Gathering the Moments - August 2014

August was a very busy month working....

but a quiet one in other ways

with some enjoyable weekend moments to remember.
We had some of our coldest winter days
so there were many weekend days
staying at home and keeping warm
and enjoying hot soups and hearty casseroles!

A special photo arrived from my family in France

lighting candles for us in Church.

We enjoyed several meals with friends
to watch the All Black vs The Wallabies
Bledisloe Cup rugby games.
Yea!!! The New Zealand All Blacks have retained the cup
for the 12th year in a row! 
We're so proud of our team!

For a long time now I've been interested in 
patchwork and quilting.
This month I had my first class
with Robyn the owner of Patchwork Passion.
Now I'm hooked on English Paper Piecing! 

I'm joining Cheryl of Thinking about Home for

Gathering the Moments

Thank you Cheryl for hosting

I always look forward to seeing what you

and others have been up to during the month.
I'm sorry I'm arriving late to your party.

Thank you to my dear friends who visit

I'm trying to visit you over the week.

Take care and

be kind to one another

Merci à bientôt

Shane x

Gathering the Moments - July

Most of my moments during July were filled with

long days at work, however I got out and about

most weekends.

The best part about July was when
friends of mine visited my family in France!

It was wonderful to get some first hand news
on their return and see new photos...
oh how those three girls have grown.

In the centre of the above mosaic you can see
 my youngest grandie 
and on the right the butterfly wings I sent her.

...and I also popped into my fave patchwork shop and bought

a couple of fat quarters.

I'm a fabricholic - is there such a word?!

We went up north one weekend for a lovely wedding.

My husband is still beavering away restoring the boat.

There was some baking and of course a few walks.

I sometimes buy veges at a market garden nearby.

Hardly a month goes by when I don't visit
the garden centre - I'm addicted to them
and they're always good for a photo!
Lobelia and sweet Heartsease in my garden pots.

I'm joining Cheryl for her monthly meme

Gathering the Moments

why don't you join us and show us what you've

done in July!

Take care and

be kind to one another 

  Merci à bientôt

Shane x

Gathering the Moments - May

May is all about birthdays in our embroidery group

as Rosie, Thelma and Mary

all have their special day!

Early in May we had lunch at La Forchette at St Heliers

to celebrate Rosie's special milestone birthday.

La Forchette is a french restaurant/cafe 

where most of the staff appear to be french, 

they have french accents

so that gives it an authentic french feel!

I think most of them are here

on a working holiday while seeing the world.

Photographing moments at home during May.

I've enjoyed watching Autumn come and go in my garden

and observing the way the light changes both inside and out.

These last images are from our embroidery

day at Mary's.

Good company, delicious food and

lots of interesting chit chat

together with some embroidery of course,

make for a great day with friends!

I'm joining Cheryl for her monthly meme

Gathering the Moments here 

we would love you to join us and

share your May moments too!

I don't want you to miss out on Vicki's
amazing GIVEAWAY here 
you have until 21st June to enter.

She is giving away her Woodland nest above
it even has the little eggs nestled into the soft fibres!

Vicki also called on her talented and artistic friends
to include some of their pieces
to make this a very special Giveaway.
I would love all of my special bloggy pals
to have the opportunity to visit Vicki's blog
2 BAGS FULL
and read her story and enter her Giveaway.

BONNE CHANCE!

Take care and

be kind to one another

  Merci à bientôt

Shane x

Gathering the moments - APRIL 2014

This year is moving far too fast for me!

I've reached that stage in life
where I'm quite happy for time to stand still at times
so I can capture and fully enjoy the
very special moments
that make up the rhythm of life.
 I want to commit these moments to memory forever
so in years to come I can look back and recall
I remember when..... 

It was a month of of seasonal happenings.
We had Easter - our most important feast
in the Church's year
celebrating the Resurrection of
Christ our Saviour.

Then on 25th April - Anzac Day

commemorating the soldiers of the

Australian and New Zealand Army Corps

who fought in WW1 and WW2

side by side

in far away lands

for God, King and Country.

I'm linking to Cheryl of Thinking About Home

for her monthly meme

Gathering the Moments

Wishing you all a very happy month of May.

Take care and

be kind to one another

  Merci à bientôt

Shane x

'Seamist'

We bought this old classic launch last year

and my husband 'The Yachtie'  is restoring it...

a labour of love!

The interior has been ripped out and he is

more or less starting from scratch!

We know the hull has 'good bones'

so she was worth saving.

She will be re-launched pre Christmas 2014

in time for Summer cruising!

Gathering the Moments - March

March has flown by in a flash - quite scarey really.

Because I've been working full time

there just haven't been enough hours in the day!

I'm finding it hard to remember what I've done -

not many social occasions as you can see!

However starting at the top left, we had a darling

little 3 year old called Alex pop in for a visit -

her Daddy is our Production Manager at work.
She was very interested in everything in the office
and happily played with some paper and felts!

I won the beautiful peace angel giveaway on Julies blog.

The cute little picnic scene was Julie's card

and the Gardener's Soap was a gift from her too!

Thank you again dear Julie!

We walked past 'Soul' restaurant on our way

to the boat that took us out on the harbour,
a very sad day as it was the memorial
service for Cheryl, 39 year old daughter
of my friend Ruth
who lost her six year battle to cancer.

On a lighter note the following Saturday
my friend Thelma and I had lunch at a great

french cafe in Devonport.

I made a simple pasta dish with the orecchiette

for dinner one night and forgot to photograph it!!

Katie at work on St Patrick's Day

when we all wore green.

A board in the french cafe

cute little cottages in Devonport

our dinghy in the shed where

my husband is restoring our old classic launch!

 Other things happened but my camera was at home!

 

I'm joining Cheryl for her monthly party

Gathering the Moments 

maybe you would like to join us and

show us what you've been doing in March!
Thank you Cheryl for hosting
your party where we can look back
and see what happened to the month that was!

Wishing you a very happy week

with some warm Spring weather for my friends

in the Northern Hemisphere

I get the feeling

enough is enough!!!

 Take care and be kind to one another

   Merci à bientôt

 

♥ Shane ♥

Gathering the Moments from January 2014

 Click here for my Grow Your Blog party post.

I'm joining Cheryl of

Thinking About Home

for her new monthly link-up

Gathering the Moments - a Month in Pictures.

January

in New Zealand

spells warm days and gentle breezes

a time to make the most of being outdoors

enjoying our summertime pursuits.

Auckland "the City of Sails"

(so named because we are passionate about sailing)

is a coastal city with the beautiful

Hauraki Gulf

marine reserve on our doorstep.

 May be you would like to share

your memories of January with us!

Thank you Cheryl for hosting

I'll be out and about in February

capturing some moments to share.

Thank you all for visiting!

 

Merci à bientôt
be kind to one another!

 

♥ Shane ♥