Miss 4 came home very proud of herself. "Jason gave me a wing!"
It's a little cardboard tube. I didn't realise courting started this young.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Put a ring on it
Miss 4 came home very proud of herself. "Jason gave me a wing!"
It's a little cardboard tube. I didn't realise courting started this young.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Mad inventor
Mr 7 is obviously going to follow in Gyro Gearloose's footsteps.
Below - diagram for his invention. A whistle.
And the diagram realised. Not sure why a whistle has guitar like strings though.
His parents look forward to being kept in the style to which they would like to become accustomed through the royalties from his patents.
Below - diagram for his invention. A whistle.
And the diagram realised. Not sure why a whistle has guitar like strings though.
His parents look forward to being kept in the style to which they would like to become accustomed through the royalties from his patents.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Sundry happenings & February/March Reading Round Up
The auctions have finished and we raised a total of $6229! Wow! All credit to Louise who has tirelessly co-ordinated the whole event. All of my donations sold and I have to say the person who won the felted bag got a bargain since they retail for rather more than the final bid! :-) But that is okay.
And oh.. Japan. No words. :-(
In other news:
I have 2 raw fleeces that I'm sorting at present. They are going up north to be washed and carded but the person who is doing this requires them to be de-seeded and sorted. It's a stinky, messy job.
Miss 4 stuck a piece of lego up her nose last Sunday which necessitated a visit to A&E after trying to blow it out was unsuccessful. Fortunately for her it was a single, flat, round piece and not a square one with sharp edges. Mr 7 was concerned that a) his lego would be returned to him and b) it would be clean.
We have been enjoying watermelons from the garden. We've had 8 in total.
Recently the US National Archives uploaded a collection of photos to the Flickr Commons of women from the Civil War era. I loved looking through them. I wondered about their stories. Some of them are ordinary looking, others stunningly beautiful. Their clothes are amazing.
The other thing I wonder... how on earth did they do their hair!?
Many of the photos are un-named with minimal information. This, and the fact my kids have been looking through their scrapbook albums have motivated me to get back into doing a layout after a long hiatus.
Nothing amazing - I need to find my groove again.
The good thing about the oncoming winter is that scrapbooking fits well with being inside on wet days :)
Reading Round Up
The bookseller's daughter / Pam Rosenthal.
um... didn't finish it. It started off okay and then the characters were jumping into the sack at every opportunity. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not a prude and like a bit of the old horizontal mambo in stories, but oh boy... this one made me roll my eyes.
Medicus and the disappearing dancing girls / Ruth Downie.
Caveat emptor : a novel of the Roman Empire / Ruth Downie.
Crime stories set in Roman Britain. I like.
Back when we were grownups : a novel / by Anne Tyler.
Beck Davitch looks back on her thirty-year marriage to Joe and her role as a mother and manager of the Open Arms, wondering if she is living the life she was meant to live and reconsidering her dedication to the family business.~ from the blurb
This was good. I think we've all at some time wondered what life would be like if we'd taken a different pathway. I liked how the book ended up too.
Life of Pi : a novel / Yann Martel.
Pi and his family, who own a zoo, decide to emigrate from India. On the way, tragedy strikes and the ship is sunk. Pi finds himself in a life boat with a hyena, a zebra, a tiger and an orangutan. He manages to keep his wits as the food chain establishes itself. ~from the blurb
This one won the Booker prize for fiction in 2002 and I think deservedly so. The blurb makes the story sound fantastical but when you actually read it, it does in the end seem plausible. Some thought provoking themes run through the novel.
As always, Julia : the letters of Julia Child and Avis DeVoto : food, friendship, and the making of a masterpiece / selected and edited by Joan Reardon.
I've read Julie and Julia and seen the film of same. (I liked the film better funnily enough). This book is a selection of letters between Julia and Avis, the woman who managed to get Julia's cookbook published. I really like this book. The development of friendship between two feisty, intelligent woman is heart warming and uplifting.
The last lecture / Randy Pausch, with Jeffrey Zaslow.
Based on the extraordinary final lecture by Carnegie Mellon University professor Pausch, given after he discovered he had pancreatic cancer, this moving book goes beyond the now-famous lecture to inspire readers to live each day with purpose and joy.~ from the blurb
There has been a lot of people who've liked this book. I found it just a bit on the OTT side of things. It's not that I disagreed with what the author was writing but perhaps the manner of it. Oh well.
Water for elephants : a novel / Sara Gruen.
Set in the circus world circa 1932. When Jacob Jankowski, orphaned and adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her. ~from the blurb.
The story is interwoven with Jacob as an old man telling the story. Some of it is sad but I really liked this book. Again, like the Life of Pi, some thought provoking themes running through it. Some have said it mirrors the story of Jacob in the Bible. Not sure I can see the connections myself.
And oh.. Japan. No words. :-(
In other news:
I have 2 raw fleeces that I'm sorting at present. They are going up north to be washed and carded but the person who is doing this requires them to be de-seeded and sorted. It's a stinky, messy job.
Miss 4 stuck a piece of lego up her nose last Sunday which necessitated a visit to A&E after trying to blow it out was unsuccessful. Fortunately for her it was a single, flat, round piece and not a square one with sharp edges. Mr 7 was concerned that a) his lego would be returned to him and b) it would be clean.
We have been enjoying watermelons from the garden. We've had 8 in total.
Recently the US National Archives uploaded a collection of photos to the Flickr Commons of women from the Civil War era. I loved looking through them. I wondered about their stories. Some of them are ordinary looking, others stunningly beautiful. Their clothes are amazing.
The other thing I wonder... how on earth did they do their hair!?
Many of the photos are un-named with minimal information. This, and the fact my kids have been looking through their scrapbook albums have motivated me to get back into doing a layout after a long hiatus.
Nothing amazing - I need to find my groove again.
The good thing about the oncoming winter is that scrapbooking fits well with being inside on wet days :)
Reading Round Up
The bookseller's daughter / Pam Rosenthal.
um... didn't finish it. It started off okay and then the characters were jumping into the sack at every opportunity. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not a prude and like a bit of the old horizontal mambo in stories, but oh boy... this one made me roll my eyes.
Medicus and the disappearing dancing girls / Ruth Downie.
Caveat emptor : a novel of the Roman Empire / Ruth Downie.
Crime stories set in Roman Britain. I like.
Back when we were grownups : a novel / by Anne Tyler.
Beck Davitch looks back on her thirty-year marriage to Joe and her role as a mother and manager of the Open Arms, wondering if she is living the life she was meant to live and reconsidering her dedication to the family business.~ from the blurb
This was good. I think we've all at some time wondered what life would be like if we'd taken a different pathway. I liked how the book ended up too.
Life of Pi : a novel / Yann Martel.
