Quiltingorchardist

Some Finishes.

2012-02-09T11:20:00.001+13:00

Yes, some finishes but not the ones I'd like to be reporting on like I finished my quilt or even the borders. No. other work finishes.

R's foundations got finished and the container got moved onto it. ( it wasn't level so he had to take remedial action - it's okay now. )

A question; what is a good colour to paint it and disguise it? ( I hope to grow climber up in front of it eventually. ( yes, I can see it tones with the orange canna flowers but it has got to be another colour. )

R rang the crane hire on Tuesday to do the moving. They said. " yes, sure we will have a crane truck there at 9 am tomorrow." The bloke turned up at 7.40 am. Just a tad early. Luckily we were up early. ( they must need the work? )

Another finish by Percy Peacock. He has dropped all the long tail feathers - we have quite a collection. Actually I like the small fluffy ones he sheds. Will get a photo.

Yesterday I finished my round of fruit thinning in 2B the largest kiwifruit block! Yes! (Still other blocks to check out )

Another finish. I had all the lawns mowed before 10 am. today. It is now very dry so it was mowing off rough seed heads, picking up gum leaves and bark - general tity up. Always give me a moral boost as things look tidy just for a short while.

I finished all my library typing at the weekend so am happy with that.

My 4 borders are only 30 inches long. That's about half what the long sides need to be and two thirds the short ones. I just don't get much time these days as even after dinner I seem to have watering and garden jobs to do. I have currently dug up about 50 more red nerine bulbs that I want to shift to where they will be seen. A bit late doing it as the ones up the bamboo fence are just starting to flower. Yesterday I pulled a dead tree out of a bank that was blocking a path and very ugly and dumped it in the paddock where a certain bloke with a tractor will have to drag it away. I have to admit I was exhausted when I finished but it's done. There are so many jobs like that that keep getting ignored for more important ones. Blah!

Question: When attaching borders to your quilts do you sew on the long side first? I am sure someone told me a reason for that....if hanging the quilt it is less likely to stretch...or is there some other reason? ( yes I know to measure through the middle. )

Now some pleasant things. This part of the garden is looking productive.

See how tall the tomatoes have grown. The basil is really doing well now after a very slow start. The spring onions have shot away; the beans are flowering ( we have 2 other lots - the scarlet runner are right at the back - absolutely smothered in passion vine hoppers ) ) and the silver beet are out of site behind the basil. What isn't doing well is the corn and unfortunately V the water melon. They are both too slow and we can't work out why as we have been watering them.

This morning I have noticed some lovely yellow flowers making bright spots in the garden.

Yes it is just a courgette flower but it looked very bright and inviting...and I'm not even a bee!

This vireya rhododendron - Sunny Splendour ( well named ) is looking very healthy and bright in the shadows under the big oak.
I took 2 photos of it. See how the colour looks different depending which way the light was .

It is going to have several flowers I am glad to see.it's leaves are very dark and glossy. A lovely plant . There are 2 exactly the same quite close to each other but not doing the same thing at the same time.

And finally a complaint ( won't get me any where I know cause the culprit is not owning up.) WHO HAS BEEN PECKING MY BUTTERNUT?

Was it Percy or the pukekos? They also pecked a lot of the little ones. ) Murder is in the air!

( I picked it and we have eaten half - it was very tasty.Luckily the patch up beside the garden shed has at least 20plus still doing well.)

The Variety of a Weekend.

2012-02-05T12:23:00.000+13:00

It is a long weekend here in NZ . For us I think it is project weekend. R is getting on with building the foundations so the container can be moved to it's final site. It's a bit warm but he loves doing this sort of thing. 8 by 2s on sturdy posts that were rammed some time ago. I did smirk to myself when he came in and said, "Don't know how that happened cause it measured it then cut it too short."   ( now a quilter would have known; measure twice and cut once....wouldn't we? )
      I have been working on several projects. One is coming along very slowly cause I'm no typist. One of my jobs on the P and Q committee this year is being the Librarian (with M, she wants to learn ). I have done the job before 4 years ago and want to get it back on track. I still had in my computer the pages of the catalogue I had typed last time so now I am adding to that. I am deleting all the #s that have been discontinued and adding the new ones ( 60 haven't been added ) and trying to make it all consistent. I am also making a cross reference by content to a list that will help members to find books on a particular subject. It makes lots of sense to me but not to everyone ( yes teaching and good schooling all helps make some things second nature. ) We have about 600 books; magazines; DVDs; stencils and patterns. A wonderful resource for us all to share. I am keen that it runs smoothly and that items don't get lost or disappear. So my 4 typing fingers have been busy ( oh, how I wish I had learnt to touch type. )
   I have also been reading; gardening; cooking (and today I hope sewing )

       About the quickest thing I can make is a batch of pikelets. ( drop scones in USA ??) Here is my recipe ( and probably yours too ) ( it's just a batter )
1 cup SR flour                                       1/4 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
1 large egg                                         2 tblsps of sugar
1/2 cup of sour milk ( or add tsp vinegar to fresh milk )
melt 1 tblsp of butter.

In a bowl sift flour and soda,add sugar, make a well and break in egg, then very slowly add the milk mixing as you go. it should be a thick batter. ( if you add to much and it is thin you will have pancakes ).( the amount of milk you need depends how big the egg was ) It should just be able to slowly run off a spoon. Lastly mix in the melted butter.
Heat a heavy bottomed pan or electric fry pan and spray on some cooking oi., When you think it is hot enough( just drop a teaspoon full to test the heat. ) drop the mix off the end of a tablespoon evenly around your pan( see photo ) When bubbles break through the batter and pop, turn, ( with an egg slice or similar) the pikelets over and cook the second side. Then remove from pan and lay on a cooling rack. ( in a clean tea towel if you want them to stay fresh for a while.)
These may be eaten with all sorts of toppings, sweet or sour. They are best eaten the same day but freeze well.

Percy Report.
   The other day I said we had found the first feather Percy Peacock had dropped. Well this morning he has just 5 long feathers left.

Here are some of the moulted ones. ( we already had a jar full from years past.)

He has been hanging around the house morosely ( I suppose because we are at the house not down in the orchard ). Sleeping on the deck.

Of course he has left more than feathers...which I don't appreciate but will scrape up when dry and toss on the garden as fertiliser. I have also caught him looking in the glass ranch sliders at himself ... (thinking gosh my bum looks small like this! )

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My patchwork friend D started Chemotherapy for a blood disorder on Thursday. I am worried how she will cope( she is too of course. ) So far she said the steroid she took on Friday kept her on a high and unable to sleep, but she is feeling okay so far. It is the beginning of a long journey. As her friend I can only be supportive, certainly help with transport if it's ever needed, but a friend can feel rather useless at such times. She gets the same treatment next Thursday.

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Goodness and sunshine in a basket. Note the one on the left has blight I think, but half was able to be used. These and any infected leaves are being taken off and burnt to stop any spread. ( the psyllid scare early in the season came to nothing I am glad to say )

Also being harvested and eaten here are, 2 sorts of beans; courgettes; silverbeet; potatoes; lettuce; telegraph cucumbers spring onions and radishes. As there are so many avos ( from picking recently ) we are having them 3 times a day in some form ( on toast; in salads or as a starter with cottage cheese in the stone hole dribbled with a few drops of Worcestershire sauce. ) YUM!

Have a happy weekend Kiwis, and everyone else of course. Sorry about the snow, some of you are getting in Northern climes - quite hard for us to visualise.

COOL ( Country of Origin labelling )

2012-02-02T12:19:00.001+13:00

We are what we eat. Right? This morning it was damp first thing so I was in the kitchen baking lavosh. ( using Annabel Langbein's recipe ) Where did the ingredients come from? The flour is from Australia ( I knew that - most of our flour is from there ) the sesame seeds are organic from Ceres sourced from India the label says. ( thats' okay we don't grow sesame seeds here ) The water was from the tap and the olive oil was from a lovely bottle of cold press Koroneiki ( from the far north of NZ given to us as a gift. - Thanks Pam ) and the pinch of salt was from NZ.
The lavosh turned out crisp and lovely; I tried them with a slice of tomato from the garden for with my morning coffee. SO why am I on about this?

I read in the " NZ Farmers Weekly, " ( no apostrophe I notice ) that comes free to our mail box an article written by Alan Emerson about New Zealand brands we used to trust ( Heinz Wattie and McCain ) are mixing vegetables and fruit from overseas with New Zealand produce and calling it Made in New Zealand.
Okay so what's wrong with that? A lot!
       We are exporters ourselves so know quite a bit about what is and isn't allowed. We have strict rules about what spray or products we are allowed to use if we are going to export kiwifruit or avocados.( and it has to be labelled ) Why therefore are we in New Zealand importing fruit and veges from China, South America, USA and Vietnam, into the country that has been sprayed with chemicals we are not allowed to use here.( food tested had one of 4 chemicals prohibited here. ) Last year NZ imported $700 million of fresh fruit and veges . $63 million from China -( garlic, pears and grapes ) . Supermarkets are now labelling ( mostly ) where fresh fruit and vegetables come from.
       What is astounding and I agree with Alan Emerson here is tinned and frozen vegetables and fruit can just be labelled Made in New Zealand and have ingredient from anywhere in it cause it was mixed and canned or frozen here in NZ.
Apparently Talleys are the only frozen veges that are grown in NZ.    PRODUCT of NEW ZEALAND is what the label has to say to tell us it was grown in New Zealand.
   More and more food from other places are being shared around the world because of free trade agreements.   White ware; clothes; shoes and wine already have COOL labelling. Time for all our food products to be labelled with the truth, so we the consumers can have the right to know and choose for ourselves.
   It is such a good reason to grow just as much of our own fresh fruit, nuts and vegetables as we possibly can.
There are 7000 growers of fresh fruit and vegetables in New Zealand, many of them selling their produce at a loss - that can't last for long can it? Supermarkets are apparently still adding 100% mark up and in rare cases 800%. Can that be true? If it is, no wonder Local and Village / Farmers' Markets are proving to be so popular.
Do you have an opinion about any of this?

Presents from Percy.

2012-01-31T11:15:00.000+13:00

This is not what Percy the Peacock usually leaves if he has been hovering in the garden or hiding under the trees. It must mean that Summer is drawing on as peacocks start shedding their tail feathers in late Summer. They will grow a new bigger set next Spring before the mating season. They renew the feathers each year as they get tatty and would be a nuisance during Winter. I have noticed him scratching and preening a lot so I guess it must feel itchy while they are dropping out. I found one yesterday and another this morning. Apparently he could drop as many as 5-10 in a day.
       Peacocks are the national bird of India and especially the Punjab province and so Percy is always greeted by the Indian pruners or pickers who come to the orchard.   It has now been discovered that the colours in the ocellus ( eye ) are caused by nano particles of colour on black.( not pigment ).
       Percy is probably 6 or even 7 now, so in his full glory.Yesterday afternoon he spent time with me down in block 2b where I was working thinning kiwifruit. He looks at me and thinks, " I know you will have some of that fruit bread I like....I will just sit here by the tractor and wait till smoko time." ( he sat there for 2 hours patiently, listening to the radio.)
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This year I have planted 2 capsicum, a yellow and a red right beside the wall of the house at the back of the herb garden.

they have big healthy leaves and are setting fruit quite well.

These lettuce and radish are looking healthy. The radish are ready to eat so that always spoils the display, but I guess I am growing them to eat. I planted this lot deeper and have watered them a lot and it seems to have produced a better result.
Leanne my strawberries have been abysmal this year but are just having a second crop now so hope it goes on for a while.
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On Sunday I got a little me time while R and J were at the Airshow and V was off shopping. These have grown a bit and all 4 are now 18 inches long. It is a slow process.( they are borders for my selvage quilt also made out of selvages. Some are quite narrow so only an inch or less is added with each piece.

I also did some reading. Molly you may be interested in what I am reading.

I know I said I wasn't reading any more big fat books, but I have read over 300 pages of the over 900 here and am enjoying it. At the moment it is still 1689 , and ends up after the 1st World War. As usual with Edward Rutherfurd he tells the history using fictitious families. Imagine what the population of Ireland ( and a lot of other places ) would be if the Catholics and Protestants hadn't been so intent on killing each other. ( haven't got to the famine yet. ) I didn't know the history this far back as at school we only covered English / Irish / Scotish history from 1840.

We both wish we had read this book before we visited Ireland last July, but at least I can visualize Dublin and other places now .Yes I crossed the Liffey by bridge so can see that quite clearly in my mind.

( so Molly by the time I finish this I will be much more informed about your homeland. )

Do You Eat Avocados?

2012-01-25T12:00:00.000+13:00

Nothing happened with the avocado picking Monday as the hydralada drivers were still finishing the previous orchard. ( we understand that, as picking time is hard to judge. ) Yesterday (Tuesday) was a fabulous hot clear day and our 2 drivers arrived early. They picked to finish the job at 8.20pm last evening. Phew...it was cool by then and quite a relief from the heat. The bins were taken away to the packhouse in the dark and even later at 11.15pm the truck to take the hydraladas to the next orchard arrived. R had to take light down to them for loading. But they finished the job and the fruit is beatuiful. What price will it bring? Not very much at the moment I'm afraid. Austalian markets have been flooded by unscrupulous traders who don't understand that the fruit needs to be feed to the market at a sensible pace, continously so the supply is even. ( they dump huge quantities. )The NZ market has also got lots at the moment.A few spoiling it for everyone. ( we may get paid as little as a third or half what we sometimes get. )( the rep from the packhouse called in and told us the market price had risen yesterday so that is encouraging. )
We decide not to ground pick like we usually do but to leave those fruit in ready access for our own use later. ( there weren't many low down as we had ground picked in during our first pick which was the last week in September. The fruit being picked at the moment has had all that time since then to size up and it really has.

Early morning the first bins full.

Then later a few more full.

Here is what I spent the day doing. R transported the full bins from the avo blocks back to the house area where they were stored in the shade in the shed ( usually this is the the tractor shed ) He brought back one partly filled bin so I could move the fruit around. Wearing gloves I pullled out all the leaves and twigs and inspected a lot of the fruit, to take out obvious rejects. ( just like fruit thinning in the kiwifruit really only these have got to picking stage cause I don't climb avo trees to thin them! ) The size the pickers were told to pick to was to weigh 220 grams ( 25 to a packed tray ). We usually pick way smaller than that.

Here in my bin you can see rejects for colour; marks ;shape; possum bites and blemish caused by thrips; as well as smalls. So we have lots of reject fruit to share with friends and family. We try to have ripe avocados in the house at all times. Sometimes we run out if we have given too many away but we like to eat them on a daily basis. They are so very good for us.( now recommended as a first food for babies. ) A little fattening if you pig out but so are lots of things.

