caro-rose-creations

A day doing nothing in particular

I think it was a wasted day but then it could have been a day relaxing.  I seem to have spent the day just frittering time away. 

I knitted for a bit, washed my hair, did the washing and hung it out.  Then a walk to the shops to buy a coffee and a magazine.  I spent a whole hour talking to a friend on the phone then missed the bus into town and spent 30 mins waiting for the next one.  There was a nice pair of boots in the shop window.  Too bad I can't wear them.

I was going into the Art Gallery to buy a members season pass for the Quilt Exhibition from the V&A coming next month, but they didn't have any tickets there.  So I sat in the gallery and waited for my husband, who was at French lessons, to join me for lunch.  I have to say we had a nice lunch.  I have left my camera somewhere so just have my iphone.  I'm not too good taking photos with this so most of the ones I took at the gallery went into the trash.  But this might make a nice string quilt.

Then we went to the Conservatorium of Music to hear a concert, but it had just finished.  So we caught a ferry back to the city and were going to get the city hopper home but missed that one and had to wait for the next.  So had another cup of coffee.  We got the ferry only to be put off at the next stop.  Then we stood waiting for another ferry.  It finally arrived and we got off and slowly dawdled home. 

Now I have to get dinner.  I think I will go with the relaxing day even if it was uneventful.

Is it a step forward or backwards?

The time has come the walrus said....  Yes it is time to take the next step towards our new home on Coochiemudlo Island.  We have been in this house for over 20 years.  At first I hated it and wanted to sell and move.  It was too big, too old and would cost a fortune to renovate.  All that was true but somehow or other I love this big old too large house.  It fits me like a well worn piece of clothing.  But I don't want to be in a position where I have to sell.  Hence the new house. I look at old photos of families who lived here in the past, over 100 years ago, and wonder if they felt the same way?  (The little girl in the photo was actually born and died, in her 80's, in the house.  So perhaps they never had to face selling?)

Yesterday we had our first meeting with the builder.  That is more than thinking that is doing. The plans have gone to council and we are waiting for the OK to start.  That is scarey stuff. It was a chilly blustery day on the bay but it still looks beautiful.

The barge was pulled up on the beach and people coming home, or for the weekend were driving up the beach.

It was low tide and all the barnicles under the jetty were exposed and the afternoon shadows lengthened on the sand.  This will be like moving to a small town, there is a close community here.

The 'tinnies'  were pulled up high on the beach to escape the next tide.

Looking at the wake at the back of the ferry I had a feeling of my life passing behind me.  I also thought this might make a nice embroidery.

A stroll

At book club yesterday we were looking at the book " Edge" by Jeffery Deaver.  At first I found this book just another 'Dick Tracey' novel but as I got into it I was hooked.  

After a wonderful lunch at the Polo Club a group of us decided to take a stroll through the Botanical Gardens to the Queensland University of Technology.  We thought again and caught a cab.  We had thought about going to see an exhibition that was on but it turned out it was on the other side of the river and just too far away.  So we went to look at the new Cube at the Uni.

I was born in the wrong age, Uni was never like this when I was there.  The Science and Engineering Centre has one of the worlds largest touc h and display systems.  We all had great fun playing with the touch screens.

The new 'learning centre' was also interesting.  I remember this furniture from my childhood.

There were also areas for interactive video games and study carrals that looked like bays in an old milk bar.  Difference was they were wired for all kinds of technology.  One of the most interesting areas was the LEGO education. This is where high school students take part in hands-on sessions  focusing on robotics. The physics playroom was set out like a video game and I had fun relearning those basic concepts.

One of my friends says she has tons of outing planned for her kids after our stroll.

The last rose

I think this will be my last rose for this summer.  There is a chill in the air morning and evening and the sun has lost it's heat.  It looks like the rain has disappeared as well.

This rose came with it's resident spider in tow.  Seems a shame to move her, so she stays.

Baby sitting

I had a surprise when I went to make my son and daughter-in-laws bed this morning.  There was a little dog burrowed under the cover keeping warm under a quilt I had made them.

The mornings are getting quite brisk and Chopper doesn't like the cold.  Little Jasmine also had the short sleeved cardigan I had knitted her on.  This is a great pattern and her sister thought that the buttons were very pretty.

She also loves the sound she made when you bang a pipe.

Playing in the dirt is up there with things to do.

Oh Grandma, I wanted to eat that.

This one is going to take some keeping up with.

I'm Back

I feel as if I have been away for three weeks not just 3 1/2 days.  No computer, no phone no nothing, just country days with friends.  The evenings were cold, down to 8 degrees C.  The mornings sunrises were stunning.

They dawns were brisk and frosty.  I think those birds had chilled toes.

Then the sun warmed up the day and it became clear and bright,

although there was a mist over the ranges.

I didn't take many photos.  I was too busy talking, laughing, drinking, eating, shopping and sewing to think about taking photos.  I am now home, tired but refreshed and nearly caught up on my sewing.

