Friday flowers in the early light

Hi folks, I took these shots the other morning out in the front yard.

The light was beautiful on the Icebergs roses by the front fence.

I love the shadow on the fence. This is my small but very beautiful Van Gogh sunflower.

So frilly, just like the ones in his famous painting. I'm looking forward to planting more of these later in the year. These went in very late but I wanted to see them.

Have a lovely weekend! I hope you have something lovely planned? I'm working but that's ok, I'm really looking forward to a break at Easter.

xx

Pooch in pantyhose

(A canine fashion statement)

I thought it time for a Molly update.

Here she is making quite the fashion statement in a pair of crotchless pantyhose (cut to make room for her rudder).

Poor little girl, but it has been the only thing keeping her from pulling out more stitches.

She looks a bit uncomfortable but in reality, they didn't seem to bother her too much.

We went back to the vet (yet again - I'm losing count) and he has given her more antibiotics on top of the mild sedatives and anti-inflammatories she was given the other day.

Where she pulled some stitches is now a nasty fleshy wound. Keeping her from licking it is a real job.

The vet was amazed how well she was walking, so I hope that's a good thing. We are struggling to keep her quiet. She doesn't seem to understand the word 'convalesce'!

We are all so so tired. Tired of saying, "stop licking!".

It seems neverending and is very draining, but I realise she is only doing what comes naturally to her.

Sleepy pooch. Sometimes it all gets a bit much :)

Back to the vet on Friday to get the stitches removed.

xx

ps thanks for your offers to source me a zipper re my last post. I have been so slack (so tired and busy with Molly) that I haven't responded to your comments. The zip is under control :)

Parisian needlecase

Despite my frustrated efforts to make a prototype Parisian Postcard pouch I eventually gave up (for the time being). Why is it so difficult to get a neutral 15cm long zipper in Hobart? Uggh!

So, I decided to make my mangled bits of fabric into a needlecase.

I stitched it all together, added a nice woolen felt inner and a very old button with a nice old brass shank.

Here is the interior, the image being the reverse side of the postcard.

You can see the original old 1905 postcard in the image.

I rather like it. I haven't given up on my pouch idea, but am thinking a might make a few of these guys for the Etsy store. Still a bit undecided. Opinions welcomed :)

xx

ps thank you SO SO much for your lovely comments about Molly following her operation.

I have passed on all the hugs and pats to her. She is doing well, but has a tendency to want to lick her wounds and scratch all that shaved skin. I can't blame her . The other night she managed to pull out a couple of stitches so off to the vet we went. A bandage, plastic cone thingamy and a sedative later, she came home feeling very sorry for herself. That night was horrendous! No sleep for anyone, the sedative made her very restless. Not fun! Last night was much better and we are off to the vet this morning to have the wound dressed again.
Have a lovely day friends :)
Xx

I'll do a follow up post soon x

Molly update

Firstly, if you are not good with pictures of stitches, look away now :)

After her surgery on Friday just gone, Molly is doing pretty well.

Look at that big shaved leg! I have to admit I was rather shocked when I saw the massive amount of fur they shaved off. They left her fuzzy from the ankle down, so she looks like a bit of a punk dog. Her fur doesn't grow very quickly (she has never been clipped, unlike many doodles) so I suspect it will take quite a few months to look normal again.

During surgery they took a sinewy bit from her thigh and attached it over her anterior cruciate ligament (acl). The scar is about 6 inches long and she has 16 stitches.

Keeping her as immobile as possible is no easy feat, as is administering her antibiotics (they're huge) and anti-inflammatories. I have to camouflage them in pieces of kabana.

We are trying to limit her movement and have to avoid her jumping on the sofas and bed. One of her favourite spots is the kitchen sofa under the bay window. As we have no kitchen door I have borrowed a baby gate to keep her out. It's working well. We just have to remember to shut the bedroom door as well.

As you can see she has a shaved patch on her chest as well. She had a funny lump there for quite some time and the vet decided to remove it whilst she was under anaesthetic. So, another long scar and 14 stitches. Poor bubby! She is pretty bored so I'm giving her lots of pats and regular treats.

