Rainy days

This week we got some much needed rain!!!  It has topped up our house water tank and given the thirsty garden a much needed refreshing drink....

 

...this was such lovely light between showers...

 

 

...even an ethereal rainbow to add to the garden magic.

The days are very autumnal now we have the living room fire going to keep us cosy in the evenings.

I did think I should have a swim in the sea at the weekend! I did and it was freezing! but very pretty with mountains in the background tipped with snow .  I do think it will be my last sea dunk for the summer.

The man of the house and I had to go into Invercargill during the week so we enjoyed  the Estuary walk while the sun was shining ...there were so many birds,

 

...sometimes we see little Kingfishers but not this time.

 

quite a few black swans.

 

A Blue Heron on a stealth mission!

 

some waddling ducks leaving tracks through the mud!  

 

The walk takes you along a track with native vegetation and views of the estuary then out onto a board walk over the water...I love it!

 

Sunbathing Spoonbills.

 

This morning I ran out of my peppermint cleaning paste so whipped up another batch and for the first time made up some of the spray cleaner....these are very quick to make up with inexpensive , environmentally friendly ingredients and they smell wonderful.

 

...this is the recipe 

 

 

After a lot of domestic exertion, preserving spaghetti with our tomatoes, cleaning windows, cleaning the bathroom and preparing dinner an afternoons painting with a lovely friend was the order of the day!

 

 

 

 

I'm really liking stamping over the painting....

A lovely afternoon.

HOUSEWORK

Dust if you must but wouldn't it be better

to paint a picture or write a letter;

Bake a cake or plant a seed or ponder the 

difference between want and need.

Dust if you must but there's not much

time with rivers to swim and mountains to climb, 

music to hear and books to read

friends to cherish and life to lead.

Dust if you must but the worlds out there

with the sun in your eyes, the wind in

your hair; a flutter of snow, a shower of

rain.

This day will not come around again.

Dust if you must but bear in mind old age 

will come and it's not kind.

And when you go- and go you must you 

yourself will make more dust.

It's not what you gather, but what you 

scatter that tells you what kind of life

you have lived.

(author unknown)

Have a happy week.

x

sunny days and Easter

The sun is still shining here...not a lot of rain....usually in this part of the country there is a little complaining going on about the weather....but this summer has been exceptionally good! so good we are complaining of lack of rain...a very unusual state of affairs!!
A couple of weekends ago I was feeling really well and thought a briny dip was required so armed with bodyboard and wetsuit, sunscreen etc off we went to the beautiful Porpoise Bay.   The little Hector's dolphins had gone further out to sea to play as the tide was.............waaaaay out!
Not going to let a little thing like that stop me!  much to man of the house's amusement I frolicked in the waves...well there were others having fun in the sea too... mainly toddlers!

...managed to ride in on some...?  waves!

 

..that's about as big as they got!!  but the water was great!

 

The mailman brings me some lovely surprises these days...last week it was a lovely parcel from a childhood friend.

 

this was on the back of the parcel and it was tied up with string.

 

Enclosed was  this very retro little card....when we were little girls in the 60's these cards were very popular birthday cards...they folded out and there were about 6 of these little maids all in varying colours! 

 

..inside a book with a beautiful cover! (perfect for a bird's nest lover like me!)

I did find some time to do some gardening and get to enjoy it looking mostly tidy.

 

the herb garden.

 

 ....by the pond.

The dappled light at this time of year is beautiful...

 

The vege harvest has been in full swing...we are enjoying all the great fresh produce.

"No man but feels more of a man in the world if he have but a bit of ground that he can call his own. 

However small it is on the surface, it is four thousand miles deep; and that is a very handsome property."

(Charles Dudley Warner

1829-1900)

Archie continues to grow...

 

I made some more 'scenty bags' filled with lavender and lemon verbena.  Using doilies is such a quick sewing project.

 

In the 'stash' were these 2 lovely placemats ...now a bag...I love the heavy lace.

 

Had an afternoon playing with watercolours...

 

and stamps and watercolours ...

 

The Easter break saw us boarding a plane and flying away to Auckland to visit Thrifty Fox and her lovely Fiance'

 

I had one of these needlecases when I was a girl...love the china broach and the cute spoons!

As usual we were thoroughly spoilt with treats and gifts.

 There was a visit to a charming Antiques store, handily located just round the corner!

Amongst a few other wee bits and bobs I purchased this very old ' bread and butter' plate.

 

..I love the stamp on the back of it too...

 

Some new gardens were made and planted up...and this little fellow was a bit annoyed at getting dirty, he was very diligent about cleaning up his muddy legs....

 

you can see his tongue doing a tidy up manoeuvre!

Preying Mantis

 

 

we set him free where he joined a friend on  Thrifty Foxes pretty hanging basket.

 

It was great being able to Skype youngest daughter in Melbourne with Aucklands fast internet....ours is so slow it's impossible!

All too soon it was time to flit back home...wish I had taken a photo of the Air NZ black aircraft with the silver fern on the side we travelled in....very patriotic!!

 

 

sweet Easter decos from Thrifty Fox.

The sun is shining again today so hope to head off for a short river walk, hope your week is a happy one filled with the things you love.

xxx

stone found at river last week...I took this as a good sign!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

catching up....

....on so many things.  Have been off Chemotherapy for a couple of weeks, my energy is returning! it's great. Have had some encouraging news.. involves radiotherapy..soon...then some major surgeries starting next month..so have been out in the garden doing some autumn cutting back and tidying...was very lucky to have a lovely friend come and help...so much quicker with 2.

Mary Rose has been lovely..

 

"Flowers....are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty out values all the utilities of the world"

 (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

 

...also made some binding for the 3 quilts that have been sitting waiting to be bound, thought if I get organised now with the machining part I could do the hand stitiching while recuperating..this involved a lot of cutting and pressing, but have finally got started.

 

 

...crocheted round some face flannels for a bit of light relief!

 

....made up some lavender and lemon verbena scented bags with some doilies from the 'stash'...

 

Took some time to admire some sunny day clouds....

 

and have a walk at the river....which is very low, we would love to have some rain.

 

a little stilt taking a paddle.

 

Of course there had to be some Archie time too....he's growing fast...

..it's very hard to get a photo when he wants to sniff the camera..

 

...so cute!

 

 

...co-ordination improving..

 

..can itch his own back...so clever!

 

The autumn flowers are appearing and bringing some cheery faces inside..

 

I love that beautiful light you sometimes get in the evenings...we have had some lovely,  softly lit evenings.

"The hill the vale, the tree, the tower

Glowed with the tints of evening hour,

The beech was silver sheen,

Such the enchanting scene."

(Sir Walter Scott)

 

Have a happy week.

xx