BACK IN CANBERRA

April 2009

BACK IN CANBERRA

Finally we are home. After more than a year we are back in our place.

We have had a wonderful year away and have fallen in love with the south coast. Each bit of coast was so different but my favourite was Dophin Cove – our home beach.

It will be greatly missed. Who knows - maybe we will end up here one day!

Now the hard work of unpacking everything is before us.

EXPERIMENTAL PIECES FINISHED

February 2009

EXPERIMENTAL PIECES FINISHED

I feel on top of the world as I have finished my 12 little experimental pieces. They have taken quite a bit of time to make as there was lots and lots of stitching. Then it took a while to paint each stitch and let serendipity take over. It was hard to let go of control and let the dye go where it wanted to. Then I had to be patient as the dye dried.

Asthey dried it appeared as if the dye was fading right out. However after washing each piece it was interesting to see how each came up. I critically examined each piece to work through the issues facing me when I moveo on to make one in a larger format.

I was also pleased that I met the deadline for the Experimentalists – a group that I belong to that meets every three months. These pieces were part of my project for the challenge set by the group.

JINDABYNE

13-15 January 2009

JINDABYNE

What a hot several days!!

We picked up our 7 year old grandson from Merimbula and headed for Jindabyne to babysit for a couple of days. Son-in-law needs to cover for his boss whilst he is away for two weeks so we are helping out with day care during the days several days this week and next. So lots of travel time back and forth from Tura to Jindabyne. The difference in the weather is remarkable – nice balmy weather at the coast but hot and dry in the mountains.

Even though it was hot the kids occupied themselves beautifully. The 3 year old and 7 year old got on famously whilst 9 month old littly kept us all entertained. We spent a lovely evening at Pooh Bay where the 7 year old caught a nice sized trout whilst hubby felt jinxed as everyone he takes fishing catches fish but he comes home empty handed.

TURA - DYE PAINTING and BIRTHDAY

10 January 2009

TURA

DYE PAINTING and BIRTHDAY

The house is so quiet as our youngest son’s family left for Canberra.

Last night I baked my eldest granddaughter’s birthday cake – she wanted a cake in the shape of a cup cake. So I had to come up with how to do it. Pudding basin’s come in handy at times. In the morning we went over to Merimbula so say happy birthday to her. She is eleven – a lovely sensitive and very responsible young girl.

Also for the next two years our family members now span seven decades ie there is al least one family member covering each decade from 0 to 67 years. I wander how often that happens?

Went for a lovely walk along the beach at low tide. Several dolphins were playing in the water not far from the shore. Lots of sea urchins on the rocks. The green algae type of growth is reappearing on the rocks. The exposed rocks glistened in the sunlight as the waves broke around them and over them.

I had my first opportunity in a very long while to do some dye painting. I finally got to paint, using Procion dyes, a little piece I had started to make in Jindabyne in which I wanted to capture the texture, contours/lines and colours of Hamersly Gorge. The piece utilised techniques I had learnt from Ruth Issett and Fiona Wright. I had stitched my felted piece using white silk, rayon, banana, bamboo and other natural fibres.

I then felted it and stitched it even more.

I then slowly painted it to add the colour element to it.

I will wash it after I get back to Jindabyne as I need to find something onto which I can pin it so that it keeps its shape during the drying process. So far I am pleased with the result but I need to see how it finally finishes up after washing the dye out. So I am planning on how to do the other 11 pieces for this series. I need to have them done for our Experimentalist group’s meeting at the end of February.

In the evening we went out for dinner with our eldest son’s family and his mother-in-law from England to celebrate the birthday. I just love the Mexican restaurant here, Sante Fe. It caters for everyone. The kids didn’t even check the menu as they knew exactly what they wanted. After a lovely meal and great company we returned home. I decided to cut the background strips for my 3 year old grand daughter’s butterfly quilt. I am really enjoying getting back into my quilting.

