The best thing about this week? Getting out of isolation and slowly, slowly feeling better. Each day I feel a bit of progress is being made, even managing a gentle Pilates class on Saturday morning. Afternoon naps though are still a necessity….but you know, that is rather a nice thing to do anyway.
On Friday, I took a walk in the Botanic Gardens, saying hello to the ducks, looking at the magnolia coming into bloom, and of course enjoying these signs of spring. What a lift to the spirits!
And so to food….and there was a bread delivery from Shelley Bay Baker, which included some sesame seed bagels, a sourdough loaf and this olive and rosemary bread which was really delicious. One of the joys of being allowed out was going food shopping, and picking up lots of good things from feta and lamb mince to make into meatballs, Jerusalem artichokes for soup, spinach and silverbeet for greens, fennel for a refreshing side salad, apples, a lovely little butternut squash and jewel coloured red and yellow tamarillos.
We’ve been watching a few good things this week that have been just the thing for days at home. Trom, set on the Faroe Islands, is a rather good ‘Nordic noir’ that if you like that sort of thing you should definitely look out for, with its different setting and ‘eco’ theme. Like this review, I was also sceptical about a new dramatisation of John Wyndham’s classic The Midwich Cuckoos, However, I was also really surprised at how good it was, and while nothing will ever be quite like the 1960 film of the book, this is definitely a series that is well worth watching. Meanwhile, we are still enjoying The Great Big Tiny Design Challenge, where contestants build miniatures each week in a competition.
Stuck at home, I signed up for the New York Times puzzles so I can do the Spelling Bee. Add that to Wordle, Waffle and Quordle and I think I have enough daily word puzzles. The only problem is…American spellings or cultural references in the clues which sometimes leave me foxed. Still, it keeps me on my toes!
To end, this little iris opened up in today’s sunshine and was there to greet me when I got home from my first day back in the office. What a real small pleasure!
So, 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 over at Fashioned for Joy has a week filled with so many delights…do check our her cheerful post.
- Ju Lyn at Touring my Backyard is back in her Happy Place, Happy Space
- Natalie the Explorer captures some wonderful pictures of icebergs.
- Anne over at Something Over Tea has some great photos of elephants.
- Deb’s World asks if you can remember what you were doing thirty years ago….
- Have a coffee with Trent over at Trent’s World.
- Check this week’s Monday Motivation from Popsicle Society.
- The Annoyed Thyroid makes some turkey noodles.
- And Gary’s Weekend Coffee Share also has some great pictures of skinks!
Thistles and Kiwis is a Wellington, New Zealand based blog written by Barbara, who likes cats, summer, good food and pretends to garden.
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
Thistles and Kiwis 
What a relief to know that you are well enough to return to work. Spring has sprung earlier for you than for us in South Africa. Mind you, the freesias I have in a pot are getting ready to bloom any day now. Thank you for sharing my elephant post with others – they don’t need a season to enjoy 🙂
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There are signs of spring everywhere even though it still feels like winter! The elephants are wonderful.
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The colours in the Iris, what a beauty! I will look up Trom, it looks right up my street. I’ve developed a real thing for Scandi and Icelandic noir. Although it puzzles me how countries that are consistently found to be the happiest in the world produce such good dark and delightfully gloomy viewing!
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The iris is still looking lovely today despite the wild weather. We like Nordic noir too – I think it is the long, dark winters that triggers the dark stories!
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I’m grateful to get your recommendation of Trom. I’m in U.S. and not sure I can stream it from anywhere yet, but I’ve bookmarked it. Ditto what the previous person said, I love Scandi and Icelandic noir. Glad you are finding lots of fun things to do while you are recovering. I do Wordle every day too. If you like iphone/ipad games that are quiet/relaxing, I can recommend: I Love Hue (it’s a simple color “game”) and “Monument”
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I must check those games out – they sound good. It is difficult with series to find out where they are streamed….something always comes up in the end.
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Glad to hear you’re starting to feel better. My husband do most of those word puzzles each day too, it’s part of his routine. Thanks for linking to my post, you are a sharing caring blogger extraordinaire 🙂
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Thanks Debbie! Always love reading your posts.
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I love the little Iris, we have a few popping up now, and that deep blue colour is really lovely. You are very lucky to live so close to the Botanic gardens, it must be a joy walking around there whenever you like.
Your vegetables are looking fresh and you have some tasty meals planned…enjoy!
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Yes I have to say living so close to the gardens is great. We especially appreciated them during lockdown as a place to walk.
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Yes, I can imagine!
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I’m so glad to hear that you are out of isolation and feeling better. Once again, your food and flower photographs are beautiful!
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Thank you – taking it easy and getting a bit better each day. Thank you for stopping by and commenting!
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So very glad to hear that you are getting better day by day. It is quite a process getting out of it – and it’s not linear improvement for us (I wonder if you’ve noticed that too) so it really is taking each day as it comes.
Wishing you continued recovery as you ease back into work and the enjoyment of your outings!
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I totally agree that you have to take each day as it comes. Hope you are feeling better too.
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Hurray for delivery of such wonderful bread. Hurray for daffodils and the beautiful iris. Hurray for good TV and word games. (I’m a Wordle, Quordle and Spelling Bee addict.) And hurray for ending your isolation with so many wonderful things.
p.s. Thank you for your very kind reference to my blog. You cheer me up too!
p.s.s. I forgot to acknowledge the sworls in the cabbage from your earlier post. You are right!
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Wordle, Waffle and Quordle with breakfast. Then Spelling Bee throughout the day, dropping in and out 🙂
It was lovely to come out of isolation to such wonderful signs of spring…it was only a week but still!
Always happy to mention your blog.
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