I've decided that this is a better photo of what 177 star blocks looks like.

I must have been mad, and there's still a box of cut-out pieces, surely I'm not going to make MORE? But I've got into the habit of cutting nice scraps into diamonds, so I'll have to make Goosetrack blocks, or Carolina Lily or something different to use them all up.

The borders are on the 4-patch, I couldn't be bothered agonising and just used whatever looked halfway decent. Now I think I'll set another pile of blocks that I finished ages ago, I really feel like getting them all finished into tops. Who cares when I get around to quilting them, not me!

It's still very hot here, and there are big bushfires in Victoria, Tasmania and South Aussie. We've had some smaller grass fires around here, but fortuneately nothing too scary. I really admire the Country Fire Service, they get called out to all sorts of emergencies and it's a real comfort to know that they respond so quickly. There's a great loud siren that goes off here in our little town, and summons all the men to drop what they're doing and get to the station. Even though they have practice every week and the siren goes for a couple of minutes at a stretch, the dogs never get used to it, and set up a howling barking chorus as well. Sometimes at night the CFS are summoned to help at a road accident and from my bed I hear the wailing siren, the dogs answering from backyards everywhere, the growl of cars as the men leave and then the truck roaring out. I'm so glad all these brave people are willing to give up their time and help whenever they're needed.