Sail Away

On the weekend we drove down to the bay to have breakfast.  When we got to the boat club we found we were 2 years behind in our membership so quickly paid our fees.  I didn't think it had been that long since we had gone to the club but the dinning had 'gone off' so we had gone elsewhere.  Seems there are new people cooking and now the food is back to a high standard but not all the customers have returned.  This meant that we had lots of service and the views to ourselves.

Watching the boats sail out in the morning sunshine is a pleasant activity.

And the reflections of the boats on the water very relaxing.

Then the mobile rings and my daughter asks "Mum is that you up there in the dining room we have just slipped our mooring and are heading out".  She is doing some training on "South Passage" a sail training ship, as a volunteer.  I then saw the ship slip into view.  (Her father also volunteers on this ship.)

It is a lovely ship, with twin masts and classic lines.

Looking at it sail away I am struck by the fact that it is the same size as the"Endevour", the ship that Cook sailed on his voyages of discovery.  In harbour it looks large but when put against the worlds oceans it is tiny.

Earlier this week there was a post over on Needleprint about embroidery attributed to Elizabeth Cook, wife of Captain Cook, but not signed.  It then linked to a journal article which set out to prove why it had to have been worked by her. 

This is poignant reminder of all those families left behind when men went to sea and the way one woman kept track of her husbands movements. 

No 3 knitted garment for 2013

This little pattern, called 'In threes' is one of my favourites.  It is easy to knit and comes in a range of sizes.

I don't know what pattern I was looking at before but other times I have knitted it I missed the panel under the arms.  It is there this time.  I made it a bit longer than what the pattern says because Jasmine is so tall for her age.  The buttons are bamboo and quite safe for baby to put in her mouth.

Jasmine is now 10 months and walking.  No stopping this one, although I do like a cuddle with Grandpa.

 

Fluffy

My dog Charlie doesn't like cats.  I think it was beause Fluffy terrorised her when she was a pup.

 

I have thought about getting another cat after Fluffy died but Charlie is so against it I think I will give it a miss.

Cats are being discussed in depth on the Medieval blogs ever since this photo of cat prints on a 15th Century Manuscript was posted on the net.

There is a very good blog post on the Medievalist Blog that pulls all the evidence about cats back then together.  It also quotes a poem that I love, about a white cat called Pangur Ban (White Cat):  Everytime I read it I think of that monk working on his manuscript.  Reading this poem he becomes a person I can relate to not just an anonymous medieval monk.

I and Pangur Bán, my cat
'Tis a like task we are at;
Hunting mice is his delight
Hunting words I sit all night.

Better far than praise of men
'Tis to sit with book and pen;
Pangur bears me no ill will,
He too plies his simple skill.

'Tis a merry thing to see
At our tasks how glad are we,
When at home we sit and find
Entertainment to our mind.

Oftentimes a mouse will stray
In the hero Pangur's way:
Oftentimes my keen thought set
Takes a meaning in its net.

'Gainst the wall he sets his eye
Full and fierce and sharp and sly;
'Gainst the wall of knowledge I
All my little wisdom try.

When a mouse darts from its den,
O how glad is Pangur then!
O what gladness do I prove
When I solve the doubts I love!

So in peace our tasks we ply,
Pangur Bán, my cat, and I;
In our arts we find our bliss,
I have mine and he has his.

Practice every day has made
Pangur perfect in his trade;
I get wisdom day and night
Turning darkness into light.

Translated by Robin Flower

 

 

6 degrees of separation

Story No 1

Whilst visiting my friend, Janie, she showed me an embroidery she had hanging in her hall way. It was a piece of crewel work and my attention was grabbed by the fact that it was done on the correct fabric.


She had received the piece as part of an inheritance and when I turned it over there was the entry form for the Brisbane Exhibition with the name Mabel Mc Alister clearly written.

Mabel was one of the founders of the Queensland Embroidery Guild and it's first President.  This would have been a self designed piece as she wasn't much into kits.  Mabel's work forms a significant part of the Guild Historical Collection.  Janie knew her as one of her music teachers.

Story No 2

My niece Kate collects vintage Parker Furniture. 

It is now very trendy and very expensive.  She lives down on the South Coast of NSW and found a sideboard for sale up in Sydney so travelled up to collect it.  As her partner wasn't too confident at backing the trailer my brother-in-law went with them.  The old lady selling the piece was upset at it going, it had special memories for her and she told my brother-in-law that they had bought piece when they were first married in the 1950's and had lived in Beverly Park.  My brother-in-law said that is where his wife had lived.  They compared notes and it was our next door neighbours when my sister and I were babies.

June and my mother had been friends and my father and Ross (her husband) had worked in silk screen printing together.  That put a whole new complexion on the sale of the furniture.  It wasn't going to strangers but to the grandchild of a good friends.

Life does have twists and turns and it is those chance occurrences that show us how connected we are.