In the Pink.

 

The final and largest flowering cherry has been out for weeks but is now getting its leaves and carpeting the ground with pink. As the wind blows pink snow wafts thru the air and into every corner.

 The white alstromeria below it is thriving and very pickable.

 The big gardening project at the moment is removing more agapanthus from this very long curving garden bed.

 The new edging and lawn looks established now and so much neater and easier to care for.

 As with any big garden there is still lots to do. ( like pick asparagus and blueberries! )

*****

 Last weekend we had our bonfire ( of garden rubbish ) down on our bottom lawn beside the estuary. Son was able to get some fireworks still ( but maybe not in the future ) and the boys and some friends enjoyed it all. 

*****

Now for a book recommendation. I have just finished reading"The Frozen River, " by Ariel Lawhon.

Its a gripping historical novel based on the life of Martha Ballard , set in Maine USA  in the late 1700s.

 This amazing woman and midwife delivered over a thousand babies in her 35 years and kept a diary of it all. She never lost a baby or a mother. She traveled on horseback through mud and snow , day or night.

 Such an amazing story.

  ***

Quirky Flowers .

 

 I decided to try trianglar buttons as the centres of these mauve flowers. That's  anatomically incorrrect but they are imaginary flowers not specific species. I think lime green and mauve work well together.

What a Slack Blogger I am.

 Quite a few times I have meant to put something up here and haven't. Maybe I getting old and lazy or worse slow!

 We have had family birthdays. R turned 80! ( seems just the same! )

 Elder Grandson turned 9 and is achieving so well in all areas .

 Lots happening in the Spring Garden. Colour and perfume everywhere.

 Rhododendron Unique in flower. On the property there are 8 bushes in different areas all flowering. All the same variety so that is rather nice. It's a small compact delicate looking rhodo that is at its best when just coming into flower. It fades off to soft pink almost white.

 The areas where we pulled out a box hedge is now looking good out the dining-room window. Both the black flax and the green Libertia are New Zealand native plants -  the libertia flowers are quite pickable on long stems.

 My blue Dutch Iris are well finished but these later white ones are stunning.

 Inside on the couple of rainy days we have finally had ( much needed ) I have been working on attaching flowers and here long legged birds to my wall hanging.

 Lots still to do on it. This is just the bottom right hand corner.

Annual Repeat Walk.

Our bright early cherries are now finished and in leaf. The next to flower called Awanui are  coming out nicely. They are in properties all around the area so I knew the 50 in a row on the Cycleway between Te Puna and Omokora would be out. In Sept last year I showed you my walk.

 So here we go again. Much of the walkway / cycleway is on railway land

 I meet lots of cyclist these ones young, and runners and electric bikes and the fastest an electric scooter.

 There are native planting suitable for wetlands and with them lots of weeds. This not Queen Anne's Lace but could be was the best example I looked at.

 I stood under one of the cherries and gazed straight up.

 When I got back I was suitably hot and felt I had had some worthwhile exercise for a Sunday afternoon.

 

My Happy Place.

I know for many of you your sewing room is your happy place. For me its my garden ( you would never have guessed ).  I still like to sew but can't see so well these days but soon I am having my cataracts fixed so that will help.

 

 This is the first flower out on some new plants. Its small and a NZ native called Libertia formosa A very unusual shape for a flower - each part in 3s. I have 6 planted between little black flax where we pulled out a box hedge right beside a window. Lots of buds appearing.

 Janice showed her little plum tree in flower. Your plums will be easier to pick than mine. Look how big this Billington tree has got.

 That's taken today. I tried to get some closeups of the bees working the flowers ( with not much luck I kept frightening them )

 See in the bottom left corner.

 I hope you find bees visiting your tree Janice.

Some sewing happening on my wall hanging.

The New Edge .

This is the new edging R has put in where we dug out the agapanthus.

 It needs more soil fill on both sides.

 Along the piece of garden there is now far more space for the plants already there. I added a new red pompom dahlia corm today( you can just see the support stakes on the extreme left).

 The unsightly sandpit is staying just a little longer till 6 year old grandson tells us it can go.

 This edging is along the top of the garden with the cherry on the left in it.

 The same trees from upstairs.

 I have started feeding cut wind fall oranges to the birds. 

 In a saucer on the old stump. In less than 24 hours they look like this

 Mainly wax eyes and sparrows but some blackbirds and Tui as well.

 Fabulous sunny day again today following a frost this morning.

 

Lots of Gardening.

Since we left the orchard ( 6 years ago now ) I haven't had a bird bath in the garden only water dishes. Now I have. Purchased at a closing down sale It was a good buy. I mainly have blue or terracotta pots in the garden so it fits in well. Notice behind the first flowering cherries called Pink Cloud are out We have 3 that flower early.

