A new Herb bed, a mini quilt finish and a ladybug quilt flimsy

I finally got around to finishing the quilting and binding on this little mini quilt.  The blocks were from Temecula Quilt Company circa 2016 sampler sew along.  I especially love the churn dash.  Tempted to make a whole quilt of mini churn dashes!  I tried a figure of 8 for the border, but its a long way from being perfect, I am considering it practise for the next one! ; )

We recently had lots of drying wind and some hot days.  So to wake up to half an inch of rain was a blessing for the garden.   Bit late for the crops, but nice for my plants.  The rain ment junior tennis was cancelled and hubby had time to attach the watering system to the new bed, on the newly renovated shade house.  I planted out parsley, chives and rosemary I had grown myself.  Then I put in  sage and thyme neighbours had grown, a curry plant (never had one before) sweet basil, lemon thyme and white oregano.  I rescued my Lemon Verbena which was frost affected and just coming back into leaf and planted that on the corner, where I hope it thrives.   I have potted up the mint and it is living in the shade house behind this bed.  So now all my herbs are in the one spot, between the kitchen and the BBQ, which is perfect!


Hubby gave up on waiting for the contractor and has started the paving preparation.  So with the cooler weather I am madly pruning/hedging and mulching while he is trying to get the paving done. Then next up is edging and lawn...hopefully all growing in time for hosting Christmas and a NYE party!

Another trip to Ballarat for Dads medical appointments, treatment is progressing well.  I purchased these cute fabrics with out doing any calculations in my head - given that last time I purchased too little.  This time I had too much and then made an error...so enough for two cot quilts (42" square each), one of which is made, other the blocks are ready for me to sew together.  Just gardening comes first!

This is fast becoming my favorite pattern as it is quick and easy.   These are 10" blocks, which finish at 9.5", so with a 2.5" cut border the total quilt is 42.5".

The front nesting box is outside my kitchen window and the two young birds (hybrids a mix of Eastern and Crimson rosellas) were ready to leave the nest and one was poking its head outside minutes before these two Crimson Rosellas arrived.  We call it house hunting, the pairs of birds turn up and give the box a through inspection, as if to consider it for next years nesting site and if its better or worse then the one they previously used!  They did not harm the fledglings, who flew out of the nest later that day.
Happy quilting, Sue.

Eastern Rosella and New Holland Yellow winged Honeyeater updates

The fivc baby Eastern Rosella babies are getting their colourful feathers.

And so are the honeyeater babies.  My husband thought that they would only be in the nest for another week.  Which I am sure is when they are going to run out of room for the three of them!

I made my friend Lisa a table topper from the mini curved ruler pattern, Sunflowers for her birthday and the shape inspired the curved Dresden needlebook.

This photo highlights the over quilting the runner received.  No idea why, that's just what flowed from my brain at the time... but took way longer then I anticipated!

Happy quilting, Sue.

Tweet tweet!

These are Crimson Rosella eggs, we suspect she is a first time mother, as she is spending more time with her head outside the box, then she seems to be sitting on her eggs.  The birds that used this box last Spring didn't have much success either, but again we think they were first time parents, so either we are attracting the young birds or the nest box is too exposed and they get spooked by our presence.

These are the Crimson Rosella parents.  Their blue feathers don't show as well in this photo.  This is our front yard and the box is not far from our kitchen window, but picture is taken with camera phone, so its not great quality over distance.  

Eastern Rosella eggs and fledglings hatched - these are in the box down the back of our yard, where they seem to know what they are doing.  We are wondering if it the same pair from last Spring.  My father has given us his box, as no birds have taken a liking to it where they live.  So next Spring hubby will be running around like a mad man trying to check on their parenting habits....or if my oldest son has his way we are buying a tiny video camera so we can spy on them inside the nest box for 24 hours a day.  I think that is infringement of their privacy but given that Sir David Attenborough  does it, my argument doesn't hold much weight in our family!