Start and end....

Sunrise was stunning..........

so quickly it changes

10 mins later............

I headed off walking and the light was still creating amazing things 15mins later................real life is even better.............

And not to be outdone by the sunrise here is the  sunset............

And really I never take for granted these amazing sights even though I get them all the time.............Another hot one today.........When I walked this afternoon it was 38 deg........we only walked in the shade..............

Enjoy what is around you............

Catch you later.......

Chookyblue.....

Finally........

After harassing the post man for weeks I emailed the blog book people to say my parcel is lost....... Apparently they get delivered by TNT now in Australia...... Very annoying since they never deliver to my house....... And it had been sitting in a depot for weeks....no one told me it was there....... Lucky they had not returned it.....

So sitting flicking thru with a coffee........in my comfy adirondack chair thanks to Sonia @Forever Always........ I love my books and love looking back thru my blog..... Much easier then the computer screen.......oh the memories....... 

Catch you later......

Chookyblue......

Changes......

We had so much trouble with the windmill the last year and with no rain we had massive water issues...........

when you live where we live no ground water = no sheep and cows = no farm income.........

We bit the bullet so to speak and pulled up the windmill pipes and installed solar panels and new pump..........we always have sun and it will pump anytime during the day water levels start to drop in the tanks..........wind at times is unreliable here......we can get by when we have water in the dams but when that  is gone and we need to water many more paddocks on the farm then we could not get enough water...........and the bonus is I a have a little extra water for my garden..........the windmill stand will stay there absolutely useless but I love seeing a windmill...........

I snapped this photo on my walk this morning........

out with the old in with the new..........

today I did my 10 mins on the machine and then cut some more "Edwardsia" blocks.........then it was far to hot in the Chookshed even with the air con on so we moved back inside to continue and the much better air con...........

And my friend Kylie @ Indigo and Quince was visiting for the night and she remembered this trip to bring her EPP........she had it packed last time and left it all on the bench at home..........

BUT this is a girl who was NOT i repeat NOT going to get into EPP..............but she keeps visiting and slowly I have turned her into a fan..........and she has started a second EPP quilt.......she found this one in the USA I think and I just can't remember the name at the minute but it is lovely.........and she is very addicted........she was never going to make an EPP quilt let alone in browns...........HHHEEEE guess I won............

She has to make 12 blocks and I saw two and i'm loving it also.........

&&&&&

it's a stinker here today so nice to be hanging out inside in the air con watching the winter olympics..........go Aussies...........

Enjoy your weekend......

Catch you later......

Chookyblue......

The big smoke.....

A quick trip to the city for a concert .......

As we were coming down from the mountains into the city the moon was rising..........see just there to the left near the tree.....sorry about the pic but we were driving in on the freeway so its a quick snap but OMG it was huge and stunning..........

As we were going down I brought a coupe of old sewing machines on ebay............the pick up was Annandale...............I have the best friend and she drives me everywhere in the city..........especially if we find some nice little cafe to have breakfast too........but she reminded me we had been to that suburb before to go to a quilt shop............OMG she is the best friend...........I had forgotten about Quiltsmith.............

Liked this fabric pack.........it was a starter kit for a quilt...........was so tempted to buy it............

I was inquiring about octagon papers and the lady at the shop brought out this quilt she has been making..................its different to what I am doing but I love it..........

This is a quilt they had in summer school..........really liked it too...............
So much choice of fabric at Quiltsmith

I was so overwhelmed with choice I just got some shirtings..............

I've had my eye on this book for a little while.............

So then since we were so close I asked my girlfriend if we could go home via Material Obsessions.............

the shops are very different which is great..........

I spied Kathys new range "Horizons"
I had seen a few quilts made with this fabric online.............

this one was hanging behind the counter.............

I had seen Racheldaisy's quilt on her blog.............but it was great to see it in person.................

So I just had to buy a little bit of fabric to bring home with me................
windmills, magpies, barb wire, gum leaves and blossoms, emus............
so great to see an Aussie range grasping our bush..........
Well done Kathy...........

I have a few ideas in my head but I think I need a little solid fabric to match...........

