How are you today?

 It seems a bit rude to always be writing about what's happening in my little quarter acre, and not asking what's happening in your sweet abode too, so today let me encourage you to write in the comments about your own life this almost mid-July afternoon. 

Where I am in the northern tropics of Australia, we are well into winter, and though we had a few very cold (to us) and wet days last week, it wasn't long before blue skies returned and our usual glorious warm weather returned with all it's beauty. The gardens loved those few days of rain, and my goodness it is flourishing with growth spurts, new blooms and edible treats now. 

The day after my last post about our family having Covid, all except my husband that is, that dear man tested positive and so began his own seven days of home isolation. He had it quite mild from the start, though the second day experienced chills and fatigue so he slept a bit longer that morning. Once that passed he has occupied himself with a number of chores from a dusty "to do" list left over from his holiday break in April.

The garden is lovely and warm so between our individual chores we take morning and afternoon breaks with fruit cake and tea, sitting under the Poinciana tree. 

I feel fine now. The cough is still there, but less than yesterday, and my sense of taste and smell is ever so slowly returning (yesterday I could smell the slightest hint of garlic in a heavily-garlicked loaf of bread I'd baked)...apart from that, my only discomfort is a return of the vertigo I had earlier in the year. Aah well, counting my blessings I have nothing but praise for everything the Lord has done in our lives and how He has cared for all of us.

We have a lot of calendula in full bloom around the garden now, and tomorrow I shall pick most of the flowers to dehydrate for herbal teas. When you pick the flowers, it seems only days later that the plants are full of them once more. It's such a giving plant!

Our cucumbers are almost ready to begin harvesting, one or two each day as we eat them, and we've enjoyed the big 'beefsteak' heirloom tomatoes already, along with rocket (arugula) in salads.

The pumpkin vines are doing very well, though there are no bees around (due to that very cold few days I think?) so I've been hand pollinating and it's working fine. 

I also planted out runner beans, two types of radish, strawberry spinach, beetroot, cress and nasturtiums at the end of June. So far all but the cress is doing well. 

Our guava tree is in flower with some fruit already forming, as are the lemon and lime trees.

My petunias have been in flower for a couple of months, but there was one type which simply lagged behind until last week. It's a double petunia and is glorious!!

Crochet takes up much of my time each evening, and now that Cully May's blanket is finished and ready for her birthday next month...

...I've been able to work on a UFO which was barely begun in 2019 when I packed it away because I didn't like the colours. But after the brightness of Cully May's blanket (above), the soothing coastal palette of the yarns in this almost discarded project really captured my heart and I can tell you it's already just days away from being finished! Initially I considered unravelling it, and I'm so glad I knocked that thought on the head and kept going. 

In daylight hours, between homemaking, cleaning, gardening and cooking, I'm sewing. Just in the past few days I began a new tote bag using some of my cherished stash of Cath Kidston drill fabric and a lovely pink/white spot for the lining. The idea came from a set of pink leather bag handles, rescued from an older bag which I literally wore out...together, I think these will make a  lovely new tote!

I've gotten to the stage of hand sewing on the leather handles, but have decided to give my fingers a rest first as they're very taxing on the hands. So, then I thought it was time to do a spot of mending. 

I've had this white Actil pillowcase for about a quarter of a century, and if you're in Australia you will know the quality is marvellous. But time and use will cause damage, so when I discovered a hole in it last year it was quickly put aside in the mending basket until I could think of a way to repurpose this lovely cotton pillowcase.

Yesterday I drew up a sketch of a flower and leaves, then cut out the pieces for applique from some very old Cabbages & Roses fabrics in off-white and blues. Needle-turn seemed the prettiest option for this particular makeover...

I did my best to darn the hole over with a zig zag stitch on the machine, then set to work with the hand applique. The darned hole sits behind the centre of the flower. 

So far I love how it's come together, but will add a few stamen inside the petals later today. I also discovered a side seam coming loose and stitches along the edge unravelling as well, so now my thoughts are to do a few more embellishments...but I'll think more about that and hopefully show you it all finished later in the week.

Do you remember my Block of the Month from 2019, "Phyllis May's Kitchen", which was made in honour of my Nana? If not pop over HERE to have a look. 

It's not available at the moment, but for a while now I've had a plan to remake it, not as the large memory book which was the original display, but as a quilt...and so, it begins again, but this time as Jennifer's Kitchen.

I recently bought a fat quarter bundle of Cook Book by Lori Holt, and that's what I'll use to make the quilt and the individual blocks.

If you're interested in doing this with me, I'll consider adding all the patterns into my Etsy Shop. Otherwise, I shall happily be playing with this for the rest of the year and will show you my progress along the way. 

For a while I barely cooked due to Covid and simply not being well enough, but life has gotten back to normal, a beautifully quiet and slow normal, so we're eating lots of vegetables and fruit, and enjoying plenty of fresh water and herbal teas.

Today we had a cous cous salad for lunch, loaded with freshly roasted beetroot and carrot, some cranberries and pine nuts, spring onions and coriander from the garden plus cucumber and tomatoes...served with avocado, feta cheese and cayenne pepper. The dressing was made with olive oil, lemon juice, fresh grated garlic, lemon rind, cumin powder, celtic sea salt and Moroccan seasoning. 

I also baked a Matrimony Slice with the last of the raspberry jam, and a baked rice pudding which we'll have with fresh strawberries tonight. 

Apparently we're in for some very cold nights this next week, but the days will continue to be bright and sunny. Hubby will return to work on Wednesday, and I shall have Blossom and the children come visit - life will really return to our kind of normal. 

From my home to yours, I wish you well, and pray that no matter what you are facing today, there is a God in heaven who loves you dearly and is waiting with open arms to carry you when you cannot walk alone...He is faithful, He is faithful, He is so so faithful.

Hugs and blessings,