evening storms building

Got these a little bit out of order. My Grevillia robusta is flowering well and the many parrots and small honey eaters are enjoying the blossom. this is the last photo.
The firwst one shows a little bit of the tree and the garden by the back gate with the potato creeper flowering well. I just liked this composition.
As with all my photos click on them to get a larger picture.
We could hear the grumblings of thunder to the north and east of us and after the hens were fed and the dogs I went out before the rain started to take some photos of the sky.
We didnt have the destructive amounts of rain that other parts of the State had thank goodness, 18 mm of quite gentle stuff fell from about 4 pm and over night.
It smells lovely and the crickets last night were singing their hearts out.
to day I havent done a huge amount except domestic stuff, and I have the first fruit cake in the oven. Three more of these to do and I hope some biscuits, although I find standing for too long makes, guess what, my knee ache. They did say 3 weeks and it is not yet 2 so I suppose I am being terribly impatient.
I finished off a few more beetles last night, and maybe will make up a few more bodies to take with me to stitch on the Island when we go. They are such fun to make.

Getting no where fast

As you can see my work room looks a mess, I have been making some jewellery for Christmas presents and also pulling apart a heap of broken stuff I bought and bagging it up so I can use it in a hurry when I want it. It all takes time and why do I decide to do this just before I need it instead of months ago I really dont know.
I am still having problems with my knee, If I do too much it tells me so I am trying to find things to do that wont stress it.
Going out to the Women's and Children's Christmas lunch, yesterday, of which I am patron of the local auxiliary was nice but I came home and collapsed in a heap after wards.
To day it is terribly hot and sticky again, I think we are in for some cooler weather tomorrow, I hope so as it has been too hot to bake cakes, there is a lot of thundery grumbling going on out there at the moment but I think once more it will miss us. I dont want a 2 inch downpour in a few minutes but some rain would be nice.
Oh the beetles, I have several more of these to put legs onto but I have finished these, I used coloured wire I had on hand and think they look rather smart.
I just need the motivation!!

In the garden an hour ago

John has been fishing and I have been writing Christmas cards and also moving the hoses around. It is still hot and muggy but so far no rain for us, although there are still thunderstorms about but not for us.
I took the camera out on the last move and this bark is off the lemon scented gum isnt it wonderful? It had also dropped a large branch but it was too heavy for me to move.
A bit further down in the border here are the last of my siberian irises, correctly if I am wrong, it is a long time ago that I planted these, I love this particular one with its bronze and purple flowers.
A bit further down the mock orange is flowering and the red alstromeria is having a fine show. More irises there to dead head.
I did far too much yesterday when I went shopping and paid for it so I have been reasonably quiet today but I must go and feed the dogs and bring in the washing, at least I dont have to do dinner, Sunday night is John's pasta night, even though he is tired from his fishing trip. Oscar is happy, he has fish, I think there is enough for us tomorrow night for dinner but only just.

Mail, thunderstorms and Darling

In the mail yesterday came this wonderful parcel from Chris Gray, the generosity of bloggers never fails to amaze me.
I am going to take them with me for some quiet stitching over Christmas.
Yesterday while the thunder was grumbling and carrying on and dumping its rain else where I took these photos from the garden. It is very humid and warm today not comfortable weather at all.
I am not doing a lot so that is good, just some hand sewing and bending of beetles legs.
Darling is finished, I didnt take a before photo and nor is there one of her with her new skin on, I made it so it looks as if she has a fancy little body suit on and found some already made clothes so she is just waiting for Millie to collect her.
I have had a devil of a time trying to get myself onto face book. I dont know if this is for me or not but I felt I would like to keep up with what the girls are doing, they post photos I never see there, and suddenly there are a raft of people wanting to be friends. I have signed up with a few but I dont really think I have the time for all this chat, I prefer my blog as a diary and maybe that is what I will go back to, or just be a lurker.
I am taking advice and trying not to do too much but that still involves walking from room to room, and at the moment I cant find my ear wires which is a nuisance as I wanted to get some ear rings done, having moved every thing out of my workroom, I am still looking for things and am in a terrible muddle. I wonder if searching every which place is counted as resting?

Clematis and the old dog

There is a thunderstorm rumbling around out there, the peacocks are all calling and it is warm and tropical feeling.
My clematis is doing a wonderful job this year of climbing all over the old plum tree, if I could get on the roof and take photos it would be spectacular.
My dear old rescue dog Jake is getting older and frailer, here he is talking to me by the bedroom door.
I have been to the physio today and now feel rather tired, heavens I havent been into the big wide world since last Thursday.
She was pleased with me but keeps telling me to rest. There is so much to do out there.
We had a new foal the other day and I finally went down to see it this morning, a Section C cob, she is by one of our Welsh A stallions and from my Section D mare, a filly and looks very sweet.
The internet has been very slow today, not sure why but just in case the power goes off I am about to shut it down.
Hope the pre Christmas rush isnt getting to you.

Orchids and this and that

Here is my lovely Sarchochilus orchid flowering. I bought it at the orchid show with two buds on it and now the trick is going to be to keep it going and flowering next year. I love it. It has flowered for about 6 weeks.
I have been playing as well as working a bit today, these are out of the latest Cloth paper and Scissors and are another of Beryl Taylor's lovely ideas.
I just happened to have all the necessary bits so I have been sitting fiddling today. Not quite finished as they need a hanger and some beads at the bottom but they look much better than I thought they would.
Next my terrible bit of stitching for Sharon b's pintangle we have nearly finished Take a Stitch Tuesday but I did these last night and I am having a few problems with my eyes and being tired so they are pretty wonky. I like the last which was the second version of buttonhole stitch with picot, I have done this one before, and the top one is supposed to be Picot chain stitch.
Like my painting and drawing, I enjoy doing these but they dont ever look as neat and correct as other peoples, but then I dont think I am a very neat or correct person!
I think I have perhaps been trying to get a bit much done today, and there is a lot more to do around the house but I am taking advantage a bit of the fact that I have to sit for a while and am slowly getting through some of the stuff I needed to do, but the lead up to Christmas will be upon me before I know it.
I have at least made a list of what I will make this year and who gets it. I suppose its a start but I have a couple I really dont know what I am giving them, family are more or less ok but friends can be a problem!
Off to stuff another doll.

I am bored

I am fed to the back teeth with being good, leg up, minimal walking and doing my exercises. I have finished my book, I have sewn faces on these small dolls and almost finished all their hands and arms, but have lost two arms so will have to sew up some more when I can put my foot down.
The view from the bedroom window, nice but after 2 days really boring.
I get up and wander for a bit, but cant settle.
the knee seems to have stiffened up a bit but I am walking a lot better.
This is really just a small post to say I am in the land of the living but I hate not doing a lot and the rest of the body stiffens up when I am not moving a lot.
Too many to do things going on in my head and I cant get at a sewing machine to do them, not a lot of time before Christmas either and not a lot done, or so I feel as I cant go and rummage in cupboards and drawers.
I will stop grumbling and go and find another book to read.