August Update

 August certainly sped by, but sometimes I wish it went faster just to be finished with the cold weather. I decided to enter my Sunshine Rose Garden quilt in the AMQF Quilt Show, mainly because they extended the entry deadline and I could enter it. I also can collect it so do not have to worry about the return postage. This needed a photo of it finished, so once again I hung it over the veranda rail and clicked away. It now has an Australia Post tracking number and is in transit. Hope it gets there, I will know in a few days.

 I started the last few blocks in my next project. I have always wanted to make a basket quilt. Sometimes I think I will be a basket case myself but I am still here. This is a series quilt from QNM with some modern flowers. My new ( 1yr old now) sewing machine is doing a good job with a few different blanket stitches.

 The good news came in mid August with some much welcomed rain.

August is also birthday month for my 2 of my girls. So off I went on a road trip. Actually went to Rockhampton twice. Once for some shopping for a very special occasion coming up soon. Then off to Monto for 2 nights to help take care of Parker and also see the eldest birthday girl. She was busy as usual but her garden is coming along fine.  The start of most trips see the car and I visit the nearest rubbish dump to offload the household rubbish, funny how we clean the house before we leave. Here we are at the Brigooda Dump.

I moved from Monto to Rockhampton for 2 more nights, and caught up with the shift workers there. Spent a day down at Yeppoon, watching the waves come ashore.

 Then I headed south west, past Moura, met my new grand niece at Paranui, then onto Theodore, past this dragline doing some work.

 Went to Taroom, where I had never been before and then swung further south west heading for Roma. Found this huge patch of pasture out that way. They still need more rain but are grateful for what has fallen. This is the view on the other side of the road. Craig wanted to know why didn't I bring that paddock home for him.

 Joined the Warrego Highway at Roma, and continued further west to Amby.  Spring Hill at Amby is in the distance in this photo. 3 k's of gravel road was all I had to encounter in the 520k from Rockhampton.

 The bottle trees certainly are impressive. I brought 2 home as they are different leaves to the ones here.

Finally arrived at the Spring Hill Country Craft Retreat place.

I helped Gay out for her Open Day on Sunday 31 August. She has converted the spare house on her property to be a working craft retreat complete with craft shop. I am not sure of the numbers that attended but the ladies travelled from Injune, Mitchell, Roma, Wallumbilla and Dunkeld and lots of places I had never heard of. One lady drove 99.9 kms over  rough roads to attend. Their nearest dedicated patchwork shop is Dalby, and the most important thing of all, it is intended to be a sanctuary away from the ever pervasive drought and land conditions. The lady who won a shopping voucher has only just moved into a new home after spending all of this time living in a flood condemned house.

 

Back home, I have painted the 2 window hoods this morning with the metal primer. Has been too windy the last few days. Still deciding what colour to paint underneath it. The top is dark grey. I was going to paint underneath white, but after looking at it from the inside, I might try the dark grey, hoping it will hide the spider webs better. Will decide by trial and error.

In preparation for my classes at AMQF in October , I have finally hooked up my drawing tablet to my laptop. It basically becomes another monitor. It enables me to draw actually on the screen. What a steep learning curve. I am off to work for 5 days and nights so had better get packing but am taking this with me.