Busy busy

This has been an impossible few days. Very hot, although down here thank goodness the nights have cooled off, out for lunches, dinners or lunch and dinner and tonight it is New Year here for 8 of us. I am planning to be outside but there is a fall back plan. and my feet and ankles are swollen.
The photos are of Ian, Jill, John and Robynn walking the Ashbourne golf course at about 7 pm last night we were going to have a round of golf but it was really too hot and Ian was nursing a sore shoulder. Sorry about the quality of the photo but they would stand in the wrong place.
The spider is an orb weaver who entertained us all through dinner in the outside gazebo by spinning his/her web and wrapping the moths that had come to the light in silken shrouds. A very enterprising spider. they grow quite large but are generally shy and gentle, except with their food.
Watering or trying to keep water up to stuff has been a nightmare as I can really only use sprinklers when it is cool so early mornings and late nights. At least the water is our own and I can use it but I am trying to be careful but when apricot trees wilt you have to do something.

Big cat Oscar

I spent most of the morning from very early washing, cleaning and generally trying to get the house in order.
Then we went out for a lovely lunch at McLaren Vale, with our friend D'Arry Osborne at D'Arry's verandah which was very pleasant and the food was excellent.
Home to a rather put out Oscar as he has only just come home from the cattery and we had gone again.
We are out for most of tomorrow too.
I think I will be pleased when life gets back to some semblance of normality.

Leaving Penneshaw

I took these photos this morning. The first is of the ferry, this is normally the one which carries all the transports but at the moment more holiday makers are going to the Island than coming home, we actually changed, in a hurry to an earlier ferry and boy I feel as if I have been running, packing and unpacking all day.
the second is of the beach and "our" house on the second tier , the white one second from the end. and the third is of the mainland at Cape Jervis showing the wind towers. We were a bit early and the other ferry hadnt left so we had to quietly motor around a bit and i took advantage of being in a position I have never been in before to photograph this cape and its folded hills.
I am waiting for John and Jill to collect a pizza for dinner, I think I may be asleep before they arrive.
It is very hot, over 36 degrees and getting hotter. I am really worried about New Years Eve as the predictions are for 41 degrees. My body doesnt like the heat although so far at least it is dry so the air conditioner is coping.

Goanna and Redcliffs

I took these photos on Christmas morning when we went wandering not too far from home but down some dirt roads we hadnt explored before. the Goanna let me come right up to him, although I was prepared if he made a run for me to run the opposite way, there is always the story of them running up peoples legs thinking it is a tree or post. they have very long sharp claws.
The next two were from the top of the redcliffs, one showing the beach and headlands and the other a rather nice sheoak with the sea behind.
Today has been a fairly quiet one, John and Jill played golf and I had a quiet time doing a few things I wanted to do and to paint.
A couple of walks along the beach and the casserole is in the oven for dinner tonight with friends. I hope it is ok as a lot of leftover things went into it! Mostly vegetables so it should be alright.
Tomorrow we pack up and my wonderful week will be over.

A bit of this and that

Just to show that I have done something while we are over here there is this little bit of nonsense that i embroidered, from A stitch magazine a while ago.
Today we had a long drive, packed sandwhiches and apples a bottle of wine and one of water and headed out to Cape Borda to see a bit of the bushfire damage in the northern area of Flinder's Chase. Interesting to see that mostly on one side of the road it hadnt burnt but for hectares and hectares south it was nothing but burnt areas.
The first photo is of Harvey's return where the lighthouse keepers unloaded their supplies and had to get them up this awful hill, we only went half way down so we could take photos as it was very steep and not very safe under foot.
the next is from Scotts lookout looking east on the north coast, lovely looking cliffs and bays, a mecca for sailors in the summer, not too good in winter.
The next two photos are of the bushfire , one looking south over the hectares of Flinders Chase that have been burnt, It will be interesting to see it in the next couple of years, our scrub needs a burn to regenerate a lot of stuff.
The last one is a close up of one area that had bigger trees in it.
An interesting day but tiring by the time I had climbed up and down two cliffs in different areas.

Merry Christmas

I took these photos yesterday, well one on my afternoon walk and one as we were ushering well known glass worker Bernard Stonor out of the door after a good dinner and lots of chat. The moon was incredible and I wasnt sure how it would come out.
Jill and John played golf and I went shopping in Kingscote.
Today we were up a bit late and opened presents and are about to go off exploring until lunch time and then I will cook a duck for dinner tonight, I see no reason to have a hot dinner in the middle of the day, even though we have a south easter at the moment but for the first time the sun is out, and I think it will warm up.
I hope every one who reads my blog has a Happy Holiday and seasons greetings to you all.

