Merry Christmas!

Here in Australia I'm actually a day late, but for you folk in the northern hemisphere I think it is still Christmas Day.  I had wanted to get this letter on a week ago but time got the better of me.  The family (Marnie and Denver - who are still in the process of moving to their own house, and Ben and Hayley - who are visiting from Brisbane, Queensland) have gone to the movies, and although the house looks like a cyclone has been through I decide to sit down and get this message to you all.

 

*Marnie and Denver decorated the gingerbread house :o)*

So following is a copy of my 'Christmas Letter' which I managed to get mailed to some, but for those I didn't, you might like to read about what has been keeping me busy this last year.  I have hopes of updating my blog more regularly in 2013.  Merry Christmas and God bless you!

Lynda's 2012 Christmas Letter

Dear family and friends - I can hardly believe another year is over...but then I say that every year!!

It's been a rather busy and eventful one for me. The year started with me still living in Stanley and still waiting on a court decision re. the property settlement case with Kerry. The magistrate finally handed down his decision in March but unfortunately the amount I was awarded was not enough to enable me to buy my own home. It took till June to see it all finalised, but I was so glad it was all over after dragging on for 3 years.

In May/June I had a visit to Brisbane to see Marnie and Denver, Ben and Hayley.

And in July I moved to Deloraine!

Natasha came down from Sydney for a few days to help me with the move. I was moving from a furnished apartment to a small unfurnished house, so did not have too much to move, but it was nice to see her as she and the family have now gone to Bangkok, Thailand to live and work for a couple of years.

In August Marnie and Denver came from Brisbane to stay with me. Marnie was undecided if it would be a temporary move or permanent, but she has finally decided (I think) that they will stay in Deloraine. She is in the process of looking for a rental for her and Denver. It was nice to have them here...but it will be nice to have my home back again too :o)

I was able to rent a small, near new 2 bedroom house and have gradually been furnishing it with some new and some secondhand furniture.

Although I liked living in Stanley and miss the beach a little bit (if I think about it too much) and some good friends I made, I think my move to Deloraine has been a good one. Stanley was very isolated geographically - only 1 bus out and 1 bus in each day, 20 minutes drive to nearest town with needed facilities, and a 3 hour drive to the airport. I am now living in a very picturesque town with all facilities, and only a 1/2 hour drive to Launceston (Tasmania's second largest city) and a 40 minute drive to the airport. Deloraine is a very 'english' town, with the Meander river running through it and surrounded by mountains (which have snow on them in winter), lovely old houses, lots of pretty deciduous trees and beautiful gardens (the roses are out at the moment!).

I go for a 40 minute walk around the river walk track most mornings, and have found a weekly ladies bible study to attend.

I am also enjoying fellowshipping with the Mennonite folk here (another reason for moving to Deloraine). Mennonite's are of the Anapabtist faith (like the Amish) . The church is only new, but we have around 25 folk attending most sundays. Most are from Canada and have come to help set up the church here (and hopefully be able to stay permanently) as the Mennonite faith is quite new to Australia. If you'd like to know more about the church or Mennonite faith feel free to contact me (lyndahkay@hotmail.com). I also post about it (among other things) on my blog (www.takemehomecountryroads-lynda.blogspot.com).

I have been selling some of my crafts (mostly knitted and crocheted items) here as I did in Stanley. Some to a craft shop in Oatlands, and I also have some in a craft/garden shop here in Deloraine.

May you know the peace and love of God this Christmas season and always!

much love, Lynda xx

Luke 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

the hurrier I go the behinder I get

Hello friends...life has been keeping me busy, but wanted to pop in to say hello :o)

With daughter Marnie and grandson Denver living here with me my days seem to be rather full.

We did manage recently to get all our things (Marnie's and mine) that we have had in storage in Hobart for 4 years brought up to Deloraine.  So now the garage is full of 'stuff' until we can get it sorted, so the car has to live in the driveway.

I have been enjoying opening some boxes and finding lots of my lovely book that I had forgotten I had....

And also making new labels for some of my craft work that I was selling in the craft shop at Stanley as the lady in my favourite shop (more on that later) in Deloraine is happy to take them on consignment... 

 

The roses around town are beautiful at the moment...will try and get some photos...

 

Time to get Denver from the school bus...

 

More later.... xx

grey

 

It's a grey day here today and is now also pouring with rain.  A good day to stay inside.

 

So I thought I would brighten your day (and mine) by showing you some crochet projects I have been working on lately and also some books I've been reading....

