Mincemeat and Wharf logs

This is a picture of the latest piece I have embellished for week 2 of Dale's class. I call it mincemeat because of all the little pieces which have been cut up and placed over the base before being covered with chiffon and embellished. Actually Kristin Dibbs called it mincemeat when she taught me the technique many aeons ago in a free machine embroidery class. I wonder where she is now, haven't heard of her for many a long year. We are supposed to do a lot of hand stitching on it, but I can't hold the needle so I am going to make it into another little trinket box.

This next photo is back in our Botanic Gardens, part of the lovely collection of bromeliads in the fernery. The local bromeliad society comes along and looks after them for us, moving the pots around to keep the amount of light right.

The logs at the back of the bromeliads and in this photo and the photo below were originall part of the breast wharf at Mackay Harbour. The wharf was pulled down just as our Gardens were being constructed and our architect was able to have them all brought out here. They are being used in quite a few places around the Gardens in a variety of ways and really make a statement. A pair of kookaburras nests in the hole in the right hand post above. They have raised one clutch of babies successfully, after losing the first two to predators. Hopefully they will be nesting again in a few weeks. The visiting schoolkids always like seeing them catch food to feed the chicks, and although kookaburras are usually pretty aggressive when they have young, this pair seems to be the exception.

I love this vine arbour made from the wharf logs to support some tropical vines which will be rampant (we hope) in another few years. The logs seem a bit of an overkill just now, but some of the vines grow really huge in the tropics. We have a jade vine and a wonga vine growing. I can't find the photos I have taken of the Jade vine just now - my index system is shot to pieces! It is really beautiful when it is in flower, but I think is far too big for a family backyard. I'll post a phot tomorrow if I can find it - I know it is on the computer somewhere!

Time for bed. Doctors' appointments tomorrow, followed by a committee meeting, so not too much spare time for catching up on the embellishing course, but maybe just a little bit.......