There are not too many folk we know now who do not like avocados, but there still are some need converting. They are wonderful on vogel bread toast with a smear of vegemite and avo sliced or mashed on top. ( my breakfast most mornings ) They are wonderful in salads, as guacamole dip; nice with shrimp or other cold seafood. They can even be made into ice cream.

Another good way is cut the avo in half, take a teaspoon and tuck in.

Avocados used to be called poor man's butter in Mexico where they were grown. A Spainish soldier Herando Cortez found them growing in Mexico in 1519. The Aztecs called them Ahuactl. Today they are grown in many places with a temperate climate. NZ; California: Australia: Israel; Spain.

The Hass variety ( that we grow and the only variety exported from New Zealand ) was discovered by a postman Rudolph Hass as a good seedling which he patented in 1935. This is a good Summer variety. Other varieties are ready earlier and later.The avocado tree is related to the laurel tree - the genus persea. In Spainish they are called Abogado; in French Avocat.

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Some tips if you are buying avocados. Buy them when they are still firm and green, that way nobody else has squeezed them and bruised them. Take them home and put on your fruit bowl till just slightly soft. If you wish to hasten their ripening place them in a paper bag, with a ripening banana which gives off lots of ethylene, and secure the top to keep the gas in. Craddle them in your hand and if there is slight give they are ready. Once ready keep in the fridge for a couple of days if not eating them straight away. ( If unsure if they are ready rub the stalk out and if a tooth pick or needle will slide into the flesh easily they are ready. ) Do not squeeze or pummel.

Back to garden and kiwfruit work today. Everything here is now dry again and watering is necessary for the veges. It is another beautiful clear Summer day so other growers will be getting their avos picked too.

Leanne has been showing all the lovely veges they are harvesting / growing. I agree it is so rewarding to pick things and be eating them within the hour. Last night our salad was made up entirely with lettuce, radish tomatoes ,chives and avocado we grew. Eaten with our new potatoes and green beans.( The cold lamb was bought.)

No sewing but I did tidy my sewing cupboard and iron some finished half square triangles....so a glimmer of hope there.

( Blogger is doing some very strange things at the moment ! )

Kiwifruit and Answers.

2012-01-22T12:10:00.003+13:00

I said I would show what I was doing in the Kiwifruit at the moment.These photos taken last Friday afternoon.This photo shows the size the kiwis have got to by mid January.

This is the mess on the ground where I have thrown down fruit and tangled leaf stalks.

This shows before at the top and after below, where I have removed one fruit.( it was the smallest and there were too many on one stalk)
I bet you can pick which ones need removing in these 2 photos.

Both have fungal damage ( caused by too much rain ) the top one is also not pollinated evenly. Usually the fungal damage hides on the inside of a bunch where it is touching a leaf or another fruit.( and is much more difficult to spot )

Final test then I will let you come and help. Can you see 3 fruit that are squat and not the correct long shape ?( top right ).

This shows the crop load and why it is taking me ( us ) so long this year.( that's a bit blurry sorry. )( maybe it was making me dizzy)

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My last post got some interesting responses. Thank you Laurie; Deb; Molly; Gina; Jennifer; Janice and Joolzmac.
* Laurie you can purchase the sort of moth trap in the photo at Decor ( the place you didn't like last time you went there - hehe. ) or I have since got a different cheaper brand from Palmers. ( they also have cockroach traps - I got one to try but it too has caught moths....maybe that is a good sign. )
*Joolz and Jennifer Thanks for your reinforcement of what I said re the moth trap.

* Jennifer I think trying different coffee at different cafes is a good idea and if one that is really good and too your liking turns up ask what brand they are using and can it be purchased from them.
* Molly....making coffee for one is even MORE important. You look after yourself and treat yourself as the important person, that you are.
* Deb. Thank you for your offer. Yes, I can get Hummingbird brand but have only tried Crave, not Oomph. I gave Crave 3 out of 5. Will try the Oomph next. When I was last in the supermarket I got into discussion with another customer who was uming and arring( Spelling? ) in front of the coffee. Quite by chance a rep from a coffee firm came by and heard us.( or does he lurk behind the display stand waiting to pounce? ) He was a very very pleasant person ( or was it the smell of the coffee? ) We talked for 5 minutes about our likes and dislikes and he told me the current NZ trend was for coffee with the burnt edge to it ( which I don't care for ) and guided me towards his brand Gravity for beans and Jed's for plunger in a mild roast. Both are roasted at the same firm. They sell to a large number of NZ cafes.( he said )
So far on my list no brand has earned more than 3 out of 5. Maybe I am too fussy....but I am enjoying the journey. Will keep you posted from time to time.
* Janice I guess the type of work your Mum did in an orchard was similar. At least with the kiwifruit it can be reached standing on the ground.
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If the weather stays fine ( it is currently very still and overcast - very pleasant) tomorrow and Tuesday we are having our 2nd (for the season ) avocado pick. The bins are here, the forklift is here. R has taken bins to the avo blocks ready. All we need tomorrow is a fine cool day some hydraladas and careful drivers .
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Yesterday the committee for my P and Q group had it's first planning meeting for the year. ( 7 out of 9 turned up )We are all trying to job share where possible to spread the load. We hope for an interesting, learning fun year. If you belong to a Guild or P and Q group and found a new idea or did a project that was particularly successful please let me know. I have already gleaned some good ideas from your blogs but just in case I missed anything please tell me ( us ) about it.

Coffee and Pests.

2012-01-20T11:11:00.001+13:00

This morning I am making sure I make time to have my mid morning coffee and write a blog post. It is Summer, the rain has gone, it is warm and there is SO much to do that some days I don't give myself any me time. Having a cup of coffee made in my machine is one of my treats. I usually only have one a day...just sometimes 2 - never late in the day unless I need to stay awake most of the night. I know exactly how I like my coffee, black but not too strong or should I say MADE with too well ( over ) roasted beans. I like a mellow roast full of flavour without that almost burnt taste many beans now have. Deciding which brand and strength to buy has become a real challenge. I have now started a list which I am rating out of 5 stars , so I can actually remember which to buy. When I pick one that's not so good it is a lot of cups to use it up. How do you decide? Price ? Fair trade grown? Taste? I have decide all are important but taste is what it is really all about for me. ( and smell ) Having seen an in depth TV programme on the making of instant coffee and also decaffeinated instant coffee I vowed never to drink another cup - that just can't be good for us. So if I can't have the real thing I will just drink water.( hot or cold, which I like. ) Any recommendations gratefully listened to.
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This morning my car is at the garage having a new lock fitted. Just before Christmas someone tried to pick the lock ( I think while in a carpark ) and so the only entry has been by automatic opener which is a bit risky if the battery fails, so a new lock unit had to be made to fit the keys. ( same key does the boot as well. )
Just one of life's little inconveniences and extra expenses. I am very glad that either I disturbed the would be thief or he / she was foiled and didn't get in.
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That was one pest. Another sort are these moths that have been getting into the unshelled walnuts stored in the shed. I got one of these pantry moth traps. It has sticky surfaces and a strip of male moth pheromone. Wow is it effective!

In this photo I have laid it on it's side so you can see all the bodies inside. It is just a triangular cardboard shape. Below shows the outside.

It is good as it doesn't have any nasty chemicals, just sticky.( Not good for the male moths obviously )

Today the kiwifruit orchard is being inspected by staff from the pack house working as a pest monitoring team. ( we could try and do it ourselves but haven't time. )They collected leaves ( so many per row etc ) and take them back to the pack house where they are inspected under a microscope for tiny first instar scale pests. They also while walking the rows in the orchard inspect clusters of fruit for leaf rollers or other pests, using a 10 Xs hand lens. ( very useful things 10 times lenses - I have one for doing close inspections of all sorts of things. )

If the pest monitoring team find any scale or other pest in sufficient numbers they will inform us that we need to spray for that pest. It is a good system as you only use sprays if you really need them.

Also this morning TD was here with a quad bike spreading a small round of fertilizer.

Meanwhile we are still fruit thinning. Progress is extremely slow and I am throwing 1000 fruit on the ground in some bays. That is still leaving more than a 1000 good fruit.I might take some photos today to show you how that looks.

Not one stitch of patchwork sewing has happened in the last week. That is so bad but most nights I am just too tired to be able to do that and either read or watch TV.( or fall asleep, doing so ). Never mind I am sure it will rain again and keep me inside.
Thank you all for your comments...they give me a lift...and another human contact.

Garden Jobs.

2012-01-14T17:41:00.000+13:00

2 little bowls of sunshine. The first blueberries and a pick from my little yellow drop tomato. We have now picked and eaten the first 2 big red tomatoes.

Brandy Wine on the left and Kakanui Choice on the right.( they both had marks on the other side. ) The brandy wine was recommended in the NZ Gardener magazine by one of their writers. We remain unconvinced. It is an ugly huge plant and the tomatoes are very wrinkly. Fine for eating raw skin and all but not for cooking if you want them skinless. It tasted quite nice BUT certainly isn't the best tomato I have every eaten - which was it's claim to fame in the NZ G.
Today I have weeded 2 patches of garden and mowed all the lawns. The temperature is just pleasant for working. NO RAIN!.( did I mention Dec 2011 was the wettest month we have ever recorded in 31 years! )

Here is one of my rewards - discovering this flowering. It is an Echinacea called Tomato Soup. I bought 2 quite expensive plants last year - they both flowered a little then one died. So I am quite excited that this last plant is doing well and is going to have quite a few flowers.The colour really is brilliant.
Further to the previous post mentioning hedgehogs.....I did a little research and yes Isabelle hedgehogs can cough and snore and sniffle and squeal.( and fart and hiss )They are referred to as insectivores. See here. Or goggle hedgehogs.There is lots to read and lots of photos.
I haven't seen or heard anything more from our resident hedgehog.
* I read on someone's blog ( can't find it again now ) that from March this year following blogs list is going to disappear. Is that true? If it is I better transfer lots blogs I follow onto my list on my sidebar.
I hope you all got things done this weekend where ever you are. Did South Otago or Westland get any rain?

Who Lives Here?

2012-01-11T10:53:00.000+13:00

Early yesterday morning I was here by the window in the bedroom when some loud coughing startled me as I thought no body was around. Looking out the window there was nobody there. Strange as the coughing was quite loud. There had to be something hiding in the leafy growth below.
Sure enough right beside the wall of the house under a lot of litter and leaves is a hedgehog's nest.( once before many years ago quite near this spot there was another similar nest that babies emerged from eventually. ) So I will be keeping a close eye ( and ear ) on activities below my bedroom window.( hedgehogs are very vocal creatures who make incredible noises if fighting or mating )
Yesterday the weather began to improve - I got a full afternoons work done thinning kiwifruit. In the morning despite a few brief showers, I picked veges that were ready in the garden.

Yummy beans courgettes and broccoli. The broccoli is all small florets as I left the plants in the ground after I picked their first main big head and since then have kept picking the side shoots that keep growing. It makes a broccoli plant really good value.
At last the tomatoes are ripening and today we have sun. Yes sun, that Summer stuff. I'm outside now for the rest of the day.

One Fine day Does NOT a Summer Make.

2012-01-08T20:23:00.001+13:00

Yes, I know it was a swallow.( not a fine day. )
New Zealand has not had a good weekend. The Rena on Astrolabe reef has finally broken into 2 pieces and containers are lost into the sea. More debris and oil is expected to wash up along the BOP beaches in the next few hours.
Equally as bad 11 people have died in a hot air balloon crash in Carterton.( making it one of our worst recent air crashes. )This happened in fine weather yesterday morning so I won't complain too loudly about our wet yukky weather.

The mist hung over us all day when not actually raining.
I went for a walk late this afternoon and saw the funniest thing.

Now you might not be able to make this out very easily but here in the damp a Wedding party is having photos taken standing in the long wet grass beside our neighbours' old shed.

It is much photo graphed because it is old and rustic , but hardly the ideal place today.

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SO, How have I spent my weekend?

I am working on 4 border strips at once making piano keys using selvages.It is essential to press after each piece is added and to lay it flat against a line on the cutting mat to ensure that it is staying level. ( that's why 4 at once makes more sense - sew 4; press 4 )I also found holding it up to the light as I put in 2 pins per piece to make sure it was not too close to the raw edge of the previous piece.It is a long quite tedious process.
I have cooked cheeses scones, fruit and nut cookies; leek and potato soup. I have talked on the phone to family in NZ and UK. I have read a great book. A very easy enjoyable read. "A Home-grown Cook," by Dame Alison Holst with Barbara Larsen.( her 100th book )( I own at least 5 of her 100 books )I have done the odd bit of house work as one must, played scrabble; watched TV and read lots of blogs.I have picked vege tables in the rain. ( we are currently eating cabbage, silverbeet, beans and courgettes. The yellow and red veg not quite ready. )
( the orchard work and garden work is becoming rather urgent but should be done in the fine. )unfortunately the weather forecast is not for fine tomorrow or the next day.......

Meet My New Working Companion.

2012-01-05T11:55:00.000+13:00

Firstly Thank you Miche'le; Meg; Isabelle; Jennifer and Joolzmac for your comments. I can see that a phone that rings to remind one of appointments could be very reliable. ( providing you haven't left your phone somewhere ). Meg I think writing down your thoughts could be quite therapeutic. Everyone that blogs is keeping a diary of sorts aren't they? It is a good record of quilting progress for me.I think you have to be a record keeping kind of person to wish to do it. I am. I love lists and knowing where to find info.
Sorry Miche'le and Farm Girl ( Nicky )that we are getting your share of the rain ...( Mother Nature please take note ). The wet has been hampering our fruit thinning and pruning progress.
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I said I would introduce you to my new working companion. Cute isn't it?( the speakers make it look like it had a face, so maybe I shall name it ?) What? Tachi? ( as in Hitachi )( it has roll bars! )

This is a photo of the old ( very ) and the new . When I work in the kiwifruit fruit thinning or what ever we are currently doing, it is quite repetitive ( boring ) work so to have a distraction ( companion ) is good. My poor old radio has had a "connection problem," for some time now and it wastes my time fiddling with it trying to coax it to go. Having complained frequently about this R picked up on the fact that to keep me working happily maybe a new radio for Christmas would be a good idea.So not mucking around he bought an extremely sturdy model. It runs on a BIG power tools battery ( that we already had ) and has 3 small back up batteries to keep the time and memory ( stations ) when it is turned off. It's much, much flasher and more multipurpose than the (15 plus ? ) year old predecessor. It however not supposed to get wet so yesterday during the rain ( that sent me home after only 2 hours ) I had to devise a rain coat for it - made from the plastic bag it came in with a hole for the aerial.

So far we are getting along very amicably....although it doesn't have within it's powers to improve the programmes I can receive.

Why don't I just use an ipod like R ? Well, I prefer the radio and I don't like not being able to hear if vehicles ( tractors etc ) approach without me hearing them. I can also hear if somone calls out across the orchard looking for us.

