It is hard to believe, but it is already 1st May. Autumn is here, the days are definitely getting shorter, but the sun has been shining and it hasn’t been cold either. It is also only 6 weeks until we head off to Europe too. Anyway, without any further ado, here are this week’s small pleasures.
A professor in the family
The highlight of the week, and this week’s biggest small pleasure (if one can say such a thing) was Karl’s inaugural professorial lecture. While he was actually made professor last year, this event was the formal public lecture to mark his appointment (note to US readers – this is a professor in the way the term is used in Europe and the UK). Below you can see the lecture theatre and Karl in full flow. There were drinks and nibbles after, and I couldn’t have felt more proud of his achievement.
Good food
I made current scones for our Saturday afternoon tea time treat, enjoyed a hot chocolate in the library cafe one lunch time, and had one of my favourite sandwiches (ham and cheese baguette) at Pandoro on Wednesday.
During the week, I picked up a couple of these stunning looking red kiwi fruit. They look amazing when cut in half as you can see below. The flavour is a bit more like a golden kiwi fruit and quite sweet. It is strange as I remember seeing these a few years ago, but then they sort of disappeared like a one hit wonder. Anyway, they seem to have returned. There were three lovely bunches of greens (chard, cavolo nero and collard greens) from Commonsense Organics. Also in the basket this week were tomatoes and courgettes to keep summer alive, Meyer lemons, mushrooms and a beautiful looking fennel bulb, cheese from Over the Moon (including their special truffle brie) and a bar of La Petite’s ginger and mandarin chocolate.
Sunday lunch
On Sunday, we had friends round for a long lunch – a late Easter, an early Swedish midsummer and Walpurgis Night and May Day. Really, it was an excuse to get together for a feast of herring, smoked salmon, Janssons frestelse, meatballs, sausages…..more or less what we enjoy at Christmas. It was a gorgeous sunny day too. Here is the table just as the food was being prepared.
Simple things
- Seeing unseasonal ducklings in the Botanic Gardens.
- Enjoying some lovely, sunny weather.
- Meeting a friend for lunch today.
- Spending time in the kitchen.
- Wearing a dress I really like and feeling good.
- Laughing with friends.
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.
- Deb at Deb’s World teaches me at least a new word – hodophile – check out the post to see what it means,.
- Jo over at And Anyways wraps up her April.
- Natalie the Explorer shares her April highlights.
- Ju-Lyn who writes Touring My Backyard reflects on the changing seasons.
- Tootlepedal’s Blog shares yarn bombing and so many lovely bird pictures.
- Anne over at Something Over Tea takes us to some holiday buildings.
- Nigella Eats Everything makes some tasty looking.fish finger sandwiches.
- Trent makes a a cup of good coffee…and shares a wonderful picture of his cat and dog.
- Spring is in the air over at Scribble and Scran.
- And Popsicle Society motivates us on Monday.
- …and all the other lovely bloggers out there.
Also entered in the weekend coffee share hosted by Natalie.
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. If you want to get in touch, email me on thistlesandkiwis@gmail.com or lofgren@thistlesandkiwis.com
Thistles and Kiwis 
A lovely post full of small and not so small small pleasure s Barbara. We leave for the UK in just over a week so really starting to get excited now! Congrats to the Professor, that’s fantastic! Thanks for sharing my post and I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who didn’t know the meaning of the word hodophile 🙂
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Oh you must be so excited about your travels! Thanks for the congrats – it made me so happy and proud 🙂
Hodophile – a good word to remember.
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Congratulations to your husband, what a wonderful achievement. Lovely that you are going to Europe in summer…I envy you that!
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Thank you!
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There are quite a few people around here who could do with listening to that lecture!. You had a really beautiful header picture today.
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🙂 Thank you!
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It is so fascinating that spring can be over in your part of the world’s and it is just starting out here. Of course you will get to enjoy the best season when you get to Sweden 🙂 You really picked a great time for a visit.
Congratulations to your husband, Becoming a professor is no small feature.
The vegetables looks marvellous and tempting. Have a fantastic week!
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Yes it is autumn here….and I agree we have picked what will hopefully be a good season to come to Sweden. Thanks for the congratulations – I am so proud! Enjoy your week.
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Congratulations to Karl!
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Congratulations to Karl! I remember the quote “Behind every successful man is a great woman”. Hats off to you! Your food and vegetable photos look beautiful and delicious. One of my simple pleasures this week was watching nesting Canada geese. I saw four big eggs when the mother goose stepped away from her nest. Thank you for the mention and for your weekend coffee share.
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Oh how wonderful to see the nesting geese! Little goslings hopefully next. Thanks Natalie for your other words 🙂
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We’re getting the garden planted & things are turning green & starting to bloom in my area. The goslings are adorable.
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Many congrats to Karl on his professorship and inaugural professorial lecture! Your foods look yummy. And yes small moments in nature are so uplifting b
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Thank you!
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Congrats your husband. Those scones look delicious! I only eat them once in awhile, but I remember the first time I tried them. So good!
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Thank you! I love scones 🙂
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Congratulations to Karl for his wonderful achievement. It sounds like you have had a memorable week.
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Thank you! Yes it was some week.
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Congrats to Karl! Sounds like you both had a great week.
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Thank you!
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It sounds like a hearty round or “Well done’s” are in order for Karl. This took some hard work I bet to earn such recognition.
Bravo!
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Thank you!
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Had to look up Walpurgis!. I feel enlightened. Congratulations to Karl, great achievement.
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Thanks! I am very proud 🙂
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I love scones. I have made a few kinds that have turned out yummy. The coffee shop where my daughter works is featuring a maple brown sugar one that is really good.
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Oh they sound good!
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