Spring you make my heart sing

A good vine takes time

Not exactly fun in the sun, but the monotonous job of twining the jasmine tendrils was rewarded with immense satisfaction.

I think we have it pretty much covered now. Flowers will be a bonus but not “the be all and end all”.

Connor’s Cotton Comforter

After my sister-in-law’s untimely death in July 1994 Peter gave me all of Fona’s yarn. It was a collection of colours and natural fibres, there were a couple of batches that were of one colour enough for an entire garment but predominantly it was a ball or two or three of various colours within brand ranges, with cotton a clear favourite.

The first project I created using the yarn was ‘Fona’ a colourful floral design representing the remarkable  woman herself. I entered the finished garment in a local exhibition after which Peter was keen to have the jumper. He fabricated a steel arch and arbor for my garden in return.

I also created a small child’s vest which was a donation to the same exhibition for fund raising purposes.

A few years later, using some of the mohair I designed and knitted a colourful geometric number, I gave this to one of Fiona’s dearest friends Bobbie, who I am pleased to call one of my dearest friends also. 

So now 24 years later, I have just completed a blanket using colourful cotton’s for Fiona’s first born grand child, Connor David Kemp. The quantities of the colours were my guide to creating the finished design.

I started knitting in Summer before Connor was born in March, which is unheard of for me, knitting seems to go with winter! Due to the yarn being cotton and the squares small it was not at all an imposition to sit and knit in the evenings- I had a time line to work to - before Connor reached 6 months old. Once the squares were knitted there was a little scope for rearranging for best effect.

I joined the  squares and edged the entire blanket using crochet which was new to me but satisfying to do. The light grey I used for the crocheting I purchase from Bendigo Woollen Mills along with one other colour, the honey-dew green colour, as I needed colour with a quantity enough to complete the design. 



Sewing in the ends was monotonous and took several sessions to complete but worth the effort.

The size should be suitable for a cot blanket or a floor rug for play time but it looks at home here too.


The finished article is ever so light and soft. Created with love, fond memories, sadness, hope, joy and more love.

Now on its way to Auckland NZ a complete surprise to Matt and Lindsay, I hope they all enjoy and treasure this Fiona and Jenny creation.

Not so hard to Swallow

Realising that Aly likes swallows, it seemed appropriate to hand over this item of jewellery that belonged to Rod’s Grandmother and then his Mother. At least 108 years old this is really a piece for Rod’s daughter to treasure.

Green Cherry-Tomato Pickles, move over Spring Gully

Tomato season was slow to get started, which meant the last lot of fruit didn’t have time to ripen before the end of summer.

Fortunately making pickles is not quite so intensive as making jam, so we were able to squeeze it into our hectic schedule before our up coming o/s holiday.
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Very happy with the result and have had very happy recipients.

A change for Betty

Betty has held together extremely well despite being exposed to the elements 24/7 for more than a year.

My original plan was to remove her completely but she was still healthy on the inside so she got new clothing instead.

She has also changed her skin colouring, the reverse of Michael Jackson’s transformation.

Bug-ger Off

Whilst cleaning out the shed down the hill Rod discovered these small bettles gathered in large infestations behind sheets of board. We tried to identify them using google but the closest we could find from an American site was cucumber beetle.

Just this week I chanced on an article in our local newspaper The Courier - “the adult beetle is about 6mm long (check) yellowish to olive green (check) with a black stripe along each side of the back (check mate!) So there you go it is Elm Beetle. Our elm tree is being attacked but we have never seen the culprits.