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Quilting; I have completed the selvage blocks and decided since I had lots of smaller strips of selvage left I would increase the size of the quilt by making piano key type borders for it. I am working all 4 strips at once and ironing as I go. I haven't yet sewn the blocks together - just in case I have a change of mind when I put it all together (size wise )

Thanks for your offer Molly but it isn't worth the postage it would cost - besides you may find a use for yours.

Do You Keep a Diary?

2012-01-01T14:44:00.000+13:00

Welcome 2012.

2012 has arrived and the rain is gradually leaving after 7.5 inches in the last 2 days. Nothing much else seems to have changed except the date and the fact that I just spent some time filling in all the details in a new diary. The diary itself is the same make as last year but with quite a different cover.( it has lots of pull out spare pages )
Last year my "Diary," got used to the maximum. Never before have I used one so fully.( there is writing in margins; along page tops and 2 rows to a line. )
Along with the usual planning and appointments I used it as my one stop place for information when we went overseas on holiday. It had maps and information printed out and stuck in before we left home. It had hidden passwords and emergency #s. It had instructions of which trains to take to various destinations.It had flight #s, travel times and times in other date lines. It had information about ancestors' birth places and good things to see and places to visit. It had prices and lists of money spent.Of course it is a record of where we went and what I thought.
This year my diary is likely to be boring by comparison....but we shall see. Do you use / keep a diary? What for?

They said it Would RAIN!

2011-12-31T12:01:00.000+13:00

Having had lovely fine weather over Christmas, when the forecast said there was to be heavy rain, we believed them. ( past experience has seen us have massive downpours with lightning and thunder on New Years Eve . ) So we raced and got outside things done before it started. All the washing for one thing. The orchard sprayed and fish fert applied to the ground under the kiwifruit vines all happened Tuesday or Wednesday. Garden jobs too. R put in a wooden edging and topped up with soil around my 6 experimental yam plants.( beside the new grass. )( looking good above ground but too soon to be growing yams beneath - they take ages. )

He also planted out the basil plants he grew from seed.( for our big pesto making later on )

I'm glad we did as it started to drizzle late Thursday and has rained ever since. In the last 24 hours we have had over 4" ( 113 mls ) and it is still going. So lots of umbrella use to pick veges, clear drains etc.

These Zantedeschia ( coloured arum lilies )were looking good 3 days ago but this morning had face planted into the ground so I went with a brolly and picked them ( then washed them clean and have them in a vase ).

Meanwhile inside it has been great reading, playing, cooking and sewing weather. I got the sewing machine back on my bench( it spent Christmas in the cupboard )and started catching up on my selvage blocks.

Here I am building ( putting together ) my orange; and pink ones with some aqua blues next. Each block when finished makes 2 blocks when made into 1/2 square triangles with the plain white. I have finished 7 colours ( = 14 blocks ) so far.( just laid on the floor. )

5 by 4 will still be a small single size quilt so I may decide to go larger. That will depend on the availability of selvages.

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Wishing You All a Happy New Year.
May 2012 be a positive Year for You .
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Lovely Gifts.

2011-12-29T15:03:00.001+13:00

My ( only ) sister R always gives gifts that have several parts. This time I received a tiny 2.5" wooden sewing acorn. It is made of NZ wood; Matai for the top and Rimu for the acorn. Inside are 2 tiny reels of cotton, a thimble and a needle. It was made by John Bradley fashioned on one his grandmother used to have. Very Cute. She also gave me some very fancy embossed notelets with the letter "A", and a book.

I have started the book and went straight to the chapter written by Fiona Kidman about her friendship with Lauris Edmond who was my late Mother's cousin. In the foreword it says much has been written about friendship between men and women but much less has been said about the importance of women to other women. I think I am going to enjoy this book .( we crafty Blogger all know about the great friendship and support of other women don't we? )

Our 2 young ones spoilt us with shared gifts as well as individual gifts. We both got this.

We laughed that it said on the box a game would take 3/4 s to one hour. Yeah right. When we had a game with the young ones the other night it took us nearly 3 hours - we were all over tired.

Here is the detail of the beads and stitching on a 3 pocketed letter hanger from Thailand. I also got a wireless mouse for my laptop.

This little special gift from J was as much of a joke as anything but the products seem good. ( P used the balm on a sore cracked toe )( to me the badger seem the wrong colour! ) It all started when we were on holiday in UK earlier this year. I wanted very much to see a badger in the wild and never did. When we left dear Ruby's place in Somerset, she sent me home with this fabulous plate. It travelled safely in my hand luggage . It is Royal Worcester Porcelain and called "The Woodland in April," by Peter Barett.

R thinks "Badger," might become my new nick name. I'm not so sure.

We were both given some lovely wine and olive oil and R gave me a new flash modern looking radio to use while I work in the orchard, but the batteries don't work so it has to go back to the shop to get sorted. I will show you it in another post as it has a face. Wasn't I spoiled?

What's Been Happening Here.

2011-12-28T17:41:00.001+13:00

Late this afternoon it has gone back to being just the 2 of us here.
It is too late to show photographic proof that the tree did get decorated....instead I will show you what I had on the side board in the lounge.The flowers are blue miniature agapanthus and white dahlias from the garden. I bought myself a bunch of red carnations which I don't grow but are amongst my top 10 flowers, to go with them. They last well. Note the bright table runner and the old photo of my late Mum on her wedding day in 1938. To the right of the photo (cut off ) is a pile with all the Christmas cards and letters. 2 special cards in the photo came by hand with our young ones from lovely folk we meet in July when in the UK.
Christmas day went off well; a bit of a blur for me - I went over board with the last minutes food purchases when I found 15 were coming. We are still eating out way through it all. The only waste so far is some fruit salad that went in and out of the fridge too many times. Meanwhile out in the garden things were getting neglected, so this morning I finally picked the huge cabbage weighing 1.8 kilos and some courgettes and broccoli.

On Boxing Day we and the 2 young ones ( V's Mum stayed behind ) drove over to Te Aroha to have lunch with R's brother and his A and their 3 grown kids and 3 lovely grand daughters. It was a great catch up. J had not seen his cousins for quite some years and had never met the wee girls.
Last evening we met up again with all of V's family who had been here Christmas day for a Fish and Chip dinner on the beach. As it was windy and quite cold ( note all the clouds )we went to the inner harbour side called Pilot Bay.
Here looking along to the Mt.

Here looking the other way. We were entertained with a large container ship coming in and later one going out. They seemed to move quite fast - luckily a smooth passage out of the harbour.

Some of the bunch with V's nephews at the front. We didn't stay till dark it was too cold.
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* J our younger son and V his lovely fiancee ( recently returned from living in London ) have some more holiday time which they are spending with family and going to 2 weddings before they both go to Auckland to start their new jobs.( most of their gear is staying here ) Isn't that fantastic that they have both scored good jobs. Not the pay they were getting in London but pretty good for NZ. We are thrilled cause then they can start the process of buying their first house.
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Since the 16th of December when elder son and new partner were here we have had a full house, now quiet again, so back to the orchard for us tomorrow.We have enjoyed eveyone's company and met V's Mum for the 1st time. It is lovely that our quite small family is rapidly expanding.
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Yes I did get some gifts which I have had no time to enjoy yet - I will share them in the next ,post.

Christmas Eve.

2011-12-24T23:13:00.000+13:00

Season's Greetings to ALL my Blog readers and Blog friends. May you all have a memorable time over the next few days.

I am just off to bed now on Christmas Eve. It has been an incredibly busy day but we got there in the end. Everything I wanted to have prepared for tomorrow is done.( including the tree ) We are now having 15 ( not 5 as I thought ) here later in the day for the main meal.

Today was a hot, clear, still day. We hope we get the same tomorrow.

May you enjoy laughter, fellowship, family and friends.

Thank you Francoise, Dale, Jennifer, Leanne and Deb for your Good wishes.

Still to Do List.

2011-12-23T21:55:00.000+13:00

The tree got left till last. We went looking to source one on the property which we often do, but none reached the required standard, so this little tree was bought for $20 just down the road. It has to stand in a small space because where we usually have a tree is this year stacked with packing cases belonging to our young sweeties recently returned from London. So decorating it tomorrow.

I did however finish this mug rug to go with the lovely bone china mug. It is a birthday present for my cousin ( also on the 25th. )

The grower rep from our kiwifruit pack house called in with a calendar for us and trays of unsold kiwifruit, both gold and green. Zespri didn't manage to sell it all this year and it is better to give it back to growers than throw it out.I was happy to accept as we don't have any left that we kept at home.

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We also popped down the road to the nearest eating place for lunch. It is easy to be too busy to remember and do anything about the fact that today was our 44th Wedding Anniversary.( being on the 23rd of December it is a busy time every year; and that will never change ).

Tomorrow 's To Do list Just got suddenly longer with a sudden change of plan. I hope I cope.

Christmas Tree.

2011-12-22T10:06:00.000+13:00

I was in the city briefly on Tuesday. This is the Christmas tree in Red square in Tauranga.

Making....

2011-12-18T15:54:00.000+13:00

Like lots of you out there ( Molly, Wanda )I have had a go at making some mug rugs. The other day I couldn't find any nice bone china mugs ( that I wanted for gifts ) so had to get some everyday ones. I may still get a chance to go into the city and get some. Meanwhile these turned out okay. The second one better than the first .( only used a single layer binding on the first. )The backs are all Blue spot fabric.

I like the fabrics and the colours. Maybe if I get some mugs in other colours I will make some more rugs.
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The weather has been dismal ; horrendously wet at times. We are only inconvenienced; other poor souls especially in the Nelson / Motueka area have had floods and slips and damage.We have recorded 205 mls in the last 5 days. We are so far behind with our kiwifruit work now it is laughable ( that is not the right attitude I know but it is beyond our control. ) I have how ever caught up with pre Christmas jobs.
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In this household I mainly do the cooking but R likes to have a go from time to time - which I encourage. He has his own recipes and I have mine. He makes some very tasty things. ( main meals almost exclusively ) While it is so wet, R has been practising some of his vegetarian recipes .Over Christmas the meat eaters will be out numbered by the vegetarians here. That is fine by me, I only eat small amounts of meat, chicken or fish any way.. So he set to and made Corn and Kumara Pie.
It is a secret recipe he said when I asked.....what I can tell you is it has shallots, cream style corn and either ( milk, coconut cream or cream in it ) and a topping of cooked mashed kumara ( sweet potato ) with grated cheese on top...and probably some secret ingredients. In the photo it has bacon as well but this would be done separately when making it for vegetarians.

I am now picking a few beans for my row and we had the very last peas from the crisper . The carrots I did not grow. It made a lovely meal.

More fruit mince pies have been made; they need replenishing as we eat them.
In this week's Listener there is a recipe for a walnut dip that sounds promising. I'll have to try that( having walnuts a plenty ).

Sunshine now PLEASE!

Little Brooches.

2011-12-14T14:55:00.000+13:00

I have now finished the 2nd little Christmas tree brooch. I got the idea from Jane's Blog and she got the idea from a magazine I have not heard of called Mollie Makes.
Mine are probably smaller as they are for 2 little girls and my buttons seemed a bit dull, so having won a whole packet of very glittery little sequin type beads in our recent Chinese Auction at Club I used the bling instead.( use what you have on hand! )
If you want to see how she did hers pop over and see. They just have a safety pin sewn to the back. As my felt already had iron on stabilizer on it ( from when I make my felt embroidered balls ) I didn't stuff mine. Also I was able to slip them inside a Christmas card to post so didn't need to make a parcel. They are actually more glittery than the photo shows.
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The rain is holding up our work. R mowed where we were going to work this afternoon so the grass wasn't too long and wet but since then we have had another shower so the leaves are wet ( a large leaf can hold half a cup of water which usually aims straight for ones' neck )There is also an increased chance of the little fruit getting fungal disease.
Sunshine NOW please.
oh well there is always nuts to shell in the shed.

Rain, Power Outages and Devaluation.

2011-12-13T21:16:00.000+13:00

Well it is just as well we worked like idiots all weekend as it has rained ever since. Not hard all the time, some just drizzle but it has kept us from working under the kiwifruit.
See the raindrops on my lovely yellow Asiatic lily. A bright spot out the window on a very dull, cool day.
Plenty else to do like making shortbread.

I make the pattern on the top with a used plastic bullet rack, seen on the right here when it was uncooked.

Just as well I cooked that yesterday and made scones this morning cause just before 1pm our power went off for several hours.( as it did over most, but not all, of the North Island. )

Unfortunately no power narrows the options of what to do. Jane I ended up cutting out and hand sewing some little felt Christmas tree brooches for my Great nieces. ( Will show in the next post )

*I forgot to say the cauliflower was delicious as were the first courgettes that I made into fritters and at last I picked the first handful of tiny yellow pear tomatoes. They have been really slow ripening ( or maybe I'm impatient...hope the bigger red will be ready soon.)

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Yesterday we got in the post our 3 yearly Notice of Rate Valuation.( from the Western Bay District Council. ) Perhaps more interesting than the drastic drop in capital value of our property was the accompanying letter of explanation.

The average drop in land value in the WBOP is 22.2 %.

They say it is a national trend and is mainly because of the world global financial crisis, as well as the outbreak of Psa in the kiwfruit.

All types of land use have been greatly devalued. Horticulture 37.5% ; Dairy 35.2 %; Pastoral 32.7 % ; Forestry 13.9 % and rural lifestyle 12.6%.

It then said it doesn't mean your rates will be any less.

It's a strange world we live in. The dairy farms are doing really well, the unaffected kiwifruit land is producing just as before and the forestry blocks are supposed to be just what the world's atmosphere needs ( carbon credits )

Unless one is buying or selling ( and we are not at the moment ), nothing has really changed except what a piece of paper says.

How are your pre Christmas chores coming along ladies? - some of you I note are doing really well!

So Much to Do; Not Enough Time!

2011-12-10T18:26:00.003+13:00

During the week ( Tues evening )I have had the AGM of Tga Patchwork and Quilters Group of which I am an active member and our final session and shared lunch get together for the Friday ladies of this group. Above are some of a lot of lovely quilts from Show and Tell.( none are mine )The AGM was the usual for us (teeth pulling session ) of nobody wanting to go on the committee. Only 5 were staying on so 3 of us muggins who have all recently HAD turns put up our hands again. We now have 8 the minimum we can get by with. Who would think we have 95 members ( one dear lady deceased so she is excused Bless her Heart ). Anyway I am not ( this time ) in charge so should manage to be useful.( I could rant long and loud about that but will spare you! )
*** Thank you for your lovely comments. I can now add to my list of poeple /flower plants names. Farm Girl has roses Margaret Merrill; Victor Borge; Mary Rose and H C Anderson.
Loulee has a sister called Nerine.
Meg suggested Lyndon ( tree ) to go on the male list. Thanks!
*** Molly I am making a quilt with the selvages - scroll back a few posts to see blocks laid out. I have now finished 8 different colours. 10 will be required for the quilt.