As for the concert..................it was great.......Red Hot Summer tour at Bella Vista Farm............Lots of good old bands...........Suzi Quatro was a head line act and OMG she was great.............If I have her energy when i am 67 i'll be so happy............she was fantastic and did not stop the whole time she was on stage............
Catch you later.......

Chookyblue......

Love in the Bible

The world tells us a lot about what it believes love is. It says that love is a strong emotion that is more important than all else. That it comes and goes as it wants and we can't control it. That it should be easy and pleasant, not hard work. Here are some quotes from the world's view about love:

"The heart wants what it wants. There's no logic to these things. You meet someone and you fall in love and that's that." - Woody Allen

"Some people think that it�s holding on that makes one strong; sometimes it�s letting go." - Herman Hesse

�Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.� � Lucille Ball

This is very different from what love is in the Bible. The Bible displays love as a choice, a decision. It is putting others before yourself. 

Here is a printable with Bible verses about love in the Bible.  Study the verses and highlight or underline what it is saying about love or add some notes. You can contrast them with the world's view of love. Then, you can cut out the verses and put them in piles categorizing them by their main point. That may point out some of the strongest points the Bible is trying to make about love.



Feel free to print this out and use it with your Bible study group, Sunday School class, or small group. Or use it with your children (whether you homeschool or not). Or just study what the Bible says about love on your own. You can share it with others by printing it or by sharing it online, just please share a link to this page rather than a direct link to the printable on Google drive. 

emailing photos to your blog................

the last few months I see there are a few people having issues uploading photos to their blogs...............

I posted this help thingy way back in 2009..............

the link......Emailing pics to your post

This is how I have blogged for about 10 years.............quick easy and it works well for me..........email the pics......edit the draft post and publish.............so easy for me...........
Catch you later................
Chookyblue...........

Edwardsia early progress......

Joining as I go...... I'll have to mix up my colours as I make them..... 

Did a big 5km walk and my 7minute workout app this morning...... Including a steep hill..... 

Lots of gorgeous frangipanis in flower....... 

Catch you later.......

Chookyblue......

Stitching time.....

Epp is going well once again..... Into Edwardsia....... It's growing...... As opposed to Lucy I am not making the blocks then thinking about the joining....... It's all happening at once......

It's been a great day but I have to tell you about it later......

Catch you later......

Chookyblue.......

God Controls The Season Children's Lesson

I taught this Bible/science lesson about the four seasons to a group of kids from 3 years - 4th grade. The first section included the preschool age children, but the second section is geared more towards upper elementary.

God Controls The Seasons

Introduction:

I introduced the topic of seasons with a kids video. I used one from Harry Kindergarten, but you could use a different one. 

If you don't have a way to show a video, you can sing a song like one from this webpage. 

Four Seasons Flip Book:

I used this four seasons flip book as a short, easy activity to help the kids learn more about the seasons. This was focused on the younger students (I had a preschooler who could use a little more review on what the seasons were).

Act Out The Seasons:
Have the children act out the seasons in the following scenarios:

• Be a tree through the four seasons.
• Be the weather through the four seasons
• Be a bear through the four seasons.

Seasonal Clothing Race:
Form teams of four for a relay race. Lay out the seasonal clothing at the other end of the room. The first person on each team races to the other end of the room and puts on the Spring items. Then, they return to tag the next person in line who races down and puts on the Summer items. The race continues through the items for all four seasons. The first team to race through all four seasons wins.

4 Seasons Tree:

Print out 4 copies of the tree printable on cardstock for each child. Have the kids decorate a tree for each season. Then fold them all in half and glue the backs of all four together in order of the seasons.  Here is how I did them: 

• Spring - stamp on pink paint with the bottom of a small soda bottle
• Summer - stamp green ink with a leaf stamp
• Fall - glue on pieces of orange and red colored tissue paper
• Winter - glue on pieces of cotton balls for snow (maybe even make a snowman)

If you don't have the supplies for these or if you have a Cricut, you can easily switch up some of these ideas. Just watch that you don't add too much dimension to the trees because the cardstock will need to be folded.

