New Year's Memories

A deer in the meadow
stood still in the moonlit night
with the snow falling all around
before journeying on its way

It had become a tradition when our children were little to take a walk in the beautiful meadow which was adjacent to our property at our old home at Hawkshaw, on New Year's Eve. Our two older children still remember it and talk about it. However we no longer have access to the meadow anymore and further I am getting too old to wander through a snowy meadow at night anymore ( My walker would not work well on a snowy hillside) and besides we don't have any snow lying on the ground this year. ( I am thankful for that!)

A Happy New Year is wished for everyone. Welcome 2012. My memories are still fresh of new year's eve 2000., so anticipated by all.

Sunday Bridges, Scenic Sunday: New Zealand Bridge

My sis in law's travels, some where in New Zealand is this bridge.





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Flowers: Hydrangea

Hydrangeas is part of me. When I was a kid in Tropical Borneo, I lived with my Grandpa who left China in his 20s. He told us fairy tales the same way as western children read in books. He spoke of the hydrangea flower which is known as the embroidery ball flower. In this fairy tale love story, when a girl comes of age, she would stand in her balcony and throw her embroidered ball to the young men waiting down in the garden. The young man who catches the ball wins her hand. I joked with Grandpa, what if an ugly fat man catches up, Grandpa laughed, he said, "Why do you have to ruin an aged old story?"

Hydrangeas became reality when I came to live in Auckland. There are bushes everywhere. In two houses we stayed. I had the light blue hedges, and I had lots of stories.

A hint to gardeners, I was told if you put tins/can at the base of the plants, the iron rust will make the flowers become a deep colour. I remember reading John Michener's book Hawaii doing that for their pineapple plants.

Macro Flower Saturday
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Skywatch Friday: Omaha beach wild wet weather

Our weather forecast:
Auckland: New Year Eve: Periods of rain, possibly heavy, 23C. New Year Day: More rain, northeasterlies, 22C

It is a repeat of the day my son went surfing http://www.surfaris.co.nz/. I snapped this photo of the rescue tower. There was a braveheart family and the students learning to surf.

I wonder if anyone is out there today.



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filtered sunset light for Thursday's Challenge

a Christmas Eve sunset

The photo above filtered on photoshop leaving the shadows below and the light in the sky!

Thursday Challenge is a meme which offers a different theme each week. This week's theme is light. To join in on the fun you can find this meme at:http://www.spunwithtears.com/thursday.html

Be Natural Cereal

http://www.kiwimummyblogs.co.nz/

As part of the Kiwimummyblogs, I am invited to review products. I am given a sample to try out and I do not receive any financial returns. Here are some products that is part of a range which is free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives.

As a believer of being healthy, I think this is a wonderful concept. I dug into the first pack, and ate them. It was the Pink Lady Apple and Flame Raisin. I like the apple and the raisin. It wasn't too sweet and just to my liking. It also has pink apples which makes it a pretty appearance. I also ate a bar of Berry and Nut & Fruit Be Natural Trail Bar. It was good.

However, as I read the fine print, I read on each of the 3 packs of cereal, "May contend peanut." That put me off completely, when you manufacture a product, you either know or you don't know, not "May be" as is a phrase commonly used by teenagers. I work in a school, and am very aware of peanut allergies. Besides, I am allergic to peanuts myself. I do hope the manufacturer will heed this.

With my own peanut allergy issues, I gave the rest of the boxes, Cashew, Almond, Hazelnut & Coconut, and 5 Whole Grain Flakes and the Be Natural Trail Bars to 4 persons. They enjoyed eating it. One ate it dry because he likes his cereal crunchy.

Torque, Torque, Torque

Fields of Torques! I got a metal detector called a Treasure Seeker 3 for Christmas. Oh, the joy. However, no chance to trial it during the next week as I'm off with the bairns to drier and warmer climes.

Meanwhile, a Christmas miracle occurred.


Crystal Christmas tree, 22:00 hrs, 27/12/2011. 100 hours.

So I'll see you in 2012, and I wish you all the very best for the coming year.

PS. Small conundrum too. If I IPYPIASM in Essex, which country gets the points? And where do they bury the survivors?

nature fabric pillowcase

A most beautiful and delightful gift I received from my daughter was a small pillow and pillowcase she had made for me out of nature fabric, The fabric is bright and bold with colourful songbirds on it; such as red Cardinals, Blue birds, Blue Jays and Chickadees. She also has given me a swatch of the fabric. She says it is a Fabricville piece. I shall go looking for it as it is a 'must have' beauty that would warm the heart of any birdwatcher. What shall I make with it? I dunno know, I shall just enjoy gazing at its beauty.