Pi and his family, who own a zoo, decide to emigrate from India. On the way, tragedy strikes and the ship is sunk. Pi finds himself in a life boat with a hyena, a zebra, a tiger and an orangutan. He manages to keep his wits as the food chain establishes itself. ~from the blurb
This one won the Booker prize for fiction in 2002 and I think deservedly so. The blurb makes the story sound fantastical but when you actually read it, it does in the end seem plausible. Some thought provoking themes run through the novel.
As always, Julia : the letters of Julia Child and Avis DeVoto : food, friendship, and the making of a masterpiece / selected and edited by Joan Reardon.
I've read Julie and Julia and seen the film of same. (I liked the film better funnily enough). This book is a selection of letters between Julia and Avis, the woman who managed to get Julia's cookbook published. I really like this book. The development of friendship between two feisty, intelligent woman is heart warming and uplifting.
The last lecture / Randy Pausch, with Jeffrey Zaslow.
Based on the extraordinary final lecture by Carnegie Mellon University professor Pausch, given after he discovered he had pancreatic cancer, this moving book goes beyond the now-famous lecture to inspire readers to live each day with purpose and joy.~ from the blurb
There has been a lot of people who've liked this book. I found it just a bit on the OTT side of things. It's not that I disagreed with what the author was writing but perhaps the manner of it. Oh well.
Water for elephants : a novel / Sara Gruen.
Set in the circus world circa 1932. When Jacob Jankowski, orphaned and adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her. ~from the blurb.
The story is interwoven with Jacob as an old man telling the story. Some of it is sad but I really liked this book. Again, like the Life of Pi, some thought provoking themes running through it. Some have said it mirrors the story of Jacob in the Bible. Not sure I can see the connections myself.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Charity auction: Red Cross funding for Christchurch Earthquake Relief
This weekend I've been busy. Louise has organised a charity auction on Facebook to raise money to give to the Red Cross in response to the devastating earthquake in Christchurch. So these are the things I'm donating to the auction. If you are interested in bidding on them, you can join the group. If you aren't a Facebook member but still want to bid, email Louise and see if there is some way you can nominate a proxy (or something).
Donation 1
Donation 2 (three jars of this so three opportunities to win)
Donation 3
Donation 4
Donation 5
Donation 6 - Kisses for Christchurch: Nuno felted merino wool on polyester chiffon wrap
DH's relatives from that area appear to be safe though I haven't heard about how their houses etc have fared. It seems our friends down there are alive but some have lost material things. One family has lost their house & pets and they have evacuated to here in Auckland to one our other friend's who lives locally.
It has been a strange sort of time since the earthquake happened. On the one hand, we've had to keep on about our daily business, but myself and others I've spoken to have found it hard to focus on anything in particular. The news coverage has been extensive but I've had to step away from it at times just to keep myself on an even keel. It has been so touching to hear of people, organisations and countries contributing to helping those affected.
[for the believers]... On Sunday, someone mentioned Psalm 46 which I found encouraging and restorative:
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
etc...
(New International Version, ©2010)
I don't find it profitable to ask why these things happen or make dire predictions about the meaning of natural events. We live in a world governed by physical laws like gravity, plate tectonics and so on so it is inevitable that we'll see this stuff occur. But it is a strength to me to know there is grace and peace within these experiences.[/for the believers]
Donation 1
Donation 2 (three jars of this so three opportunities to win)
Donation 3
Donation 4
Donation 5
Donation 6 - Kisses for Christchurch: Nuno felted merino wool on polyester chiffon wrap
DH's relatives from that area appear to be safe though I haven't heard about how their houses etc have fared. It seems our friends down there are alive but some have lost material things. One family has lost their house & pets and they have evacuated to here in Auckland to one our other friend's who lives locally.
It has been a strange sort of time since the earthquake happened. On the one hand, we've had to keep on about our daily business, but myself and others I've spoken to have found it hard to focus on anything in particular. The news coverage has been extensive but I've had to step away from it at times just to keep myself on an even keel. It has been so touching to hear of people, organisations and countries contributing to helping those affected.
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
etc...
(New International Version, ©2010)
I don't find it profitable to ask why these things happen or make dire predictions about the meaning of natural events. We live in a world governed by physical laws like gravity, plate tectonics and so on so it is inevitable that we'll see this stuff occur. But it is a strength to me to know there is grace and peace within these experiences.[/for the believers]
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
12 books for 2011 | invitation to photo essay
- Water for elephants / Sarah Gruen
- The Thirteenth Tale / Diane Setterfield
- Three Cups of Tea / Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
- The Secret Life of Bees / Sue Monk Kidd
- Outliers / Malcolm Gladwell
- And then there's this : how stories live and die in viral culture / Bill Wasik.
- Strength in What Remains / Tracy Kidder
- The 10pm Question / Kate De Goldi
- Year of magical thinking / Joan Didion
- Her fearful symmetry / Audrey Niffenegger
- Atonement : a novel / Ian McEwan.
- Blindsight / Maurice Gee
My other book related project is to photograph the library book pile whenever I get books from a library. This is going to be a like a photo essay of my reading for the year. It will be books from whatever library I borrow from, public or academic. If you'd like to join my project, I've made an open Flickr group you can join. It's uncompetitive, no pressure and doesn't have to be artistic in any way. I like seeing what other people borrow.
My first photo is this one:
Libraries (particularly public libraries), are being threatened by budget cuts and closures around the world. In New Zealand we are fortunate that we haven't suffered the drastic cuts like the US, and now the UK where 400 libraries are planned to be closed. That is 400 libraries worth of staff and collection that will no longer be available to the tax paying community. Tomorrow there will be a day of protest in the UK over these closures. Check out this scary map of libraries affected produced by the author of Public Libraries News.
View Larger Map
I think it is worth pointing out that this is more than just books we're talking about. The printed book is an enduring physical entity and it'll be around for a while yet. E-books are great and are becoming more important. I'm anxious for them to mature past the issues relating to digital rights management and the multiplicity of ereaders available on the market so that we can really get our digital teeth into using them especially in the academic library world. Libraries supply other resources like magazines, local history collections, newspapers, resources for family historians. Have you tried the audio books available from your library? Auckland Public libraries has great collection that you can access online and put on your mobile device via Overdrive. Great for when you're sick, for kids, on long road trips or just to chill out.
It is worth pointing out that it is more than just resources we're talking about. Libraries are a physical space too where people come to meet, work and relax. They are warm and relatively safe places to be. Public libraries are open to everyone in the community regardless of race, gender or ability. Academic libraries provide a much needed physical sanctuary for students and even staff of their institution. The digital space should not be disregarded either as much interaction can take place between the user and the library in the virtual realm.
So use your library. Don't let it be taken away from you.
By Phil Bradley
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
January Reading Round Up
Zoia's gold / Philip Sington.
