Day light savings means more time in the garden

Do you put the clock back or put it forward??  I always say  I am looking FORWARD to Summer, and we go BACK to Winter.  That is how I remember which way every single thing in the house that has a clock on it gets changed, oh and then there is the car!!  Thankfully the phones, and computer did it all magically by themselves while I was still in the land of Nod.  Sunday was full of promise as we had a day with some sunshine, not a lot but we did have some.  TOF and I headed out to Bunnings so he could get his seed potatoes and I got some Gherkins, Cauliflowers, Broccoli's and Cabbage plants that TOF has planted in his patch next to his beloved spuds.  I mowed the lawn and then wandered about with my camera.

Beautiful Bulbs

Colour with Forget-me-not

Something pink and Gladiolas

Granny Bonnet

Pinks and Purples and the Tyre flourishing

And look at the Wheelbarrow garden!

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Today's words of wisdom.

Hope you all have enjoyed a relaxing weekend and were lucky enough to have something make you smile and even laugh out loud.

My babies got Inked today

Before we had our Max we had three miscarriages.  I can remember feeling like a total failure and thinking I would never be a mother, and we were almost going to buy some land and fill it with animals for me to mother.  This was a dark time in my life, enduring chromosome testing, and well meaning people telling me these babies just weren't meant to be, maybe next time.  As luck would have it we finally had our darling Max who we shared with two couples of good friends that were going through there own baby making dramas at the time.  Between Max and Jak we suffered another loss, but somehow this one wasn't as hard to deal with as we still had our baby boy.  I have always been convinced that these babies would have been girls, as my survivors are boys.  I am ever grateful and very happy to be the mum to my two gorgeous young men and know one day I shall be surrounded with grandchildren but I shall be called "Sue" or "Granna Sue" and I am going to have so much fun with these babies when they arrive!!  For a very long time I have wanting to get a Tattoo for all my children, so after drawing and doodling for what has felt like a life time I finally had it.  My Tattoo friend Jason gave my idea a few tweeks and this morning I got inked!!

Angel wings for my babies that are not in this world, then hearts to represent my lovely TOF and our two boys.  I am stoked beyond belief and it didn't hurt!!  I was so nervous before going, worrying that I might make a giant tit out of myself and cry or faint or something equally odd.  But no, piece of cake.  In fact such a piece of cake I had another tiny finger tattoo done as well.

On my photo taking finger so you all now exactly what to do when I am taking your photo!!

I love this quote, and it is for my babies, you never forget what you lose, believe me.

Sometimes all you need is some country air..

Today I headed out to Webberville!!  Sues place is about a 25 minute drive from my place heading west towards Raglan, a nice little drive it is too.  She told me bring a project along with me, I told her I am a project!!  Or is that a work in progress, not that much progress has been made of late!!  I chucked a couple of things in a big basket and was on my way to swan about in the paddocks with all her animals.

I had a pile of Macrame cotton that I thought could be used one way or another, so we embarked on a crochet lesson.  I have crocheted back in the day but the jargon of double chains, slipping and into the gap is all beyond me.  I am a visual person, a hands on learner, following written instructions is not for me.  Apparently I am making a bag and apparently I am going to finish it tonight!  After going around my chain circle twice it was already big enough to be a coaster, so I am thinking I may well be able to achieve the goal set for me!!

Clyde the adorable border collie has a passion for stalking other animals, and today he was doing it to Jinx the cat.  Jinx won with a sharp twak to his head, blood was drawn and the game was over!! Smug looking cat well pleased with that result.


The two gorgeous chickens whose names escape me, maybe they don't have names, and Tiger was napping in the vege garden.  After lunch we went for a wander around the Estate that is Webberville, mooching with the farm animals and taking in that good country air.  Total bliss!

The goats are hilarious fun.  I like to bleat at them to make them reply, I am good at my animal noises, and there is a variety of sounds that emit from this bunch of ladies.  They follow you around the paddocks especially if you have a bucket of feed, and they do enjoy a rub between their horns.

Cara and Isobel are such sweet girls, and Isobel was enjoying a bit of lovin' in the paddock.  Cows have such beautiful eyes and fabulous long lashes.

The Spring bulbs are bloomin' gorgeous!!

Beautiful Clyde.

Nessie of Karakariki, box hedging, farm fences and Mr Duck.

A great spot to sit and contemplate the meaning of life.

Max and Mum.

What a view from the letter box!!

Country colour.

