yarn and craft supplies.  Now I can close the doors on the clutter...

 
Picked up some Gardening Australia magazines from the Op Shop for 20 cents each...
 unfortunately I spend more time reading than doing!!


Almost finished reading My Hutterite Life.  Such an interesting and informative read...highly recommended...
 and so it grows...lap blanket is now 1 metre square...
 
Not sure what I will read next.  Going to Launceston tomorrow (the big...well not so big...city) and will check out the book shop.


And lest you think it is all gloom and doom...boring and colourless...
a couple of baby/doll blankets I made recently and a 'colourful' beanie for charity...
 
 
 
I think that's enough colour for one day :))
 
Off  to work on my 'calming' lap blanket!
 
xx
 
Postscript/update
 
I wrote the above post on Wednesday, but didn't publish it because I wanted to link in to this week's Yarn Along on Thursday.  It's now Friday, so here's an update on my trip to Launceston yesterday...
 
 
Bought The Plain Choice at the bookshop and will start it tonight.  It's a true story...  I'm looking forward to reading it...



Bought some more yarn for another lap blanket.  Most of the decor in the lounge room is white/grey/beige/brown, with most of the colour being one wall above the bookshelves with this wallpaper and a couple of paintings...
 the cat done by daughter Marnie and winning first prize at the Ulverstone Show for Print Making in 1993 (she was 13) and the tree painting done by daughter Natasha in college
 
I think the blanket colours should go well.  Notice I said the 'colour' word...muted...but still colour :)
 
I'm itching to get started, but have to finish the 'neutral' one first (sigh).  Maybe I could just do one round of each colour to see how it's going to look???


Tulips in my garden...
for daughter in law Hayley...who likes tulips!
 
 
That's me up to date...
 
Been raining steadily most of the day.  Hoping it will clear later this afternoon so I can get a walk in.
 
  In the meantime...maybe I'll just make a start on the new blanket :))
 
xx


Thursday, October 13, 2016

Mish Mash

A bit of everything in this post...

Planted coriander, silverbeet and lettuce seedlings.  Drying pumpkin seeds. Sprouting a salad mix of seeds...



Baked a poppy seed loaf...


Here's the original  recipe...

And my changes:  I substituted about 1/4 cup of the flour with almond meal, added some cardamon and allspice and grated lemon rind to the cake mix.  I also only used about 1/2 cup of sugar and find it is still sweet enough for me.  Enjoy!



For Yarn Along:  I mailed off the Hats for Haiti...



Continue to working on my lap blanket (it's about 90cm square now).  Craving a bit of colour again so might take a detour and knit a small baby blanket...

Still in Anabaptist mode from my time spent with the Mennonites on Sunday (on my post HERE).

The latest Plough magazine arrived today.  I've been browsing it and enjoying the interesting and thought provoking articles.

Think I might read My Hutterite Life next.  It's been on my bookshelves for awhile now and not read, but my thoughts are on the Hutterites because I sat next to Peter and Susan Hoover at the Weaver's Anniversary party and enjoyed catching up with them again.  They live in a Hutterite Community at Rocky Cape and I visited them a few times when I lived at Stanley.  There are some interesting blog like posts from the community HERE.

So, following on, thought I'd watch The Hutterites dvd (also on my bookshelves for awhile, but also watched and enjoyed several times).


In conclusion...  an updated photo of the Swan family...
all 6 babies doing well


The sun shines...the wind blows...and it's time for my river walk...
 
xx

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Let's party...Mennonite style

I attended the surprise 40th Wedding Anniversary party of Harold and Phyllis Weaver on Sunday afternoon at Chudleigh Hall.  Harold is the minister of the Mennonite Church here in Deloraine (as far as I know the only Conservative Mennonite Church in Australia).  I fellowshipped with them for 6 months when I first moved to Deloraine and have continued to keep in touch.

They had no idea about the party, thinking they were just going to family for supper :))

Here's the hall looking lovely...


We had a few announcements/speeches, some singing (a capella), family stories and a slide show of Harold and Phyllis's family life over the past 40 years of marriage.  A devotional by one of the older men, then a time of food and fellowship...
 mostly the younger girls at this table


 younger boys on the left
families interspersed among the other tables


You can see the food table set up on the right.  We filed past with our empty plates and the girls served us...a yummy feast (chicken, salad, fresh bread...and for dessert chocolate cake and icecream, tea/coffee...and fresh fruit, nuts and water on the tables)...
The main guests/special couple table at the front of the hall (set up as they would for a wedding supper)
Sorry I didn't get a close up photo of the Anniversary cake (you can see it in the middle of the table)


Harold...saying a few words...
Harold and Phyllis
 
 
It was so nice to spend time with old and new friends...
 
I do miss them all...
 
xx

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Thursday (in Oz) Yarn Along

After a week of rain...


The sun is shining today :))

I've been keeping busy...

Crocheted lap blanket continues to grow...

Watched The Book Thief dvd.  Haven't read the book, but enjoyed the movie...

Reading (bedtime book) An Untamed Heart by Lauraine Snelling (set in Norway)...

And (day time dip) Crazy Quilt by Cynthia Yoder...

Yarn Along link


Baking rock cakes...
and eating them too!!
 
 
Better get out and mow those lawns, more rain supposedly coming tomorrow!
 
xx

Monday, October 3, 2016

Rainy Day Monday

The rain continues to fall, but I managed to get a walk in between showers.  Had to adjust my normal walk route due to flooding...

 won't be going this way...


 or this...


 picnic tables are under again...


 spillway has burst the bank...


and is almost over the road on the left...


It hasn't really been outside weather these last few days, so I've been cooking...

 more Cypriot Salad.  The recipe is on this post  HERE


 had some for lunch with dark rye bread and sardine...




Also made this yummy Danish Meatballs in Curry for dinner...
 care to join me?


Here's the recipe...
hope you can read it (click on it to bring it up larger)

It's from my Hygge book...
 a lovely little day time dip book


And because it's so wet outside (actually hailing at the moment!), I don't feel guilty that I lit the fire...crocheted...and watched an episode of The Waltons (in the middle of the day!!)...
 
Now that is definitely hyggelig :))
 
xx