A novel based on the hidden life of Zoia Krukovskaya, the last-known survivor of the Romanov court and an artist who learnt the secret of painting with gold. ~from the blurb
Found this one intriguing from the mystery point of view, and also the art history behind the story. I wanted to find out more on this artist, but haven't managed to yet.
January Blogosphere Book Club Book of the Month
Balzac and the little Chinese seamstress / Dai Sijie ; translated from the French by Ina Rilke. New York : Knopf, 2001. ISBN: 037541309X
During the Chinese Cultural Revolution, two boys, both sons of doctors, are sent to the top of a mountain for "re-education". An education that involves carting buckets of excrement up and down precipitous paths. But their lives take an unexpected turn when they meet the beautiful daughter of a local tailor and stumble upon a forbidden stash of Western literature. ~from the blurb
This is a short and sweet book which I really enjoyed. The struggles of the young men seemed so poignant and dare I say, romantic. I wanted to know more of the seamstress though. I particularly liked the imagery of the Chinese country-side.
The timewaster diary / Robin Cooper.
The year starts badly for Robin, losing his job for sending so many letters in work time, and for his wife Rita, who sprains her ankle (yet again). But Robin has a cunning plan - his marrying of the crossword and sudoku into his devilish 'crossoku', which might just make their fortune. ~from the blurb
I laughed dear readers, I laughed over this book. It was also an interesting read in juxtaposition with The Diary of a Nobody by George and Weedon Grossmith (which has been recreated as a blog). They have much in common!
Secrets / Freya North.
"They drive each other crazy. And they both have something to hide. But we all have our secrets. It's just some are bigger than others! Joe has a beautiful house, a great job, no commitments -- and he likes it like that. All he needs is a quiet house-sitter for his rambling old place by the sea. When Tess turns up on his doorstep, he's not sure she's right for the job. Where has she come from in such a hurry? Her past is a blank and she's something of an enigma. But there's something about her -- even though sparks fly every time they meet. And it looks as though she's here to stay!"--Publisher description.
Typical chick lit but good stuff. I liked.
The Detective Branch / Andrew Pepper.
A robbery at a prawnbroker is a headache for Pyke and a valuable religious artifact appears to have motivated the robbery. Then several suspicious murders later Pyke must face up to forces within the police and the church who would rather the secrets from the past remain buried forever.~from the blurb
A good crime novel - winced a bit at some of the dodgy behaviour of the detective but it was all in aid of a good story.
Singing saltwater country : journey to the songlines of Carpentaria / John Bradley with Yanyuwa families.
John Bradley's compelling account of three decades living with the Yanyuwa people of the Gulf of Carpentaria and of how the elders revealed to him the ancient songlines of their Dreaming. ~from the blurb
Started this one with high hopes but didn't completely finish it. It was a bit repetative to totally hold my attention but I can see for people who live in that area it has valuable insight into the values of the local tribes. What was interesting was trying to get my head around some of the different ways of knowing described in the book. It was also interesting to see again how important story telling is to the human race for information transfer as well as entertainment.
Nine dragons : a novel / Michael Connelly.
The murder of John Li, a South L.A. liquour store owner, hits LAPD Detective Harry Bosch hard, and he promises Li's family that he'll find the killer. As he uncovers a link to a Hong Kong triad--a lethal and far-reaching crime ring that follows many immigrants to their new lives in the U.S.--his world instantly explodes and the person he holds most dear is taken from him. ~from the blurb
Typical crime thriller genre but still enjoyed it.
Ruso and the demented doctor / R. S. Downie.
Army doctor Gaius Petreius Ruso is waiting for the gods to smile on him. But, on a posting to the hostile North of Britannia, he’s in for a long wait. Not least because the locals have a new hero who likes to strap antlers to his head and scare the Romans silly, while Ruso’s slave girl, Tilla, is stubbornly refusing to identify the culprit in a police line-up. But when Ruso is waylaid at the Fort of Coria, where a fellow doctor has confessed to a grisly murder, it’s a case of out of the cauldron and into the fire. With Tilla thrust outside the fort (and into the arms of a former lover), Ruso is landed not only with Doctor Thessalus’s patients but also the tricky task of getting him to retract the confession. Something smells fishy about this murder and Coria is miles from the sea … Ruso faces a nightmarish investigation trailed by the secret police, hunted by the Stag Man and betrayed by Tilla, is it any wonder he’s seeking solace in the rather-too-watery local beer?~from the blurb
Interesting mystery story with some twisty bits and great historical flavour!
A novel based on the hidden life of Zoia Krukovskaya, the last-known survivor of the Romanov court and an artist who learnt the secret of painting with gold. ~from the blurb
Found this one intriguing from the mystery point of view, and also the art history behind the story. I wanted to find out more on this artist, but haven't managed to yet.
January Blogosphere Book Club Book of the Month
Balzac and the little Chinese seamstress / Dai Sijie ; translated from the French by Ina Rilke. New York : Knopf, 2001. ISBN: 037541309X
During the Chinese Cultural Revolution, two boys, both sons of doctors, are sent to the top of a mountain for "re-education". An education that involves carting buckets of excrement up and down precipitous paths. But their lives take an unexpected turn when they meet the beautiful daughter of a local tailor and stumble upon a forbidden stash of Western literature. ~from the blurb
This is a short and sweet book which I really enjoyed. The struggles of the young men seemed so poignant and dare I say, romantic. I wanted to know more of the seamstress though. I particularly liked the imagery of the Chinese country-side.
The timewaster diary / Robin Cooper.
The year starts badly for Robin, losing his job for sending so many letters in work time, and for his wife Rita, who sprains her ankle (yet again). But Robin has a cunning plan - his marrying of the crossword and sudoku into his devilish 'crossoku', which might just make their fortune. ~from the blurb
I laughed dear readers, I laughed over this book. It was also an interesting read in juxtaposition with The Diary of a Nobody by George and Weedon Grossmith (which has been recreated as a blog). They have much in common!
Secrets / Freya North.
"They drive each other crazy. And they both have something to hide. But we all have our secrets. It's just some are bigger than others! Joe has a beautiful house, a great job, no commitments -- and he likes it like that. All he needs is a quiet house-sitter for his rambling old place by the sea. When Tess turns up on his doorstep, he's not sure she's right for the job. Where has she come from in such a hurry? Her past is a blank and she's something of an enigma. But there's something about her -- even though sparks fly every time they meet. And it looks as though she's here to stay!"--Publisher description.
Typical chick lit but good stuff. I liked.
The Detective Branch / Andrew Pepper.
A robbery at a prawnbroker is a headache for Pyke and a valuable religious artifact appears to have motivated the robbery. Then several suspicious murders later Pyke must face up to forces within the police and the church who would rather the secrets from the past remain buried forever.~from the blurb
A good crime novel - winced a bit at some of the dodgy behaviour of the detective but it was all in aid of a good story.