Yesterday was very hot. Today after some early showers we are back to much cooler. R mowed out the pea plants which had become very mildewy and dug their space ready for another crop. We frooze lots of the peas to have at Christmas time! See that new grass there to the left - oh boy did we stuff up. We should have let the weeds in the soil germinate then spray them out once or even twice before hydroseeding it.. So now every evening I am trying to do half and hour pulling out the worst weeds. The grass is brilliant and we know it wasn't the hydroseeding at fault cause everywhere else I have used the left over soil the same weeds have appeared.
( tomatoes and potatoes on the left in photo...still okay. I proved the egg raft was green smelly vegetable bugs( not psyllids! ))Quite a few tomatoes on the plants but none ripe yet.

My 6 yam plants are up on a tiny spare space beside the new grass . They need moulding up - tomorrow when R finds a piece of timber to put long the left side so the birds can't keep scratching the soil and compost away.

This yellow lily is teasing me. Every day I think it will open...but it sure shows promise. ( as does the pink one ).

The first of the coloured lupins is out.
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Some things can be crossed off my list.
* I have all NZ posting parcels ready to go first thing Monday morning.
* We have the Christmas letter written and copies printed. Cards and addressing tonight perhaps.
* I have spent hours booking a rental car for son # 1 to use when he arrives in NZ, this week. Sure doing things on line is good ( but I am slow at typing ) and they have multiple pages. Some persons and firms were so nice and helpful; some just rude - But I was customer. Got there in the end I hope. Difficult when the person paying is not the person up lifting the car at the airport. He returns to Oz before Christmas.
********So glad son # 2 and fiancee are self reliant, plan ahead and don't give me these headaches. They too arrive in NZ this coming week.... I can't wait to see them.

Lots to do before Christmas...bet you all have too! This year should be way more interesting than we have had the last few years on our own.

Rain Means Change of Activities.

2011-12-05T11:29:00.000+13:00

We got rained off at about 3 pm on Friday. Light showers on Saturday with a fine afternoon. Yesterday and last night we got heavier rain so now have add 2 inches....it was much needed. I think there will be more; judging by the clouds.( and the forecast )
That meant lots of other things got done. Saturday might be one of the longest busiest I remember in a long while. Heavy rain woke me at first light so I got up and started in the kitchen. I made bread and Christmas cake. While they cooked I sewed more selvages to my blocks. In the photos the brown one in complete the other 3 red, yellow and orange are in progress. where I will find enough to complete the orange one I'm not sure. I just don't seem to have much orange fabric. In the afternoon it fines up so we got some careful spraying done around the driveway and steep gardens. That will save me so much time.I was totally exhausted but had that wow what a lot I got done feeling. So yesterday was much more leisurely.
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Do you remember a week ago I showed an egg raft I found in the vege patch? They turned orange 2 days ago. This morning I opened the jar and looked with my 10 times lens. They were hatching. Using google images yet again I am sure they are NOT psyllid eggs. I think they are green vegetable bugs ( stink bugs )They have a shield shaped back and stripes.

This doesn't show it but they are alive and wriggling about. They will die as pests when I am finished observing. So so glad they were not psyllids....but I will still keep watching and inspecting( the psyllid eggs hang on a little string like a cherry or Christmas bauble, but are oval shaped. )
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Charles Austin, rose. ( it is often more apricot coloured, the camera is lying )
I found the book I thought I had and am currently rereading it. It is a very small NZ publication I got from Touchwood Books many years ago. It is called, "Gentlemen in my Garden," by Fay Clayton.( ETY publications )I discovered I have a huge number of the mentioned plants in my garden. She tells the origin and meaning of many, many plants names.
I did my own little study using my planting record book ( kept for the last 33 years of plants in this garden/ property. )I wanted to see how many plants had peoples' names.
I have roses called Charles Austin,( David Austin named many of his roses after family members. ) Meg, Penelope, Graham Thomas, Sally Holmes and Cecile Brunner. I have a hosta called Thomas Hogg and Burtonii freesias. A Viburnum called Eve Price and a walnut  called Wilson's Wonder. Rhododendrons who are called Virginia Richards and Percy Wiseman and Princess Alice ( I remember her ). Then there is the guem ( how do you pronounce that? ) called Mrs. Bradshaw - she has a lovely red flowers at the moment. Her friend Lady Strathmore didn't do well and died out so no yellow guems.
              Of course there are in my garden many other ladies. The only Hyacinth I know was on TV but I do grow and know ladies called Erica; Rosemary; Rose; Violet ( Hi V ! ); Pansy; Iris; Poppy( I know a wee baby called that ) Holly; Veronica and lily. I expect I have missed some. Oh, yes Heather my own middle name. Do tell me if you think of some more. I note that it is okay to name females after flowers and plants but generally not males. Mr. Bean being about the only exception I can think of. Some trees are also surnames.   Please tell me of any you can think of.
Have a great ( busy I expect ) week.

Growing Time.

2011-12-02T12:35:00.000+13:00

Growing time. Growing( expanding) Time. Both are applicable. I need more hours in the day but would be totally exhausted if it happened so maybe not such a smart notion.
* Molly send your son over immediately, we'll put him to work.
*Meg - I commented to Mary that obviously the pollen didn't get to her. "Nah," she said dragging on a smoke . So someone who does not get affected by sissy things like allergies!!!!

I have been collecting macadamia nuts from under the trees and drying them on the trolley in the sun. The ones at the front have not yet split open their outer shell. They still have to be cracked after that.

I have been closely watching this cauliflower and marvelling at it's perfection and wrapping.

The first baby courgettes are sizing up. Yum! I can't wait to make fritters out of some.

I have pulled out going to seed parsley and missed radish to make room for more lettuce, 2 capsicums and a coriander. ( I don't much care for coriander but R likes it and the young ones coming soon do too.)

Yesterday morning I mowed all the lawns. Weeds and grasses were forming seed heads and the wind had left plenty of twigs and leaves for me to collect.The sight of freshly ( neatly ) mowed lawns always makes me want to rush in for the camera to take photos while it's looking neat and tidy. So many things are flowering I can't keep up.

Filipendula is one of my favourites at the moment. So delicate, the leaves are fabulous too.

Usually I grow Iceland poppies ( Hello Gudrun ) but tried Shirley poppies this time.

Meg the rose has a beautiful face too.
All these ladies in my garden!

This one is Sally. While all the roses are beautiful I do have a problem with bronze beetles hiding in them and eating holes in the petals. You can see some evidence of it here at the bottom right corner. Some are so badly chewed they are totally destroyed. The only thing I can do is digitally squash them ( but they leap and drop to the ground). I dead head over a large bowl to try and catch as many as I can. We still have bees here so I can't spray with any insecticide. They overwinter under ground so are hard to get rid of.
I started counting up how many flowers have people's names or is it the other way around, people have flowers' names. Many I know are named after the breeder or someone in their family. ( someone wrote a book about "Ladies and Gentlemen in my Garden." I think I have it somewhere.

Pollen.

2011-11-29T12:02:00.000+13:00

If we look back 2 posts to one week ago, we see the progress that has happened with the kiwifruit flowers. Many are now set. See the fat round shape behind the stamens - that is the fruit starting to plump out. The petals are falling off, as their job is done. This makes working under the vines messy as the petals and stamen fall all over me and down my neck. That will all soon be gone. Yesterday we had the second ( and final ) round of artificially applied male pollen. Mary goes up and down each row on her quad bike.

It is difficult trying to get a photo of the pollen in the air.

I watched her do the whole of this block. She is a very careful, capable lady. The pollen is blown up from the triangular shaped stainless steel chute. ( can you see any in the air? )

Strapped on the back of the quad bike is a sack of pollen for when she needs to refill. There are many operators all around the area doing the same job. It took just over an hour to do all our blocks. ( it just gives the bees a helping hand and hopefully gets to any flowers they may have missed.)

I took this photo to try and show some of the wind damage. See the dried up leaves where this small branch has been broken out at it's armpit. We have to very carefully remove it without breaking any more bits. Sometimes cutting it into several bits works best. It is lucky we started with so many flowers cause the wind sure is a ruthless pruner.
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That's all looking a bit green again. Here are some brilliant scarlet flowers in the garden for a contrast.

Petunias and below a Day Lily.

* the forecast rain was only half a mil over night so that's not much help.

* JEH I doubt very much if there will be any peas left when you get here. That's why we are freezing some. See you really soon!

* No sewing has taken place. sigh.

The Good The Bad and the Ugly.

2011-11-27T12:39:00.001+13:00

I understand that not too many of you want to become orchardists then! I'm not surprised!
Lots to report on.

Today is a brilliant sunny, calm, day, but yesterday and the previous days the wind has done so much damage. The oranges were ready so lots falling on the ground doesn't matter. I have given lots away. I have been juicing them. The are very sweet with no seeds ( Franklyn Naval. ) The old faithful Kenwood has a juicer attachment. ( I have frozen quite a lot of it ).

In the kiwifruit the bees have been battling on against the wind. There are fruit already set. We have had one lot of artificial pollen applied. More tomorrow. The vines have sustained many many broken fruit growths. luckily we had lots but it will have reduced our potential crop.
More sadly the wind broke out a large fruiting branch ( the only one with fruit set ) (and about a third of the total tree ) of my little new apple . So annoying when the fruit had set. It broke at a cicada damage on the branch.

Lots of lovely peas are now ready.

This lot got frozen. We have eaten some, freshly picked - they are hard to surpass.

Here's how the garden is looking this morning; a bit wind blown but okay....but is it? One potato plant was displaying alarming wilting symptoms. So it has been removed. I then set about trying to find out what was wrong. We are really worried it might be psyllids.( potato and tomato psyllids ) I started inspecting each tomato ( in the middle here ) plant with my 10x lens. I found and digitally killed several different creatures and some nymphs. Are they phsyllids ?. Not totally sure yet. Google images is helping with my research.we will be so sad if our criops get destroyed at this stage. The potatoes are ticklable....I took 4 little spuddies for our dinner last night - yum. New potatoes with new peas are such a delight. ( along with tomato, pumpkin and salmon fritters it was a tasty feed. ) I will keep you posted about my research. Other neighbours have lost crops last year with psyllids - that's why we were worried. ( yet another pest NZ didn't use to have )

This is one of 2 rafts of eggs I found during my search - they are NOT psyllid eggs, but the precision with which these eggs are laid is amazing so I kept them to watch.They are like little pearls.( good or bad -I wonder? )
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Yesterday New Zealand had a General Election. The National party was returned to office, but they will need some coalition partners to have a majority in the house. The Green party did very well ( their best effort yet ) and will have list members in the Parliament. That is good, they have some good ideas BUT worrying for us too as they seem to think any sort of farming is bad and don't understand that the country needs food and more importantly exports. Every thinking person wants to look after the environment so they don't have that on their own. United Future and the Mana party and John Banks for Act each got one seat. ( Act didn't get enough party votes for Don Brash to get in thank goodness! )
Not so good perhaps, is the NZ party including leader Winston Peters also got list members in. I don't mind their policies but can't abide Winston's behaviour. It is all about HIM. He cannot say the simple words yes or no but always follows a question with a question.It will waste so much time in the house.
Also yesterday as part of the election there was a referendum about our voting system. 55.7% of the voters said keep MMP - our current system.
So generally speaking the results sit comfortably with me. National and their coalition partners will have a tough 3 years - whoever got in would have had, with the world economy being in such disarray.

Come to Work with Me.

2011-11-22T10:53:00.000+13:00

Yesterday afternoon during the big wind I took the camera with me to work as I thought I could show you what is happening where I work - in the orchard. Before you leave the house check you have stout shoes on and clothing for all weather and temperatures and you'll need a cap or hat to keep your hair clean. Wear some sunblock. Make your afternoon tea in a flask, get a snack and some bread for Percy Peacock( the supervisor ). Get R to sharpen your secateurs. Make sure you have a supply of clips ( vine ties ) and stocking tops and MOST importantly for me your deodorant....there are so many bees about it is my instant answer if I happen to get stung( it really works! )The photo above show my ( carpenter's ) apron I wear with my gear in it - the blue top is the deodorant right at hand. On the back of the tractor you will need a beer box and cushion to sit on , the radio, and your storage cube with gloves, spare radio batteries, water bottle, plaster all those sort of things. All Ready?
Please get in the tray on the back of the tractor, hold tightly as we drive down to block 2 b where I am working today. That is right near where the peacock patrols ( and sleeps in the sun ). There are 8 beehives against the casurina hedge in this block,

( if you enlarge the photo you can see them in the air. )

That's probably close enough without taking risks. They go in and out through the slit at the base. Sometimes there are queues on the outside...or they may just be cooling themselves. The bees get buffeted by the wind and sometimes bump off my person. Just leave them alone, unless they are in your hair or mouth or ears. They will mostly just leave you alone.

This is the canopy overhead. So many flowers are now out. Luckily there is now dabbled shade to work in.

As you are working respect the bees and if they are busy you give them right of way. See how the wind has blown some casurina needles from the hedge onto the vines - it is a pretty strong wind.

Sometimes there is some competition - 2 bees in one just opened flower. They just work around each other. They methodically work their way around the stamens in a circle , usually going anti clockwise( not sure why ).Look closely and you can see all the pollen collected on the bees legs.( lets hope the bee has been to a male flower first to bring the male pollen into that flower.) They seem to know what they are doing....... just as well we don't have to organise or instruct them. ( 33000 x 21 hives = 651,000 bees ) Because it is so windy a large part of our time today will be spent clipping down any flower shoots to the wire to stop them breaking out. Also remove any old sharp stalks or cut clips or anything close enough to a flower that it will rub a fruit when it forms there.
Percy Peacock will hang around so it is best to give him his afternoon tea slice of bread early on or he will be under your feet. That won't stop him asking for more when we have afternoon tea. Between times he will snack on dock leaves or grass . Sometimes if he likes what is on the radio he will sit down happily and dose. Be aware that for no reason at all or if their is a noise he will honk very loudly and make you jump out of your skin.

You are working really well but it is knocking off time now, so if you liked the job you may come back any time at all.

Just a little Sewing Time.

2011-11-21T11:41:00.000+13:00

It has been such a busy weekend I had little time to sew but by mid afternoon yesterday I was exhausted and had to give in and sit and sew for a while. Following some mind jogging by Digital Gran who made some felt lavender hearts, I set about making some little lavender bags from an old treasured throw over.

I think I have enough lavender to fill 6 small bags. They will be all different sizes as I had to use the still sounds parts of the fabric and try and incorporate part of the embroidery on each ( I didn't do the embroidery but did not want to throw it away. ) Sewing that fine fabric was a nightmare, but it lets the perfume through so that is what I was aiming for.

