Out of England...

Last week we went to the South Lakes Wildlife Park. The weather was glorious and I almost felt like I was back in Africa (except for the motorway right next to the park LOL)



There were quite a lot of animals and the park is great with the cafe overlooking the giraffes...



There are many viewing decks for humans to observe animals (and vise versa)...


Lots of monkeys on both sides of the fences :-)





Only a week or so left of the 'summer' holidays now. I use the term summer very loosely: On Sunday we installed a water butt and 2 days later it is overflowing!
Still we have had a few train trips to the beach. The boys enjoy it no matter the weather!

(Above they are standing in the rain waiting for the train!)




On another trip, we had sun, but lots of wind too. That's ok at least we're at the beach!! There are some amazing bird sculptures around and we enjoy looking out for them along with collecting stones, broken shells and driftwood that we later leave behind because Mummy and crutches and pockets full of stones don't go together at all well!



The vegetables love the rain and sun combo of the English summer :-)



Crutches and all, I decided to do a little painting...


It took 3 coats to get rid of my graffiti! In future I'll have to find another way to show my love LOL!

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.... :-)