Singing saltwater country : journey to the songlines of Carpentaria / John Bradley with Yanyuwa families.
John Bradley's compelling account of three decades living with the Yanyuwa people of the Gulf of Carpentaria and of how the elders revealed to him the ancient songlines of their Dreaming. ~from the blurb
Started this one with high hopes but didn't completely finish it. It was a bit repetative to totally hold my attention but I can see for people who live in that area it has valuable insight into the values of the local tribes. What was interesting was trying to get my head around some of the different ways of knowing described in the book. It was also interesting to see again how important story telling is to the human race for information transfer as well as entertainment.
Nine dragons : a novel / Michael Connelly.
The murder of John Li, a South L.A. liquour store owner, hits LAPD Detective Harry Bosch hard, and he promises Li's family that he'll find the killer. As he uncovers a link to a Hong Kong triad--a lethal and far-reaching crime ring that follows many immigrants to their new lives in the U.S.--his world instantly explodes and the person he holds most dear is taken from him. ~from the blurb
Typical crime thriller genre but still enjoyed it.
Ruso and the demented doctor / R. S. Downie.
Army doctor Gaius Petreius Ruso is waiting for the gods to smile on him. But, on a posting to the hostile North of Britannia, he’s in for a long wait. Not least because the locals have a new hero who likes to strap antlers to his head and scare the Romans silly, while Ruso’s slave girl, Tilla, is stubbornly refusing to identify the culprit in a police line-up. But when Ruso is waylaid at the Fort of Coria, where a fellow doctor has confessed to a grisly murder, it’s a case of out of the cauldron and into the fire. With Tilla thrust outside the fort (and into the arms of a former lover), Ruso is landed not only with Doctor Thessalus’s patients but also the tricky task of getting him to retract the confession. Something smells fishy about this murder and Coria is miles from the sea … Ruso faces a nightmarish investigation trailed by the secret police, hunted by the Stag Man and betrayed by Tilla, is it any wonder he’s seeking solace in the rather-too-watery local beer?~from the blurb
Interesting mystery story with some twisty bits and great historical flavour!
Whither the Blogosphere Book Circle? | Parties and Nuno Felting
Well folks - I think the Blogosphere Book Circle has died a natural death and should be laid to rest with suitable pomp and ceremony. For whatever reason, it's been tough for people to join in and read and interact over the books we voted for.
Instead I'm going to choose 12 books I want to read this year and post them on the blog here. If you want to join me in reading those 12 books, then please do so and please share your thoughts and reactions. I won't have a particular month assigned to them, they will just turn up in my Reading Round Up posts as and when I get hold of them.
If you have any suggestions for books to include on that list I would love to hear them!
The other thing I'm thinking of doing is posting a photo of the book pile each time I go and get some from the library. I think it would make an interesting photo essay of my reading in 2011. If you like to join me, let me know. Maybe we could make a group on Flickr. :)
In other news....
Miss 4 had her birthday party for her daycare friends - she enjoyed it immensely and didn't seem to stop bouncing the whole time. The "Twinkerbell" cake turned out okay despite some naughty words on my behalf while rescuing expensive Tinkerbell sprinkles from a leaky Spray 'n' Wipe bottle that had fallen on the packet. I was pleased with my Green Tea and Chai French Macarons though (in the photo to the left of the cake). So were my work colleagues when I brought in the left overs. Note the hands-on-hip attitude my daughter has... she has so much self-assurance that I'm torn between admiration and horror. Is this a 4 year old girl thing? I don't recall Mr7 being like this at all. We seem to be having quite a lot of 'tude going on at present with answering back and general you-can't-make-me-do-it snarkiness. Where has my sweet girl gone? She does make an appearance here and there... enough to give me hope.
I felted another nuno scarf - this one for a colleague, very much like the other one I did.
School starts for Mr7 tomorrow, can't believe he's in "middle school" now... no more junior syndicate! I've got all his stationery and his uniform sorted. I don't think I'm going to bother covering it this year, unless he particularly asks. Must remember to take a photo of him tomorrow. I really hope this year is a better one for him academically. He has a male teacher this year, so I'm curious to see if that has an affect on his attitude and learning (as sexist as that may sound).
Instead I'm going to choose 12 books I want to read this year and post them on the blog here. If you want to join me in reading those 12 books, then please do so and please share your thoughts and reactions. I won't have a particular month assigned to them, they will just turn up in my Reading Round Up posts as and when I get hold of them.
If you have any suggestions for books to include on that list I would love to hear them!
The other thing I'm thinking of doing is posting a photo of the book pile each time I go and get some from the library. I think it would make an interesting photo essay of my reading in 2011. If you like to join me, let me know. Maybe we could make a group on Flickr. :)
In other news....
Miss 4 had her birthday party for her daycare friends - she enjoyed it immensely and didn't seem to stop bouncing the whole time. The "Twinkerbell" cake turned out okay despite some naughty words on my behalf while rescuing expensive Tinkerbell sprinkles from a leaky Spray 'n' Wipe bottle that had fallen on the packet. I was pleased with my Green Tea and Chai French Macarons though (in the photo to the left of the cake). So were my work colleagues when I brought in the left overs. Note the hands-on-hip attitude my daughter has... she has so much self-assurance that I'm torn between admiration and horror. Is this a 4 year old girl thing? I don't recall Mr7 being like this at all. We seem to be having quite a lot of 'tude going on at present with answering back and general you-can't-make-me-do-it snarkiness. Where has my sweet girl gone? She does make an appearance here and there... enough to give me hope.
I felted another nuno scarf - this one for a colleague, very much like the other one I did.
School starts for Mr7 tomorrow, can't believe he's in "middle school" now... no more junior syndicate! I've got all his stationery and his uniform sorted. I don't think I'm going to bother covering it this year, unless he particularly asks. Must remember to take a photo of him tomorrow. I really hope this year is a better one for him academically. He has a male teacher this year, so I'm curious to see if that has an affect on his attitude and learning (as sexist as that may sound).
Monday, January 24, 2011
In which I burble about what I did on my holidays
*note this isn't too exciting. Just updating.
We set out for Waikawau Bay a day earlier than planned since we had all the stuff ready to be pack and it seemed silly to hang around. It's a long drive there so we left after lunch on Sunday and got there just after 5pm. The camp was chokka with people which was a bit of a disappointment and it took us a while to find a place to pitch the tent. (In fact, we waited until some folks had packed up and took their spot). Anyway, we settled in. Monday dawned a beautiful day. The morning highlight for DS was the tanker that came to suck out the long drop toilets!
We walked to the top of the hill and looked down onto the beach, then walked down to the beach and looked in rock pools (saw a black sea slug).
