Slow Sunday.

So what do you do, on one of 'those' Sundays?

You know the kind, where there are four seasons in one day.

When we awoke this morning, the sun had already heated the green house to way over 30 C.

But the cloud cover soon drifted over and by mid morning it was obvious this wasn't a gardening day.
Pretty soon the sky was threateningly dark.

Rumbles of thunder could be heard.

Then the rain came, first blown from the east, then from the west. And then straight down.

First it rained, and then it poured, and then there were giant hail stones. Then it poured again.

And then the sun returned.
And so did the rain.
Then the sun.
Then the rain!

So, what does one do on those days?

Cross stitch of course.

Oh, my goodness, what a difference a wet weekend can make.

Look at the picture in the previous post for comparison. 

I even caught myself dreaming about what I might stitch next!

LOL, a bit early for that I think.

But it was nice to spend some serious time crafting.

*

I've had a think about things since my previous post and realised that the rhythm of my life has changed. A lot. 

Although I do still work shifts, they are very different from the 08.00 - 15.00 and 15,00 - 22.00 that I used to work. Waking at 04.30 am  and leaving the house at 5.00 is draining. Getting home before 14.00 sounds great, like I should have plenty of time to craft and sew, but in truth, I'm usually too tired. I can potter about and do housework, but the moment I try to slow down a little, maybe settle in my chair to sew, I fall asleep! I've tried to get into the sewing room too, but inevitably end up making a mistake. Unpicking, (sigh) is ok I suppose, but measuring and cutting errors........

I can and do go in there on days off work, but progress has slowed, to a stop!

Maybe it's that one at a timer streak I have. Perhaps once Sleepy is finished I'll get back into my wee room and finish a project in there!

Or maybe I won't!!

*It's a day off work again today.

My sewing room is not calling to me, but sleepy is.

So I shall potter about, do a few chores. Then sew for a while.

Before I potter and do some more chores.

Then sew for a while.

Bad Blogger!

Oh, my goodness, it has been such a long time since my last post.

I have done very little of anything crafty!

Tony and I spend a huge amount of our time in our garden now. The lawn has been stripped and replaced. It currently looks like moldy earth, hopefully it will continue to grow and by Christmas we will have a lawn again. 

In the green house the tomatoes, capsicum and chilli peppers are doing well. We didn't get any irrigation sorted out yet, so I'm out there morning and evening with the watering can.

 The veg gardens are amazing!

I can't keep up with the spinach and silverbeets. I've frozen loads and even given some away.

My second crop of brocolli is coming along nicely as is everything else.

I planted seeds saved from squash given to me by my father in law. They are going along great too.

 And of course I'm still discovering new plants on the property. We have done a whole year here now, but our efforts to tidy up have revealed new treasures and allowed other plants to thrive. 

Including the weeds!

*

Crafty wise, as I said I have done very little. I had planned to make some gifts, but simply don't have the energy. I did manage to get some cute ornaments made and an hour here and there to stitch on sleepy.

Progress is slow.

I sewed!!

As I mentioned in previous posts, I have been making a little time to work on Sleeping Beauty.

Progress is slow, but satisfying. I think I'm almost at the half way point now. :-)

 Lots and lots of time is spent out in the garden. We have been working hard out there.

Like my cross stitch, it is slow progress, with a looooong way to go.

I have harvested my first crop of broccoli and have more planted, along with loads of other things.

The second veg bed is built and I have half of that planted and more seedlings are coming along.

I've harvested beets grown over winter in the green house and twice have taken lettuce leaves.

There will be more of those tonight.

Back to the sewing.

Saturday was a wet and stormy day.

We don't seem to get many of those, so I made the most of it and spent some time in my play room.

I cut and added the thin inner border to my Christmas Story quilt.

 Next I cut and sewed together the pieced outer border, before fusing the applique pieces into place.

I cheated a little when it came to the medallions, by fussy cutting them from a piece of Christmas fabric.

 I even found time to make a start of the blanket stitch.

Maybe I'll have time to do more of that today.

*

With the Christmas Story being so close to a finish, I have started to dream about what might be next.

I pulled out a beautiful batik kit that Tony bought for me, lots of tiny pieces waiting to be appliqued into place, that would be fun to do. But I think something quick and easy first. 

Hmmmmm.

Men at work.....

Need close attention!

Belle has been watching very closely as the guys are re-glazing house.

She has followed their every move.

Changing of the guard.

It really was only a short time ago that I made this blog post about my long awaited quilt hanger.

But, as spring has most definitely sprung here.

I decided it was time for a change.

This quilt was made from a kit many years ago.

There are things I would do differently now and indeed since hanging it, I have started to plan some maintenance for it.

But for now, it is a beautiful summery greeting for anyone coming through my front door. 

*

I have been finding/making time to do a little cross stitch, but most of my spare time at the moment has been spent out in the garden.

Remember the cherry tree I showed in my last post?

For the last few days working under that has been wonderful. It keeps me shaded from the hot sun and, it is a great attraction for honey bees.

There are so many of them, and so much busy buzzing you could be mistaken for believing you were very close to a hive.