First day of spring!

And I'm at home with a bad cold.  Still, gives me some time to update the old blog.

On the weekend I did some more felting.  The wool I used was some dyed merino from a Felt member  Lynn to make this scarf.

A lattice style scarf (close up)



Modelled by moi - I'm tossing up whether or not to felt some flowers to add to it.


And another...






The other thing I tried was some dyeing with lichens. On our southern holiday I picked up some handfuls of lichens that had fallen onto the path.  I had a rather ancient book from the library Natural wool dyes and recipes by Ann Milner which has instructions for dyeing with this plant (and many others). Most natural dyes are quite muted colours so my expectations weren't high.  But I was pleasantly surprised with the nice tan colour that resulted.  I'm not totally sure of the lichen species as they are quite hard to identify without a flora, and even with one it can be tricky!  But I think the one I used comes from the The original colour is the cream on the bottom right.  Not entirely sure of the specific lichen name but I think it's one of the Pseudocyphellaria sp.



Now for some exciting news!


I have been fortunate to secure funding to attend a library conference in Wellington 29 Oct-2 Nov where I'll be presenting two posters.  A while back Beverley commented that should this occur, she'd like to do a felting class with me to learn to make these scarfs etc.  So, we've begun the arrangements for the class. 

It will be held 29th Oct - most likely at CraftHouse.  My plane gets in at 8am so I am hoping to get started 9.00am-9.30am or so.  Do you think I'll get my pool noodle I use for rolling felt into the overhead locker?  Hmmm...

There will be a cost for the class (something like $30), and I will make up some kits for participants to purchase should they wish it.  I'll also be providing a list of required materials and suitable vendors for participants who'd rather sort out their own.  Some sample scarfs will be heading down to Beverley for display purposes too.

It should be fun!  I don't claim to be an expert in felting but it is a forgiving medium and I am confident we can make something beautiful together.

Maybe I will see some of you there?

Reading Round Up for.. June-ish & July

These are what I've read the past couple of months.  I did borrow some others and never got to read them.  Also a few holds came in for me, and I didn't manage to pick them up in time because of my mad month last month.

Blossoms and shadows / Lian Hearn.
This is the story of the birth of modern Japan, told by Tsuru, a young woman who breaks every stereotype of the Japanese lady. We meet her on the day of her sister's wedding, and soon realise that she will not accept the same domestic role that her sister is about to take on. ~ from the blurb
Found this interesting for a number of reasons.  Firstly, it's set in a period of Japan's history that is critical to it's development.  Secondly, the cultural mindsets and the conflict between the old and new ideas in parallel with the conflict between the gender stereotyping provides a fertile ground for story lines.  It keeps you reading to see what is going to happen.


A red silk sea / Gillian Ranstead.
Cam and Laurie's teenage years in a small South Auckland town are full of illicit sex, parties and quite terrifying brawls. In spite of this the girls go to university and are successful. At 25, Laurie commits suicide and it is up to Cam to face the painful memories of the past. ~from the blurb
Let me make one thing clear - this is not a "nice", easy read book because of the subject matter.  I continued with it though.  The culture and lifestyles portrayed in the book are so alien from my own upbringing in the western part of Auckland, that it was almost like reading about another country.  Some aspects of the story were disturbing.  The writing is great though.


Death and the devil / Frank Schatzing ; translated by Mike Mitchell.
In the year 1260, under the supervision of the architect Gerhard Morart, the most ambitious ecclesiastical building in all of Christendom is rising above the merchant city of Cologne: the great cathedral. Far below the soaring spires and flying buttresses, a bitter struggle is underway between the archbishop of Cologne and the ruling merchant families to control the enormous wealth of this prosperous commercial center - a struggle that quickly becomes deadly. Morart is the first of many victims, pushed to his death from the cathedral's scaffolding by a huge man with long hair, clad all in black. But hiding in the branches of the archbishop's apple orchard is a witness: a red-haired petty thief called Jacob the Fox, street-smart, cunning, and yet naive in the ways of the political world. Out of his depth and running for his life, he soon finds himself engaged in a desperate battle with some very powerful forces. Most dangerous of all is the killer himself - a mysterious man with remarkable speed, strength, and intelligence, hiding dark secrets that have stripped away his humanity and turned him into a cruel, efficient hired assassin who favors a miniature crossbow as his weapon of choice. But who is he killing for? Jacob the Fox - uneducated and superstitious - fears the killer is the Angel of Death himself. But the wily Fox makes an alliance with some of the strangest of bedfellows: a beautiful clothes dyer, her drunken rascal of a father, and her learned uncle, who loves a good debate almost as much as he loves a bottle of wine. Can this unlikely foursome triumph against the odds and learn the truth of the evil conspiracy before their quest leads to their death at the end of a crossbow arrow? ~from the blurb
The funny thing about this book is that I picked it up wanting to read about Cologne having visited there as a young teen.  I didn't realise it had been translated until I had finished and then I realised why some of the content seemed so Germanic. ;-)  Funny to me anyway.  The story was okay - I tended to identify with the women in it, so having the main protagonist as a doozy male who mostly appeared idiotic was kind of strange.

Poison : a novel of the Renaissance / Sara Poole.
In the summer of 1492, determined to avenge the killing of her father, Francesca Giordano defies all convention to claim for herself the position of poisoner serving Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia, head of the most notorious and dangerous family in Italy. Francesca pursues her father's killer from the depths of Rome's Jewish ghetto to the Vatican itself. In so doing, she sets the stage for the ultimate confrontation with ancient forces that will seek to use her darkest desires to achieve their own catastrophic ends. ~from the blurb
Enjoyed this one.  A crime story basically but with poison :-)


The last Maasai warrior / Frank Coates.
"For so long as the Maasai shall exist as a people - this is the land tenure promised by the British government in their 1904 treaty with the Maasai. Seven years later the promise is broken and the leader of the Maasai warriors has just two options - to confront the whites superior power, or to bow to them and make the perilous journey to the new reserve. In the meantime he struggles to resist his forbidden desires for another man's wife. George Coll, arrives in East Africa to begin work in the new administration but finds himself in an impossible situation. Should he toe the government line and watch an innocent and previously peaceful people be unjustly thrown out of their homeland, or help them to resist? Coll also has a very personal decision to make. Hilda Wallace will share whatever life has to offer him, but can he accept knowing a ticking time bomb hangs over his head? As the Maasai gather to make their historic decision, the white settlers and government forces are determined to seize the land they need."--Provided by publisher.
A bit laboured and basically sad, almost futile.