The children were agitating to get onto their boogie boards so we did that after lunch. The new togs got christened by the Pacific Ocean! Even DH got into the water which is worthy of mentioning! Unfortunately DD got dumped on her first attempt to board in so that ruined any hope of her having another go - she went and grizzled on the sand. DS however, he had a whale of a time and had a grin from ear to ear the whole time. He could have stayed in much longer but it had clouded over and the drizzle had started.
The weather went downhill after that. The ranger had posted a severe weather warning by Tuesday so after some agonising we decided to pack up and go home. (Queueing for the long drop toilets in the rain contributed some to this decision). By the time we got home we were regretting that decision as it was starting to clear again. So we executed Holiday Plan B and headed down to Rotorua to stay in our favoured camp ground in a cabin. It turned out to be a better holiday for photographic opportunities anyway. We did some walks, went on the gondalas, sat in some hot pools... the usual.
After dropping DS at a friends house for a week long sleep over we headed back home. I then went into town to meet (finally) Mim and her family. It's always neat to meet people you have got to know online. Actually I can't remember exactly how we "met" but in any case here we are with our other mutual friend Em!
So now it's back to work, back to normal.. well, as normal as one can be until school goes back anyway. And I have a four year old birthday party to organise! The birthday itself has long gone, but we promised the party for when she was back to daycare with her friends.
We set out for Waikawau Bay a day earlier than planned since we had all the stuff ready to be pack and it seemed silly to hang around. It's a long drive there so we left after lunch on Sunday and got there just after 5pm. The camp was chokka with people which was a bit of a disappointment and it took us a while to find a place to pitch the tent. (In fact, we waited until some folks had packed up and took their spot). Anyway, we settled in. Monday dawned a beautiful day. The morning highlight for DS was the tanker that came to suck out the long drop toilets!
We walked to the top of the hill and looked down onto the beach, then walked down to the beach and looked in rock pools (saw a black sea slug).
The children were agitating to get onto their boogie boards so we did that after lunch. The new togs got christened by the Pacific Ocean! Even DH got into the water which is worthy of mentioning! Unfortunately DD got dumped on her first attempt to board in so that ruined any hope of her having another go - she went and grizzled on the sand. DS however, he had a whale of a time and had a grin from ear to ear the whole time. He could have stayed in much longer but it had clouded over and the drizzle had started.
The weather went downhill after that. The ranger had posted a severe weather warning by Tuesday so after some agonising we decided to pack up and go home. (Queueing for the long drop toilets in the rain contributed some to this decision). By the time we got home we were regretting that decision as it was starting to clear again. So we executed Holiday Plan B and headed down to Rotorua to stay in our favoured camp ground in a cabin. It turned out to be a better holiday for photographic opportunities anyway. We did some walks, went on the gondalas, sat in some hot pools... the usual.
After dropping DS at a friends house for a week long sleep over we headed back home. I then went into town to meet (finally) Mim and her family. It's always neat to meet people you have got to know online. Actually I can't remember exactly how we "met" but in any case here we are with our other mutual friend Em!
So now it's back to work, back to normal.. well, as normal as one can be until school goes back anyway. And I have a four year old birthday party to organise! The birthday itself has long gone, but we promised the party for when she was back to daycare with her friends.
Monday, January 10, 2011
New togs!!
Sunbathing in my bedroom! Hee hee - nah, just posing for the #dailyimage2011 project I'm doing. You can see the other photos on my Flickr stream.
So happy they fit and I feel great in them.
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Day 12 #blog12daysxmas In which I photograph SCKC layouts
The past few years, Trina has made a call for these small 6"x6" layouts to send to the Southern Cross Kids Camp organisers. They are used to make small memory albums for the children who attend the camps.
These camps are for children who've had it tough. So it's nice to be able to contribute in a small way to a bit of positivity in their experience.
This year I made 46. They are super easy to do and they are great for using up stash and scraps.
Today was the first day back at work after the festive break. I was horrified surprised to see we had students coming back in! But most of them were on the computers checking Facebook and Youtube so one does have to wonder at the virtue of opening this week. Oh well.
Nothing much else is open on campus - the copy centre, bookshop and convenience store but no food apart from a minimal selection in the staff room (pies and sarnies) and no coffee cart. The library staff plunger coffee thingy is broken so I had to make do with the excuse for coffee from the coffee machine in the staff room.
Tomorrow the kidlets will be coming with me so that will be interesting but at least I'll have company in the office!
These camps are for children who've had it tough. So it's nice to be able to contribute in a small way to a bit of positivity in their experience.
This year I made 46. They are super easy to do and they are great for using up stash and scraps.
Today was the first day back at work after the festive break. I was
Nothing much else is open on campus - the copy centre, bookshop and convenience store but no food apart from a minimal selection in the staff room (pies and sarnies) and no coffee cart. The library staff plunger coffee thingy is broken so I had to make do with the excuse for coffee from the coffee machine in the staff room.
Tomorrow the kidlets will be coming with me so that will be interesting but at least I'll have company in the office!
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
Day 11 #blog12daysxmas Reading Log for 2010
January
The ghost map : a street, an epidemic and the two men who battled to save Victorian London / Steven Johnson.
The bread with seven crusts / Susan Temby.
The captive wife / Fiona Kidman.
People of the book : a novel / Geraldine Brooks.
The boy who harnessed the wind : creating currents of electricity and hope / William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer.
Weeping waters : a novel based on a true story / Anne Maria Nicholson.
My enemy's cradle / Sara Young.
Cross the river to home / Kaye Kelly.
Those who save us / Jenna Blum.
Diary of a girl in Changi : 1941-1945 / Sheila Allan.
The trespass / Barbara Ewing.
The heretic's daughter : a novel / Kathleen Kent.
When people matter most : vision driven leadership / Colin Prentice with Ian Hunter.
The kommandant's girl / Pam Jenoff.
Love in the time of cholera / Gabriel GarcÃa Márquez ; translated from the Spanish by Edith Grossman.
February
The birthday present / Barbara Vine.
The other queen / Philippa Gregory.
The girl of his dreams / Donna Leon.
Song yet sung / James McBride.
Alice Hartley's happiness / Philippa Gregory.
The sand castle / Rita Mae Brown.
Mister Pip / Lloyd Jones.
The darkness looking back / by Andrea Jutson.
March
The girl who played with fire/ Steig Larsson
The king's mistress / Emma Campion.
The girl on the landing / Paul Torday.
Access road / Maurice Gee.
April
The story of Danny Dunn/ Bryce Corteney
The book thief / Markus Zusak.
Eat, pray, love : one woman's search for everything across Italy, India, and Indonesia / Elizabeth Gilbert.
Unseen academicals / Terry Pratchett
Growing great marriages / Ian and Mary Grant.