We go back in two weeks for stitch removal and then hopefully can start to slowly increase activity. At the moment she's on the leash to go out to the loo as we can't have her undo all the work by chasing a bird or the postman along the fence as she usually enjoys.

It will all be worth it if she can run like she used to :)

xx

Friday Furries + a stressful day

No Friday Flowers this week, I'm too stressed as my little girl goes to the vet this morning to most likely have surgery on her acl.

We are hoping it will fix her dodgy knee and allow her the freedom to run around unhindered again.

I'm a bundle of nerves!
In fact last time we were at the vet discussing the procedure I suggested that I might need some sedation as well! I think I'll be chewing on my Rescue Remedy all day :)

I love this pooch waaay too much!

I just want it all over and Molly all better :)
Cross you fingers for us in hope it all goes ok?
I'll update later :)

xx

We're safer than houses

If I wasn't such a prim and proper blogger I would have titled this post, "the big erection" but I think that might have resulted in unwanted and undesirable traffic :)

ANYWAY, as you can see we have erected, er, put up, some handy scaffolding. Lyndon had been teetering on a ladder and it just wasn't going to do. Thankfully he could borrow this from his work.

Guess who helped him put it together?

Yes, your truly.

When we got to the bit where that platform had to be lifted into place he had the cheek to say, "this is where you need two blokes".

Well, I'll be!

I got up there and darn-well got that darn-heavy platform in place. One bloke and one strong, capable woman will do just fine, thank you very much!

So, you might be able to see Lyn has pulled off some boards that covered the edges of the tin. They'll need replacing. Originally Lyn thought he'd replace the tin too, but I'm happy to say we'll paint it and see how it goes. Then we have to tackle that big window :)
How was your weekend? I did so much gardening, mostly weeding, that I discovered muscles I didn't know I had! Ouch.

xx

Friday flowers...spent bloom

I had forgotten about these images.

I admit I have had them for a while.

I have mentioned before I believe flowers are beautiful at all their life stages.

This David Austin bloom Lady of Megginch was past its best but I love how the petals are like fabric or tissue paper. It looks like a big floppy fabric brooch, or similar. Something from an old summer hat?

I think it's very beautiful :)

Photographed against some peeling paint in our backyard.
Did any of the Aussie readers watch Picker Sisters on tv last night? I think it might be a new tv addiction for me. Not sure what I thought of the results but it was fun to watch.
Have a great Friday. It's a long weekend here in Tas and I'm not working so yippee!

xx

Doiley teatowel hot off the press

Hot off the press and perhaps in need of a good press with the iron, it's my new doiley teatowel design!

I designed the fabric in Photoshop and sent it off to Spoonflower who printed it for me on a lovely 55%linen/45% cotton fabric. I then finished the edges and attached a handy hanger thingamy on the back.

Blowing in the breeze on our ancient Hills Hoist clothes line...

Looksee, it's labelled Molly's Maison. Ignore those lineny creases :)

And styled with a yummy banana and raspberry muffin topped with lemony cream cheese frosting and a raspberry on top baked this morning by moi!

What do you think?

I'm rather taken with it, though that's no surprise given my slight addiction to teatowels.

I'd love your opinions :)

xx

ps there's one available in my little Etsy store :)

Friday flowers - sunflower

I'm experiencing one of those "why, why, why?" moments.

Why didn't I plant more of these sunflowers?

I planted them all down the side of the driveway. A few have done well but quite a few were eaten.

This beauty did amazingly well.

Unbelieveably happy flowers, aren't they?

This one is right up near the front path and the road and I like to think that it has brought pleasure to people walking by. It is very tall at 1.6 metres.

Very late in the season I planted some frilly double sunflower seeds but these are still very small. I'm not sure they'll even flower. Luckily I have more seeds to sow towards the end of the year.

Please remind me to plant a heap of these next time!

Well, I cannot believe it is March and therefore autumn already! Cold weather will be upon us before we know it. Lots of tidying to do in the garden and vegie patches to prepare for new crops.

Have a lovely Friday my friends and even better weekend!

xx