Outliers : the story of success / Malcolm Gladwell.
"The best-selling author of Blink identifies the qualities of successful people, posing theories about the cultural, family, and idiosyncratic factors that shape high achievers, in a resource that covers such topics as the secrets of software billionaires, why certain cultures are associated with better academic performance, and why the Beatles earned their fame"--Publisher's description.
Really interesting take on success and why some people succeed and others not.


The thirteenth tale : a novel / Diane Setterfield.
Vida Winter, a bestselling yet reclusive novelist, has created many outlandish life histories for herself, all of them invention. Now old and ailing, at last she wants to tell the truth about her extraordinary life. Her letter to biographer Margaret Lea - a woman with secrets of her own - is a summons. Vida's tale is one of gothic strangeness featuring the Angelfield family: the beautiful and wilful Isabelle and the feral twins Adeline and Emmeline. Margaret succumbs to the power of Vida's storytelling, but as a biographer she deals in fact not fiction and she doesn't trust Vida's account. As she begins her researches, two parallel stories unfold. Join Margaret as she begins her journey to the truth - hers, as well as Vida's. ~ from the blurb
Gothic, secrets and mysterious!  I liked it.

I have also been availing myself of the Overdrive collection at Auckland Public.  Listening to some of the audiobooks has been a good way for me to unwind.  They are good for the commute too.  My only complaints is the limited number of audio books available for particular formats (e.g. the iPad or Android phone) that can be downloaded from the actual device and the fact all the ones I want are usually "out".  I know it's an Overdrive thing but with electronic media like this the concept of something being "out" is obsolete.  It's a file!  It should be able to be downloaded many times!  ok, rant over.

Valley of the lost / Vicki Delany

In the bucolic mountain town of Trafalgar, British Columbia, a young woman is found dead of a heroin overdose, her baby lying at her side. While this should be an open-and-shut drug case, restraint marks on the victim suggest that the death might not have been completely accidental.
Constable Molly Smith and Sergeant John Winters know little more than the dead woman’s name. Who was she? Was this just a drug deal gone wrong, or is there something more sinister at play? Does her orphaned baby boy hold the key to solving his mother’s murder?
Meanwhile, a controversial resort development is ripping apart their close-knit community. Has the disagreement pushed a member of this quiet community to murder?~ from the blurb

Winter of secrets / Vicki Delany

Siblings Wendy and Jason Wyatt-Yarmouth and their friends are in British Columbia, enjoying a two-week vacation. Tragedy strikes the group of privileged students when two of them crash through the ice into the frozen river.
It's Christmas Eve and the snowstorm of the decade has settled over the peaceful Canadian mountain town of Trafalgar, British Columbia. Constables Smith and Evans have a busy shift, attending fender-benders, tumbling pedestrians, and Christmas-tree fires. At the stroke of midnight, they arrive at the scene of a car accident: a vehicle has gone off the snowy road into the icy river. It seems to be an accident. But when the autopsy reveals a shocking secret, Constable Molly Smith and Sergeant John Winters are plunged into the world of sexual predators, recreational drugs, privilege, and high living.
Meanwhile Charlie Bassing is out of jail and looking for revenge, a handsome Mountie is giving Molly the eye, and her mother, Lucky, is cheerfully interfering in the investigation. ~from the blurb

Happily enjoying this new crime series for the setting and the characters. 

The Seance / John Hardwood
London, the 1880s. A young girl grows up in household marked by death, her father distant, her mother in perpetual mourning for her child she lost. Desperate to coax her mother back to health Constance Langton takes her to a séance. But the séance has tragic consequences. Left alone, her only legacy is a mysterious bequest which will blight her life. That bequest comes in two parts: a house, and a mystery. Set in the world of apparitions, of disappearances and unnatural phenomena, of betrayal and blackmail, black-hearted villains and murder, Constance must find the truth behind the mystery of Wraxford Hall - even if it costs her life. ~ from the blurb
I wasn't sure what to think of this one to begin with.  At first I thought it was going to be quite a horror sort of novel, but then it turned more into a mystery/crime story.  There are several different narratives in the story giving different perspectives.  Some of it is quite spooky - and unlike a written book I couldn't easily skip forward past descriptive bits to get to the action. *spanks hand at bad habit*  The narrator of the audio book does an awesome job of the different characterizations.

At MPOW we just launched a new collection for recreational reading.  It's intended to assist in our institution's impetus to promote literacy.  So we're buying for young teens and upwards. So far, the graphic novels are looking like the most popular!  No surprises there - and it's great to see our students reading.  Personally I'm looking forward to having access to stuff to read for fun too.  We took recommendations from staff and also from students.

At the launch yesterday, a few of us hired some costumes to get dressed up as book characters to help promote the thing.  We got a fair amount of positive feedback, an article in the student magazine and even issued a few books out there in the Hub.  It helped we put ourselves next to the free sausage sizzle!

Here is me all dressed up as Lizzie Bennett (more on my Facebook).  I even wore a corset - though I realised afterwards that as a result of the squishing I should have got the next dress size down so my dress fitted better.  Ah well...

Wow....

I haven't blogged since June!  Hmmm.

And now it is the end of July. It's been a bit of a stressful month, and while I know it's not been as bad as other people's stresses, I've felt it.

• I had to write a paper for a conference
• I had two abstracts accepted for poster presentations
• I submitted a research proposal to the ethics committee
• I revised (twice) the research proposal for the ethics committee in response to their feedback
• Miss4 got chickenpox
• Mr7 got chickenpox
• Mr7 got nits
• I had a birthday
• I got chickenpox for my birthday
• I applied for the permanent version of my job
• I had an interview for the permanent version of my job
• I was successful in getting the permanent version of my job
• I felted another hat (photos to come when I get some good light and a chance to take it)
• I dyed some wool (ditto)
• We went on holiday

I haven't done a Reading Round up for ages, but then I haven't been doing much in the way of leisure reading, apart from a few audio books.

Our holiday was much needed.

