19 on the 19th........

It truly amazed me that I have been blogging for 19 years..........

Blogger keeps throwing little challenges at us every so often which I think is why people have stopped over the years........

But I am forever grateful for 

- the friendships I have made thru blogging

- the inspiration I have gained from this community

- the support I have received 

- the things I have learnt

- the swaps and stitch a longs

- the encouraging words

- the motivation 

- the squirrels that have taken me off on yet another new project

- the kindness shown 

- the retreats and workshops I've held, found and been invited to because of blogging

- the many meals I've share with bloggers

- the wonderful emails/ conversations with so many different people that have been part of this community

- all the comments I've received on my blog over 19 years which has been a lot

- finally to those who are still blogging it's a special place to be in this instant satisfaction world we live in now

Thankyou!!!!

Catch you later......

Chookyblue......

I found it......... No excuses now.....

I found my machine foot and power cord.......

I was looking for something else......

Strange that!!!!!

Really exactly what I pictured in my head......

So I'll be sewing this weekend........

Not sure if Saturday or Sunday at this time (Friday/Sat on the flip side) but keep an eye out....... I'll zoom sometime this weekend.....

It's going to be hot so the usual chasing hoses trying to keep the garden alive......

Catch you later

Chookyblue

Chookshed happenings.......

The weekend before Christmas Fairy Girl was home for the weekend...........Sadly she repossessed her sewing machine that I quite like using and she was searching thru her stuff to find some sewing supplies to take back with her............

insert issue number 1..........

Yes those eggs were found in the corner of her draw tucked under a draw full of fabric........they belong to a gecko I think.........yes one is still in the shed somewhere.........and when one got broken yes it did have a growing reptile inside............

Insert additional issue I just thought of but I assume you need two to tango to make baby gecko's???????????

Then of course if was terribly hot that weekend...........42+ deg C (108) and she wanted a drink of water from the fridge

Issue no 2 she discovered that the bar fridge was not working in the Chookshed.............

Problem solved............new fridge purchased and in place this morning.......Boxing Day sales and a a discount gave me quite a good deal.....I knew they had one in stock and exactly what I wanted that was going to fit in the space..........The old one was given to me by a friend and I am sure I had it for 10 years..............so it owes me nothing.......it was still running just not cold............we've had lots of storms so who knows if something happened in one of them.........

The Chookshed has been a bit lonely of late and neglected.......

Rectifying that now...........

Hoping to zoom soon.............just trying to work out what suits best........

Have to work 1 day and then go out to dinner that same night and that is all I have planned until I go back to work on the 5th Jan.........Relishing the quiet time at home..............

New Years Eve or New Years Day (my time) are looking likely at this stage...........

Sew the year out or sew the year in??????

Anyone have a preference??????

Catch you later........

Chookyblue..........

PS sorry thought this posted last night.......

Merry Christmas......

Merry Christmas everyone...... I'm enjoying Christmas with my grand children this year....

Meeting the newest one also.....

Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and I hope to catch up with everyone very soon......

Catch you later......

Chookyblue......

Pretty Woman weekend.....

Still alive and kicking.......

Life is busy as usual......

Recently I got to go to Pretty Woman the musical....... Loved it...... Now I need to watch the movie again.......

Some pics from the weekend..... All mixed up.......2 nights wandering the city with my girl friend........ We have been going to shows together for so many years........

Caught up with Betty also as she was in the city doing choir.......

Shopped, ate, wandered the city, enjoyed the Botanic gardens, saw so many beautiful Christmas decorations and lights, drinks in a top floor bar..... 

Walking, taxi, light rail, metro.......

It was a great short escape...... Perfect company..... Perfect weather.....

Hope you are all well......

Chookyblue

The August Escape 2025..............

Lets rewind 12 months cause this one is being posted Aug 2026 (if it shows up in your current feed) and it's about August 2025. But I am trying to catch up on old drafts I have found in my blog......I want them in my blog books that I am going to catch up on............

Lets rewind to the end of August...................I cannot believe it was 3 weekends ago..........September has disappeared with the blink of an eye.............

Here we are set up for The August Escape retreat................enjoying a cuppa........

