This week’s small pleasures #157

From stormy weather to glorious sunshine, this has been a week of real changeable spring weather, marking the new season. On one of the sunny days during the week, I went for a lunch time walk along the waterfront, and saw these two brave souls in their wet suits take to the water. Equally, what a great city to live in when you can do that at lunch time, should you wish.

Spring brightens everything up, our moods, our gardens and our cities. Walking to work one day, I took a little longer to admire the narcissi and other flowers in Bolton Street Memorial Park (see also my last post). People are smiling and saying hello as they walk through the gardens, and one visitor even remarked that I was very lucky to live in such a beautiful place, and I had to agree.

This also brings me to my thing to read this week. Apparently, native birds are making a big comeback in the city, thanks in part to Zealandia, and also a move to make the city predator free. It makes for a nice positive environmental story for a change. Oh and it is worth listening to the clip of the tui in the article for your thing to listen to this week!

On Friday we went to see the Irish comedian Dara O Briain, who had me laughing the whole evening. It was a good way to start the weekend! Saturday morning followed the usual pattern these days, with toast (the avocado again) and tea at Squirrel, and then picking up some food for the week: apples for a crumble with rhubarb, ginger to mix with soy sauce, olive oil and maple syrup to top a piece of salmon (thanks Julia Turshen!), red, yellow and orange yams, cavolo nero, mini purple carrots, lemons, pasta, coffee and some new season asparagus, amongst other things.

With the sun being out on Saturday afternoon, I was able to get out and get some weeding and tidying up done outside. I was joined by a neighbour’s cat (affectionately known as Fat Cat) who was clearly looking for a sunny place to doze and sleep. Luckily Charlie was out….

Sunday proved to be another lovely day, and as it was Tulip Sunday in the Botanic Gardens, we went for a walk through the gardens from the cable car entrance at the top down to the tulips. It really felt warm as we strolled down the hill, stopping to admire these beautiful flowers in the cacti and succulent area. I’ll post more about the tulips on Wednesday.

By then it was lunch time, so we treated ourselves to a pie and a beer at The Sprig and Fern on Tinakori Road. Not our usual Sunday lunch I must say, but it made a nice change.

But the best small pleasure this week? Having my husband back home after a short trip to Europe. That did make me smile.

And that’s it for this week. What were your small pleasures?

Thanks to Mani over at A New Life Wandering for the original idea.

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