R.I.P Cluckie

Clucky and Salem

Gorgeous Cluckie

Hanging out with the girls

Today we found our lovely bantam Cluckie dead in her nest.  It was quite upsetting.  We love our chickens.
She was one of our original three which I got the boys for easter two years ago as the boys can't have easter eggs.
Clucky was quite the character, she was the boss and let everybody know it.
She was a great mum also to three lovely boys, the Frizzles, who we had to sell for breeding as we can't have roosters here.
Rest in peace Cluckie, we love you!!!!!!!

Cluckie and her boys, The Frizzles

Autumn and Winter Pantries

I'm very pleased with my progress on my autumn, and now winter pantries.
I still have a little bit to do on the autumn, I have to go through my stash and find the right colours.
The winter pantry is nearly finished.  I love the cat in it.
Then next is Spring.

It is officially Autumn and nearly the end of daylight savings time.  Yay....now I can get the boys to bed at a decent hour as it will be dark nice and early.

Steam Trains and Ballet for Boys

The magnificent steam train

Salem dwarfed by the train

Getting ready to leave

On Saturday on our way into Wellington, we arrived at the Paraparaumu Station to be greeted by the sight of a glorious black steam train.  Steam was billowing everywhere and Salem just about had a heart attack when the whistle blew.  One day we will have to go on one of it's day excursions up the line.

The boys ballet class

When in Wellington, instead of going to Salem's usual ballet class, he went to two special boys only ballet classes run by the Young Friends of the Royal New Zealand Ballet.  The tutor, Vivencio Samblaceno Jr, really put the boys through their paces and they all looked tired and extremely sweaty when they had finished.  This class was for boys 9 years and older.  It is great for the boys to all get together as there are not many boy ballet dancers.  Salem had a great time.

Autumn Pantry

Autumn Pantry

This is my latest cross stitch project, the Autumn Pantry, another lovely design by Brooke Nolan from "Brookes Bookes". 
This is one of a series of four, which inclues a pantry for all of the seasons.  I will be doing all four designs on the one project.  Very cool!!!!
Autumn is taking hold over here in New Zealand,  is getting dark earlier and lighter later, cooler at night making it easier for the kids to sleep and not so hot during the day.
I love autumn!!!!!!
When I lived in Wellington city before having my boys, I used to run to work through the Botanical Gardens early in the morning, and in autumn there would be masses of leaves all over the pathways and I just loved running through them.  Leaves would go everywhere and I loved the "crunchy" sound they would make under foot.  Magical!!!!!

Pottery and Puppies



The Crown Lynn Exhibition at the City Gallery

On Saturday we had our usual excursion into Wellington and decided to go to see the Crown Lynn exhibition at the City Gallery in Civic Square.  I've been wanting to go for weeks and we had plenty of time to kill so off we went.

Salem's favourite tea set.

Crown Lynn is an iconic pottery brand and I think every person in New Zealand has at least a cup or two of Crown Lynn.  I've got a bit of a collection and am slowly adding to it.  Salem is now collecting some for himself after seeing the exhibition.

Salem has just bought this off 'Trade Me'.

They had an old film from the National Archives showing the old Crown Lynn factory and how they made the pottery, it was very cool.
Needless to say, we enjoyed seeing all the different types of pottery that they had on display.



Salem taking Puppy for a walk.

Afterwards we made our way to Martha's Pantry (where else????!!!!!!) and had our lunch.  It was very crowded with people having high teas, even the outside tables were taken.  So we joined a couple of the owners and their friend's on a table outside along with Puppy who became great friends.

Salem and Puppy

  We stayed a couple of hours as Salem doggy-sat Puppy and took her for walks and they had a lovely time hanging out together.  He was quite sad when we had to leave.  He should see her again next weekend.

I've finished my Winter House!!!!!



The Winter House

 Yay, I've finished my Winter House and am very pleased with it.  It is such a lovely design.
I cross stitched a snowflake in pearl white and then beaded it but it doesn't show up in the photo.  It's in where the poem is.  Looks good in 'real' life.

The poem is from.......

The Garden in Winter

Frosty-white and cold it lies

Underneath the fretful skies;

Snowflakes flutter where the red

Banners of the poppies spread,

And the drifts are wide and deep

Where the lilies fell asleep.

But the sunsets o'er it throw

Flame-like splendor, lucent glow,

And the moonshine makes it gleam

Like a wonderland of dream,

And the sharp winds all the day

Pipe and whistle shrilly gay.

Safe beneath the snowdrifts lie

Rainbow buds of by-and-by;

In the long, sweet days of spring

Music of bluebells shall ring,

And its faintly golden cup

Many a primrose will hold up.

Though the winds are keen and chill

Roses' hearts are beating still,

And the garden tranquilly

Dreams of happy hours to be­

In the summer days of blue

All its dreamings will come true.

By Lucy Maud Montgomery

Carrots and Tea Thyme

Cool Carrots

Salem is very pleased with his fist lot of carrots.  They were supposed to be purple heirloom carrots but turned out orange.  Never mind, they were yummy!!!!
Salem grew them in his container garden on our front deck.  Away from hungry chickens.



Tea Thyme

I was very dissappointed with my new tea pot,  I had only used it a couple of times and then it cracked as I was making a much needed brew. So it now is a planter for my small thyme plant.  Looks nice on my table outside.

Another Earthquake in Wellington

Wellington City

Quake Shakes Wellington
A magnitude 4.7 earthquake rattled Wellington early this morning, the second quake to hit the capital in less than a week.
The quake struck at 2.19am, at a depth of 30km, 10km north-east of Upper Hutt.
GNS Science said it was widely felt in the lower North Island and upper South Island.
Police said there were no reports of damage.
On Tuesday, a quake measuring magnitude 4.5 hit at 10.07pm, 20km northwest of Wellington, at a depth of 40km.
- NZPA

The ground seems to getting a bit shaky over here.  I was reading in bed when this second shake hit.  I thought "Here we go again." As always , I get up to check on the kids.  They were still asleep this time.

I feel sorry for the people who have moved up here from Christchurch to get away from earthquakes and are having to face them again.  Even tough the shakes are nothing like they have experienced.

Here in Kapiti, still in the Wellington area, alot of us are on sand so tend to feel the quakes quite a bit and of course are now worrying about liquifation which Christchurch has really highlighted.

Lets hope "The Land of the Long White Cloud" has a bit of rest for a while.

Tutus on Tour 2011

Verdi Variations

Pinocchio

After a very long day in Wellington on Saturday, we went to see the Royal New Zealand Ballet's production of Tutus on Tour which included "Verdi Variations" - classical ballet with tutus, tiaras and wonderful dancing.  And a lovely version of "Pinnochio" which was just magical. 

The magnificiant whale

Salem's favourite dancer and friend, Jacob Chown had a leading role which Salem really enjoyed watching.
Wish we could go and see it again but we will save our pennies for the next Royal New Zealand Ballet's production.

Photos are from the Royal New Zealand Ballet.