Random stuff

It's an awful  day outside today, winter decided to let us know she hasn't quite finished with us yet. We were going to head over to the Rotary book sale at Wingatui but decided to just hunker down for the day. It's on for another couple of days so we have time to get there before it finishes. So I thought I'd just do a bit of a random post and keep in touch.

First of all let me tell you I was really surprised to arrive back at the bookshop after my holiday and discover some of our Christmas stock was already on the shelves! Not only Christmas cards but books, tote bags, nativity sets and decorations! I know it's only three months until Christmas but...

We don't have any fruit trees on our property but the neighbours feijoas overhang our drive which gives easier access to the bio security officers when they come round to monitor them for pests. We get a nice thankyou note and a card from them at Christmastime. This is one of the officers doing an inspection below.

Youngest daughter has had a birthday so we bought her a nice crystal flower. It didn't have a box when i picked it up so  asked the young fellow behind the counter if there was one with it. I'm sure there should be. It will have been stored away from the display area.

This is what he came back and gave me! I just grinned and said I'd make it work but I'm sure there is now a stray box lurking in a storage area somewhere!

Halloween is on display in the shops. Some of the stuff is nicer than others. I liked these friendly looking pumpkins and ghosts but didn't buy anything. We don't get anyone much coming trick or treating but usually have a few treats on hand just in case.

The North Island great grandkids were down for a few days recently but we only saw them briefly at their grandmother's house. They were here for a graduation celebration for the other side of their family. This is a photo of them with one of their southern cousins - you can tell who the southern one is, the kids who are born here don't seem to feel the cold :)

And because i haven't really done a springtime post I thought I do a couple of collages of some of the photos I've taken around town in the last week or so.

Mosgiel is very pretty in the springtime with the blossoms in full bloom and the spring flowers out in the gardens and on the verges.

The daffodils from my last post are on the edge of town.

And that's it from me for another day or two ... or three.

Keep well.

blessings,

Diana

Briefly - feijoas.

Picture taken from the internet.

  Everyone who commented on my last post asked about feijoas, so briefly, here is an explanation from one of my earlier posts.

Windfalls from the neighbour's tree which overhangs our drive.

'Apparently feijoas taste a little like pineapple, but it's not like any pineapple I've ever tasted. Wikipedia says it is a type of guava native to South America. I think it is an acquired taste, unless you grow up eating it, which I didn't. I do enjoy it a little more each time I have it though'. 

They are ready to eat when they fall. The photo above is from a previous year. Although they are ready further north we are still waiting, our season seems to be later in the year. 

So that's it ... briefly.

Enjoy your weekend,

Diana

Diggers Tavern for lunch

Today our daughter in law shouted us out for lunch. So at midday we presented ourselves at Diggers Tavern which was formerly the RSA (Returned Services Association), and were shown to our table.

 Spitfire Restaurant was looking good with the tables set nicely, a table for two for us :) My GKB is looking a bit solemn but he was enjoying himself. The entertainment hadn't yet started.

There was only one course but it was well worth the money and filled us, so just a snack for tea tonight. We both ordered crumbed Schnitzel with gravy, chips and green salad. We managed to eat it all but I noticed some people took doggy bags home. And we didn't have to wait long for it, it was on the table about 10 minutes after ordering.

I'm also looking a bit serious but was distracted by the entertainers arriving. To eat or to watch them setting up? Eating won out :)

A lady I've known for about 30 years played background music while were dining. She is a beautiful pianist but unfortunately she was on a keyboard today and it sounded bit tinny but no one seemed to mind. It was also a little hard to hear her over all the background chatter, but that's a good thing - chatter usually means people are enjoying themselves in my experience.

Tea, coffee or something cold from the bar was available after the meal. I'm a tea drinker and my GKB went and got our drinks. He ordered me Earl Grey tea, not my favourite but I didn't mind today.

And then the Rhythmix started their turn. It was a wonderful hour and a half of 60's music, the Beatles, Beachboys and the like. Tom Jones. A bit of a singalong and finishing off with Vera Lynne's 'We'll meet again'.
 

We had a lovely time out and grateful thanks to daughter in law Sofi.

********

And just because I can, a photo of two of the great grandkids with feijoas the neighbour has just given them. Alice and Sitiveni.

That's it for today, 

until next time,

Diana

Photos for Five on Friday

Five totally unrelated photo's just so I can join in

 Five on Friday over at FAST

and Friday Foto Friends at Breathing in Grace.

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The firebox in the engine of a steam train.

A bumper crop of feijoas.

Protest manikins outside the entrance to

 the Pike River Mine, West Coast, New Zealand.

A starling's egg in the grass.

Posh fish n chips for tea.

Busy, busy, busy...

...that's the way my life has been for the past fortnight and so I'm sorry, I haven't had time to just sit and write about my road trip yet. But I will get around to it eventually. Tomorrow I head south again for an overnight stay about an hours drive from home, with a group of girlfriends. Then I just want to hibernate at home for a week and catch up with my GKB :)

So without further ado here is my little collection of miscellany

 for Five on Friday over at Amy's blog.

