Can you believe we are almost at the end of March? I certainly can’t. The mornings are getting darker, evenings seem to come earlier and it won’t be long until the clocks go back. Autumn is well and truly here.
Getting out
On Thursday, I went to the first meeting of a new book club hosted by Marsden Books. It was great to meet new people (including someone who was actually at the same school as the sister of a friend in Scotland…what a small world this is!). I’m looking forward to reading the first book – Delirious by Kiwi author Damien Wilkins.
It was also so nice to get out into town on Saturday after Pilates. We had booked a long lunch and sherry tasting at Noble Rot Wine Bar – but more of that on Wednesday. I took my time walking, stopping on the way, including sitting by the iconic bucket fountain on Cuba Street. I love the sign – ‘please don’t feed the birds, they aren’t toilet trained’.
I also sat down waiting for Karl: Noble Rot is situated in the building with ‘The Bake House’ on it, and next door is Best Ugly Bagels. The car park in front of these buildings will be transformed into a stage area next week for the Cuba Dupa street festival.
In the basket
The Wonky Box delivered up some great things this week – potatoes and kumara, capsicum, courgettes (zucchini), mushrooms, a little garlic, these baby pak choi and silverbeet, as well as a bag of green beans and a bag of Brussels sprouts. I topped up the box with passion fruit – a favourite of mine.
There wasn’t really a lot more needed – some chicken and pork filet, pasta bows, two lots of blueberries, pears, 2 special figs, tomatoes, broccolini, and some mint feta and – oh joy! Boursin.
Other edible delights
The café next to our local library always turns up trumps, and their bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato sandwich is excellent and one of the best around. On Sunday, I roasted some of veggies left over from last week for my work lunches on Monday and Tuesday – capsicums, courgette, red onion and radishes – adding in a tin of chickpeas half way through – and topping it all off with feta. Oh and yes…the red kiwi fruit…this is what they look like when you cut them open.
I turned to Madhur Jaffrey’s classic text Indian Cookery for Sunday’s dinner, slow cooking lamb from our local butcher, making some spicy green beans, a carrot salad and a cucumber raita to have alongside with rice. Lovely! (NB: I did not style the pictures or dishes!).
Simple things
- Reading about the fish of the year
- Enjoying bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon for Sunday breakfast.
- Starting to read ‘Careless People’ – interesting so far!
- Bumping into people I hadn’t seen in a while when out grocery shopping on Sunday.
- Having someone come round and help me with the garden – can’t tell you how happy this makes me! Cataract op + moon boot = neglected garden
- Spotting fungi in the garden.
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. Also entered in this week’s coffee share hosted by Natalie.
- It’s melting over at Notes from the Hinterland.
- Anne of Something Over Tea has a day in the garden.
- The Glasgow Gallivanter visits some Manchester churches.
- Deb of Deb’s World gives us a round up of her March reading.
- Enjoy coffee and a chat with Trent.
- Meanwhile Maria of Green Dreams has a nice trip to town.
- While Mr Tootlepedal is watching the watchers.
- It is time for Brookford Kitchen Diaries cook book of the month post.
- Donna of Retirement Reflections also shares her recent reading.
- As does Sue.
- Travels Through My Lens takes us through the Panama Canal.
- And Fred shares 6 things from his spring garden.
- The Travelsketcher tells us about his week in Oregon.
- Mr Platypus of Now I’m 64 spots a bird far from home.
- There is a wonderful display of spring flowers over at Cornwall in Colours.
- And Natalie tours the Spadina Museum.
- ..…and all the other lovely bloggers out there. Sorry if I have missed anyone…..
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.
Thistles and Kiwis 
It’s fascinating to see there is a Nobole Rot near you. I got the book for Christmas a couple of years back and still haven’t read it properly (I hang my head in shame!). . I’m glad the garden is being sorted and you’re out and about regardless.
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The Noble Rot in Wellington is not connected to the one in London – just a coincidence. It is good to get out and not just see our suburb and the office!
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So good to hear you are out and about again, Barbara. I look forward to reading your review chosen by your new book club. Have a lovely week. Sue L
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Thanks Sue!
