hhhmmmm.....

that's about how i feel.......the glass is still looking very empty........this is the pile of bugs, moths and dust I swept up on part of the front verendah...........the bugs are driving me nuts.........the moths only usually get bad when it is going to rain............they are so confused...........the dust is terrible............

world war broke out on the weekend though when I saw a mouse in the house and I reset all my traps and caught 3 so far..........nothing today so lets hope that is it........if I had more mice "that could be the straw that breaks the camels back"...

the nights have got cooler and the days are up and down a bit......last week was still pretty warm..........around 29-30degC during the days but a bit cooler this week around 25max

the paddocks are getting barer............some worse then others............very quickly heading back to feeding sheep and cattle........everyone is talking "drought" and a long dry winter.....at the end of the month I will be have to sell some cows.......

shearing was delayed so only just finished today....

....lucky I was pretty much not needed at all......one good thing......

my mind is thinking about way to many things and I am struggling to achieve anything.............I have some posts I could do but just can't get it together so i'll just say bye for now and I will return when we get a good fall of rain unless something wonderful happens here............

thanks to everyone for your comments on my last post.............I haven't replied sorry - just not in the groove..........so don't worry about commenting here on this post..........

See you when it rains.........that could be awhile.........

Catch you later..............

Chookyblue

holidays.............

mostly I am a glass 1/2 full type of person............. occasionally I get 1/2 empty and I am feeling a bit that way this week...........

I've/we've been busy..........we've had 2 lots of visitors...........busy work days..........Mr Chookyblue and the kids have been out most days fencing while I worked..........some cattle work...........we are supposed to be shearing but we are delayed with that job so hoping that will be this coming week...........

everyone is a little tired so a quieter weekend will be in store.........and no hoping in the car to go anywhere for anything...............

lots of things on my mind............so much to do and not enough time to do it all in.....

..pulled here and there.......

I know we all have times like this so I am sure it will pass - it is nice I am also not trying to manage the school bus and that routine and I have next week off work - some time at home which I am sure will be helping with shearing...............maybe I will be 1/2 full again.......but then again I could be working with sheep.....so maybe not.........

really need some rain too..........i'll enjoy my time with the family.......I just feel so tired all the time....

if you have school holidays at the moment I hope you are having a nice time.........

and such a nice cool change today........under 19degC most of the day.......so nice....

.........take care til next time.....Chookyblue.........

a special poem......

The following poem was written by a lady from the Southern Highlands - a church group from Bundanoon and Exeter got together and during there quilt making for "Caring with Quilts" this poem was written, I really enjoyed reading and did several times........the last paragraph sums up "Caring with Quilts" perfectly.........
I have permission to post this on my blog.

Quilts for Coonabarabran. 2013        

How do you start, to begin again? We really don’t know how.

Piece by piece - like a patchwork quilt, is all we can offer for now.

The fabric came from quilters homes, from friends and linen presses.

Matching colour tones, came easily for some, but for others it was totally guess-work.

We had a few meetings to discuss, the best way to attack it.

But in the end we all pitched in, cutting strips and squares and patches.

Ladies came from here and there, we wore tags to know our own names.

Some were from church, some from nearby, and some simply because they had heard.

Under watchful supervision, some stitching still didn’t make the grade.

If the joins in your quilt are not perfect, remember the skills of the sewer ... are the same.

Some of us who hadn’t a clue, decided to work in the kitchen.

Or nervously waited on an expert, to allow us to take the next action.

The old church hall had limited points, for irons and sewing devices.

Power boards and extension leads, were creatively used to suffice us.

Is ‘that’ a sewing machine? The question from some young children.

When a fifty year old green SINGER was heaved up to the table.

The kids whose family, rhymes with ‘quilt’, ironed squares and served us pikelets.

They kept the water up to the iron, and in between they ... squirted!

One special girl with her ‘L’s on, sewed a hem for the very first time.

