An Interesting Week

It's been an interesting week.
On Monday I managed to squish my thumb in the car door - ooouch! - or words to that effect! Unable to do anything much with my right hand, no writing or knitting, I enjoyed two days relaxing, pretending meanwhile that the offending digit didn't throb. On return to work, once the discomfort had subsided somewhat, an enthusiastic workmate offered to perform the 'make a hole in the nail with a heated needle' procedure on my thumbnail to alleviate the pressure caused by the blood collection underneath it. She was very efficient, having performed this "operation" many times in the past, hooray for experienced professional workmates! I am grateful to her for her assistance in relieving the discomfort and educating me to the fact that it doesn't hurt a bit! This fact I have added to my memory bank for future use! The colours of my thumb now relieve me of any pressure felt by me to use black nail polish to enhance my oft worn black outfits.

On Saturday I was able to join in with the challenging task of helping to carry our daughter's personal effects to her new abode on the second floor and later experience the painful awareness of muscles I didn't know I owned! The move was very successful, already the new abode looks very homely and surprisingly coordinated, when I consider that most of the items have been the result of wonderfully successful op shop forays,handmade projects and various additions from our family collection. Its bright and sunny and will be a wonderful haven for her, I'm sure.

Thankfully, prior to my 'accident' on Monday,I had already completed the knitted throw that I had been working on for my daughters birthday present. Thus I was able to wrap and present it to her and she was delighted with my work of art. I am including a snap for your enjoyment.

To those knitters that might be interested in the hows of this masterpiece... I used 2cm needles, double yarn throughout. Knitting 4 row stripes, where yarn allowed. Commencing with 25 stitches, I knitted every row; increasing one stitch in the first and last stitch of one side of the work until 75 stitches. Then knitted approx 8 rows and then commenced decreasing one stitch at the beginning and end of the same row as was increased until 25 stitches remained then I cast off very loosely and added a fringe! (F.Y.I. This made a triangle shape)
I have just learned that it it isn't easy writing and comprehensible knitting pattern!
Life is Good
TTFN
Simply Susan

After the Rain

Last night as I went to bed, I heard the sound of sirens, close by, long and loud and I wondered what might have happened. This morning the news is that a driver had mounted a median strip, taken out several trees and collided with an oncoming car. He was trapped for sometime in his crushed vehicle and he inflicted some serious injuries to himself and the passengers in the other car.
Life is uncertain, full of twists and turns and unexpected events that can turn a life upside down. It's so important to consider one's eternal destiny before its too late, to settle the important issues of life and death and not put them off for another time.

It rained during the night. The sun was shining as I walked around my garden this morning and I pondered that whatever befalls any one of us, life goes on, the cycle is unceasing.
What I saw delighted me, yes, I took photos that I love to share as it is so easy to miss the glories of a morning. I'm reminded of the song "My Favourite Things" and the line 'raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens' With the sunlight shining on the raindrops on leaves and spider webs the sparkles of God's "bling" are there again to remind us of Him.

If you look closely in the middle of the second to last photo you can see the pattern of a cobweb hung with 'crystals'.

If you haven't yet considered your eternal future, please do.

Have a wonderful weekend
Love Simply Susan

Bland to Beautiful

A couple of years ago we renovated our garden and pulled out all of the overgrown shrubs along the back fence that we had inherited. We were left with a very wide, bare fence to look at that I did not find in any way attractive, other than the fact that it afforded us privacy from our very rambunctious neighbours. So I had an idea! I decided to have a go at painting some greenery on the pailings, since nothing was going to grow with enough speed to please me and delight my vision and cover the bare wood. Armed with brushes and tubes of acrylic paint from my daughter's craft box, I waded into the bed and endeavored to paint foliage that somewhat resembled the plants growing over the fence. I happily splashed about for a couple of hours.
I must say, I am no artist, but my enthusiasm for the task, I believe, enabled me to make quite an improvement. As I said, some time has passed since then and we have a number of shrubs grow and transform the garden, yet the 'pretend' garden remains, and when we prune the bushes and the paintings come into view, I smile.
I have lost the original photos that I took, but you can see enough, if you look closely to get the idea!

There's more! I chalked the outline of the early morning shadows made by palm trunks and fronds on the side fence and painted them with some wood stain that I found in the garage. I was even happier with that effect.