Husband has been processing some of his photos from the holiday - you can see some on his Flickr stream or his website.  Incidentally, if anybody wanted prints of his stuff they should contact him via his website and inquire.

We flew into Christchurch and headed off to Lake Tekapo for two nights. The lodge there was ok, although a little basic and rather noisy.  There was one frying pan in the kitchen and no sharp knives.

Then we went on to Mt Cook where the lodge cost more but was more luxurious and had nicer cooking facilities.  They had had a good dump of snow so we got to do some sledding :)

Then we went to Wanaka to some very budget accommodation.  Luckily only for one night.

We crossed over the Haast pass the next day, missing all the snow and bad weather the eastern coast of the South Island got.  It was gusty and chilly in the pass, but we made it up to Fox to catch a sunset and then went over the hill to stay with friends in Franz for 3 nights.  It was great to pull into their place and see the excited welcome from two girls!

From Franz we went on to Lake Brunner, stopping at a few places on the way, like the Dorothy Falls near Hokitika.  We really should have done a bit more research before we left because we would have liked to have spent more time in the Hokitika area and in fact the West Coast in general.  It reminds me of West Auckland in many ways - less people and more mountains though.

We crossed over the Lewis pass from Lake Brunner to Hanmer Springs to visit the hot pools there. Can't say I found Hanmer particularly interesting.  It's a nice town, and probably good for older children who are interested in mountain biking and hydro slides etc, but for younger ones not so much.  There is a farm park that we went to, but not a lot else.  The walks are mainly through forestry plantations so of little interest to DH.

Finally we drove back to Christchurch, spent the afternoon at Orana Park and flew home.

Back to work today, and all seems to be ticking over there.  It's orientation week so I spent some time in the Hub blowing bubbles and wearing alien eyes on a head band in order to pimp the library to students! 

And that's the update for anyone who is interested.

#blogjune Day 30: In which I did some PD

How does an elearning librarian spend her day?  Today, I attended a webinar screened by the media librarian from UoA (University of Auckland) about streaming audio and video files.  It was really interesting to see what and how they are doing this.  I know there is some angst in the library world about our tendency to have lots of "How We Done It Good" type PD stuff but I have to say this sort of stuff appeals to my practical side.  I usually get ideas and inspiration from things like this.

In the afternoon, I attended Nethui and spent most of the time in the Education stream, briefly venturing out to hear about the social media response to the Christchurch quakes.  Se if you can spot me in the Livestream video they had running - I'm talking to my former colleague Li.



I was a little disappointed that the focus, or perhaps more correctly, the participant dominance in the Education stream was from primary and secondary levels.  I was not disappointed that they were present - I think it is great - but the disappointment lay in the lack of tertiary level education participants.  I think the only tertiary level people there were librarians.  Still - there were interesting discussions, and of course, much overlap in terms of issues at every level of education.  E.g. Infrastructure, resistance from overwhelmed teachers to eLearning, need to focus on the learning not the tools and so on.  It's hard to know where to start but I think the answer does lie in the carrot & stick model, plus opportunities to hear from others about success stories.

One thing that is so necessary is the perceived freedom to "play" and to have risk friendly environments in which that "play" can occur.  This isn't easy - in the tertiary sector one is so conscious that students have paid large sums of money to be there and "playing" with a new approach can seem irresponsible. Yet, I've witnessed some great exemplars at MPOW where technology and social eLearning has been very effective in courses that you would think it would fail - such as construction and automotive classes.

This was hardly a normal day in the life for me, but it was a nice interlude.  And there was Oreo cheesecake.

#blogjune Day 29: In which I get a delightful parcel

of goodies from Janine! :)



I did have a little giggle at the paper you wrapped the soap in J9 ;-)  Looking forward to using them!  As soon as I opened the package I could smell the lovely scent - thank you.

Today I didn't get anything done on my paper but I did watch the live stream of Nethui which began today.  I had put my name on the waiting list for attendance but didn't hold out much hope of getting a registration, but lo!  the library's PA came in to tell me I did and so I'm attending tomorrow afternoon and Friday morning.  Looking forward to being there in person.  I have to say that Ziln did a great job of live streaming and were responsive to tweets about sound etc from those watching which does them credit.

There was some interesting discussion today and the tweet stream for #nethui is representative of what the sessions were about.

One thing that struck me in the Digital literacy session and the session entitled 21st Century Parenting - Challenges and Solutions, was the focus on Facebook and privacy/safety issues.  It would appear that Facebook is held up as an example of what can go wrong in terms of safety online and lack of digital literacy.  It bothers me that there are those out there that a) don't bother to dig deep into the settings on their Facebook profile b) let kids younger than 13 use Facebook and c) use ignorance as a cop out to ignore modelling good online behaviour.

Another thing that bothered me from the digital literacy session was the focus of some of the contributors on the basic computing skills such as word processing.  I guess I'm more at the information literacy part of the continuum where I feel it is important for people to have discernment when it comes to evaluating where information comes from rather than basic "How To Use Auto Sum In Excel".  Clearly, these basic skills are important but I fear for the ability of people to be good digital citizens if all we're teaching them in terms of digital literacy is how to use the functionality of a programme effectively.

Anyway, there was lots of food for thought.

#blogjune Day 28: In which I am pleased

I don't really talk about my children's achievements on my blog (since it is of no real interest to anyone but family :-) ), but tonight we had parent-teacher interviews and after last year's fiasco, I have been watching Mr7's progress with some concern.  It's hard to know how he is doing for his age group.  This year I have been worried about his writing and maths.  Anyway, his teacher says that while he has areas on which to work on for these, he (the teacher) is confident he (Mr7) will be up to the right level by the end of the year.  His reading has advanced 3 levels from the beginning of the year which is awesome news.  He has also risen one maths level too since the year began.  He has excellent "topic knowledge" and has strengths in science <-- no big surprises there!  I am feeling relieved about things now.


Additionally, I am relieved to have resurrected a family tree file I'd made back in 20004.  I'd saved it, but the software used to create the file had gone back to Mum's and we no longer had it There seemed to be no easy way to convert the file to something useful.  Fortunately, Mum still had the software running on her machine so DH converted the file to something more universal and we've downloaded some open source family tree software and I can now update it.  I wanted to check the tree to see if a connection existed - not sure that it does but hooray for having the data workable again!  I'll be backing up the GEDcom file now and also uploading the info to a cloud based genealogy site too (I think) to ensure I've got the data.  Some lessons there about digital continuity!

