Well We Never Saw That Coming

It has been the most extraordinary time over the last few weeks and in New Zealand, as elsewhere, we have been through some huge changes and needed to be adaptable as never before in living memory.  It has changed the way we do things and approach things, probably permanently.  The COVID-19 pandemic was an event we didn't predict and definitely wouldn't have welcomed, but some good things will hopefully come out of it.

From my own perspective, I still physically went to work every day and so I wasn't as isolated and badly affected as a lot of my friends and family.  As I went out the door in the mornings I would hear Mr Shoestring and The Jackster (last born child), who were both working from home, planning their lunch time feasts, and so it was probably a good thing that I was not present to share in these gastronomic delights.  (They usually involved large amounts of fried foods and meats in particular, and I have gained a huge amount of adipose tissue during lockdown anyway, so just as well that I wasn't able to participate.) 

We badly missed coming to Shoestring Cottage.  It was forbidden to travel out of the geographical location of our home while "lockdown" was in place, and I am forever grateful to the dear friends who came and watered the garden, fed the fish and looked after my precious indoor plants.  Even my seedlings survived, such was their tender and thoughtful care. And things are still flowering, much to our surprise.  There are roses blooming and irises flowering their hearts out.

Now that we are moving into a new kind of "normal" we are looking for the good things which we found during the pandemic.  Walking in the centre of the city with no traffic around and smelling the air sweet instead of perfumed with diesel fumes was wonderful, as was hearing bird song and seeing tuis flying around in the town.  We did lots of walking and discovered some new parks we hadn't visited before.  Having come out the other end it's quite strange to get back to usual socialising but we were so happy to finally be able to catch up with Mr and Mrs Peaceable this weekend after so long in isolation. 

During lockdown when we were confined to our apartment I made great progress on a quilt I must have started about 20 years ago.  As usual, it was started to use up leftovers, and over time I must have made so many blocks that there are still a lot left over.  It is just needing the last hexagons put around the edges now, and then it will be ready for batting and backing.  As per usual, I am heartily sick of the wretched thing now, and once it is finished it will need to be put away for some time, before I can bear to look at it again and find it charming, and be glad I made it after all. 

As per usual, there are favourite fabrics which I will always try to sneak into every quilt I make.  Ones with insects

And birds, of course

Ones which are left over from the days when I used to make smocked dresses for our little girls, who are now grown women

Ones which look like chintz crockery of course

And speaking of which, here are my two most recent chintz acquisitions; a whole set of these, complete with a couple of serving plates, were given to me by that paragon among men, Mr Shoestring, for my birthday.  Surely this calls for a cakey kind of party, maybe with pink beverages and flowers everywhere, to celebrate our freedom and release from home detention?

And my dear mama gave me this beautiful one

It is hard to think that summer Art Deco Festival in Napier took place in February, that seems like a distant memory and possibly a fantasy now.  We are so pleased that we did have the opportunity of attending before COVID-19 turned all our lives upside down.  Like many people, we have resolved to spend more of our time and money investigating our own country now to try to alleviate the economic effects we are all bracing for, and looking forward to going back to Napier for a smaller and informal winter Deco festival.  It will be a much needed boost for us all, already looking forward to it and planning some costumes.  (If I can find anything stretchy enough to accommodate my growth spurt, of course.) 

Before the pandemic struck I had been tweaking this dress to make a summer outfit for next year, and I am really pleased with the result.  I used a piece of cream silk crepe de chine from a thrift store and I am liking the look of it.  I think I have a good hat and shoes somewhere for this outfit.

Pleased with the outcome of that one I used the same approach on this dress, with a linen embroidered doyley to create a collar and cuffs, and a nice green buckle to make a belt with.

We were so grateful to be given this plate rack from a friend of a friend.  It was so kind of her to donate this to Shoestrong Cottage and it has freed up space in the cupboards, as well as displaying the pretty crockery to good effect.

