Clam Shell Project Bag and Lucy blocks

Today I decided not just to sit around and watch the rain. Oh my gosh we got some lovely rain today.  I committed to finish this cute little bag designed by Sandy Cousins  of  "Shiralee Stitches ".  You will find her on the  web or Facebook and guess what I finished my project. YEAH!!

  I am planning on taking it on my trip to America later this month.

Another 3 Lucy Boston Blocks- finished on our Quilpie trip.

Quilpie

Just a little work trip with Hubby 

Goondiwinidi to Brisbane Monday    4 h 6 min (345.7 km) via State Route 85

 Brisbane to Quilpie   Tuesday            10 h 50 min (953.9 km) via Warrego Hwy

Quilpie to Goondiwinidi   Friday                 8 h 49 min (819.8 km) 

Home  Friday night -- I hope 

I always find it so amazing how positive,resourceful ,kind and friendly people who live in the far west of our state of Queensland are. The little town of Quilpie is in a dry arid place. With high sprinklers they put some water on their garden to have a small patch of green. Why high sprinklers do you ask ? Because the water that comes out of the ground and it's too hot to put directly on the garden.

The council is out working hard to beauty and maintain their little outback town . We visited the stores and each offered something different to provide what people need.

The love of the arts and the outback culture is evident and proudly shown.

The tourist season is over so things are quiet now but they will keep going. This is the second time I have been here this year once when the town was overflowing with people for the centenary and yesterday when we arrived  it was 41 C and there were just the locals.  Either way this is an awesome little town. When you travel through these small outback towns stop and buy lunch or check out the stores and buy a little or big something you need.  My friend and I found some things were cheaper than the larger towns and some little stores had some real finds 

For my overseas friends this is where Quilpie is.

Quilpie trip September 2017

Today was 41 C in Quilpie . This area of Queensland is hot as a rule but generally not this hot in Spring. 

So hot and dry that even the emus and kangaroos wanted to be cool so they took advantage of the school holidays . We saw two kangaroos at this school's grounds  as well as the emus. There were about 8 emu's. 

The Opal Alter- Our Quilpie visit

The Opal Alter at St Finbarr's in Quilpie 

This alter is so beautiful another jewel in the outback !

"Home to one of Quilpie Shire’s most iconic attractions, St Finbarr’s Church rests on the foundations of an intriguing history.

In 1976, the Priest at the time, Father John Ryan, decided to compliment the opal mining background of the area by commissioning local miner, Des Burton, to install a border of opal around the carving of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour.

Instead, Des offered the Priest ‘a bit on the wall’. This turned out to be almost an entire wall, which is now installed on St Finbarr’s altar, lectern and baptismal font.

Des Burton, the father of the boulder opal industry, is largely responsible for putting Queensland Boulder Opals on the world stage. " ( http://www.outbackqueensland.com.au/attractions/st-finbarrs-church/)

Catching up on some EPP

Gardening

Thought I would make use of some muscle while I had it . Got lots of help in the garden today.

I was replanting a fig tree my friend Kerry gave me . I stupidly planted it in the wrong spot . Second time lucky I hope.

The kids thoroughly enjoyed planting a pot of their own.

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First Day Sewing

Made a bag for her  little dolls and ironed on the motifs . She did very well and got more independent as she went.