This is Pusscat - he was made for me by my grandma.

#blogjune Day 27: In which I make jam drops

which look disturbingly like chicken pox. *wince*

However, they got the stamp of approval from Mr7 who said, "You can put these in my lunch box, Mum."

#blogjune Day 26: In which Mr 7 write about harvesters

This post is bought to you by Mr7 who is telling me what to write.

Harvesters harvest grain, in a big field in a group.  Because there are usually groups of them harvesting one part. 



[Harvester approaches by Mostly Dans]

Harvesters pour out the grain out of the auger into a special trailer with an auger that can fold down and fold up.


[combined harvester by Mostly Dans]



[evening harvest by Mostly Dans]

 There are different brands of harvesters that are John Deere, Claas, and New Holland.

#blogjune Day 25: In which I mutter something about literacies

over at Diligent Room.

We're on the downhill slope to the end of #blogjune :)

#blogjune Day 24: In which I make excuses

for missing out yesterdays post.

1. Miss4 has chicken pox
2. Miss4 has chicken pox
3. I had to look after Miss4
4. My head spent the afternoon/evening surging around trying to get out of my skull.

So all in all I didn't feel like blogging. The head appears to be mostly settled. I have taken ginger tablets for the dizziness and panadol for the associated headache. There is something going on with my inner ears - I can feel it but not a lot one can do about that. Sleep is good.

As for Miss4, she's mostly very good if a little subdued, telling me she is a spotty dog. But the virus flares up in the evenings and it all gets itchy poor kid.

Today I worked from home. I did a lot of reading and am feeling a bit better about this paper I'm writing. I needed to get into the "academic writing" mode I think. I have now revised my plan of attack. Sure wish there was some support at MPOW for this stuff though, especially for first time conference presenters like me.

#blogjune Day 22: In which I make a list of notable things

Stuff that happened today:

• Submitted my edits for my ethics application for some action research I'm doing.
• Edited some more of a paper I'm supposed to present at ICELF (& wished I never submitted for)
• Edited a policy document on Student Voice for which I am on a committee for
• Did a desk shift
• Listened/watched a Youtube presentation by Stephen Abram and made notes of bits relevant to my ICELF paper
• Was emailed to say my two abstracts submitted to LIANZA2011 have been accepted as poster presentations
• Felt panicky
• Thought about all the other stuff I need to do before the end of the year
• Felt more panicky
• Got into a long discussion on Twitter about an unconference
• Went home and made dinner
• Discovered Miss3 came home with spots helpfully circled in pen by daycare teachers indicating potential chicken "pops" as Miss3 calls them
• Dried dishes
• Continued Twitter conversation
• Read 3 chapters of the BFG to washed, dried and pyjama-ed children
• Made a wiki
• Wrote this blog post

• Played with the settings on the webcam

And so to bed.

#blogjune Day 21: In which I blog about some Flickr projects

...over at Diligent Room.

#blogjune #Day 20: In which I remind myself to say no

It is probably correct to say I expect a lot of myself.  This means I have issues saying no.

I should have said no to doing action research this year.  It seemed a good idea at the time to be involved in it but then I said yes to submitting some abstracts to conferences too.  Which means I'm doing a lot of writing and reading when I would rather be doing more practical stuff. 

The difficulty I have is I see the opportunity and I don't want to miss it in case it doesn't happen again.

Some layouts from the weekend:





And a video blog for today for Jo who wants to see my kitchen! Well, here it is in all it's messy glory!:

#blogjune Day 19: In which I do a catch up post

So yesterday's blog didn't happen. Moop.

Here is a catch up post.

Some linky love:

Random Romance Novel Title Generator (thanks to @seanfish) - my current fave "The Scottish Vampire's Insatiable Nurse"

Which makes me think of two things.

1. Romance novels are always better when they involve men in kilts, preferably with an accent. ;-)

2. A lesson I learned back in the dark ages when I worked part time at a public library.. one should not judge a book by it's cover.  We had a regular customer who would come in every weekend to borrow a handful of Mills & Boon romances. In my rather immature,Improving Librarian state I looked down my nose at this predilection.  I imagined this elderly lady sitting in her flat salivating over the racy bits.  One day I decided to be helpful and nicely suggested some other books I thought she would like.  She listened to my suggestions and agreed that they sounded interesting.  Then she said, a little apologetically, "I get these because I can't sleep at night and they don't require any brain interaction on my part.  They help me get through the night and back to sleep."  Oh my, I felt about 2 mm tall.  So after that I had to revise my opinionated attitudes.  People read what they read for many reasons and it is okay.  I still make suggestions to people, especially if they ask, but I no longer put on that Improving Librarian hat and look down upon people's choices of reading matter. While I mightn't like their choice, it's not up to me to make that snobby judgement call.

#blogjune Day 18: In which I mention perfume

I love perfume. I like reading about the history behind it, the different stories about special ones, the design of the bottles.

My first boyfriend gave me a bottle of Paris as a gift. I still like that one, but not on me! The whiff of certain perfumes can bring back interesting memories. I still associate Tommy with the early dating days with DH. My Grandmother liked 4711. An elderly friend of ours also liked it and would put it on my hanky for me, so I associate 4711 with handkerchiefs and old ladies! Only my grandma would call it "scent" rather than perfume.

When I was in Wellington for my library degree there was a perfume shop on Lambton Quay that I would go past on my way to the bus. I would spend time looking in the window at the display. I think I went in once or twice.. Never could afford anything, but sometimes would sample one.

Then once I started work on Greys Ave back in Auckland, I was dangerously close to Smith & Caughy's so that when they had their famous sale I was able to purchase a few of my desired perfumes.

Some of my favorites that I actually own are:

L'air du Temps
Ysatis
Ma Griffe

I prefer light florals and some orientals or chrypres styles.

I haven't bought perfume for years now. After I had kids, I wore it less for some reason. Now I have decided I shan't buy any new bottles until I have finished what I have.

I prefer to buy my own perfume than have it given to me. Perfume changes once it is on the skin so it is best to try before buying. What one person likes isn't always what another chooses.