Replenishing the Earth : the settler revolution and the rise of the Anglo-world, 1783-1939 / James Belich.
May
A taint in the blood / Dana Stabenow.
Delicious / Nicky Pellegrino.
The Italian wedding / Nicky Pellegrino.
I'm perfect, you're doomed : tales from a Jehovah's witness upbringing / Kyria Abrahams.
Julie and Julia : 365 days, 524 recipes, 1 tiny apartment kitchen : how one girl risked her marriage, her job, and her sanity to master the art of living / Julie Powell.
We two : Victoria and Albert: rulers, partners, rivals / Gillian Gill.
Bad science / Ben Goldacre.
June
Half broke horses : a true-life novel / Jeannette Walls.
Tu / Patricia Grace.
Sand in my shoes : war-time diaries of a WAAF / Joan Rice.
Colditz : the definitive history / Henry Chancellor.
The white queen / Philippa Gregory.
Educating boys : helping Kiwi boys to succeed at school / Michael Irwin.
The diary of a nobody / George and Weedon Grossmith
The graveyard book / Neil Gaiman
July
Silent in the grave / Deanna Raybourn.
Silent in the sanctuary : a Lady Julia Grey mystery / Deanna Raybourn.
Eat cake : a novel / Jeanne Ray.
The girl who kicked the hornet's nest / Stieg Larsson ; translated from the Swedish by Reg Keeland.
Wolf Hall / Hilary Mantel
August
Hobson's chance / Jenny Haworth.
Rifling through my drawers / Clarissa Dickson-Wright.
Ashes to dust / Yrsa Sigurdardottir ; translated from the Icelandic by Philip Roughton.
Six feet down under : memoirs of a New Zealand funeral director / Chris Mann.
Novel about my wife / Emily Perkins
September
The Einstein girl / Philip Sington.
Sweetwater Creek : a novel / Anne Rivers Siddons.
Last rituals : an Icelandic novel of secret symbols, medieval witchcraft, and modern murder / Yrsa Sigurdardottir ; translated from the Icelandic by Bernard Scudder.
Martyr / Rory Clements.
Empress Orchid / Anchee Min.
Day after night : a novel / Anita Diamant.
My stroke of insight : a brain scientist's personal journey / Jill Bolte Taylor.
The lacuna : a novel / Barbara Kingsolver.
October
Pride and prejudice and zombies : the classic Regency romance - now with ultraviolent zombie mayhem / by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
The good plain cook / Bethan Roberts.
Lands beyond the sea / Tamara McKinley.
Falling & laughing : the restoration of Edwyn Collins / Grace Maxwell.
Animal's people / Indra Sinha.
Lone Creek : a novel / Neil McMahon.
The English patient : a novel / Michael Ondaatje.
November
The redbreast / Jo Nesbo ; translated from the Norwegian by Don Bartlett
The optimists / Andrew Miller
The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks / Rebecca Skloot.
The road / Cormac McCarthy
December
The swan thieves / by Elizabeth Kostova
Someone knows my name : a novel / Lawrence Hill
Allons enfants: a New Zealand family in France / Linda Burgess
Total: 80
Best month = January with 15
Worst month = December with 3
Average books per month = 6.6
Last year I read a few more but 80ish seems to be standard for me.
New reads= 80
Non-fiction = 19
Fiction = 61
Can't be bothered categorising them into genre but a quick glance tells me my choices are a bit wider this year than in the past.
The ghost map : a street, an epidemic and the two men who battled to save Victorian London / Steven Johnson.
The bread with seven crusts / Susan Temby.
The captive wife / Fiona Kidman.
People of the book : a novel / Geraldine Brooks.
The boy who harnessed the wind : creating currents of electricity and hope / William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer.
Weeping waters : a novel based on a true story / Anne Maria Nicholson.
My enemy's cradle / Sara Young.
Cross the river to home / Kaye Kelly.
Those who save us / Jenna Blum.
Diary of a girl in Changi : 1941-1945 / Sheila Allan.
The trespass / Barbara Ewing.
The heretic's daughter : a novel / Kathleen Kent.
When people matter most : vision driven leadership / Colin Prentice with Ian Hunter.
The kommandant's girl / Pam Jenoff.
Love in the time of cholera / Gabriel GarcÃa Márquez ; translated from the Spanish by Edith Grossman.
February
The birthday present / Barbara Vine.
The other queen / Philippa Gregory.
The girl of his dreams / Donna Leon.
Song yet sung / James McBride.
Alice Hartley's happiness / Philippa Gregory.
The sand castle / Rita Mae Brown.
Mister Pip / Lloyd Jones.
The darkness looking back / by Andrea Jutson.
March
The girl who played with fire/ Steig Larsson
The king's mistress / Emma Campion.
The girl on the landing / Paul Torday.
Access road / Maurice Gee.
April
The story of Danny Dunn/ Bryce Corteney
The book thief / Markus Zusak.
Eat, pray, love : one woman's search for everything across Italy, India, and Indonesia / Elizabeth Gilbert.
Unseen academicals / Terry Pratchett
Growing great marriages / Ian and Mary Grant.
Replenishing the Earth : the settler revolution and the rise of the Anglo-world, 1783-1939 / James Belich.
May
A taint in the blood / Dana Stabenow.
Delicious / Nicky Pellegrino.
The Italian wedding / Nicky Pellegrino.
I'm perfect, you're doomed : tales from a Jehovah's witness upbringing / Kyria Abrahams.
Julie and Julia : 365 days, 524 recipes, 1 tiny apartment kitchen : how one girl risked her marriage, her job, and her sanity to master the art of living / Julie Powell.
We two : Victoria and Albert: rulers, partners, rivals / Gillian Gill.
Bad science / Ben Goldacre.
June
Half broke horses : a true-life novel / Jeannette Walls.
Tu / Patricia Grace.
Sand in my shoes : war-time diaries of a WAAF / Joan Rice.
Colditz : the definitive history / Henry Chancellor.
The white queen / Philippa Gregory.
Educating boys : helping Kiwi boys to succeed at school / Michael Irwin.
The diary of a nobody / George and Weedon Grossmith
The graveyard book / Neil Gaiman
July
Silent in the grave / Deanna Raybourn.
Silent in the sanctuary : a Lady Julia Grey mystery / Deanna Raybourn.
Eat cake : a novel / Jeanne Ray.
The girl who kicked the hornet's nest / Stieg Larsson ; translated from the Swedish by Reg Keeland.
Wolf Hall / Hilary Mantel
August
Hobson's chance / Jenny Haworth.
Rifling through my drawers / Clarissa Dickson-Wright.
Ashes to dust / Yrsa Sigurdardottir ; translated from the Icelandic by Philip Roughton.
Six feet down under : memoirs of a New Zealand funeral director / Chris Mann.
