It is that time of year when we have an abundance of fruit on our trees just waiting to ripen. Now, I don't mind sharing with the wildlife but the cockatoos are quite greedy and have a habit of getting to the fruit before it ripens. They leave such a mess too! A few mornings they arrive for breakfast and wake me up with the sound of fruit rolling down our roof and plopping onto the paving. They return each evening for dinner as well! I must admit they do make me laugh sometimes peering down to look at me from the roof or having a frozen moment with a nectarine in their claws about to take a bite when I interrupt them. My neighbours must be wondering why they have half eaten nectarines on their paths and in their gutters because when I shoo them away they fly to the roof tops of surrounding houses and continue eating. A progressive dinner?
I now have a few feathers that they kindly left for me and I guess they think it will make up for the mess they leave behind.
While I am on the subject of nature I took a few sneak pics in dad's workshop yesterday after he said he would make me a beeswax candle. Dad is a hobby Apiarist ,( bee keeper), and we have had many jars of the purest most beautiful honey that his bees have made from local nectar. He is now getting some royal jelly from some of the beeswax.
He is also melting down some wax and purifying it ready to make some candles.
Today I was given this beautiful beeswax candle, hand made by my dear dad and created by those hard working bees.
We are currently in danger of losing many bees in Australia and around the world. It is important that we try to encourage bees into our gardens because, simply put, no bees no food!
Now, back to something sewing oriented. A lovely dear friend of mine collected sewing machines. She had sheds full of them! All types of makes , models and vintages. Eventually she had to get rid of a few and she knew I had always wanted a Singer treadle sewing machine. So, I was completely overwhelmed when she saved one especially for me. It needs a bit of restoration and guess who is doing that job? DAD! He is such a special dad, and can put his hand at anything.
As well as restoring it, he did some research. This machine was manufactured in 1920 at the factory in Clydebank, Scotland . Apparently, this was the largest sewing machine factory in the world. Unfortunately, it was bombed in WW2 and subsequently demolished in 1980 to make way for a housing estate.
I have been doing some stitching but I shall show you that next time.
Angel Blessings.
