Monday, August 26, 2013

GOLF CART, QUILT DISPLAY SWAN HILL.

 The Lakeside Annual Golf Tournament was held 25th and 26th August 2013 Pa looked after this golf cart for the weekend.
 The Murray Mallee Quilters held a Quilt show in Swan Hill 25th and 26th August 2013, these are two quilts I exhibited. Also had traders there as well and they had some wonderful things to purchase, this photo shows the array of goods available for the public to purchase.

The money raised by the group will be donated to charity, - Bone Marrow and women struggling with cancer-.
Back to earth now after all the work involved in running this event. The visitors enjoyed viewing all the different quilts on display, for a small number of ladies their work is very individual, all worked on different methods and styles. Well done ladies.
The crops are coming along, canola is really coming into flower now, soon I will take a photo showing all the beauty of the golden yellow flowers.
Love to all, hope your weekend was a good one, especially if your football team won.
                                                             Love to everyone.
                                                         NANA ON THE FARM.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Sand Dune Wyperfield, Wattle.

Pa and Nana took a drive to the Wyperfield National Park after being at the Speed field day. We came across this sand dune quite a sight and for those who can climb to the top it is fun to slide down. Nearby there is accommodation, and you can explore the region.
The wattle's are bursting into flower all over Australia and some of the Mallee species are spectacular as well. These are growing along the roadsides and putting on a beautiful display.
                                                              BYE FOR NOW
                                                            NANA ON THE FARM.

Tractor repairs, mowing.Ouyen quilt show,vegies.

Pa taking the tractor for repairs. Need a part made and some checking and will be on the job again.

Pa busy with the ride on mower. With the showery weather we have been having weeds have started to grow and need mowing. Nana has been using the round-up to spray around and I see it is starting to work and the weeds are going yellow.
 Nana has been to OUYEN as I was asked to come to a quilt show the ladies were having. This sign is quite eye catching at the entrance to the town.
The Ouyen group have a swap between themselves each year and you choose the topic of the blocks you would like made for you. A very clever lady in the Ouyen quilting group has made a book from the blocks she received in the swap. The maker of the block has been noted on the previous page. This one is so realistic you feel the birds are real. .
I couldn't make the writing  clearer on the page, the maker of the book has detailed about the swap and has pictures of more of the blocks she received. The book is titled THE MALLEE, I loved the block of the galah's especially as the leaves are 3D standing out from the page.
Aren't rainbows beautiful?,  my camera couldn't captured it all. As this one was fading a few moments later there were two rainbows starting to develop. 
My vegie garden has supplied us with these beautiful broccoli heads, and very tasty. Strawberries will be soon flowering. I transplanted most of last years plants, hope they will come into production again this year. The crops are looking great at the moment, canola is coming into flower soon the paddock will be a blaze of yellow.               Bye for now.                                                                                                                 LOVE TO EVERYBODY.                                                                                                                                                    NANA ON THE FARM.                                                                      

 

Thursday, August 8, 2013

SOME NATIVE FLOWERS OUT.

I have been out wandering around the plants today. Weather has been lovely and warm, much nicer than the wind and rain showers we have been having lately. Spring is in the air.
I love the colour of this paper daisy, and the flies love the little flowers in the centre. I am so pleased that these flowers have started to naturalize for me, hoping that in a few years I will have a big display.

 The blossoms on the gum trees are so delicate and show up beautifully against the blue sky.
The emu bush has been covered with flowers that birds love to visit for the nectar.
Out on the roadsides the wattles are just starting to come into full bloom, there are quite a number of different varieties in the Mallee. Most of them are the little ball type.
You discover many plants at this time of the year wandering about in the bush. 
Bye for now.
NANA ON THE FARM

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

SPEED FIELD DAY.TRUCK WASH.

Pa and Nana attended the annual Field Day at Speed on Thursday. The weather was lovely, sometimes we have gone and just froze. The business's come from all over Victoria and NSW - and they have some HUGE machines. How the younger generation of farmers can buy this expensive equipment to farm, is anyone's guess. One young chap's comment was - "he comes here to see what he will be buying secondhand in ten years time"This was taken out of the window of a vehicle and very blurred, however it gives a rough idea of the amount of machinery that is on show.
One doesn't expect to find your relations at a Field Day, but that is what happened to Pa. His cousin from Yumbuck was visiting for the day.  This is near Portland, Victoria. Pa looked away as I took the photo while they were inspecting the array of tools that were on display.
Pa inspecting a header and in the background is a very large spraying machine.
Home again and it clean out time for the truck, all the fertilizer that sticks to the tray has to be washed out, Pa is in the truck bin washing with the hose.
Nana is hoping for a nice sunny day to take a photo of some paper daisy flowers, they don't open in the dull days. Last year I had a small patch and they have multiplied.
My book club read - I have finished, how people complicate their lives!! just one little lie can ruin your life and career.
It looks as if spring is going to be early this year, many plants and trees are already flowering, will get about and take some pictures.
Crops are looking well and growing. Long range forecast is for a dry August, hope they are wrong, however time will tell.
Bye.
                                                 NANA ON THE FARM


MITCHELLS.MELBOURNE OPEN DOOR.

Nana visited the Mitchell's , the Thursday was so cold looked like it could have snowed. I was dropped off at the railway station and went in to Melbourne for the day visiting the craft show at "Jeff's" shed. It was wonderful seeing the beautiful things available to make. Some of the workshops I attended were very informative, especially one on modern quilts. Since the ipad has been around it has altered people's way of seeing some colours and quilting.  Modern quilts have evolved with lots of solid colour and quilting being a feature. Back on the train, such a relaxing way to travel out of the city, no hassles with traffic, sit back, relax and wait to be picked up.
Friday I was able to go to the school sports for Takara. This was a first! I have never attended anything for the grandchildren. Once again it was freezing - Takara was shivering
waiting for each game.
Saturday I again went to netball with Takara this time with the local association's games
                                                                 
Once a year Melbourne has an OPEN DOOR  day for the public to visit buildings that are closed to the public. We went in to Melbourne parked the car and travelled by tram to the city. While waiting for Caillou to get his child myki card Takara and I were next to a horse drawn funeral carriage. The company that owned this was one of Takara's  relations - distant - a great uncle.
What a view - we are on the helipad of the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Also took a tour of the tunnels underneath the hospital to see all the infrastructure, engines - diesel and electric, they have made provision for the foyer floor and roof to be dismantled if the diesel engines need to be lifted out and repaired.
Next was off to see the horses that the police use for crowd control etc. I think it was Victoria Barracks. It was a block away from St Kilda Road, what a surprise that it was in the city. Shown around where the horses are looked after and then has a display of riding and how the horses are trained for the unexpected in crowds. Loud noises, fabric over their faces, walking on strange objects, apparently horses don't like to step on foreign object, using a large ball to push around to get them used to people pushing.
Taken in very dull conditions.
Nana enjoyed these events very much. Would love to be in Melbourne next year when the doors are open again, the list is very large and we could only manage two visits.
Will post more things going on here. 
Love
NANA ON THE FARM.