Novel about my wife / Emily Perkins
September
The Einstein girl / Philip Sington.
Sweetwater Creek : a novel / Anne Rivers Siddons.
Last rituals : an Icelandic novel of secret symbols, medieval witchcraft, and modern murder / Yrsa Sigurdardottir ; translated from the Icelandic by Bernard Scudder.
Martyr / Rory Clements.
Empress Orchid / Anchee Min.
Day after night : a novel / Anita Diamant.
My stroke of insight : a brain scientist's personal journey / Jill Bolte Taylor.
The lacuna : a novel / Barbara Kingsolver.
October
Pride and prejudice and zombies : the classic Regency romance - now with ultraviolent zombie mayhem / by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
The good plain cook / Bethan Roberts.
Lands beyond the sea / Tamara McKinley.
Falling & laughing : the restoration of Edwyn Collins / Grace Maxwell.
Animal's people / Indra Sinha.
Lone Creek : a novel / Neil McMahon.
The English patient : a novel / Michael Ondaatje.
November
The redbreast / Jo Nesbo ; translated from the Norwegian by Don Bartlett
The optimists / Andrew Miller
The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks / Rebecca Skloot.
The road / Cormac McCarthy
December
The swan thieves / by Elizabeth Kostova
Someone knows my name : a novel / Lawrence Hill
Allons enfants: a New Zealand family in France / Linda Burgess
Total: 80
Best month = January with 15
Worst month = December with 3
Average books per month = 6.6
Last year I read a few more but 80ish seems to be standard for me.
New reads= 80
Non-fiction = 19
Fiction = 61
Can't be bothered categorising them into genre but a quick glance tells me my choices are a bit wider this year than in the past.
December reading round up | December Book
I didn't read much in December.
The swan thieves / by Elizabeth Kostova.
Psychiatrist Andrew Marlowe, devoted to his profession and the painting hobby he loves, has a solitary but ordered life. Renowned painter Robert Oliver attacks a canvas in the National Gallery of Art and becomes his patient. Desperate to understand the secret that torments the genius, he embarks on a journey.~ from the blurb
Some one recommended this one to me and I did enjoy it. There are several stories woven into the book and much about the strengths, weaknesses and variety of the human condition.
Someone knows my name : a novel / Lawrence Hill.
Dreaming daily of escaping her life of slavery in South Carolina and returning to her African home, slave Aminata Diallo is torn from her family when she is sold and thrown into the chaos of the Revolutionary War, during which she helps create a list of black people who have been honoured for their service to the king. ~ from the blurb
Horrors of the slave experience aside, I liked this book for the historical fiction and for the character development of the protagonist.
Allons enfants: a New Zealand family in France / Linda Burgess.
A biographical account of this family and their experiences living in France during the eighties. I found a lot that resonated with my experience as a young teen living in a small town in Germany.
March / Geraldine Brooks
New York : Viking, 2004.
ISBN: 9780143036661
Set on the front lines of the American Civil War. The main character, March, has been taken from Louisa May Alcott's " Little Women". He is the father who is away at war and who returns and needs to reassemble his shattered mind and reconnect with his family. ~ from the blurb
I think this book was probably my favourite of all the books we've read for the Book Circle this year. It gives a gritty, realistic treatment of a reluctant soldier and his relationships with his men, wife and contemporaries. I am fond of Little Women but it is a child's story and somewhat saccharine alongside this book about the Dad. I definitely recommend it.
The swan thieves / by Elizabeth Kostova.
Psychiatrist Andrew Marlowe, devoted to his profession and the painting hobby he loves, has a solitary but ordered life. Renowned painter Robert Oliver attacks a canvas in the National Gallery of Art and becomes his patient. Desperate to understand the secret that torments the genius, he embarks on a journey.~ from the blurb
Some one recommended this one to me and I did enjoy it. There are several stories woven into the book and much about the strengths, weaknesses and variety of the human condition.
Someone knows my name : a novel / Lawrence Hill.
Dreaming daily of escaping her life of slavery in South Carolina and returning to her African home, slave Aminata Diallo is torn from her family when she is sold and thrown into the chaos of the Revolutionary War, during which she helps create a list of black people who have been honoured for their service to the king. ~ from the blurb
Horrors of the slave experience aside, I liked this book for the historical fiction and for the character development of the protagonist.
Allons enfants: a New Zealand family in France / Linda Burgess.
A biographical account of this family and their experiences living in France during the eighties. I found a lot that resonated with my experience as a young teen living in a small town in Germany.
March / Geraldine Brooks
New York : Viking, 2004.
ISBN: 9780143036661
Set on the front lines of the American Civil War. The main character, March, has been taken from Louisa May Alcott's " Little Women". He is the father who is away at war and who returns and needs to reassemble his shattered mind and reconnect with his family. ~ from the blurb
I think this book was probably my favourite of all the books we've read for the Book Circle this year. It gives a gritty, realistic treatment of a reluctant soldier and his relationships with his men, wife and contemporaries. I am fond of Little Women but it is a child's story and somewhat saccharine alongside this book about the Dad. I definitely recommend it.
Monday, January 03, 2011
Day 10 #blog12daysxmas Making iced coffee
Making iced coffee
Originally uploaded by pdugmore2001.
We spent most of the day at the Botanic Gardens, sweltering in the heat so we needed something to cool off with.
Sunday, January 02, 2011
Day 9 #blog12daysxmas Lazy sunday
After church meeting and lunch at Mum's I came home to attack the vast crop of cucumbers we're accumulating. I'm making Bread & Butter Pickles.
We have quite a nursery of monarch's on our fence. They all seem to like this bit of real estate. We have 4 on this part (one outside the photo) and one actually travelled about 4 metres up the fence line to it's own little patch.
I hope we'll be quick enough to see them emerge.
We have quite a nursery of monarch's on our fence. They all seem to like this bit of real estate. We have 4 on this part (one outside the photo) and one actually travelled about 4 metres up the fence line to it's own little patch.
I hope we'll be quick enough to see them emerge.
Day 8 #blog12daysxmas In which we visit water gardens
It was a lovely day and we decided to visit Wright's Water Gardens in Patumahoe. DH has a new macro lens he is playing with so he hoped to get some action in the photography department. We took a picnic since the cafe was closed for New Year's Day.
The lotus flowers are out (they have pink and white ones), plus many other water lilies. I do love their luminous quality. One of these days I want to paint a triptych with them as a subject.
We also saw frogs in the pools near the entrance. Funnily enough I didn't notice them at first but as we waited for DH to try and capture some damselflies I suddenly noticed them! Just goes to show it is worth stopping, being quiet and still in such places instead of rushing about.
I'm participating in a Daily portrait challenge so I made DS take this one at 1.11pm on 1/1/2011 just for the record.
