Another Part Added.

 When it rained  I got a whole afternoon sewing in. All my sewing gear and machine had been having a holiday in the cupboard . Luckily I had thought to write myself a few notes before I packed it all away some weeks ago. At the top of the photo is the latest section  I made and now have pinned in place ready to sew on. ( the width of 4 rows of the small squares ) In front on the table is a small pile of still usable parts for maybe one more section. I am having quite a hunt to find suitable lights for the half square triangles. They are quite essential to make the design stand out.

 The rain we have been having ( thank you ) is boosting the size of the pickings I am getting from my strawberry  and blueberry patch . It is also increasing the number of rots in the strawbs.

 Having recently got a new blender we have been having some interesting smoothies. These blueberries ended up in one last night along with other fruit and some pourable yoghurt and almond milk. and  ground LSA. No 2 ever turn out exactly the same.

 This is an earlier version using yellow fruits ( gold kiwis ,frozen pineapple some orange  almond milk and a spoon of R's marmalade ) ( Coconut milk is also good in them ) 

 Every 2nd  or 3rd day I have to do a lot of bending to pick these dwarf beans called Tendergreen. ( Watkins seeds ) . I don't care for frozen beans much so have been giving some away. 

 The courgettes are being quite generous now ( you know  how closely they need watching unless you desire marrows )  and I have been making various recipes. This one was in the NZ Listener 1 week ago. It turned out nicely but is really just a frittatta.

 The main ingredients were new potatoes and courgettes ( which we have  ) eggs some cream seasoning and cheese. Kumara would work just as well I think.

 I also made a Donna Hay recipe called  Raw Peppermint Slice. It is from her magazine called Donna Hay - Fresh & Light Power Foods. It cost  NZ $ 9.99  and has more yummy recipes in it than any other book or mag I have seen lately.

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 Today we have a gang of 26 workers in to get us up to speed with our kiwifruit thinning. ( That means in one day they can do what would have taken me 26 days to get done. ) It needs to be done now so the fruit that remains can gain maximum size. The rain will help.

 We had fertilizer spread last Friday so that got gently washed in.( twice ) 

 It was a side dressing of 2 ferts and took this driver on his quad bike pulling a little spreader about 15 minutes to do all the kiwifruit blocks.

Birds ; Quilts; Glass; Oranges and Seeds.

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!