Retreat giveaway.................

We'll get back to a tally of the walking in a day or so...............in the mean time i've been thinking lots while walking........its been great.............

Moon rising last night......almost a full moon and it looks amazing...........

So big and bright and no photo will ever do it justice as seeing it as it happens........

Sunrise this morning..........

I'm getting ready for Scrub Stitchin' next weekend.........

OMG I cannot believe it is only 5 sleeps away........

the piles are starting of stuff to take......mostly show and tell so far.......

I'm so excited!!!!!!

1. At a workshop with a project provided - what sort of project do you like to make?????

2. Besides sewing what do you love to do at a retreat?????

3. Your favourite retreat - where did you go and why was it so good............

The giveaway...........

Answer all three questions and I will do a draw next weekend ............

Make sure I can reply to your comment otherwise I will not be able to contact you.........

Catch you later...... Chookyblue......

why cancer council and my buddy Annie..........

Its a long post but very important.........

Why have I chosen to raise funds and promote awareness for the Cancer Council.................

I've lost too many precious people to me to cancer...........

Mr Chooky's grandad, my Nan, my sister, Mr Chooky's Dad..........

Lets not go to extended family and friends...........

I cannot cure cancer myself.........not brainy enough to be involved in that but I can walk............I can raise funds and make people aware of there own health thru March Charge...........

Cancer affects everyone.........there is so much of it if you don't know anyone who has been affected by cancer be very thankful............

Cancer Council is not one cancer specific.......it covers all cancers........providing information for people with cancer........even information for people caring for someone with cancer..........they provide a phone service for information and support............anyone who has questions or needs support can phone this service........

Cancer Council promotes prevention..........healthy eating, exercise........see why I have been harassing you to get moving..........for nearly 4 years now I have changed how I eat and trying to increase exercise........it started very slowly...........I wanted to make changes that I can maintain.......permanently......

mostly this has been maintained..........gets a bit slack sometimes but overall going well............mostly I only walk...........i'm not a crazy gym person and never will be................

i have regular pap smears, check my boobs, i'm not great with sunscreen but long sleeves and a hat (sometimes) when working outside..........

Here are the regular screenings you can do........

Cancer Council also conducts research into cancer too...........

The other important thing Cancer Council does is advocating to ensure government takes action on cancer...........

I hope you never have to deal with cancer................but the chances are pretty high at some stage in your life you will have some kind of cancer........

SO the sooner we find a cure for cancer the better.........

The survival rates for cancer are now so much better then they were............treatments are being developed everyday............

things sure are looking up.........

and one day we will be cancer free............

So why have I blogged about this...............it does not matter where you are in the world................cancer does not care where you live, if you have plenty of money or none, what you do - school, work, retirement.........

My friend Annie who has been walking virtually with me on Vashon Island, Washington in America had cancer............she now drives other cancer patients to appointments in Seattle who need assistance to get there...........

These pics are from her walks on Vashon Island...............beautiful and so different to my views.............also much colder then here being winter.............

My friends Carole in America has also been walking with me................

let alone some of my friends in Oz............

Its never too late to make  health changes, have your health checks and the earlier to find out you have cancer the better it is for treatments........

So take care of your health.........

It affects every aspect of your life...........

And only you have the power and will to make changes.....

to my friends who read this and are fighting cancer now......stay strong my friends.........I hope you take some of my energy from all my walking and it gives you strength to keep fighting and it can make a bad day feel a bit better............some cruise thru with not to many side effects others are up and down and other struggle thru............one day we will be cancer free........

Only 4 days left to walk for March Charge..........

thankyou for your support it makes me want to walk even further..........

Catch you later..............

Chookyblue..........

Prepping.....

Prepping some EPP...... Cool clouds yesterday.... No rain yesterday but a bit last night..... Bring on more......

Heaps of prepping to get done....... More gluing to do also.......need to locate the papers........ 

Catch you later..... Chookyblue......

Stitchin and walking

Friday I got to enjoy a fancy walk............farming friends who live in more civilised country...........OMG the grass was to die for..............

Big trees...........

long narrow tree lined tar roads................

Beautiful views of grassy paddocks...........

stitching in the car..........first time I have picked up Lucy since my finger got jammed in the door in November last year............big break..........I had been working on Edwardsia this year once I was able to EPP stitch again..........finger nail is still growing back slowly............heaps of the numbness is gone but it is still a bit funny...........the annoying thing is I thought I had sewn all bags of pieces up for Lucy.......I found a bag not done.........and some is missing so I must have a search for the stitching bag I had with me then......................

Got to sit and enjoy this beautiful garden view over a cuppa with my friend Annette..............

sunrise or sunset it's always beautiful...............

hit my walking goal this morning of 120kms for March Charge Cancer Council now lets see if I can hit 150kms by the end of the week..........

i'm at 126kms now after 7kms this morning........

6 days another 32 kms........

thats over 5kms/day........

i'll give it a crack for sure..........

what exercise have you done today???

have a fabulous Sunday........

