Gardening & S.E.X

Here's another weird thing about me. I LOVE gardening books, either useful, like how too's, or botanical encyclopeadias, or just plain old pictures of fancy schmancy gardens....but I HATE gardening, with a passion, my idea of a good day in the garden, is with the round-up, weed whacker and hedge trimmer, it's all about destruction. I have managed to create this one small garden, we're talking tiny here folks, less than a square metre. It's by my back gate. It comprises of an aloe, 3 different kinds of succulents and some mondo grass. It all came about because I saw a picture in one of those fancy schmancy gardening books of a barrel and water pump, but with succulents growing and spilling over the side like water. Well, I think I have done a pretty fine job of recreating that look. The pic is of my barrel...you can tell its not one of those fancy schmancy book pics cos of the 'junk' in the garage!!

I managed to get some S.E.X in yesterday too. It was the Auckland Quilters Guild 'Christmas' show this weekend, and I went with Mum. I do like to look at the quilts, but I really go for the merchant stalls, and below is what I got. The lace is just gorgeous, and very reasonably priced I thought. The wrapped packets were metre lengths and the most I paid was $8. It is all 'hand painted', and the designs are beautiful. The trouble is when I buy stuff like this , I don't use it.....I might need it one day!!
It was very heartening to see that there were 3 crazies entered this year. They were all lovely, and very interesting to look at. One was based on the piecemaker 'tree' quilt ( you know the one I mean) but with a NZ twist. I don't know alot about those quilts, but the work in this one was lovely. The others were very nice too. I shopped too long to look properly.
I was interested to see that although there was hand seam treatments on them all, an effective look can be created using trims and laces, which is not a bad idea if you want a CQ to weather wear and tear on a bed. Any way , something for me to think about.
My nana won a couple 1st place ribbons again this year. She does the most stunning applique quilts, and her quilt this year was well displayed. I was looking thru a trade table and it caught my eye. I said to mum " hey, that a stunner.....hang on....isn't that..... WOW". Good on you Nana.