Just before lockdown I went into a kind of frenzy when I saw a couple of sets of pudding bowls and soup bowls complete with serving dishes, at bargain prices.  I just could not resist them and I am looking forward to getting them all out for parties again, at last. 

Wherever you are, I hope you are able to see the wood for the trees in these terrible times.  Or the birds nests, now that the trees are losing their leaves in this part of the world, and winter is on its way.  Take care, stay safe and be kind to yourself and others.  XXOOXX

PS:  Our old computer has died and I am still getting used to this new one, so please excuse the quality of photos, it will take me a while to get to grips with things and I know you, dear friends, will make allowances. 

The Exhaustion of Spring

This weekend I had plans, big plans, oh my yes.  Apart from a little light planting and mulching (on Friday I had snaffled six large bags of coffee grounds from the delightful baristas at the cafe at work, a record I think and very tricky to get downstairs and home without stretching one's arms), it was going to be indoors and stitching away on an Art Deco dress for next February.  February always rolls around a lot faster than I think it's going to but this time I was going to be prepared, oh yes indeed.  So, out into the garden bright and early on Saturday morning to plant the lily bulbs kindly donated to me by a dear friend.  Then onto the garden with the coffee grounds, first mixed in with compost.  But the weeds, the weeds were calling.  And the hanging baskets needed replanting.  And the front porch was in dire need of sweeping out and then that made me notice that some of the plants there needed attention.  On it went, and now the end of the weekend is here and not a single stitch has been put into an Art Deco costume.  After Saturday's efforts I predicted to myself that I would be too sore to continue on Sunday but it was fine.  Maybe next weekend it will be raining and there will be some enforced indoor time.  Whether it is raining or not, I must do better in the sewing room.  If I ever recover from my labours this weekend, that is.  I feel I need to return to work tomorrow for a well earned rest.  I imagine my colleagues would object if I fell asleep and started dribbling into my keyboard, though.

How lovely it was to be outside.  After the bird bath was cleaned out a male blackbird had the most lengthy bath and was a joy to watch.  And the spring light was so intense on some of the plants, the sun shining through the holes which must have been bitten into this leaf before it unfurled were casting bright shadows on the rest of the leaf, I had to stop and admire the effect for quite some time.  (And stretch out my back.)

The dark purple tulips were most obliging and blossoming their hearts out.  They are so velvety and the colour is so deep and rich, it does make a person wonder at the huge variety in the natural world.  

And all the while I was observed closely by a disapproving rabbit, who was deeply suspicious of my actions in his patch.

We had had a very eventful time before even arriving at Shoestring Cottage.  Only about three weeks ago my little Figaro car broke down on the way to the cottage, and my sister (who is a rock and the most helpful and uncomplaining sister a body could ever desire) towed us all the way to her house.  The problem was detected the next day by Mr Shoestring (yes, being an amateur is another one of his many and varied talents), and we were on the road again.  Then the same thing happened this week, and my poor sister had to turn out in the cold and dark and tow us once again.  This time I noticed that she had bought a new tow rope and torch, that is how well organised she is.  Anyway, she must have felt sorry for me, because she insisted on giving me my Christmas present early and I have been using it already this weekend.  A lovely cup, saucer, side plate and dinner plate with violets painted on it.  Perfection!

While I was using it this weekend I was musing about the fact that we love to collect things for our loved ones, once we know their tastes and likes.  Some people have very definite and predictable tastes and I am one of them, so I suppose I am easy to buy for.  My sister has been presenting me with violet china for probably about 40 years now, and I never can get enough.  She on the other hand, has a fondness for hand painted china with misty roses on it, and whenever I find a piece I know immediately that it would be perfect for her.  And my daughter only had to tell me that she had bought a pretty ceramic swan vase in an op shop in London to start me on the hunt for pieces for her.  I now have quite a selection for when she comes "home" again.  

And since the thrill of the chase is part of the fun (in fact a large part of the fun) when we are scrounging around in markets, op shops and second hand shops, the more people you have to look out for, the better.  Even if you don't find anything which thrills you to the core on your outing, to come home with a treasure for one of your dearest friends or relations is just as good, sometimes even better.  