Kangaroo Island snapshots

The first one was taken yesterday of Pennington Bay on the south coast, the next this morning while walking the Penneshaw beach, then the graves at Antechamber Bay, the Cape Willoughby lighthouse and its cottages which these days are rented out and finally the back road to Penneshaw from the Willoughby road, I love the way the trees arch over this awful little dirt road. one day I will get up there to paint it.
John caught 2 mullet at Antechamber Bay which I will have for breakfast. I did two paintings, well one watercolour and one pen and wash there as well.
He has gone to try his luck at Baudin Beach and we are after a busy morning doing gentler things as befits our age!! Jill a cross word and I have been embroidering a small thing.
Looking at these photos is it any wonder I love this Island even when it is cold and windy, but not absolutely freezing.

Last nights sky

e We had a lot of rain overnight, wonderful to hear and we also had nearly an inch of rain at home so the garden will be ok for a few days.
Today was a day of rest, we got up late, went to see our friend Bernard Stoner at his glass gallery and bought some nice stuff from him and asked him in for dinner, looked at the art gallery at Baudin Beach and sussed out what the local shop had so I dont have to go to Kingscote on monday.
Jill and I went for a long walk around the block seeing what houses were new and what were for sale.
I took these photos last night after we had finished dinner, the moon and the clouds were quite spectacular and it was quite late when I took the one of the ferry out of our front door and I didnt know how well it would show up, better than I thought.

John's 70th

It was a
Photos from today, me getting a smile from Millie, John talking to Millie, and Jill, Tabby and her John looking at a dvd of Jill's trip on the True North.
The day started with wind and then rain, very wet for all the morning. Tab John Celina and Gaby and their friends Steeny and Michael and children from France arrived on the early morning ferry, after lunch it cleared and the children got .along the beach. I spent most of the day feeding people, eating and drinking, well not so much for me and I think every one had a good day. The children loved the pool table. The weather went from warm to cold.
Tonight we wandered down to the Sorrento for a meal and confused every one with our wine orders, and wandered home far too full of food and wine. There is a pool challenge on at the moment. I think Jill is beating John.
I have to confess we all fell on our beds as soon as every one had left on the 4.30 ferry to go home and John and I had an hours sleep! we must be getting old.
Lots of phone calls and Virginia sent a wonderful e card that every one was most impressed with.
So to all who read my blog, thank you for helping to make this a memorable day.

Holiday photos Day one

The first two are as we were leaving Cape Jervis on the ferry and passing the other ferry in mid Gulf. Then the others were from in front of the house we are renting. Two this morning and two this evening,
We arrived at about quarter to 10 and then after unloading were off to Kingscote to collect some sea food and other food for tomorrow. We had a lovely lunch in town and I bought some bird houses and then came home, have had a walk on the beach, made a meat loaf and am now having a gin and tonic. Bliss!

TAST 52

I realise this is not the last week of the year but I have had few minutes to get this done, called spanish feather stitch I had a couple of whoopsies but I think managed to get it done correctly in the end.
Another busy day, I am not sure why it takes so much effort to go away for a few days, started by baking another Birthday cake, the second one for some reason is never as good, then ironing, gathering stuff together and in to do some shopping, over to Tabby to drop off presents and then more last minute stuff.
We go on the 9 am ferry which means leaving at 7.30 so up early in the morning.
I hope the lap top works when we get there.

TAST 51

This is chained bar stitch and we are almost to the end of the year of different weekly stitches very kindly put up by sharonb of inaminuteago blog. Next year Sharon will be doing a monthly creative challenge called taking it further which I look forward to doing.
None of my stitches are as good as many of the other people who have participated in this challenge but I have enjoyed doing most of them and learnt a lot.
I hope next year to get all my samples up into a book, I have started but I have a long way to go.
I had time to sit, well I needed time to sit as I didnt sleep at all well last night, we had a mozzie in the room and that is enough to keep anyone awake.
It is warm and humid and little bits of drizzle but not enough to do anybody any good. Just keeps the dust down and makes our outside bbq tonight a bit problematic. I do have a fall back plan.
John has gone to collect Jill from the airport and I have about an hour before I have to burst back into action.

The Karl-Heinz Cake

This is the recipe that I have been looking for for two years, so today I made it, it has been the favorite Birthday cake in our family for years.
Known as the Karl Heinz cake because I always made it when we went skiing for our friend and ski instructor Karl Heinz.
Bit of bad news today, actually I am p....d off, the second car we had been looking at and had said we would have was sold from under us. Actually I think John was secretly pleased as he didnt want to spend thent money but I need something to get around with, not so bad if you live in the city, but out here there is no public transport. I dont think he realises how isolated I feel.
Our friend Jill arrives tomorrow from Queensland, I have 10 or so for dinner tomorrow night and then Wednesday to get ready to go to Kangaroo island on Thursday. John's 70th is on Friday and Tabby and her family and friends come over for lunch so it is all go and I am getting a bit stressed about the whole thing.
So dont expect a lot of blog entries or if they are, no photos or things I have done.

