Five on Friday

Last Saturday I felt the urge to bake as my son

was visiting us from down country.
My friend Mary is a great blogger
please pop over and meet her at
A Breath of Fresh Air

Mary often has interesting recipes to share.

Recently she made healthy Carrot & Raisin Muffins

 here

her recipe came from Mennonite Girls Can Cook here.

These muffins were a huge success - thank you dear Mary!

On Sunday we drove to Maraetai

 we stopped for a coffee at the local cafe

and sat and watched families having fun at the beach.

We drove home via Clevedon through beautiful farmland.

It's always good to escape the city for a few hours!

Apart from working this week

I've been busy planning our next trip

which includes time with my family in this

little village in France. I can't wait!

I'm leaving you with the little message above

so make the most of 

TODAY

you have only one chance - it won't happen again!

I'm linking to Amy for Five on Friday

Take care and

be kind to one another

Merci à bientôt 

Shane

Old friends - Best friends & Giveaway Winner Yeah!

A couple of weeks ago I had a phone call from

my dearest girlfriend - who lives in Brisbane.

She is coming to stay for 3 nights

I can't wait to see her again and have a catch up.

I've got lots planned for us to do!

Angela and I met at school when we were both 10

and that's over 60 years ago!
Then we went away to boarding school together!

I decided it's time to spruce up the guest room

in readiness for her visit.

My husband asked quizzically

'is the Queen coming' - no she's my best friend silly!

Ange was matron of honour at our wedding

45 years ago this April.

Boys just don't get it sometimes....

Not quite a 'make-over' but a few new things

to make her stay as comfortable as possible.

Wallace Cotton in Newmarket stock

beautiful cotton bed linen and I chose

two pairs of these self striped sheets.

I also bought some cans of Annie Sloan chalk paint

to paint the dressing table and nightstand.

Recently my friend Mary of the beautiful blog

A Breath of Fresh Air

posted about the re-do of her French table here.

The colour is French Linen which I'm painting

on a base of Old White and then rubbed over

with a coating of Soft Wax.

I'm sure most of you are familiar with this paint already.

I have been meaning to do it for ages and

what with working and spending lots of time in my garden

the DIY was put on the back burner yet again.

Thank you Mary, your post was the catalyst I needed

to get started!

I'l post photos next weekend hopefully.

We received some very sad news last night

one of our dear yachting friends has died at 68yrs.

It's so sad because we were looking forward to

sailing with Dave and his wife Mary once

our boat 'Seamist' is back in the water.

Life can change so unexpectedly.

Please keep this family in your prayers - thank you.

Now for my big announcement!

The winner of my Grow Your Blog Giveaway is 
#29 drawn by Random.org

Faye of The Blessed Hearth

Congratulations Faye, I am emailing you now!


A very big thank you to Vicki
for hosting 2015 Grow your Blog party!
Vicki you deserve a medal.
Thank you.

I'm joining Karen for Sunlit Sunday

and

Judith for Mosaic Monday

Thank you all for reading my blog 

and for your warm comments.

Take care and

be kind to one another

Merci à bientôt

Shane

Love makes the world go round.....

Faith

Hope

  and

Love

and the greatest

of these is

Love

Later this evening I will draw the winner of
my Giveaway for
Vicki's
Grow Your Blog Party.

Bonne chance everyone!

Take care and

be kind to one another

Merci à bientôt

Shane

Little Miss Maggie Rabbit

If you are visiting from Vicki's Grow Your Blog party

my post and giveaway are here
My giveaway (see the side bar) is open to everyone
even if you aren't involved in the party
you are very welcome to enter - no strings attached!
Please click on the link above and leave your comment
on that post, thank you!

Let me introduce you to

Miss Maggie Rabbit!

I made her for my youngest granddaughter's

third birthday in January.

Once I posted the parcel

I missed seeing her sitting on the couch,

she seemed to have become part of our family!

I have plans to make some friends

to keep Maggie company!

If you would like to make one too

you can buy the pattern or kit

from

Alicia of Posy Gets Cosy.

I'm linking to the following parties

Karen for Sunlit Sunday

Judith for Mosaic Monday

and

Stephanie for Roses of Inspiration.

Thank you for visiting and I so

appreciate your kind comments!

Take care and

be kind to one another

Merci à bientôt

Shane

My Favourite Tea Cups

If you are visiting from Vicki's Grow Your Blog party
my post and giveaway are here
My giveaway (see the side bar) is open to everyone
even if you aren't involved in the party
you are very welcome to enter - no strings attached!
Please click on the link above and leave your comment
on that post, thank you!

Today I'm sharing my beautiful blue

Spode Camille tea set 

handed down to me by my mother

you can see a previous post here

I'm joining Sandi's tea party at

Rose Chintz Cottage

to celebrate her five years of

Tea Time Tuesday!

I'm also joining my dear friend Stephanie
for her Tuesday party
Roses of Inspiration

and Jes for
The Art of Home Making Mondays

This is my favourite tea cup
because it holds so many

precious family memories of

time spent when friends popped in...

to enjoy a good old chin wag (chat)

catching up on each family's news

while sipping tea.

What could be nicer?!

Mother used these sweet cups every day

for both tea and coffee.

I've always loved the simple little flowers

that make up the pattern.

I can't remember what they are called...

maybe you can remind me!

A tea party wouldn't be any fun

without some friends to share

now would it?

I baked a gingerbread cake

and added crystallised ginger to the icing

which the bears love!

Do please pop over to
Sandi, Stephanie and Jes's blogs
and see what everyone is posting

it's fun!

 Thank you for visiting and I so

appreciate your kind comments!

Welcome

to my new followers.

Take care and

 be kind to one another

Merci à bientôt

Shane

In my summer garden

If you are visiting from Vicki's Grow Your Blog party
my post and giveaway are here
My giveaway (see the side bar) is open to everyone
even if you aren't involved in the party
you are very welcome to enter - no strings attached!

I have two 'Bridal Bouquet' hydrangeas

in my garden.

In the beginning of summer they are white

starting off with tight buds

which develop into huge white mop heads.

Wonderful for picking.

This year we have had a particularly hot and 

very dry summer in NZ

and the flower heads have taken on

such pretty pastel colours - I love them.

This has never happened before,

I am aware their colour is effected by the

pH of the soil.

I'll let you know what happens next year.

The hydrangea above is Macrophylla

which has a pretty colour variation as well.

Do you grow hydrangeas in your garden

if so which variety?

They seem to thrive anywhere in my garden

one can't ask more than that!

I'm joining Karen for Sunlit Sunday

and

Judith for Mosaic Monday

Take care and

be kind to one another

Merci à bientôt

Shane