Next time I hope to have some news about a fabulously successful Art Deco sewing session.  It's always good to have something to work towards, anyway.  

Roll On Sunshine

At last some sunny days in the garden, and a chance to get out there with the bees and rattle some weeds, give them a fright even if not mortally wound them.  Today I spent some happy time putting bags of coffee grounds and compost onto the earth's surface, and  watching the worms writhing about.  I like to think they are in a feverish state of excitement at the prospect of being released from the dark coffee ground bags, but maybe it's just the sudden exposure to light and sunshine after having spent their entire lives in the cool dark coffee grounds which makes them respond so.  (And how they get into the bags in the first place, when they are tied tightly closed, is always a mystery to me as well.  Nowt so clever as these lowly creatures which we like to think have very little in the way of intelligence.)

Early spring time is associated in my mind with intense yellow greens, such as the new growth on oak trees, and these oxalis leaves (this is an ornamental oxalis and not the noxious weed, but just to be on the safe side I'm confining it to pots.  It has lovely bright pink blossoms, another shade associated with early spring in my mind.  

Things in the pink and purple themed garden, though not strictly sticking to their colour scheme, are cooperating very nicely with me at present.  The pelargoniums are always the most obliging and will happily take off from a little piece stuck into the earth, and reward by blooming their hearts out.

I usually resist the urge to buy tulip bulbs, because of the way they need lifting and care if they are going to bloom again next season, but this season I gave in and bought these outlandish frilled pink ones, which I am really pleased with.  Also some which are such a deep purple as to be almost black, very exotic and worth spending a bit of loose change on. 

I had to have a few ranunculus and the pure white colour of these ones combined with the startling yellow of the central sepals always makes me pause for closer inspection. 

As well as the hundreds of blue bluebells, the pink shaded ones are clumping up nicely with time and multiplying every bit as keenly as the blue, which is something of a surprise as the "original" variety usually seems to be the most vigorous form.  

The tulips seem to be emerging and blooming at varied rates, which is good because it extends the season of enjoyment.  This pot is still getting ready to flower and some are almost past their best already.

Indoors things are looking rather sad and dusty because the urge to be outdoors has been too strong to resist.  Two things which are very happiness-making though are the charming tea cosy I managed to enviegle out of my dear sister.  Sitting there and admiring it so fulsomely must have been the magic which made her part with it.  I love the way it is lined with silk, and both sides are embroidered rather than just one.  And it has the most cunning little chimney which is also cross stitched, and attached after the rest of the cottage was put together.  What a special adornment for the teapot, I'm afraid my old cosy has been tossed aside and disregarded altogether.  

And here you can see that the front and back of the cost are different from one another too, how wonderful is that?

The other thing which has received attention indoors is the jewellery box Mr Shoestring kindly gave me as a birthday gift.  It is in perfect condition and now houses my art deco weekend "jewels" (mostly from the op shop, but I'm not fussy).  

It is cunningly contrived with four different layers and the individual layers open out so that different pieces can be stored on different levels, what a clever innovation.  It has only taken me five years or so to actually put my treasures in there, but these things take time.  

The other thing which has been pleasing at the cottage lately is this tiny little manicure set in a bakelite case, the most perfect shade of art deco green of course.  As a person whose hands are usually somewhat affected by the rigours of the garden and who isn't particular as to her manicure, this is something I should make more use of but I am content to just look at it and admire it.  Like the jewellery box, it is very cleverly contrived with its hinged lid and little slots inside for the four tiny manicure tools to fit into.  Admirable.  

No matter whether it is your spring, summer, autumn or winter, I hope you are taking time to do some of the things which thrill you and make the days more enjoyable.  I have been working away on a quilt I'm trying to finish, and I suddenly realised I was working on the very same one exactly a year ago with the same aim.  And that I started it about 15 years ago.  It's about the journey, not the destination.  Just as well!