Flowers on Friday

as promised mostly just photos of the abundance around us this Spring...the passionfruit and climbing rose have from this...

to this...

  Lobelia's blue flowers are stunning, my favourite colour in fact...

one of the climbing roses...

sweet peas in a hanging basket, they quickly produce seed pods which I'll save for next year...

one of the reasons celery is grown for it's stalks and not these teeny tiny flowers...they will go to seed and spread around the garden for future use...

this sweetpea flower is two-tone...

  view from the house...

Dear Son made this trolley for us to carry heavy loads from the car to the house, any of our neighbours may use it too...

miniature rose bush and rosemary...

I went into Perth on Monday for the last of Dad's paperwork...there was a selection of decorated polystyrene cows around the city and I came across these three on my travels...

Such fun but I didn't have time to search out the others because I was too excited to find a new food stall at the Carillon selling Brazilian food...I bought feijoada for Joe as I know he loves it!

Off shopping now with Dad, B and Charlie, 36C is forecast so we won't want to be out too long.
Happy weekend to you all,
Sue x

Keeping Going

After my last sad post I am happy to share some nice photos with you and also to thank every-one for their loving support and messages.

On October 30th Priscilla's baby boy, Kullen, was delivered by c-section after a very long labour that was going nowhere because of the second tumour blocking his way...he weighed 4 lbs and was breathing on his own after a day or two and they both went home shortly afterwards. After 4 weeks in hospital Priscilla and Will were thrilled to be going home at last...

moved to a 'big boy's bed'...

  with Daddy...

ready for home...

Chemo started again for Priscilla yesterday with the usual nausea and fatigue but she's resting in bed and being well cared for. As her milk will be unsuitable for Kullen a donor has come forward to gift her own milk for him which is such a wonderful offer and will be the next best thing to his Mama's milk.

Here in the west Charlie(6 mos) continues to delight us all with his character...up at 5.30am for piano practice today...

loving 'solid foods' now, tenderly made at home by his awesome Mum...B made this hilarious collage, we love his pumpkin face...

Dad has tripped and hurt his back, I fell outside the post office and am grazed and bruised but Joe has topped that! Mandy called him an over-achiever...he had a mini stroke in September which is still causing double vision and this week he added conjunctivitis to his list of ailments...you just have to laugh at times!

I been enjoying lots of knitting and even some cross-stitch work recently as well as lots of Christmas planning and gardening. Being Spring the flowers are in abundance all around us, I'll do a separate post as there are so many photographs.

This is another 10-stitch blanket I am doing, quite easy once you work out how it develops, I'm using 8 ply acrylic on 5mm needles for a softer drape...

If you are a member of ravelry you can see more of Frankie Brown's patterns here

So there is my update, I will sort out the garden pics shortly but wish you all a very happy day today where-ever you are and what-ever you are doing,
Love Sue

So Sad, So Sorry

I have to write this post.

I know it's not a simple lifestyle post, I know it's miserable, I know it's actually heart-breaking but I need to get my thoughts out before I crash altogether.

I am so blessed to have at least 3(5 really) 'daughters' in my life. So blessed. However the three I am going to write about are struggling and I ask you to keep them in your hearts. Their beautiful names are in order of age are Elizabeth, Priscilla and Breeann. Forgive me Monique and Kristie, you are also much loved.

Elizabeth's husband, Danny, was killed three weeks ago when his motor cycle left the road near Bunbury. They have three sons and eighteen years together but now he is gone. When Elizabeth finally got home from his funeral she had been sent a letter asking her to vacate her home by mid-November as the landlady did not want to renew her lease. Now she will have to start the very stressful search for another rental home and pack up her home. She has bursitis in both her shoulders and hips but retains her wicked sense of humour as she copes with her ill health, grief and fears for the future. Their wedding day...

Priscilla in Ontario, Canada is expecting her fourth baby, a little boy already named Kullen. However her tumours have grown, blocking a kidney and necessitating a tube to be inserted to drain into an external bag. This tube has been a constant source of infection since then requiring many courses of anti-biotics and hospital visits. Her medical team plan to deliver him by caesarian section in at about 32 weeks gestation in 4 weeks time and then start aggressive chemotherapy  2 weeks hence. Understandably Priscilla is very concerned for her baby and the care of the 3 older children who are all under the age of 8 years themselves. Priss has a great network of family and friends to help with the practical things and is incredibly brave throughout this. 26 weeks...

Last but not least is our new darling Breeann. This wee angel was sent to us to heal my son's broken heart, to support us all while Mum was dying and then the icing on the cake has been to become mumma to Cyclone Charlie. Her own health has been a pain in the bum since his birth but she is still there upholding us all ,,,she is a Queen in Constance Hall's terms.

