Happy birthday Quinn!

 Quinn is 16! Time to get his driver's licence.

 Happy birthday Quinn! I hope this year is full of fun and adventures.

World Quilt Exhibition

My quilts, “15 March 2019” and “Broken Dreams” have both been selected to be judged at the World Quilt Competition and will hang on display during the event from August 15-17, 2019 in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA. These quilts will tour the United States and also be displayed at the Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza in September, in October at the Pacific International Quilt Festival (San Francisco Bay Area), and the season’s remaining World Quilt Show in Florida. 

 I got permission from Pat Campbell, of the Canberra Times, to use his image to make this quilt. It's 2.2m long. I found the process of making this quilt catharitc, and helped me with the grieving process of the tragic events in Christchurch.

Underwater Hockey

 Tighe took up Underwater Hockey this year.

 It's not much of a spectator sport, but he really enjoys it.

 There were new skills to learn, and lots of breath to hold.

 A tournament on Queen's Birthday weekend was a great time for Tighe to try his skills.

 The Rotoroa mixed team worked well, and they all had a great time.

Limes!

We were given a bucket of limes. The colour is amazing, and the smell gorgeous.

Cut up small, and ready for soaking overnight for lime jam, or marmalade.

I added a vanilla bean, and the flavour is fabulous. Perfect on buttered sour dough bread.

Fire!

 Sometimes a fire on a cold evening is just what we need.  Of course, a urchin has a stick to poke the fire...

 The brazier is made from the inside of the old washing machine.

Extremely satisfying watching the cardboard burn to ashes. The colours, the flames, the heat, the movement.

Feijoa jelly

 I have been saving the feijoa shells, and freezing them, until I had a pot full.

The urchins always find this process fascinating, and the house smells of feijoas.  1 cup feijoa to 3/4 cup sugar. Add some lemon juice and zest. 1 tsp of dried chilli flakes makes it fabulous.

Joberg to Sea - Erik's African Adventure

 Erik encounted a different type of water hazard during his 900km ride in South Africa.