Catch you later....... Chookyblue.....

Minis.......

I'm a little short on details but this travelling exhibition is from Quilt NSW - think the theme was recycled and a couple of years ago???
Mini quilts.........I snapped a few pics.........i only had 10 mins to look as the place was closing.......and it was the last day........

Lots of different badges pulled together.........

they were displayed lovely..........

This one was Megan Manwarring current Quilt NSW President..........

Racheldaisy..............

I  like the pockets........

Loved the old fabric bags..........

Catch you later....... Chookyblue........

Make hay while the sun shines......

Well more like feed hay while the sun shines...........Cause it won't blooming rain...........

this post is especially for my reader in Sydney who likes my farm posts.........

if only the cows would learn to eat roley poley we would be fine..........but its probably like eating cactus or razor blades..............The only green thing is the roley poley and there is nothing else but dirt so feeding it is............

i was walking/running around helping to muster as we were in the ute............

And trying to get my kms in for March Charge.......I knew it would be dark by the time we got home...........

Occasionally you had to watch out for big holes........note end of my shoe........note size of hole.............and might I add it is about 2 foot deep............Not something you want to step into for fear of bad injury.........

In the other paddock the roley poley is bigger........lots of high stepping to clear it.......lost sight  of the cows for the dust..........

I was looking out for snakes and expecting to disturb one but thankfully I didn't see any sign of one........

Anyway that's my interesting bit for the day.........

Or  completely boring if you are only looking for sewing..........

&&&

The weather is really frustrating to say the least.........

on the weekend we had terrible fires down south due to extreme heat and winds................Darwin and surrounds had a cyclone............

over the last few weeks so many areas of Queensland have had heaps of rain........I grant some still none..........and today I read on the weather site big rain forecast for Newcastle/Hunter region..........

We can't seem to get a fall at all..............its just a land of extremes but I sure wished mother nature could even it out a bit more for a few years...........

Catch you later...... Chookyblue......

100kms........

Pretty pleased with myself tonight......

I have done 100kms walking this month for March Charge..........thats walking that I have tracked as specific walking...........

Do you do regular exercise?

Being active can help avoid cancer.......

Click here to see what else you can do everyday to hep avoid cancer.........

thank goodness I had my hat yesterday........

Ok get out there and do some exercise...........

Catch you later.............

Chookyblue...........

A day to forget.....

Oh dear it was one of those days you want to forget..............

it started off ok............I walked until Mr Chooky got the ute loaded and picked me up along the way...........

Really I was only going along for the ride with him to pic up a truck and for me to bring the ute back...............It was going to be 39 degC so we left early.............

I got some stitching done in the trip out.......

at this point on the way home it was still ok...........I was the gate girl also.......A job I detest..............but I got time to take these pics at one of the gates...........

Fences running either side long and straight as far as I could see...............

Then BAM the wheel fell off a trailer he was towing.........OMG...........

I couldn't stitch by this stage as I was so grotty helping.........

I did get to lay in the shade under the trailer for abit........

It was so boring.......could not even check out blogs, text or call anyone as there was ZERO mobile service............

2 hours later we were on the road again...........

Things were very iffy............we were "limping" to the next property.........

Just got into there place and the second wheel fell off.......There were nut and bolt issues.........but what should have taken an hour or two max took 5.........I was in walking gear as I was not doing farm work........i'm a little sunburnt as there were no trees........all the food was gone and I ran out of water..........

I finally got home and had a cold shower and vegged out for the last of the afternoon................

Catch you later...... Chookyblue.....

busy walking busy planning...........

Life's busy............i'm so pleased I have hit 80kms tonight.....March Charge sure  is charging ahead.........it was a bit warm when I went 34deg..........but I was determined to hit a point.........

80km in 16 days = 5km/day so I am ahead of my target

Was hoping to have a big weekend walking but we shall see........its forecast to be 38-39 degs.............not ideal walking weather.....esp since it had not been to bad until the last few days...........

My kms are specific walking.............

But walking does take time and I walk about 1km/11mins.........you do the maths..........days are getting shorter and trying to fit it in and work full time and get other jobs done is a little interesting...........BUT it was not meant to be easy so lets see what I can get done this weekend............

BUT other things are taking my time too..............LIKE THE WONDERFUL PLANS FOR SCRUB STITCHIN'

OMG I am so excited..........it's less then 3 weeks now..............

Kits are all but done..........secret plans being finalised............

some plans being revealed.......

organised who's sleeping where...........food requirements........started my "what I have to take" list......(as I have heaps of extras)...........need to make a swap gift otherwise I will have to "fake it"

work out what I want to sew on my machine.........I know what hand sewing I will take...........

Its like a nervous excitement...........I know I love what I have planned with Sonia BUT will everyone else................

And I can't wait to show you all what we designed...........but you will have to wait like the girls at retreat........my  lips are sealed.......

Have a fabulous weekend.........

Catch you later..........Chookyblue.........

