Ups and Downs

It's been one of those weeks where things aren't quite going the way I'd hoped...

My lab missed out on funding for next year, so my job will finish up when I go on holidays, barring any money suddenly appearing....and I've re-strained my back, so my physio is working madly to fix it before my big trip....I went shopping today for stuff for dinner, forgot to by something that I needed, and got charged twice for something else (and didn't realise till I got home)!

But, on the up side, my mystery BOM package finally arrived, and I've almost got the block together. And I've finally got the borders on Imagine. My cauliflower plants have finally started to produce heads (I almost pulled them out last week). And the roses in my front garden are looking pretty fab.

Yellow standard; the flowers are always a bit floppy, like it hasn't had enough water...

Gorgeous bud...

...which opens up to this!

Another yellow rose

And another of the gorgeous standards along my front path.

Till next time!

A Little Adventure

Some of you might remember a few months ago that I'd planned on going hot air ballooning, but that it was cancelled due to weather. Today it was fourth time lucky and I finally got up in the air!

I was up at 4am for a 5am start. By 5.30 we were out in the field helping get the balloon up.

As soon as it was up, we where in the basket for a quick photo or two, then we were off! Of the five balloons, we were the first off the ground.

We travelled across Melbourne, from south to north, starting near Albert Park.

We passed over lots of familiar sights; the exhibition building (where AQC is held) and museum:

Melbourne cemetery:

And some lovely views of the city as the sun slowly came up:

And lots of houses which look so tiny (and so many yappy dogs):

We waved at some kids who had come out to have a look as we decended. And rather strangely, we landed in Fawkner Cemetery. Backwards!

Then we helped with the packup (those balloons are huge!) before heading back to the city for a champagne breakfast. Not a bad way to spend a day off!

A Little Ray of Sunshine

As the weather warms up, I find myself spending less time at the sewing machine, and more time outside pottering around in the garden. As a result, progress on Imagine has been a bit slow, but the centre is finally done, with only the borders left to do. I have never made such wonky, non-square blocks in my life, but it seems to have come together ok (with a bit of not-so-gentle easing).

My vegie garden has finally started to be a bit more productive; I pulled up my first carrots on the weekend, and I've just picked some peas and broadbeans for dinner. The snow peas have gone nuts, so I've taken to just picking them off and eating them while I potter around the garden.

I've just taken a banana cake from the oven; it smells divine! It's meant to have passionfruit icing, but I think I'm going to make lemon instead, as I've still got plenty of those hanging on the tree!

To make this cake, cream 125g butter with 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add 2 eggs and beat until combined. Then stir in 1 1/2 cups SR flour, 1 tsp mixed spice, 1/2 tsp bi carb soda, 2 mashed bananas, 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup milk. Pour into a loaf time (15x25cm) and bake at 180 degrees C (160 fan-forced) for 50 min. Cool in tin for 5 min then remove onto cooling rack. Ice as desired.

Today is the first day of a five day break from work...hopefully I can start getting into Simple Abundance in the next few days....only three weeks of work to go!

Simply Abundant

I was excited to arrive home yesterday to find my order of Simple Abundance had finally arrived...

...my excitement was short-lived when I went to put my dogs outside and found that one or both had been very unwell. I realised earlier that I've never really introduced my dogs; Jack (left) and Millie (right), both Jack Russell x Mini Foxies, aged 11 and 9 respectively. Try keeping these two still for a photo!

Jack appeared to be the unwell individual and was taken to the vet for injections etc., and sent to bed minus dinner. We separated them overnight, and unfortunately woke to find Millie had been unwell during the night. Back to the vet!

So now we have special "upset tummy" food, pink goop for their tummies mixed in with the food, electrolyte solution, antibiotics for Jack (he appears unwell while Millie seems unfased), and some lotion for the rash on Milile's tummy (which she has had on and off since she was a puppy).

Not quite the relaxing start to the weekend I was looking for! Though the weather has really bought the flowers out.

In the Meantime...

My stash of Simple Abundance hasn't arrived yet; the shop I ordered from it still awaiting its delivery...so in the meantime, I'm occupying myself with other projects.

I thought I'd start Imagine, the Schnibbles kit I won from Carrie a while back. I've got everything I need, including plenty of backing left over from Catch a Falling Star, and batting from Sassafras.

I've also been spending a lot of time in the garden as the weather warms up (or at least, brightens up, it's quite cold today). Daylight savings makes it easier to be outside later too.

My snow peas finally flowered, and there are little peas all over the plants; they got so tall they are now visible from the street, and anyone walking past can quite easily help themselves...

The gorgeous fruit blossoms have now turned into little apricots.



The broad beans are finally appearing; if I'd known how big the plants were going to get, I wouldn't have planted quite so many!



My dwarf beans have sprouted; they're quite a bit bigger than I expected.


The corn plants have sprouted too...


And my favourite, the lavender that is in bloom all around my yard; the bees are loving it, but they don't appreciate being disturbed!

Sassafras

All finished and bound, with a little help from Bella who sat in my lap while I stitched the binding on...