I am also fond of simple essential oils such as lavender, neroli and rose.

Do you have a signature perfume? What ones do you like?

#blogjune Day 17: In which I blether on about communities of practice

Today the post is over at Diligent Room :-)  Feel free to leave comments over there if you're keen.

#blogjune Day 16: In which I try Google's new image search and am surprised

Google has launched a new way to search - by image.  Whereas before you could search via text for an image, now you can use the image itself.  With some surprising results as I found when using a profile photo I have of myself.

Google didn't find where I'd used the photo.  Other photos I tried would show me places where the photo had been posted or used.  For this photo it did make some suggestions of visually similar images - I think this is based on colours.  Some of those suggestions were surprising...

Especially the one on the bottom right corner.  I look like a bare bottom?  I shall run away to bare bottom land!*

*You need to read Bad Jelly the Witch to get this reference.

#blogjune Day 15: In which I make ninjas

Mr7 came home with a notice about a shared lunch at school.. Tomorrow! Grrr. Of course, there is the option to send him along with his own lunch if "I prefer" according to the note. Ha! Who wants to be the kid who's Mum send him along with an individual lunch?

So I made cheesy mite pinwheel scones and ninja bread men (actually ninja short bread men).

Hence the lack of significant blog post.

And the lack of parental unit lunches made. We're going to "order" tomorrow.

Remember ordering your lunch at school? We hardly ever did, so it was a treat. These days the offerings are almost sophisticated. You can get pies of course, but at Mr7's school they offer soup and bread, pasta bakes and quite a range of other stuff.

In my day there were pies, sandwiches and sausage rolls. One sandwich option included vegemite and potato chips on white bread.. A dreadful combination that I still indulge in now and again. There was a particular way you had to eat your pie too. First you peeled the flakey pastry bit by bit off the top. Then you ate the top. Then you scooped the filling (with your fingers) and then you ate the rest of the pastry. The pies were Big Ben brand.

#blogjune Day 14: In which I begin a shopping list

This is the beginning of my shopping list:

Kebab sticks
laundry powder
muesli bars
crackers
Little Rippers

What is on yours?

#blogjune Day 13: In which I try out a new app

Today, @lyndelleg tweeted about this post in the SMH about the future of libraries.  The article refers to the launch by the British Library of it's new iPad app featuring access to over a thousand scanned 19th Century books.

Way cool!

I eagerly downloaded it. I like the quality of the scanned books - in some you can even see squashed bugs!  I do however wish for a search function within the books.  Call me geek but that's how we librarians roll. :-)  Also, I do object to the kangaroo featured on the front page of all Australian/NZ/Pacific books.  Don't get me wrong.  I like kangas, but there aren't any here, nor in the Pacific Islands. Perhaps something more ..um.. ubiquitous would have been better.  Don't ask me what though.  Vegemite perhaps?

Anyhow, it is neat to be able to read publications by the Rev. Richard Taylor about early New Zealand.  Incidentally I feel quite friendly towards old Rev Rick - because I spent a summer photocopying transcripts from his diaries.  I feel I got to know him a bit as I read his musings in between passes of the green photocopier light, surrounded by the stink of toner and heat from the cooling vent.  Those were the days before scanners were any good.

And it is curious to see the books they've chosen to scan too.   

Sacred songs for British Seamen? Check.
The London Burial Grounds: notes on their history from the earliest to the present day? Check.  (The which has a chapter entitled Private and Promiscuous Cemeteries - I did read the chapter but didn't see what was promiscuous about them.)
The book of the cheese: being traits and stories of 'ye Old Cheshire Cheese'? Check.
The children of the mist; or, the Scottish clansmen in peace and war? Check.  (This title slightly disconcerting in the light of a modern day title, "Gorillas in the mist")

If you have a Pad of I you may wish to try it out :-)

#blogjune Day 12: In which I get creative

Although it won't be of much interest to most #blogjune-ers I actually got to do some scrapbooking (and I made 2 cards).  It's been a while since I did any paper craft so I feel quite happy about that.  Well, apart from the odd card made in a rush that is!

Bad photo this one - the light had gone by the time I finished it. Will take another.

I did make creme brulee and used my blow torch on it, but no photos because both my cameras had their batteries on the charger.  And now they are eaten.  But I did learn that despite the recipe I used, brown sugar is not a good option, white sugar is better and preferably caster sugar (which I didn't have).  So... more learning but nevertheless tasty.  I know there are more people wanting to eat creme brulee so there will be further opportunity for perfection!  Ha!

Mr7 got creative too.  He wanted to make a movie of his creation so here it is.  It is also the reason my cameras are now needing their batteries charged.

#blogjune Day 11: In which I try out my new blow torch

My day has been mostly good and even though I did quite a lot I didn't feel stressed like I've been these past few weekends.

I picked up some half price polyprop thermals for the whole family for our trip South later in the year, plus some boots for the kids.

I managed to take some photos to get printed so I can do some scrapbooking. I did make a bit of a boo boo with the colour management settings when I exported from Lightroom to my USB and thus when I got them printed they aren't as vibrant as I expected, but they look alright. At least, not bad enough for me to go back and get them all done again. I've usually printed stuff at home but a) DH has the matte black ink in the printer and b) we had no suitable paper and c) it's no longer economical for us to do our own printing for my needs. So off to Hardly Normal I went only to discover there was a huge queue and 2 hour wait for pick up. So I went to the WheroWhare instead where there was no queue and I only had to wait 30 minutes!  So what to do while waiting? Wander round the mall!!

I went into Stevens to ogle at the cast iron casseroles they have on special,and discovered they have a Creme brulee set reduced to $29.99 - 4 ramkins and the blow torch. Thank you very much serendipity! So I am now the proud owner of a blow torch. Tonight I used it on some crepe suzette, tomorrow I shall make creme brulee attempt two.



Delicious!



Now, if Mr7 stops puking, I shall be quite upbeat about the day.

#blogjune Day 10: In which I indulge in some escapism

It's Friday night and there is a pile of books under my bed that require my attention.
Puttin' a lid on the day :)

#blogjune Day 8: In which I do yoga & find a wig

It's been one of those days.  You know the kind.  So tonight I looked on Youtube for some yoga sequences to help me loosen up, relax and get that nice "well-being" feeling back.  I found Yogatic which suited me well tonight.  Routines for anxiety, bad days and a bit of mediation and I feel a bit better.