 

This will be a lap blanket in pink, green and cream...

It's finished now, and has been given to a friend.  Unfortunately I forgot to take a finished photo....

And this is my 'Stanley' blanket that I started while still living in Stanley in colours to remind me of my time there...the sea, sky, sand and plants (mostly grasses and lavenders)...

You can see the colours better in this picture.  I was also reading this book from the library while I crocheted...

And I had all these bits and pieces of yarn left over from other projects, so I decided....

....to make some cushion covers!  The one is finished (a 14 inch square) but I need to get a cushion insert for it.  Still working on the other one...

And I've just finished reading this very interesting, informative and entertaining book about a way of life that is foreign to most of us.  You can read some reviews about it here 

Back to the crocheting....

walking my way back home...

 

Spring has sprung here in Tasmania!!

 

 

After I take Denver to the school bus in the morning I go for my river walk.  You can just see the path in the middle of the photo. (and remember if you want to see a larger version of any of the pictures...just click on them)

 

Unfortunately the blossom trees have all finished flowering and are in leaf now, but some of the flowers (I think they are bluebells?) are still out.  And the roses are on the way... 

Some of the swampy river land...

 

 

and some more...

and some more....

Looking through the willows...

and mowed grass areas...

Across to the other side...

Towards the road bridge...

Looking to the footbridge...

Looking from the footbridge to the train bridge...

 

A closer view of the footbridge (which sways when you walk across it)...

 

 

 

And two of my favourite houses and gardens I walk past.  This one...

 

And this one...

Home now...time for a cup of tea :o)

Making pincushions

Jules asked me in a comment awhile back how I make my pinchshions, so finally...here is what I do (I hope the explanations are clear)....

 

 

Cut out two 7" (18cm) circles.  Sew right sides together leaving a gap for turning through.  Clip/snip edges (not sure why I do this, but I seem to remember you are supposed to)....

 

Turn through to right side and stuff firmly with fibrefill or similar....

Hand stitch the gap closed (I use an overstitch)....

Using a longish needle and double thread with a knot in the end I then sew from top to bottom (or bottom to top) pulling the thread tight to indent the centre....

Then using the same thread I attach a button on both sides (top and bottom) and secure the thread by winding it around the button a few times before cutting thread.....

Using embroidery thread I knot it under the button....

Then wind it around the buttons going from top to bottom I segment it into 8 sections....

I knot the two ends of the embroidery thread under the button when finished and using a needle I then pull the excess end through the pinchushion and bring it out somewhere on one of the edges and cut it off (this is just to leave some thread inside the pinchushion rather than cutting it off close to where I've tied it and risk it coming undone.  And there you have it...a pinchusion....

Then you can make some more....

 

from the sea to the mountains

I find I am not missing living by the sea at all...and who would with mountain views like these to take its place!

Yesterday it was such a lovely day I went for a walk to the edge of town to take a look in The 2nd Hand (furniture) Shed as I'm still looking for bits and pieces of furniture.

The following pictures are what I saw on the way there...

You can still see some snow right on the top of these mountains.  They are part of the Great Western Tiers a mountain range that runs down the middle of Tasmania.

I have a 'thing' about bare branched winter trees :o)

More winter trees!!

The high mountain you can see is Quamby Bluff.

new life in a new town

I'm here!!! 

Still working on getting furniture, but have found a pretty river walk and am enjoying fellowshipping with the Mennonite church here.


Here are some photos from my walk....on a foggy winter morning...

Books

Two days ago I went to visit Peter and Susan Hoover at the Rocky Cape Christian Community  (the Hutterite community I mentioned in a previous post) a 20 minute drive from here.  Peter had mentioned in one of his newsletter emails of a recently written book about the life of Susan's mother, and that they had some copies available, so I went to pick one up.

You can read some info about the book here.

Peter and Susan also lent me a well read copy of the book below because I mentioned I had just finished reading another book by Margaret Epp (The Earth is Round) and had really enjoyed it.  This is the book I am reading now....

And they also gave me these books below.  I have read some other David Bercot books and find them very interesting and challenging....

And there was a lady visiting there for a week from a community in New Zealand who they wanted me to meet...Jeanette Bagrie.  She and her husband started a christian community, Drury Church,  just outside Auckland in New Zealand nearly 20 years ago.  She had some of their books that they had written which she gave me.  We also exchanged contact details to keep in touch.

So I went to pick up one book and came home with eight!!!!