Are you looking for a sign?

Did you think I have given up on my usual rounds of the local op shops.  Well I haven't I have just been busy with other things.  Then some days it just rains and I think, stuff it, and head home for the comfort of the great indoors.  But I managed to squeeze a visit into a couple while out doing things. At this time of the year it is slim pickings, or am I getting fussy? Or have I got enough stuff? NEVER!!  Soon people will be doing the change of season wardrobe change over so the shops will be full to overloading with treats.

BRING IT ON!!!

But make it soon please.

I found a pile of HELLO magazines which have been read from cover to cover over the weekend and are going back to Habitat on Monday to be sold again.  Mr 4 square is an iconic kiwi thing and this little tin will be good for storing things in, what things you ask? THINGS ok!  Nice big Blue clay pot for a shrub I have bought but don't know where I want it in my garden, so potted it will become until I decide.  Of course a Chicken themed linen tea towel, because, because.

Now I am fully aware I have no little people in my life but this gorgeous little hand knitted cardigan begged me to take it home for fear of some young mum throwing it in the washing machine on a hot wash!

Big took a fancy to drinking from the loo even though we have numerous bowls of fresh water on offer.  We now have a lid down policy in place.  TOF was worried Big might fall in and drown!!  Not a chance, Big is to clever for such things.

The Heir is having a month of work at the moment and we ended up having lunch in the car as it was raining, down at the lake.  The cheeky Sparrows were more than happy to eat food from my hand.  Mother duck was having fun keeping her young in line and the lame duck above managed to get around without me worrying.

Apart from the day being wet, it was bloody cold and extremely windy.  There were waves on the lake and the trees were getting battered.

Needless to say there were not many people out walking around the lake that day.

Meanwhile later in the week Big decided the Bird Bath was the perfect drinking place.  He walked across the Buxus hedge and balanced like a pro on the edge of the Bird Bath.

Unfortunately I can not put in place a lid down policy outside, so the BB has been cleaned and refilled.  Big will probably not drink it again.

Little injection of colour.

I found little Ms Autumn nesting in a box planter.  She make one hell of a fuss when you try to move her, sort of like a mini tantrum, melt down, call it what you want but she don't win.  I was rewarded with an egg, to go with all the others as the girls have got their egg production up and running again.

Big has no idea while we are all fussing over his choice of drinking bowls, he has that 'take a chill pill' look about him don't you think.

OMG we have the mother load of Lemons!!

A new to me dress bought off Trade Me.  I do love the hot pink and chartreuse green combo.

The Spare and I took the dogs for a River side walk on a lovely sunny afternoon.  Thankfully Oscar took a discreet comfort stop under some flax as I forgot the poo bags!

We followed the winding cobbled paths and took the odd cross country wander under big old pine trees.   The dogs love it, and so did I.

Skeleton leaves in the wild!!

A huge old Pine tree had fallen over and I reckon it would have gone all the way down to the river. 

Me and the Spare, just like TOF in photos, he is smiling on the inside.  Some of the houses on the River bank are lovely.  We saw one that had part of it's yard slipped away.

Sheba finally realised that the River was water when we got closer to it.  Poor Spare got pulled down to the edge where Sheba proceeded to dive in!!

Thankfully she found a spot that was easily accessible for dogs and humans.  She had a grand old time. 

With the day being warm she was all but dry by the time we got back to the car, PHEW!!  But she still stunk.

Note to self, next time take a towel for the dog.

There was a swing in this big old tree, tempted as I was to give it a go, I decided breaking a branch and ending up in the Waikato River was not really my idea of fun.

So nice to see a large flowering Kowhai tree among all the greenery.  But the colourful shrooms are what caught my eye.

I was trying to get a photo my retro Kiwiana Duffle bag I bought off Trade Me but my first attempt only got my hair!!  It is red vinyl and colourful linen.  Perfect for my drink bottle etc.

 I wonder who or what lives in that tree?

So have you been looking for a sign?

Maybe it is one of these!!

Wake up every morning and remind yourself how great it is to be alive.

