tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48860525666961024752024-03-08T19:21:12.186+11:00Red Haired AmazonaA lazy domestic goddess and crochet queen doing stuff, digging stuff, buying other stuff and occasionally remembering to parent her kids....Red Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.comBlogger199125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-81300962001224314442024-02-14T19:39:00.001+11:002024-02-14T19:39:42.300+11:00Midlife Crisis BootsI recently received an email from someone that simply had the heading "Where are you?" (thanks for the virtual poke Lorraine!)I never went anywhere. I just got a bit buried in all of the life stuff. I turned 50 in October. Vintage!!Gee that's a shit number!I have had quite a few ladies older than me tell me things like, "Oh you're still a baby!", or "Pffft! That's nothing! I'm Red Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-61778488202519743852023-08-21T20:41:00.000+10:002023-08-21T20:41:28.139+10:00So where was I? Oh yeah... Paris.So as I was saying, we left London St Pancras on this.And went here...Our trip was mainly about the Eurovision.BUTSince the beginning of the year, I've been taking french language classes at the Alliance Française once a week. So the Bear suggested we do a little side trip so I could stretch my very basic language skills. Upon arriving in Paris I had taken exactly 1 term (9 lessons) worth ofRed Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-64914970680757612312023-06-18T17:05:00.002+10:002023-06-18T17:10:35.182+10:00I went on a little holiday (part 5) Hello again!I've had a really busy past couple of weeks. How has yours been? It feels like life is saying: "Had a few weeks holiday, did you? Feeling kind of relaxed now, are you? Let's give you a little kick up the bum..."It is probably rather indulgent of me to write all these posts just for one trip, but so much happened! Everyday was packed full of places and things and smells and all Red Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-41634370348234313072023-06-06T17:12:00.005+10:002023-06-06T17:29:47.127+10:00I went on a little holiday (part 4) My last post was huge. Well it was a huge week! I think of it as one whole chapter and found it tricky trying to break it up. I'm not really a professional writer type person so I'm sure someone else could have done it better. But it's out there now for me to look at, and read and remember how amazing and overwhelming it all was.If you're jumping in now and haven't caught up withRed Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-18387306739424722082023-06-04T22:57:00.005+10:002023-06-04T23:13:37.763+10:00I went on a little holiday (part 3)Welcome back to the 3rd instalment of 'I went on a little holiday'. It really wasn't a little holiday though. A holiday that involves 25 hours of plane travel & leaves you drained with cankles bigger than truck tires is never 'little'.So it was a biggish holiday. But not for nothing would I fly to the other side of the planet. I was here to finally experience my favourite annual event inRed Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-22479013269995801622023-05-29T15:36:00.002+10:002023-05-29T15:54:37.330+10:00I went on a little holiday (part 2) So the other day in part 1 of my little holiday recap, I finished up with the 1000 piece puzzle-worthy cottages near Cambridge.When I woke up bright and early the next morning, I took a little walk down the road and saw my first ever in real life robin singing in a tree. I watched it for a minute or so and listened to it chirping or tweeting or whatever but instead thinking of anything Red Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-75294612181521447992023-05-27T21:31:00.000+10:002023-05-27T21:31:09.599+10:00I went on a little holiday (part 1)We have just returned from a holiday.It was quite a big holiday for us. We even left the kids behind. Aren't we terrible! It was actually our first real holiday away together.I borrowed Sonofagun No.1's giant suitcase which he purchased a few months ago for a trip to Japan. I wanted to buy a cheap slipcover to protect it and to help it stand out on the baggage trolley.The Bear told me that Red Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-65023612018926076272023-02-15T11:17:00.001+11:002023-02-15T11:17:47.131+11:00I painted, I sanded, I conquered.We've been busy bees.A zillion years ago the Bear and I both did woodworking in high school together. Not exactly 'together'- together but we were in the same class. We exchanged hot, sweaty, teenage glances at each other across the lathes and benches while learning how to make notepad holders, footstools and boxes.Once school was done, the Bear continued to tinker with occasional