It's Melbourne Cup Day!

It's Cup Day and the rain has not stopped. So much for spending the long week-end in the garden. My darling husband has turned over my veggie garden for me, (despite the fact that he is dying with a head cold) so at least when the rain stops for 5 minutes, I will be able to start planting.

It would have been just prefect if the weather had stayed like it was earlier in the week. It was true Spring weather.

The rhododendrons are starting to bloom.



The girls and their beau are loving scavenging in the garden.

As we have one of our grandsons living with us Monday to Friday, I thought it was time to start teaching him to cook.

We made salmon patties and Jordon had a wonderful time getting his hands into the egg whites and bread crumbs. I have to admit that they were delicious. Well done Jordy!

You won't believe it. The sun is trying to come out. I just went outside to check the veggie garden and took a couple of photos.

This is my veggie garden. With a quick rake over, it will be ready to plant up.

 And take a look at this rhody. This is the same one that I photographed earlier in the week.

It's in full bloom in under a week. It's amazing how a little bit of sunshine can transform the garden.

This is not my most spectacular specimen, but it is by far the biggest. At about 20 odd feet, it towers over some of the others.
Well the Melbourne Cup is about to run, so I am off to watch it. Will write again soon.
Until then, be happy!
Lynne

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The week that was!

The rain has not stopped for the last two days, and quite honestly I love it. This is the perfect weather to catch up on the things I have been wanting to do at home. One being to tidy my sewing room so that I can be creative in there. The other is to catch up on my blogging.
I so want to tell you about my week.
It started with last Sunday. My darling husband organised my youngest son to come and cook brunch for me as a belated birthday celebration.

My macho chef son with his tattoos and pretty frilly apron.

You can tell he is his father's son. Always out to make you laugh. He brought one of his house mates, Taryn, along to help.They really whipped up a storm. Taryn made delicious pancakes and Luke cooked the rest of the makings for a Canadian breakfast ( my favourite)



Luke will make some-one a good husband one day( or is that a good wife?)

While Luke cooked, his Dad played games on Luke's I-Phone. Talk about role reversal!!!



I had to download this game for him on my phone after Luke left.

The weather was beautiful, the food was amazing and the company was wonderful. I think that was the first time that my eldest son, Marc, had brought his girlfriend, Sam, for a meal. And to top it off, the in-laws were very well behaved.(just kidding guys)
Mark then disappeared for a while and came back with a bunch of white roses.

He said that they represented a new beginning in our life. We are starting to take back control of our lives, from our kids.

So  a big THANK-YOU to Lukey and Taz for a wonderful meal and your uplifting company.
O.K. Ex factor has started, so I will write about the rest of the week tomorrow.
Until then, be happy!
Lynne

I remembered.

As promised, I am posting a photo of the cross stitch dish that I bought at Cameo Corner.

Isn't it the cutest thing

As I said yesterday, Ann-Maree and I bought some fabric from Threadbear. This is the bundle that we bought to share. It's  called "Whittier Crossing". A nice addition to our repro stash.

Ann-Maree only bought the paisleys for the shop.

Today I spent the morning with another of my wonderful friends, Mazzy. I had to go to Knox, and as her hubby is in Germany, she jumped at the chance to get out of the house. We had a lovely time browsing the shops. She was looking for clothes, and I started my Christmas shopping. Christmas shopping is so much more fun when you know what you are looking for, and you have a friend to share it with. The chai latte wasn't half bad either. Thanks for a fun morning Maz.

O.K. It is 3:30pm. time to put dinner on before I pick up Jordy from After School Care. It's roast chicken tonight. Wasn't home on the week-end, so I had better feed the boys a decent meal tonight.
Until next time, be happy.
Lynne

What a month it has been!!!

Well it is official. I am a terrible blogger. For some-one who loves to talk, you would think I was better at this, but noooooo.

Anyway, on with the goss.

Let's start with today. For anyone that is into quilting, then they would know that Quilts in the Barn at Wonga Park, was on this week-end. Linda  has a wonderful husband, who built her a huge American style barn on their property. Each year she, and her many friends, holds a quilt expo to raise money for Breast Cancer Research.

This year the quilts were the amazing works of Di Ford and the Secret Sewing Sisterhood. What a fantastic name for a sewing group!

Here are some of the girls in the group (I believe there are 4 more) posing in front of the quilt that they made for Di's special birthday. Ann-Maree and I just loved this quilt. We might even attempt a smaller version for ourselves.

