everyday happenings

I was going to write that it has been an ordinary week but everyday has it's special moments doesn't it.?..and sometimes the most ordinary of moments can make you happy!  I find most days are full of happy moments that add up to a happy day which add up to a happy week.

This week I was surprised and thrilled to learn that my painting of the little cottage sold at our art exhibition!!

On a visit to the bookshop to collect a book I had ordered, found that another book with the same title had been sent....the book I wanted was in the shop all the time.....but....I fell in love with the book that had been sent accidentally...so they both came home!

I haven't started the novel yet but have read some of the other...it is so interesting, lots of folklore and intriguing facts, the illustrations are gorgeous!!!

 

We have been having such beautiful days that I have had to give up waiting for cold wet days on my days off and just do some crafting anyway.

 

Had lots of fun making these from 'Air drying clay', it comes all ready to go you just have to roll it out or mould it as you wish.

I have a friend with a birthday coming up, she lives in a lovely home called Beeswing, isn't that such a cool name .  I wanted to make something for her that included bees.  I found this lovely vintage print on the 'Graphics Fairy' site which has a lot of free downloads.  Iron on transfer paper for printers  and then a hot iron and a fabric print !!!  it doesn't take long but you have to be patient and wait until the fabric has cooled a little before removing the backing paper... very happy!

I had some bee fabric in the stash ...a cushion will be made I think.

 

We had some new items arrive at the shop this week and I succumbed to the "wanties" and came home with this pretty vintage looking lantern  (ahem..and a candle holder which is gorgeous but it's still in it's box as yet)

Early in the week we had 2 dastardly frosts which ruined some rhodos that were looking very pretty, however it had it's own beauty if you ignored the rhody massacre...

 

frost does lovely things to ordinary old winter kale in the vege patch decorating  the leaves with silver.

The nights were so cold that we had to bring our newly purchased egg incubator into the kitchen as it was struggling to stay up to temperature in the garage.  We are hoping it won't have affected the eggs too much as we had only put them in that evening.  Last season our wee bantams were undecided about motherhood..they would sit on eggs for a week and then decide they would give up...so taking no chances this year!!  Will use the incubator and hopefully little bantams may be more settled and hatch some too.

The electric chook

Most days I go for a walk getting out and enjoying the seasons and nature is a simple way to be happy.  

We have some really big Macrocarpa trees behind our sheds, lots of birds make their homes in them.  Every season we have a family of Blue Herons that return to nest in them.  We also hear a little owl calling from them. While making cards in my little shed the other morning, little owl was doing lots of calling.  I sneaked out to see if I could see him and 2 wee owls took flight...so exciting to finally catch a glimpse of him/them! 

We had a night at Riverton last night and went for a walk on the beach this morning...we almost stumbled upon a very sleekit leopard seal, they can be quite vicious so we kept our distance and watched him head off into the waves.

Most days though I pass these yearling cattle , we like to exchange greetings!

 

" she really should walk faster if she wants to get fit ...."

" she's wearing that hat again the one with the swingy tassel..."

 " LOL it seems to make her feel happy..so what can you say!....."

I really do wonder what they are saying to each other some days!!

Some happy spring garden  delights...

 

 

enjoy the special moments ....

getting things done

I like lists!! I like ticking things off the list!!! I like to feel like I have achieved something in the day....it can be a very small thing...something round the house...or out in the garden..a letter written...a parcel sent...crafting progress...baking...anything really can be put on the list, in my mind or on paper.

This week I needed to make some Laundry Liquid as I had run out.  As I try to use as few chemicals as I can and try to lead a more natural chemical free and environmentally friendly life making this laundry liquid is in that category...and it smells so much nicer than commercial products.  This recipe is from Wendyl Nissen, she has a blog and a website called The Green Goddess, she has written 3 great books filled with hints and recipies this is from 'domestic goddess on a budget'

It's quick, simple and easy to whip up.

and it's very economical.

 

soap dissolving ....so pretty and frothy  !

Tick that off the list!

Have finally got all the squares sewn up for the patchwork quilt I am doing so needed to get it laid out  and pinned in row order  etc.

 

Tick that off the list!

Needed to do a bit of pruning back in the wilderness at the end of the garden,  I do like it wild but it needs restraining sometimes...

 

the prunings I put through the chipper and now they're all mulch.

Tick that off the list!

Finished the Hellebore stitchery.

 

Tick that off the list!

