Bathurst Open Gardens

Last weekend was the annual open gardens and like every year we went to have a look with my friend Lisa.  Always a lovely day to catch up.

We opted to go on Sunday, as the weather was forecast to be better than Saturday and it was a very good decision.  We had the perfect spring day and could start the day with the O’Connell Artisan Markets.  Win, win.

The markets are held in the grounds of the Anglican Church.  The old Rectory is now a beautiful shop featuring local produce and gorgeous homewares, both new and vintage.  This was the first time we have had a chance to visit and will keep it in mind for future.

From there we visited a lovely country garden, just out of O’Connell, which features a flower garden.  It was the pick of the gardens we visited.  The position is well off the road with sweeping views of the surrounding area.

Just the spot for an outside bath, heated by a wood fire.

From there it was on to another lovely garden at O’Connell, just beside the river.  The house dates back to the mid 1800s.  We have visited this garden previously.

The next one was open for the first time this year.  It is another historic garden.  Part of the house dates back to the 1830s, with an 1880s addition.  It is now used as a guest house and had recent additions out the back that work well. The above photo shows the 1880s section.

The circular drive is a wonderful entrance, featuring an impressive sculpture in the centre. The section of the house on the right is the earlier section.

At the rear of the house there is a walled garden.  In the centre there is a Lorraine Lee rose that dates back to the 1830s.  The base is huge.

By then it was time for lunch, before visiting some town gardens.  Let’s have a quick look, so I don’t bore you.

At the last garden we visited there was a lovely, healthy blue tongue lizard sunning itself in amongst the plants.

What we did notice this year was the lack of bees.   The varroa mite is definitely having an effect. We were delighted to see quite a few on one lavender hedge.

As always, there were a wide variety of styles and sizes.  We have to thank all the owners for taking the trouble to have their gardens prepared for visitors.  It would be a huge task.

One Monthly Wish Met

My Main Wish for this month was to complete the final Rainbow Scrap Challenge Quilt.  I’m happy to report that it has been done.

I pieced the backing and loaded it on the quilting frame on Monday, ready to go.

It was quilted on Tuesday, using the swirly pattern.

Finally, it was bound yesterday.

The backing was made up from a piece of batik that has been sitting in the stash for years.  I initially planned to make some PJ pants with it, but obviously, I never got around to it.  I was able to use the entire piece with the addition of some more colourful scraps to tie in with rainbow theme.

This quilt will be donated.

It feels good to have all three of these quilts completed within the same year as they were started.

I had started making the crumb blocks a couple of years ago and still have a few more pink ones, so I will continue to make some when then mood strikes and come up with another project in the future. They are great fun to piece.

QUILT INFORMATION

Measurements - 59" high x 51" wide

Pattern - Inspiration from a photo seen on Pinterest.

Fabrics - Stash for the scraps and Spotlight for the greys.

Quilting Design - Swirling Wide by Leah Day for QCT6

Batting - Cotton/Poly

Backing and Binding - Fabric from stash and the same grey as the background.

Thread - Glide - Mint Green

The Rest of October

October was a busy month, with lots happening on several fronts.

Let’s see how I went with my wishes at the start of the month.

1. TRY A NEW RECIPE

I made “Marry Me Chicken”.  After we ate it, Mick said he didn’t need to marry me again, but he was happy to stay married and I can make it again.  That’s good enough for me.

We ate our first serve with pasta, and then for our second meal, I popped it in a pie dish and topped it with mashed potato.  That was a success too, and nice to have the little bit of variety.

Next, for the first time I made some Melting Moments.  They were nice with our afternoon tea.

2. READ A BOOK

I didn’t read one, but I listened to the next instalment of the Tea Ladies series.  I so enjoy these, especially as an audio book, as the narrator really brings the characters to life.  Now to wait for the next one.  I listen to them on Borrow Box through the local library.

3. FUN DAY OUT

We had to go to Orange for an appointment and while there visited the Regional Art Gallery.  There was a fun exhibition.

There were loads of coloured balls, like ping pong balls, all strung horizontally on fishing line. Some large fans were turned on at the side of the room and they all gradually started dancing.  It was kind of like an infinity room effect.

In another space, the same artist had loads of plastic strips hung from the ceiling and the fans made them move.  Both installations were so very cheerful.

We went to Sydney to collect Mick’s little trailer, as I have previously posted about.

4. USE OUR CARAVAN

As predicted, this didn’t happen.  No impromptu trips this time.  

5. KEEP MY BLOG UP TO DATE

I made definite inroads into this.

So, what else happened?

We helped on the church fete in the middle of the month.  Me on the White Elephant Stall and Mick on “Bargains for Blokes”.  There were so many donations this time.  I think everyone must have been having quite the spring clean and declutter.  As as result, we did quite well.

I made just a couple of purchases.

This little Devon Ware egg cup took my eye.  This would have been a souvenir from the other Kelso, in Scotland.

Then, on the linen stall I saw this hanging up.  There was no way it was not coming home with me.  I have it hanging on the front of my shelves in the sewing room at present, which isn’t idea, but haven’t figured out where to put it.  It is too nice not to have on display somewhere.

Our garden has been putting on a spring show.  We haven’t planted many veges this year, but do have a bed full of leeks.  It has been overrun with hearts ease and looks so pretty.  They have been growing in a wheelbarrow beside this bed for the last couple of years and we always get a few pop up in among the veges, but this year they have really taken over.  We will reduce their area next year.

After it finished flowering, Mick gave our wattle tree a severe haircut.  It filled our large trailer.  We will see how it goes next year, as there is a split developing in the trunk.  They aren’t long lived, so it may be replaced with something else before too long.

We had some family visit and they gave is this beautiful begonia, which is adding a pop of colour to our back verandah table.

Quite a few years ago, we planted a Zephirine Drouhin rose to climb over our rusty arch, as they are a thornless heritage rose.  This year it is putting on a spectacular show.  You see it looking out of our kitchen window and it is always such a pretty sight, especially with the garden bed behind it.

Earlier in the month the ajuga border was looking so vibrant with the red salvia behind it.

Now, our bottle brushes are coming into full bloom, with the oyster plant in front.

Mick has a huge anvil and it is mounted on a large square metal base.  We decided to grow a cut leaf ivy to hide the base.  It took a few years to get established, but boy, has it taken off now.  Too bad if he wants to use it.  Time to give it another haircut methinks. Sorry about the shadow.

The only other thing that was a bit of fun, was me updating my phone.  As you know, I take a squillion photos and the lack of zoom on the phone camera has always been a bit disappointing.  Well, check out what the new phone does.

This was taken while sitting in my car, zoomed right out.

Then zoomed right in.  This finial, is the centre one on the top of the right hand building over the road.  OMG!  What an improvement.

Righteo, that about sums everything up for now.