An up date on my selvage blocks shows I have finished blue, green, black and purple blocks.

I am currently working on a fawn and brown block. I have taken to reading all the selvage messages carefully - there is quite a bit of humour to be found.
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Thank you Molly, Thimbleanna, Jennifer and Isabelle for your concern over our kiwifruit problem in NZ. On relooking in the daily newspaper on Friday evening I see the number of infected orchards is far larger than I said - almost double!
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In the night our 21 beehives arrived.( they are transported at night to make sure the majority of the bees are inside the hive ( asleep? ) at the time it is moved. ) This morning is one of the windiest we have had so that makes their first day with us very difficult. It takes them far more energy to fly against the wind and they can be seen being buffeted about. It is sunny so lets hope the wind drops.
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The very first green peas are ready - just enough to steal for on a salad or eat out of the pod where you stand. My beans are also nearly there but because Polly Peacock dug so many out there will not be enough for a feed. I have since purchased some wire netting cloches to protect my subsequent plantings. I found Miss Polly lurking at my little extra garden late last evening - my she can fly well when chased! Yesterday I also wheelbarrowed compost to my garden and added sheep pellets to give things a boost.
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Today keeping the washing on the line is a challenge. The row of socks is River
Dancing really fast. Every thing else is twisting madly..... good drying day, but tough on things.

Kiwifruit Update.

2011-11-18T11:21:00.001+13:00

I took this photo yesterday where I was working in the slowest to mature block in our orchard. It shows a female kiwifruit flower just open and buds almost open. It is hanging right beside a metal ag beam ( one of the support structures ), the extra heat the ag beam gives off from the sun seems to boost those buds right next to it. All the rest of the orchard blocks have a few open flowers so that means we need to get bee hives in probably Sunday night.( when 10% are open ) We are well up with our bud thinning and pruning and the potential crop looks very promising. SO ALL OF THAT IS GOOD. BUT the threat of the disease PSA is lurking everywhere around us.
       It is a year now since the first gold variety kiwifruit vines in Te Puke were found to have the bacterial disease PSA ( pseudomonas syringae pv actinidiae )All those vines in the first infected orchards have been totally pulled outand burnt or buried . But the disease has spread. Every day the number of infected orchards seems to increase. 434 orchards currently have Psa ( 408 are in Te Puke area. ) 72 % of NZs kiwifruit vines are now in priority zones ( that means have some disease nearby ) Waihi has 1; Katikati 3; Tauranga 14; Whakatane 7; Opotiki 1.
     Things we know about the disease. Gold varieties are more susceptible, male vines are more susceptible, younger vines are more susceptible. It can be spread in many ways...by the wind, on footwear and clothing,on tools and vehicles, possibly by bees and insects and birds, possibly transferred on pollen artificially applied. There is a lot we still DON"T KNOW.
   What is happening as a consequence. Zespri the marketing part of the industry that sells the fruit worldwide and organises the shipping etc are planning to greatly reduce their staff. Growers and all involved working in the orchards are having to take strict precautions to try and not spread the disease. Disinfecting tools, vehicles, footwear, hands clothing between orchards. For us this means we must police this to see this happens. This is what happened yesterday.

A large truck with a hydralada arrived ( photo above on driveway )( note hose for washing vehicles on wall bottom left of photo ) to replace broken insulators on the main high tension power lines that run between Tauranga and Waihi. 2 of their poles cross the bottom end of our property. They needed access to get to them with their vehicle and 3 men. They stopped at the house to get permission and be shown where to go. We gave them an orchard map and list of hazards as we are obliged to do.
"How were they going to disinfect their vehicle and equipment and clothing we asked them? Do you know about PSA we asked them?"
"Oh yes we do," they said."We were going to clean our vehicle on the way OUT!"
"How does that protect us," we asked.? .....
"Well our disinfecting stuff is currently out on Matakama Island," they said.
"Sorry you can't come in. Go and get some more disinfectant please." ( Zespri had provided them with it ) 45 minutes later they had organised themselves and done what we asked .WHAT if we hadn't been home?
So you see it is us who have to be constantly vigilant. I read in one of the magazines that arrived today ( we are constantly being emailed and posted information - ( far more than we can possibly read if we want to work as well ) that the bacteria has been found in trials to survive on leaf litter for 56 days, on wood for 15 days and on plastic for 8 days. That is is very scary.
Some of the down stream effects are land with kiwifruit on it is now worth less than bare land. All packhouses and associated businesses are having to cut down staff numbers. Apart from copper sprays there is very little growers can do to protect as yet uninfected vines.
What does the future hold for growers ...for the BOP which is the largest kiwifruit growing area in new Zealand ?
For us as yet uninfected it means carry on as usual and hope we can bring the lovely crop hanging in the vines to picking time next year. ( it's a bit like the plague or Foot and Mouth, but in kiwifruit vines )

ps. last night we ate the last 2 fruit I had kept from this years' crop, picked in May. They have lasted unrefrigerated since then. There certainly will be less kiwifruit to sell to the world in the next few years.

.

There's Always a First Time.

2011-11-15T12:10:00.000+13:00

Before I get on with my subject I want to say Thanks to those of you who always send me email replies when I comment on your blogs. It is very kind of you. Here I tend to reply either in the next blog post or in the same comments section where you lovely folk leave me comments. That's just the way I like to do it. I do so love hearing from you ALL.

There is always a first time for everything. For me making broccoli soup just happened this weekend because we had a surplus, and some were starting to get over blown. I hate waste, so what to do? Go on, be daring make some soup. So I did and Oh how pleasantly surprised I was.

I admit while it was cooking I had serious doubts because of the smell. ( enzyme sulforane ) or "eau de public toilets." Apparently that is the part that is so good for us?

But it was delicious. I have googled the recipe and found several, so mine is a combination of most of them. I see some Michelin Star chefs make it, so Gordon Ramsey I did a little mild swearing as I made it. Here is my very easy recipe. It would also be useful not just when there is a surplus but to make a head go a long way for many mouths.

Broccoli Soup.

2 chopped onions 2 tblsps olive oil

I head of broccoli ( about 500 grams ) 4 cups chicken( or vege ) stock

1/2 cup of milk, pepper to taste. 1 cup grated tasty Cheddar cheese (or Parmesan )

Chop the onions and gently fry off in the oil in a large saucepan. Prepare the broccoli by cutting into florets, include the stem and all( peel if coarse ). Add the broccoli and the stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer / boil for about 10 minutes till cooked through. Cool. put into a liquidizer and blend. Return to the saucepan and reheat , add the milk ( or cream if you eat it , or rice milk could be used ) and bring nearly to boiling point again. Add the grated cheese and pepper and serve. ( we both liked it so will make it again. )

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The recent wind trashed the leaves of this Bird of Paradise so it sent up and unfurled a new pristine leaf. ( for how long? )

Cecile Brunner rose seems indestructible. It has been cut to the ground twice but always wins and bounces back. It does need serious pruning as it climbs into neighbouring trees.

The very first rhododendron I planted here 33 years ago was Virginia Richards. It hasn't flowered well for some time but is back doing it's thing this year. Thrips get to it I think.

This is the same purple bearded iris I showed in the vase of flowers on Saturday. It is my favourite and has only spread to make 3 clumps over about 20 years...so not invasive in any way.

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* As I am typing I can hear the bang, bang, bang of the post rammer putting in the piles for under the container. It will then be shifted off the metal loading area and can get painted and camouflaged to some extent.

*It is calm today so while R was waiting for the rammer to turn up he has started spraying some of the weeds on the drive and shell path. Thank goodness for that it is long overdue! ( he has a tank on a little trailer behind the Hustler mower so that saves me using a Knapsack sprayer ! )

* Only a little sewing has happened. The mail box wall hanging got it's label - a chook with a mail bag delivering letters ( off the new label CD ) and 2 hangers for the al rod. So totally finished and hanging!. I have also started on the brown selvage block. They are going well and the others are now half square triangle blocks about 12" square.

But back to work now.

Flowers.

2011-11-12T12:40:00.001+13:00

The destructive winds have gone and the sun is out. Yesterday was really warm. Everywhere I turn in my garden I see plants flowering. Weeds of course are flourishing too, but I will get to them soon. I do so love flowers and being able to go into the garden and pick a vase full of bright delights makes me very happy. Here I have picked irises ( 2 types...your favourites Sooziii ) little roses, watsonia; renga renga lilies and Azalea mollis.
Lots of veges ready too. More lettuce and broccoli than we can eat. It is lots of work but the rewards outweigh that.
Have a great weekend everyone.

Did I Buy Anything?

2011-11-09T11:57:00.000+13:00

Still on the subject of last Saturday's trip to Calico Christmas, as well as some purchases I arrived home with this . ( above ) A tradition we have on this trip is the club supplies snacks for the journey home. This time T and D made us each a noodle box with cute picture on it containing cheese, crackers, sweets etc. As well there was fruit juice and seedless green grapes. But as well we got a small piece of fabric - mine has strange animals in black and white; a tiny packet of novelty buttons and a lovely poem.( click to enlarge so you may read the poem ).

I bought some ( much cheaper than I have previously had) sheets of fabric to print on and with it a CD of labels & borders . I have already done one trial label and found out how to type what I want on it. This product was made in Australia the previous ones I have used were from USA, so thet may acccount for the better price. Also here some die - cut felt flowers for use in making my felt embroidered balls.
I got 3 metres of extra wide plain white fabric for use in my selvages quilt. I have finished several large squares now.

These are just because fabrics...... just because I like them!

I really loved the colours in this FQ so had to get it too. I might use the colour palette in it for a quilt. Usually I buy a book but didn't see one I needed or even wanted, so no book.

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When I started exploring the idea of making a circle based quilt, prompted by one I saw at the museum in Bath in July I did not expect to fine someone else had got there before me.

This is Val William's, " Red Circles," that I came across on Saturday. She had also hand stitched it . So it just goes to show it is difficult to come up with an original idea. Val I liked your quilt. I wonder now how I will proceed with my idea. I hate copying anyone else's work. More thought and trial and error needed by me I think.

Part 2. Quilts at CC.

2011-11-07T12:06:00.000+13:00

The Theme for calico Christmas was nautical. The entries in this section were displayed in the cafeteria area. These 2 I liked, especially Rosemary Rush's Knots, Nets and the Fish that get away.

These 2 were a bit different, as there were lots with underwater scenes of fish, shells, coral, seaweeds and sea creatures.

The maker of this small quilt had every reason to be very disappointed in the way her entry was hung! ( I think it was Jocelyn Atkinson ). I liked it anyway Jocelyn.

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On the 2nd floor was a display of the work of the late Barbara Bilyard.

Many items were lent back for the display by family and those who own them. What amazing and fabulous work she did.

Some were unfinished.

There were examples of how she worked. This showing her way of drawing her quilting pattern on tissue paper and sewing through the paper then tearing it away. I must try this method.
Such a loss the the NZ quilting scene. I was given a DVD of one of her classes after I wrote in her obituary book. Unfortunately my computer will not have a bar of it the virus programme Norton threw it out , so I am unable to view it. I will give it to someone else in our club to see if they can view it.
Luckily the CD of labels I bought works for me. I'll show that tomorrow.

Quilts At Calico Christmas.

2011-11-06T12:03:00.000+13:00

As usual we had a great day out in Auckland at Calico Christmas. I'll talk about our trip, what I bought and some special exhibitions tomorrow, but here for today are the quilts and wall hangings that I choose to photograph. Out of so many I often take too many photos, so, this time I just picked the one's that were my favourites.

"Line Infused with a Little bit of New Zealand," by Catherine Parkinson, was painted and stitched.

Hazel Foot's, "Indian Rhapsody"' had fabulous colours. ( yes, this is the same Hazel who was our tutor 2 weeks ago when we made our wall hangings. ) This photo does not do her quilt justice.

Again this year there were several Tapa cloth inspired quilts. I liked Karen Robertson's best, because it had little splashes of extra colour.

Rosemary Rushes, "The fantastic Faraway Tree," was such fun. I'm sure Enid Blyton would have liked it.

Sandy Bedggood, "Tile Play, " had pleasing design and shapes.

Sampler quilts are often not my thing, but Nikki Graham had used such great colours and unusual blocks I studied it for quite a while.
( all photos should enlarge by clicking on them . ) More tomorrow. Enjoy!

Verdant View.

2011-11-04T10:33:00.003+13:00

I had just finished making the bed when I looked out the bedroom window and realised just how green everything was looking.

This is the view I can currently see from there.The Viburnum tree on the left was bare then covered in white flowers just a few weeks ago. The lawn is very green and now the big oak has young leaves of that almost chartreuse colour . ( it has tasseled flowers that are yellowy bronze but the green is now more dominant ) Beyond that are the Kiwifruit vines in block 2b and they too are now green.

Of course there are lots of colourful patches of flowers in the garden but I think all that green is having an influence on me. I need to stand and stare at the very blue sky for a while to get some relief. I come in here to my blog and green all around it. I like green but it's not my favourite colour; just the colour of growth and new leaves and the bush. Am I Irish. No. ( that too was a very greeen lovely place. ) NZ is very green! That photo above is looking due North and the morning light from the East shines through all the leaves lighting them up, so it is less bright later in the day.

Probably that is why I like to grow bright flowers. This is just outside the office window and the rain we have been having every night ( and some days ) lately has made all the alstromeria and the kangaroo paw flower well.( I always mistakenly thought the kangaroo paw would like it dry because of it's Australian source - but not so. )

2 things I am excited about. Growing so much lovely broccoli, that must be picked right now before it is too mature. I planted it out shortly after we got back from our holiday in August, so that is how long it took to be ready.

Ooops sorry - more green.

The 2nd thing I am pleased about is the campanulas plants I put in last year are about to flower.I know they are a northern hemisphere temperate plant but not many thing make you wait more than a year to reward . I can't remember now if they are the cup and saucer variety, but this one looks to have pink buds.
Well I am off now into my green world to do some work. Tomorrow I am up very early as we ( the girls and I from patchwork group )are off on our annual bus trip to Northshore Stadium in Auckland to Calico Christmas.
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* I just tried a purple surround. It was more difficult to read. Eyes vary and some backgrounds make it hard to see, so maybe I will just stick to white and green

Mowing and Growing.

2011-11-01T17:10:00.000+13:00

Thank you all for your comments. ( Hi Button Mad. ) It seems I need to do the scone thing again really soon as we had visitors at the weekend and now the scones from the freezer are all gone. Sunday was a bright sunny day so we gardened and I mowed all the lawns including the new patch. See how lush it is looking.

Things in the vege garden are now taking off - there are the first few flowers on the peas; the tomato plant row now has 13 plants, the potatoes have been hoed up and the broccoli in the far corner is ready to eat in about 2 more days.The Spring onions you can't see in the right corner are being used fast but some are trying to go to seed. ( very versatile things....they can go in stir fries and in salads and even added near the end of longer cooked dishes.) We have some more ready to go in.

