Here we are, half way through March already. As I mentioned on Saturday, you can really feel autumn is at the door, ready with its cooler days. Ah well…the weather is often fine at this time of year, with a decent amount of sunshine. The first small pleasure this week is this beautiful dahlia. I saw these outside Twig and Arrow, the florist in town, and just had to buy a bunch. I was chatting to one of the other people I do Pilates with about dahlias, and how we have grown to love and appreciate them in recent years. Anyone else feel the same?
No Small Pleasures post would be complete without food, and this week we have in this section a very tasty quiche I ate for lunch at Goods cafe, a salad made from some leaves, left over chicken and roasted peaches, flaked almonds, sesame seeds and other good things, and Thursday night dinner at our local Italian restaurant, where I opted for a saffron risotto with prawns (one of my favourites).
On Wednesday I also managed to get to the little vegetable market at the Pipitea campus of Victoria University of Wellington. Seeing butternut squash and pumpkin for sale really made me think of autumn. I picked up some spinach, carrots, onions, plums and passion fruit as you can see below.
I also ordered some chocolate for Easter from The Chocolate Bar. Luke the owner drops the package into our letter box which is just so nice of him. And as a real treat, I picked up some figs – such a tasty luxury!
Away from food, one of the best small pleasures this week was finishing the jigsaw…here it is in all its glory!
So those are my small pleasures this week. What were yours? Here are some other bloggers with their favourites from the past week. Please free to join in!
- Laurie over at Notes From the Hinterland takes us on a winter walk. Do go and check out her new podcast too!
- Shout Out Saturday at Deb’s World.
- Grateful Fridays from Little Pieces of Me includes pizza.
- Check Natalie the Explorer’s weekend coffee share blog party and her review of the past year.
- Carol Ann of Fashioned for Joy has another lovely list of delights of the week.
- Joy is the word of the year at The Beach Girl Chronicles.
- Sanch Writes‘ Weekly Gratitude: explores the beach.
- Trent’s World‘s The Weekly Smile: smiles at lots of little things that bring joy.
- Five good things over at And Anyways…including a birthday party.
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 
I love figs! Our tree is laden, but they’re not quite ripe. Soon enough it will be a daily battle between me and the birds.
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Hope you win the battle for the figs!
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So do I!! It’s a good time to be working from home.
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That jigsaw looks delightful!
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Wonderful food, as always. Thanks for the mention! I’m with Anne. That jigsaw looks delightful. Wouldn’t want to take it apart.
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The jigsaw is still sitting there….
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The vegetables from the Victoria University look amazing, I guess they would be home grown? Yes, I think Dahlias are making a comeback, my gardening friend said her mother’s garden always had Dahlias, and then they went out of style, and are now back in. I love them!
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I’m not sure where all the veggies come from, but they are local. Yes – we have all joined the dahlia revival!
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Another great week! Thanks for mentioning my post in your roundup :). Always much appreciated.
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I love your food writing and photos of luscious things. The dahlia is magnificent and the squash! I look forward to these posts.
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Thank you Carol Ann!
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The Kitty Cats are done! That is such a fabulous image! Are you going to frame it?
I thought the figs were aubergine – I’ve never seen them so succulent and purple; I’ve only encountered dried figs and very dark skinned ones in the grocery store.
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I haven’t broken up the jigsaw yet and am tempted to frame it – you are the second person to suggest that! The figs were really big and so juicy. Must be the sort that grow here?
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I think our figs are imported anyway. Maybe it deteriorates from travel
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Maybe….
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