From Stranger to Friend via Yarn

It's not everyday you get to meet a wonderful soul. People who give so generously without any payment or acknowledgement in return. People, who are total strangers, but then through various encounters, become friends. People, who give me faith that the world is a wonderful place, filled with wonderful people.

I have had the absolute pleasure in meeting more and more of these very generous people. The photos above are a donation of yarn to me from two total strangers. It all started like this, I posted a little advert in a free-cycle group online. Basically asking for small donations of yarns preferably in 8ply to be used to make up scarves for our local cancer unit, knitted squares for Wrap With Love, and granny squares for SIBOL. I got a return email from a lady saying she had some ends of balls of wool for me and would I like them. A few emails back and forth and I met up with her to collect the wool. She was with a friend who she told my email to and her friend also had a little clean out and together they handed over the above huge bag of yarns. I could not photograph the lot together as you can see, and the little white clothes peg is to give you an idea of how much yarn I was given. The lady's friend had suffered cancer 16 years ago. We talked for a few minutes about knitting, the friend talked about her cancer treatment, we have each others email addresses now and I told them how blown away I was by their generosity. I will photograph the scarves to them when they are done and I explained I already had eight to take to the cancer unit to be handed out.

I have so much faith in our world, for each day it seems, I get to meet wonderfully generous people. People like Mrs Twins. People like those from Wrapped with Love who so generously continue to carry out the founder's dream. (Sonia Gidley-King recently passed away.) People that ask for nothing, however, give so very much of their love and their time to bring a little warmth and comfort to those so desperately in need. The world really is a wonderful place and it's full of the most wonderful people. Don't turn the news on each night, it's far too depressing (and currently full of election blah), just turn to your neighbour, your friend, turn to those that uplift you and you will see that there really is much love and compassion right here, right now.

These are the people our world leaders should be looking up to, these are the people we need to tell our children about and write essays for school about, these are the people that need to be on the news, teaching the rest of us how it's really done.

Thank you.

Milo Pikelets, Abba, and Confessions of a Rotten Student.

Gather your supplies,

apron,

Abba in your loungeroom - loud

2 cups of s.r. flour,

2 Tbsp castor sugar,

2 Tbsp milo,

2 eggs,

1 1/2 cups milk

*Well I can dance with you honey
if you think it's funny
does your mother know
that you're out
and I can chat with you baby
flirt a little maybe
does your mother know
that you're out*

Sift dry ingredients, combine milk and beaten egg, pour the wet into

the dry and mix until smooth and well combined.

*Waiting for the sunrise, soul dancing in the dark
Summer night city
Walking in the moonlight, love-making in a park
Summer night city*

Dollop of butter melted in pan.

I used a soup spoon to drop spoonfulls into pan.

When little bubbles appear it's time to flip over.

*I can still recall our last summer
I still see it all
Walks along the Seine, laughing in the rain
Our last summer
Memories that remain*

You now have afternoon tea for your little ones in about 10mins, and if you are lucky and hide some in another container, you will have morning tea to pack for them tomorrow. *giggle* shhhhhhh. These are lovely just made fresh or with a dob of jam.

oh this batch made up I think about 48 piklets, hmmmm, I ate some (!)

I am not sure they are just perfect, I thought they would taste more *milo-y*, so next batch I think I will just do 1 Tbsp of castor sugar and 3 Tbsps of Milo. I promise I will share.

*You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life
Ooo.. see that girl, watch that scene, diggin' the Dancing Queen*

As for confessions of a bad student, *sigh* what can I say, I am so not motivated, I just don't see the point in trying, however, I am a good Mummy, so surely that evens up the bar. My house is tidy, there is afternoon tea for my darlings, I have paid bills, tended to housework and other necessary duties as a Mum.

Study, schmuddy.

*Thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing
Thanks for all the joy they're bringing
Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty
What would life be?
Without a song or a dance what are we?
So I say thank you for the music
For giving it to me*

Here's something you probably didn't know about me. I know it's a bit of a sad song to finish my post on, but that is what is currently playing and is one of my favourite Abba songs, such a beautiful song, it makes me cry, but I love the lyrics, I love the instrumental, I love the singing.

*Chiquitita, tell me what's wrong
you're enchained by
your own sorrow
in your eyes
there is no hope for tomorrow
how I hate to see you like this
there is no way you can deny it
I can see that you're
oh so sad, so quiet*

Thank you so much for stopping by. xx

What's On Your Table - Tuesday.