She wanted it slow, but still made it go, then lit up the room with excitement.

Spectacles had to be borrowed one day, as sunnies are bad choosing colours.

The blind one stepped in for Suzy, till the one with wrong glasses felt woozy.

When loaning us his ironing board, like a surfer on his way to the sea.

Our minister drove down his road, wondering ‘why are they laughing at me?’

He tried to get us to iron his shirts, and somebody dared to say ... yes!

But only if she could cut them up, and re-join them with floral in sections.

Some teenaged girls tried seriously to pretend, they were reading and trying to study.

We knew all along they were undercover, judging who was the fuddiest old duddy.

We quilting novices heard some terms, that still need some explaining.

Like ‘stitch in a ditch’, ‘press to the dark’ and a style that mentions ‘sausages’.

A few with obvious aptitude were invited to ‘sandwich’ one day.

The rest of us were quite content with quiche and cake ... anyway.

We had some fun at your expense, dear folk from Coonabarabran.

We thought on how difficult and sad for you, to not have the things that you count on.

This quilt may not be to your decorating taste, it may not be your colour of choice.

But may it bring comfort in some tiny way, to know that strangers, have been caring.

.........take care til next time.....Chookyblue.........

Caring with Quilts another update.......

Hopefully I should be wrapping up the quilt collecting this week................I have 3 lots to come in this week..........and hoping that is getting to the end of collecting..........it's just amazing........

from the top down....

1x Jindi's Cottage VIC,

3x Carol @ Parkes, 

3x R @ Orange, 

2x Marie and Mona Quambone, 

2x Kathy Sydney, 

1x Sharon Lilabelle Lane VIC, 

1x Sue @ Mother Patchwork SA, 

1x Jean Ardlethan, 

This pile on the left  is from the Coonabarabran Hospital Auxillary.............................This pile on the right unknown from the coast somewhere............they came with other goods and the quilts were passed onto the CWA to hand out so I have no contacts...........

This huge pile from the Walgett Quilters who I got to have lunch with yesterday........

lovely group of ladies..........

Tomorrow some of the CWA ladies are meeting a lady for morning tea who has travelled up from Sydney to deliver some quilts, Thursday I am meeting a lady while away doing a pick up...........Saturday me and one of the ladies who's house was destroyed are meeting with a lady from the Southern Highlands area who is passing thru to deliver some quilts........

it's a big job but soooooo worth it..............the people who have them so far are just so AMAZED and THANKFUL people have cared enough to do this...............

Catch you later..............

Chookyblue

enjoying the weather..........

The weather for the last week has been beautiful.........well if it can't rain at least it has cooled down..............the last week has been a max of 27deg C...........have to go back to October last year for weather like this..........so much nicer then the 30+ temps......need more rain though......nights between 10-14degC.......

&&&&

The final post about Girls Day in the Country......already booked in for 2014 with Lynette Anderson.........if you are thinking of going it's pretty much booked out you need to contact Kerry ASAP to get on the waiting list..........the 2 main shopping items...........

Some Riley Blake goodness............

The thing to remember with Riley Blake is the layer cakes/charm packs don't have 42 pieces like the Moda ones do..........you need to check what you are choosing.....most have 18 or 24 I think.........

The Sweetest Thing by Zoe Pearn.............

Then I got a pair of scissors that are designed for snipping shaggy quilts.......Mr Chooky has snipped the last couple and I have another one coming up so he can snip that one too.........with HIS NEW SCIZZORS........

And a random picture of my canisters in the chookshed.............don't think I have shown you.......

Still stuff to catch up emails/blogs etc......i'm in a bit of a switched off mode......things are/have been busy......

And struggling with the end of daylight savings..........I am so sick of fighting with kids to get them out of bed of a morning in the dark.............and struggling to get out myself...........
Oh next week is going to be SOOOOO nice..........6pm sunset......heaven...........
I love autumn......especially when it feels like it...........

Catch you later..............

Chookyblue