Around here

As the days just seem to run into each other lately I have been trying to achieve something each day so that I don't feel like I am completely wasting my time. Our teaching English volunteer jobs are still on hold and I don't have that weekly lesson slotted into my timetable. So I have started writing a list of what I want to do each day to keep me on track.

I make multiple trips outside to get some exercise, pull out weeds and keep an eye out for any new birds in our trees. I spied this cute little Kookaburra the other day that the Crows were trying to chase out of the tree....without any success thankfully. 

Then on another rather dismal day I saw what I presume is a Rosella on the chimney next door.....

Of course the Cockatoos are regulars around here. I know overseas readers like to see our Aussie wildlife. 

Plantain is growing like crazy along our driveway and out the front so I pulled off some leaves to dry under a pane of glass as in winter the leaves dry in a couple of days but only in a couple of hours in the middle of summer....especially if the temperature is 35C or so.

Then the leaves are crumbled and infused in olive oil in readiness to be used in soap or perhaps lotion bars. Check out Jan Berry's 10 Things to Make with Plantain if you have some growing and want to make good use of it. You can find more ideas on Annie's Place Herb Series:Plantain.

Thinking  that our Simple Living Toowoomba workshops would be able to resume soon I made a couple of pincushions to add to the swap table and then realised how hard it is for me to make small stitches these days as I tried to do Ladder Stitch to close up the hole. I won't be making any more of these.  As it turned out we can't resume our workshops as we can't fit enough people into the venue with the social distancing space that has to be taken into consideration so we have cancelled them until next year.

Although too pretty to get dirty I made a few cleaning cloths with leftover flannelette from the Rag Quilts I made for my grandchildren a few years ago.

Not many flowers are growing in the garden but I did notice that my first pansy had opened up this morning.....

....and just to add a bit of cheer to this cold house I bought some more gerberas at the farmers' market last Saturday, this time in red and white to match the kitchen. 

I think we all need a bit of extra cheer these days. Here in Australia the numbers of people becoming infected with COVID-19 are increasing in our southern states and the state of Victoria's capital city of Melbourne has gone into lockdown once again and there are also clusters in New South Wales as well now. Our border with New South Wales is now open so I think a lot of Queenslanders are thinking it is only a matter of time before things change here as some people try to sneak into the state. Time will tell and in the meantime I am sure most people will be careful and be thoughtful of others. Last night's 4 Corners program Inside Italy's COVID War was an eye opener as we were shown how swamped with patients the Italian hospitals had been earlier in the year. The doctors were so thrilled when an 18 year old young man recovered after being so very ill. 

Have a wonderful week and enjoy the little things in life.