DH came home to say that many of his work mates are off on a retreat to Linderman Island.  He, the boss and his colleague are holding the fort.  His boss told him he should wear a dress tomorrow because they'll be doing the receptionist's job too! I know, I know, terribly sexist and all but sorta amusing too.  I offered my bra to him but he declined.  I did find this wig he could use....



Mr7 saw me and said, "No Mummy I don't like you looking like that!"  Miss4 just laughed and wanted to try it on.

#blogjune Day 8: In which I link to my Prezi

Today I had to present to senior management some of the things we're doing with elearning in the library.  I was nervous about it, mainly because there was a bit of a subtext to promote what we're doing in order to give support for further funding for our efforts.  I always feel a bit on the left foot about doing this kind of thing because some of the other presentations are so "wow" in terms of cool elearning teaching in content based courses.  Our experience of elearning in the library is different to that of a course teaching languages or construction for example, and although I feel what we're doing has value and merit, it doesn't especially have the "wow" factor.  Elearning in our library runs in parallel with what teachers are doing in their courses and compliments what they do.

elearning & the library on Prezi

And that is all for today.  I am tired and a bit emotional about some other stuff, so time for shut down.  Dee-do-dadum *shutdown sound*

#blogjune Day 7: In which I blether on about elearning, technology, libraries and pedagogy

over at TROID...

and just for Janine and anyone else who is keen, here is the link to the Dahl recipe I mentioned in the previous curry post.  It's quite a soupy one so serve it in separate bowls. :)

#blogjune Day 6: In which I bite a caterpillar's bottom and share a recipe

Spent the day with a whole lot of others, gathering for fellowship and inspiration and faith renewal. The children were pretty good through the long services.

Came home and did housework, DH mowed the lawn.

Miss4 rediscovered this wretched toy yesterday.  In case you didn't realise, it drives me nuts eventually.



Janine asked for this recipe so here it is :)  It is a great vegetarian recipe.  I add chickpeas or kidney beans to bump up the protein factor if I use it as a vegetarian main.


Batata Nu Shak ( Spicy potatoes with tomatoes)
(from Flavours of India / Madhur Jaffrey (1995) London: BBC Books, ISBN: 0563370777, pg. 69)
Serves 4-6

4 Tbsp vege oil
1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 dried hot red chillies
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp gr. asafoetida (hing)*
10 fresh curry leaves if available**
4 small potatoes (450g) peeled or unpeeled, cut into 1cm pieces
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp gr turmeric
2 tsp salt
2 fresh hot green chillies
2.5 cm piece fresh ginger peeled and finely grated
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh green coriander
2 med sized tomatoes chopped into 2.5cm dice (I use a can of chopped tomatoes)
1 1/2 Tbsp desiccated coconut
1/2 Tbsp jaggery or brown sugar
3/4 Tbsp thick tamarind paste ***

Heat the oil in a large, wide, preferably non-stick pan or wok over medium high heat.
When hot, put in mustard seeds.  As soon as they pop, a matter of seconds, add the cumin seeds, red chillies, bay leaves and asafetida.  Stir for 4-5 secs and add the curry leaves.  Stir once and add potatoes, cayenne pepper, turmeric, salt, green chillies and ginger.  Stir to mix.
Add 150ml water.  Cover and simmer for 10 mins over low heat.
Now add the fresh coriander, tomatoes, coconut, gr. coriander, jaggery or brown sugar and 350ml water.  Stir to mix, then cover again and leave to simmer for a further 10 mins.  Add the tamarind pastes. Simmer for a further 2-3 mins.  Remove from heat.
Serve with Indian breads as part of any Indian meal.

* Asafoetida is a strong smelling spice that replaces the use of garlic/onion in some Indian dishes.  I don't mind the smell, but some people find it very pungent.  Keep it in a sealed container.  It can be obtained from any Indian spice store.  It smells very strong when you use it but when cooked has a mellow flavour.

**Curry leaves are often sold in my PakNSave near the vermicelli in the vege section.  Also obtainable from Asian and India stores.  They freeze well and I have them in the freezer, helping myself when needed for curry dishes.

*** You can buy tamarind in a couple of forms from Asian stores and Indian food stores. I usually buy the dried cake form which I then break a piece off and reconstitute it with boiling water.  I then press it through a tea strainer to get the paste and strain out the seeds.  You can get it in concentrate form too, which is more convenient since you don't have to get the seeds out, but be careful to get the dilution factor correct.  Too much will overpower the dish.  You can use lemon juice if you don't have any on hand as tamarind is a souring flavour.

#blogjune Day 5: In which curry is made and consumed in large quantities

My sister had a GF visiting who had heard about our curry feast and wanted to experience them.  She is vegetarian so Indian food is an easy option.  I did have to cater to my dedicated carnivore husband though, so I made:

• Vindaloo
• Tamarind fish
• Batata Nu shak (potatoes in a spicy sauce - I also included chickpeas in it)
• Bhindi (okra or lady's fingers) with a garlic/seasame seed/coconut/poppy seed coating
• Saag paneer
• Mango lassi
• Semolina firni

My sister made:

• Aloo ghobi
• rice
• A dahl from Uttar Pradesh

Dad made:

• pooris

and P bought indian sweets from the sweet shop.



While we were at Mum & Dad's, Mr7 got out the didgeridoo to play with. He used to be terrified of it, but now he's embraced his Australian heritage. (My parents are originally from NSW, Australia).

Day 3: social media catchup

There are heaps of posts from the #blogjune participants.. it's hard to keep up with them all.  I'm not succeeding in commenting on many this time around.

Day 4: Hat #blogjune

I spent most of the day at a class making a felted hat. The class was good and the hat successful, though the kimono silk didn't felt in as I hoped.  I will have to use it differently to what I imagined.  I feel guilty for leaving DH with the children though.

Dinner was a failure.  The only person who liked it was me.

Day 2: Diligent Room Tweetup

Owing to some sharp monitoring of tweets I noticed a southerly Diligent Room blogger was in town so a tweet up was in order!

