Weekending

Helping Mr J with his science project - making up petri dishes to see which of 6 commonly used items in the house is germiest.  Part of me wants to see lots of things growing in these dishes for his project, and the other part of me is horrified that people may think I have an unclean house.  Oh well I guess time will tell.

Miss B has been stitching lots of felt together from a kit she received for her birthday, making felt cakes and doughnuts.

I have managed to whittle my bedside reading pile down a little.  Finished the latest JD Robb and am part way through Kristin Kimball's autobiography  "The Dirty Life"  which is really interesting reading so far about a city girl and life in rural Vermont on a farm

The binding for my Ruby Nine patch quilt has been made- almost 8.5 metres.  Now just the rest of the quilt to do. The scarf has been finished as well, just darning in and maybe blocking to do..

Flower, Quilt, Knit

Found on my morning walk - a flower from a Gordonia Tree or Poached Egg Tree. I love the crinkled petal edge.

Now that all my swaps and sewing for the Hottie Project are completed, my mission is to attack this pile of loveliness -  my Ruby Nine Patch Quilt.  The top is made it just needs batting, backing, quilting and binding.  Always a challenge for me on my machine, cos I don't have a walking foot.

Progress is being made on my knitting - it is just something I pick up and do a few rows on when I have a few minutes spare during the day or in the evening.  It is not as orangey looking in real life and the little white dots you see on it are actually tiny red sequins attached to the wool. The wool is King Cole Galaxy DK in red.

Have a fabulous weekend.

Domestic Day

It has been the most gloriously fine winter's day here in Auckland today.  Enough wind to make it a great day for sheets on the line, and airing all the sleeping bags used over last weekends camp.  Far to nice to be inside being a Domestic Goddess, however that is what I have been doing.

There has been vacuuming, floor washing, bathroom cleaning, dusting and polishing, all done with the doors wide open and a breeze airing out the house.

Pumpkin and kumara have been chopped up ready to make this soup for dinner tonight, which we will have with the bread I made the other day.

And then I sat down virtuously contemplating how clean and tidy my house looked, enjoying a hot drink, a little chocolate treat and a magazine, before my children came home from school and messed it up again.

Today

I am:

enjoying the sight of my bright turquoise bowl, filled with mandarins and tamarillos

eating above mentioned tamarillos

reading a newly discovered magazine (thanks for telling me about this one Mum)

knitting a few more rows on a new project, which will hopefully be a Christmas gift

sewing and hopefully finishing a hottie cover for Miss B

What are you doing today?

Auckland Botanic Gardens

We had beautiful fine weather over Queen's Birthday weekend, so  Mr J and I headed to the Auckland Botanic Gardens,which are quite close to where we live. Lots of people obviously had the same idea, but it is really nice to see the grounds being used and people enjoying the sights.  I actually remembered my camera for a change, and got photos of some of the sculptures there.

and of course some some of the many flowers and plants on display.

 

 

 

There are many different styles of gardens to wander around, I especially like the kitchen garden and perennial gardens.  There is also a special children's garden which is very tactile and interactive. I'll have to remember to go back in spring when the blossoms and bulb meadows are out.