1) The top two pictures are gifts I received from 

my girls for Mother's Day. Loved them.

2) It must be winter, I have started this jigsaw, 

all shades of pink and peach :)

3) Last Saturday evening Sis took Little Mother, my daughter and me to the ballet. She was the only one who had ever attended before, but we all enjoyed it. I have to admit though that I kept waiting for them to burst into song - I'm a fan of musicals. The ballet was The Wizard of Oz.

4) Feijoas - there is an abundant crop on the tree and even just picking up the windfalls we are getting a medium 

sized bowlful daily. I have been giving them away 

as well as eating them, I haven't had the time to cook

 any in any way but hope to be able to at least stew 

some next week. The tree belongs to the neighbour

 and overhangs our driveway. In the summer it is full 

of waxeyes darting about looking for insects.

5) And finally Leo. Leo is my friends' cat who I've written 

a couple of posts about in the past. Leo walked over 

the rainbow bridge yesterday afternoon and will be sadly

 missed by everyone who met him. He was a real character. 

RIP my little ewok.

A Daybook entry...

Not a lot has been happening this week, it's just been one of those ho hum weeks. 

Not that I want a lot of drama, ho hum is good occasionally.

So this week I thought I might join in with 

The Simple Woman's Daybook.

So let's get going.

For Today - 30th June, 2015

 Outside my window... the sun has just set, it is dark and cloudy
 with a tinge of red across the top of the hills
and a cool breeze is blowing. The street lights are on.

I am thinking... it's time I went out to the kitchen
and dried the tea dishes and put them away in the cupboards.

I am thankful... my house is warm, dry and mostly weather proof.
I'm pleased we got the insulation in before the cold of this winter arrived.

I am wearing... blue jeans, blue long sleeved tee shirt,
 bright red socks and white sneakers.

I am creating... I'm not creating anything as such
but I am trying to put together a jigsaw belonging to my daughter.
It is a snow scene and apart from sunlight on a misty mountain
 it is shades of blue, white and grey.

 I think it will take me the rest of the winter!

I am going... to take a break and make a hot ginger drink.

I am wondering... whether writing this piece on Tuesday evening
 is okay because even though it is Monday in the US
it is Tuesday evening in my neck of the woods?

I am reading... Unafraid by Francine Rivers. 
I have only just begun it and so far am enjoying it.
It is one of five novellas telling the story of five women from the bible.
This one is about Mary the mother of Jesus.
I have already read one of the others and found it quite intriguing
 even though it was a fictional account based on the bible telling of the story.

I am hoping... the next few days stay nice and sunny
and we have a little bit of warmth in the sun.
And that the wind stops blowing up from the Antarctic. Please.

I am learning... to live a contented life post retirement :)

In my garden...The jonquils are through the ground
 and beginning to make a bright show along the front of the house.

Otherwise it is in its dormant state as it is winter 'down under'.

In my kitchen... I have a bench covered in feijoas ready to bag up
 and take down to the church for whoever wants them.
I'm the only one here who eats them and
there are far too many for me. All windfalls.

A favourite quote for today... a hand up is better than a handout.
I have no idea who said it originally but I think it is a good philosophy.

A peek into one of my days... What did I do today?
It was sunny skies and a good wind so the beds were
changed and washing all hung on the line to dry.
I picked up my friend and we went around to my mother's
 house for lunch and to watch a devotional video with her.
Then everyone piled into the car and away we headed to do the weekly grocery shop.
Back to my friends for a hot cuppa, dropped Mum off
with her shopping and then home again by about 4.00pm.
Cooked tea and cleaned up, husband is away out, I'm bathed and relaxing.
All is well.

One of my favourite things... a lovely hot bath on a cold winter's evening.

*************

I'm also joining Stephanie over at 

The Enchanting Rose for her weekly gathering:

Roses of Inspiration

That's it for this week folks.

Keep well 'til we meet again.

Diana

Extremely loosely connected stuff...

Life has been very quiet of late and there I was last night

 lying in bed thinking that as soon as I get to the end 

of this chapter I'd turn the light off.

Then in the distance I heard a rumble then a bang and an earthquake hit. 

By the time I slammed my book shut and commented  that

'this is an earthquake' and my GKB replied

'I think you're right " it was all over.

No time to leap (it's amazing how fast you can move when you have to) out of bed

and go into earthquake mode because it was all over in about 10 seconds. 

So we lay there for a few minutes waiting to see if  there were going to be any more.

There weren't, but eldest daughter rang to check in and have a chat.

She was home alone with 2 teenagers and just wanted a bit of reassurance. 

It was centred only about 10 miles away as the crow flies and quite shallow

so it was quite a jolt and gave a lot of people a fright. 

Youngest daughter's youngsters slept through it 

but the teenager was on the phone to her boyfriend at the time.

She hung with her mother and father for a wee while after that.

What have feijoas got to do with an earthquake you may ask.

Not a lot but the tree next door that hangs over our fence 

is absolutely laden this year and so when I went out this morning

 there were quite a few windfalls lying about.

But I rather think they were 'quake falls this time. 

Never mind, I still harvested them and have a nice little bowl full.

Now for something completely different.

