Sorry but my computer had a problem.

 Just as I was in the middle of getting ready for the Coffin Bay trip, with interruptions like trips to Adelaide and meetings and a whole morning of Drs appointments, my laptop which is to come with us had a big huccup and had to go to be fixed, I am still not sure it is fixed but is here but I am laboriously using the little note book at the moment.
Any way, after a long few days organising food and leaving half J's stuff (clothing, not fishing gear!) behind we are here. He has had to rush off and buy a polo top! In a way a good thing as the old one was disgusting.
We managed to have a clear run through and arrived in good time but D had a flat tyre and A and M who were travelling behind stayed to help so a long day for them.
Thank goodness I had made a smoked salmon impossible pie for what was a very late meal.
The clouds on the 10 hour trip across were fantastic and we had showers for most of the trip. All these photos were taken from the car so a few blurry shots.
The smoke stacks were taken as we drove through Whyalla where they do things to the iron ore taken from the huge deposits in the area.
The blurry one was of the bluebush plains, the rain storm clouds are not showing up well but a few minutes after I took this the heavens opened..
I hope our house sitter is coping with Max.
The last photo was taken just a little late as I couldnt open the door to take the sunset at its best but just to prove we arrived safe and sound.
I am still in bed typing this with one finger, the fellows have finally left to go fishing and it is safe to have a shower, cant believe how late it is.

Up to the quarry

We have a small private quarry where stone for farm tracks is available.
We went up the other day to look for a suitable stone to put near where we scattered my mothers ashes.
It all takes time but funerals seem to get you into the mood again.
I think we have found one, now for someone to collect it and put it in its place, and then I can get a plaque for it.
Such a lovely place at the base of the hills, but we did discover a rather nasty weed has developed, it is an area we dont often go to these days, once we spent hours walking all through this area but wobbly legs dont make for a lot of exploration these days.
I am busy baking today, and getting together some of my stuff to take away with me.
My toe which was comfortable was redressed and is now uncomfortable agian. We have pulled it apart and redressed it twice but ...
Oh well one day it will be ok.

Mothers day walk

 We had organised to have breakfast out, with a walk first, but as you can see the walk was cut short by a rain squall coming in.
Usually we have lunch but are a bit broke at the moment as we are going away at the end of the week so a very nice breakfast with John and I, called in to one daughter who gave me a lovely owl, I collect owls, so a lovely morning.
I love the Kings Beach walk, and it was so rough this morning, waves crashing in on the rocks and everything has greened up.
I am being a little hap hazard with my posting at the moment, still feeling a little 'off', not sure if its the new meds or not, and I seem to repeat photos and stuff, having to sort what I take away with me is also taking up time.
Happy mothers day to all.
click twice to enlarge the photos.

Sea and sky

 A few of the photos I took last week end when we walked.
Since then walks have been few and far between, so has doing any thing constructive with my hands.
I seem to have spent a lot of time waiting around and missing appointments and not feeling terribly well, a bug I think.
I have almost finished another pair of fingerless gloves, not that I have needed them, one cold day and then back to shirt sleeves. They keep promising rain but it doesnt happen.
I have left towels on the line perhaps that will make it rain!
Oh but I am reading a fascinating book, 'Water for elephants' by Sara Gruen. So far I am enjoying it immensely.

Adelaide Botanic Gardens

 I was in Adelaide yesterday, J had a meeting so I went to see P who decided that we needed an airing and so we went to the Botanic Gardens, a lovely too warm day for May, our first stop was the Santos Museum to see Pattersons drawings from the Joseph Banks Exhibition, most of which I have seen before but what interested me were the plants and fibres used commercially, all in lovely collecting boxes with old wavy glass lids that are also held in the museum.
We had a cup of coffee, looked at the Garden shop, I have to say not nearly as interesting as the old one used to be, and on the way back to the car walked through the new rose garde near the conservatory.
I say new because it hasnt been there terribly long and I remember meeting a very young Queen in the old one. I was about 12 at the time I think.
Any way the new one was full of flowers and looked lovely, even at this late time of the year and the two rosellas against the back drop of the conservatory were gorgeous. (please click to enlarge.)
An on going saga with my toe, they now think I have an ulcer there, so back to lots of visits for dressings, the cortizone has shot my diabetes up, so I may have to go on pills and need assesing (tomorrow) this really annoys me as I have kept it under control very well up until now, and the annoying thing about the diabetes is that it was caused by a virus in/on my pancreas.
On top of that J has to have a colostomy, I will worry until we get results on that.
Dr forgot me this morning, another appointment this afternoon, after a physio as my knee is not doing what it should.
I am not complaining!! Oh no, just stressing.
We leave for Coffin Bay next week too, so I am having to organise that.
Just hope no one takes my blood pressure, it is sure to be up.

Some small steps

Holey Moley, an online class with Dale Rollerson of  The thread Studio has just finished, and as a finale i did get a few small things done, the first is felt with newspaper on top with painted vliesofix and a bit of foil and stamping and a paper flower and stitching.
Next was to play with shrink it plastic, I made these earrings and stamped them and embossed them. Fun to wear.
Next some tags to embellish, I used my cuttlebug and had a bit of fun with them.
Finally using some paper clay, these had been made ages and ages ago and not painted so I painted them metallic acrylic paint.
Now I have some things to use when I need them and some more ideas.
We went to see Salmon fishing in the Yemen last night. I think they could have cut about 1/2 an hour but I enjoyed it. J went to sleep! He did say he was relaxed afterwards.
Nice to get out and we had Asian take away for dinner ( we went to the 4.15 session)!
A lovely walk on the cliffs this morning, huge waves coming in, surfers having a lovely time and there was a pod of dolphins out chasing a school of small fish and the terns were diving on them as well.
All in all a good start to the day.
Now to think (and the operative word is think) about vacuuming.

This mornings walk with Max

 Clouds, sun, flowers, calves, a red factor one amongst the black and whites, the last of the hibiscus, the first of the tiny cyclamen, a new look by the back door as the gutter has overflowed and I needed the big drawers up in my work room, red cedar seeds, the butterflies did such a good job early on and we have lots of these fascinating seeds. Peacocks by the front of the house, a callistemon flower and some red passionfruit flowers.
Now it is overcast and cold and drizzly.
I am going back to sit by the fire and do some stitching, or something that doesnt need much thought.
I should be cleaning the house, but I dont feel up to it.
I will be glad when this feeling of loss slowly goes and I feel more up to creating.
I have been creating, little things but feel guilty that I have no desire to clean the house.