Just another day.

The day started with my walk around the block via Janet's place for a coffee and to meet her friend from Canada. As you can see there is goings ons along the drive. As we get our water from the barn roof we are culling back the trees that shed their leaves in that direction. Several have gone already and today we are on the job again.

When I arrived home Kerry had made a big start. Time to roll my sleeves up and get in there with him. Yes it's not just man stuff. As I am often reminded, I planted most of these trees. This great pile of sycamore branches, once a large tree and once upon a time a wee seedling among a dozen or so that I dug out of the bush at a camp site and faithfully planted on our bare land and they in turn have faithfully grown tall and strong and shed their seeds which have faithfully sprouted throughout the garden. I have continued to weed these seedlings out but there is always some that survive so this tree will soon be replaced.

As you can see, hundreds of seeds where the tree fell on the drive. These at least will not sprout.

Now we have had to make a sad decision to bring this tree down. It is in danger of falling over the neighbours drive in a big wind. It is one of the very first trees I planted here. A variegated Tulip Tree. I had also planted one of those Poplar sticks which quickly grew and overshadowed the Tulip tree so that it grew thin and straggly . We took the Poplar out last year but the damage was done. Kerry is very safety conscious and we spend a lot of time with ropes etc to make sure the tree falls right. There is one rope going to an old stump.

Cranking up the tension.

And just to make sure another steel rope goes around another stump and held in tension by the tractor.

T I M B E R !!!

Just like that. I really did feel so sad to see it lying there. 

I am hoping that the stump will sprout as another such tree has done elsewhere in the garden.

Half an hour later It was cut up and there was another heap of branches ready for shredding.

Now my part in helping was over and I left Kerry to the shredding, firing the shreds around the tanks.

We had had a break for an alfresco lunch. 

And now I needed a coffee and I think I've earned a choc bikkie, resting behind closed doors away from the noise in my studio.

But I'm keeping an eye on him.

While enjoying a peaceful read of my book. Now I have also been busy inside, as in my studio behind me here. Do you want to see. Are you still there or have I bored you silly.

Coming through the door I can now see some floor

And I hope a sense of some sort of order. The little skimpy denim skirt, already embroidered, is destined to be a bag. I have also been interviewing other op shop finds for upcycling.

This is my present upcycling project to be revealed later.

I've been busy  with the sorting and tidying and titivating. This op shop sarong has become a curtain hiding the batting and lampshades in the corner. As you can see I love the sunset colours. A lovely silky scarf draped at the window, the beginnings of sorting the old shop counter so I can craft there.

Above I have temporarily hung my garage sale gypsy chandelier until I get a better hanger for it. I don't intend to wire it in, I just love it's colourfulness. I'm finding all sorts of things to hang on the mesh at the windows. Things to inspire.

It may not look like it, but believe me this is so much more organised than it was.

Fabric on shelves, scarves destined to be curtains overflowing the old hat case, doilies in a basket, ties in a basket, and underneath are the overflow from the baskets in bins but leaving some out in view feeds the inspiration.

Here are my few vintage sheets and some old duvet covers.

Some of my collection of op shop shirts and jeans for quilts, picnic rugs and bags.

On the tables another glad find is this picnic basket with handy dandy compartments for rulers, scissors, and other bits and bobs. As you can see I like baskets for display and storage and have collected a few.

Baskets and tins galore to delight and encourage delving.

And this little corner looking very orderly. The curtain samples you see hanging there were given me by a friend who has a furnishing business. When a line becomes obsolete the samples are useless except for crafts of course. Until I return from my UK trip they will hang around delighting me with their rainbows of colours and textures.

So along with my quiet corner this is my studio, now up to working order. One day I will again have a retreat in the garden to separate these passions of mine. 

After a long day the drive is now clear and more open.

And we close the door on Trills patch for another day. Good night, sleep tight, and many blessings to you all, Trills. Xx