TIME FOR QUILTING

9 January 2009

QUILTING TIME

I finally got to quilt today. It felt so good to fondle the fabrics as I chose the fabric for a baby capsule/pram quilt for a very close friend’s daughter’s baby. As they are all into hot air ballooning I decided to use some of my hot air balloon fabric. I took some time to design a pattern. I chose to use roman stripes with some square inserts. Then came the fun of choosing fabrics. Luckily I have brought most of my fabrics down to Tura so I was able to audition fabrics for the quilt from my stash.

Slowly the quilt came together over several days in between spending time with our son’s family and walks to the beach.

TURA - FAMILY TIME

6 January 2009

TURA – Family time

What a family day today. Our youngest son’s family will be here for another week so we can enjoy time with our second youngest grandchild. As well our eldest three grandchildren came over to spend the day with us as they live close by. It was nice to watch the interactions between the children and how they changed during the day as little one who is 15 months old grew more comfortable with the older children. In the morning we spent time at the park. In the afternoon they all did different things with one of them getting involved in creating a cushion by stamping/printing designs from my blocks onto fabric. She put much thought into it as she wanted it to be see through in places by cutting out some shapes and placing chiffon in those spaces. An idea she got from my through the Cosmos quilt series.

NEW YEAR and AMBERSAIL ODYSSEY

1 January 2009

NEW YEAR and AMBERSAIL ODYSSEY
Sydney then Canberra

What a wonderful start to 2009 – time spent with friends, then family and the weather was just beautiful.

We had a wonderful evening seeing the new year in with friends at the Lithuanian New Years Ball at Luna Lounge in Sydney. About 400 people danced the night away to the music of a Lithuanian folk group Sutaras and the DJ’s eclectic mix of music. It was a lovely culmination of a week of the Lithuanian Festival in Sydney. In the early hours of the morning our group made our way back to our friend’s place where everyone fully relaxed. Our hostess was the organiser of the ball so it was time to let our hair down. The men immediately shed their ‘formal wear’ for swimmers and cooled down in the pool whilst us females sipped champagne and enjoyed black bread with herring. Finally we retired for what remained of the night. In the morning we gradually joined the world of the living and enjoyed a leisurely late barbequed breakfast. Then it was time to say good by as we headed to hubby’s sisters place. We arrived just in time to head for the train into the city as we were heading for the Maritime Museum for the reception of a yacht from Lithuania.

The Ambersail is sailing to all continents on a millennium odyssey with a letter from the Lithuanian President calling on lithuanian communities scattered around the world to celebrate 1,000 years since the nation of Lithuania is first mentioned in historical chronicles
(http://www.1000odiseja.lt/index.php/pageid/632). Twelve crew man the yacht. Hard to imagine how they fit in the small confined space. It looked tiny moored in front of Circular Quay. It is hard to imagine sailing it around the world.

There was a wonderful celebration at the harbour – lots of live music provided by a great group “Sutaras”from Lithuania

singing and dancing by locals and a folk group from England.

As the day came to an end we drove back to Canberra with a beautiful sunset accompanying us part of the way.

QUILT FINISHED

November 2008

QUILT FINISHED

Finally … the quilt that I called the jinxed quilt is finished.

Since moving to the coast I have worked hard at finishing this queen size bed quilt for my friend’s son. She chose the pattern and her son chose the fabrics. Finally it is complete and I feel free. Now I can start on something else.

We are currently living at lovely Tura Beach. We have exchanged houses with our youngest son until they decide what they want to do. So they are living in our house in Canberra and we are here at beautiful Tura Beach within 10 minute walk of Dolphin Cove. Each morning the lovely birds visit us and request their bit of bread.

In town there is a resident pelican outside a café always on the lookout for some nice morsel.


We love our walks along the beach discovering something new each day. My visual diary is filling up with ideas.

ADELAIDE and BEETALOO via MELBOURNE

November 2008

ADELAIDE and BEETALOO via MELBOURNE

Well we are on the road again for a short trip via Melbourne to Adelaide and Beetaloo Valley. There are several significant celebrations that we are going to attend in South Australia.

We took off from the coast via Jindabyne and the alps – the back way to Melbourne. At least this way we travel along a different route to Adelaide.