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Thanks for including me in your small pleasures posts Barbara, it’s really lovely of you to share the work of others as you do. I’m glad you were able to get some help in the garden and a new book club, how good!! Hope your foot is recovering well, take it easy.
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Well thank you for hosting several link ups! My foot is on the mend at least and off to the hospital on Wednesday to see how things are.
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Good food, lots of reading … definitely getting into the autumnal vibe!
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Yes – autumn is in the air!
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Sounds like a good week. I hope your eyes have recovered. I had mine done this winter, one in December and one in February. 8 weeks off gardening is a real hardship. Thank goodness we only have 2 eyes,
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I am likely to only need one eye done hopefully. It is so worth having done, even though no gardening for a bit!
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I’m curious what the ugly bagels look like! The mushrooms in your Wonkybox are so cute.
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They are a bit ‘knobbly’ – I must get some and put them on the blog!
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They sound interesting! I love toasted bagels with cream cheese.
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The new book club sounds exciting. The book club I was a part of has sort of folded and doesn’t happen much anymore. I miss it. But I do love all of the suggestions by fellow bloggers. I’m so glad you are out and about and enjoying the weekends. Have a wonderful week!!
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This book club sounds as if it will at least make me read something different. Have a wonderful week too!
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Thanks for the mention! I have never seen red kiwi before. Only green and golden. How pretty it is. Is the title Careless People a reference to the description in The Great Gatsby of Tom and Daisy? Nice that you had help in the garden.
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The red ones are relatively new – maybe 8 or 10 years? And yes you are right about that book…a tell all about Facebook.
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It just feels so weird that you’re enjoying autumn and I am so very happy spring is almost here!
All the eatings look so good!
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Thanks! We had some good food last week.
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I love viewing your wonky boxes and comparing them to the opposites here in Vermont. Often at the change of the seasons, they align!
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I can imagine – that spring/autumn cross over.
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I can’t believe it’s the end of March either, but am enjoying the increasingly light mornings and evenings.
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There is something about ‘transition’ seasons.
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I hope that you get good news about your foot from your hospital visit.
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My fingers are crossed!
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I always love having a peek to see what is inside your wonky basket. This morning was dental surgery for me and I can only have clear broths for now — so I had to look away from some of your delicious-looking food pics! Thank you for the shoutout. That is always so kind of you!
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Oh hope the dental treatment wasn’t too bad! Thanks for reading 🙂
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It was a two-hour long root tip surgery. That was the bad news. The good news is that it is over and I now get to lie in bed and read! ❤
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I love a bit of Boursin!
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It isn’t always easy to get here, and after Covid I think we went for 3 years without.
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Sounds like you had a good week. Thanks, as always for sharing my blog post!
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It was a good week actually now I think about it!
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How’s the end of March shaping up for you? Out like a lamb? Or a lion?
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It is autumn here when we often have really good weather.
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Like everyone else, I love looking at your wonky box of goodies. That sandwich looks yummy. You are so creative. Fun post! Have fun cooking and reading. 🙂 xxx
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The Wonky Box does deliver up some good things – always fun to open. Cooking and reading can still be done with a moon boot 🙂
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What is a moon boot?
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A rigid boot worn when you have a fracture instead of wearing a cast. There is a picture of the one I have here https://thistlesandkiwis.org/2025/03/28/if-we-were-having-coffee-or-even-a-cup-of-tea-101/
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I know that Mall. There was a lot of pop up activity when I was there. You’ve intrigued me on Fish of the year…off to see which it is?!
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I don’t know how I stumbled over fish of the year!
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I’m drooling looking at the food and the wonky box items. I’m glad you are out and about and got help with the garden. Thank you for the mention and for your weekend coffee share.
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Thanks Natalie – always fun to link to the coffee share.
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Wonky box of food and an ugly bagel shop sound fantastic! WOrth the adventure.
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Yes it was!
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You have put me in mind for some bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon for my Sunday breakfast this week.
The sign ‘please don’t feed the birds, they aren’t toilet trained’. is brilliant. I will remember that when I see people feeding the seagulls. LoL
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It does make for a great breakfast.
Yes that sign is fun! So true too 🙂
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