We've Been Bush Again

As our planned trip to New Zealand next month has been put on hold until such time as flights are once again permitted, I took last week as holidays and we headed off in the van once again.

We headed off in the same direction as a few weeks ago.  Whereas the rain started at Gulgong last time, this time we left home in nice, gentle rain, which continued as far as Gulgong.

Like last trip we saw some components for the new wind farm at Crudine being transported on trucks.  It must be a huge job getting them all there.

We loved seeing paddocks of bright yellow canola in flower.  A definite sign of spring.  Some crops were towering above the tops of fences.  Such a great season.  There were also lots of wheat, barley and oat crops looking wonderful.

This time, instead of turning left to Dunedoo, we turned right to Coolah for lunch.

It is a lovely little town that we haven't been to for a few years and haven't walked up and down the street for quite a while.

I was hoping that the patchwork shop was still in existence and that, as it was a Wednesday, may even be open. Yes, it still existed, no it wasn't open.  It only opens on a Monday and Thursday.  I had a look in the window and it looked to have a nice selection of fabrics and precuts.  The building was surprisingly large compared to outside appearances.

Their little "Coolah Crafts" shop was open, so I had a peek.  

There were quite a few magazines and craft books for sale, being donated by members.  I was thrilled to find a little treasure.  

From Coolah, we headed on a new road to us.  It is fun to travel different ways for a change.  We travelled through the little town of Binnaway.  We had briefly called in here many years ago, but have little recollection of it.  There is obviously a strong rail history.

We found a little community craft shop and book exchange.  Mick found a couple of books and I found a little embroidery hoop, suitable for a Christmas decoration.  We like to get something from these little shops.

There was also a free camp.  The town is really small, but there were about 20 vans staying there.  On reading Wikicamps, there are hot showers for a small fee, and the amenities block looked to be quite new. There are some powered sites, where you pay $2 for three hours of power.  How good is that.  What a great way to go, just use power for dinner and breakfast.  What a great way to attract people to your small town. 

Along the way to Coonabarabran we saw lots of wattles in bloom and many varieties as well.  They make the countryside so colourful.

Finally, we reached our destination for the day.  Camp Cypress at Baradine.  The home of Scrub Stitchin'.

The reason for this trip dates back to our first Scrub Stitchin' at Baradine in 2018.  Chooky took us on a surprise outing to Dandry Gorge in the Pilliga Scrub to see the Sculptures in the Scrub.  It was a beautiful spot and Mick had also been to have a look while we were stitching.  We both decided that we needed to return to see the wild flowers in the spring, in a good season.  So we waited, and waited, until this year when the season has been extraordinarily good.

More soon.

Trail Mix - Happy Dance

Finally, on Saturday morning I had the chance to start playing with Trail Mix.

It's hard to believe that this little pile will turn into a large quilt.

I lay out all the blocks on the design floor and after quite a bit of fiddle faddling decided that this will be the final layout.  I could have spent ages longer, but this will do. Joey decided to "help" at the start, but soon got the hint that I could manage on my own.  Normally, he would be asleep, but you know what it is like with cats and quilts.

By the end of the day all the blocks were stitched into their rows.

On Sunday morning it was time to start joining the rows together.  Mick caught me at the ironing board, still in my jarmies, pressing the seams.

Ta Da! All the blocks together by mid morning.

Next, to audition borders.  I quite like the look without borders, but to get the size I'd like would mean at least twenty five more blocks, or fifty two more blocks if I did another complete round.  That wasn't going to happen.  I was itching to get this finished.

The aim with this quilt was make it entirely from stash.  I can't really call it a scrap buster quilt, as I don't have a scrap sorting and cutting system.  Most of what I call "scraps" most people would call "crumbs". I did use up the last of quite a few fabrics, but many others were cut from larger pieces of fabric.  Anyway, back to the borders.  After ratting around in different storage areas I found some red, which would work as a narrow border and brown with pinks that would work as the outer border.  I was rather pleased with the look.  It was nice and rich, which is the look I'm after. I was also happy with the stripey fabric that will work well for the binding.  I really don't have that much yardage, so was super happy to find fabrics that worked so well.

Back to the iron, cutting board and sewing machine.

Ta Da!  By late lunch time we had a completed quilt top! I really love the look of it. When I first saw the pattern I thought it looked  nice and warm for winter and that is just how this one has turned out.

I just had to see how it looked on our bed.  It is a good size.

Next, to find a backing.  Having said I don't have a lot of yardage, I do have a tub full of large lengths of fabric.  Many years ago I was in Spotlight one day when they were selling off end of bolts for next to nothing.  I came home with heaps of fabric that I thought would be suitable for backings.  It worked out at less than one dollar a metre.  I have used lots over the years, but still have quite a bit.

This fabric isn't terribly exciting, but will work on the back of this quilt.  

Therefore, the entire fabric content in the quilt is from stash.  That is what I call a great win.

To top things off, it has already been delivered to my friendly long arm quilter to work her magic on.  The quilting will just be swirly.

As the makings of the quilt were free, I have splashed out on a wool blend batting.  This quilt will be used on our bed during the winter, so it is worth making it nice and warm.

