May Musings............

Hello everyone, how are you all?

Life here at Sweet Birdy Love, is bubbling along nicely, like the big pot of soup I have on the stove......

This Autumn weather, has me thinking of one pot meals.

 Stew and dumplings, hearty soups and casseroles.

It's the season for cooking and freezing meals and using the last of the veg from the garden.

My little Janome has also been very busy stitching up new designs.

I've had alot of fun putting them together.

Here are a few of my favourite things in the one stitchery....

Chookies

Twiggy wig wams with Sweet Peas

Hollyhocks

A sweet, little red Robin

Polka dot wellies 

....and to stop those icy draughts sneaking in under the door, I've stitched up some draught stopper/excluders.

Of course there had to be some chooks on one of them.....

But there have been outings as well.  

A couple of weeks ago we headed over Jamieson way to catch up with family who were down visiting from Queensland.

We went prepared to help out with some chores around the family property and raking leaves was one of them.

Easy enough to do, but my goodness those Poplars drop alot of leaves.

These handsome little fellas continue to visit my garden, on a daily basis.

This fella was puffed against the cold of the morning.

He was  quite daring and came right into the courtyard looking for worms on the pavers after a rainy night.....

Now, I have to tell you about my new polka dot wellies which arrived the other week.

The timing couldn't have been better.

I had just posted a WIP pic of this stitchery on Facebook and decided to check the mail before having lunch.

Surprise, surprise there was a rather large parcel shoved into the letter box which is actually an old cream can, so quite roomy.

I was sure it would be for hubby or son, who often order things on line.

 But to my surprise, my name was on it and there was a Customs Declaration sticker, so it's come from overseas and  the contents was listed as 'Wellies'

When I opened up the parcel, these gorgeous wellies were inside.

No note to indicate who they were from, ordered online and sent to my address, hmm!!

For a split second I wondered who and then realised they would probably be from my gorgeous nieces who visited recently. 

They had found out my shoe size and obviously knew my postal address.......mystery solved.

I was quite overwhelmed by such a lovely and very useful gift as my other gumboots had just sprung a leak before they arrived.

Autumn continues to enthrall me with gorgeous colour.

These trees are at our new block.

The previous owner had great foresight and planted alot of English trees around the property.

 We are the beneficiaries of his vision and feel very fortunate to be able to carry on where he left off.

I'm standing on our proposed house site, looking back at

 Sweet Birdy Love HQ.

Our 'Wild Wood' of Silver Birches are glowing golden in the afternoon sun.

It's hard to believe that just a couple of months ago, everything was brown and dry and crunchy underfoot!!

Hubby has been very busy bringing the vegie garden at the block back to life.

He's been digging, weeding, planting and getting ready to put new beds in.

I think he must be planning to feed the whole community somehow, but he's enjoying the change of scenery and it's so lovely to be outside while the days are still reasonably mild.

Another little stitchery, I finished last week.

This was something a little different as I incorporated some hand embroidery as well as free motion embroidery, which gave a foreground and background feel to the cottage garden.

Love the old fashioned Bee skeps......

I'm also enjoying making wire hangers which have a rather rustic appeal I think.

....and last but not least, yesterdays stitching, inspired by the Zinnias in my garden.

The fabric I have used and they way I've stitched them has given  it a decidedly 3D effect.

I just need to add a couple of bees, make a wire hanger and I'm done........but my Zinnias aren't done yet.

 They are  flowering their heads off and despite the blooms getting smaller they are still lovely and bright and cheery.

It will be a shame to have to pull them out shortly

Phew!!!

Hope you're still with me.....well done if you are.

So life ticks over nicely and the days run into one another and become weeks and  then it's a new month.

Nothing particularly exciting happens and that's fine by me.

Ideas for stitcheries keep popping into my head as fast as I can stitch them up.

I have my wood heater going and things are lovely and cosy in the evening. I so love the cooler months.....

Hope you are enjoying the season where ever you are.

