This week’s small pleasures #265

It has truly been a lovely week. I’m on holiday until next Monday, which is small pleasure in itself. I’m not sure exactly what I am going to get up to, but no doubt there will be some reading, weeding and some time in the kitchen perhaps. Anyway, as regular readers will be aware, we had a lovely few days up in Hawke’s Bay. We stayed in Napier, a place we have visited several times before (and have several old blog posts about). Briefly, after a devastating earthquake in 1931, the city was rebuilt, with the result that many of the buildings are in Art Deco style. In fact, each year there is even an Art Deco festival. Should you visit, the local museum has an excellent permanent exhibition about the earthquake and its aftermath. The sunset picture was taken from our hotel window.

What people like to do on holiday varies from individual to individual. We are beach people (as you might have already guessed from recent posts…), finding being by the water and listening to the waves so relaxing. I love to read, Karl loves to swim, so it suits us perfectly. Add into the mix good food and wine, and it all adds up to a great holiday.

I posted a brief post about some of the things we ate when we were away, but of course on getting home, we needed a proper food shop to stock up for the week. Into the basket went white fleshed nectarines to roast for a summer dessert, apricots to snack on, green beans, sweet corn, tomatoes, courgettes and garlic. There were also a couple aubergines (eggplants) which I intend to use to make Pasta alla Norma during the week. I also picked up some Lebanese cucumbers, more tomatoes and these lovely capsicum, which will look lovely sliced in thin circles on top of a salad. On Sunday we enjoyed Japanese food when visiting my nephew and family for lunch, and I had a sandwich at favourite cafe Squirrel for lunch today (Monday).

Finally, we picked up Charlie from the cattery where he was having his summer holiday. It is of course lovely to have this little ball of black fur back home.

What were your small pleasures this week? Here are some other blog posts from a few fellow bloggers looking at the good things in life. 

• Carol Ann of Fashioned for Joy has so many wonderful things to share at the start of the year – her posts are always a delight.
• Ju Lyn at Touring my Backyard shares a giant sticky bun!
• Natalie the Explorer organises her first food drive – well done Natalie!.
• Anne over at  Something Over Tea watches horse riders.
• Jo at And Anyways posts a fabulous looking beef and beer stew.
• Deb’s World shares some lovely photos to start the year.
• Laurie at Notes from the Hinterland celebrates the season with snow and cocktails.
• Have a coffee with Trent over at Trent’s World.
• Scribble and Scran starts the year thinking of intentions.
• Sanch Writes shares her weekly gratitude.

You can find Thistles and Kiwis on Facebook, and also on Instagram @thistlesandkiwis.  As for Twitter….am totally inactive these days.  If you want to get in touch, email me on thistlesandkiwis@gmail.com