Oh, how the garden grows

It's best when all is quiet
that's when I like to try it
use a computer quick as you can
and a blog post can happen without a plan...

YES! I am still computerless:-( I don't know what is wrong with the darn thing, but hey at least I am getting lots of housework and sewing done.

The garden continues to flourish despite a distinct lack of sun (and my own lack of gardening know-how!)



We are not quite living off the land, but we have had some lovely crops. We are still waiting for some tomatoes to ripen up. Green tomato chutney here we come if they don't LOL. (speaking of which I have just made 2 batches of red onion marmalade - yum!)



The peas have been great. And DH and the boys seem to get there pretty quick when any are in need of picking!

We've had about 4 courgettes and they have been a gazillion times better than supermarket ones ;-)

The bees are back and we are so happy to see them!

DH's brocolli has been tasty even though they look so funny. Massive plants and small florets. (We are quite competitive with our vegetables LOL)


His whole patch is amazing!

Our first cucumber.....! (Mine actually LOL)

His first 8-ball or as we call them in South Africa: 'gem-squash'

And lots of sewing... Photos of that to come and a website even! This no computer-thing is at least good for something!

Just to say...

...I'm not ignoring my blog, but my computer has broken again!! Then I came down with a nasty bug and spent about a week in bed. I'm better now, but my computer still isn't! The vegetable patch is doing well and we've eaten our first courgettes already - yum!

On the leg front, I am still on crutches, but managed to drive for the first time yesterday! I'm very pleased about that. It was a bit sore, but no pain, no gain as they say.

I hope to blog some photos next time when I figure out how to download them on this pc that I'm borrowing :-)

So behind..

July already and I've not blogged stuff from June!!

Here goes!!!:
The white corners are in! After a fruitless search for the white rose print, I just ordered some plain Kona white fabric and got on with putting the corners in on my Carolina Lily, the English paper-piecing way.


Now I need to add the borders which I plan to do with papers in as well although that may be tricky. I have pinned the corner flowers ready for stitching together and then appliqueing onto the white. Slow and steady as they say...



The garden is coming on a treat. We could do with a lot more bees, but the mix of hot weather one day and rainy weather the next means everything is thriving.

My roses:


The peas taste good, even if some people are impatient (early) pluckers!!:


Strawberries waiting for some sun:


First courgettes: (Yippeee!)


First cucumber: (Double yippee!!)



I found a wallhanging I had started donkey's years ago. I offered it to my neighbour for a new member of her extended family...

All she has to do is stitch some of the iron-on flowers and butterflies down and add a binding...

(one UFO off my list LOL!!)

The Levens Quilt show was held on the last weekend of June. I went with my neighbour and was very restrained. I only bought one FQ of brown, a box of pins (always need pins!!) and a holiday apron kit type thing. The quilts were great. Here are 2 of my favourites:
L OV E D this one:
And this one: (nice and scrappy yet a nice limited palette)


Then (also in June) was the school Sport's Day which went by in a whizz: :-)



Egg and spoon: (oops! LOL)


Spectators:

Winners:


A nice surprise:
(Although I was informed that "it's only for picnics, not for the bed" - maybe she thought I didn't like it!! I did, it's cute!)

That's all folks. See you in August at this rate:-)))

Wordless Weekday

Just For Ria...

...you had an eye for colour and a style that I so admired and knew I could never achieve so when you were selling some quilts, we bought 2 knowing that we had acquired some really special things....

Every quilt was a journey for you and an adventure to the onlooker....


You were so good to my boys, giving each a quilt lie on...

and to learn to crawl on...


You gave me some orphans blocks and scraps which I have put together, but not completed...


I am too sad to do it now.
I shall miss you...

I hope your journey to the next place is kinder to you than the j0urney you have just had. Rest in peace dear Friend.

Filling in the gaps

I picked up my hexagons again as I have not had a chance to get any white fabric and I just can't sit and watch telly without something to stitch. So while my Lilies lie languishing, I am trying to get my rose hexagons to finished top stage. Quite a feat with crutches, but I am sure it must be good physiotherapy to get down and pin hexagon pieces in the gaps :-)



A friend bought a second-hand sofa and was so unhappy with the cushions that I offered to make her some new ones. We bought the fabric together and I made these seven for her. The biggest are approximately 28" square.


After they were made I thought I had better make us some new ones. I have made six and just have 4 to complete, but I am definitely all cushioned out for a while now!!! (Especially as I sewed my own cushions the wrong way up. They are stripy so perhaps there isn't really a right or a wrong way LOL)

I found some photos on the camera....
Here's a snap of the travellers leaving. I just didn't get a chance to get any photos with my quilts this year....



And Nichole and I have done a fun private fabric swap. I received these amazing surprise fabrics...


And these gorgeous spots. I love spots at the moment!



Nichole also included some quilting magazines and some lovely goats milk soap. I have sent her a selection of African fabrics, some magazines and some surprises! Thanks for swapping Nichole!

I was the lucky winner of 2 monthly challenges on one of my online groups and won vouchers for thespiderswebfabricshop. This is what I ordered, plus some black fabric for my African blocks:

I may have gone a bit spot crazy.... :-)

Not much to blog about...

When the little people in your life are not well then that's all that matters. Nothing could ever be more important than just getting you and them over the worst of it. 3 days of raging fever later, I'm tired, emotional and I just want to stop worrying...


...Get well soon little man!

More memories...(and hats too)

... of first bus trips...

Well the next day when DS1 came home, by himself on the bus, DH and I walked up to meet him. (His first time had involved DH driving with the bus to show the driver where we live.) It was a long walk with the crutches, but so worth it to see him get off the bus for my first time and to get a few photos of the event!

The bus driver probably thinks I am nuts LOL.


He raced us back because Grandma was visiting!



Here are the hats I made...
...6 have already found new homes!

Not quite Wordless Wednesday

My Lilies are all stitched together, it went remarkably quickly, but now I just need to get to a quilt shop to buy a few metres of pure white for the setting triangles. Not so easy when I'm still not driving and our LQS is several miles away! But where there's a will...


So I am stitching other stuff likes hats for summer... (picture next time when the sun is shining!)


My Big Boy got the school bus for the first time today!


He likes going on the bus, I guess it's an adventure and it helps us while I can't drive.

Why do the just grow up so darn fast!!!

Archie

My DSIL has a new fur-baby. His name is Archie and he is sooooo cute. He's nice and warm too and quite happy just to snooze next to you while you baste fabric over papers :-)



DSIL has him very colour co-ordinated in her living room too LOL


No, we won't be getting a pet, but it's very tempting!

Wordless Wednesday