Little white motifs - $1.00 for the bag.

Big plans for these little cuties, but you will have to wait and see.

Incomplete Jumper $3.00

Incomplete vest $3.00

I don't feel bad unravelling these at all, it's the jumpers still on hangers in winter that I cannot bring myself to purchase and then unravel to use. I will wait for the heat of summer to purchase any winter 'unravel' stock. I think that is fair.

All this above was the same op-shop.

Across the top, 3 x tablecloths at $2.00 each - so love the pure white cloth, so many options for this one. The green floral is a huge round cloth, first thoughts were for a 'tabletop' for our picnic rug, but now thinking sundress for the Mumma.

Under that I have 6 x pillowcases at 0.50c each. Love these fabrics. The lovely bright orange is a little placemat and has a pretty floral pattern around the border. It was also 0.50c. It will go beautifully on our brown coffee table with little candles.

This is all st. vinnies op shop goodness.

2 x pattern books $1.00 each.

All this yarn here was priced differently and with other batches. I chose the skeins for $4.00 and the fellow at the counter could see that I liked these other bits so he told me I could have all of it for $4.00. I thanked him but told him I would give him $8.00 for it. He was chuffed and so was I. This was from the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Op-Shop, they need the money, especially in rural areas where transport to major hospitals is such a huge distance.

So this is what is on my table this Tuesday. There was one other purchase, however, I don't quite have time to share this one just yet. I could not believe I found it to be honest, I think I am still in a little shock. So I will leave you now my friends, as I have lots of washing and unravelling to be done.

I hope you are having a lovely day.

Tell me, what is on your table this Tuesday?

Farming Friends

*berk* *beeerrrrrrrrrk*

No, it's not tree dandruff, it's a galah party at sundown.

A gift from Mother Nature. Thank you.

Bonfire beauty.

We were invited to visit some friends on their farm for a Saturday evening bonfire. It was wonderful. The kids all had a lovely tractor ride, they checked out the chooks and collected eggs, said hello to the geese, ran around like little indians around the paddocks and yards, watched outdoor movies snuggled under blankets and pillows, nibbled home made pizza.

As for the adults, we chatted about the chooks and the awesomeness of the hen house and nesting boxes, we asked about the orchard, vege patch, working the land, we discussed various aspects of farming and what they had planned next (green house and japanese hot springs, pond, outdoor pizza oven and more planting, farm stay options and cabins) we kept toasty warm by the huge bonfire and some of us snuggled with the kids to watch the outdoor movies.

We had a wonderful evening, totally gob-smacked by this wonderful little family and the huge plans they have for their little farm, but gosh, it's so precision-like planned and they are taking each step slowly and meticulously to ensure it all goes to plan and each addition benefits the surrounds it's placed in.

The beauty of a farm is what we saw yesterday, the passion from this little family is bringing their dream together to be fully sustainable and work the land, the respect they have for the land, how they have planned their farm from the layout that Mother Nature has given them to best support their needs.

I couldn't breathe in enough, the smell of the fresh straw, the crisp cool air as the sun set, the colours of the sky and the laughing of the galah's as the sun dropped over the horizon, the view of the mountains and the first sprinkling of stars as the evening set in. The smell and crackle of the bonfire, the laughter of the kids running around.

I want to live on a farm. A little farm, just enough for the kids to run free, have chickens, a vege patch and fruit trees, two dogs, four cats, a huge cubby house down the back. A little house with a big fireplace in the middle of the house, a huge verandah running all around with an outdoor pizza oven, and an old wagon under a huge fig tree.

Did you get to spend time with some amazing people this weekend?

Saturday

How be your Saturday?

Are you soaking up the sun this Saturday?

Are you snuggled warm, watching the rain this Saturday?

Are you working on a project with someone special this Saturday?

Are you celebrating a special event this Saturday?

Are you hanging with dear ones this Saturday?

Did you board a train, plane, submarine or boat this Saturday?

Are you holding hands this Saturday?

Are you cheering your favourite team this Saturday?

Are you making something for a gift this Saturday?

Are you sleeping in this Saturday?

Are you wearing your favourite coloured undies this Saturday?

Did you tell someone that you miss/love them this Saturday?

Are you swimming with dolphins this Saturday?

Are you eating hot dogs this Saturday?

