Spring, Summer, Winter!!........

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  

Anyone for tea and scones?

As promised dear reader the tea cosy mentioned in the previous post and it's finished.
It was made from a felted Op shop jumper and I used other felted wool from jumpers, scarves and some woollen blanket I dyed myself.

If you read the previous post you will notice how different it looks now that it has some stitching on it.

I burrowed into my fabric stash and came up with some cotton fabric to line it.

I don't 'do' tea cosies with openings for spouts and handles, far too fiddly for me

Autumns Jewels - rosehips and the last of the blackberries.

On the reverse side oak leaves and acorns and a lovely saying by Samuel Horowtiz.
It appealed to my love of Autumn.

Here it is keeping a rather large tea pot nice and cosy!

I couldn't resist showing you this little beauty I picked up during the week.

Doesn't it remind you of strawberries and cream or raspberry ripple icecream?

A lovely lady I met through my work has been crocheting them for many, many years. Gwen would be in her 70's and I couldn't help but admire it and offered to buy it .

It may be a little bit 'nanna' but you have to admire the workmanship and that's gone into it.

Lets hope that it's not a dying art.

This was one end of my stall at the market last Saturday, tea cosies, cards, baby singlets and some soft toys on the far left.

A bunch of zinnias to brighten everything up of course.

Shall have to whip up something on which to display my cards upright.


During the week a local paper featured an insert from a very well known, nearby bakery. In the insert was their recipe for their fabulous savoury scones.

We love them, a little bit too much perhaps, but No1 son decided he would whip them up.

An apron was a must, afterall, he couldn't get flour on his singlet could he?!!

Out of the oven and smelling oh sooooooooo good.

Let me reassure they tasted as good as they looked.

Funny that Mr. G. just happened to drop by on the pretext of getting some files for work!!

Another garden shot, vegie garden has done quite well this season, not that we have alot in it, we have scaled back due to the drought, but the late planted beans are going berserk over the arch (middle of the photo) I am picking a bunch everyday, just love them.

Where have the hills gone?This was the view that greeted me on Monday morning after a weekend where it rained and rained and rained, we thought we had seen the last of it, but Monday did turn out to be a fine day after a dull start.

To be honest, I do love this sort of weather and now that it is cooling down I am alot happier, as my thoughts turn to soup, more knitting, crocheting and mmm, maybe it's time for another savoury scone.

Thanks for dropping by take a minute to say 'hi', I love to read your comments.

From my corner of the globe to yours with love.

Claire X