This week saw sunshine, spring and a trip to Christchurch. We flew down on Friday morning and back on Sunday, and we have Monday off work too as it is the Labour Day weekend here in New Zealand. I’ll be posting about our trip in the next three posts, but one of the objectives of the trip was to meet my new great-nephew, Leon, who is now 5 weeks old. He is so gorgeous, and I am of course a very proud great aunt! Below you can see me with my husband and nephew (who are both named Karl…).
Moving on, here are some of the foodie things from this week – you know there will always be some food related items in a small pleasures post! Working at home meant a lunch of beluga lentils, red onion, red capsicum, carrot, feta, some herbs from the garden all topped with micro-greens one day and scrambled eggs with vegetables stirred through on toasted walnut bread another. I made beef and courgette meatballs with a tahini based sauce from Julia Turshen’s Now and Again for dinner one evening, and here was some really lovely chocolate from Swedish manufacturer, Standout Chocolate. Of course, there were hotel breakfasts at the weekend, from simple poached eggs on toast on Saturday to eggs Montreal, with locally smoked salmon, on Sunday.
This week also saw a reception at The New Zealand School of Dance to celebrate the award of a scholarship from the Dance Foundation to a third year contemporary dance student, some treat shopping in Mecca and – not really a small pleasure but great when it was done – ironing four weeks worth of items!
Finally, our Sunday in Christchurch began with this beautiful sunrise. Such wonderful colours, bringing the promise of a good day ahead.
Anyway, that is my quick round up on some of this week’s small pleasures. Here are some of my fellow bloggers small pleasures:
- Purple Pumpernickel’s Small Pleasures from Singapore
- Little Pieces of Me Grateful Fridays
- Trent’s World for The Weekly Smile and other autumnal posts (though it is spring for us of course)
Wherever you are, take care and look out for those little things that bring you joy. What were your small pleasures of the week just past?
You can find Thistles and Kiwis on Facebook, and also on Instagram@thistleandkiwis. As for Twitter….am totally inactive these days. If you want to get in touch, email me on thistlesandkiwis@gmail.com
Thistles and Kiwis 
The food, as always, looks delicious, but the star is darling baby Leon. Love his full head of hair. Reminds me of my eldest daughter when she was born.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I also had a full head of hair so it must be a family thing!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Look at all that yummy food. And that sunrise…Oh My!!! Stunning. Much to be grateful for this week.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Love the family pic – new babies are so full of hope & joy! Thank you for sharing the moment … and for the sunrise – also bringing on the hope & a smile.
Looked up Beluga lentils – I didn’t know black lentils have this very adorable name (of course I now know they have been named for the caviar as opposed to the beluga whale, which makes a great deal more sense). Your salad looks fabulous! As do those Eggs Montreal – is that Hollandaise sauce drizzled on (my favourite sauce ever!)?
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was so nice to be able to travel and meet the newest member of the family. Yes beluga lentils are supposed to look like caviar! And yes it was Hollandaise – such a treat!
LikeLike