Thursday, June 4, 2020

My time of year and a free pattern...

Late autumn, winter...aah, my favourite time of the year. 
No more spring/summer/most-of-autumn stinging heat, but a gentle cooling that is still quite temperate but oh so welcome. No more air conditioning, the windows are open wide, and any time of the day is the best time in the garden. 





I'm so grateful to have colour bursting forth because you know how much I love flowers, and it adds vivid hues to the dominant green of herbs and vegetables that are found across the front and back yards.

I pruned my rose bush right back mid autumn and here we are in the first week of winter and it's flush with new growth, beautiful leaves and plenty of rosebuds.










Pottering amidst raised vegetable beds, a front yard of pumpkins and numerous tomato plants scattered all around I'm getting quite excited about harvesting crops for the dinner table.

We have a LOT of different tomato plants, most with plenty of green fruit right now, though I do find a touch of impatience waiting for them to ripen. 



This is our first year growing capsicums and whilst the regular red variety are being quite slow to kick off, these 'chocolate' capsicums are very happy and heavy with plenty of fruit. They turn brown like chocolate when ripe, but I do not think they taste like it.




One of my pumpkins is almost ready to pick and both Blossom and I are eager to make a few pots of spicy pumpkin soup before too long.




The herbs are thriving now the weather has settled to a fairly stable 26-27 C (around 80 F) during the day.












We've had dozens of rainbow lorikeets in the garden every day lately and not seen much of the cockatoos but today they returned and the yard was a sea of white for hours. One always sits watch at the top of the clothes line...




Princess Sophie got a bit of disturbing (to her) news this morning. Bob-the-dog is moving back home after being at Blossom's the past few months. 
You know, he adores her, but she's such a princess and likes her sovereignty in our home. I just laugh.
She on the other hand laments. Silly Sophie.




Today I did a big tidy up around the house, lots of those often overlooked 'little' jobs. Felt good to draw a line through each of my tasks listed on the to-do sheet so my reward was Greek take-out for dinner (thank you sweet husband) and time to reorganise my office space.
It's almost mid-year and with everything that's gone on so far in 2020 I lost a bit of momentum and enthusiasm, mostly because I haven't been as organised with my planning, time, paperwork and correspondence as I usually am - and I thrive on organisation and lists. Getting my office area scrubbed, the layout changed around, old files and paperwork shredded and a fresh new to-do list started was wonderful!




And my final finish for the day was sewing the buttons on Cully May's completed cardigan...




It's been decades since I knitted a child's cardigan and there's a few mistakes here and there but nothing that impacts it's wearability. In fact, I think those small blips just add to the handmade homeliness of this knitted-with-extra-love gift for our sweet granddaughter. 
Tomorrow morning I'll be taking it over to her so expect a photo or two very soon.

I was asked by a few ladies how I make the porridge that my chickens enjoy each morning.
Well it's nothing special, just mix 1 cup rolled oats with 1 cup of water and 1 cup milk in a saucepan, bring to the boil before simmering for two or three minutes.
Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl, add another 1/2 cup cold milk and mix well. Once the oats have cooled to lukewarm take it out to your hens for them to enjoy. 




I hope and pray that your days offer peace, especially in those areas of the world where unrest has taken hold and things can feel quite unstable or scary. In the midst of trouble Christ can still hold you - seek His arms and His Word for your strength, comfort, hope and assurance. 

I'd like to share this free pattern with you today before I sign off, because I believe this is what we all need right now, what we always need regardless of where we are in the world. 

HOPE, sweet friend, Hope in the Lord always for only He has the power to save.




Loving hugs


18 comments:

Jacqueline said...

Your plants and herbs look great. Glad you are feeling energized and calm. The little cardigan is rays of sunshine and warmth.

Beth said...

We harvested our one pumpkin last week - it weighed 1.9kg! I made soup over the weekend. My boss had suggested adding creamed corn, so I gave it a go and it tasted great. Just one can was enough. Any more and the corn would have completely taken over in the flavour.

Joanne said...

Hi Jenny,
A garden full of delight! Great to see!
Enjoy a creative and organised winter!
Thanks for the pattern :)
hugs,
Joanne

Marie said...

What a beautiful sweater that is! I love the colours and I'm sure no one will notice any "blips". Multi colours and lacy pattern can cover any mistakes ;-) I just came in from the garden and was thinking how hot it was and my husband mentioned that it was 26 degrees. Here in Canada, I don't like it any warmer than that, so I don't think I'd survive in your area. I guess we all get used to wherever we are :-) Have a lovely weekend Jenny and thankyou for always posting such uplifting things.