Today I have only done 90 minutes kiwifruit bud thinning because of rain. But I have fitted in some sewing and now finished my mailbox wall hanging.

R has cut me a 20" piece of aluminium rod to hang it by, so I just need to add 2 small hanging sleeves on the back and make a label.

A Thrifty Way to Get Warm.

2011-10-27T20:34:00.000+13:00

After several quite warm ( read too warm if looking up towards the sky, while working with the kiwifruit vines as I have been) last few days; this morning was dull and quite chilly. I didn't seem to be able to get warm. We have stopped having fires some time ago and I didn't want to resort to a heater; so; what to do? I went and put on a long warm winter wool jersey and socks and went into the kitchen and quickly made a batch of cheese scones. How did that help? Well as soon as they were cooked ( and smelling good ) I threw open the oven door and let the residue heat ( 200 degrees plus )flood out into the kitchen. The result was I did get warm and the scones were a bonus. ( most have gone into the freezer to pull out as needed.)

Yes, they are untidy shaped scones but they were light and very tasty. I don't roll them out, just drop them in spoonful lots. For a while I couldn't make good scones but now seem to be able to by using some lemonade in the liquid mix.These had tasty cheddar and Parmesan cheese as well as some Cayenne pepper and a teaspoon of powdered mustard for bite.( best eaten warm) Of course by afternoon it had warmed up to 20 degrees again and I was far too hot outside working.( some folk are never satisfied eh )
Here is the promise of apples I mentioned yesterday.

I have managed to fit in 2 sessions of about 10 minutes quilting my wall hanging today. So far so good.

Presents;Day 2 and Fruit Trees.

2011-10-26T14:44:00.000+13:00

Last week I got a present....not what most of you would expect ...but very much needed.... R went and bought me a new seat for my tractor. The old one was so badly cracked and falling apart I was uncomfortable driving on it.( Farmgirl and Chookyblue would understand that to keep me working I have to have the gear! )

Day 2 of our class with Hazel Foot.

On day 2 of our class at the weekend J was the first to put borders on her work.

R is busy working on her turquoise hangings which turned into 2 to go side by side.

J's theme was Japanese...she photocopied part of a panel she had ( the lady ), so she didn't have to cut up her panel!

Mine is coming along okay. Lots of quilting and embellishing still to do. This morning we had to go to the city so I rushed into Spotlight ( new in Tauranga )( my first visit since they opened ) and got a gold stamp pad some gold fabric paint and a few other bits.I am thinking a of using some feathers too. ................................

Some blueberries are setting well this year - I hope to get lots.

Now this I am very excited about. The new plum tree has set quite a few fruit and so far it seems to be holding...it's first effort. Also the new apple tree is flowering at the moment so that is great. We will maybe let it have 4 or 6 fruit this time.
I have been busy working, so not a lot of blogging time. I have decided watching World Cup Rugby finals is not good for my health. On Sunday I got to watch the netball between NZ and Oz and could happily watch that knowing we had won that by one point also. So maybe that's the way for future watching. Know the score first then relax and enjoy it!

At Class on Day 1.

2011-10-22T18:24:00.002+13:00

Just to get your attention...here are some of Hazel's quilts and wall hanging tossed on the seat at the front of the room. ( the ones we were supposed to be looking at are at the front. ) Today I was taking a class with Quilter Hazel Foot from Auckland.
There were lots of paints and pens and shiva sticks and stamps and stencils and pastels for us to play with.The uses for each were demonstrated, by Hazel.

This is one of hazel's sample wall hangings. We were aiming to make something along these lines. We had to take along photos or pictures to print onto tissue paper.
1.Iron the tissue paper.
2. sellotape your tissue to a page of A4 printer paper.
3. lay your photo or photos onto the printer glass (in the printer.)
4. print. ( the image will be slightly more blurred than normal.)
5.Iron some Vliesofix to a piece of plain light coloured fabric or calico.
6. peel paper off Vliesofix.
7. lay your tissue image onto the exposed side of the fabric where you have just removed the backing paper.
8. iron till tissue adheres.
9. trim to size required and use as you would a picture printed on photo fabric paper.
This is a much cheaper way of getting photos for a wall hanging.

That is the easy part. Now audition fabrics you have to make a layout that is pleasing to the eye, remembering all the things teacher has just told us about balance and contrast and value and variety. ( here are mine above as I am trying and playing with ideas.) I then had to take all the parts off the green fabric so I could cut and sew. I have completed the top left hand part to my liking by home time. Once some parts are cut and sewn they are much more cohesive and I can see where I am headed. ( encouraging.)

I don't think I have seen a messier workplace. But we all knew what we were doing ( sort of )

We were good at this part....having afternoon tea.......that's my chair ...the empty one. It was a lovely warm day to eat outside. Day 2 tomorrow.

Wind, Grass and Going to Class.

2011-10-21T11:42:00.000+13:00

Usually it is November when we get pesky wind that bashes my lovely Copper Beech tree when it is just resplendent in it's new red growth, but it is happening now. I guess it's only 10 days or so to November. It also damages the little new shoots on the Kiwifruit vines and leaves some swinging, never to be any good. See how big my favourite deciduous tree in the garden has got...that is 33 years growth.

This is just one months growth on the patch of new hydroseeded grass / lawn.( Farm Girl and Chooky Blue that's quite good growth isn't it if it was pasture? ) I can see I need to crawl around on it and remove the weeds that are big enough to get a grip on.....I wonder if I will do that?
    All excuses aside I have a busy weekend coming up. I am going to a 2 days course with about 12 other ladies from our P and Q group. We have Hazel Foot from Auckland coming down to teach us....a method of making art quilts/ wall hangings. We have to take 3 or 4 photos or pictures that we are going to print on tissue paper???? We have to take suitable fabrics to use around the photos and embellishments etc. I have been getting everything on her list ready - I seem to have so much to lug.( I even changed my machine needle, and cleaned the machine! )
   All of that is not difficult....the hard part was deciding what photos to take....I have so many! ( The Inspiration part. ) I looked what the ladies in Whangarei used last year when they had this same course and almost all except one who used famous buildings, used flowers or seashells.
I narrowed it down to 2 categories. Radish or mail boxes. The mail boxes won. I have some pics I took that I really like. Unfortunately I woke up about 3 am this morning with some extra good ideas about what to take to use as embellishments ...all to do with mail, string; stamps packages etc. That was good I suppose...but I then got to thinking about solutions to some other problems....needless to say I was tired when I got up this morning. I hope to sleep well tonight ( before the class ) but have a good rugby game to watch first which doesn't start till 8.30 pm. Then of course there is the "other all important game," on Sunday night....Can the All Blacks do it? Yes. Will the All Blacks Do it??????
      A little good news about Rena. They managed to pump 60 tonnes of oil off her during the night.

Keeping Square.

2011-10-19T12:13:00.001+13:00

Thank you Meg for your letter. I thought you might be interested to know that although Percy Peacock doesn't live on our property much any more he greeted me at the mailbox this morning. He has a really huge tail this year and was quite chatty as far as birds go. His friend Polly was found in the vege garden just the other day and R had to give her a hurry up out of there with the spud gun ( all noise ). It always seems to make me jump more than the bird.

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I don't think I said I am back doing kiwifruit stuff again now. ( boring! ) R is crushtipping the new growth -( to stop it growing passed where it is needed - instead of cutting it which promotes growth ) and I am cleaning up after the pruners..... taking off the used cut clips which have sharp ends, the twists of old cane; dead pieces still hanging there. I am also beginning to bud thin. Where there are triples instead of one bud the 2 side buds need to be rubbed off - it is very delicate work and ladies' fingers are smaller and more useful. As they grow there will be heaps more bud thinning to do. Yesterday and today it keeps raining which means we are in and out trying to stay dry. So in between showers I have made some progress with the selvage blocks.

Here I have got my 12.5 " square ruler over the top after adding more strips to ensure I keep my piece square. It will be trimmed when it is finished but needs to stay fairly square as I make it. I am glad I haven't used a backing fabric as it is heavy enough with all those seams and overlap of fabrics. I like the resulting interest all the words and coloured circles of the printer's pallet gives.
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Some progress is being made getting the oil off Rena. We heard that some containers have been found floating off East Cape!

Selvages , Flowers and Books.

2011-10-16T18:19:00.000+13:00

During the odd minutes I managed to grab I have now got some projects underway. Here I am sorting by colour my bag of saved selvages.

I started on the purple and mauves first. I am making them into 12.5 " squares that will later be cut. After reading how others had handled theirs I decided to try without a fabric backing. It seems to be working but requires lots of careful pinning and heaps of pressing. So far I like the " fabric " I have created. Some strips have quite a generous amount of fabric along with the selvage, others none at all, so I am interspersing the widths as well as the colours.
That is my machine sewing project underway. By hand I am appliqueing circles and working on the felt ball. My homework for this week is find all the things I am supposed to have for the class I am taking with Hazel Foot next weekend. Some I don't have so will have to source them ( more on that when it happens. )
The hand sewing is coming on okay; still not sure I am going to be pleased with it...... maybe it's when I am sewing it........ while watching rugby...which last night was rather boring...... Those of you like Dale and Farmgirl and Ruth and Murray ( friends - no blog )will know what I mean. I would have been hugely disappointed if I had spent good money to see that! Hope tonights' game is better. Go ABs! ( something I learned in the last 24 hours is, sausage rolls are messy things.....we never have them but as we had guests last night to watch the match I put on suitable nibbles - those were for half time and meant that not only did I vacuum before they came I had to do it today as well - they had plates too.( that means it will be 5 years till I make them again! )
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I have spent all afternoon in the garden mowing; weeding and pricking out my seedlings. Here are some bright spots.

Love in the Mist ( Nigella ) is out.

The 2 red Rubicon rhododendrons are flowering ( beside a very weedy shell path )

These purple babianas took me by surprise.

The day lilies are starting to bloom.

This looks like a big lilac but is a miniature. The fab smell is all Lilac. It is actually mauve not pink as it looks here.
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I forgot to mention I had finished reading Wild Swans. It was a long gruelling read, but I made myself finish it. If they could live it the least I could do was read it. I knew a little of the awful goings on in China but had no idea about the extent and deprivation and constant killing and needless waste and lying that was their lives.
Since then I have been catching up on my magazines and am ready to read something light by way of contrast.
I hope you have all done something you like this weekend - maybe not for the whole time but at least part of it. Cheers!

Bay of Plenty Maritime Environmental Disaster.

2011-10-15T15:47:00.000+13:00

It's about 10 days now since the Rena grounded on Astrolabe Reef. Things hang in the balance...particularly the containers on her decks. The BOP is being challenged perhaps as never before. There is a lot at stake. The beautiful environment. The sea life and birds. The livelihood of many many people. I haven't any photos of my own to show but if you look on www.sunlive.co.nz there are many awful pictures of what is unfolding here in the Bay. ( Rena in focus ) Click on the link Motiti quiet Disaster to see how bad it is for those folk isolated off the coast and closest ( 4 miles ) to the reef.
It isn't the first time this reef has been hit by a vessel. Way back in 1830 Durville exploring the coast line found it in the same way and named it after his vessel L'Astrolabe. ( he wasn't travelling at 18 knots and he had no maps. )
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That is very depressing, so a walk in my garden reminds me not everything is bad. My plants are calling, " Look at me. See how pretty I am after all that rain." They are. Many things have just come into flower in the last few days This rhododendron ( Sierra Sunset ) is the ugliest grower with the prettiest flowers. Tomorrow I will show what else is in flower.
Today is going to be a long haul. The rugby isn't starting till 9 pm ( which is lovely for you northern hemisphere viewers for a change ), so I am trying to pace myself( yeah right ) so I stay awake. R asked the neighbours over to watch so I will have to be on my best behaviour and not yell at the ref. Who is going to win? ( I think Wales might ).

Growth.

2011-10-14T09:12:00.000+13:00

This was taken on Wednesday in the rain. So that is 3 weeks growth.The old grass is at the front ; the new grass is brighter green. It still needs to fill in the gaps a bit and is soft to walk on when I was taking leaves off it. We are pleased with the result. ( so would recommend hydoseeding for on a slope )
I'm off to my P and Q group this morning so am hurrying.

Needles.

2011-10-12T14:43:00.000+13:00

My friend Nan gave me an article to read called "Looking Back at Needles,". It was written by Jean Surrey in a UK publication called Fabrications. It was pages long ( illustrated) and very interesting. I guess I tend to take needles for granted, but throughout history they have been much more prized, than now.
Has anyone been to The Forge Needle Museum at Redditch?
I have another article I have kept from our local BOP Times in 2006. It was about old needle books that had been donated to our local Museum.
Do any of you have old needles; needle books ; needle cases?

I have just one that is old. It is homemade. It was sent to my late Father in Law when he was station at Ohekea then overseas during the WW2. It was made for him by his elder sister. This is the cover. Inside it has a sticker from the packet the needles came out of( I suppose ).

It is the trade mark of John James & Sons - Redditch - Made in England.
The needles themselves are a bit rusty but mostly still there.

The big one on the right is interesting - it is obviously for threading . This is 70 years old. Has anyone else got any interesting old family treasures like this?
While on the subject of needles this was sent to me by Laurie some years ago and shows with increased magnification how a needle that appears sharp to the naked eye is in fact rather blunted and dull. It serves as a good reminder to change my machine needle ( or hand sewing needles ) often. Some ladies change after each project is completed - I tend to forget unless I break a needle.

How sharp is your needle?

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Tomorrow I will show how the grass has grown and talk more about the MV Rena on the rocks off our coastline. No doubt some of you are seeing the latest awful footage on the TV or Computer News.

Not Getting Everything Done.

2011-10-09T11:57:00.000+13:00

I think I know why I am not getting everything done. Could it be that there are too many exciting World Cup Rugby matches on TV ? ( yes it could ) Never mind just a few more weeks and it will be all over. Yesterday issue # 77 of the NZ Quilter arrived in the mail - I haven't read a word of it yet( luckily it will keep ).

This is my old workbox that sits by my couch at the moment. I only started this ball last week and have it stuffed already. It's a bit like knitting for me. I have made so many ( this is ball 21 ) I can do it without thinking or to put it another way with one eye on the TV screen.
But one day last week when it was raining I did cut out some trial pieces for my next quilt. I won't show it till I am really sure that is what and how I am doing it.

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Grass Report. The new patch is doing really well. A few weeds can be seen; not many; but I have walked on it to remove them and am constantly watching for anything foreign appearing. The rest of the lawn actually needs mowing so that may happen later today. It will be it's first Spring cut. Meanwhile I noticed all around the garden the hostas are appearing ( slug and snail war begins ).