By the way Joey had to "help" with the stitching of the backing fabric.  He has taken to wanting to sit on my lap while I sew at the machine.  Not so bad with small blocks, but not the best on something large.  Thankfully, he got sick of having fabric over him rather quickly and went back to his basket.

I'm so pleased with the way this quilt top has turned out.  It was a very good spur of the moment to decision to make it.  Thanks Deana for the inspiration.  Maria decided to make one as well at the same time.  We have all reached the quilting stage (I'm the only lazy one who has outsourced the quilting), so it will be fun to see them all finished soon.

At the end of the month I will be linking up with One Monthly Goal.  

Making a Start

I've been a bit slow off the mark with my stitching this month.  I think it could be that I wanted to get stuck into Trail Mix, but needed a decent block of time to fiddle faddle with block placement.

Fortunately, Friday Night With Friends came around and I had to do something, but what?  I didn't start until after eight and in the end I decided to just have a night of prepping things.

Once I got started, I was on my way.

I cut and pinned all my drunkard path blocks, ready to use as leaders and enders.

By bed time I had a completed pineapple block for Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  Not a great deal achieved, but better than nothing.

Thanks Cheryll for getting me off my butt and into the sewing room. Pop over and see what the other girls got up to.

Setting my Goals For September

It's that time again where I set my goals for the month.  Fun goals, not chores.  Let's see what I plan to do.

Firstly, the stitching goals.......

This month I will be away from my sewing machine for a while, so have to be mindful of that when setting my goals.  I think they will still be achievable.

1.    ONE MONTHLY GOAL

As I smashed my goal last month to get half the blocks completed for Trail Mix and ended up with all of the blocks completed, this month my goal is to turn them into a completed flimsy.

I think that should be achievable.

2.    BLOCKHEADS 3

There will be another four blocks received this month, so as always, I hope to keep up to date.  I will have to have a little catch up at the end of the month, but that will be OK.

3.    RAINBOW SCRAP CHALLENGE

The colour this month is red, so I will make my drunkard path blocks and my pineapple block.  Only one more month of blocks to make after this.  I'm looking forward to getting them made into a project later in the year.

4.    WOOFA CHALLENGE

You may recall that last month I couldn't locate the UFO I was hoping to work on.  As it turned out, that wasn't a bad thing, as I completed a long forgotten UFO.  Well, I thought I'd have another look for the lost project and, wouldn't you know it, I found it in the second box I opened.  I obviously didn't have much of a search last month.

What we have here is the start of a project from Girls Day in the Country at Nundle in 2012.  

This is what the finished project will look like.  It is a cylindrical sewing caddy.  The designer was Sue Daley.

I really like the fabrics and was enjoying the process, but was worried on the day that my rows of clam shells may have been getting a bit slopey, so stopped work until I could get a ruler and check that things were going to be nice and straight.  As you can guess, that never happened.  By the way, it was still straight when I checked the other day.

I don't expect to get this finished, but I do hope to make some progress.

6.    CHRISTMAS PROJECT

I have no idea what I will work on, but something will happen.

7.    ONE PROJECT A MONTH

I'd better make sure that I finish something Christmassy, as I don't expect to finish anything else.

8.    FRIDAY NIGHT WITH FRIENDS

I should be nice and productive while Mick watches the footy.  It's a good excuse to spend time in the sewing room.

That little lot should keep me out of trouble for the month.  I just hope I can get it all done.

Now onto the non stitching goals.....

1.    READ A BOOK

I'm sure I will get this done.  There is a nice little pile next to my chair, so I have plenty to choose from.

2.    TRY A NEW RECIPE

I have no idea what we will try, but that's half the fun.  We will try something new for sure.  We will also be doing our baking each week, as we seem to have got into that habit.

3.    GO FOR WALKS

As the weather warms up and the days get longer this will become easier.  We also hope to do some walking and exploring.

4.    GO FOR A MOTORCYCLE RIDE

I do hope this happens, but nothing planned at this stage.  It is fun to just be spontaneous.

5.    GO AWAY IN THE CARAVAN

This is definitely happening.  We have a plan.  Don't worry, I'll take you along with us.

6.    HAVE A FRIDAY FUN DAY

We will do this while we are in the van, but I hope we can also have a fun day when we are at home as well.  I love that I set a goal that gives us the incentive to do something fun in the local area each month.

I'm really enjoying setting these monthly goals.  It is so satisfying looking back at a month and seeing all the fun things we have done, and the amount of stitching I have achieved.

My Other Goals for August

As always, I have set myself some non stitching goals for the month as well.  Not nasty To Do type goals, but fun ones.  Pop over here to read what they were.

Let's see how I went...

1.    READ A BOOK.

When we travelled up to Chooky's we called in at Gilgandra and there was a little section of a shop selling ex-library books for the princely sum of six for a dollar.  Of course we found six we thought we could read.  We do love finding luck dip books at book exchanges at caravan parks, street libraries and op shops.  This one was a nice easy read, set in Ireland.  I have looked up the author and she has written quite a few.  They refer to her writing genre as "cosy mystery". I like that description.  It was quite Midsomer Murders style - no blood and guts.  I'll have to keep an eye out for some more of hers.