And a big shout out to lovely gently winding country roads surrounded in lush Waikato pastures.  The sky was a mixture of doom and gloom, all very picturesque.

Thank you Sue babe for a lovely city break you provided, and lunch, and my crochet lesson.  

Today's words of wisdom.

How can you lose something you do not have??

Finally the Americas Cup is over and sadly we lost, but I say we didn't lose the Cup because we didn't even have it!!!  Well done lads for trying to compete on an uneven playing field with your opposition having a bottomless pit of money to dip into. 

 

So life will go back to normal in the morning, no more watching on the TV as our lads battle in more ways than one. I salute the kiwi team with a lovely cuppa!!  And might I add, I did not dress in mourning colours, I went for colour and embraced the day.  I went to work for a couple of hours and did what was required and then weaved my way around some of my favourite op shops while heading for home.  What did I find I hear you ask, well sit back and feast your eyes on this little lot!!

 

These were all only $2.50 each from the Hospice Shop.

I love the dress and cannot wait for summer!!

  

On the left, the skirt which has a ruffle part on the back and the Anna Stretton Jeans both came from the Salvation Army shop and $7 each.  The skirt in the middle is actually a really bright blue and long, the cute as shirred checkered dress, and the floral top all came from Look Smart and all only $4 each. 

The book is for my sister, the old cake tin will be home to my buttons and the little light house will be for my incense cones, the smoke coming out of the windows will be awesome.  Oh and the basket was only $2 and really, can a girl have too many baskets?  I think not!!

These two things were destined for the $2 bin at my Monday job.  The cardy has "Sample" written inside it and the dress needs a little repair on the shoulder.

This I found in two parts on two different days but in the same shop.  The bit on the left I got first and thought Sue W would love it as she has a Dragonfly Fetish going on.  Today I found the mug and now it all makes sense.  I may well deliver it to her tomorrow!

After getting home and then doing a grocery speed shop, I got out in my garden.  Pleased to report my seeds are starting to pop their little heads out of the soil.  I am so proud of them all.

Tulips and Granny Bonnets.

And of course there is always time for a pose down in the garden with the pets!

Today's little gem!!! 

So glad you can choose your friends...

...and I have some very dear friends that I have known for a long time.  Like my dear friend Louise whom I met through my sister Helen when we were at High School.  I like to call her Lou-lou-belle!!  She was down in the Tron today to do her daughterly duty of visiting her mother, a task I am not very good at performing myself but that is a whole other story.  Once her duty call was done she headed to mine!!  We were thinking of doing the op shops but ended up just chilling out and chatting. It was perfectly lovely as always!!

Darling Louise knitted these gorgeous socks for my 50th birthday.  She made me a Frida Doll which I bragged about in a previous post, and I am blessed to have other gorgeous hand made gifts from her.  Her blog can be found here where you can view for yourself some of the beautiful things this talented lady creates.

Today she arrived armed with a bucket full of Auckland greens for the girls and another selection of goodies for me.

I feel loved and horribly spoilt!!

Gorgeous crocheted pot mitts, a delightful crocheted basket and another jar of Honey.  Needless to say I sent her home with Eggs, Walnuts, Onions and Red Pepper Jelly, and some plants from my garden.  This is what good friends are all about, enjoying each others company and sharing what we can, be that advise, a caring shoulder, a good laugh or produce/crafts.  I am truly grateful for the variety of lovely friends that I have, be they the life long ones, the recent ones and even my blogging buddies.  After all good friends are what makes the world go round and you all thought it was something to do with "Space and Axsis's etc"!!

These three plants I grabbed from Habitat yesterday while out and about in the wet and wild weather.  All $3 each and lovingly grown by some sweet elderly people that pot them up and donate to Habitat for Humanity to sell.  I love Bluebells, and the tall one is called something like Ixias or Spixias??  The Mint will be planted in a huge pot to contain it from taking over the garden and it is for TOF as he loves a bit of mint with his new potatoes, he is Irish after all!!  I need to get a Basil plant for my garden, last year I grew it in a pot on the deck.  Smells devine!!

Today this pattern arrived in the post that I bought off trade me.  I cannot wait to have a crack at making the Chicken bag!!  I have a few more treasures due to arrive this week from another wee spend on Trade Me, quite exciting.  I like getting mail, especially stuff that doesn't have a window on it!!

Half way through the working week today.  So glad I have Wednesdays off.  I am not designed to be a full time worker, I know my limits!!  And I love my garden and mooching about far too much, I call it my life balance!

Some wise words to follow:

Working out my green fingers.

