Argh, life has been so busy lately! We have just finished school holidays (six weeks). We have celebrated Christmas, New Year, birthdays, visited Tasmania & Tamworth, covered excessive amounts of school books and witnessed our country being consumed by heatwaves, floods and bushfires (the Australian Mother Nature is a crazy vengeful woman).
I’ve just returned from Tamworth – where the town was goin’ crazy with country music. I’m not actually a country music fan but it’s such a fun event it’s almost converting me! Noooooo! The town is packed with crazies and there is something to see or do practically everywhere. Loads of free gigs, buskers, street performers, free concerts, fireworks and more.

Wayne Rogers – check out that outfit! I swear I did not plan that backdrop. Still I giggle…

Troy Cassar Daley’s truck – my girls are on it!! This truck had Troy Cassar-Daley performing, a clothes line, an operating BBQ, a shed and a brolly. It was one of EIGHTY floats in the parade.

The 8 Ball Aiken Girls. Yes, they really are dancing with toy horses with wigs

Australia Day everywhere!

Love camels – cranky, smelly but kinda gorgeous anyway
My brother lives there, so we enjoy the human excesses without excessive accommodation fees (and it has more quilts in it made by me than my house!). The kids love it so much they asked their aunty if they can go up earlier next year and see more! I get that some of you are groaning – and I used to think that about this event too – loosen up a bit and just have a laugh. Life’s too short to be judgemental. Life is much more fun when you just roll with the punches and enjoy the quirky things life throws at you.
I even found some crafty sewing things to snap…

Note to self for 2014: hot pants, wig, croc hat & glitter chaps

Whip Kits – a crafter’s delight!

Carved cattle skulls – just what every home needs

No worries about pattern placement here.
I admit I’ve got a soft spot for Tamworth, I spent two years there are boarding school and they really were some of the best years of my school life. I’ve lived all over the place. I was born in Sydney, we moved to Crescent Head (home to one of the best surfing breaks in Australia), then Tamworth, Wollongong, Sydney and finally Port Macquarie. Let me tell you country life is completely different to city life and also very very different to coastal life. I’m fortunate to have lived a little of them all. Tamworth is a pretty country town and I really enjoy my visits there. Country music or no … and I always swore I would never set foot in Tamworth during Country Music Festival – and now it’s an annual highlight in our family calendar.
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Tamworth Streetscapes
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Tamworth Streetscapes
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Tamworth – the post office
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Tamworth – the old bank
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Tamworth pub
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Tamworth pub
I’ve nearly finished knitting Langston for Miss 7’s 8th birthday in March. She’s quite besotted with it and wants to wear it asap – heavens knows why, our summer/autumn weather will mean it’s not required until at least April or May.

Langston from Ravelry
It’s a really delightful little pattern. I’m still having little struggles, more mistakes made from knitting when I am perhaps a little too tired. I’m a shocker at un-doing rows but getting better. Tonight I’m trying my first pick-up and knit for the button bands. I have a very clear idea on what to do (thanks YouTube) but sometimes reality is a little different.

My current WIP, I’m plodding along…
My little town was not consumed by floods, we had some very minor flooding (compared to other parts of the east coast of Australia) however our beaches have copped a pounding – courtesy of flood waters coming out of the river and also huge seas. What to do for blog pictures?? Check out the awesome images here…
The backyard is out for pictures – all the critters are coming out the play with the rain… I found this fellow at my front door on Friday….

Snake! Tree snake – not poisonous but scared me!!
I am so behind in my blog reading and blog posting… so many things to read, sew, write about and more… watch this space.