 The first freesias will be out tomorrow,

 There is quite a lot of colour for August.

 This afternoon it had turned dull and chilly so that will stop the progress.

 We have spent days digging out a whole row of agapanthus and disposing of them which is jolly hard work but looks oh so much better. ( we have more we will do in time. )

 We have had a run of bright sunny days following frosty mornings so some photos like this one at the weekend have bright bue sky. 

 Here Grandsons and little friends are having fun in the water at the hotpools for littler grandson's 6th Birthday.

So Many Lemons.

 When we have so so many  lovely clean skinned lemons sometimes it is best to make them into Lemon Honey ( lemon Spread, Lemon Curd - they are all just different names for the same thing  )

 Its one of my personal favourites. ( sour/ sweet )

On Tuesday I managed to finish this next little sleeveless vest for smaller Grandson. My sewing up is not the greatest but tidy enough that it can be worn inside out. ( but not back to front! ) 

 8 ply pure NZ wool should help to keep his little body warm outside.

 

A Worthwhile Read.

 The Librarians of Rue de Picadie by Janet Skeslien Charles.

A novel based on the true story of Jesse Carson who joins CARD ( The American Committee for Devastated France )  during and after WW1.

 I like to learn about brilliant strong women who never got the credit they deserved for the wonderful work they did. I enjoyed it and learnt quite a bit. ( just recently Published ) Recommend.

 

Winter Garden flowers.

 

I've been picking these Queen Proteas for the vase on the bench and giving some away.

 Yesterday when a high wind warning was forecast I picked these Jonquils and Paper Whites. Their smell is all over the house.

 The Daphne has got quite large now and I have picked several bunches . It's perfume is quite divine.

Next post I will show the flowers that are out but I have not picked.

        ******

 I finished the green vest but it was too large for smaller Grandson so 3 years bigger Grandson got it instead.

 Old Bear used to be good at modelling my knitting but he is no longer big enough for the job!

 No body helped me with my problem so I sat down and looked at how it was to turn out and did it myself. Very proud to have finally solved that. This next red version is for smaller grandson. ( its red not pink like my camera is showing )

A Knitting Puzzle.

 For the 3rd time I am knitting

 this sleeveless vest for my Grandson.

 The simple pattern consists of groups of 7 stitches. Where the 3  - 4 rib changes to 5 -2 there is a twist.

 I can make    it go one way but not the other. I asked my friend D also a good knitter and she couldn't make it work either.

 This ( above ) is how it is supposed to look.   I have had to leave it out completely and just knit straight like this.

Is there a mistake in the directions or is it me doing it wrong ?

 If you are a very good knitter maybe you could try and see if you can make it work. Id be very grateful.

What Did I Purchase.?

 We decided when we arrived at the Exhibition to go around the Merchants first as the quilts on display weren't going anywhere but the merchants might sell out their best things fast. They didn't. Their was a great variety. Patchwork Web; Puddles Books and More; More than Fabric; Widebacks; Aroha Quilts; Bernina and my Favourite that day Tis the Season (.Tis the Season.)  On her display was a knitted Double Wrap Cowl in Aran Jewelspun. Very attractive. I bought the pattern and some yarn ( its not actually wool I later found out but very, very soft ) ( made in England )  I will probably make a scarf instead as I have quite a short neck We'll see.

            

 I also got some packs of these die cut flower shapes as I am currently making a wall hanging with Tall flowers.( the one at the top I cut out myself so new shapes will add to the variety I have)  ( I doubt Ill use the orange and yellow ones )

Also a pack of green felt

 No fabric I have quite a stash already and need to use that. ( I know some of you won't understand that - he he. ) That was quite restrained wasn't it!

Five Go Up to Whangamata.

Over the long weekend ( King's Birthday here in New Zealand ) 5 friends who quilt together, sew together, eat together and most importantly talk together went off for the weekend to Whangamata ( up the Coromandel Peninsular )  The Quilting Club there was holding a 2 day Exhibition. What a wonderful show it was to attend. Free parking; real coffee; nice food for teas and lunch; wonderful quilts and lots of merchants. We were very happy! At most quilt shows in NZ those viewing are asked to make a Viewer's Choice. To me that is rather impossible. I hardly ever do it. The only way I can decide is to say which quilt or wall hanging would I like to take home with me ? This one I think.What unusual colours to put together  but it worked so well and really appealed to me.

Also on Display were wall hangings from an Aotearoa Challenge called Light Up. The entries had to include a Shoo Fly block somewhere ...some were hard to find and needed studying carefully 

This was the winner by Lois Parish - Evans.

   

   This was by Eleanor Cole

 This was by Sandie Sixtus of the Boulder Bay Lighthouse in Nelson.

In another section this wall hanging by Mary Romhany stood out for me.- Such fun.

 Tomorrow I will tell you about the Merchants and purchases.