Thanks to some willing grandparents we were able to get together sans sproglets - a rare treat for some of us ;-)

A night of conversation ranging from phenomenology to converting the entire NZ library nation to Koha, laughs and dessert.

The obligatory photo in which we all look like nutters, including the dude with the saxophone... and so to bed.

Did you notice?  My eyes are flashing!  *gasp* eyemote alert!

Today is the day! #blogjune

* x-posted from TROID*

It is June 1st and today we’re launching blogging every day for June  (#blogjune).  Gird your loins bloggers, because we’re in it for 30 days of blog writing!

Last year, a bunch of librarians & others on Twitter decided to challenge themselves to blog everyday for the month of June.  It was a challenge, but the participants enjoyed it so much that we have decided to do it again.
Blogging as a practice, appears to be slowing down for many people including myself.  I am reluctant to give it up entirely though.  I think it is because I’ve made some valuable connections with other people through my blog, it is my space to talk about my interests and let’s face it, 140 characters and Facebook statuses are limiting when you have a lot to say.

So here we go – hold onto your cardies because the wild ride is about to begin!  My Google reader subscriptions just got bigger.

I'll update this post will be updated later in the day with a link to an OPML feed/netvibes page of all the June bloggers.

Edited to update: OMGoodness - there are fifty-flippin'-six of them! WOW!

Blogging, every day of June

Last year, a group of us decided to blog every day of June. This is a heads up to say we're doing it again this year, though some days I'll be blogging over at The Room of Infinite Diligence about library related stuff.

Over the weekend I made two nuno scarves for two different people.

"Blue skies and flowers"


"Breath of winter"


You can click through to my Flickr to see the details if you're interested.

I also made some booties for Miss4. I liked how these turned out but it was a learning experience for me. There were 4 layers of wool in this project which I found difficult to work with in terms of feeling the resist and eliminating seams. I ended up with a ridge along the edges of the resist because the merino inner felted a bit faster than the outer. I managed to work it out a bit but not entirely. Shrinking the boots to Miss4's feet was hard work but fortunately she was willing to sit there and let me use her feet as the "last". She was giggling away as I was rubbing the soles - I think it tickled a bit.  I sewed some leather on as soles to help prevent slipping.



I found a place online that sells vintage kimono silks (www.cherryblossom.co.nz ).  I ordered some remnants. They arrived the other day - I'm excited to try them out as embellishment for felting, but also think they will work for card making and scrapbooking. 

Weekends with felt

With this autumnal weather it seems appropriate to be thinking of warm woolly things.

I picked up some alpaca wool the other day and decided to try it layered with some of the merino wool.  It is a different texture to the merino.  Not sure if it's clear in this picture, but the fibre in the lower left is the alpaca wool, the darker in the top right is merino.  To me, the merino feels fluffier but with shorter fibre length.  The alpaca is lovely and soft and has a longer fibre length. 



I purchased the alpaca wool from Craftworld. I really love this marketing ploy - a photo of the alpaca from which the fibre came from! Very sweet.



I started with the merino layer. I wanted to see if the wool "prickle factor" would be decreased if I mixed the fibre. Not sure that it does but I've yet to try felting just the alpaca. Merino's prickle factor isn't too bad for me but others find it uncomfortable.



Here it is with the alpaca layer. The rovings for the alpaca were very fine.



I found felting the two fibres wasn't as simple as using solely merino. It took a while for the alpaca to felt and fuse with the merino. In fact I was starting to get concerned that I might have two separate layers happening. But after working on some areas more vigorously it did finally merge. The alpaca fibre did seem to make the over all effect more fluffy than I expected. I think it would be better if the two were carded together rather than placed in layers perhaps.

Here is DH modeling it for me. I gave it to my Dad since he wears scarves. I like the embellishment on this one - simple but effective. It reminds me of stones that you see on the beach or some streams that have stripes of different minerals in them.



Then I decided to make MIL a scarf for mother's day. Here it is laid out before wetting.



And after being felted. With a felt flower on a pin for decoration. So tempting to keep it for myself.



I also made one for my Mum.


Close up of the silk chiffon embedded in the scarf.

Hoping to attempt some 3D stuff soon.

Please sign this petition

On March 7, 2011, the publisher HarperCollins instituted an expiration policy on eBooks that are licensed to libraries. Under this new arrangement, eBooks would "self-destruct" after being checked out 26 times. This would require libraries to re-purchase the eBook if they wanted to continue to make it available. [Read More]

I don't agree with their assumptions and attitudes.  I hope you'll join me in petitioning this practice to stop.

March-April Reading Round Up

Indian takeaway : one man's attempt to cook his way home / Hardeep Singh Kohli.
"Hardeep Singh Kohli loves many things in life - but none more than food. He loves to eat it, he loves to cook it. So when he decided to travel round India in search of his roots, what seemed the obvious thing to take with him? It was shepherd's pie and Yorkshire pudding." "Indian Takeaway is the hilarious story of Hardeep's attempts to cook his way round India, dishing up very British meals for the people he meets. How will a Goan garage mechanic, a Delhi socialite or a Mysore hippy cope with fish and chips, or a Full English Breakfast? What will they make of his madcap quest? And will Hardeep find a kitchen to call home?"--BOOK JACKET.
Funny, interesting and made me hungry.  Tries to be introspective but doesn't really succeed.

The Holmes affair / Graham Moore.
As the world mourns the demise of Sherlock Holmes at the foot of the Reichenbach Falls, Conan Doyle has a new preoccupation. A chance encounter sets him on the trail of a brutal killer targeting suffragettes. Together with Bram Stoker, he roams the streets of Victorian London searching for clues. And in present-day New York, Harold White's lifelong obsession with Sherlock Holmes turns into something far more sinister. The world's leading Doyle scholar is found murdered in his hotel room, and only Harold is familiar enough with the Holmes novels to recognise the clues the killer has left. Clues which will lead him not only to a murderer, but also to Conan Doyle's missing diary - and a secret that Conan Doyle, a hundred years earlier, risked everything to hide.~from the blurb
Two parallel stories - one from Conan Doyle and the other from modern day.  An interesting tangled web of deceit and lies.  Well written.