Victor Harbor Christmas Pageant

These are a few photos I took yesterday evening of the Christmas Pageant, we were just at the beginning and it was nice to have some fairly clear shots, further down the main street was very congested. We had a very full on day leaving home at about 9 am, up to Adelaide to see my mother and take her out for a coffee, deliver presents to my sisters, finally leave Adelaide with no lunch by about 2 ish drove out to Ashbourne for tea and cake and exchange presents, back to Pt Elliott, more coffee, more present exchange, raced home to feed the dogs and change into warmer clothes, back in by 5.30 to friends for a drink, more present exchanges!! Walked from their place down to watch the pageant, found some of our family and into the pub for a meal with more friends. Home by about 9.45, having walked back up the hill to our car.
Up at 6 am this morning as the power was going off at 7.30, which it did but John had decided that this was the moment to defrost the freezer. What a mess!!
We were expected out for lunch at 11 but got there around 12, lots of chat, friends to greet etc, it was a political lunch but that didnt matter.
Raced home, the power on, the freezer defrosted, all back again, floors mopped etc.
Biscotti made, I am now about ready for bed!!
I think the next few days are going to be like this but Hooray, my eldest daughter found my cookery book with THE BIRTHDAY CAKE in it.

TAST50

Only two more weeks to go and then Sharon of a minute ago blog is starting a new challenge, if you are interested go to her blog which is listed in my side bar, I am not clever enough to get it all on the blog itself. Any way this is my Berry stitch or double chain stitch done in heavy silk. I always like this stitch.
Have had an off day, very hot and high winds and a doctors appointment early, then shopping and various other jobs, came home and started cleaning out a cupboard and felt awfully sick so have had to take things a bit quietly from then on, so much for the dr telling me I was fit and healthy and how pleased he was with my diabetic control!!
And John came home with what could be our second car and I really didnt want to know about it, it is slightly newer than the Holden we have but no cruise control so the poor old Berlina will have to do my long trips for me. This is a Toyota Avalon and looks a lot better maintained than our workhorse. I had envisaged a small car that used less petrol but this is very comfortable and we do need something for long trips. It will stop the hassles of having to both sort out where we would be on certain days.

Baby sitting and setting up the Christmas stuff.

I was all organised to get the Christmas stuff up this morning and Tabby rang to ask if I could take Millie for a couple of hours. A mad panic to find the bassinette and organise that before she arrived.
Of course she wouldnt settle so only slept for a very small time so the photo is of a rather grumpy baby looking for a boob that didnt have milk in it!Any way she was very pleased to have her mother back and then I got on with decorating the house. I have left a few things in the cupboards and there are a few that go to the Island with us that I will photograph when we get there.
Because we have family coming at odd times I have rather gone over the top this year. Some of the dolls I have had in swaps and some I have made. I love the very fancy one I got from Canada on the coffee table.
Very hot and sticky today, I havent quite got the silver cleaned, but maybe in the next few days.
I am just trying to hide stuff away so I have more room. Not easy!

Santa stocking more or less finished

Here is yesterdays Father Christmas holding his bits and pieces, a wreath I found in a drawer and the little guardsman I made up and painted yesterday and the rather prim little Victorian doll next to him. I think if they married she would have the upper hand!
Any way I think they are finished except I have to sew his hands together or the dolls fall out.
a long day today, up to Adelaide, hair cuts, saw my mother delivered a friends Christmas presents, grabbed some lunch and dropped John at McLaren Vale where he had a meeting and dinner.
I came back to some shopping and finally home in time to feed the dogs and have a bit to eat. I think I will be asleep before John gets home.

For Millie on her first Christmas

Sorry the photo of his face is not very clear, too many whiskers!! He is finished, John made rude remarks about him only having one leg, I ignored that. I am now working on what he is holding, I have done the little doll but am painting a guardsman, all very Victorian looking.
I hope I will have them finished in the next few days but we go to Adelaide tomorrow so not much will get done then.
I must say if I was doing him again I would do him differently but I was following a pattern and with not much time I thought perhaps for once I should. I also think I didnt put him together correctly but it was only minor so I think that is ok too.
Still cool down here and we had a bit of drizzle overnight, not really enough to do much but every cool damp day helps. Just wish cool and damp didnt equate to stiff knees and joints.

The groins at Victor this morning

I had to be in Victor for a blood test at 8 am this morning so afterwards I went down to the beach and walked and took some photos and a small sketch. By the time I had finished the shops were open so I could get a few things and see if there was any mail, surprisingly little so close to Christmas.
The Christmas cake is cooked and people have called in, so my Father Christmas who I thought I would have finished is taking longer than he should.

Agaves at Aldinga

I sketched this yesterday and it is on my other blog.
A busy day today, breakfast with my 4 week old grand daughter and her mother and two friends who have been dying to see Millie. No photo, I was too engrossed in my sleeping lovely grand daughter, we were there for about 2 hours and she slept the whole time.
Cold and windy so we both felt sleepy but I am trying to make Millie a Father Christmas for her first Christmas, photos when I finish.