Lilac Joan said...

Your said, "In the midst of trouble Christ can hold you..." reminded me of an old hymn by Fanny Crosby,
Save in the arms of Jesus.
Safe on His gentle breast
There by His love o'er-shaded.
Sweetly my soul shall rest.

Dots said...

Hi Jenny, LOVE that sweater! Beautiful colors. That Cully May will probably never want to take that off!
I love rosebuds best. I use to call my youngest daughter Rosebud.
Your pumpkin is great looking. Jenny, you have a real green thumb!
And fixing those chickens breakfast really made me smile. Seeing those birds, have to be best of morning times, I bet.
Yes. Hope is also on my wall, where I look at it often. The unrest in the states right now is unreal. Coming out of isolation and right into some serious problems was unexpected. Plus still some virus cautions being expressed. I still am making more masks. They are requiring we wear them out to stores and on the job. So there is still a need for those.
But I am not discouraged. I know who holds the universe in His hands. His favor surrounds us like a shield. That statement is so calming in the midst of unrest. It is as if the world is in labor. Something will come forth here shortly. God said His plans for us were good. So we look for that!
Be well, Jenny. God bless.

Julie said...

Thank You as always dear Jenny, for the beautiful pattern. I love it. I have been catching up on your last posts & am so sorry to read of your depression episode. I hope it has passed over now my friend. I adore little Cully Mays cardigan & it will suit her so much. Your garden is looking beautiful & it always amazes me how you grow what you do through the "winter" months - I realise your winters are so much milder. We had a lovely mild autumn here this year but winter has well & truly arrived now. Have a wonderful weekend my friend xxx (Oh - I meant to ask you - the birds that visit you .... they don't try to eat any of your green veggie leaves??)

Farm Quilter said...

Your garden is producing well and repaying the work you put into it all year long! I'm looking forward to seeing all the produce you grow and what you make with it. Cully May's cardi is beautiful!! Love the rainbow and the pattern you used. She will definitely be wrapped in your love when she wears it. So glad it is cooling off for you...35 C here today (95F)but it is supposed to drop to 12 C (55F) by Sunday. Interesting swings keep me switching from air conditioning to furnace!! Your feathered friends that visit daily are so beautiful...thanks for sharing them with us. Glad you are feeling better and are crossing those tasks off your list!

Ondrea said...

Your garden pics are always such a joy to see. I love the cardigan and using different coloured buttons is a great idea. It will be much worn and cherished. Thankyou for sharing the very apt stitchery.

Kay said...

I had to laugh when I saw that the temperature has dropped to around 27 and how much you love those cooler temperatures. That is way too hot for me, my perfect summer, yes, summer, is the early twenties. x

Lin said...

Lovely pictures of your garden Jenny and the cardigan turned out just great - she will love it! It's good to tidy your desk and have a clear out - something I need to do and maybe this afternoon!! xx

Tammy said...

Your garden looks so healthy and productive. Thank you for the free hope pattern. Your cardigan for the grand girl came out Beautiful. I know she is gonna be so proud of it... I love fall and spring best of all when things are nice and kinda cool but not too hot or overly cold...Im a lot more productive them...

Susan said...

What a lovely bit of glorious beauty your post is today! I loved seeing the garden and all the wonderful things happening there, the beautiful and colorful cardigan for Cully May, and the unexpected pleasure of the hope stitchery. Thank you!

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting said...

The sweater turned out lovely!

Jana said...

Your garden looks lovely. And I love your office area. Greetings from Central Europe where the summer is just about to begin :-)

Kim said...

That cardigan is soooo cute! I'm still such a beginner at knitting, but I keep plugging along and maybe someday I'll have mastered it. :)

Susie said...

I thoroughly enjoy the content in your blog Jenny. It's such a delight. I may not get around to reading each and every post but I enjoy the ones I do. That cardigan is so pretty. Cully May is very lucky. It's been very cold here in Melbourne in the mornings, almost zero degrees. We have our first pet - a cocker spaniel puppy (my kids are 16,12 and 9 and have been asking for at dog for at least 8 years, hehe) and heading out in the middle of the night and very early morning down the back stairs to the grass certainly awakens the senses.

Allie said...

Your garden is amazing - such abundance!!!! God is so good! The cardy is just darling, I can't wait to see it on her. Thank you for the lovely pattern, dear girl, I agree, Jesus is our hope!