A lot of the money that is raised comes from the raffle quilt and I believe that the Sisterhood had a hand in making it this year.

I hope you can see it clearly enough to appreciate how lovely it is. I didn't get a phone call, so I guess I wasn't the lucky winner. I did buy the pattern though, so maybe one day I will have one.
Another quilt that I have the pattern for is this one, designed by Michelle Yeo.

                                                      At least this one I have started.

A large amount of the quilts had hundreds of different fabrics. They justify the need for buying more fabric and luckily, Threadbear from Castlemaine, was there. Even Ann-Maree bought fabric, and she owns a patchwork shop.

After we left the Barn, Ann-Maree and I, and our friends Tracey and Debra, headed to Cameo Corner in Wandin. A mixture of antiques and French provincial, it is a favourite spot of ours. I bought a lovely little dish with a cross stitch design on it. ( will post a pic tomorrow.)

From there we all headed to the Patchwork Teahouse in Warburton for lunch. There is nothing nicer than having lunch surrounded by interesting things to look at. The four of us do the same thing every year. It's always nice to have a great day out with like minded friends.

This is all I have time for tonight, but I promise to post more tomorrow. Promise!!!

Until then,

Lynne

                                                                                                        



                                                                   

                                                                  











Yes, I am still alive

I know it has been for ever since I last posted. I really don't have a GOOD excuse. Let's just say that I have been a weee bit busy (and I'm slack.)
Well what has been happening in my world of late. Ann-Maree and I have been busy designing projects for our retreat in October. As a matter of fact, she has presented me with another project only yesterday.
I think that I might post some sneak peeks at the end of the week. What do you think?
Winter is alive and well up here in the Dandenongs. With all the rain that we have had, you would expect the dams to be higher than 36%. Where does all this water go???
The twins turned 3 last Saturday and as Bec's Birthday was on Sunday, we had the 3 of them from Saturday night, until Monday morning. They are such a delight to have.

Watching Mama cooking.

I can't believe how quickly they have grown up. And of course, because there is 2 of them, we must have 2 cakes. Sponges naturally because that is what my grandma made for my birthdays.

No birthday is complete without candles and fairy bread.

Happy 3rd Birthday Tahlia and Ebony-Rose. And of course, Happy 26th Birthday to Bec.

This week-end we have Dee's kids 'cos Andrew has to work.
Mark, in his wisdom, decided to take them and Jordy up to see the snow for the first time.

Every-one knows that you MUST build the customary Snowman.

They had a great time tobogganing until some nice people stole their toboggans while they were getting hot drinks. Stressed poor Mark out to the max, but as you can see, the kids still had a wonderful time.
Next time I'm going with them, to protect Mark's sanity (if that is possible!!!!)

I really LOVE this photo of Dane, Lydia and Jordan.

Now I must go and get some sewing done, so until next time, be Happy.
Lynne

Sorry for not blogging

To all my friends that have been having a dig because I haven't blogged, here it is.
The school holidays have come and gone and for the first time since Dee passed, we didn't have any of the grandkids these holidays. This meant that I was able to go out to lunch with my Friday girls. We went to the Patchwork Teahouse in Warburton, to celebrate Bev's bithday.

That's Bev on the left, Jeanette, myself and Barb is seated. You couldn't ask for more loving and supportive friends.

Can you guess how old Bev was?

Last week, Mark and I joined his family in Bright for a couple of days. I have never been there before but had been told how beautiful it is. Mark had spent a lot of his childhood holidays there and I can see why he loved it so much. I could easily spend a lot more time there myself.
We stayed in cabins at the Freeburgh Caravan park. On our first morning, we woke to brilliant sunshine with mist on the nearby hills.

                                                     Can you see the mist ?This was the view from our cabin.

While we where there, we had a family celebration for Mark's sister, Kay. She turns 50 in August, and as she lives in Myocum, northern N.S.W., we wll not get to see her then.

                                                 Kay and her mum and dad, Wen and Nev.

                                     

Mark really loves catching up with Kay, seen here with her son Sam. You can't half tell that they are brother and sister. We really hope to see more of Kay and her family from now on.

While in Bright, I bought some yummy hand-dyed wool fabric. I already have projects in mind for it, sewing related of course.

O.K. Time to get off the computer.

Until next time

Lynne