30 May 2016






So, I finished my knitting project on Friday and here I present the results of my Tethys Shawl designed by the very clever Susanna over on Ravelry.  I was  instantly drawn to this design due to the watery effect the cable pattern achieves and the suggestion of pebbles along the shore as seen on the patterned points. what a terrific site Ravelry is. I'll look forward to wearing this one during the chilly upcoming weeks.






Recent useful op shop finds bought for a song, worthy of a photo shoot for their lovely quality. 
Coconut and Lemon grass soy candle, tablecloth, napkins and a tea towel too.

27 May 2016

there's a chill in the air









Chilly winter mornings after the rain are one of life's great pleasures. Views from our windows this morning were bathed in sparkling sunlight on wet autumn foliage. Temperatures are dropping finally , and reassuringly, it's starting to feel like winter. Although most of this old house is very hard to heat, the lounge room being the main source of heat becomes the centre of activity and has the effect of drawing everyone together. Depending on one's circumstances,  this may be seen as being advantageous or maybe not so, but in my view it has the bonus of bringing people together.


But what of the image of snow and ice at the start of this post? The last few days has seen me converting old slides taken by my old pop, and of particular interest to me, were the shots he had taken while flying over the Antarctica, of which were about 40 in all. Rather than spend exorbitant amounts of money having them professionally developed I had a go myself with the help of my camera set on macro , and a hand made  slide viewing device made of cardboard designed to filter out the competing light. Worked a treat and was rewarded with some beautiful and mesmerising images of this great continent.

22 May 2016

15 May 2016

13 May 2016

12 May 2016

Day 3 of knitting



               

6 May 2016

midday






Today from the backyard. Local birds that frequent our plot include the common mynah and the elusive brown thornbill; the latter being very difficult to capture, as she flits about swiftly amongst the dense foliage.

5 May 2016









Finished knitting an aran style tea cosy today. I think I've mentioned before, I really like cable knitting and the history surrounding this knitting style. I hope to knit more aran items over the coming seasons. 
I found some dried parsley seed heads and other berries to bring inside today. Their rusticity echoes the textures and tones my knitting.

3 May 2016

2 May 2016

All the comforts of home.







2 moments today of note.....our lovely cat, a picture of serenity as she sits dozing in the doorway of the old outhouse. Tranquil, quiet, un-fussed, composed, affectionate, at times aloof; these are all the qualities that I admire in a cat. We humans should feel blessed that a creature should want to spend their lives with us. In this  frantic and crazy world that we have created for ourselves, the cat is there, comforting  us with her homely composure. 
Comfortable moment 2..... I bought a french press and have found it very useful for frothing milk. 
Feels so good to have a hot chocolate warming the belly. 



1 May 2016

This morning, after the heavy storms, thunder and lightening that woke everyone in the house at 3 am in the morning. Cheetah trying to stay warm outside and perched on top of her favourite spot, beneath the garden umbrella, manages to escape the rain.