JASPER, A SEWING LESSON AND MEET MY BROTHER

 The quality of strength lined with tenderness is an unbeatable combination. 

Maya Angelou

It has been a busy week and I have had trouble with my internet connection as I am changing providers. Luckily, I have a wonderful brother who spent many hours working on it and finally found a solution. In the end it turned out to be a fault at Telstra's end.

Anyway, I am a bit late getting this post out. 

We have had some beautiful weather. I took this photo from my back deck yesterday.

The sun through the trees at my back deck.

We have had our warmest autumn on record and over a week into winter are still experiencing above average temperatures. This has been great for me. I don't have particularly good heating so I have really appreciated the warm weather.

 
My daughter R is currently at Mount Isa, in Queensland. So Jasper, my grand-dog is still here with me. He is great company, although very spoiled, and I am probably the worst offender.

Jasper

He is a Miniature Foxie and very cute.

I had another sewing lesson at Vera's Machine Centre in Fairy Meadow.

Vera's Machine Centre

I am surprised at how long it has taken me to learn to use the functions of my machine. Is it because I am approaching 60?


(Since I was made redundant from my job of teaching teenagers with major behavioural problems I have had certain people suggest I should do some upgrading of my psychology skills and become a registered psychologist.  I did my Masters degree 20 years ago and I would really need to upgrade quite a bit to be registered. All of this would take a few years. Besides costing a fortune, which I do not have, I really do not feel like studying that hard any more. I don't know if I could.)


Anyway, I can now sew my name and do a variety of fancy stitches which I hope to incorporate into some of my felt work. It did take me 2 lessons instead of the 1 lesson usually provided but I got there in the end.


Because of the warm weather my paper bark trees in my front garden have been tricked into flowering only a couple of months after their last flush.

Paperbark trees

They are very pretty but too high up to pick.


My brother Geoff has a lawn mowing business in the Illawarra area. He loves his work and takes great pride in it. He doesn't just mow lawns - he tends them.

Geoff

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Instead of a single price per mow, Geoff charges an average of $100 per month during the warmer months of the year, less during the cooler months.  For this he will maintain your lawn and do his best to keep it looking at its best. For your monthly payment you will receive at least 2 mows.  You will usually receive 3 or 4 or more, depending on the weather. Geoff will negotiate a price with you and then he will do his best to keep your lawn looking lush, smooth and green. 

While he is not a horticulturist, Geoff will do weeding, pruning and other gardening maintenance. 

If you are interested in giving Geoff a try you can reach him on:
 0466 955 135.

Or contact him via email at:
 geoff@imowlawns.com.au 

Interesting sites

1 .

Floating Egg House

Photo source

 Artist Stephen Turner created this egg-shaped abode. He plans to use the Exbury Egg, which was made with boat-building techniques, as his living and working space for the next year. Inside there is a stove, a shower, a desk and a hammock. And solar power too. Click here to find out more.


2.

 126 images pieced together to make one of very big tree

Photo source

“The President” is  the name of a giant sequoia located in the Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park in the United States. It’s so huge, it’s impossible to look at in one go. So no one has ever taken a proper photograph of its entirety. A team of photographers from National Geographic worked with scientists from California’s Sequoia National Park to take at least 126 separate photos of ‘the President’. The end result was worth all the effort as these 126 photos were pieced together to get a single, stunning full-length image of ‘The President’. Click here to view the image and see more.

3.

 Concrete tube hotel

Photo source

Tubohotel opened in 2010 and lies approximately 45 minutes south of Mexico City in the village of Tepoztlan, Morelos. The rooms are created from recycled concrete tubes & stacked in a pyramid shape, reflecting the Aztec pyramid of El Tepozteco that overlooks the town.
Click here to see more.