Thanks so much for visiting and taking the time to read my ramblings and comment. 

It's always appreciated.

Take care,

Claire Xx

Are You Sure It's April Already and Not a Joke?

What's that saying ?

" Blink and you'll miss it"

Well that's how I feel about 2011, but let's not grizzle about what we can't change.

My week has started with a box of tissues at hand.

No. 1 has shared his cold with me, thankyou ..........not!!

So, energy levels are fading rapidly.

I had high hopes for today after being woken by a certain someone wanting to come inside at 6.15am, grrrrr.

I was asleep, dreaming even, warm and cosy.

It's like a baby crying, hubby never hears Tig at the window.

So, I got up and stayed up.

It was a beautiful morning and lovely to be up early, even if it wasn't part of my plan.

Needle books are the 'happening thing' at the moment.

A little bit of stitching, a little bit of 'writing' and there you have it.

Chooks in the garden, hmmmmm........

"Sewing Forever, Housework Whenever" I wish......

Snippets of tartan all the way from Nana Go Go in Scotland and wool from Sandra in Swan hill.

"Sewing mends the soul" a little bit of stitching can be just the tonic you need some days.

Oops, uploaded the wrong pic.

My wee camera doesn't like taking closeups sometimes.

A 'Bgurk' brooch in the making.

And 'Bunny Love' is alive and kicking.

More brooches for my market stall.

This was all I had the energy for today. I had big plans but need to take it easy for a day or two.

I'm enjoying a cuppa while I post and then I think I might check out the back of my eyelids for 15 mins or so, just to recharge the batteries and get through the evening.

Autumn continues to spoil us with beautiful weather.

Cool evenings and mornings but brilliant sunny days with a temp. between 22 & 25 deg.

The leaves are colouring up, starting off quite dark but as the weeks pass they will turn scarlet and will standout like a beacon where they can be seen from well down the road.

Some beauties hiding in amongst the foliage.

So here 'tis April, a big month ahead.

No. 1 turns 20 that means I will be ............let's not go there, until we absolutely have to.

The photo on my calendar is of Reticulated Giraffes mother and bub, doing some mutual grooming.

Pic taken by Christopher Loffredo of Colorado while on safari in Samburu National Reserve in Kenya.

Thought it was quite appropriate for UK bloggers, as you've just enjoyed Mothers Day.

Hope you all had a lovely day and got to spend it with your families.

No. 1 and I will be keeping Kleenex in business for a couple of more days, but we are over the worst.

It's funny I haven't had a cold for 2 or 3 years, guess I was a bit run down after the lead up to the folk festival.

THANKYOU, for all your lovely comments on my last post. So nice to have you drop by and take an interest in what's happening in my corner of Oz.

I hope you all have a lovely week and get some beautiful blue sky, sunshiny weather.

The sort that makes you want to get outside and enjoy all that's happening around you.

It was at this time 4 years ago that hubby, No 1 and I visited the UK. We had a wonderful time and loved seeing all the Daffs and Bluebells in bloom, so I have been enjoying looking at beautiful photos on blogs.

Till next time, take care,

Claire X (oops maybe I better not get too close, hehehe....)

On The Fifth Day of Autumn...........

On the fifth day of Autumn, I made scones.........

Nothing overly interesting about that, but considering the fact it's the most cooking I have done in many months apart from the usual meals, it is quite something for me.

I put it down to the weather.........Autumn arrives and the temperature drops. On Monday night the first official Autumn evening, I had to dig out my slippers a long sleeved Tee and some trackies to wear, it was chilly.

I looked longingly at the empty wood heater and thought 'not long now, just be patient'...........

On the fifth day of Autumn No. 1 son found the shed skin of a brown snake out in the yard. We bought it inside and measured it 1.25 mts or for you folks working in inches 49 of them, yikes......

"So where's the snake?" I hear you ask...................

He added it to his collection, now he has 2 snake skins.