So in the meantime I am as flat as pancake, struggling with my own black dog. Today has been a little lighter for which I am so grateful. I've cooked and cleaned and gardened and finally made my way back to the Down to Earth forums which are so grounding.
Forgive me but please keep us all in your hearts.


PS Rhonda shared this article in her Down to Earth Weekend Reading blog post and it makes so much sense
http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/09/12/7-ways-to-prepare-for-death-that-will-instantly-improve-your-lif/

So Sad, So Sorry

I have to write this post.

I know it's not a simple lifestyle post, I know it's miserable, I know it's actually heart-breaking but I need to get my thoughts out before I crash altogether.

I am so blessed to have at least 3(5 really) 'daughters' in my life. So blessed. However the three I am going to write about are struggling and I ask you to keep them in your hearts. Their beautiful names are in order of age are Elizabeth, Priscilla and Breeann. Forgive me Monique and Kristie, you are also much loved.

Elizabeth's husband, Danny, was killed three weeks ago when his motor cycle left the road near Bunbury. They have three sons and eighteen years together but now he is gone. When Elizabeth finally got home from his funeral she had been sent a letter asking her to vacate her home by mid-November as the landlady did not want to renew her lease. Now she will have to start the very stressful search for another rental home and pack up her home. She has bursitis in both her shoulders and hips but retains her wicked sense of humour as she copes with her ill health, grief and fears for the future. Their wedding day...

Priscilla is expecting her fourth baby, a little boy already named Kullen. However her tumours have grown, blocking a kidney and necessitating a tube to be inserted to drain into an external bag. This tube has been a constant source of infection since then requiring many courses of anti-biotics and hospital visits. Her medical team plan to deliver him by caesarian section in at about 32 weeks gestation in 4 weeks time and then start aggressive chemotherapy  2 weeks hence. Understandably Priscilla is very concerned for her baby and the care of the 3 older children who are all under the age of 8 years themselves. Priss has a great network of family and friends to help with the practical things and is incredibly brave throughout this. 26 weeks...

Last but not least is our new darling Breeann. This wee angel was sent to us to heal my son's broken heart, to support us all while Mum was dying and then the icing on the cake has been to become mumma to Cyclone Charlie. Her own health has been a pain in the bum since his birth but she is still there upholding us all ,,,she is a Queen in Constance Hall's terms.

So in the meantime I am as flat as pancake, struggling with my own black dog. Today has been a little lighter for which I am so grateful. I've cooked and cleaned and gardened and finally made my way back to the Down to Earth forums which are so grounding.
Forgive me but please keep us all in your hearts.

August Garden

Hallo every-one, just a few garden photos while it's sunny outside. We've had so much rain and very cool mornings so the sunshine is most welcome...dear Son painted the 2 large pieces of lattice for me yesterday, I love the way they break up the expanse of grey fencing and as we are renting I have hung them on hooks that fit over the top of the fence~no need to drill etc In Spring the frangipani trees will be in full foliage so we should get some nice shadows and a sense of depth here...

beautiful yellow freesias come up every year from bulbs and smell so lovely...

Wise Owl looks on...

Shy Seahorse and Cheeky Parrot enjoy the sun...

Lemon Aji chillies keep ripening...

the Cara Cara orange tree has much new growth...

potted vegies are thriving too...

limes are ripe in time for more Indian style chutney...

a pretty new French style planter is home to sweet peas and a ceramic bird...

Life is fairly routine these days, I visit Dad twice a week with a dinner or two and we do some shopping together. Charlie is 3 months old already and is such a delight with his bright eyes and ready smile...

The beat goes on...

bye bye for now,
Sue

Kung Pao Chickpeas and Other Tales

oh Dear...I haven't blogged for 2 months...I do check and read the comments though and thank you for those.

I seem to be so busy with visiting Dad 3 times a week, I cook for him and we go shopping(which I really dislike but it must be done!), DS1 has been in hospital for a few days and DD has hurt both shoulders and is a mess to say the least! Priscilla has also needed our support more than ever with her father in law dying in hospital last month and the fact that she is expecting her 4th baby despite being told she couldn't conceive after the treatment she's been having! Frighteningly though her tumour has grown and another has developed in her lower abdomen. Yesterday she had surgery to run a tube from one kidney to a bag on the outside as the tumour was squashing the kidney...I don't know how she keeps going but she does.

Charlie was born 10 days late and is now 7 weeks old, he is so cute and cherished as you can imagine, he weighed in 9lbs 5 oz and is thriving on his Mummy's milk...

So whenever possible I have loved being at home, 'just' pottering....tidying the garden when the sun is out, cleaning, reading, knitting, cooking and baking at my own pace. I bought a fantastic book and am making some lovely bread now in the bread-maker , this is the egg-enriched loaf(not quite as yellow as this evening photo)...