This body of death / Elizabeth George.
"While DI Thomas Lynley is still on compassionate leave after the murder of his wife, Isabelle Ardery is brought into the Met as his temporary replacement. The discovery of a body in a Stoke Newington cemetery offers Isabelle the chance to make her mark with a high profile murder investigation. Persuading Lynley back to work seems the best way to guarantee a result: Lynley's team is fiercely loyal to him and Isabelle needs them - and especially Barbara Havers - on side. The Met is twitchy: a series of PR disasters has undermined its confidence. Isabelle knows that she'll be operating under the unforgiving scrutiny of the media, so is quick – perhaps too quick – to pin the murder on a convenient suspect. The murder trail leads Lynley and Havers to the New Forest, and the eventual resolution of the case. Its roots are in a long-ago act of violence that has poisoned subsequent generations and its outcome is both tragic and shocking."-- Publisher description.
I had to get over my pique that George had killed off Lynley's wife in the prequel to this.  George always writes comprehensively and with great skill to weave a multiplicity of threads through her books.  


Persona non grata : a novel of the Roman empire / Ruth Downie.
Gaius Petreius Ruso and his companion, Tilla, become embroiled in a family scandal when Severus, the family's chief creditor, winds up dead.~ from the blurb
Another in this series that I enjoyed.  I seem to be reading a lot of mysteries lately.  Must be in that sort of mood.


Twitterature : the world's greatest books in twenty tweets or less / Alexander Aciman and Emmett Rensin.
 Famous literature presented in Tweet form.  Mildy amusing.  You do have to be a Twitter user to really appreciate it I think.


Blackout / Connie Willis.
When a time-travel lab suddenly cancels assignments for no apparent reason and switches around everyone's schedules, time-traveling historians Michael, Merope, and Polly find themselves in World War II, facing air raids, blackouts, unexploded bombs, dive-bombing Stukas, rationing, shrapnel, V-1s, and two of the most incorrigible children in all of history--to say nothing of a growing feeling that not only their assignments but the war and history itself are spiraling out of control.~from the blurb
All clear / Connie Willis.
When three Oxford historians become unexpectedly trapped in 1940, they struggle not only to find their way home but to survive as Hitler's bombers attempt to pummel London into submission. Meanwhile, in 2060 Oxford, the historians' supervisor and seventeen-year-old Colin Templer are engaged in a frantic and seemingly impossible struggle to find them.~from the blurb
It's been a while since Willis wrote the first book in this series (The Domesday book).  These sequels have been worth waiting for.  I found them gripping and couldn't put them down (managed to muck up dinner a couple of times because of it). I do recommend them.  They are classified as sci-fi but I think if you're a fan of historical fiction you'd find them good too.  Especially if, like me, you have fantasies of travelling back in time to experience what it was like.


The scarlet contessa : a novel of the Italian Renaissance / Jeanne Kalogridis.
Daughter of the Duke of Milan and wife of the conniving Count Girolamo Riario, Caterina Sforza was the bravest warrior Renaissance Italy ever knew. She ruled her own lands, fought her own battles, and openly took lovers whenever she pleased. Her remarkable tale is told by her lady-in-waiting, Dea. Dea reviews Caterina's scandalous past and struggles to understand their joint destiny, while Caterina valiantly tries to fight off Cesare Borgia's unconquerable army.~from the blurb
Kalogridis has written about this era before and she doesn't disappoint with this one.  Good writing, suitable amounts of conflict and relationships will appeal to many.


Passage / Connie Willis.
A clinical psychologist obsessed with near death experiences, Joanna Lander joins forces with Dr. Richard Wright, a neurologist who has come up with a way to manufacture NDEs in the laboratory with the help of a mind-altering drug, but the experiments may yield far more than she ever anticipated.~from the blurb
Set in modern day and somewhat different in style to her time-travelling sci fi, this book explores the experience of death in quite an imaginative way.  I didn't like it as much as her time travelling series.


An empty death / Laura Wilson.
This is the follow-up to the critically acclaimed 'Stratton's War'. It is summer, 1944: London's exhausted inhabitants are living hand-to-mouth in a world of dust and dereliction, and war-weary DI Ted Stratton is no exception. In this novel he must investigate the suspicious death of a doctor.--Publisher.
Another mystery!  Good stuff, classic crime with a psychological twist.


Scapegallows / Carol Birch.
A convict colony in New South Wales, Australia, is the setting for Birch's new novel, based on real events. Margaret is stranded at a settler's homestead as the floodwater draws in and she finds herself facing death, as she has several times before.~from the blurb
I liked this book and found it engaging.  I enjoyed the historical aspects to it (as usual) and also the Australian links in it.  Based on a real person and their letters back to the old country it explores the themes of justice, truth and law.


The lovely bones / Alice Sebold.
Susie Salmon looks down from a heaven which looks a lot like her school playground. There are counsellors to help newcomers adjust, and friends to room with. Everything she wants appears as soon as she thinks of it - except the thing she wants most: to be back with the people she loved on Earth.~from the blurb
I've resisted reading this one for a while, purely because I thought it might be too gory and distressing.  As it turns out, I was wrong and the bit I was scared of wasn't at all as bad as I thought.  I liked the story and thought the approach to be quite original in many ways.  I wasn't so sure about one part close to the end where Susie returns to earth briefly in someone else's body - that didn't work for me.  But overall, it was a good read.


The river knows / Amanda Quick.
Teaming up with wealthy and handsome Anthony Stalbridge, who suspects prominent society figure Elwin Hastings of hiding dangerous secrets, Louisa Bryce of late-Victorian London investigates her beliefs about Hastings's criminal activities.~from the blurb

Lie by moonlight / Amanda Quick.
Hired to tutor four orphaned girls at remote ramshackle Aldwick Castle, Miss Concordia Glade is pleased to find her pupils both eager and bright. Indeed, they are bright enough to have noticed some oddities about their situation. Provided for by an unseen benefactor, they are surrounded at all times by hard-eyed guards in the guise of gardeners - and their previous tutor, she learns, disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Stepping into this uncertain atmosphere, Concordia sees at once what must be done. Of course, even the best-laid plans can go awry... and even the most independent, strong-minded lady must occasionally accept an offer of help.~ from the blurb
These two were a bit of fluff, suitable camping reads. :)  Nice to have some unchallenging romance now and again.