This week’s small pleasures #271

The protesters outside Parliament have now been there for two weeks and show no sign of moving. Their behaviour is disrupting lives and livelihoods, the university has had to close its Pipitea campus just at the start of the academic year and the law courts can’t function. I’ve even changed my route to work…

Anyway, it is even more important to look around for small pleasures at the moment, to distract us from what is going on down the road. I will start with my sunflowers which have been such a small pleasure and bring a smile to my face every time I look at them. This is one just about to unfurl, with the promise of bright yellow petals.

And so to food, and on Saturday evening, we went out for a sort of late St Valentine’s Day dinner, heading over to Wellington institution, Boulcott Street Bistro. Housed in a Victorian cottage, tucked away in between concrete blocks, the restaurant opened in 1991 and is still going strong (and was full on Saturday night). I started with smoked venison tartare, served with sourdough toast, while Karl chose the calamari. Both were excellent, and we enjoyed a glass of Neudorf pinot gris alongside. I had the market fish, which was John Dory, served with an aubergine (eggplant) caponata and potato slices, and Karl had the fillet of beef with sauce Béarnaise and double cooked fries. The main courses were washed down with a Guigal Côtes du Rhône. As usual, we skipped dessert, opting instead for an espresso each which came with a little dark chocolate truffle. A wonderful meal!

Still on food, in the basket this week were aubergines, which I am loving at the moment, and will go into a pasta alla Norma during the week. There were courgettes (zucchini), sweet corn, a shiny red capsicum and these gorgeous tomatoes, along with limes, plums and black peaches. I made a hot smoked salmon and courgettes tart from Sophie Hansen’s A Basket by the Door, for Sunday dinner which was followed by raspberries.

On Sophie Hansen, I subscribe to her 5 things to be cheerful newsletter that pops into my email box every Monday. It is full of small pleasures and a great start to the week.

Over to sport, which is something I have very little interest normally, but New Zealand won a second gold medal at the Winter Olympics – Nico Porteous for something called a half pipe (some sort of skiing I believe). Sweden won the gold in the men’s curling and Great Britain in the women’s game – at least I know what curling is!

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.  The picture above was taken on my way home from work today.

• There are a few posts I look forward to each week, and one of these is Carol Ann of Fashioned for Joy who always makes me smile. This week she celebrates a new church organ and the joy of a window above a kitchen sink.
• Ju Lyn at Touring my Backyard finds a wonderful statue.
• Natalie the Explorer shares wonderful pictures yet again of street art in Toronto (and also hosts the weekend coffee share). I so want to go to Toronto…..
• Anne over at  Something Over Tea manages to get some wonderful pictures of zebras.
• Jo at And Anyways is one of the hosts of What’s on my Bookshelf, a fun monthly blog challenge.
• Deb’s World’s also shares her latest readings.
• Laurie at Notes from the Hinterland reminds me of winter in the north with wonderful pictures of icicles.
• Trent over at Trent’s World invites us for coffee.
• Scribble and Scran goes on a skiing holiday.
• Another blog post I look forward to each week is Sanch’s 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

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