Do you sweat the small stuff?  I used to, but as I have got older I have found that those things that are not in my control are not my things to worry about.  Things like the weather, bad shit around the world, and other people.  I only worry about me and mine, as in my little family, my close friends and those things I love.  How about you, what do you concern yourself with?  I think life is too short to get bent out of shape over things we cannot change, people we cannot change.  Selfish maybe, maybe not. I love a simple uncomplicated existence, I do not wish for anything more than to be happy and healthy.  My joys are are free, most seen usually through the lens of my camera.

 

This gorgeous little Church would make the most divine home on say an acre of land.  That would be a dream come true for me.  With a barn to house a house cow, my chickens, and a few other animals. My idea of bliss.

How glad am I that dreams  are free!!

This little Church is still in use you see so not likely to be up for grabs to be moved to that bit of dirt anytime soon.  But I can dream can't I? 

Of course this is only one of my many dreams.  There is of course World Peace and all that sort of stuff!!  Unlikely to ever happen but again, thankfully dreams are still free.

Baby lambs give me the warm fuzzies.  'Tis a sign that the good weather is approaching, apparently we are now in Spring!!! Bring it on I say.

The sun shone for a day or two,

I love the feeling of the sun on my face.

Big decided to drink from the girls bowl, he was mighty surprised when they joined him for a drink.  He isn't interested in them and they are not bothered by him.

 

Be it a Gerbera, a Haliabore, or Daisies on my lawn, all are worthy of being photographed and admired. 

 

My Creepers are nearly meeting in the middle above the swing seat.  It won't be too long now before the cushions come out and many pleasurable times will be spent enjoying outside in the garden. Remember the invitation to join me is an open one, no appointment needed.

 

My garden is coming alive, waking up and bursting into colour, the bees are getting busy and the girls are back laying.  What more could I want. 

 

Everyone should own chickens,

they are by far the best fun ever.

I cannot image not having any pets in my home.

 Especially a BIG smug cat!!

I had lots of catch up moments with some of my lovely friends of late.  There has been a lunch date, an afternoon/evening cuppa and a visit to a friend who was not well.  I took her Lemons and flowers from my garden.

Although Dawn was full of a head cold she was still busy in her studio.  These gorgeous treasures are a mix of Commission pieces and things to be sold, all still to be finished, but all looking amazing.

When taking photos of things she wanted to sell a skeleton leaf fell out of one of the pots.  Aren't skeleton leaves just the best!! Just how a Fairy Wing would look in my imagination but with colours.

 

My candle pot was ready to come home (I made this myself) so home it came.

I also came home with two large boxes of Pottery to be delivered to a Gallery in Raglan, 1. because Dawn was unwell and 2. I badly wanted to go to the beach.  So to the beach I went, and I took the Heir with me.

We grabbed a coffee and some lunch and headed to the beach. It was so good to sit in the sea breeze that was growing stronger all the time.  The weather was trying hard to brew something up.  Blue skies one way and dull stuff the other, both beautiful.

As the wind picked up the waves in the harbour started to chop up.  A lone Kingfisher sat on a rock in the low tide and we both were happy to see the Redness of a Pohutukawa flower, a sign of the good things to come.  With a trip to the wharf and a few of my favourite shops getting called into, we then embarked on the drive home.

 

How lucky am I at TOF and the lads do not mind stopping for me to take a photo of something that has caught my eye out the window of the moving car.  Like a fence lined in Daffodils.  Such a sight always reminds me of that poem by Wordsworth I read and loved when in my last year at school.  "I Wandered Lonely As a Cloud" ~ William Wordsworth ~ Read by Siân Phillips

Back home in the garden where you all know I love to spend my time, I noticed loads of Purple.

I found a Spider going about it's business so I left it to it's business.

I also noticed the return of Flies!!  Bugger!!  Well you have to take the good with that bad don't you.  I do wonder what the importance of flies is in the grand scheme of things tho.  Forget the flies and feast your eyes on the flowering Spring bulbs.  Freesias and Blue bells with Tulips not far behind.  Then I saw that my Poppies and Sweet Peas have self seeded much to my joy.

