Where Your Left Hand Rests

Today, a book of poems by Fiona Kidman.

Beautifully illustrated with images of fabrics from Victorian Gilt antique collectibles and endpapers from the Alexander Turnbull Library Collection.

These poems are all about the author's maternal ancestors, their lives and her own. Some she has composed after reading some old letters of her grandparent's and other relatives, and some of the poems were written whilst on her stay in France, when she was the Katherine Mansfield Fellow.

It is a beautiful book and one that I know I will dip into many times, before I turn out the light on my bedside table.

Feeling Happy

Today, twenty eight years ago I gave birth to our second daughter.....Happy Birthday Tamsin.!

I was just thinking this morning that those years seem like days away sometimes, and in my mind I am back there in my twenties proudly holding my new baby and drinking in the sweet smell of her.

Now, I am holding her precious babies...strange, but great feelings.

This is me with Noa, just a few minutes old.

The passing of time is like a fast train, like the Eurostar, whizzing by before you have barely seen it go past, and other times is just like an old steam train puffing sedately into the station to stop with a sigh.

This is a song that makes me happy today, I love these french guys ! Nothing to do with birthdays or babies, totally unrelated to the post, but it makes me feel good every time I hear it.

Noro Iro

From the book 'Knits to Fit and Flatter' I present 'Great Lengths Coat'. I used the yarn Noro Iro, which is a chunky weight wool/silk mix.

I am not sure about the' flattering ' aspect to this knit, because the wool is bulky, the sleeves ribbed AND self striping pattern...all combined together, make me feel tubby, especially the arms, BUT it is very warm and the perfect thing for the next couple of months.

and I am very pleased to have finished it.

Winter Sweet and Sunlight

I planted a row of lime trees today and was told ' stamp them in really well with a heavy tread,' so the roots are firm in the ground and they remain upright when the Spring winds might buffet them.

We have been extending our orchard of feijoas and limes, and I was thinking as I knelt down beside each tree to spread some soil around it's roots, that on a brilliantly sunny day in the middle of winter it is an absolute joy to be outside.

The air is fresh and and fragrant with the perfume of the Winter Sweet bush that grows outside the bedroom window, and each year becomes a little larger than before.

And of course, Phoebe and Fern are Sweetness and Sunlight personified.

Fern's Quilt

Fern is staying the weekend with us, and tonight I finished sewing her quilt.

A daytime photo would have been nice, but bedtime calls.

June Tunes

Things have been a little crazy around here lately, and Life has been much busier than usual. I haven't spent much time at home, but I have been spending a lot of time with my violin tucked under my chin.

Our concert was a huge success..a sellout, and we have now begun rehearsing for the Mid -Winter Festival concert on the 10th July. We are playing 22 James Bond Movie tunes and have some well known Kiwi vocalists to sing some of the favourites.

Take a look here...this is Tim Beveridge doing the first number.

Running alongside rehearsals for this I am also in a local production of Chess, and I have started up a String Quartet with some friends from our Orchestra.....just for fun, when we can fit in a free evening.

I have my sewing machine set up on the kitchen table, and in between cooking and practise, I am finding some time to finish a quilt for a little granddaughter.

Hopefully next week, I will have something for Fern to wrap around herself, as the June winter days are closing in.