Thursday, October 22, 2015

BUSY BUSY BUSY

Time is certainly flying by, October!!!!!! 

Last post my Mother in Law had just passed away.  We did a fly by trip to NZ with my eldest daughter to attend her memorial.
When we arrived it was like this....
This was the Southern Alps as we were driving toward the pass from Christchurch at about 8am on the 2nd of July.  I was pretty apprehensive about the weather on this trip.  You never know what you'll get in NZ in winter and I was surprised at the lack of snow for July on the Alps.  Our destination was Karamea on the west coast so we had a long drive ahead (about 6hrs).

The Memorial was lovely and held in Nana's garden where a nosey Native Wood Pigeon came to visit in the Kowhai tree.  Geo told a wonderful story of how the Pigeon was the catalyst to them buying that particular home.  I did not know any of this when I got a tattoo of the Wood Pigeon on my forearm.  Co-incidence?

We stopped by the birthplace of the Corriedale sheep too.  Had to add something woolie to the itinerary.


 After the memorial we drove up to Nelson to visit a dear friend.  We hadn't seen each other since I moved to Australia so it was wonderful to catch up with her.  Of course I was knitting the whole time we were traveling and I left my friend a gift of the Rivendell Smoke Ring cowl.

Alas a very brief 6 days later we're heading back to Christchurch to fly home and my fears for the weather came true.  We were lucky though as the pass was still open after being ploughed clear from the dumping it got the night before.
 On the way up the Lewis pass.
At the lookout at the top

 We were back in plenty of time to check out how Christchurch is going after the earth quakes of a couple of years back.  They're still in the grip of recovery and the signs of the shakes are all over the place.






This was our lunch/dinner before going to the airport.  Best gluten free loaded baked potatoe EVER!!!
The trip was an emotional blur but one we'll never forget.

So back to now...........

I have been spinning and knitting as usual and have my latest achievements to share.  I entered two of my lace knits into the Sunbury Agricultural Show.

My big bedspread, the Persian Star
Got first in knitting not scheduled.
And my LOTR Evenstar Shawl with it's 2800 beads around the edging...
It's my own hand spinning and dying from fibre I got from Deb (dudleyspinner) in the mid west USA.
Got first in Handspun Other Item and best in class!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I also got a second for my handspun socks as well but I don't have a pic.

I've also been doing a fair bit of spinning that I have photographed so I had better take some more pics.
I do have a photo of the singles I was plying of the Bond top I got from Jenny (shiloh wool) at the Australian Sheep and Wool Show.
Well that's it.  Up to date.  I did do some Indigo dying yesterday but alas...didn't take pics..will next time though.

SOAP SOAP SOAP

The show went well.  Not as well as I would have liked but well enough... Now it's soap I am doing a lot of...Yet another old craft no...