This week an exciting parcel arrived from
our family in France
it included a box of very yummy
cherry liquor chocolates.
One of my work colleagues is being
married tomorrow.
The reception is in a marquee
set up on the tennis court
at her parents lifestyle block.
Last night I picked a huge bucket of
hydrangeas which will decorate the
entrance to the marquee.
Originally one of these bushes
was white and the other blue
but we are in late summer/early autumn now
and I love the way their colour changes
reflecting the season.
March 1st is the beginning of our
Bluff oyster season.
We had our first taste at the weekend
I served them au naturale on fresh grain bread
they were so yummy.
Are you an oyster lover like me?
My dear friend Jennie and her two children
Annie the labradoodle and Mollie her rescue cat
are moving out of Auckland to live in
another seaside city - Tauranga.
She stayed with us the night before she left.
As you can see by the photo above
Annie entertained us as she watched
Animal Planet!
She is hilarious and almost tries to get
inside the tv set!
I will miss the three of them so much.
My first Autumn/Winter plant catalogue
arrived in the mailbox last week.
One of the bulbs I wanted to order this year
is Muscari Peppermint, however I went on to
the website today only to find this one
is already sold out - I'm so disappointed.
I'll phone some nurseries over the
weekend and see if they have them available
fingers crossed I'll be in luck!
I'm joining Amy for Five on Friday
Mimi for Five Star Frou Frou
Tanya for Willy Nilly Friday
and
Cath for Friday Favourites
Thank you ladies for hosting!
Thank you my friends for your visits and comments during the week.
Take care and
be kind to one another
à bientôt
Shane
You can have all the oysters for yourself - but I might steal one of the cherry chocolates! Although a bunch of the hydrangeas would be better for me.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful moments.....like That doggie so sweet ....love from me Ria x
ReplyDeleteThe hydrangeas are certainly beautiful and will make the entrance for a marquee very pretty. I love the behaviour of pets reacting to the TV it really makes me smile.
ReplyDeleteDear Shane,
ReplyDeleteMon Cheri are great. They are always fresh. You only get them from September, after the cherry harvest, until May, then it´s over for a while. Only fresh.
Put them in the fridge, they taste much better then even when it´s warm outside.
The dog is lovely. My cat also likes watching TV. She always tries to catch everything which might comes out of it.
Oysters? I eat them but I prefer mussels.
Wish you a yummy,yummy oyster season and a beautiful weekend.
Barbara xx
I love how the magnificent hydrangea saves its best for last. Your pictures are lovely.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your chocolates.
I love how the magnificent hydrangea saves its best for last. Your pictures are lovely.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your chocolate.
Hi Shane, thank you for a mouth watering nostalgia making post, I love those chocolates, easy to buy here in France. We had our first oysters of the year on Sunday, fresh from the grower with some home made sunflower bread. I had a standard poodle the same colour as yours over 50 years ago, the photo really took me back to my childhood! Last of all I am looking forward to my hydrangeas getting started this spring, they are just a lot of sticks at the moment!
ReplyDeleteLooks cheri good,I can't wait for my hydrangeas to come to life, bluff oysters are new to me, Animal Planet...why of course, good luck with your plant search
ReplyDeleteNope, I am not an oyster lover. Sorry. But, give me a plate of scallops and I am one happy girl.
ReplyDeleteFive lovely things. The Hydrangeas are beautiful and just right for a wedding, I too love how they change colour and texture over their flowering season until they become almost paperlike:)
ReplyDeleteA wedding - what fun! The hydrangea blossoms will be beautiful at the entrance.
ReplyDeleteDon't eat all the chocolate at one sitting (which is exactly what I'd do!)
Great photos. The chocolates look yummy. Have a blessed day. Madeline
ReplyDeleteoh my goodness, molly is so cute, that is hilarious!! isn't it fun to get packages in the mail? especially when they contain yummy chocolate! the wedding sounds like it is being held at a great venue, have fun! i hope you are able to find what you wanted at another nursery! thank you for linking and enjoy your weekend!!
ReplyDeleteSounds like an interesting venue for the wedding. I do love how hydrangeas change at the end of their season. I enjoy oysters once in a while especially if served with a tasty sauce. That shot of Annie is so funny. We have a couple nieces and nephews who have chosen to own a labradoodle. They are so cute. Have a wonderful weekend toasting the bride and groom!
ReplyDeleteHallo, liebe Shane...
ReplyDeleteich habe mir wieder so einiges auf deinem Blog angeschaut, deine prächtigen Bilder..
Und deine Erlebnisse..wundervoll. Ich komme immer sehr gerne hier her.
Viel Spaß bei der Hochzeit.
