I'm feeling a little topsy turvy in the SBL household this week.
Everything is not as it usually is and I need to concentrate so don't forget all the changes!!
The weather is yo yo-ing between Summer and Winter.
Last week the temp was nudging 40deg and this week, we're back to what feels like Winter....well almost
(wishful thinking on my part!!)
Yesterday was very cool and windy and my Winter scarf reappeared along with my flannelette jammies.....any excuse!!
Not together, perleeeease hehe!!
I was eyeing off the wood stove and wondering whether I should crank it up or not.
So.....in a Winter frame of mind I had a play with some fabric inspired by a photo in the 'The Simple Things' magazine which has just arrived at our local newsagent.
Today is a beautiful 27deg. so the CFA decided to 'burn off' the verge this morning......
So, at 8.30am there were utes, men in yellow suits, the fire truck, lights, detour signs and plumes of smoke.
It was all happening......
We have quite a large dam, which happily is full after being very low during the drought.
A good source for them, so they could fill up their tanks.
There were utes with trailers and tanks on the back of them, doing a shuttle to the dam and back.
The CFA is made up of local volunteers, some retired, some still working, young and not so young.
Business people, farmers, males and females, all giving up their spare time to put their lives on the line and fight bush fires or attend accidents.......they do a brilliant job.
Today there were mostly retired blokes helping with the burn off but I did spy a young face or two, amongst them.
I was a little worried about this big old gum tree on the verge. The photo doesn't do the size justice but it would have to be over fifty years old.
I needn't have worried the CFA did a great job and the fire never got away at all. Fortunately it was calm not a lick of wind......
Unlike yesterday which was very breezy.
It won't stay black and charred for long.
A drop or two of rain and the new green growth will spring up.
Love the shadows......
A sure sign Christmas is approaching!!
Christmas beetle bumbling over the ground.
Our potted Chinese Star Jasmine is in full flower.
The perfume is amazing.....
Unfortunately the drainage holes have blocked up, no doubt full of roots.
During Winter the pot filled to the brim with water and I didn't realise until the plant started to die.
It has survived, but we'll have to figure out a solution to the drainage issue, or we'll lose it completely.
The berries are fruiting nicely and taste delicious.
The Raspberries aren't as abundant as last year, but there are plenty of Blackberries.......
There is a hole in the bird netting and not surprisingly some cheeky birds are taking advantage of the situation......can't blame them really.
I was rather surprised to see the Feijoas sporting some flowers.
Seems a bit early, but no, they're on schedule.
Feels like yesterday that I was last blogging about them, but it's twelve months ago!!
I love the combination of pink and red and they are such interesting flowers.
Late Summer/ Autumn the fruit will be ready to eat.....yum.
Apart from the weather being topsy turvy, my work roster is also topsy turvy so I have notes every where to remind me!!
We're heading towards 37deg on Saturday so the flannelette jammies will be packed away and the aircon chugging away again.
No complaints, the cool change has been lovely, but Summer must arrive eventually.......
So how is the weather in your neck of the woods?
Are you having a topsy turvy start to the season?
I hope your week has been going smoothly and you don't need to place notes around the house to remind you of where you should be and when!!
Thanks for stopping by to say 'hi', always great to hear from you.
Take care,
Claire xx
Wow, beautiful jasmine. And yes, the weather here is topsy turvy. We should be edging into cold weather but the temps this week have been near 70F. (Tennessee, US). We should have having temps in the 50's, not that I'm complaining. My bones and joints really don't like cold weather and when the rain and snow are added, it's miserable. Everything is so bright there. Love it. Have a happy day.
ReplyDeleteHi Claire, nice to catch up on what 's happening around your patch, the weather has been all over the place hasn't it! Your berries look yum, we have many raspberries at the moment, my boys are loving being able to eat 1/2 kg of berries at a time, very indulgent! I think it will be milder down here on the weekend, I hope it stays nice for Sunday, we are having a big family get together with 65 rellys so fingers crossed! Have a lovely weekend too. Julie :)
ReplyDeleteVery cold and frosty here today, perfect, get-in-the-Christmas-mood weather! Hope things settle soon for you! Your little blackbird is so sweet! :)
ReplyDeleteLove your blackbird Claire - so lovely! That jasmine is truly amazing - it must smell gorgeous :) It's a little wintry here, but no snow today - my youngest is gutted! Here's hoping for some more frosty Christmassy weather, hehe :)
ReplyDeleteI love the blackbird and holly berries. I've been liking your recent garden stitching too, but I have to say I prefer the plainer background you have used here though I can still see a faint check pattern. Lovely work.
ReplyDeleteNice to see summer coming in your garden. We still have snow on the ground but it's raining today so it won't be there for much longer...
The weather does seem to be a bit topsy turvy here too. Scotland has had heavy snow today. It's cold here but fingers crossed, dry at the moment. It was about minus 3 in the night. Your pictures are lovely. So glad the jasmine survived.
ReplyDeleteYour blackbird stitching is beautiful, as is the jasmine (I can almost smell it from here).
ReplyDeleteThe blackbird is perfect in every way! So nice to see your flowers - I can't wrap my head around the fact that our seasons are opposite. The pink and red blossom reminds me a bit of hibiscus.
ReplyDeleteThere is a goodly smattering of notes about Micawber Towers at the moment - I've taken too many projects on for December (which I do every year).
Our weather's been topsy-turvy too, but seems to be settling into its normal cold for the time of year. We desperately want snow, or precipitation of some kind, as we're still playing catch-up from the drought.
Those berries look wonderful, and the Christmas beetle is a new one on me - very colourful, isn't he?
Have a great weekend Claire! :)
We have had all seasons in one week too....good idea to be prepared for the long hot summer though when it arrives.Thank goodness for volunteers. xx
ReplyDeleteHi Claire,
ReplyDeleteYour jasmine looks beautiful and your berries delicious! So strange for you having summer, while we are having snow and ice :-) It was a lovely day today though, cold (-4) but with lots of sun.
Your blackbird looks beautiful!
Madelief x
So gorgeous where you live!! Love the jasmine and the blackberries!
ReplyDeleteHi Claire, hasn't the weather been weird? Today, though ... perfect. Love your blackbird!! Totally gorgeous : -)
ReplyDeleteIt so's lovely to see all the different plants and insects you have ... and Christmas beetles, I had no idea.
ReplyDeleteA well done from me to your fire crews. On a much smaller scale we have to be wary of heather fires on the moors here after a dry summer, so I know first hand what an essential job the fire service does. Far too wet here this year for burning off to be a problem though
I can't believe you have ripe blackberries so early on in the season. Ours ripen at the end of summer and into autumn.
ReplyDeleteWe're having seasonal frosty weather here at the moment.