A Bit More Melbourne!

Isn't this just a fun and iconic site?

With this dreary February day unfolding in Southwestern Virginia I thought I'd post some cheery photos from our lovely warm day in Melbourne, Australia.

Brighton Beach is the most recognised of Melbourne’s beaches, and it is the rainbow huts that make it so memorable. Not only is it the most popular seaside segment of the city, but it is also the wealthiest, where a bathing box will cost you a jaw-dropping $200,000. 

However, you have to be a bayside resident to even consider making a purchase (and even then, they’re thought of as lifestyle purchases). For those that are lucky enough to own one of these boxes, they are a prized possession that is usually passed down through the family.

The boxes themselves aren’t a new phenomenon. In fact, they were built more than 100 years ago in answer to Victorian notions of morality when it came to seaside bathing.

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Colourful huts were set up so ladies could change into their swimwear in privacy, and they still retain their charm and classic architectural features to this very day. Made out of timber, weatherboards, and with corrugated iron roofs, they are a pretty edition to the sea views. 

In keeping with their century-old history, the boxes don’t have running water or electricity, keeping them a part of the city’s past. Along with this, those who own the boxes must follow a list of regulations to maintain the heritage of the box. These include not being able to sleep in them or use them for advertising purposes. They are also not to be rented out to others, which means that the bathing boxes stayed in the confines of those who purchased them.

However, despite the lack of amenities, the bathing boxes offer incredible views – an element that attracts visitors from all over the world. The bright line of huts offers a eye-popping contrast to the turquoise waters of the ocean, and the panoramic views out across Port Phillip Bay are second to none.

Our lovely Melbourne guide pointing things out to us.

At the entrance to the Shrine of Remembrance

The Shrine of Remembrance was built to honor the men and women of Victoria who served in World War I, but now functions as a memorial to all Australians who have served in any war.

It is a site of annual observances for Anzac Day (25 April) and Remembrance Day (11 November), and is one of the largest war memorials in Australia.

Off the rails!

More manic sewing is happening - and since some folks say "Your page should be about quilting and happy things only." there will be MORE.

To these folks who try to limit my speech for their own comfort, please take a step back. 

This is my life. This blog is my diary.  The good, the bad, the ugly, the sick, the hurt, the angered, the sad, the terrified.

The one thing I promised myself when I started this blog which will be 20 years old this coming June (How can that be possible?) is that I would keep it REAL.  

And sometimes I may talk about things that are important to me.

You are free to skip a post now and then if it is something you don't want to read.

But I am not skipping sharing my feelings as I experience my own life.

And if that means that I am angered and saddened that the president of the United States says in a press conference that we are going to OWN Gaza and all of the nearly 2 million Palestinians should be removed and absorbed into other Arab nations against their will so he can build up the Middle East Riviera on their homeland (Oh, beach front property!!) and I say so -

Instead of telling me to "Keep this page quilting only" Maybe allow yourself to simply think on these things. If you are uncomfortable, lean into it. Sit with it. Read up on it.

And if this kind of thing still bothers you - please remember that I am a human being, and you are a guest on my page.  Take a break.  Come back another day.

I will not shrink myself for anyone else's comfort. And neither should you.

To remain silent is to be complicit.

Fixed!

What a beautiful mess this is!

I now stand at 25 blocks.  More will be made - but likely not today.

I've got two days of "must do" appointments ahead - and they are both in Boone.

I asked eye doc if I could come on Friday instead of Thursday.  "Sorry, we're not open Fridays."

I asked the dermatologist if I could come on Thursday instead of Friday.  "Doctor is at the Asheville clinic on Thursdays."

So I'll be making the 1:15 hour drive two days in a row because both of these things are important.  It's just frustrating that they are in the same week when I've got a house full of quilters!

YES!  The February Quiltvillians are in the house, and projects are already appearing on design walls.

This makes me very happy indeed, and I'll be leaning into these full house times to keep me going.

This happened - did you see it?
If you haven't started your Old Town yet - did you enter?
This time I even included the paint chips in the pattern. It's ALL in there, even the printable paper piecing templates for the square-in-a-square star block centers, and the small flying geese for the pieced sashings.
And YES - there is introductory pricing for those who have been waiting to start their own Old Town when it was released in pattern format.
The price is already marked 25% off and is good through 2/17/25 at 11:30pm Eastern time. No coupon needed.
International customers:  Please DO NOT USE THE BUY NOW BUTTON. It uses autofill to put in your mailing address. This causes a problem with international folks as I do not ship physical items internationally.
Instead - place the pattern in your shopping cart, and go to the cart directly to choose your payment option (Which does not use autofill) Things should work fine for you this way. You do not need a physical mailing address to receive a PDF file. Just your email.

You can also enter the Gift-Away on THAT POST.

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

I couldn't live in the world without cotton.

Could you?

Have a terrific Thursday, everyone -