Morning Walks - TUSAL - Jeans Quilt and garden flowers

Please make a cuppa and sit down....this could be a long post.....

I have been quite diligent for the past 6 months or so - I take the dog for a walk every morning - it started as an excuse for exercise - and on the 123stitch message board, on the Aussie thread, I comment daily on the wildlife I encounter (if any) Here is a cut and paste of my last two morning walks.....

I now illustrate them with photos

Sunday Jan 17:

I've been taking a morning walk for many months now - It's all the damn dog's fault - the most consecutive exercise programme I've ever maintained - Ok, so it's not so much an exercise programme now, I can walk up the hill and talk at the same time, I don't have to stop half way up, bent over and try to breathe, my calf muscles don't complain so much - yes I probably should step up the speed or the distance. I really enjoy looking for the wildlife and breathing the fresh air and having that quality thinking time to myself - mostly consumed with 'what am I wearing to work today?' or 'what am I cooking for dinner?' This morning as I stepped out, it was cool, the ground was damp from a recent overnight shower - no so cool as to need a jacket and the air had been washed clean again. The sun was just making a glow on the horizon and it would not be long before warming the air and drying the roadway. I could hear the magpies and mudlarks and some lorikeets in the trees, one bullfrog was quietly calling for a mate amongst the weeds in the creek. As I crested the first rise and found the new footpath, I spotted 1,2 no 3 bunnies. I smiled, because even just seeing these creatures is 'wildlife' - if I'm lucky to get close enough, we watch each other as I pass and I still think they are cute. Before I know it, there is a flurry of movement and I see a mob of kangaroos, 100ft away from me, all moving to the safety of greater distance - after all, I have a dog on a lead with me. I never fail to stand watching these animals with awe, and it brings an inner peace within, knowing that I live so close to their daily routine. I know that as more houses are built, their area will receede, but for now, I am close to them. This particular mob is large, over a dozen roo's are now watching me, watching them. As I turn the corner of the path and start heading away from them, I am made aware that they do not intend to run too far away, but plan to return to that part of the field where I had surprised them. From half way up the hill, I watch, and count the mob - there are 3 slightly smaller roos - they must be this year's joeys. As I watch, and Milo watches the spot he saw a rabbit yesterday, I am treated to a small display of sparring from two large roos - standing and challenging each other - I can even hear the grunting noises. I know that roos are physically capable of jumping high, but I am still impressed at a roo clearing a fence in a standing start. Time to head home, I left the roos to their peace.
I feel spiritually refreshed this morning. I am blessed with the ability to live this lifestyle at the moment and enjoy every encounter.

Monday Jan 18:

Of course, due to the summer solstice being over, it's a lot darker than my weekend walks - and today it's raining.... Did I remember my glasses??? Of course not. I didn't expect to see any bunnies, but surely that dark lump in the middle of the paddock over there...it's a roo? Yes, of course it is......happy now, I've seen a roo, not too clearly, but it is a roo. MY GOODNESS!! There's a whole lot of them - not 50ft away, just watching me.... another 6 roos (that I can count at least) and only one hopped away a few extra feet and stopped and watched me turn away from them at the pathway. Magic!!!!

As I walk up the rise, I can hear a group of Kookaburras laughing at my astonishment - they appear to be in a clump of trees a bit closer than normal. The roos are still where they were I think - it's still dark and drizzly and of course, not being able to see clearly without my specs. Yes...that fencepost moved! They are still watching me.

I've added comments onto the photos themselves, forgot to mention on the last photo, that the roos get as close as the white pipe sticking out of the ground on some mornings too...I'm standing on the footpath on the edge of the road. I also see bunnies around that pole too!

TUSAL - January 15 2010

(shhhh..... I didn't have the lead for my camera at home - had to wait to process my photo!)

I've emptied all my orts from last year into a crystal bowl - don't quite know what is going to happen to them yet...

Here is the first month's orts - this is all from stitching started on Jan 1st. Hmmm.. I've been stitching more than I realise - that's a lot of orts for a fortnight!!!!

Jeans Quilt
Way back in November 09 - I saw an idea for a Jeans quilt on another blog site - inviting all to join along for a SAL - I finally managed to get all the leftover denim together and set about ripping out the seams this weekend - more photos to come as I progress through this project

Photos from my garden at 6:30 am (dawn - ugh!)

This is a gum tree - and this is the first time we've had gumblossoms about to burst through - they are really this red - glorious - I risked the dampnetude and grabbed a quick snap - more photos as the blossom explodes into a fluffy pompom!

....and without flash!