This is the one with big leaves by the blue waterlily bowl. The spikes are impressive as they poke through the ground. The new piece of garden ( ex Agapanthus patch ) is slowly taking on colour. It is just too sparce at the moment. The individual plants are lovely and bright. Like these nemesias and the velvet red petunia.( which should spread to fill a much bigger area. )

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Half an hour ago my dear elderly Aunt aged 88.5 rang up. We don't ring each other very often but when we do we have a lovely catch up. She too is an avid rugby watcher so was right up with the play so to speak, about that. She has always been my most special relly of that generation and is still so busy for her age. Her mind is sharp as still and that is wonderful.
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It is a bright and beautiful day in BOP. We are all anxiously watching what will happen with the stranded tanker sitting off our coastline. Apparently cracks are appearing in the hull. They are desperately trying to contain the oil spill; but were totally unprepared for such a thing ;( many people including one around here thinks the shipping company may have done it on purpose to claim insurance....would anyone be so environmentally irresponsible as that ? )
What else nasty can happen in BOP. As if the kiwifruit disease wasn't scary enough. Life certainly has it's ups and downs. Go the ABs!

Greener by the Day.

2011-10-05T11:47:00.000+13:00

Thank you all for your comments. Yes, Isabelle we are indeed lucky to be SO pleased with our son's chosen partner. We love her and couldn't have found anyone better. Molly we don't have to go over there again. When we went over there this year it was because they are coming back to NZ, leaving UK next month and making their way home to NZ by December.

They are both Kiwis! Pam I am not thinking that far ahead yet!

That's the exciting stuff covered....now to the more mundane. Every day the new grass is greener. ( the thunder, lightning and down pour on Monday night must have helped. )

Here is how it looks from the kitchen window - the angle makes it greener.

Look for the line behind the clothes line to see where old meets new. And before you ask....yes, there are many , many pairs of gloves on the clothes line. I wash out the gloves I wear in the garden and orchard to get more wear out of them ( also note in this photo a new frame over my strawberries ( the other one rotted ). If you look really closely you can see my 2 cosseted tomato plants first in line along what will become a row of tomato plants. They have only been out of their pots and in the garden a couple of days. One is a golden peardrop the other a heirloom called Brandywine. The yellow one we grow every year the Brandywine is new to us but was recommended in the NZ Gardener as the tastiest someone had ever grown...so just had to try one. YES it is early to have tomato plants in the open But I was prepared to chance it. ( I didn't want to miss getting a plant of that new tom ). The row of peas is so slow!

My salad greens are coming on a treat. We ate a salad last night made totally from my herb garden, plus an avocado. I thinned these young radish - so sweet and young . ( 3 sorts of lettuce , chives ).

Every 2 days I walk down and visit the new plum tree - encouraging it to set some fruit please. It has lots of flowers and buds so I am hopeful. Yesterday I did blokes work. We laid a new pipeline down the great wall ( beside the driveway ) so tractors and machine can wash down more easily at the bottom of the drive...as a PSA prevention between orchards. It involved feeding the alkathene pipe under flax plants and rosemary bushes the whole way. I did the slowly; wait a minute while I cut this bit out; be patient role, while R did the swearing getting impatient and using machines role. Hope the plants don't die after he hauled them back with the hussler. BUT we got the job done and it works brilliantly.

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Having finished edging these 3 spare blocks to make mats at the weekend I am now sewing together the parts of another of my felt baby balls. I have written up some ideas for next quilts BUT just can't quite get going....hesitating....do I want to do it this way? or that way? Maybe a bit of trial and error is in order.

Congratulations.

2011-10-02T14:23:00.000+13:00

Early this morning R answered the phone. It was younger son J calling from Somerset in UK, ( above ), where they are staying for the weekend. He had some very happy news. They were at their favourite garden ( one I blogged about on August 24th ) and they had just got engaged! Yippee. That is fabulous news. Congratulations!

This lovely garden called Kilver Court. It is in Shepton Mallet, which is near Castle Cary where they ( and we in July ) stay with V's lovely Aunty R. That is so nice that they got engaged there so they can share it with her - she has looked after them both so well while they have lived in UK.

This lock up in the centre of Castle Cary is "The Tank." Not used to lock drunks up in to dry out any more, but the central feature of this special little place. The news is special for another reason. This general area is where R's family came from in 1856.
As we are having some big worries about another family member it is wonderful to have something to be pleased and very excited about. Well done your 2 - you have made your Mum very happy! ( it also gave me the chance to show you some more of my holiday photos )

A Tinge of Pink, a Tinge of Green.

2011-10-01T12:39:00.000+13:00

A tinge of pink on the Cherry blossom trees on the driveway will turn into a profusion of fluffy delight, over the next few days if the weather allows. ( I got naughty and picked some - the trees are huge now so it won't hurt.) I had to dodge the bees who were excited with the flowering. They have SO much to forage on at the moment - the rata and rosemary are literally crawling with bees. )

A tinge of green is the new grass. Look Nicky it's up! This is day 11 from sowing.

This is day 12 ( today ). It is noticeable from a distance but not when looking straight down on it. SO I lay on my front to get this moonscape effect. Watching grass grow!!!

There is also a little mauve around as this climbing pea on the trellis by the woodshed ( a rather ugly area ) comes into flower. For me this is a well remembered flower. My late Mum grew one on a white trellis in our country garden at Tutaenui, over 50 years ago.
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Helen I forgot to tell you where you could find Village Fabrics.( it belongs to the couple that previously had Tautau Lodge. ) It is on State Highway 2( the main road between Tauranga and Katikati. ) From Tauranga you pass through Bethlehem, cross the Wairoa River bridge up a hill and there it is in the corner of the state highway and Clarke Road. The buildings used to be a packing shed but now it's called Village 7. It's worth a stop for sure. As well as the Quilt shop there is Cafe Paradiso; a garden ornament shop, an art and gift shop, an antiques shop, a garden pot shop and a tasty pantry shop.
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Today is R's Birthday. He says he doesn't like them...but he is glad to get the books I bought him and the phone call from son in Somerset, etc. He just doesn't like the thought of getting old - Who does? In his farm diary for today it said. World Vegetarian Day and International Day of the Older Person. Ha, that really upset him!

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The front page of last evening's paper. Suddenly folk around here are realising what a big impact it will have on the area if PSA virus keeps spreading. To date a known 312 orchards have the virus. One in Waihi and one in Katikati, now. So it is on both sides of us now. Zespri International the Kiwifruit Marketer says it could cost the area NZ$100 million in overseas earnings next year. ( most of that from the BOP. )
What does the future hold?
Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Birds ; Quilts; Glass; Oranges and Seeds.

2011-09-30T11:19:00.000+13:00

Firstly I want to show you this fellow. Mr.Tui - I am fairly sure it is Mr. because of his behaviour. He is courting Mrs. Tui but thinks that that bird in the window is a big threat. Of course it is himself he is looking at, all puffed up. I have never had them so close to the house before. He was even trying to stratch the eyes out of that " other tui in the reflection." I hope he won out in the end. Is he my daily birdbath swimmer? ...hard to tell them apart when there are lots around. It probably means the Rewarewa trees are flowering in our bush when we have lots flying about.

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Thankyou for your comments about the quilts. Helen I can tell you J made that quilt in a Ngaire Brooks class. If you google Ngaire Brooks quilts you will find quite a bit - especially another strip quilt in the same fabrics for a class at Grandmothers Garden. I suspect seeing that second quilt that it is a Ngaire Brooks pattern. I will pass on your compliments and Molly's when next I see J but that won't be for a fortnight.

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My seedlings are doing well. I am still pampering them by bringing them inside at night. R planted out my 2 special early tomato plants yesterday...I do hope the coldish nights don't upset them...they had been sleeping out for a few nights before the transplant.The 2 balck punnets are Zinnias seeds and the white one Lettuces.
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Our oranges are ready so we have been picking them to give to friends and using as many as we can ourselves. Here I have simply peeled and diced the oranges and set them in commercial orange jelly. ( you could make your own with juice and gelatine )

We eat them just cut up. We juice them ( and freeze some ) I make fruit salad. I bake with them - This is my cuurent favourite recipe.( click to enlarge to read )

This can also be made in 2 loaf tins.

Does anyone have any other ideas for using oranges??

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I still haven't started sewing anything big. Last night in front of TV I unpicked 3 blocks that had been sewn to together in a demonstration for quilt as you go. I don't much care for samplers so it got no further. Gradually I am using them up by making heat mats out of them. I quickly sewed a binding on this early today so I will handsew it down tonight while watching the rugby on TV.

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Yesterday I commented on the lovely pale green glass collection on Jannimary's dresser. I said I collected blue glass. Not actively any more cause I haven't places to put any more. I wondered how many pieces I did have. Mine is spread around the house.

*There are 2 in the office

*5 in the family room.

* 2 on our dressing table.

*4 in the bathroom.

*2 on the inside toilet windowsill.

2 on the laundry windowsill.

*5 in the kitchen.

* 8 in the diningroom.

* 10 in the lounge.

So you can see I don't really need anymore.... (there could be exceptions to this statement.) I have jugs, jars; bottles; vases and old Midnight in Paris perfume bottles ( that Meg likes. )oops and 6 plates and a platter.

Finally I do hope Chooky Blue is having a good day sewing with her friends!

Quilts . ( Part 2 )

2011-09-29T11:27:00.001+13:00

Thanks for commenting Jennifer and Isabelle. I think our group does work of quite a high standard from what I see elsewhere. ( overseas even )

I wonder if you are like me ? When I see a fabric display like the batiks ( that tell you Milton Wright is here )in all the colours of the rainbow I get a real buzz just standing and drinking in the wonderful colours and how they look along side their neighbours. ( Displays of cottons; wools; coloured pencils or pens all do it for me. ) Luckily Milton always lets us stare for ages (with or without buying ).

Maybe like J you prefer a more muted palette of colours? She is a very talented needlewoman ( who also makes exquiste small bags )and almost always works in thses colours.

Detail of the cyclamen from J's quilt.

And the fantail on a branch. I love her work but the colours don't excite me. These ones below do.

Over the last few years I have seen at various shows this same quilt made in so many different colourways.

Denise made this for a friend's birthday...lucky friend.

Some of our group made this quilt during the year as a mystery block. So there were several the same - but all different. L likes greens.

The colours in Pat's quilt were muted but went perfectly together.

Do you prefer simple tried and true designs...they still work well.

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The avocado picking got finished with another 4.5 bins yesterday.

So now the trees have only about half the number of fruit left on them to size up. The hydralada hire cost will be high as they were slow doing select picking but we are still hoping for a good price. Watch out in Australia there are some lovely avocados making there way across the ditch to you! ***********
I have been out closely inspecting the new grass patch but can't see anything yet.
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I am trying to decide which quilting project to start on next ?????

Retailers at Quilt Exhibition.

2011-09-28T11:49:00.001+13:00

Before I show more quilt photos I am going to feature the Retailers who supported us at our Exhibition last weekend. There were 7.

Cushla's Village Fabrics ( Waihi and Auckland. )

Cottage Flair ( from Ngongotaha )

Wrights Fabrics ( from Morrinsville )

Barnhouse ( Tauranga )

Pins to Patches (Whakatane )

Bernina ( Tauranga )

Village Fabrics ( Te Puna )
So that was a lot of temptation for all the ladies of our group and we hope the visiting public. It was so nice to have them all in the same room and we all got to know each other far more than in previous years.
Thank you retailers.
Thanks also to Barnhouse; Villagre Fabrics; Milton Wright; and Grandmothers Garden for donating lovely raffle prizes.
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Meanwhile on the home front we have been busy.

Picking avocados. Here some of them are being loaded onto the truck to go to the packhouse late last evening. We worked so hard for a couple of mature people - but it is so good to get them picked. We only picked the biggest ones and will have another pick in about 2 or 3 months time.

Quilts. ( Eye Candy. )

2011-09-26T12:11:00.000+13:00

As promised here are some of the quilts and wall hangings I liked best in our Exhibition.

Faye's blue quilt was completely reversable. It had been done by quilt as you go ( That is each square is quilted while small then all are put together with the thin blue sashing strips.) It was a small quilt but just yummy.

Gladys, who made this botanical quilt/ wall hanging is one of most senior memebers - she is a fabulous creative quilter.

The fabric Maureen used in her small Oriental looking quilt was fabulous .

Pat's Christmas wall hanging was very much to my liking. Note the addition of a few red jewel decorations.

Trish made this very simple quilt while on holiday at the beach.( from scraps. ) Here below is some detail of the quilting .

I'm not really into pink but most of the little girl's visiting the show were.

Shirley's small Pink quilt.

There was something vaguely familiar about this quilt.... I still like it.

Finally because EVERYTHING in NZ is about rugby at the moment Robin made this display quilt out of a farbric panel to encourage the AB's to play well.
part 2 tomorrow. ( click on photos to enlarge them. )

Venues & Organising Quilt Exhibitions.

2011-09-24T11:40:00.001+12:00

Every year since I have been a member of the Tauranga Patchwork and Quilters Group there has been an Annual Exhibition. It is quite a big group; this year at present with 90 something members; some years we have had over 100.
Lots of members will help but very few will take the responsibility. ( of running an Exhibition )- in our group anyway, ( or taking office in the general Committee ) that is heading the Committee to organise the show.( I have been on the General Committe the last 3 years but asked for time out this year to be OE and take a back seat. )
For our group that is usually the first hurdle. Getting someone to be Ultimately in Charge. This year someone who has done the job many times before said she would do it, cause nobody else would do it. She did have a mainly new committee. They have got to be able to work together and get along with each other. They have put on a fine show at a new venue. There is in my opinion no such thing in our area as the ideal venue.

As you can see in the photos , QE Hall is mainly used for sport and therefore has multicoloured sets of lines on the floor. It is big and airy with backboards for basketball and too many signs on the walls, both old and new. There was also construction noise outside. So you work around those things.
The pluses at this venue I can see are:-
*There was more parking space ( free ).
*There was kitchen facilities - so we invited Save the Children to cater and make some money . ( they had fabulous cheap homemade goodies )
*Along the right side of the area there was room to sit and eat. ( and in an area above )
* The Merchants Mall could be in the same hall around the edges, so they felt part of it.
* There was more space to exhibit.

After this weekend when it is all over for another year members will be asked to say what they think about the venue. The price to hire and rules of use were about the same as last year. Display boards had to be hired - they were included when we used Baycourt.

I am interested to know how other groups get on Holding their Exhibitions.( will you share your experiences with us? )

I spent a large part of yesterday helping with the Sales Table. It was a general sales table where members could sell their own work. Last year they sold only cushion covers for the group. The year before we sold only aprons for the group. So consequently a very large number of items for sale turned up. (Quilts big and small; aprons; table runners; dolls; oven mitts; novelties; bags; needle cases; unfinished kits; ruler holders; fabric panels; casserole carriers and wall hangings.) ( I am sure I forgot some items on that list )

After these 2 good smiling friends had maned the raffle table I did that job for 2 hours. We has as usual a raffle quilt, seem behind in this photo. There were also 5 other $1 a ticket "goodies collections," which merchants donated.Some very exciting and generous prizes.
Our show was NZ $2 to get in, so most folk took some raffle tickets too.