• stamp paint or ink with q-tips, individually or bundled with a rubber band
• stamp paint with a potato stamp
• place stickers or foam stickers of leaves, flowers, or snowflakes
• make flowers by gluing on puffy tissue paper 
• color with crayons or markers
• add color with thumbprint painting
• glue on green or fall-colored leaves cut out of construction paper

God Controls The Seasons - For Older Kids

Introduction:
I introduced the science behind seasons by showing a Crash Course YouTube video. These videos are great because they are fun, but introduce the concepts in a simple way.

Model the Seasons:

Use a globe and a flashlight, lantern, or lamp without a shade to model the seasons. Show how the globe is tilted and how that affects the sunlight hitting the globe at the four "corners" around the sun. If you are unfamiliar with the concept you can check out this video on how it works.

The Earths Tilt is the Reasons for Seasons Printable:

Print the worksheet and have the students fill out the worksheet introducing the ideas of solstice and equinox. Then, use a highlighter to show where the sun�s most direct light falls on the globe

God Made The Seasons Printable: 

Print out this printable and have the students look up the verses and match them with the concept supported by each verse. 




Discuss the Purpose of the Seasons: 
Ask these questions and help lead the students to the answers.

• Why are there days and nights? (to spread out the warmth of the sun East and West)
• Why are there seasons? (to spread North and South)
• How do seasons affect where humans can live on earth? (it spreads out where people can live so that there are more inhabitable areas that would otherwise be too cold or too hot)
• How do seasons affect weather? (some places have rainy and dry seasons) 
• How does it affect agriculture? (some plants require the cold of winter to grow again, it also makes growing seasons) 
• How do the seasons affect insect population? (bugs die or go dormant in the cold - this stops insect-borne diseases)
• How did God equip plants and animals for seasons? (some plants going dormant, some animals hibernate)

Here is a printout of the whole lesson, but feel free to pick and choose from the activities for what best fits your students and your time. You can also check out my pinterest board on this subject.

If you liked this activity, check out my God Controls The Weather Bible Lesson.

Progress.....

It's coming together......

Off to walk.........have you exercised today?

Catch you later......

Chookyblue.......

Why I walk.......

Prepare yourselves girls.................the 2nd 10min challenge I am adding to my life is EXERCISE...........

Most of us  do NOT get enough exercise daily............I am out of my routine walking program so it is high time to get back on track and I can usually do 20 or more but I am doing 10 and my 7 minute workout challenge. (app on my phone) 

I'm on day 2 of my exercises and hooley dooley.............the body knows about it but tomorrow it will be better and by the next day all will be good............it's just starting and I have to stick with it..........

I had done no where near enough steps today so went for a short walk just before dark....................the sun was setting out the front and as I headed off out the back the moon started to rise...............

there was a gentle breeze.............the birds were calling there last calls for the day as they were roosting for the night............

It was magical............I am back to walking............

so no matter what - you do what exercise can you find to do each day this month for 10 mins..........

Who's joining me and Googy Girl????

Susan's keen...........

Catch you later.......

Chookyblue.......

PS don't worry I am still doing my 10 mins sewing on the machine.............

this is extra.........

Leaning tower of churn dash......

Well that's what it looks like on the wall at the moment....... All leaning to the left..... Lol..... Now to add the sashing rows..... So far very happy.......this 10 min thing is great....... New 10 min chalenge starts tomorrow....... Can't wait....... It will be added onto this 10 mins....... An extra challenge....... 

Catch you later.....

Chookyblue......

Edwardsia.....

I started these back in October I think.......introducing "Edwardsia"...... The first few blocks....... I didn't show you all then when I started it....    

Can you believe I have not done any EPP until this week since mid November when I jammed my finger in the door as it slammed....... I obviously damaged some nerves and the nail went black and there was blood and a few bad words but I was a mess when it happened.....could not bend the finger for weeks........the last of the nail came off a few weeks ago and the new nail is growing slowly and causing a few issues as it does..... But finally on the weekend I had a go and it was OK.....still some issues with finger..... Just bits at a time is OK though.......

Catch you later.......

Chookyblue.....