DD (and DS) got a bit fed up with it all eventually and claimed to be "totally bored". However, I managed to persuade DD to pose under this lotus leaf umbrella.
From a photographic point of view it was a successful day - DH has posted some results on his photostream if you'd like to see.
The lotus flowers are out (they have pink and white ones), plus many other water lilies. I do love their luminous quality. One of these days I want to paint a triptych with them as a subject.
We also saw frogs in the pools near the entrance. Funnily enough I didn't notice them at first but as we waited for DH to try and capture some damselflies I suddenly noticed them! Just goes to show it is worth stopping, being quiet and still in such places instead of rushing about.
I'm participating in a Daily portrait challenge so I made DS take this one at 1.11pm on 1/1/2011 just for the record.
DD (and DS) got a bit fed up with it all eventually and claimed to be "totally bored". However, I managed to persuade DD to pose under this lotus leaf umbrella.
From a photographic point of view it was a successful day - DH has posted some results on his photostream if you'd like to see.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Day 7 #blog12daysxmas In which water fights were had
By members of the family - DS has been agitating for a Big Purple Water Blaster from the Red Shed so today we went to see what was available. DH found one he liked too so the game was on!
DD escaping - she wasn't so keen.
The boys fight it out.
I joined in the fun (in my togs) too though my weapon was a bit pathethic - it had prostate problems some of the time.
Doing the last grocery shop of the year I saw that red capsicums are starting to come down in price so I got some to roast. To me, nothing screams summer more than the vegetables that come available at this time of year. This is one of my favourite dishes for summer.
Grease a roasting pan. Halve the capsicums and put some of the following in each of them:
 |
DD escaping - she wasn't so keen.
 |
The boys fight it out.
 |
I joined in the fun (in my togs) too though my weapon was a bit pathethic - it had prostate problems some of the time.
Doing the last grocery shop of the year I saw that red capsicums are starting to come down in price so I got some to roast. To me, nothing screams summer more than the vegetables that come available at this time of year. This is one of my favourite dishes for summer.
Grease a roasting pan. Halve the capsicums and put some of the following in each of them:
- a garlic clove
- olives
- capers
- anchovies
- basil
- dollop of olive oil
- feta cheese cube
- pesto
- tomato quarter or sundried tomatoes
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Day 6 #blog12daysxmas In which I make rum balls
The sad thing is I intended to make these on Christmas Eve to take up north with us. It never happened. The mixture has been sitting in the 'fridge until today. I need to invite some people around to help eat them!
I also did a scrapbooking layout - the first in about 6-8 months. Pretty sad that it was of DD's 3rd birthday - her 4th birthday is next week.
I'm a bit Meh about it but it will do to break the drought. I've got plans to do some 6x6's for Southern Cross Kids Camp and get them off to Trina.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Day 5 #blog12daysxmas In Which Purchases Are Made With Christmas Money
Santa kindly bought us "pictures of the Queen" or to be more exact, "pictures of Ernest Rutherford", (aka money) so we popped out today to exchange them for some Items of Desirability.
I bought myself a mug that I liked. ;) I also got a new ice cream scoop since I broke the old one last night serving up home made strawberry cheesecake ice cream. This one looks nice and sturdy. I also discovered that St Lukes has a little chocolate stall place (near Starbucks) that sells Schoc chocolate - a chocolatier that I have great admiration for.
I was given this Annabel Langbein book for Christmas too, so a nice little foodie haul here in this photo.
We also made arrangements to purchase a Big Girl's Bed (to be delivered after January 10). Yes, my baby is finally moving from the toddler bed into something more suitable for a growing girl. *sob* She turns 4 on the 7th.
I did not, however, manage to find a swim suit. I suppose it was a bit optimistic of me to think I could walk into a store and find one I liked. I like one piece suits and found one store that had nice ones but I had to walk away. Call me Scrooge but I can't bring myself to pay NZ$229.00 for a pair of togs!
I bought myself a mug that I liked. ;) I also got a new ice cream scoop since I broke the old one last night serving up home made strawberry cheesecake ice cream. This one looks nice and sturdy. I also discovered that St Lukes has a little chocolate stall place (near Starbucks) that sells Schoc chocolate - a chocolatier that I have great admiration for.
I was given this Annabel Langbein book for Christmas too, so a nice little foodie haul here in this photo.
We also made arrangements to purchase a Big Girl's Bed (to be delivered after January 10). Yes, my baby is finally moving from the toddler bed into something more suitable for a growing girl. *sob* She turns 4 on the 7th.
I did not, however, manage to find a swim suit. I suppose it was a bit optimistic of me to think I could walk into a store and find one I liked. I like one piece suits and found one store that had nice ones but I had to walk away. Call me Scrooge but I can't bring myself to pay NZ$229.00 for a pair of togs!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Day 4 #blog12daysxmas Garden bounty
This is what happens when you go away for 4 days and leave the beans just as they are about to be useful. They become enormous! I hope they are not too stringy.
Seven cucumbers and more on the plant... oh man.
Oh - and if you wish to see the first attempt by DH at taking photos of damselflies, he has posted one here on the AFN forum.
Seven cucumbers and more on the plant... oh man.
Oh - and if you wish to see the first attempt by DH at taking photos of damselflies, he has posted one here on the AFN forum.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Day 3 #blog12daysxmas
So I missed yesterday. Too bad. Tummies, tempers and tiredness got the victory over me. Thank goodness for new mercies each morning!
Movin' right along. We ventured down to the Quarry Gardens today so DH could practice with his macro lens. We were hoping for dragonflies & while some were observed they were the darting kind so too hard to capture. Oh boy those babies can fly! We did find a damselfly & a spider with 2 horns on his bum... Names and photos to come. (Blogging by iPad so no Sd card facility).
Considering heading out to find some smallish waves for the kids to try their Boogie boards.
The lurg is making the rounds of the house.
I have to say this weather (overcast, drizzle now & again) reminds me of the Christmas of my youth when in never seems to be fine for when we wanted to play with new water toys! Still, sunny in parts and we're on holiday so got to make the most of it.
Probably going to visit great aunties this evening.
Movin' right along. We ventured down to the Quarry Gardens today so DH could practice with his macro lens. We were hoping for dragonflies & while some were observed they were the darting kind so too hard to capture. Oh boy those babies can fly! We did find a damselfly & a spider with 2 horns on his bum... Names and photos to come. (Blogging by iPad so no Sd card facility).
Considering heading out to find some smallish waves for the kids to try their Boogie boards.
The lurg is making the rounds of the house.
I have to say this weather (overcast, drizzle now & again) reminds me of the Christmas of my youth when in never seems to be fine for when we wanted to play with new water toys! Still, sunny in parts and we're on holiday so got to make the most of it.
Probably going to visit great aunties this evening.
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