Highlights of my Week

Flowers from my late summer garden

it has been a long dry, hot summer

with very little rain.

However three days ago the Heavens opened

I wanted to race outside and do a little dance!!!

Yea!

This is Red beach on the
Whangaparoa Peninsula 
about an hour north of Auckland.
I took this photo on the edge of the cliff
where one of my friends has a beach house.

Summer means BBQ's
and one of the best things is Sweetcorn on the barbie!

My favourite summer tea is
Twinings New Zealand Earl Grey.
I drink my tea without milk or sugar
so I like it weak and this blend is perfect for me.

I've been wanting this dog for as long as I can remember
well not this particular one....
but a wire haired terrier.
I met him while I was walking through the park
however his mother had a tight hold on his lead
otherwise
I'm sure I could have persuaded him to come home with me!
NO - honestly I'm not a dog snatcher!
but all the same I would loved to have picked him up and run home with him.
A piece of advice - lock up your dogs!!!


I'm joining Amy for Five on Friday
Congratulations Amy on "Fives" first birthday!
and
Eileen for Saturday's Critters

Thank you so much for your visits

Take care and
be kind to one another


à bientôt


Shane

To market, to market, to buy....

To market, to market
to buy a fat pig delicious home grown goodies....
Home again, home again
Jiggety jig!!!

When my dear friend Carol was out from the UK
in May last year
we visited the Matakana Market
which is an hours drive north of Auckland.

It was late Autumn so the pumpkins and other earthy vegetables
were at their best.

Are you aware that most people in the UK and France
think of pumpkins only as animal fodder?
 Kiwis on the other hand can't imagine
the quintessential Sunday roast of
lamb, beef or chicken without roasted pumpkin and potatoes!

Are you a pumpkin eater like me?
I know my North American friends are pumpkin lovers!
If you have a favourite pumpkin recipe
would you like to share it with me?
You can tell me here when you comment and
then email the recipe and I will send
you one of my favourites in return!

The crepes here are delicious
but the queue was far too long for us to wait
so we headed off to the coffee stall!

Some enterprising girls have set up a
dog minding stall
so visitors can do their shopping in peace.

It's a marvellous idea, as the day we were there
the market was unbelievably crowded
 wall to wall people
and I'm sure the dogs enjoyed their time out
(I wished I had been a doggy that day 
as I don't like crowds or queues)!

Their are some interesting shops to peruse in the village too
and naturally I spent a while in the bookshop.
Oh and there's a really good shoe shop too!

This week I'm joining

Eileen for Saturday Critters

and

Karen for Sunlit Sunday
please pop over and visit Karen's blog.
Karen is a volunteer for her local cat rescue group
and she is currently caring for the beautiful Purl
whom you'll meet when reading her blog!

I'm also joining
Judith for Mosaic Monday

thank you ladies for hosting your lovely memes.

Take care and
be kind to one another

à bientôt



Shane

Marche par la mer à St Heliers - and Portuguese Tarts!!

Our doggie friend Floss and her shadow!

A friend and I walk almost every day.

Sometimes we have woolly friends

to walk with us as my friend

often has dogs to stay

when her friends go on trips overseas.

Walks with doggie friends

are much, much more fun!

Their enjoyment knows no bounds

and even on the coldest, wettest days

they are always enthusiastic

to head out the door!

Today is perfect "walkies" weather,

crisp and clear

with not a cloud in the sky,

and the harbour was as calm as

a mill pond.

Our walk was along the waterfront

of St Heliers, a pretty

seaside village in Auckland.

Rangitoto Island is in the background,

it is an extinct volcano

in the harbour,

and a great landmark for all

Aucklanders!

The village shops are just

off the main waterfront road.

There are many lovely

restaurants and cafes,

and shops of all kinds plus

a local library.

Looking towards the Kohimarama

another seaside village.

The dogs love running on the sand

and meeting other doggie friends

along the way.

Noses are always down searching for

interesting smells

and hints of who has been

on the beach before them!

On our way home

we stop at 'The Store'

it's renowned for excellent coffee -

there's always a queue here,

which to me is the sign

of something good and

worthwhile waiting for....

They also have the most delicious pastries.

Today we tried their

Portuguese tarts - so yummy.

Just as well we don't do this waterfront

walk every day

there are just too many

temptations!

My dear walking companions -

one human and two canine!!!

We stopped at a friend's apartment

to drink our coffee and have a chat -

enjoyed on her balcony

overlooking the harbour.

Come back tomorrow and I'll

share my friend's recipe for

Portuguese tarts -

they are "to die for"!!!!

Interesting blogs

I've visited this week include:

(1) my friend Patty of Magpies Nest

http://bitze.wordpress.com/

she is an artist whose work I admire

and she is having a giveaway!

(2) Laura of Decore to Adore

http://decortoadore.blogspot.com/

I love Laura's interesting blog

and she has great links to

Prince Albert's marriage

in Monaco.

Take care,

be kind to one another and

"love life".

Thank you for visiting my blog

I really love meeting each

and every one of you.

hugs

Shane x