woodyRed Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-63672596720556238172023-01-18T12:54:00.006+11:002023-01-23T15:01:11.285+11:00Summer so far...Summer so far has been so very busy and wonderful.I hope you had a fantastic Christmas in your part of the world.I'm huge on Christmas. The tree was up in November. I'm one of those people.The way I see it is as the chief Xmas organiser, present purchaser, organiser of the xmas day things and end of year function coordinator, I would miss out on the wonderful xmassy feeling. So I start early to Red Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-76890160968348627722022-11-23T18:36:00.002+11:002022-11-23T19:37:12.340+11:00My Retro Kitsch Pompom Wreath ExplosionFor years I have wanted the Xmas Wreath Of My Dreams. Something sumptious and ridiculously Xmassy and gorgeous to hang out on the front door.But I didn't really know what that was.Our current Xmas wreath is one of those old fake pine needle ones which looks a bit boring.Then I found this on the Pinterest.Isn't is ridiculously gorgeous? The pin leads to a random website with a list of Xmas Red Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-15147407578215419092022-10-18T20:58:00.001+11:002022-10-18T21:02:53.596+11:00It's all about flowers.October is my birthday month. And I feel like the garden puts on a display just for me. Would you like a little tour of what's popping up this month? Have you got a cuppa? I do. Let's go...Those red tulips are gorgeous. I know I planted them at some stage. I just can't remember when. And the flowering cherry gets better each year.Bearded irises are just the tits, yeah? Get a load of this guy. A Red Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-25798685009136476752022-09-29T19:49:00.000+10:002022-09-29T19:49:55.529+10:00September in the GardenCan you smell this? It's my favourite scent of Spring. Go on. Stick ya nose in there!If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times: I bloody love Spring!!!The weather has mostly stopped being an ass so we were able to get into the vegie garden. I am basically a super sexy spring chook BUT with horrid old lady knees and hips. So we have decided to start building up the vegie beds. Each year Red Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-41248905320642441792022-09-13T23:41:00.000+10:002022-09-13T23:41:58.159+10:00Laila Persian Crocheted Lantern- NEW PATTERNIn Arabic 'Laila' means 'night'. When I stayed in Lombok in 1999/2000 my Indonesian friends called me 'Laila' as they knew I loved the Eric Clapton song. It was their way of gentle joking and welcoming me into their family. I've been working on this lantern for way too long.I started it initially back in January while on holiday to Mollymook.I took a bag of assorted cottons in a bag and Red Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-48058883352260883002022-08-21T19:34:00.001+10:002022-08-21T19:34:17.624+10:00Hints of Spring It's August and this is happening outside.Yes. Early signs of Spring.Melbourne has rotten, dank winters but Spring starts early and I'm freaking excited!Our household was finally hit by dreaded Auntie 'Rona just 5 or so weeks after we got over the last round of head colds. Bang bang double whammy!Everyone except Sonofagun No.2 got it. I suspect a certain germ merchant may have Red Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-68601275255982645352022-07-08T19:35:00.001+10:002022-07-08T19:43:20.305+10:00Canberra, it's me Louise, I've come home and I'm so co-ho- ho-old...."Out on the wiley, windy moorsWe'd roll and fall in greenYou had a temper like my jealousyToo hot, too greedyHow could you leave meWhen I needed to possess you?I hated you, I loved you, too..."Kate Bush 1978 Doesn't that sound deliciously gothic and angsty! It's been 3 long years since I last donned the red dress and danced on the wild and windy moors.It was once again timeRed Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-3820802327182257642022-06-19T17:21:00.000+10:002022-06-19T17:21:01.402+10:00Has it been a month already? Howdy! I'm just popping in for a quick hi. I can't believe I haven't written in a month. The beginning of winter does that to you. It becomes cold, dark and dank. You shrink inwards and pull cosy things around you. Every now and then you pop your head up to see if there are signs of Spring then suck back down again.The household has been sick. We've still avoided the spicy cough thank Red Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-30093238876927990712022-05-19T22:18:00.000+10:002022-05-19T22:18:06.328+10:00May Means....May means......digging through the drawer to find warm socks.Keeping the home fires burning.Waking up at 5am to watch the live broadcast of my favourite annual TV event. (The photo below is