A little Giving.

 It feels good to give . A friend and I both responded to The Love Grace Handbag Appeal 2026.

 

 You donate a ( used clean ) Handbag filled with essentials ( toiletries and optional extras )for a woman to use. Our area's bags go to the Women's Refuge. 

 Now in its 5th year the appeal was started to honour the memory of Grace Millane a young British Traveller who was murdered in NZ in 2018.

****

 I have also spent time at my Grandson's School Fair which was well attended on a bright sunny day. Lots of fun.

A Donation Quilt.

 Yesterday I was able to hand in the small quilt I am donating to someone in need.

Although it was a wet day quite a few ladies turned out to our first day back at Patchwork and Quilting for 2026.

 In the quilt I was able to use up what was left of a blue jelly roll and lots of paper backed hand pieced squares and shapes.

***

 I picked these roses to save them getting trashed in the heavy rain we are having ( again ) . The rose is called Attention Seeker and its doing really well in it's first year.

 On Wednesday afternoon we picked lots of Luisa plums .... (many of which get rots) to save them splitting in the forecast rain.

Yesterday  I shared them with my sewing buddies and passionfruit too.

 

The Darkest Red.

 

 I am thrilled with my newest Dahlia. It is so dark red its almost black. The stems are a dark red wine colour. ( The top photo makes it look pink which it isn't ) 

 It doesn't have a name just XXL ( which sounds like a clothing size ) 

 It seems sturdy too and holds its heads up.

***

 We are back to hot muggy weather so I have spent the hottest hours of the afternoons working on my little quilt. I haven't quite finished quilting it but am putting the blue binding on anyway. That has almost used up all the 2.5" stripes from a jelly roll.

 Aren't the little pegs / clips so much nicer than pins when doing hand stitching like a binding.

Severe Weather caused so much Havoc and Tragedy.

 My row of rain flowers ( zephyranthes candida ) are out.

 The last 4 or 5 days in New Zealand have been very stressful for all Kiwis. Extremely heavy rain caused slips and wash outs in many, many places. The worst loss you may have read is at Mt. Maunganui camp ground when the side of the mount ( Mauao ) slipped down and enveloped the shower and toilet block and moved caravans and tents. At least 6 people have been killed and another 2 died in a landslide at Welcome Bay ( Papamoa end ).  Most bodies at the Mt. site are yet to be recovered.  the site is large and  the ground sodden and there are worries of more landslides.     There are slips on hills  everywhere.

 Our own young ones lost the bottom  end of their property and along with their 11 neighbours were blocked in and without power and water for a day. There is a huge scar in the landscape.

 Over here on that same day ( Thursday ) the tide was very high at the bottom of our property. Here are photos .

 here is a comparison of a low tide 

 We are fortunate and have only minor garden damage...which happens quite frequently.

  I have been sewing and quilting.

 Its only small., but I am making good progress these last few days.

A Small Finish.

 Finally I finished knitting and sewing up this sleeveless reversable vest for 10 year old grandson. I thought it would be long on him but he has grown so much and I was so slow making it, it is none too big. I am now totally sick of this pattern but the boys like the sleeveless warmth as it doesn't restrict movement as much as a regular jersey or sweater. Its a beautiful blue with a fleck ( which doesn't show up when its knitted as much as it did in the ball.) I hope it still fits by Winter or 7 year old will claim it.

Early This Morning.

 After heavy rain in the night I thought the high tide  ( 2.1 m ) might be up on our bottom lawn.( that's quite a distance from the house )I took my phone and went walking down there and back. It was high but not the highest tide I've seen here.

 The water is right to the top boards on our jetty.

 Up on the lawn a bit here.

 Then back up one set of steps towards the house.

 Past Grandson's bunch of bananas that are nearly ready.

 Then between the pears.

 2 pear trees with fruit getting larger.

 Up onto the middle lawn and from here  You can see the new area of garden I have changed. ( pulled more agapanthus and made a space for 2 new roses and a dahlia and annuals.)

 Hope you didn't get your feet wet.

Plums Galore and a Puzzle.

 

 R and I picked this lot on Monday.

 Grandsons picked nearly as many yesterday, a lot by climbing the tree.

We have distributed all those to family and friends.

There are more to ripen yet. The ones we have eaten are sweet and juicy (  the dark red  juice stains you clothes ) so eat carefully.

Encouraged by a certain blogger I got out a jigsaw I had been saving. Only 300 pieces and no sky or sea in it!  Entitled "The Quilt Shop ,"  how could a not buy it when I saw it for $4 at the used book sale, a while ago.

 Finished in less than 24 hours.  ( click to enlarge )

 Happy New Year Everyone.