a post of randomness

Audrey has a bit of a cold. a runny nose that irritates her through the night, meaning restless sleep for us both! i am tired.
it is nice to escape to things that i love! my quilt top is almost finished. i can't wait until i am at the hand quilting stage. i recently enjoyed reading Little House on the Prairie - i liked it's frequent mention of making quilts, or the various uses for quilts. Pa Ingalls must have been an amazing man for his generation.

Laura Ingalls Wilder talks about the time he took her and Mary to see an Indian camp, after the Indians had moved on. he explained to them how the camp had been set up, showed them where the fire was and how it would have been constructed. they found small beads left behind all over the grounds and enjoyed collecting them.
i like one part in the book where Pa makes a rocking chair for Ma - the way simple things were made a special event:
"Last of all, he split a larger willow which had grown in a curve. He turned the chair upside down, and he pegged the curved pieces to its legs, to make the rockers. And the chair was done. Then they made a celebration. Ma took off her apron and smoothed her her smooth brown hair. She pinned her gold pin in front of her collar. Mary tied the string of beads around Carrie's neck. Pa and Laura put Mary's pillow on the chair-seat, and said Laura's pillow against its back. Over the pillows Pa spread the quilt from the little bed. Then he took ma's hand and led her to the chair, and he put Baby Carrie in her arms.
Ma leaned back into the softness. her thin cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkled with tears, but her smile was beautiful."
he always seemed to have time to explain things to his daughters, to teach them. he always tried to make life comfortable for his wife. they really are lovely stories, and i am glad to read them.

speaking of the past, i have been reading through the conservation plan for Lanyon homestead.
i am reminded that i am not employed in the area that i trained for, which discourages me a little. i am sure i have written before about my love for Lanyon - i think i really do believe i own a little bit of it! from the time i was in primary school, i loved visiting Lanyon. i have always been passionate about history, and visiting Lanyon i used to daydream that i lived there. then when i was 15 i did my year 10 work experience there, and at the Sydney Nolan Gallery.

not long after that i began volunteering at Lanyon. dad used to faithfully drive me there for my four our shift. there was a thrill i used to feel, particularly before or after hours, when i could walk through the house. nothing like being in a "no public access" area to make you feel important! here is the newest brochure of Lanyon Hometead. rooms and objects i know as if they were mine. gardens i walked through, picking flowers for the staff room.
while at university i completed a conservation assignment on the family cemetery at Lanyon, now overgrown -most of the graves only recognisable by slight mounds in the ground.
if there is any special event in my life, you will know that it is being celebrated with coffee and a stroll at Lanyon.

and this morning, a some random photographs.

the results of my tomato chutney preparation the other day. i love this corner of Audrey's bookshelf.
and what's a girl to do when her brother goes to school all day?
finally, my most favourite possession at the moment: friends gave us this gorgeous cupboard, which is now home for all of my sewing paraphernalia - fabric, rulers, mats, thread and magazines. i love it! before this, i had fabric under my bed, in my wardrobe, rulers and mats under our lounge and magazines in the wardrobe. i just want to look at it all the time!