blurry because it was still dark and my eyes and camera were adjusting to being awake at a horrendously early time).I was only strong enough to wake at 5am for the live show of Semi final 1. When it came to Red Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-13721052254512576182022-04-20T16:14:00.001+10:002022-04-20T16:14:07.582+10:00Easter at Mollymook 2022 I haven't popped in for a little while. I've just been pottering around making and thinking and all of a sudden the weeks have sped away. As you can see from the top photo we have had a lovely little jaunt up to Mollymook. I say 'little jaunt' but it isn't really. It's about 10 hours from door to door. At the end of each drive we're tired, my ankles look like elephants stumps andRed Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-12252034672196840082022-03-23T16:44:00.006+11:002022-03-24T11:40:34.184+11:00Oh my glob! What happened to my blog?Gee willickers what the flippin' heck happened here?I felt a little bored with my old blog layout so I was playing around in the backend of my blogger program thing and found this new fun one. I was really just playing around and sort of liked the way the template looked so I clicked the 'SAVE' button thinking it would save my practice template and the whole shebangabang went live and pulled my Red Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-22855760270352261092022-03-15T17:56:00.004+11:002022-03-24T11:41:04.756+11:00Begonia Eyeball Fest in BallaratYesterday the Bear and I enjoyed the Labour day public holiday by taking a little solo jaunt into the country sans offspring to see the Ballarat Begonia festival at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens.An hour in the car means an hour of crochet...If you hate or are otherwise visually allergic to begonias, then look away now. This is not the blog post for you! I just realised that if someone Red Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-50864509542557012942022-03-09T09:25:00.004+11:002022-03-24T11:41:43.066+11:00The beginning of AutumnThe long days are gradually shortening. The nights are cooler. The weather is a little nutso.I quite like the first month of Autumn. We still have sunny days. Although La Nina is making the weather a little batty. Just a few minutes ago we had a sudden burst of rain which wasn't predicted for today. I feel bad as I had put the piggies out in their newly painted (on the outside only) and extended Red Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-48815373773490506232022-02-21T16:50:00.004+11:002022-03-24T11:42:19.465+11:00Persian Tiles & Sweet MagnoliasIt was late one night last week while bingeing some episodes of Sweet Magnolias on the Netty that I finished the edging and sewing in the last of the ends of the Jane Crowfoot blanket Persian Tiles. I had ordered the yarn pack of the Eastern Jewels colourway by Lucia's Fig Tree. After a few years of lust and procrastination I happened to find it discounted on the Wool Warehouse site. By the Red Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-58863444314556526582022-02-15T18:11:00.003+11:002022-03-24T11:42:35.327+11:00Plums, potatoes & blanketsEven if I don't get a huge crop from my garden, I just love the harvest! This year we had a bumper crop of Mariposa plums.We also dug up maybe 4 or 5 kilos of potatoes. I honestly expected more potatoes and bigger but this was a good experiment as we grew them in big, black, plastic garbage bins that had the bottoms cut out.At harvest time it was easy to pull up the bins and sift through theRed Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-44772925980762050542022-01-27T12:52:00.002+11:002022-03-24T11:43:42.348+11:00Summer at Mollymook 2022 When we see this after a 10 hour drive, we breathe a big sigh of contentment.And when Chuck gets his first beach walk he looks like this.My parents dog Koko gets to visit almost every day but he never tires of it.We know we can enjoy lots of tea, wines, chats and games on the pergola looking over the parental units garden.And every morning we are woken by king parrots, kookaburras, Red Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4886052566696102475.post-68707439500011215182021-12-31T18:33:00.001+11:002022-03-24T11:45:02.702+11:00The Merry Month of DecemberThis time of year is ridiculous, don't you think?Everything happens all at once. Every year I swear I'm going to be super organised, get all the Christmas shopping done early, have a clean house. Yeah, nup. Never happens. I also started writing this blog post at the beginning of December. I wrote about how I had just put up the Xmas tree. I wrote: [The Xmas tree is up. And for the Red Haired Amazonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06100903203745873879noreply@blogger.com2