A Watery Footprint

Today I drove home through a downpour of rain, an occurrence that hasn't happened in many months. Although the rain gladly received today, won't have broken the drought, it will be helping to fill our rivers and streams again.

My daughter was given some ducks in the Spring last year, and when the little stream at the bottom of her property dried up, then her ducks walked off, searching for sustenance elsewhere.

Maybe now they might return, I hope so. I loved them, and their friendly Jemima Puddle duck faces.

When, I reached inside our letterbox later, I was surprised and delighted to find a lovely package with a Canadian postmark. Some beautiful botannical notecards, and a felted flower brooch from my blogging friend Mary. You are so kind and thoughtful Mary, I love these, thank you so much !

Aren't they beautiful?

This little pin is going to look lovely on my winter coat.

On our way down the North Island a couple of weeks ago, I tried to have Ian stop at book shops and knitting shops and of course fabric shops ( especially ones with Kaffe Fassett fabrics ! )

I tried very hard, but found that he was unwilling to stop at craft shops without any warning, or a preplanned visit.

He is pretty long suffering though, when it comes to my craft addictions, as I am with his tractor and farm equipment stops, and I did manage to have a visit to Nancy's Embroidery Shop in Wellington, and made a wonderful purchase on some beautiful Noro yarn.

I am knitting a winter coat with Noro Iro, from the book Knits to fit and flatter and I hope this coat will do exactly that. Being a chunky wool, it is knitting up fairly fast, although I have to be careful not to knit for too long, as the size of the needles and yarn is making my left hand very stiff and sore, hmm, I hope I am not developing anything that might hamper future knitting projects. !

Botannics

Here is Noa wearing her little sleepy suit last night.

It had been a long day, and we couldn't coax a smile from her, but I think she liked being wrapped in it's warmth. Thank you all so much for your great comments !

Last week, on the last day of our holiday we spent an hour walking around Wellington's Botanic Gardens.

This is the walk that runs alongside Tinakori Road.

A succulent garden that has recently developed.

I love visiting Wellington and I especially enjoy the public gardens there. I visited another favourite place in Wellington that day and I will save the telling for another post very soon.

Something for a Hobbit

Well, I am home again after ten days away in the North Island. We had a wonderful time catching up with friends and family and of course the highlight was the James Taylor and Carole King Concert in Auckland. I had to pinch myself that I was really there listening and seeing JT himself, after practically living out my life with his songs as the backdrop to everything I have experienced over the last forty years.

The driving long distances in the car became quite tedious, and I kept pushing on with the knitting of Noa's possum wrap. Today I have finally finished it, and have had to resort to trying it on Teddy as little Noa lives more than an hour's drive away and I won't be seeing her until tuesday. I did think that Teddy made a rather hobbit-like model for the wrap.....what do you think ?

I didn't enjoy knitting this very much and I think the reason for that is the rather unclear instructions...especially for the tie closure. I think I might remove the crochet cord tie and sew a button on instead, I shall see what Noa's Mum thinks.

However it is a beautifully soft and cosy garment and I hope Noa will enjoy her sleeps wrapped up in it.

Holiday

A very happy Easter to all of you. I hope this year has been full of fun times with family and friends.

I have been spending these last few days with my family, little ones and big ones.

and today I am packing a suitcase and sorting out the knitting and sewing projects I want to take with me...... fun, fun,fun !

Tomorrow we are on our way crossing the Cook Strait on the ferry, and driving up to Whangarei to see some friends and then the four of us are going to the James Taylor and Carole King concert on the Saturday night in Auckland.

The next day we drive back down the North Island, stopping for a couple of days in New Plymouth and then Wellington to visit the newly marrieds and Sarah.

I have been really looking forward to this for so long, but yesterday when I was having a little cuddle with Noa, I felt bereft at the thought of not seeing her for ten days.

Hopefully, when I return I will have the baby wrap finished, that I am making for her in possum wool, and then I will go mad with the camera. These first few weeks see such changes in growth and little familial baby expressions, she is sure to have changed yet again when I see her next. !

I shall be away from the blog for a few days, but I look forward to catching up with you all when I am home again.