The other one makes the latest find look rather small........

He's doing his Bear Grylls impression !

On the first day of March we turned over a new page on the calendar.

I love Puffins, there's something rather comical about them I think.

Isn't this a fantastic photo? It was taken by UK photographer Danny Green.

March already, time is flying by way too fast.

The last flush of roses and I just love pink and red together.

Might be a while before I can pick them again.........

Autumns harvest of Nashis, they have been lovely and sweet and juicy.

No wonder the parrots are hanging around.......

The Zinnias are still going strong and a sea of colour.

This photo doesn't do the colour justice.

They will stay in the garden till May providing food for bees and butterflies.

Two of our three chicks which hatched last December. They are a Dorking x Wellsummer at the front and a Barnevelder x Wellsummer behind.

They are at the bottom of the pecking order, but are very quick to react when one of the other chooks tries to give them a peck. They have grown very quickly.

It was wonderful to watch them growing as this was the first time we have had chicks hatch.

We are assuming we have two males and a female at this stage, time will tell........

On the fourth day of Autumn Tigger decided that the dirty laundry basket looked like the ideal place for a tired cat to have a rest.

So he dragged out a couple of wind cheaters to make just enough room for him to curl up in.

Autumn is really making it's presence felt.

The evenings are cooler,no longer can we sit in the great room with doors and windows open to let the evening air in.

I leave the cover on the bed instead of folding it back.

It's boots on in the morning to go and feed the chooks, the grass is too dewy.

No. 1 son feel like he has been robbed as we had a very cool, wet Summer and he loves the heat. Whereas I love the cool weather, rugging up, snuggling down going into hibernation.........

I hope wherever you are, you are enjoying the change of season and all that it brings.

'Delicious Autumn,

my very soul is wedded to it

and if I were a bird,

I would fly about the earth

seeking successive Autumns.'

George Elliot

Have great weekend and thankyou for taking time to visit Sweet Birdy Love and leave a comment.

Till next time, take care,

Claire X

12 Days in April May

What can you say when someone offers to cook dessert after the dishes are done and the kitchen is clean?

You say "YES" of course.

Not the cooking techniques Nigella would use, but just as effective.


Cheesy grin, warpaint flour on the cheeks and standard cooking outfit, gotta keep the feet warm!!

"What did he make?" you ask, his current favourite of course - Golden Syrup Dumplings and I must say they were yummy, light as a feather .

This post is a little late, but he turned 19 on the 28th of April. Where did all those years go?We went out for a coffee and he took this photo, not bad for a one handed attempt.

He's just decided to grow the little goatee thingy on his chin and it makes him look soooooooo much older, sigh!!!

Standard Autumn leaf throwing photo. Couldn't resist taking a few leafy shots .

What do you buy a 19 y.o.? Driving lessons of course and 2 tickets to see Powderfingers last concert. They went on sale before we realised, just as well we are in the country and the tickets to the Albury concert didn't sell out, phew, big sigh of relief!!

A little bit of sewing going on here. Two more book covers rolled off the press. Kombi love is still going strong. Not sure about the angle? I made a drawing from a photo in a magazine and there was only one headlight showing and two tyres but the more I look at it the more I think I should've added in the other headlight and a tyre on the right front.

What do you think? All opinions welcome. Mind you this is a prototype, so I will do it somewhat differently next time.

It's coming into Hottie Hugger season (H.W.B. covers!!)

A friend commented on some at my market stall and I said I could do one with a caravan on the front for her as she often heads off on holiday with her hubby in their van.

So far so good, just need to put it together and fill up the hottie .
(Click on the photo to enlarge)

The 'writing' says "wherever I park my van that's my home" also on the Kombi book cover.

Woke up one morning last week to find the sky chocabloc with vapour trails.

I have never seen so many at the one time. In the above photo there are 9 if you start counting from the top RH corner and there were another 2 possibly 3 outside of the shot.