I just bought this painting of the butterfly about a week ago.

I had been eyeing up another painting for several weeks which was much more

abstract but had all the same bright colours. 

They go well in our lounge.

But when I showed my first pick to my GKB he wasn't terribly impressed. 

He pointed out a butterfly painting that he quite liked

 but it wasn't anything like what I was wanting.

 Then a couple of weeks later we came across this colourful butterfly, 

the colours I wanted with the not quite so abstract picture he wanted. 

A nice compromise.

And ... it was a fraction of the price of the original one.

And talking about butterflies, youngest grand daughter 

is going to her school formal in a couple of weeks.

Her mother arrived over today with her dress which is now hanging in a wardrobe here.

They have 4 cats at the moment and she didn't want to take the risk of them

(2 are kittens) using the dress for climbing practise.

It's rather lovely on her and later I hope I can show 

you a photo of her all dollied up ready to go out with her beau.

And this is just another random picture I took 

in an ice cream shop while we were up at the caravan a while ago.

The walls on the left of the house are all lined

 with small cubby holes filled with jars of lollies. 

It's quite a delightful little gingerbread house.

joining in with:

roses of inspiration

Keep well 'til next week

Diana

Feijoa and other stuff

Today I have been brave and made feijoa chutney. Only a small amount because I wasn't sure how it would turn out. And after last years disastrous attempt at feijoa jam I thought I'd go slow and easy. It looks pretty good but the proof will be in the eating. I'll give my little mother a small jar to try, she's not too keen on the fruit but might enjoy it made into something different. Apparently it tastes a little like pineapple, but it's not like any pineapple I've ever tasted. Wikipedia says it is a type of guava native to South America. I think it is an acquired taste, unless you grow up eating it, which I didn't. I do enjoy it a little more each time I have it though. 

The weekend has been busy, starting on Friday night with an outing to 10 pin bowling with the youth group and then a craft afternoon and fish n chip tea with the Sunday school kids on Saturday. That was a lot of fun but very tiring. Sunday School yesterday and today was a day at home. Just mucking around doing what I wanted when I wanted.

I just love this picture of the snow owls the kids made. They are all so different and so expressive. As it was the night of the Matariki lantern  parade in town we also made lanterns and after tea tested them out so that the parents and kids could see how they had turned out.  They were really effective in the  dark but  my photo didn't turn out so, sorry, I can't show you.    

There is still a lot of this white stuff hanging around making it very cold and yukky. You may guess that I am a warm weather person. A few days before this dumped we had torrential rains for over 2 days causing floods and slips nation wide.  Bridges and roads were washed out and people evacuated from homes where the ground was falling away under them. We had one day reprieve and then the snow started. After 3 days of non stop snow moving up the country people have again been cut off and there have been more road closures, slips and power outages. Over a metre of snow has fallen in some places and while that is good for the snowfields it is a disaster for the farming community. Here where I live on the Taieri Plain it never settled on the ground and while that made me happy it meant the kids didn't get any snow days from school and were very disappointed. I just think we were extremely lucky when I see what has happened elsewhere.

And just to finish, here is a shot of the so called super moon, through the trees and as the clouds parted briefly earlier this evening. 

Happy Matariki

Diana

Oh, the weather outside is frightful,

... it's been raining solidly for over 48 hours,
and the state highways north and south are closed again
 - this time by flood waters. 
But that didn't stop me going out

 for lunch today with my good friend, Bon.

About once a month we head over to Green Island

 and have lunch together at the Trading Post.

outside the Trading Post today

We usually have a toastie and tea (for me) and Bon has a cappuccino or latte or some such drink with hers.

You can't let a little weather stop you from having fun.

One year, it was going to be this one but wasn't,

 I am going to take part in the midwinter polar plunge. 

Well that's my plan anyway, part of my bucket list.
 It was like this the day it was held 
and I didn't realise it was on. 

That's my story anyway, and I'm sticking to it.

When I got home who was sitting, 

all wet and bedraggled, on the step?

Just Claude...who wouldn't come in, 

because strangely we like our doors shut 

when the weather is is wet and cold and windy.

He likes the doors wide open in case 

he spots a set of legs he doesn't recognize 

and wants to make a bolt for it, 

regardless what it is like outside. 

Feijoa tree

There is an upside to all this frightful weather though.

The neighbours feijoa tree is dropping fruit 

left, right and centre, over our fence.

Eldest daughter is coming over  to take some home, tomorrow, and I think I will make some into chutney this year. 

Not jam, last years didn't turn out too well.

There has just been so many windfalls

and the tree is still laden. 

You can see the fruit in the photo.

I can do a jigsaw or two without feeling

 as if I should be doing something more productive.

 This one is interesting and a bit of a challenge.

It has 11 pictures on the box

 and none of them are what you put together

...but are all in the completed puzzle somewhere

And I don't fell guilty about reading a book or four.

The first two in this pile are good stories

 but quite hard to read,

 a little strange I guess, 

and a bit different to what I normally read.

But that's not a bad thing.

And if all else fails, and there is nothing on telly, 

we can always hunker down and watch a DVD.

Have a good week,

Diana