Another sampler done.

I am feeling very pleased to be finishing off some projects lately. A lot of them seem to be cross - stitch samplers but seeing as this is one of my favourite things to stitch I just have to go with it - they are so much fun.
I have just discovered Blue Ribbon Designs which has got so many wonderful sampler patterns I literally don't know where to start!
 I do also really enjoy Alicia's designs and the style and feeling of her blog. I have just finished the Midsummer Spigs ABC Sampler. Alicia designed this pattern to be done on black Aida but Black is a tricky colour to stitch on to. I found I could only stitch during the day as light at night wasn't good enough to see where I was going.So I did mine on Rustic Aida and I did change the colours of some of the flowers so that they would stand out better on the light fabric.

 

 

.Now I really need to get some of these finished projects on to the wall. Trouble is...framing isn't nearly so interesting as stitching.

I grew something!

Sadly I am not the best at the whole gardening thing. This is what happened when I tried to grow stuff with green leaves last year and I had no luck with carrots. They just ended up being little orange lumps - not something that I could throw in with the Sunday roast.
However, out by the clothes line where my "vegie garden" lives something rather fantestic is happening.

 

 

Tomatoes are growing!! Little ones and big ones. And they taste great.
Now I have to add right here and now that just about everyone in Canberra grows tomatoes in the summer. And I mean everyone. Supermarket sales of tomatoes must nosedive because we all can get them from the garden however.... I am pretty pleased with myself that I have finally manged to join the crowd and grow some of those red beauties for myself.

 

 

All I need to do now is convince my children that tomatoes really are delicious even it they aren't   purreed and put on top of a pizza base!

Thankful Thursday

I'm staying with the school theme for thankful Thursday this week.
I'm certainly thankful that my three school-aged children all started school reasonably happily. That they are happy to be with their friends again, have great teachers etc.
However, what I am really thankful for this week is that here in Australia we have a school system that is so entrenched in our community as a wonderful institution that really.... most of the time.... I just take it for granted!
This week my husband drew my attention to this situation. In Mali it seems that going to school is not taken for granted. That, in fact, going to school can be taken away from you very quickly and it can take a really long time before you are able to go and sit in a classroom again.
Here in Australia, I ride my child to and from school every day on uncluttered, well organised roads. There are no guns pointed at us, no soldiers in tanks. I have more than enough to feed my family and a democracy is established to determine a government  to rule the land. This is not the case in Mali and it is not the case in lots of other countries.
Because of their age differences my three school aged children go to three different schools, three different, excellent schools. I could have chosen from half a dozen such schools just in my neighbourhood.
I am so very thankful for our wonderful education system because really without education, life is so very hard.
Thanks again, Leigh for giving me the opportunity to focus on this today.