Hier gibt es kaum Austern, und wenn es sie gibt, sind sie sehr teuer.
Ich mag sie nicht besonders gerne, ich esse lieber Garnelen.
Diese Mon Cherie-Pralinen kommen aus Deutschland, die gibt es hier bei mir überall in den Läden.
Ich liebe sie, und ich habe letzte Woche gleich 4 Stück verspeist :-)
Sie sind köstlich. Es gibt sie hier nur in der kalten Jahreszeit, im Sommer nicht mehr.
Dann muss man wieder auf die kalte Jahreszeit warten :-)
Ich beneide dich, ich würde auch gerne in deinem Land Neuseeland leben.
Es muss sehr schön sein.
Ich war vor vielen Jahren mal in Australien, in der Nähe von Sydney und in Adelaide.
Ich wäre am liebsten dort geblieben :-)
Ich muss jetzt mal nach meinem Brotteig gucken, der Teig muss 4-5 Std ruhen.
Ein sehr leckeres CHIA-Brot.
Ich wünsche dir ein wunderschönes Wochenende
Umarmung von Sophie xx
What a shame your friend is moving, hopefully it's not too far away. Good job you've got those yummy chocolates :-)
ReplyDeletewow so many happenings for you Shane! Enjoy those delicious chocolates. I love hydrangeas and hope to get a new one this spring since last winter killed my beloved bush of many years:(:( Annie is TOO funny! My Mom had a dog that was fixated on Animal Planet too. Must be so hard when friends move away. Enjoy the wedding and all your activities!
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely moments from your week! I hope that the wedding goes really well and that the newlyweds are very happy together! I don't think that I have ever eaten an oyster, the thought of the texture makes me nervous as I am very sensitive to food textures. Enjoy your chocolates! Thank you for joining Five On Friday, I hope that you have a good weekend! xx
ReplyDeleteI like roast or steamed oysters. Our hydrangeas change color depending on the phone of the soil.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous hydrangeas. I'll eat oysters any way you want to put them on the plate, LOL!! Raw, baked, fried, barbecued, florentined, creamed in soup, I don't care, just call me when they are ready.
ReplyDeleteShane, love the picture of Annie looking at the TV. Too cute! I hope you find the bulbs you are looking for! Have a lovely evening!
ReplyDeleteI know you will miss your friend. That pup is so funny watching Animal Planet! :-)
ReplyDeleteFive great things, here, Shane. Well, four. You can keep the oysters! The French candies look delicious. Hydrangeas are my among my favourite summer flowers and I love the way they change colour. It's almost as if they ripen.
ReplyDeleteHello Shane, it sounds like you had such a nice week. I love the hydrangeas and that dog is just too cute.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice weekend and week.
Julie
Lovely moments from your week, dear Shane.
ReplyDeleteI love the chocolates, :-) and your beautiful hydrangea bushes , such autumn colors they have.
Loosing dear friends, when they move is sad, but I hope you can keep in contact.
Oysters and I are not friends, but the bulb you are searching looks wonderful, good luck !!
Dorthe, XXOO
Chocolate, flowers, and a cute puppy -- lovely! Not sure about the oysters. I only have had them once, so maybe I didn't have good ones. I tried mussels last year and thought they were awful, but my friend who I was with told me they are normally much better. So I will have to give both another try.
ReplyDeleteHope you're having a good weekend Shane!
I would indulge in the chocolates with you but oysters I don't eat very often. The hydrangeas would be nice as an entrance flower.
ReplyDeleteDearest Shane,
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely parcel you received and yes, I've had lots of Mon Cheri bonbons in Europe.
Hilarious how Annie watches Animal Planet; that proves again how smart pets can be.
We had one cat that we had to turn the Animal Planet chanel on for him to watch while we were gone... He too couldn't get close enough to the action and LOVED it.
Sending you hugs,
Mariette
Love oysters but they need to be cooked. My mouth waters at the thought of Bluff oysters, so fat and juicy.Adore the poodle, you will miss your friend and the poodle, Tauranga is a nice place to visit. Your Liquers looked absolutely delectable. Have a great week.P.S. lovely Hydrangeas, really vintage looking.
ReplyDeleteI am sure the hydrangeas were just gorgeous for the wedding. Yes, we always miss special friends when they move away. Hope you found your Peppermint. Not a huge fan of oysters, but do try them occasionally. The chocolates just sound delicious, now I want some. I will look for them when I am in France in May.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you are having a wonderful week apart from saying farewell to a friend. We visited family this past week who are hoping to make NZ their home in a few years. I thought of you!
ReplyDeleteOh, those chocolates sound to die for!
Chocolate candies and cute little chocolate doggies - what fun!
ReplyDelete