Today I got some more washing soda and made up Wendy's Magical Spray, it's safe and effective and I'm really pleased with it. Have a look at Wendy's blog as she has so many ways to save money around the house and garden. Wendy has even been on telly in this very un-flatteringly entitled documentary 

 Then there was the tourtiere or French Canadian Meat Pie I made for the first time. It's traditionally served on Christmas Eve but should be on every meat eater's menu plan. I made the pastry with butter and plain flour in the food processor and used a kilo of pork and beef minces(all free range), a chopped onion and about 3 level teaspoons of allspice in lieu of the spices in this recipe Chicken stock is much nicer to cook the meat in, it should stay quite moist but with very little liquid as you don't thicken it to make gravy. That's a maple leaf on the top and not a waving starfish.

So about these chick peas...in Canada at Chinese Restaurant buffets you can to sure to see Kung Pao or Captain's Chicken and it's very very tasty. I saw this recipe and was intrigued, partly because I never see any legume other than black beans in Chinese cooking. I found this post rather hard to follow as I don't use teriyaki so went with the following seasonings instead...

4 teaspoons of Lee Kum Kee Chili and Garlic Sauce (yummy)
2-3 tablespoons sweet and sour sauce
3 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar

You could mix and match any of your favourite sauces too.

I left out the carrot but used red and green capsicum instead, chopped peanuts really set the dish off and I didn't have the sesame oil which is why I'm writing all this here for when I forget! I wouldn't say it feeds 4 people either, 3 at the most. Do you like my thrift shop pyrex dish?

I think that's all for now, the washer is beeping at me to hang out the bathmats so I must away, will leave you with a photo of the beautiful Papa Meilland rose that bloomed exactly 3 months after Mum's passing, it was her favourite because of the heavy perfume; is it odd to talk to a rose bush?
Enjoy your day and hug your loved ones tight xxx

Charlie's Jumper

I've taken the sizing and stitch numbers from an old garter stitch pattern I bought second-hand from the library so this jumper pattern looks nothing like that one. The basic knitting is very easy, picking up the stitches around the neck and decreasing to form the V may require some help if you haven't done it before.

The two I have made so far are to fit am 18 month old toddler and as I have used 2 different colours. They would take about 100gms for the main colour and 30-40 of a contrast colour, less for the smaller sizes. I've used a nice, soft hand-wash acrylic yarn from Spotlight for around $2-3 a 100gm ball so they have been very inexpensive too...should be hardy for a busy little boy next Winter. The yarn is by 4Seasons and is called Stallion Acrylic...

You'll need your trusty UK size 10 and 8 knitting needles(3.25mm and 4 mm), a stitch marker or a small loop of brightly coloured yarn and 2 stitch holders or spare needles. Around about 150 gms of yarn, all one colour or some contrast yarn too
Sizes 6mos(12mos and 18mos)

Back

Using smaller needles cast on 58(62, 66) sts and work 12 rows in single rib.

Change to larger needles and work in stocking stitch until your work measures 16(18, 20) cms from the beginning, ending with a wrong side row.

Cast off 4 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows and then continue without shaping until your work measures 26(29, 31.5) cms
Cast off 11(12, 13) sts at the beg. of next 2 rows and slip remaining sts onto a stitch holder or spare needle.

Front

Work as for back until your work measures 18.5(21, 22)cms then we divide to form the V-neck ...

Shape Neck

Knit 25(27, 29) sts and slip these onto a spare needle/stitch holder, knit to end.
Purl 1 row, turn
Decrease 1 st at beginning of next and every alt row 14(15,16) times and then continue until it measures the same as the back, cast off the remaining 11(12,13) sts.

Join the yarn to the sts on the other side/holder and complete that, decreasing at the neck edge as before.

Sleeves

Cast on 36(40,44) sts on the smaller needles and work 12 rows of single rib, switch to larger needles and work until it measures 19(21,23)sts....increase at each end of every 10th row and add stripes if desired...actually the stripes really help with the counting of every 10th row ;)
Cast off.
Make two.

Neckband

Join right shoulder seam and then with right side facing you and smaller needles pick up 34(36,38) sts down to the middle, place marker, pick up one more st and place another marker then pick up the same number of stitches up the other side of the front. Knit across stitches on the holder for the back.

Work 6 rows of single rib, working two sts together at each side of the marker then cast off loosely.
If this is a new technique to you then have a look at this link which explains it much better than I can
Knitting and More

Now you can join the left shoulder seam, attach your sleeves and then sew up the sides and down the sleeve edges, fitting around the 4 cast off sts that are to set in the sleeves.

Happy knitting...Charlie is due today but appears to be digging his heels about this!
Hope you have a relaxing weekend
xxx