I try to grow most of my plants from seeds saved or exchanged, seedlings from mine and friends gardens, and cuttings, but when there is a good deal to be had I am in.  On Friday I managed to get some plants to start my salad garden, punnets of six for $2.50 each, and the plan was to get them into the soil over the weekend.  I started on Saturday in between the showers of rain and finished this morning.  Now all they need is some Sunshine, so if you are listening Sunshine, you are welcome in my garden NOW!!

I have planted Coriander, Parsley, Lettuces and Spring Onions in between the Fennel and the Chives and covered them with a chicken netting cloche.  The box garden now has Capsicums under old bottles with Spring Onions for company, and Sweet Peas hopefully will be popping up behind them all.  Last plot to be planted has a row of Celery, with a row of Silver-beet in front of it and then Beetroot in front, this now is protected from the girls with a chicken netting cloche, so they can still have there much loved wander and scratch around in the back yard.  The Tomatoes, Corn and Sugar Snap Peas that I am growing from seeds will end up in TOFs  garden along with his usual crop of spuds and other greenery!!

Red Tulip

Yellow Tulip

With my Tulips starting to bloom it reminds me that I should head to the Hamilton Gardens as they always have an amazing display of Tulips this time of the year which also means the Dutch Festival should be on, hopefully I haven't missed it.

At least the flowers are enjoying the rain, and we have had plenty of it over night, with a side serving of Thunder!!

Well it is Sunday and there are no plans around here, it has been a lovely quiet weekend and TOF is busy baking up a storm in the kitchen.  When he has finished I need to bake Oscar some dog biscuits and that is it.  

Hope your weekend has been an enjoyable one.

Seven signs of aging

It fascinates me the amount of beauty products that are available that claim to help with the seven signs of aging.  My seven signs, (and believe me there are plenty more I could have added to my list) cannot all be helped by something in one pot.  I need a lot more help!!

ONE: My eyes!  They are still blue, and that is about it.  I now have to lubricate them with eye drops and require ready readers which are stashed all around the house, in my handbag, and glove box of my car.  My arms are no longer long enough and the small print seems to have got smaller, how is this possible??  But I am glad to say, I can still see and I don't miss much!!

TWO:  My ears!! My once cute girlish ears seem to be getting longer, I no longer hear everything and now use the words "pardon" and "what" more than swear words!!  Hard to believe but almost true.  My piercings are no longer sweet little holes but small slits, and I have a constant ringing.  But I can still hear and probably shouldn't have owned a walkman with headphones jammed in my ears (but what did my parents know)!!

THREE:  My skin!! I do not mind my wrinkles to me they are my rings of life just like a tree has but I wear them on the outside instead and proudly.  I have laughter lines not frown lines.  I have hand creams like my ready readers, everywhere!!!  I have lip balms and moisturises.  I bruise easily and bleed faster when I knock my skin.  But my skin is still managing to hold all my insides inside!!

FOUR:  Maintenance!!  My mother never told me about the facial hair that appears (Epic fail there mum!!).  So it is plucking, and waxing and shaving to contain this new stage of hair growth.  All I hope is that if  I am ever  in a coma some nice nurse will rid me of my pending beard and mustache!!

FIVE:  My Joints!!  I no longer roll and smoke but ache!!  I have knackered knees that click and grind and arthritis in my hands.  But I can still walk and use my hands even tho TOF is on jar opening duties now.  I massage fragrant oils into said parts of my body to help and it makes me smell good too!!

SIX:  Sensible stuff!!  Like shoes, for height I now do wedges not heels.  I trip over enough on the flat!!  No longer do I own push up or half cup bras, bikini or candy floss type underwear.  My bits  need support now, so full briefs (how can a brief be full?) and big girls bras, full cup and wired!!  My handbags are of a size to house all the essentials I seem to take with me, as shown above.  I couldn't possibly tuck all this into my bra when out like the younger girls do today!!

SEVEN:  My super powers!!  I no longer have eyes in the back of my head!!  I cannot hear around corners and into other rooms.  I cannot jump or run without feeling the need to have a nature stop. I cannot fool my lads anymore with my fabulous stories!!  But......

... I have and use technology which to me proves I still have a brain and an active mind!!  I also know my wit is as sharp as a tack, that my attitude to life is so much calmer and relaxed (that could be the meds from my Doctor, thanks Dr V), and that I am very very comfortable in my aging body that has served me well for 51 years.  I intend to be around to see in the ton, and then I shall haunt my family, it only seems fare!!