Made some Lavender bags as I want to send some off to someone who isn't well.

 

 I stamp them with waterproof ink suitable for fabric, they are filled with lavender, scented geranium leaves, lemon verbena and chamomile...they smell lovely.

Tick that off the list!

Of course you also have to forget about lists sometimes and just enjoy every day.

 

(especially double hellebores!)

 

 

 

A lovely old picture I bought this week.  

 

evening light touching the trees.

...and thats another week. 

 

 

Painting...

It's been another busy week, early starts at work and hectic days that fly past, and it's home time before you know it.

There's been some painting going on here, a bedroom next to the bathroom had some holes put through the wall accidentally by the builder whilst he was working on the bathroom!!! as he is going to fix them and paint the room for us we felt we should freshen up the ceiling.  Hopefully Mr Builder might come this week as having the house in a state of chaos since April is beginning to be tiring.

I got back to Art class this week and finished a painting of a little cottage at Burkes Pass  ( south Canterbury , the entrance to the Mackenzie country), I have seen this little house a couple of times.

We have an art class exhibition in a couple of weeks so I think I might put this one in.


We have had some lovely sunny days down here, so have been in the garden enjoying the spring flowers.

 

 

 

Found some moments to do some stitching on my Hellebore  cross stitch, ( the pattern is Christmas Rose Sampler by Maria Gossard, Cedar Hill )

 

 

Melbourne daughter is having a birthday soon and the parcel to be posted off needed some special additions, so off to one of my favourite shops 'A Little Bird Told Me', (you can find it on Facebook) this very special shop has so many temptations on offer, some new,  some vintage but all very individual and not mass produced.  So many delights that would be suitable but choices had to made, of course these have to remain a secret at the mo....however...I did pick up a dear wee plate for myself.

 

Saturday was fine so we met up with friends and went floundering at Oreti beach, the sea was freezing!  we had great fun but probably looked a bit crazy in wetsuits with woolly hats on in the surf, we didn't catch anything, all flounders remained swimming free,  so it was off to the Fish and Chip shop for our tea.

Today its cold with a drizzly rain ....perfect for sitting by the fire and stitching.

The snowdrops are here!

"The Snowdrop is the prophet of the flowers;
It lives and dies upon its bed of snows;
Hanging its head beside our leafless bowers.
The sun's betrothing kiss it never knows,
Nor all the glowing joy of golden showers;
Bur ever in a placid, pure repose,
More like a spirit with its look serene,
Droops its pale cheek veined thro' with infant green."

(George Meredith(1828-1909)

I get so excited when my snowdrops appear...a lot of 'visiting' goes on.... just popping out to catch a glimpse of these dear wee friends...they look gorgeous in any weather....and in little vases around the house.  At the moment the larger single ones are making a show, the double ones are still in bud.
Some of the excitement stems I believe from childhood, reading The Secret Garden, I have read that book so many times! some people just never grow out of it!!!

Just seeing those green spears showing through the soil and waiting for them to flower really is one of the great joys of Spring and the new season!!!!

 

Another childrens book I discovered just recently, it's called  The Story of the Root Children by Sibylle Von Olfers.  The story is so quaint and the illustrations are beautiful.

I have the wind children and the snow children but my favourite is the root children.

 

aren't they cute  !

 

exquisite stitching going on...

out they go off to play

 

It really is the most beautiful book.

 

of course I have to have some snowdrops inside, close by to admire.

This week we had to go through to Dunedin again for the Man of the House to have a check up at the specialist  (good report).  An opportunity to have a look at some second hand shops, is not to be missed!  I came home with a few delights.

 The pretty green jug is a Royal Winton with Grimwades made in England on it. Its lovely, and of course a couple of bits of blue and white!!!!

this little plate with matching cup but no saucer,

also a mirror....
 I thought I would put it in the living room to give some extra light but it doesn't suit in there so will find a home for it somewhere else. It is a tall mirror with a bevelled glass, its very tatty and has some damage to the frame.  The floral edge is really nice, I think I will paint it and then distress it...it was very reasonable because of the damage.
It was a good day.
The weather has been good this week, there is a lovely fragrance in the garden, the Wintersweet is excelling itself this year.  I have got some weeding done and some planting of Sweet William plants that were going cheap at the nursery in town.  There are lambs in some of the paddocks I pass on the way to work, ours aren't due to arrive for a couple of weeks yet so I have to be content to admire other peoples lambs from afar!!!  But Spring is in the air...