Did you say goodbye to someone this Saturday?

Are you having a beer with a friend this Saturday?

Are you hanging washing on the line this Saturday?

Are you reading a good book this Saturday?

Did you bake a cake or cookies this Saturday?

Are you wearing a pirate hat this Saturday?

Did you move house this Saturday?

Did you roller skate this Saturday?

Do you have a bonfire at your place with marshmallows this Saturday?

Are you cooking something spectacular this Saturday?

Did you pick flowers this Saturday?

Did you say a prayer for someone who needs it, this Saturday?

Are you blowing out candles on a cake this Saturday?

Did you dance, or sing, this Saturday?

Did you find a quiet moment to just 'be' this Saturday?

Have a lovely Saturday.

Cruisin'

Bendigo Woollen Mills - Classic Cones

notions

Hello to my lovely friends, yes, I am back, I just could not let this pass. I have been knitting tonight, and have now completed one sleeve of the little green jumper and cast on sleeve number two. Alas, aching joints have stopped me going further, so on the computer I go, yarn on the brain, thoughts of what to make next, cruisin' the internet.

Just wanted to share Bendigo Woollen Mills with you. I have been filling my 'shopping cart' there tonight, and tomorrow am going to seriously have to scale back on my purchases, but it's been so much fun adding all those lovely colours together.

Now while I was in blogland, I poppped over to see Rosie and have totally fallen in love with her recent brooch collection, especially 'Miss Gladys'. So now I am back to my Bendigo shopping cart, because from their classic cones in 2 and 3 ply, Aztec or Plum (yes, I love the colour combo of the Plum with 'Miss Gladys'), I am thinking some lovely spring yarn made into a vest and finished with a 'Miss Gladys' would be perfecto for me. Rosie, I hope you don't mind that I dragged your photo over. I just so wanted to show everyone your beautiful work.

What have you been cruisin' around looking at on the internet lately that you would like to share. I would love to see.

Where to Begin?

L to R. Goldstone, Rhodonite, Lepidolite, Tiger Iron

I don't quite know what to say, I don't quite know if I should be saying it here, I am not sure how to get the words out, or if in fact there are any words to get out. *sigh* I am feeling a little strange right now, however, don't ask me to explain, cause, really, I just cannot, all I know is - well I think I know - is that it wasn't my choice at all. It just happened this way.

I got out of bed this morning, with a thousand things to get done, you know, a regular day as a Mum, assistant coach, student, volunteer, committee member. I had my list written up, sort of like a game plan of rushing around to get it all done in the best possible time, without forgetting anything.

Then there it was, in the middle of the local markets on my way to get apples, almost like I had been slapped across my face. I found myself staring at this stone, it was absolutely brilliant, I just had to touch it, everything around me disappeared completely, I just don't remember, nothing existed outside of this one stone.

It's touch spread through my fingers, I felt it twine through my wrist and up to my elbow. Almost like it was a capsule of liquid that was intravenously making its way through my blood or my nerves or something. *freak* I must at this point explain to you I am stone cold sober right now. I just cannot explain myself, but I never want to forget the feeling either, hence, my recording here and now.

I don't recall how long passed before the lady behind the counter come over to me. Her eyes were so green along with her tiny earrings and scarf. She told me I was holding Goldstone. I think it was obvious to her I had no idea about crystals or stones and she then went on to say it's good for relieving pain in joints. I didn't care, I didn't care at all, I just was so drawn to this stone, I could not stop looking at, or touching it. So I bought it. Now I am home, it has sort of hit me, the virus I have had recently with the swelling and aching in my joints, well there is no way she would have known about that at all. *interesting*

I managed to tear my eyes away from it long enough to realise there was a whole table of beautiful crystals and stones. The photo above is of the stones I purchased in order of purchase. I won't say 'my choice', to be honest, I think they chose me. (*!*)

I then purchased my apples, and headed for the bookstore because I want to know more. The Crystal Bible is what I found at the bookshop along with a few others, but this I recognised, as the lady at the stall had this very book on her counter.

I googled Goldstone and you can go Here if you want to check it out. I am about to read up about my other purchases as well.

Tell me, has this happened to you before, has something reached out to you so strongly and 'claimed' you this way before? I would love to know I am not alone here, I would love to know if perhaps the natural forces of nature are getting my attention.

Thank you for stopping by my place today, and I hope you come back, I didn't mean to scare.