Thursday, April 12, 2012

Cooeeeeeee I'm Back

Hello there, how are you all?
Sorry I have been away for longer than usual.......it's been a little busy here.
We spent Easter in Canberra at the National Folk Festival. No.1 was on the bill for the first time, so the three of us headed north for the break.
We had a lovely time, Canberra is a very picturesque city and more so in Autumn with all the English trees changing colour and beautiful parklands....

I did manage to visit an Op shop or two on Saturday morning but no treasures leaped out at me.

Normal life has resumed now we're back home and a little sewing project had me side tracked today........

Some sweet Babushka print fabric from Spotlight has been turned into key fobs......
After a bit of snipping and sewing they just need a little stitching to finish them off and some hand embroidery gives them a personal finishing touch.


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A cold snap over Easter had me searching for some extra warmth Saturday night.....

Fortunately, there was a stall at the Festival market selling the most wonderful, fingerless gloves and hats.
They are Fair Trade, hand made in Peru and 100% organic. So many beautiful designs, colours and all beautifully soft.


These gloves will get plenty of wear this Winter.....I love the colours, design and the comfort factor is very high.

Reading some of the information about the products and how they are made proved quite an eye opener......

"The women use urine from young boys which is fermented for 2 weeks and then used to help 'fix' the indigo blue dye.
The urine has to be collected from the children as it doesn't contain alcohol!"

If you would like to have a look at some more of their products take the link.......

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Beautiful Autumn weather continues here and the days have warmed a little....
The garden is putting on a colourful show in one way or another...shall we?...






Beautiful Camp David roses are reaching for the sky, or the roof at least.
The blooms are huge,
velvety, highly perfumed and quite voluptuous.....
The photo doesn't do them justice, but you get the picture...

Under the Manchurian Pear there's a carpet of Autumn leaves.

The colours are glorious....reds, golds, burnt orange....





Maples along the driveway continue to colour up adding to the overall display in the garden...






Chrysanthemums are starting to unfurl their Autumnal beauty......
lovin' those colours...




I picked the pumpkins yesterday as we had a couple of frosts recently......

These pumpkins grew on a vine that popped up in the garden after I dug some compost in.

20 seedlings poked their heads through the soil and we pulled them all out bar one. Initially only 2 pumpkins were growing on the vine a poor harvest......but in the last couple of months more pumpkins appeared and I have picked 6 and I think there might still be one or two hiding under the leaves.

Guess what we are going to be eating over the colder months?

Pumpkin soup, scones, roast pumpkin,

hmmm, any more suggestions please leave a comment.

By the way, they are Kent pumpkins and generally very tasty indeed...

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Now let me introduce you to my new friend, Wilfred.....



During a visit to the Op shop yesterday as I passed the toy section this sweet, little bunny caught my eye.
Perhaps it was the hand knitted pants and jacket that swayed me.
Or, perhaps it was the fact that he was just so darn cute.....

Whatever the reason he was coming home with me...



Someone took great care to knit his outfit as they made sure there was a spot for his little cottontail.

Wilfred has settled in to his new home and





become firm friends with Tigger, hehe.....


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Well, my blogging voice is in full swing again, but as for my own voice it's coming and going thanks to a cold.
I'm on the improve but I have been squeaking and croaking for the last few days which has been quite comical at times.......

Whilst typing up this blog post there was a knock at the door and my wonderful and thoughtful neighbour ( you know the kind they are real treasures) Lindy popped by with a mug full of delicious, steaming hot, home made pumpkin soup and some slices of scrummy Milawa Ciabatta bread.

I had dropped in to visit her this afternoon and deliver a 'thankyou' gift for looking after our animals while we were away.
She knew I was on my own for dinner this evening......
what a sweetie.

Do you have wonderful neighbours?

I hope you are all well and enjoying some lovely Autumn/Spring weather wherever you are....

Thanks for stopping by to read my ramblings and say 'hi' always enjoyable reading your comments and a big welcome to all new followers.

Take care,


Claire X

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17 comments:

  1. Hi Claire,

    Well, all the comments that I had lined up to write went straight out of my head as soon as I got to the urine part!

    There was very nearly the leakage of some urine here when I was reading it, due to laughter.

    Im still gobsmacked.
    And I think maybe, not because they used it (love the part about them having to get it from children) but because they TELL you they used it!

    Oh my gosh.

    Ok, I've composed myself a bit.

    I think Id like to get some soup-cooking neighbours.
    Might have been nice if it was pea and ham though, seeing as you'll be sick of pumpkins shortly.

    Gosh, it did turn a bit chilly after Easter didnt it?
    Up here in the highlands, I even lit a little fire one night.

