Backyard Bliss

Our mini holiday included a visit to DS's family in ACT (Australian Capital Territory). We really enjoyed our visit with them. Apart from seeing our DGD who is now 7 months old, I helped out with sewing or mending, and anything else that needed doing.

I have given them an old Singer sewing machine. It is handy so that when I visit I have a machine to use. Although I didn't do any sewing for them this time, we did help them with their backyard. My DIL is a very keen gardener and she is also a sculptor. They have quite a big backyard for a suburban home. Bron filled her garden with vegetables, fruit and citrus trees. They also have two hens which supply all of their eggs. Her garden also full of beautiful flowers and sculptures.

I have shown Bron how to applique some simple shapes. Bron likes the idea of using wool fabrics and I happened to have a few squares in my bag for her to get started on. Bron even took it outside to applique. She was really enjoying the process. I promised to send her more fabric and hand-dyed thread.

Bron's first applique block of simple birds in the flower garden.

Here are the handsome hens. They let them out of their pen to roam around the garden when they are home. These hens are about two year's old.

Bron's garden is totally organic. She does not use commercial fertilizer or any chemicals. Here is one of her huge broccoli. There were so many that Bron had to give some away to her neighbors. We had some too and it was delicious.

Bron just fetched an egg out of the chook pen. The hens provide at least two eggs each day. It is a nice feeling to be able to grow your own food and vegetables.

Garden sculpture made by Bron a few years back. Bron told me that the rocks used in the sculpture were from the river at her parent's farm in Eden, NSW.

There were also lots of native birds in their backyard that day too. One in particular was the kookaburra, it came so close to us and was hanging around the backyard for ages. The kookaburra is an Australian native bird. We really had a nice time in their backyard. It is truly a backyard full of bliss.