Yes, of course there were lovely QUILTS on display. Here is Muriel's quilt to whet your appetitie. I am back there tomorrow to work so will show more of the quilts that took my eye on Monday.

Pretty Faces and New Lawn.

2011-09-21T11:02:00.001+12:00

The sun is out again yesterday and today. All the plants have had a good drink ( and bashing with the wind) and some are flowering for the first time. An area on top of the slope near the house was cleared slowly by me over the last 2 years. I dug agapanthus that were totally out of control out.( they seed and just grow too well in BOP ) It was a hell of a job! ( Sorry Sheila I know you struggle to get yours to grow in Australia. ) I have tried not to spend too much on filling up this new area but bought these 2 new Arctotis plants. Arctotis Burgundy Belle above and Arctotis Flamingo below.

Earlier I had planted Anemone Corms white and purple. Most of them are flowering now. ( wish I had put in 100s. )

I have scattered packets of seed and planted out a punnet of Nemiesia and more arctotis. I have pushed in some cuttings as well. It is all still looking a little bare but I hope the plants will spread and the seeds will come up in the spaces.

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Elsewhere in the garden my Rata bush ( Metrosideros carminea ) is just out. I like it best before any of the flowers have had time to fall.( It is a relation of the NZ pohutukawa )

Close up of flowers.

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New Lawn.

A sloping area beside the main vegetable garden that leads up to the service area ( with compost bins, incinerator and garden shed ) has been a problem for a while. It got kikuya and weeds ( undesirable ). We had had 2 tries at getting it established in proper lawn neither worked very well so this time R put in a new wooden edging ( cost NZ $150 ) and levelled the soil ( 3 cubic metres needed cost NZ $135 ). We thought we might lay ready lawn but the quote was for NZ $1100 - WHAT?

So we got some quotes for hydroseeding it . Lawn Tech turned up very promptly - almost before we were ready ( 1 hour to spare ) - (but before the last load of top soil got time for birds to drop any weed seeds on it )

This is the process - you may have seen them using it on slopes at new road works to stop the cuttings slipping ).

Paul the owner operator mixing the seed into the tank with the slurry. ( it is made of recycled paper like phone books and something like wallpaper glue )

R is holding a board so it goes in the right place. The seed mix is then hosed on under slight pressure. It looks like concrete but isn't. It has to be watered every day till it gets established.

The finished area. Cost NZ $115. ( we had done the preparation well so he could just walk in an spray it straight on which was a big saving. ) Certainly less expensive then ready lawn. I will show a photo when it starts to grow which should be in 10 to 14 days.

If you are establishing new lawn the Lawn Tech web site has good care and establishment tips.

Not Quite Quilt in a Day.

2011-09-19T10:43:00.000+12:00

Not quite a quilt in a day but one in less than a week, which for me is fast.

I kept the quilting very simple with stitch in the ditch and this design in the plainer border. I am very pleased with how it turned out and I hope the late Laurel would like how I didn't cut up her lovely fabric, but let it speak for itself.

While thinking things mauve and purple I spotted this Tibouchina just as the rain cleared and the sun came out for half an hour. To my eye this is a purple / mauve on the red side of the spectrum where the fabric in my quilt is on the blue side of the spectrum. ( I think they often fight if put together. ) The camera still makes the colour in the quilt look blue not mauve.
It just shows if there is lots of wet, windy, inside weather; lots of World Cup Rugby games to watch, what I can get done. ( I have made soup and Foccacia bread and orange and date muffins as well - even some housework and Spring cleaning! )
    Leanne I think there might have to be a couple of pukekos ( NZ native bird of the Rallidae family, for those in other countries -[ Porphyrio porhyrio ] - just looked that up! ) ( the ones with the red beaks and the hilarious walk )  get some lead around here too. They are nibbling my silverbeet- okay I am willing to share that BUT I do not want my seeds just coming up pulled out or some flax plants I just replanted being pulled out either. I have found both peahen and pukeko poo in the area so don't want to shoot the wrong culprit. It is surprising just how big a plant they can pull out and how strong their beaks must be. We really like the pukekos but not if they get too destructive.
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                         Tauranga Patchwork and Quilters' Group Exhibition.

For anyone who lives in BOP or Hamilton or close by our exhibition is coming up starting this Friday 23rd; - for 3 days. Note it is in a NEW venue - not where we have been the last few years. Parking should be plentiful and FREE.

Baby Quilt Top Completed.

2011-09-15T12:35:00.001+12:00

With the weather being so changeable this week I have got quite a bit done, by mainly staying inside. Here is one of the lovely Laurel Burch panels I got last Friday with the first border attached. The fabric is actually mauve not blue - strange how the camera sees it.

This is how big it is going to be - just baby size. ( about 36 by 38" ) I have yet to decide if I am going to give it to someone I would like to make one for or as I intended sell it on the sales table at our Exhibition that is now only just over a week away. Out on the clothes line flapping madly is a very bright purple moda marble that I will put on the back. ( I washed it cause it is very bright and I just didn't quite trust that it wouldn't run with washing. ) It didn't so that's good.

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All my seeds that I planted and are INSIDE the garden shed are up. The ones in the garden could be anywhere - washed away possibly. The wind sure battered my anemones that are just out. R's peas are well up but not so big that they are damaged.

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Here is the jelly bag hanging with guava juice being extracted. Yesterday R measured out 2.5 litres and today 2. It then goes back in the freezer till we want to make jelly with it.
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I didn't get a chance to blog yesterday as R was using the computer to write a long letter which he did and lost when the power went off. SO he did it again in the afternoon and the same thing happened - he was not amused. I think he managed okay this morning. No outages today so far - it is much calmer.
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The sprayer has just arrived so spray liquid fish fertiliser on the ground under the Kiwifruit vines. We will smell a bit high for a few days.
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I am trying not to scratch as I went to the doctors on Tuesday and had several early stage skin cancers frozen off my back with dry ice. The larger patch I thought was skin cancer the doctor gave me cream for as she thinks it's a patch of dermatitis - we'll see. I actually saw the same doctor I saw last year - that must make her my doctor I suppose - lets hope she stays ;she is nice; she is young and plump and merry. That's good.
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I am currently reading, " Wild Swans, " by Jung Chang. It won the NCR book Award way back in 1992. I didn't read it then. I got this old copy at a used book sale last year. It is compelling grizzly reading. My goodness what a life those women had. Let's hope things really are better for women in China these days.

New Fabric and Books.

2011-09-12T17:55:00.001+12:00

Firstly Thank you for your comments. I am wondering if you are going to show any photos of the quilts you liked at the Craft and Quilt Fair Deb?

I did buy 2 new books last Friday. The Scrap Quilt Sensation had 2 dog eared pages so was reduced in price and I got it for NZ $20. Having browsed through them I am pleased with these purchases.I went around all the fabric stalls and picked out a few I am collecting with projects in mind. You can see I am finding some spot fabric - mostly I want green on green or blue on blue etc but have some with white spots too. I am also getting some more batiks - just love them. The other 2, one with owls were just because I liked them. The Glitter fabric crayon is for a class I'm going to be doing next month, with Hazel Foote.

Dale you asked about the merchants. There seemed to be less; some certainly weren't there this year most surprisingly missing was NZ Quilter and their Minerva Books. Less fabric stalls and maybe more scrapbooking and some ghastly $2 stalls right in the middle. Many stalls seemed to have just the same ol same ol. I heard many comments that folk were disappointed and didn't stay at the show nearly as long as they usually do. I too think things are changing....moving on... not sure what to yet.

On the way home we went to a quilt fabric shop in Cambrigde which had an amazing selection of fabric.

I saw 2 Laurel Burch panels in lovely colours for $9 and got a metre of a similar colour to go with it. The butterfly fabric was an " I like it, " buy so I got a metre - most unusual colours for butterflies.( 2 tone grey with a gold outline. )

Here are 2 shots of the folk looking at the Fibre Arts display.

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Now on to something completely different. I won't bother to explain why, but this morning I went to where stuff is stored in a cupboard/wardrobe and also houses the hot water cylinder for the bathroom next door. I noticed a large ( a least a foot square ) wet patch of soggy carpet. The ajax valve had been slowly dripping for I don't know how long. ( I don't need to go into that cupborad !!! ) So had to call the plumber. Badly put in old ajax valve ( it was someone in their firm! )with a screw missing. (If your water pressure had been stronger you would have had a major flood ! - sort of comment ) Anyway I have been drying out the spoilt carpet all day and think it is nearly dry. Strange how you set out to do a simple ( yeah right ) task and it turns into a big problem.
It has been a mostly inside sort of day. We got a needed inch of rain yesterday but now have a very destructive wind trashing everything and sending garden debris high into the air, under doors and into sheds.( in other words lots of cleaning up. )

Quilts, Quilts, Quilts!

2011-09-10T11:50:00.002+12:00

Yesterday was full on with an early start. I was driven by a younger friend and accompanied by 2 other younger friends who I hadn't seen for a year and on the way home by my cousin as well, so lots of talk and catching up...... so the journey time to Hamilton, just flew by.

At the craft & Quilt Fair at Claudlands ( new building ) we were all a bit disappointed with the merchants but thoroughly enjoyed the Quilt display and the Fibre Arts Display. There were about 100 quilts. These are the ones that appealed to me. There was a display by guest quilter Chris Kenna. I had seen photos of her work but not up close in the flesh. The quilt on the left is one that won Best of Show at Symposium back in 2007.( Across the Bay 111 ) Her work delights me and it reminds me of painting by NZ artists Robin White and Don Binney.

This is also by Chris.

There was on display Australian quilts Best of each state. My pick was Kay Haerland's Under the canopy.

The NZ challenge was 7 Deadly Sins.
I couldn't help but laugh at the humour in Gleeful Sinners by Eileen Campbell.

I also liked Dianne Firth's Entry.

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Best Use of quilting was won by this 3 piece hanging Texas, by Barbara Haveman.

Other quilts I liked were by Irene Anderton made from recycled wool blankets.

2 by Shirley Sparks also appealed.

The bottom section is woven folded fabric strips.

I Thought I saw Angels in My Gully by Norma Slabbert went to the World Quilt Show in 2009. It was very long and narrow.( the colour of the fabrics were those seen in Tapa cloth - there were several quilts in these shades. )

Helen Pedersen of Wanganui won Best use of colour.( Congratulations Helen )

Judith Bryant of Marton had used her quilting stitches and a little fabric paint to create this. It reminded me of a fabulous doodle.

This is some detail from Birds of the Bay of Islands by Sonya Prchal. I wonder what it was she used as the very realistic stamens in the pohutukawa flowers ? Here is the whole quilt.

I hope you can click on the photos to enlarge them and see all the fabulous detail.

Fruit Crops.

2011-09-08T12:37:00.002+12:00

The oranges are just coming ready. While the team of pruners was here during the last month pruning the kiwifruit vines they enjoyed helping themselves when they were in the block beside the orange trees. Lots fall off and get eaten by birds but there is still plenty for us and friends.

I was inspecting the 4 little Blueberry plants . This biggest one has quite a few flowers so I hope we will get enough pickable berries from them.

This morning we have been doing GST/ Banklink, which is boring but pretty straightforward - it's a good programme to use.
Now I am off to water new plants and seeds.
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I want to tell you what is happening with the kiwifruit in NZ but it is a complicated ( sad ) story so I will have to think hard how to describe it . If you like gold kiwifruit you better enjoy any you see because they won't be around for long.

Last November a bacterial disease PSA ( pseudomonas syringae pv actinidiae ) was found in gold kiwifruit plants near Te Puke, in the Bay of plenty. The disease had never been found in NZ before but had been in Italy wiping out many of their orchards. The disease has rapidly spread through vines near Te Puke; especially young vines and Gold vines. Some green vines have it to a lesser extent. ( 319 orchards have been confirmed as having it to date. ) We are all nervously waiting for bud break to see how far it has spread.

This is a photo I took yesterday of a normal cane of female wood . The lump in the top middle is where the bud is going to break out from. So far on our orchard we can find no suspicion of any disease, so are holding our breath ( so to speak. ) Only time will tell. ( all vines with the disease have to be quickly pulled out and destroyed - they will die anyway )
All sorts of hygiene efforts are being taken to try and halt the spread but it is wind born so will spread by itself.
So not a good time to be a kiwifruit grower. It is the worst thing by far that has ever happened to the kiwifruit industry. ( worse than low prices, hail storms etc. )
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On a brighter note tomorrow I am going with 3 other friends to the Craft & Quilt Fair in Hamilton. I'm very much looking forward to it as I didn't go last year. So lots of quilty photos will appear here soon.

Quilt Ready to Show.

2011-09-06T11:42:00.001+12:00

The calendar tells me we have been home in NZ for a month - it now seems much longer. What have I been doing?

I sewed the binding on this quilt ( black on black - what was I thinking! ) and made a label to match. It may be the only thing I have ready to show at our annual exhibition in 3 weeks time. All the other quilts I made in the last 12 months have been given away. Maybe I have some small items for the sales table.

Aren't blue and yellow wonderful together.......these are 4 lemons from my small new bush in the flower garden...unblemished , but the tree needs them off to grow well. I made 4 lovely jars of lemon honey ( curd or cheese. ). The secret to that is using sharp tasting tart lemons ( meyer ) and putting in lots of fine zest. Yum!

I've been gardening . Weeding ( lots ) planting and sowing seed. A little new wobbly row of radish.

Some Spring colour - wow I have yellow freesias seeded everywhere.

The mizuna plants will go to seed and should be pulled out or I will have them everywhere, BUT the bees are so enjoying it.20 on one plant. Unfortunately that is close to the clothes line so the bees have you know what all over the washing...especially the pale blue sheets. So anything white ( shirts or tops ) are being hung inside or put out over night. BEE PEE is not a ligitamite embellishment or accessory.
This area behind has been cleared for a new deck that hasn't happened yet. ( the birds are using it as their #1 dust bath area.)

I treated myself to a copy of the September NZ gardener magazine and it has some new and interesting plants to try. I saw it had an article "Slime Fighters, " Isabelle, but it doesn't really come up with anything new for trapping/ Killing slugs and snails - beer, coffee grounds; sharp shell; diatomaceous earth. The most likely are hedgehogs or birds - as I thought.Or go out at night with a torch and squash them!

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This isn't in my garden wish it was. It is just a simple idea but looked so good...I wonder if I could find one of those for old pumps for our garden? ( taken as you can read outside Piskey Cove which is in Pentewan,... in Cornwall. )