Watery Wednesday: Watering Van

I was, as usual, rushing to my dental appointment, when I stopped outside the car park. It was closed and workmen were fixing the pipeline. Here, I capture a van sprinkling water on the car park, presmueably not to let the dust fly everywhere. Little did I realise it was an analogy of what was to follow.

I wish I could photograph the sprinkler my dentist uses in my mouth. It has a jet which shoots the debri after she had scrapped away the tarter. I have receding gums, and my dentist suggests that a Waterpik dental water jet might help and massage my gums. My Sister G had one and it is very good.

I still have all my pearlies, and I am very proud of them. But my gum is not doing its job in holding them tight. I used to have stress dreams, my tooth falls out one by one upon contact, and I am left with a toothless gum, and a fistfull full of perfect teeth. That is very fearful.



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A Christmas Eve Sunset for Mellow Yellow Monday

A most ,beautiful evening sunset viewed from our daughter's kitchen window at her home when we dined and visited on Christmas Eve. We had an enjoyable Christmas with our daughter's family, including two very excited grandchildren

Got pictures with yellow? Why not post them on the mellow yellow Monday meme by connecting to this link. http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/ Or You can click on its icon found on this page in the right column by finding it by scrolling down this page. If your plan is not to post a photo, then perhaps you will just want to enjoy all of the yellow contributions posted there

Baccarat: frypan

I watch cooking shows, no, I like the contests in the cooking show. I love watching how the chefs put their frying pan into the oven, and wonder if my own cheap frypan can be put in the same way.

Many many years ago, I was with a very good friend whom I had gone to school with when we were 6. She made the mistake, and the handle came off. The whole kitchen smelled of charred wood.

Santa had seen I was a good girl this year. He told my friend C and she gave me a Baccarat Ceramix , a ceramic non-stick frypan. Now I can be a Master Chef.

The best feature is, I can put the frypan into the oven. Thank you C. I love you.

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Ageing Hippy Christmas

Love and peace to you all.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Hoping to get back into posting more often starting in Jan.

a belated welcome to winter, goodbye autumn

Needles of pine quilt a soft warm blanket using
hushed hues of faded browns and yawning yellows
as Autumn prepares its winter bed

Northern vagabonds of wind and snow
whistle a warning lullaby of winter's approach
and Autumn falls asleep upon a soft white pillow

As a white blanket covers the land

Crystal Christmas Tree, and other fun

I present the incredible Crystal Christmas Tree, free with today's National Geographic Kids. Simply place the provided crystals into the small circular tray, add water, stir till dissolved and then assemble Christmas tree and place therein. Instructions state 'crystals will begin to form within 15 minutes, and the tree will be fully grown in one hour.'


Above shows tree after 1 hour (18.00hrs, 23/12/11)

Meanhile, I have finally got the Christmas decorations up.


I have Yule Logged.


Lovely things have arrived in the post.

From angryparsnip.

From Rachel Fenton.

And, unaware of the controversial new IPYPIASM points system, I persuaded a couple of small poets to engage in the second-greatest December festival ever because we, er, needed the points.

Rather sorry I did so now. You may gather, from their heartfelt outpourings, that I am not a mother who believes in Wiis, Nintendos, X-Boxes, i-Pods or i-Pads for eight-year olds. Of course, everybody else has them.

No idea what's so great about the swimming pool. Except they can't hear me when they're in there...
As I still have to do the Christmas Shopping tomorrow, I'm feeling a bit this. Again.

And look! Crystal Christmas tree, 01:00 hrs, 24/12/2011. 8 hours.

Sunday Bridges/scenic sunday: Thermal bridge

My sis in law and her husband visited New Zealand. They visited Geo thermal Rotorua area. I have not been to this particular area. But I don't know if I want to cross this bridge. The water could be hot because they say you can boil an egg there.


I think I will pass. I am brave but not reckless. Last year, a 10 year old boy dropped into one of those bubbling mud similar to these and died. In another case, a German tourist went in a thermal area and never came out again.

Otherwise if you obey the rules, the thermal lands are a wonderful place to visit. New Zealand is a small place with all the wonders of the world packed in two small islands.




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