In addition, over time, we have enjoyed the effect of hanging mirrors on our fences to give an intriguing effect of 'windows' . A collection of different mirrors have transformed the boring, bland, totally uninteresting side fence, into a beautiful feature. Have a look and see what you think.

You will never underestimate the potential of a tube of paint or a second hand mirror again.
GO FOR IT!

Autumn in the Garden

I decided to put some flannelette sheets in the wash, nice and early this morning to give them plenty of time to dry. Hey presto, by the time I had got outside the sky was quickly darkening. Within seconds light rain had begun to fall and I was summoned to see a lovely rainbow. Yes, I ran inside to grab my trusty camera and I managed to take a couple of photos.

The light rain stopped momentarily and I had a stroll around the garden. The webs of our resident Golden Orb spiders were looking very pretty festooned with raindrops and, to my surprise I discovered the crepe myrtle in the front garden beautifully adorned in autumn colours.

Once more I am in awe, of the beauty in a garden. Spiders are not high on my list of favourite things, but the engineering that goes into the manufacturing of a web simply amazes me. When the sunlight falls on the web of a Golden Orb spider the web appears as a golden net and the strands are so very strong. This I have verified by walking into one and finding myself entangled in a nylon like embrace - not pleasant, especially as I always expect that the owner will be somewhere about my person, hidden in my hair perhaps...Brrrr.

The rain is now really heavy heavy and I think my chances of getting those sheets dry are...NIL. But Hey, I got to post this for your enjoyment.
Wishing you a great autumn day!
Love Simply Susan

Pondering the Day

While my dinner, shepherds pie and blueberry crumble cooks in the oven, I can sit and ponder my morning. Oh joy, a day off on a Tuesday. I made the most of a beautiful morning, by getting up earlyish and heading off to Main beach with my husband for a walk followed by a coffee at the surf club, one of my very favourite activities. The temperature was 16 degrees when we arrived - refreshing.The ocean looked beautiful and we listened to it roaring as we walked along the Federation walkway.
We had the surf club to ourselves as we waited for our coffee and perused the local paper. I hopped up and took some photos of the truly beautiful scene from the deck. More wonderful cloud formations filled my view. The cloud had started as a column when we left home and an hour later you can see how it had progressed. What a privilege to live on the coast. It may be very glitzy and a bit like living in a night club at times, but aside from all that, it is a beautiful part of the world. I love how the ocean just keeps on rolling in.The surf was pretty flat this morning, but the movement continues day after day...

By the way, the planets in the early morning eastern sky have been pretty sparkly - God's Bling just for our enjoyment. Yes, we were in the garden in our PJs on Saturday morning oohing and aahing! well worth the effort!
You've got to love my camera, it takes the best shots, especially when you realise that I can't see what I'm taking because of the reflection on the screen.

Enjoy the snaps.

Love Simply Susan

Additions To My Family

During a few days annual leave last week, I enjoyed a morning 'treasure' hunting with a dear friend. Whilst hunting around, my friend spied a teddy bear, that she thought was very cute and that I should add to my collection. I agreed, and then spotted another very interesting character, high upon a shelf. She was hand made in a curious manner. Right up my street in fact, because I don't go for pretty. I like different, damaged, quirky bears that have a story.
Both came home and had a bath and have joined my bear 'family'. they look great together and I rapt to see how well they have integrated into the family. Soon I will write their stories, 'til then here are some snaps, including 'Bramley' being bathed.Oh yes, I called one 'Bramley' after my friend and the other 'Buttons', for obvious reasons, More to follow... Enjoy!

Recycling is Fun

I have had lots of fun recently making doorstops from recycled 'ingredients'.
They make a very useful gift, especially when tailored to the recipient's style and or colour preferences.
Second hand jeans are proving to be a great source of very suitable, durable fabric, as you can see from the photos, different quality denims have provided interesting effects. Both of these were made for housewarming gifts, one for a dear friend the other for my daughter who is about to embark on independent living. We spent a considerable amount of time last evening trawling through my button and bead collection, searching for appropriate adornments for 'Felicity" the cat. She now sports a suitable amount of 'bling' for a Gold Coast dweller. I used a bunch of my fabric flowers (see earlier photos)to decorate the other, providing a little bit of floral interest to one who is prevented from planting flowers of her own in a rental property.

What do you think?

That reminds me, I made a chook for another friend who owns chickens, I'll find a photo for you...