Christmas in Australia!

Somewhere on the road around Townsville.  Taken today by my sister, Helen, making a long drive from Cairns, Queensland, to Birregurra, Victoria.  She hopes to make it in 3 days.  She is moving to Doha, Qatar for 3 years.  Another destination to add to my travel list.

Fantastic to see the Christmas Spirit alive in the middle of nowhere!

Snow

I think a lot about snow.  I don't know why this is so, because I live in a snowless zone of the world.  I have experienced snow and found it to be truly magical.  I simply marvel at the way it transforms a view.  I would love to live where it snows.  I'd love to wake up to that magical transformation.  I love the smell of snow, sparkling snow in sunlight.  It's soft, silent, flurriness as it falls. I imagine sitting in a window and looking out and never growing tired of the view.  Marvelling at trees, mountains, fields, cottages hidden under snow.  I imagine sitting and crafting, cooking, reading in my snow covered cottage.  Friends crunching up the drive or path to visit.  Talking off their wellies or shoes and scarves and welcoming them inside with warm drinks and delicious bakings.  I love the idea of the warmth inside the house nestled in amongst the coldness of the outdoors - I can feel it glowing and oozing comraderie.  I imagine walking in it, my cheeks and nose ruddied by the cold, hearing if crunch underneath, sinking in my wellies across fields, shaking branches and having snow rain down on me, leaving footprints (like you do in the sand here).

I've had 5 wintery, snowy Christmases and been absolutely thrilled by every one of them.  It fascinates me as an Australian growing up with hot summery Christmases year upon year why I dream of snow and wintery landscapes, when it is not my norm?  Am I displaced?  Shall I go and live in the Northern Hemisphere again and live through more cold winters.  So many people emigrate here for the weather...why am I thinking the exact opposite?  People crave my Australian lifestyle/weather.  Is it a case of wanting what you don't have.  Do people who move away from snow miss it?  Do people who live with it, love it, hate it?  I know people whinge about it and it has its ugly side in slushy, mushy traffic snow.  But I've even found that fun... I have never tired of it when I've lived in northwest Iowa or the UK over those 5 winters. Today I was googling snow images and the ones here are some that I found courtesy of Google images....

Imagine skiing across that!

If you love snow leave a footprint and say hi and let me know what you love about snow let's share snow joy...x

look what I found today - http://sbmillefeuilles.blogspot.com/ - this post about winter and including a wonderful picture of a girl dreaming of snow!!!

Lavender Hearts

December is rushing away from me at a very scary rate of knots....the tree is up, I've been to a carol service, one parcel has gone, the fruit is (still) soaking for the Christmas cake.... a few gifts have been made... not a scrap of shopping has been done, no menu decided upon.....and this is my first post for the month! Doesn't sound too bad when I list it like this, but I'm not feeling organised at all.  8 more days of work until we break until the 9th of January....

Yesterday I stole a couple of hours at my sewing machine and made up these lavender pouches.  I've used scraps of fabric of which I have an abundance!! No surprise there! Family and friends are all going to get a couple for Christmas, either as their gift or adjunct to.  I am staying true to my using up resources commitment.  It is amazing what I've found stashed away in all the different boxes that have been packed away for years while we renovated (the still-in-progress 7 year renovation).  I am slowly sorting them into 1. rubbish, 2. garage sale 3. usable/giveable!  I will be free of clutter and junk. I will, I will, I will....

It was so lovely to sit at my machine for a couple of hours and I'm planning on getting quite a lot of sewing time in on my break.  Finally making headway on several quilts and aprons I have planned.  Also a couple of bags....I am really excited about being at home for a couple of weeks. Normally I long to get away, but I think thanks to our European adventure, I'm happy to hang in Perth and my home and the beach!




Group shot of heart shaped lavender pouches



A pretty floral ....

Amy Butler scraps