2.    TRY A NEW RECIPE - NOT JUST BAKING

Yes, we tried several and yes, some were baking.

Firstly, in the Coles catalogue, there was a recipe for a microwave Lime and Coconut pudding.  We made it.  It overflowed the pots I made it in, as they weren't terribly tall, but they tasted great. We had another go in different bowls and they worked well, but aren't terribly photogenic.

In the same catalogue there was a recipe for slow cooked sticky beef, which was also tasty, but not exactly photogenic either.

I also made lasagne for the first time.  Can you believe I have never made it. Other family members make it and bring it to events, so I've never had the need.  During the crazy COVID food shortages in the supermarket, Coles received a full pallet load of instant lasagne sheets.  They didn't sell all that well and ended up on clearance at 50 cents a pack, so I bought a packet.  Later I saw them trying to be sold at 10 cents a pack.  Anyway, my first go at lasagne was fine.  I'll have to make it at least one more time to use the rest of the lasagne sheets.

Last month I saw that Fiona from Bubz Hugz had made date and nut loaf in the cylindrical tins.  I thought that I'd make some too, as I also have some tins, but have never actually used them.  The only problem was that I couldn't find the tins.  They were obviously still packed from our move.........nearly six years ago.  Oops!

Well, Mick had a bit of a scout around and located them.

They are old ones I have acquired somewhere along the line and didn't want to stay tightly closed, so some butcher's twine was pressed into service.

The recipe comes from this lift out from a 1994 magazine.  The same one where I found the gingernut biscuits recipe.  There are several recipes that I have made over the years here, so I should try them again.

We had a success.  They didn't last very long.

We also baked several other repeats.  It is becoming our new normal to bake a couple of times a week.

3.    GO FOR WALKS

Yes, but not too many.  The weather was against us sometimes and other times we were just slack.  

One Sunday, when the weather was beautiful, we went for a walk down to the river.  There was a good flow.

You could see where the water level had been much higher.

It was so warm that we kept going into town and visited the ice cream parlour.  How nice was that.  Lots of people had the same idea, so we were all queued, keeping a good distance apart.  When we walk to the river it is about a 10km round trip.

Other times we walked up the country road behind us.  One property has loads of trees in its front paddock.  Several are coming into bloom, so something to look forward to each time.  There are also lots of little birds living there.  We noticed some red rump parrots nesting in the hollow of a gum tree too, so will keep an eye out for activity on our future walks.

It's hard to believe we are just on the outskirts of town, when you see this view.

The reflections on the full dam are beautiful when the weather is calm. So good to see full dams.

This is a picture of our river last week after the weekend of snow east of us.  As you can see, it had even been higher than when we took this photo.

This is what it normally looks like.  The tree on the left of this photo is the one in the water.  It has been wonderful to see so much water.  Fortunately, there has been no flooding, just a nice strong flow.  Our water storage dam, which was down to below 30% full is nearly full.  It went from 50% to 81% in a week!!

4.  HAVE A WEEKEND AWAY IN THE CARAVAN.

We didn't expect this one to come off, but thanks to an invitation to a surprise birthday lunch for Chooky we had our weekend away. You can read all about it here.

5.    HAVE A FRIDAY FUN DAY.

Yes, we had two.....but they were actually on a Thursday. They weren't big adventures, just getting out and doing things in our local area.

Firstly, we visited the Archibald Prize exhibition at the local art gallery.  The touring exhibition visits Bathurst every few years, but this is the first time we have actually managed to go and have a look.  There were also two other exhibitions.  One was portait photograpy by locals to reflect thier experience of COVID-19.  So many different interpretations.  There was also the Young Archies for local children.

Our second fun day was a drive out to Ben Chifley Dam last Thursday to see if it was full yet.  

We drove through the village of The Lagoon, and after several years, there was actually water in the lagoon.  There used to be a pair of black swans live there and I wondered if they had returned.  We were so surprised and happy to see them.  We really didn't expect to.  

It was so nice to see so much water in the dam.

We walked out to the  spillway.

It's not quite overflowing yet.  Hopefully soon.

We then drove to the other side of the dam which was also looking much better than at the beginning of the year.  It is officially at 83.8% full, but there will be an update in the next day or so.

6.    GO FOR A MOTORCYCLE RIDE.

I was really doubting if this would happen.  Every date that the club had a planned ride turned out to be terrible weather.  We have had some lovely weather, but happened to be doing other things.

Anyway, on Sunday, as the weather was nice, we hopped on Olga the Old Girl and rode out to visit our next door neighbours from when we used to live out of town.  It was nice to see them and notice the subtle changes in the area since we moved, nearly six years ago.  I can't believe how quickly that time has gone.

On our way home we decided to go and see if Ben Chifley Dam was full as yet.

No, it wasn't full, but boy, was there a constant flow of cars going to have a look.

I loved the stonework in the old unused road into the dam.

All the local creeks are still flowing well.  So good to see.

So, there you have it.  All goals met.  We are so enjoying having the time and opportunity to do all these things now that Mick has retired.

Time now to plan for September.