The planes are flying between Sydney and Melbourne a busy route, obviously.

No volcano clouds preventing planes from flying here.

These beauties are putting on a wonderful display in my garden at the moment.

Had to cut a bunch for the bedroom, so I could admire the stunning colours.

The photo just doesn't do them justice.

I really can't think of the right colour to describe them, except to say they are a burnt red with an almost gold tone on the centre petals.

Absolutely, divine and very Autumnal ( ooh I do love using that word)

I didn't realise until I put them on the dresser that they match the doona cover. No photos, but there's an idea. Designer flowers to match your bed linen, hmm.

I'll just put that out there, for anyone with a creative flair!!

Another shot of the maples in the driveway. Just keeping track of how they are colouring up. It's been a long process this year, as they started to change colour way back in January.


Shall finish with a final photo of the birthday boy.

What can I say about No 1 son (only child actually) so that will give you an idea of how special he is.

We drive each other crazy sometimes, he is like me in alot of ways and has my worst personality traits poor kid.

On the up side he has a wonderful sense of humour, we laugh alot, talk with silly accents and say lots of stupid things that only we get.

We communicate fairly well considering he's a teenager!!

He gives me lots of great hugs and he tells me he loves me, I enjoy each and every one of them.

I love the fact that I have been able to show him how to enjoy the beauty in the simple things in life:- sunsets, the stars at night, the colours of Autumn and all those things that don't cost a cent.

He said the best thing about his birthday was the fact there would be a full moon.(Could've saved myself alot of money, but how do you wrap the moon?) We love watching it rise over the mountains.

He's a talented musician, if you would like to see and hear a little of what he does he has a music myspace you can check it out at www.myspace.com/richardperso or look him up on Youtube

Thanks for letting me be a little self indulgent, after all , birthdays only happen once a year.

Well, that's some of what's been happening in my little corner over the last 12 days. I hope all is well with you, till next time.

Claire X

P.S. I am waiting on a very special parcel which is 'winging' it's way from the very talented Mimilove in the UK. You can view her blog here at www.mimiloveforever.blogspot.com

Shall share with you all when it arrives.

Taking time out to enjoy Autumn

A gorgeous carpet of leaves underneath this lovely rustic, timber seat and on top a leafy cushion. If I had some time up my sleeve, I would have enjoyed sitting there with my crochet, maybe another day.

The gorgeous Manchurian Pear at the top of my driveway. Click on the photo to enlarge and really enjoy the beautiful colours. There is a carpet of leaves beneath it and in Spring, Paperwhite Jonquils surround the base of the trunk.

The gorgeous buttery, goldeness of this tree is just stunning. Unfortunately, my photos don't do it justice. Believe me, it was just glowing in the sunshine and in the backgrownd a row of Liquid Ambers are slowly changing colour. In a week or two they will be a riot of beautiful reds, golds and amber.

I found this leaf on the ground on Sunday morning whilst at the market and was quite taken with the decaying process. Not sure if it is due to some little critters munching on it, but I loved the shadow it made. A little bit awkward trying to hold the camera and take the photo with one hand whilst trying to get the right angle for the shadow!

No crafty photos for this post, I think the beauty of the creation around me is far more enjoyable. I love Autumn and all that it brings. Today we had 29 degrees and the weather report said on Tuesday just 3 days away the temperature will be dropping down to 15 degrees. That will definitely be time to light the wood heater.

Just as well my hubby ordered a load of wood, which was delivered today. I was unaware that he had ordered it but pleasantly surprised when it arrived. Unfortunately, our delivery man drove over something sharp in the grass and with a hiss and splutter the air rushed out of the tyre on his trailer. Just as well he was prepared but this was his second flat tyre for the day, bet he's glad it's Friday.

Well, wherever you are, I do hope you have had a good week and that the weekend ahead will be enjoyable. Don't forget to take some time out to enjoy the beauty around you .

From my corner of the globe to yours,

Till next time,

Claire X