The forecast was for a cold very chilly weekend........we were not cold at all..........the dining rooms was so snug.............a few of the girls didn't get the air conditioner setting right the first night and were a little chilly but that was all sorted for the next night..............

The tables all set up ready...........

Always a lovely mug in your bag...............

tea and nibbles...........whatever works...........

most of my pics are from food..............

enjoying some scones...............

Mum made us some scones.......

Everyone busy sewing...........

Around the table..........Lynda, Sue, Jenny, Gail, Tracey, Diane.........

Around the table.........Me, Janice, Natasha, Mary, Annette, Miss Jules.........

always some great quilts hanging around the room...............

Maree, Dianne, Miranda, Linda, Brenda (Lianne missing)

I worked on this made up project........Strips that I brought when I went to Coona the day before............Think they are 3.5in strips..........

My progress wasn't huge..........but I enjoyed what I got done.........

Pretty sure this one was Tracey's.........

Another wonderful weekend with friends.............

I loved sewing, cooking and chatting with friends over the weekend.........

These retreats are such a special time and it makes my heart sing seeing everyone mixing, chatting, helping, teaching, encouraging each other........

This is some of my tribe and I am blessed..........

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

Chookyblue........

Oops............jelly roll day..........

The drought of posts is evident......... Sorry...... Time is going by too fast......

I have stuff to tell you just not had time to pull it together.........

Apparently this Saturday 20th September is National Sew a Jelly Roll Quilt Day 2025

So as I need a quiet weekend I thought I'd see if anyone else wants to zoom and sew with me Saturday morning down under / Friday afternoon-evening on the flip side.........

Pretty sure I can dig out a jelly roll from the stash....... Or maybe pull out my jelly roll quilts that need borders.........

I'm thinking 6am-10am AEST 

Really any excuse to sew will work for me.......

This week is pretty hectic with a few things on........ Actually every week seems like that lately....... But mostly it's all been good stuff........ But I have actually said no to a few things...... Shock.......Yes......

I just need more hours in my day then it would work..........I could fit it all in........

The daisies are flowering well in the paddocks...........

Have a great week.......

Hopefully see you all Saturday.........

Catch you later...... 

Chookyblue.......

keeping on with life...........

Life as usual has been busy...............
varying between so good to pretty crappy..........

always looking for the beauty in things.....sometimes the unusual and quirky.........still taking heaps of photos..........its amazing what you can find..........

The canola crops in the district are starting to flower...........always such a pretty happy crop............

I am giving a weighted vest a try when walking..........this one 5kg..........Anyone used them before???

Plans are being finalised for my next retreat.............gosh what to take to sew..........need to start planning now...........I mean it's not like i have any projects that might need some work...........LOL.........

trying to decide if I want to take my machine or just hand sewing............

Found these bugs in the wood pile..........Goggle tells me that are possibly Amycterus abnormis (Ground Weevil) but I can barely find any information about them...........they are pretty big.......about an inch long or more...........

Last night was a full moon........so bright........but I had fun playing............

And the first of the daisies have popped out with the rain.........we had some rain before we went away and then again while away.............

More playing with the moon..............I love being out with a full moon...........although photos never ever do it justice..........

no trip to the paddock for wood this week...........we had picked up some iron bark posts when we pulled down an old fence...........finally cutting into them.............need to clear this pile before it gets warm...........I don't want it sitting around near the house over summer............

We still have a month or more of fire weather...........it will go..........

A flock of cockatoos that were out the front of the house.............

Back in July I got to have dinner with Khrissy and Deb @ Frog Cottage Designs........been ages since I saw the girls and we picked up just like it was yesterday and lots of laughing............

Khrissy gave me a chicken that Deb made...........I love it..........I am keeping it on my desk at work.........sits under my computer screen.........

I have one at home too that Susan and Maureen gave me awhile ago and it sits under the computer screen at home...........I can give them a squish anytime...........so lucky..........

I am so blessed with the friends I have............

I got a new trolley and put it together yesterday...........Pretty dumb idea doing it on the deck as I dropped a nut thru...........Mr Chooky got it for me.......it will go into the Chookshed..............

Finally a flower especially for you to enjoy.............

Have a fabulous Sunday..........

Don't forget keep walking.......

Catch you later........

Chookyblue........