Two more bracelets

I hope to get another two finished, these have been fun to make and they are quite quick to do. While I was doing one I watched a bit of the Kirov Ballet in their tribute to Nijinsky, it seems funny to think that Nijinsky was my hero when I did ballet classes, now he is venerated.
The costumes and the dancers were lovely, especially in The Firebird which I remember seeing as a teenager.
John went fishing today and came back with a heap of fish which we will have for dinner tonight.
I am trying to sort out Christmas presents, who has and who hasnt!
Still damp and cold today and yet we are supposed to get up to 39 C on Wednesday, the day I go to town and out to lunch.
I had a lovely morning at the farmers market and have organised a day of drawing after we get home after Christmas with a friend who has some one coming from NSW, I need it and it will spur me on to do some more practice I hope.

Lindisfarne 3 doorways and a gate

I went out with the camera this evening and the battery was flat so no photos of the new foal.
Instead here are a few doorways and a gate that I took photos of on the Holy Isle, Lindisfarne.
I have jumped around a bit here but these were the first ones I pulled up tonight after another tiring day.
I love the two old boats that have been turned into sheds with their very makeshift doorways.
The last is not exactly a doorway, it was the barometer behind glass set in I think the life guards shed but I am not exactly sure.
I might do better tomorrow.

Millie and Christmas dedcorations up.

Here is Millie sitting on Daddy's knee and trying on hats and looking at herself in a mirror, I should have taken more photos as she was an absolute hoot.
This one is from Turkestan or some where like that, I bought it at a Fibre Forum.
I managed to get the tree up and some of the decorations up. I thought I had lost some but obviously last year they didnt all fit into the cupboard I usually keep them in, there was a bit of a panic on for a while until I tracked them down.
Not all the Santas are out, I decided that some could stay in but I love the big one I made a few years ago so I couldnt leave him out or the other very woodsy one in the fireplace.
Oh and I decided that the old wreath that went on the front door was a total disaster so I made a new one out of tinsel and some bells, looks so much better than the old one.
I loved the reflections of the tree and then the begonias showing through the front door. I couldnt take that photo if I tried but when you dont try boy it works well.
Of course there is a totally different lot of stuff that goes over to the Island with us, that is all ready to go. John said he didnt see much point in doing two lots but its not Christmas without the home trtee up.
I have managed to get most of the Christmas cards done, what a job, I put it off for as long as I can.
I have made cake number 3 today, but it is cold and has been a bit damp so good weather for baking.
Millie and her parents came for dinner the other night, after I had been to the physio and then to aj Christmas lunch so dinner had to be very simple, I dont seem to have the oomph I once had.
Going up to Adelaide yesterday didnt help, but only one more cake to make and then to see what I have in the way of presents and what I dont, that is when I really panic.

Bits and pieces and a Christmas stocking.

On our walk yesterday I was interested in the shapes on the trunk of this Moreton Bay fig that is planted along the Bike track in Victor, then the new signs that are up to put some significance to our historic places. When John was Mayor we tried to get the Council to do this but finally the Rotary Club decided to take it on.
The view towards the boat ramp and the resort behind it and finally here is my Christmas stocking, I still need to put some bells on it but apart from that it is finished and another one is on the way, this one was for Mason but I thought Millie would like one too, John seemed to think he wanted one but I have run out of fleece.
If you want to know more about my day go here.

The back road

We went for a walk this afternoon at the Bay and came home along the back road, the lovely flowering shrub we call Christmas bush but is really bursaria spinosa was out in full flower and the butterflies were loving it, I rather liked this photo with a casuarina behind it.
Then the South African gladiolis I cant remember its correct name was flowering along the road in a damp spot and making a lovely show, there was actually a little bit of muddy water in the pool of the creek by the ford, those little gladioli love it here but dont seem to do very well when transplanteed back to my garden, I dont think it likes our sand.
Here is the new boat launching facility, which was being well used on this glorious sunny but not too hot Sunday afternoon.
Finally a few of the things I have been getting together for presents, a bracelet, I have nearly finished the second one and lots of pairs of earrings.
As well as that if you go to my other blog here you will see more. I have been busy.

More doors and Gateways

There are a lot more of these in my photos but I promise I will only do them occasionally.
Still all around Eltville in Germany, I think it is the wonderful iron work that I love.
Still busy, not getting anything much done except the basics, although we did have another foal this morning, he at least knew all about what to do.
I have been enjoying having Gaby and Mason out for the last two days, but it is time consuming and tiring.
It is warming up and pots have to be watered and dogs fed as well as the myriad of ponies that seem to be out there.
Tomorrow I have to feed on my own as John is going fishing and Gaby has an inspection on her rented house so I hope I have no disasters.
I think I need far more time than I am going to have, but then I think I always feel like this once we have got to December. I suppose if we didnt head off to Kangaroo Island on the 20th and spend a week there it wouldnt be so difficult, but then I love our week on the Island and wouldnt be without it. It is not only to celebrate Christmas but also John's birthday on the 21st.

Stitched lutradur and lace

I am pretty busy at the moment, daughter away so horses to feed and check on.
Yesterday was a day in Adelaide, see my mother, ok, dentist, ok, go out to lunch, lovely, collect son in law from the airport and head home to a volunteers night at the Council, a lot of standing on a leg that doesnt like me, so feeling a bit precious this morning, although I had the fun of playing with small Mason while Gaby helped me do the feeds, but that all took longer than normal and we had to shop at the end of it.
I have had an idea about bags to give presents in so I have cut out 3 with another couple to go if they work out as I hope they will.
I did the background for this piece ages ago, it is painted lutradur and lace but I decided to stitch all over it the other night and quite like the affect.