Catching Up ....

This weekend was a long weekend here in Australia as it was Anzac Day on Sunday. We had a lovely quiet weekend. On Saturday we visited a few Open Houses but we have decided against them, so the hunt for a new house continues.

We all went to Umina Beach on Monday - here is Luke standing next to my tomato plants. They are roma tomatoes and are growing really well. These plants are as tall as Luke - I have never had tomato plants this tall - and they smell lovely too.

Umina Beach - it was very quiet, a little breezy but lovely. Cleared the cobwebs anyway !

There were lots of sailboats out too - Greg watched them through binoculars.

Greg and Anna-Kate having a chat before they went to swim / body board.

Me ! In a short sleeved crocheted jacket.

Luke playing in the sand.

Is it a melon or a butternut - not too sure, it is growing close to my butternut plant - but I did plant a lot of melons too ... we will see.

The last day of holidays.

The day started early - as it always does when Greg works ! Here is Anna-Kate waiting for breakfast and I think Kallie might be hungry too !

Outside in the sun you can see all the huge spiderwebs ! They were covering this bush!

Anna-Kate and Luke joined me in the garden. Anna-Kate had a float in the pool - but not a swim !

Luke and Kallie dug a hole in my vegetable garden ! I am just keeping it weed free for now as we (fingers crossed) will be leaving this garden in a couple of months.

And then after having a lovely day out in the garden the postman left me a parcel in the postbox.

Of course I opened it straight away and found this lovely mini quilt. It was inspired by our move over here and it represents the sand, surf and Sydney ! I love it. At the moment it is in the centre of my dining room table but will have a permanent place somewhere in our new house!

Thank-you Bec .... you are very kind to step in and make me a quilt. Plus thank-you for the extra fabric you sent me - one can never have enough fabric!

Crocheted Blanket.

I finished this in March, but took photos yesterday. I enjoyed making this blanket.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/64815667@N00/show/

Saying Goodbye ...

The tree that had to go - according to the neighbours... the roots were extending into sewage pipes...and he did not like sweeping up the leaves. It took all day to cut down.

The garden does look bigger and brighter - but also more exposed (said neighbours can see us from their balcony). We also now battle as we have NO shade so the beach umbrella has come out. If this was my house I would build decking and sun shade - but (fingers crossed) we will not be here for long so no worries !

Kallie - on the back of the sofa, pretending she is a cat ! Sat next to my cardigan I knitted. I wear this in the mornings when I get up at 5-30 with Greg !

My 3 tomato plants are growing really well out in the front - even though it is autumn ! There are flowers and tomatoes on these plant - very exciting !!!

We have had a lovely weekend, can not believe that it is school on Tuesday - Eater holidays have gone past soooooo quickly !

Chat soon XXXX

Butternut.

We ate the last of our butternut last night - it was yummy. Very sweet.

I had to pick the melon too - as the plant had been eaten - it was too small to eat - but had a lot of seeds in so I have saved them for next season.

Today has been lovely - Anna-Kate and I sat out in the back garden - with the dog and cats. Luke played with the neighbours grandchildren and even went fishing with them.

Greg had to go and talk to banks - better to do this alone without the children. All good news - he even managed to pop into 2 houses today - the first one we are quite interested in but it involves total gutting and rearranging inside (eeekkk) but it is in a beautiful street so well worth it.

I am sat in the lounge while Greg is working on the canoe, Luke is still playing outside and Anna-Kate is walking the puppy.

No plans for tomorrow - Anna-Kate really wants to go to the library - but if the weather is this good we may go to the beach ....we will see !!

Sewing Again....

Made a dress for Anna-Kate yesterday as she is off to play at a friend's house today.
(I made a bag to match too!)
I dug out my sewing machine early Sunday morning and then we searched, and searched, and searched for any cotton fabric ! All I could find was flannel, jersey and fleece !! Finally in the last suitcase I found this cotton.

I realised how much I have missed sewing - so popped into a craft shop to buy good scissors (as I have not yet found my fabric scissors) and some more bobbins .... I did look for tracing paper to trace more patterns - but could not find any, so settled for baking paper.

Have been trying to knot socks this afternoon - but not getting anywhere fast LOL !

Saturday - another busy day !

Spent most of the day outside. Once again the children swam - I read in the garden watching them and the puppy !

Lorikeets in the trees - enjoying seeds / insects in the tree - this was taken from my laundry room.

Another type of lorikeet in the big tree - the owners of the house are having this tree chopped down - very sad as it gets a lot of bird visitors..... luckily we will only be in this house for another month or two.

Kallie - bird watching.

Cooling off after our long walk - it was a hot weekend.

Bird in the water.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/64815667@N00/show/

The First Week of School Holidays...

e Anna-Kate posing for me early one morning this week. Funny Bunny.

Tikkie is not impressed with Kallie ... these two get on fairly well as long as Kallie does not push the boundaries too far - Sherry has none of it and sleeps on my bed!

Children swimming - they have been swimming all holiday - thank goodness Greg found a house with a pool to rent !!! Note the butternut plant growing on the wrong side of the pool fence.

Anna-Kate swimming while Kallie watches. Kallie was a little worried that it was a sea monster !

Kalli saying hello to the camera.

The butternut has not been eaten by possums ..... yet ..... keeping an eye on it. Not quite ready to pick yet as a little green - but as big as those you can buy in the supermarket !

Off on our long walk - to try and tire the dog out ! This is the view from the end of our road - I never tire of the view.

Luke ran ahead of me (giving me a heart attack) and waved at me from on top of the railway bridge - Anna-Kate stayed at home for this long walk.

Luke pointing at some big fish. We should have brought the fishing rod !

Luke and Kalli having a rest - we take about and hour and a half on this walk from home to the water front and the park and back .... being a black dog she gets hot very quickly!

Luckily they can paddle and cool off.

A pelican swimming quietly in the waters - waiting for Luke to finish playing in the park - no dogs allowed in the park - but I can see him climbing as high as he can on the climbing frame !

Can you see the long fish ? Greg googled this is and we think it is a gar fish !

http://www.flickr.com/photos/64815667@N00/show/

The Canoe.

The boys have been hard at work on this canoe over the Easter weekend. Here it is so far - a work in progress. Luke and Kalli pose for a photo.

My first melon ever - not sure if it will grow much more as it is already April and autumn ....

My largest butternut - looking good ....

My largest butternut plant taking over the garden .... has lots of little butternuts but they get knocked off by a certain little dog ....

Cockatoos ....

Sitting on a sunflower - taken through the kitchen window ! Sorry for the reflection.

Flying off with the sunflower head !

We were sitting eating our breakfast this morning when we heard the cockatoos - they flew into my little sunflower patch and stole a sunflower head !