Priviledged...........

I posted this last night on my March Charge Fundraiser page..........
thought I would share it here too.........

Right now I feel very priviledged to be able to walk in March Charge for the Cancer Council................Just back from a good 4kms walk ending right on dark.........I had walked down the paddocks and back and as I got back to the house I did the jobs (still walking) and thought I can keep walking it still light enough..........as I walked the last few kms I was really aware of my surrounds..........the silence.......the crickets and night bugs making noises......step step step.............oh no i'm now on the crunchy noisy stoney bit.......its too loud..........step step step.........finally back on hard ground...silence is broken as my fitbit app tells me i've reach 3.5kms...it keeps me going...........step step step.........calculating in my head should I walk to the creek to make the 4km mark back at the house............I hear one of the cows moo......its so still.....no wind..........no cars........almost back to the house and the pup barks over at the kennels............step step step......i'm doing this for my health and to raise money and promote awareness of the Cancer Council..........I can walk.....I have my health.......this is how I can support others........its my quiet time to recharge me......maybe you could walk with me too........focus on your health also.....it's important........you are important........

Everyday beauty of my walks...........

Catch you later..........Chookyblue............

Adventure continues.............

So when I landed I was whisked away from the airport to Miss Fiona's@ Bubz Rugz.............

She is just fabulous and we had a great time together..........

I enjoyed some great long walks in her area and found some lovely things to photograph along the way............

the plant above looked like 3 plants next to each other and thick and only short..........but great colours and look in the garden...........

gorgeous frangipanis flowering everywhere.......different colours too..............I stole a few from Fiona's garden actually Mr Bubz Rugz garden...........

Grevilleas...........

Spider lily? very delicate and pretty none the less..............

Even found some old cattle yards in my walk........old timber joins...........they don't make them like this any more............
I ended up walking 6kms around the suburbs...........felt a bit too flash walking on paths even............

 After all that walking I relaxed with some hand stitching and then moved onto my Churn Dash quilt..............I stole Fiona's design wall............

thanks for the loan of a machine Fiona............I had all but one seam left to join when I went out for the evening............

 Yep I gate crashed Friday night stitching..............

Kris @ Tag-along Teddies was there so great to catch up with her also...........I did some hand stitching and also pinned the last seam on the quilt.............

Straight after sewing I came home to Fiona's and joined the final seam and my churn dash is now finished..............OMG it is bigger then I thought............this is a queen bed I laid it out on.........I only added an extra row to one side and the bottom........

Oh well as I say bigger is better..........

Found these gorgeous gluten free cup cakes on a fete stall that I worked on while away too..............OMG they were amazing............

I wished I had pics of the others there........it was so pretty..........

After all that fun I had to pack up and leave the beautiful green Toowoomba and head home to a dry brown farm.............

Catch you later.............

Chookyblue.............

Grand adventure......

last week I set off on a grand adventure..........cars, planes, trains, ferries, cruise liners and the whole lot in reverse.........

It meant driving to the nearest airport an effort in itself......had to go the night before after work.........blew a tyre on the way.............thanks to a lovely farmer who heard the noise and came to help me change my tyre.........

A relo dropped me off early to the airport............

the countryside is so dry..........

love seeing the clouds........they look so soft and fluffy.........

A very different approach to the city this time............

Yep Sydney Harbour.............snapped this photo on the train coming around past Circular Quay Station.........the Sydney Harbour Bridge...........a  cruise liner was in there too........

A short ferry ride............

And here was my cruiser liner.................Noordam..........

I had a invitation from the Cancer Council to go to a special lunch............

It was hosted on the "Noordam" a Holland America Cruise ship..........

they support several cancer organisations around the world and every cruise has an opportunity for everyone to participate in Cruise for a Cause.........

they handed over a cheque with a nice donation to the Cancer Council...........

OMG it was very ornate........I've never been on a cruise ship ever so it was very exciting..............

looking down a few floors..........gorgeous stairs and the carpet............

I'm a farm girl nothing like this at my place.........

silver service......4 course meal.............OMG it was amazing watching them work...........nothing was a trouble........

Entree...........the food was sooooooo delicious.............

I got to meet Heather..........she is the ambassadoor for March Charge this year.....shes only 93.........a spring chicken........competes in Masters games too..........if only I am that well at her age.............she was lovely..........

got in trouble for taking these pics...........something about a customs area but I still don't understand............

A huge ship...........

A view of ANZAC Bridge while i enjoyed lunch............

And to finished the day I made a new besty............Meena is another fundraiser and she was lovely......She does a biggest morning tea at her workplace......

 she has lots of people working there...........

we hit it of while waiting to board the ship.........

&&&&&

I'm doing March Charge once again...........If anyone wants to sponsor me or walk with me that would be great but I will do another post about that soon..............

Walked 7kms this morning.........

Anyway my adventure continued last week and I didn't fly home............I flew north.............but you will have to read the next post about that..........

Catch you later......

Chookyblue.......