What doesn't bring my joy is TOFs new toy.  He knows that he is not allowed to go near my big trees or there will be BIG trouble.  This will make keeping his fruit trees trimmed nicely and I will be able to mulch the branches so all will be good unless he gets near my trees.

The trees are important for the birds, the bees, the butterflies and the bugs.  KEEP AWAY FROM THE TREES TOF!!!  Or the Mantis will get you once I have dealt to you.

Today was/is Fathers Day.  The lads showered TOF with gifts.  Ok maybe not showered him but the both turned up with Fishing Mags, lollies and vouchers, the stuff you give your Dad on Fathers Day.

TOF had been given two free tickets to a Rugby game happening today.  The Spare was supposed to be going but ended up changing his mind.  The Heir wasn't keen on going so it was left to me.  I love watching a good game of rugby but I do prefer to know someone playing.  Does it count if one of the players was a school friend of the Spares?  Or if the guy kicking the goals for our team is cute and I have seen him on TV?

Well I took my camera so I had something to do, and our team, Waikato won so all was good in the world of rugby for all the dads and sons that went to the game.

PHEW!!  What a good wifey I was by going in the rain and the cold.

Before I go,

I found this and thought it was worth sharing as I fully subscribe to it all.

And then there is this one.

And a bathroom selfie!

 

In my PJ's faffing about with my hair as you do when you have had a shower, then I thought stuff it, a bathroom selfie, and lets make it black and white.  So not as glamouress as you might think. All in the confined spaces of my tiny bathroom with my zig zag shower curtain behind me, SUCH STYLE!

 

Never look down on anybody unless you are helping them up.

Well the party is over, no more 21st to be had.  We had a bit of a do, a knees up, a partay for the Spare to celebrate him turning 21.  It was such a great night too.  He had so many friends there and we had a few of ours plus my sister and her family over from the beach.  I had to make a speech as TOF isn't a speaker, OMG I was bogging it.  No need to, it was fine, and I never have to make another speech again, so my speech making days are DONE!!

And they made me use a microphone! My audience laughed a few times so I must have been entertaining somewhere in my talk.  The venue was upstairs at our local tavern and it was excellent.  The bar staff on duty were amazing and the food was THE BEST!  Curtosey vans took the party goers into town, so with a quick clean up we were out of there by 1am. TOF and I then realised we hadn't had dinner, only a savoury so we did a detour through the golden arches of a drive through Mc Ds.

So my baby is all grown up now.  He has gone from baby bottles of milk to a yard glass full of beer!!  No more birthday parties to be had for the lads now, well ones that we put on that is.

The other day the Heir and I took the dogs for a walk in my favourite place, Tatua Arboretum.  He had never been there so it was nice to show him around.

It was a nice Sunny Winter day,

very mild and perfect for a wee wander.

I found the colourful things!

The Heir loved the Chickens and Roosters like me.

I went to a Book Fair the other day and found these ones.  I am half way through reading The Mistress Of Spices, and it is a lovely read.  The Scandinavian one is gorgeous of course. Who doesn't need a book on Happy Thoughts?  Probably me because my head is constantly full of them.  But I think Growing Old Disgracefully will be my new go to book, SO FUNNY!!

Does anyone know what this plant is called?  I snapped this off a shrub at a mate of the Heirs, the mate had no idea what it was.  All I know is it is gorgeous. Any ideas??

Biggles Mc Big Cat pretty much sums up the last few weeks for me.  It has been pretty busy and has had some up and down moments, but nothing I cannot handle and nothing to worry about. Sometimes you just have to put your big girl pants on and get stuck in!!

 I got a bit bored with my hair so it has gone back to Blonde today.

Quote from 'Happy Thoughts'

Freedom is not

worth having if it

does not include

the freedom to 

make mistakes.

and

Live joyfully and peacefully

knowing that right thoughts

and right efforts inevitably

bring about right results.