Spring in the Garden

Plum blossom:

Apple leaves:

Lots of flowers:

Lots of planting:

And, would you believe it, aphids!

How did they find the roses already?

Aldi Overlocker

I don't remember exactly when this overlocker was purchased. Last year? Or the year before? The last couple of years have been so full-on I really don't remember. At the time, I took it out of the box and made sure it actually worked, so it could be returned if faulty. But since then it has been back in its box. Today I finally unpacked it, gave it lots of oil, and then put it to use:

I'm making a top out of fabric from deep stash. Pictures when it is done!

UFO for September

After finishing my August UFO, I did some quilting on another project that will be revealed later this year. But a new month has begun, and this month's random UFO number is 8. (And 71, but fortunately I can ignore large numbers like that!)

My number 8 is my hexagon flower ball, (designed by Geta Grama) which has been in one piece since early last year. But it needs to be appliquéd to a background before it can be turned into quilt. Today at the guild Sit and Sew, I started that:

I'm glad this one came up now, as it is meant to be my hall wall-hanging for spring. Maybe it will be hanging before spring is over?

70s House Plants

These ceramic pot covers which match our kitchen tiles were marked down to less than half price:

So then I needed some house plants to put in them. Here are a couple of plants I last owned in the 70s. Above, an aluminium plant, Pilea cadierei, and a spider plant, Chlorophytum comosum, below.

Buninyong Botanic Gardens

Took a rainy walk around the Buninyong Botanic Gardens. Their walled garden didn't offer a lot of inspiration for ours:

Deodar in front of the Queen Victoria Rotunda:

It's quite a large tree, but looks much smaller than those we saw monkeys bouncing through in the Himalayas.

Unusual Daffodil

At least I think it's a daffodil:

Unusual colour and petal arrangement.

Another clump of them nearby, just about to open:

Found in an old section of a local cemetery. I wonder if they are a random mutation, or an old variety that have been growing here undisturbed for a very long time?

Spring Bulbs

Although I'm told spring doesn't arrive in Ballarat until about October, it really feels like it is here now. The bulbs seem to think it is spring.

Hyacinth:

Daffodils:

Jonquils:

Snowflake:

The front "lawn" was mown today:

I might even have to stop putting "lawn" in inverted commas, soon.