In Melbourne we dropped in to make arrangements for de-rusting or Oka in May next year. Then we continued onto Adelaide. I had the opportunity to spend some time with my other whilst hubby went off to a mates at Beetaloo Valley to replace the steering block in the Oka.

It was great to catch up with family and friends. Hubby came back to Adelaide join the whole family in celebrating a dear aunts 90th birthday. Dressed in a Lithuanian national costume with a celebratory sash across her shoulder our aunt looked elegant and regal. She has played a very special place in all our lives. The next day we celebrated my nephews 21st birthday.

Then, a few days later, onto Beetaloo valley to celebrate our friends 60th birthday. Friends from far and near gathered over the day and evening to celebrate. A place was prepared on the property for those from afar to camp for the night

Soon it is time to return ‘home’ to our temporary abode at the coast. The drought is still evident as we travel down the highway.


There were lots of flocks of sheep being moved around on the roads as we drove home.

On the way back we stop at Adelong at the historical ruins of a gold mine. We’ve often driven past this place but never had time to stop and see it. The ruins were in a beautiful location and very well looked after. I am sure we will camp here in the future as it is such a lovely place.

SPRING IN JINDABYNE and CANBERRA

September 2008

SPRING IN JINDABYNE and CANBERRA


You can smell spring in the air. Come early September and you see the trees bud, the smells are different and more birds seem to fill the air with noises. We experienced lots of family time in early spring. Oldest grandson celebrated with 7th birthday. Youngest granddaughter celebrated her 3rd birthday. Then a full family day in the snow organised by our son-in-law. It truly was a very, very special family time.

We went to Canberra to several times and visited one of our favourite events – Floriade. We had the pleasure of the company of our 3 year old granddaughter and friend at Floriade.


The snow started to melt and recede. It was finally time to say goodbye to Jindabyne and start on our new adventure at the coast but more about that next time.

Winter in Jindabyne

18 June to August 2008

WINTER IN JINDABYNE AND SOME QUILTING DONE



We settled into our daughter’s house in Jindabyne for the winter. The start of the season was slow. Mid June and hardly any snow.



The water in the dam was very low.

Then in July the snow started to come.

My daughter had warned me about the winds in Jindabyne. Well we finally experienced them. They are very strong and at times it felt like a train roaring past. And with the winds we finally got the big dump. The snow guns were also busy making snow.


We even got quite a bit of snow in Jindy. Hubby was working as a ticket scanner at the resort so early morning starts was the norm for the season.

I enjoyed being močiute (grandma) – spending time with my grandkids. We saw a lot of all the grandkids in the snow as all ecept the two youngest boys were keen skiers, even the 3 year old.

I tried to get back into quilting and enjoyed the Thursday quilting group meetings of the local quilters. I really looked forward to these sessions. I made a wall quilt “Magarac’ (Donkey) for my daughter’s friend. I don’t usually make quilts from other people’s patterns but this was a special request so I made the wall quilt based on Hot Possum’s ‘Wonkey Donkey’ Pattern.

As she was also into Scooby doos I quilted some into the piece.


I kept working on a quilt for my friend’s son. It just seemed to be a jinxed quilt. I had to lay out the blocks to arrange them in a pleasing way but there was no space in the house big enough to do so. So I had to wait till Thursdays to work on it at the space used by the Jindabyne quilters. I also did some experimentation on my pieces for the experimentalists. Every second Wednesday I drove to Canberra to attend by friendship group meetings. It was strange coming to Canberra and not staying at our house as we had house sitters still in it. I caught up with all the blocks I had to make for each member of the group.
Friends came to visit so we explored Cooma and surrounding area.

We had a great time seeing the environment through the eyes of those who had not seen the area before. As the season proved to be great I spent more and more time driving up to the resort. Sponors is a real landmark on the way.

Several times I was babysitting at Willow watching the icicles melt along the roof line.

I really enjoyed observing the ever changing snow environment whilst the older grandchildren skied and I stayed with the younger ones.





Drives to Guthega were always very special. The Guthega Dam covered in snow is always an awesome sight.

Finally the end of winter started to sneak up on us. How quickly the months flew past.