Next Quilt–‘Mr Blue Sky’

 

Okay, so I have a lot of unfinished quilts and I certainly do not need to start a new one……..

Can’t help myself

Introducing Mr Blue Sky, which is my version of an Irish Chain Quilt.

More than 2500 one inch squares all in various shades of blue, with a touch of orange thrown in. 

All the pieces are cut and it is coming together nicely.

Updates on other quilts….

Under pressure has come back from the quilters and is beautiful!

Just need to do the binding, but its too hot to sit with a quilt on your lap hand stitching the back – will wait a few weeks until things cool down.

The V&A quilt – Top is complete and I just need to join the backing and get it to the quilters in the next few weeks.

Shine – I have the 2 final borders to attach, (I still don’t like it), I have the backing and it will get to the quilters this year.

Vincent and the Doctor – I have designed a ‘beauty’ with an optical illusion and have bought some amazing fabric. Can’t wait to start it!

 

Introducing :- Miss Lizzy

 

"Dizzy Miss Lizzy"

You make me dizzy, Miss Lizzy
The way you rock and roll
You make me dizzy, Miss Lizzy
When we do the stroll
Come on, Miss Lizzy
Love me before I grow too old

songwriter - Larry Williams,

Recorded by the Beatles for album Help 1965

Well, we have adopted a puppy from the RSPCA.

Here is our wish list

1. “A nice quiet dog with good manners” – (nope she is a nutter, absolutely crazy)
2. “ an older dog” – (Nope, she seven months old and very much a puppy)!
3. “Preferable a male, but we would consider a girl” – (Its a girl)
4. “Gets on well with Georgie” – (She absolutely loves her, Georgie is the happiest dog in Armidale)!!
5. “Not a Jack Russell Terrier”- (she’s  a Jack Russell Terrier x with possibly a Yorkshire terrier or a silky)?
6. “Not a timid frightened dog” – (Yes - she tried to eat a huntsman spider and chased it off the wall)

She might be a little too intelligent for her own good. Looks like we are all enrolling for  ‘puppy preschool’.

Christmas 2015!

And the Christmas village has grown and expanded to a second table….

 

New item this year is Bernie’s Teddy Bears.

A bit sad as when I put up the decorations there was two little doggies helping……

We travelled to Sydney with Georgie. to spend Christmas with Mum and Dad. Lots of seafood. Andrew was there too.

On boxing day we visited Michael and Gayle.

Then caught up with Sean and Rosie who brought all their four dogs to Sydney.. it was chaos, but all the dogs behaved.

Below is Maya and Millie at Nan’s.

But wait!!!!

When I took the Christmas decorations down there was a new doggie to help!

I have to put the blanket on the floor when doing the tree as last year I learnt the hard way that glass baubles explode when dropped on a timber floor!

 

Whats it's all about Alfie?

What's it all about, Alfie?
Is it just for the moment we live?
What's it all about when you sort it out, Alfie?
Are we meant to take more than we give
(Cilla Black - see Utube & others)

Songwriters: BACHARACH, BURT / DAVID, HAL

Alfie lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

RIP Alfie

Oh no, this is so sad.

We got back from South Africa and picked them up on the Monday and the doggies were so 

happy to see us. Alfie was bouncing around like a pup!

 

He was struggling by Friday, (but, we have been treating him for heart failure for the last six months).

 

Monday, a week after we came home, and our first day back at work, he was critically ill.

And we had him put to sleep on Tuesday the 8th December. 

We don't know how old he was, we adopted him thinking he was 2 or 3 but he must have been 7 or 8 or older, because he had lots of old age problems. We had him for 5 and a half years, far too short.

We have lost a lovely little dog and Graham has lost his best buddy.

And Georgie is so sad....

We had him cremated and have him back in a little box.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So how to replace an irreplaceable doggie?

We are looking for a different little dog and have our feelers out with the pound. 

Please come and find us little doggie, you will be a lucky little doggie to fill this vacancy.

South Africa ~ Thursday~ Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre

Last Day!

And above is the last photo I took an the trip.

Really easy to take great photos when you have great subject matter.  

