Sunday 16 October 2011

But there's more!!

I am sorry....I'm just showing off now but the wildflowers are so worth sharing!! Before the pictures I do have to share this lovely bit of an email that I received last night from a friend in Melbourne.......she was referring to the periwinkle plant I mentioned previously......

"Did you ever used to watch "Keeping Up Appearances" and enjoy Mrs Hyacinth Bouquet boasting about her "Royal Doulton hand painted periwinkle porcelain"  !!?
.. .. and next time you see a periwinkle take the flower apart and inside you'll find what ordinary folk would call a stamen or some such but I personally know they are fairies' brooms !!  Have a look and you will see !!!"

 Isn't that just lovely :-)













We leave Western Australia tomorrow evening - home about midnight (partly due to the time difference!), and then I fly out the next morning for the Queensland Quilt Show. Look forward to seeing some of you there.....and thankyou everyone in WA for having us - we love your state! I am sure her Royal Highness will also be impressed!

More wonderful wildflowers


I can see why people love to do wildflower tours of Western Australia.  While I am trying to learn more about them I have come across a couple of sites full of loads of information: Wildflower species and Wildflower society of WA (I was a little worried I might be photographing weeds!!)

On our way driving to Dunsborough yesterday Larry had to put up with me constantly shouting..."STOP!!!".So  here is the result......enjoy











Thursday 13 October 2011

Mother nature at her best

The Gloucester tree did not defeat me 36 years ago but it did today!!! Larry even got a few steps higher than me!

 That is another brave soul above - not Larry. His effort is below....


I did manage to get some shots of a few wildflowers that are still in bloom - enjoy the 'eye candy'















The Karri trees are just magnificent.
Larry in the foreground gives you some idea of their majestic size...


We drive to Dunsborough tomorrow and we will visit the famous Margaret River region on our way. Have a good week X

Almost chill out time

My workshop schedule has been leaving me confused in both day and time....where am I and what day is it??? There are a few workshops I didn't even manage to get photos of...sorry girls! Last week I had to launch a new Pfaff sewing machine in Terrigal north of Sydney and in the process had to present a workshop to 51 people!! What a huge class and thanks to Debbie and her family who helped prepare all the blocks that you can see waiting on the machines.....



At the moment we are in Western Australia and Rebecca, the Western Australian Quilters' Association's workshop convener did manage to get some  workshops photos (click on her name for more)

While we were in Perth we caught up with friends. Thanks Denise and Simon for the beautiful dinner (and sorry I left the camera behind!). We also met up with Glenda and Len who we met on our Russian trip last year. These are some memories of our day together in beautiful Perth....



We then travelled south to Bunbury - last time I was here was 36 years ago and my goodness how it has changed! So many million $$ beachside mansions.......unfortunately no photo of the workshop with the Bunbury Quilters but what a lovely place we stayed at.....


 Bunbury is full of so many beautiful gardens and roses, roses and more roses


We are currently in Pemberton - home of the giant karri trees. I have wanted to show Larry the 212 foot tree I climbed all those years ago, so more photos of that tomorrow. Above is our little cabin for 3 nights...time to chill out before I head to Dunsborough for another two day workshop.
 On our arrival yesterday I soon set myself up with a cuppa to do some more designing and look who came down to check it all out!




Today we took a rail tram that went deep into the forest....I would love to have hopped off to photograph some of the wildflowers that WA is so well known for. Did get a couple of quick shots...


Last of all a visit to a lavender farm where we added a few more calories that we really don't need!!! I've used this periwinkle shape in a lot of my quilts....apparently it is a weed over here....

 If you look carefully above you will see the quick shot I got of the blue wren



 And an orange wren hiding behind the tree