    Great to hear from you.
    Love the key fobs

    cheers
    Fi

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  2. I vote pumpkin pie,....yum!

    Your garden looks lovely, it's funny to see your leaves on the ground when everything is budding up here....never fails to make me wonder.

    Your neighbour sounds lovely!

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  3. Hi Claire, pleased you arrived home safe and almost well! Nice to see you again. I can't believe the colour in the trees, ours have non what so ever! just knot cold enought here at the moment. I think the wind will move the leaves before they colour up this year. No. 1 was great Sunday night - warmed us up a bit with the clapping. Your sewing looks amazing as I scan your previous blogs. I don't suppose you want to share your amazing veggie curray we had while in Yack a few weeks ago. I hope you get this, my first time ever on a blog. Cathy.

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  4. Oh so much eye candy is always there in your posts...colour in the garden, cute little treasures and clever babushka's...great job. Love the look of your gloves too. x

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  5. Sounds like you had a lovely time in Canberra - love those gloves! How funny they have to collect children's urine though, I've heard that urine was used in the past to bleach leather white, all the ammonia I guess. The garden is looking great, the flowers are gorgeous and that's a great harvest of pumpkins. The Babushkas are so sweet and well done finding cute little Wilfred. Have a great weekend! :) x

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  6. Love your babushka's Claire, lovely and colourful. Well that's one bunny who is not getting away in a hurry if Tigger has anything to do with it. Such a cute photo.
    I'm so envious that you were able grow pumpkins, Kents being my favourite. I was thinking pumpkin pie and I think I have a recipe for pumpkin cake somewhere in my folders. Whatever you decided to make will taste yummy.
    Enjoy the beautiful autumn weather we are having.
    Anne xx

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  7. Love the little babushka key fobs - they should fly off your stall.

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  8. Good to have you back, and Tigger would appear to have stolen your rabbit. Will you have to fight for it?

    Pumpkin cake! Just like carrot cake but nicer. Substitute roasted, pulped pumpkin for the grated carrott..

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  9. the babushkas are really beautifull and the little bunny too,no wonder Tigger loves him!
    in Greece we are celebrating easter this weekend and the house is a real mess, as for our neighboors...they are the worst in the whole world but we dont really care. :))
    so glad you're back!

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  10. What a wonderful neighbor you have. We have some real treasures too, that is for sure. (And sadly, one who is a bit tricky to get along with too.) There is so much wonderful color in the photos of this post. It's all just soooo cheerful! Hmmm, so the urine thing, sounds kinda strange to us, but people work with what they have available. And I'm sure they have been washed since. Your Matroyshka's are very cute! And I like Tiggers new toy! :-)

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  11. Lovely autumn colours - and of course lovely roses!
    Little Wilfred is so cute and looks like he is one of the family already. Hope you are feeling better soon, pumpkin soup will help I'm sure. Great to have good neighbours. cheers Wendy

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  12. OH What riches here! I am floored by the green pumpkin shot, that stunning rose. For heaven's sake what do you feed them???
    And the mums. Just food for the soul and heart.
    xx
    julie

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  13. Little Wilfred is so sweet........love the gloves, followed the link..... such talented women & beautiful crafts.
    Great crop of pumpkins
    I made a spicy indian chutney with my pumpkin.......its really tasty and great with curry/rice and a very easy recipe.
    Such a comfort to have kind neighbors close by, ours have just moved after 12 years and I'm really going to miss them both.
    Happy Sewing Clare.

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  14. Always love visiting you Claire. Thanks again for the look around the garden. Stay rugged up with those gorgeous gloves and I hope your cold is on it's way soon. x

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  15. Hi Claire - glad you enjoyed your Easter break too! I'm 'twinning up' with you and showing my little Russian dolls too, hehe! Love the gloves, and the pumpkins look fantastic - I tried to grow them once, alas the Highland gales did their best and blitzed the seedlings :( Love the little bunny-wabbit and his knitted clobber (tail space and all!)
    'Speak' soon, Alison x

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  16. Ahhhh! Roast pumpkin soup, pumpkin bread, pumpkin tagine...the world is your pumpkin, really!

    It was nice to see you yesterday - market was a little slow, but it made up for it by being really fun - lots of laughs! Here's hoping we see you next time with your lovely babushkas in tow.

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  17. Hi Claire,

    I love that photo with the pumpkins. Pumpkin cake?

    Gorgeous Babushkas too. Your garden is looking as lovely as ever. It's been quiet here but I'm trying to get back into gear again.

    Have a great week.

    Liz xx

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