As we didn’t see a lot of cats in the wild we decided to take the easy way and visit those that are being cared for in the  Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre. We had an interesting experience with the SA Police on our way out to Hoedspruit ~ but that's a long story, which Graham tells well, so ask him about it.

One last Safari car!

But this time most of the animals are in cages, but they do aim to release most of them. 

We fly back to Johannesburg tomorrow and then out to Sydney on Saturday, we lose most of Sunday arriving in Sydney late afternoon. 

Then home on Monday to see the doggies!

We love South Africa and will certainly try to get back here again. 

South Africa ~ Wednesday 25th November ~ Sabi Sands Evening Safari

Because the day was reasonably clear we ventured back up the mountains to admire the view from Gods Window. We also visited the Pinnacle and Wonder view. Its about 45 minute drive from Hazyview via Graskop.

Then we were collected from our lodge for a evening safari at Sabi Sands private game reserve. Sabi Sands borders Kruger.

But, I’ve never seen such a stormy sky – amazing colour, the photos don’t do it justice.

We were hoping to see lots of active wild life at dusk but unfortunately we saw mostly a very active and spectacular thunder storm.

Yes driving around in an open top vehicle was getting a little scary.

I tried really hard to get some lightening in this photo but it wasn’t cooperating. 

So we retreated to the lodge for drinks – Sundowners as its called in South Africa

We did see a hyena spooked by the storm – below is a fuzzy pic of it’s hind legs!

Dinner was at the Umkumbe Safari Lodge.

This pics from their web site as it was too dark and wet for photos. www.sabisandsgamereserves.com/ect/

Last Day tomorrow.

South Africa ~ Tuesday~Elephant Whispers

 

Well,,,,, unless we ever get to swim with the QI infamous Blue Whale, this will be the biggest animal/creature,  we will ever get to touch and pet, in our lives.

Please meet the 6 ton  TEMBO and he is the hero Elephant of Elephant Whispers , near our resort at  Hazyview.

TEMBO

Elephant Whispers’ magnificent six ton gentle giant.

Elephant Whispers recently celebrated Tembo’s 29th birthday in true elephant fashion. Party goods included bags of oranges, paw-paws, apples and a large pile of freshly cut Bhana Grass to sustain his superb six ton physique!

When Tembo was two years old, he was orphaned when his herd was culled. Together with another orphaned elephant, Becky, he was raised by humans. Tembo’s home until he was approximately 18 years of age was in a reserve which bordered crop farms which Tembo regularly raided, causing thousands of rand’s damage. Authorities, faced with a deluge of complaints by local farmers, decided Tembo would have to be destroyed. Fortunately, Rory and Lindie Hensman rescued Tembo, taking him to EFAF, where Tembo enthusiastically embraced his new routines and also interacting with other tamed and trained elephant

http://www.seasonsinafrica.com/adventure-activities-in-south-africa/lowveld-activities/elephant-whispers/

 

And this is… I actually, shame on me… I can’t remember his name!… I think It’s Shamwari.

They feed them (for tourists) something that looks just like ‘sheep nuts’ (pelletised feed) and it probably is very similar!

But whoever this beautiful boy is.. he would lay down and let us touch him.

From the tip of his trunk, to the end of his tail!

They told us he liked it, a bit like a massage or petting a dog! He certainly liked the food they kept popping in his mouth…

Below: yes does have  a big ear for hearing…

He felt course and hairy, a  bit like a big bristly pig, or bit of Christmas pork.

And his tail was like a thick wire broom.

AND, then we were introduced to Tembo – yes there was a handler on top of him at all times!

and thank you to the photo Gods for the red flowering tree – 

which made great photos and matched my hat.!.

 

They train the elephants to respond to all handlers so they don’t get attached to just one person. They chose me to ask him to salute and he did.

Above – and here he is showing us his teeth, which was part of the tour, to understand the anatomy of elephants.

Watch Kim’s face! VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

And then after lunch at Perry's Bridge (sushi for me, burger for Graham), we spent some time at the reptile park which was only around the corner from Sabi Sands Resort.

Night Safari tomorrow!