Scatterday G

Scatterday G
Originally uploaded by lulubelleliz

Well, it's almost Saturday. In fact it is in the eastern states, so here is my Scatterday selection for this week

Vehicle - one for David Griffiths - an old Garford bus
Household utensils - a vintage trio form my collection - a grater, a meat grinder and a coffee grinder.
Colour- green chestnuts growing in my garden .

The vehicle caused me some grief. Eventually I visited the Birdwood Motor Museum and found this beauty, along with a Gogomobile and a Greeves motor cycle. Then on the way home I spied a garbage truck and a grader - all that on the last day, after I had fretted all week.

I wonder what the others came up with?

Liz

More practice

More practice
Originally uploaded by lulubelleliz

I do love this new camera. I have decided to spend time practising a particular thing with it until I am reasonably proficient. Every other time I have bought a new camera I have done little more than glance at the manual so that I know how to point and shoot.
I suspect that my garden is going to get a going over while I am in the close-up mood/mode.

Liz

New camera shots

New camera shots
Originally uploaded by lulubelleliz

I have just taken possession of a new camera - a Panasonic Lumix SZ8. Somewhat more advanced than my little old Canon Ixus. Whether it takes better pictures remains to be seen. Today I experimented with some closeups. I rather like the magnolia close-up.

Liz

Kids today!

Last night 16 kids from my Year 6/7 class participated in the 40 Hour Famine with a sleepover at school. Sure it's a bit of fun having a sleepover, but nevertheless they, along with thousands of children throughout Australia have committed to raising money to help children from Laos. They don't have to do it - it is done freely and happily.
Halfway through the evening we watched a video about the poverty in Laos - quite graphic and very sad. After that we discussed the situation and the real reason we were having the sleepover. Their comments were thoughtful and concerned. Several were moved to tears. Momentarily at least, they were part of a global community, striving to think about others and how they could help.They are only 12 years old, but they are doing something.

Off to bed on empty stomachs - at least they have warm sleeping bags, even if they have to sleep on the floor with no comfortable mattresses.

Breakfast - a bowl of plain boiled rice never tasted so good. I wonder how they would feel if that was all their mothers gave them once a day.

Kids are aware of the global crisis and are more than willing to work their little butts off, with a little direction from adults. I am very proud of my class and the things they do to try to make a difference in the world in their own small way. It is a pity that more adults don't join them.

Liz Needle

"L" Scatterday

Sewing - Lace, a selection of antique laces from Don's nana
Animal - a Litter of pups - enjoying the mobile milk bar
Food - Lentils, Lime leaves and Lima beans from my pantry

Well, having learnt how to create a mosaic yesterday - even though I forgot to change the grid numbers and finished up with that great ugly white space, tonight I have finished my "L" Mosaic for the Scatterday Challenge.

I did have a few problems with the animal category, so I hope my entry meets the criteria.

Liz

Another computing skill

Well, tonight I managed to make a mosaic. Now I just have to get it onto my Blog, which may be harder than actually creating the mosaic, because I haven't really worked out how to do it. I think I'll just have to save it into a folder then upload it.
The photos are all of bits of my garden - not currently, because its looking very much the worse for wear - drought and frost - but hopefully it will regain some of its former beauty.

Liz

Visit to Parliament House

Last week my Year 6/7 class visited Parliament House as part of Democracy Week. They were able to take part in a mock parliamentary debate in the Legislative Council Chambers. It was absolutely brilliant. The kids formed the two main parties, a Premier and Leader of the Opposition were chosen and the positions of Speaker, Sergeant at Arms and Clerk were also filled. The bill they debated was that mobile phones should be banned at schools. As you can imagine the discussion was lively.

They got to sit in the seats of real live members of parliament and they assured me the seats were extremely comfortable. Could we expect anything less? Nothing but the best!!!

Education was never this interesting when I was at school!!!!

Liz Needle

Success - I hope

August 23rd

Well I have just spent an hour or so trying to create a slide show. It remains to be seen whether I have been successful. In a few moments I will know whether technology has defeated me!!! If it had been one of my Year 6/7s I am sure all would have been achieved in a moment and with far less angst.

The slide show (I hope) is of some of the quilts I have made over the last 12 or so years. Have to admit I am not very prolific, but I know there have been more than this. Sigh......... I'll have to be more assiduous in taking photos.

Have to say I had fun creating this slide show - if it works. Enjoy!!

Liz

PS. Yeay!!! It worked. Next thing to try is a mosaic - tomorrow!!

Catch Up

Oh dear!! I have slipped a bit. My good intentions of keeping my Blog up to date have fallen in a bit of a hole. I must get myself organised, particularly as my friends are starting to get themselves these magnificent blogs with all manner of fancy technological (what a great word!! - I love words) stuff that I just cannot work out.

My excuse is work pressure!! Well, I have to have an excuse!!

As many of you know, we have a number of new arrival students in our school - kids who have come directly from another country - in our case Vietnam. Lovely kids and they are really having an impact on our little closed community in the Adelaide Hills.

Last week we had a visit from the Lieutenant Governor of South Australia - a really important person in the life of our little country school. He was Mr Hieu Van Le. Mr Van Le came to Australia in 1977 as a boat person. He landed in Darwin, a refugee from Vietnam. A week later he was flown to Adelaide - all he owned were the clothes he was dressed in - T-shirt, shorts and thongs!! The next day he had a job in a factory. Today he is the Lieutenant Governor of South Australia - and a very impressive man.

He spoke to our Vietnamese children about his life and how he came to Australia. He impressed upon them the importance of perseverance and to keep trying until they achieved their goals.

Lieu and Nga

Nga and Mr Hieu Van Le

But what really stuck in my mind and it keeps coming back to me over and over. Just five words, but so powerful!! He told them that "Australia allows you to dream". Think about it!! I have - over and over. I just cannot forget those words!

"Australia allows you to dream."

Liz Needle

Another goal achieved

August 1st.

7 months of this year gone and I am feeling that I am slowly achieving lots of small goals.

On Monday I visited my tax agent and got two years tax out of the way - a nice refund too. Maybe I'll buy a new camera with the proceeds. My poor little Canon is about 7 years old and quite outdated now - only 2.1 mega pixels!! I've also persuaded my son to get his tax organised - now that is a real achievement, but I'll only believe it when it happens!!

Our extra room is finally going to happen. We're signing the contract this week and then building will begin - and we'll be broke again. Thank goodness for the tax man.

And this week I finally put together a Dresden Plate quilt top - the blocks have been sitting around for about 4 years. They were made for me by Woodpatch Quilters as a friendship quilt, but quite a few of them needed some work done and I was two short, so last weekend I got stuck into it. Here is the result.


Now I have to think about the sort of border I want on it. Nothing too fancy. Maybe a plain cream scallopped border with blue binding? What do you think?

Borders always seem to be my stumbling block. I have two tops waiting for borders and I haven't a clue what I want to do with them. One of my problems is that I leave the border fabric until last, when I should get it earlier. By the time I am ready, colour fashions and styles have changed and I can never find the right fabric.

I'd really appreciate some suggestions - if there is anyone out there!!

Liz Needle