Christmas Greetings 2012................

It's been a while since my last post so thought I would wish everyone a very happy Christmas. May you enjoy the company of family and friends during this season of peace & goodwill!

It's late afternoon on Christmas Eve - cooking is done, presents are wrapped & all preparation are completed. It's extremely hot hear in the Hunter, so I've just been enjoying some relaxation time with a cold beer & a movie - "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - a hotel for the Old and Beautiful". The movie is set in colouful, chaotic Jaipur in northern India. I recommend it as a delightful & happy movie about grabbing hold of life and making the best of today in spite of advancing age, uncertain health, fear and disapproval from some!!

Greetings from this Aussie Santa - may he treat you well tonight!!

Again ..... Happy Christmas. I'll be back in the new year with an update on my weaving adventures.

Unitl the next post................Nameste

Spring is here.............

Spring has arrived in all its wonderful glory so thought I should get back on the blog....... Since returning home from my wonderful European adventure I've been busy with a number of activities..... I'm establishing a courtyard garden and on this glorious day it is looking very cheery indeed! One of my faviourtie pastimes is playing Bridge & while I've still a "P" plater I absolutely enjoy it!
In addition I'm finding more time for some patchwork & embroidery. Recently I put the final stitch in the binding of this delicious quilt which I've called "Spring has Sprung" - the fabrics suggest the light, bright happy colors of an emerging spring! The quilt is my interpretation of the quilt "Jazz Hands", in the Material Obsession 2 book.

Some time ago I came across this quilt, stored carefully in box! It was crying out to be finished, so here is the quilt top finished.........maybe it should be called 'the quilt that time forgot' !!!

Recently I've been having weaving lessons and what a wonderful discovery it is........ Learning all about the mysteries of the warp & the weft..... Well the warp is on the loom and I'm weaving in earnest! Some progress photos:

Warp in place and first tentative rows of weaving completed!

Current progress..............

Locally we have a very active and welcoming Spinners & Weavers group. At the last meeting I was lucky to win the raffle, a gorgeous bundle of mohair wool - so it appears a spinning wheel beckons..............

Stay posted for more news on the warp & the weft!

Must away - I'm off to yoga, so until the next post...............

Farewell England........

Some final images captured as we ventured the highways & byways of Devon & Cornwell......

Lovely London - some familiar & not so familiar images.........

Bloomsbury Square - the heart of the artists & artisans district..

Leicester Square - the theatre district......

Big Ben - standing tall and sparkling clean for 'London 2012' - the Jubilee celebrations & the Olympics

The dome of St Paul's Cathedral, so much in the news in recent days with the Queen's Jubilee Celebrations

Note the cloudless blue sky.....

So long London - until the next time....










Thank you for joining us on our travels, may the travelling spirits be with you...............

At this stage no more grand travel sojourns are planned but stay posted for an update on the craft adventures - next stop weaving!  Nameste........

Home again.............Au Revoir France

Greetings from School Lane........... Robyn & I arrived home safe & sound from London via Hong Kong. We both agreed it was a wonderful trip, very refreshing - good food for body & soul!
While travelling is great it's always good to be home again surrounded by family, friends & familiarity!

Two of my lovely nieces with one of the latest additions to our family - my great nephew. He is much loved & cherished and....... greatly photographed!!

Some final images to bid au revoir to glorious France. I'll let the pictures tell their own story.......

Nantes & Pour l'Amour du Fil where we were treated to a glorious array of quilts & other textile art projects ranging from the traditional to the wild & wondrous and even some art quilts with a serious message.....

Chateau de Chenonceau



Monet's Garden

 

Paris...........

Au revoir until our next sojourn in France........................Stay posted for the farewell post to England - coming soon...............

Thank you for joining us on our grand adventure & may the travelling spirit be with you!!

London & surrounds.....

Our great travel adventure is drawing to a close but before we depart a little about our visits to areas surrounding London.

Oxford one of the world's great university towns with a rich history dating back 750 years...

Hampton Court Palace the one time home of King Henry V111 & located on the River Thames.....

The Palace houses an amazing collection of tapestries, many from the time of Henry V111. How talented the artisans & weavers were who designed & woven these works - just look at some of the amazing detail in these pieces......

We went to the Theatre to see the wonderful musical Jersey Boys. It was fabulous.......it put a real "spring in the step"....  My niece Merran joined us and before the show we had dinner at a local mexican restaurant where Mez works..........

It's been a wonderful trip but after 6 weeks we depart London today for our homeward journey via Hong Kong. Stay posted - the next blog will be coming from School Lane...........

London - where the sun does shine!!

We have been in London for nearly 2 weeks & I must say it is as entertaining as ever. We have enjoyed the sights & sound and spent time with my lovely niece Merran who is currently living & working in London. In particular she introduced us to the Borough Markets, well known London fresh food markets offering an amazing selection of fresh foods and wines...... We lunched on some delicious delights, along with hundreds of Londoners & other travellers!

But..........today, dear Reader, I'm delighted to report that coats, scarves & boots have been cast aside because, at long last, warm weather & sun shine has arrived................. To celebrate we spent much of yesterday out & about enjoying the sun. The afternoon was spent roaming around the north London suburb of Hampstead - an area I lived in when I worked in London in my youth!! We finished the day with a lovely walk on Hampstead Heath and joined many others napping on the grass around the heath's pond......

The view sky ward from our resting spot on the grass..............

St Paul's Cathedral under a glorious blue sky!

Our roaming also took us to Westminster Cathedral with its glorious collection of mosaics. This is a recently added mosaic of St Paul.....

Finally on a sunny day the locals doing what Londoners do well - sitting in the midday sun enjoying their lunch.....

Earlier in the week we joined English friends for a long lunch at Kettners Restaurant in Soho. These are friends from past travel adventures to the Wonderful Workshops in Jaipur India so their was much talk & catching up! We enjoyed a wonderful afternoon celebrating joy of friendship....

For a wonderful 360 degree bird's eye view of London I recommend a ride on the London Eye....

One familiar view from The Eye on a somewhat overcast day......

We've had a few day trips outside London including to Oxford & Hampton Court Palace, so stay posted for more about that later. Tonight we are off to the West End to see the Jersey Boys....
Until the next post, K & R......  

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