This week’s small pleasures #444

Thistles and Kiwis

Well, winter is well and truely here. It has turned chilly, and early on Sunday morning, I spotted a dusting of frost on some of the plants in the garden (below and in the featured image at the top of the post). I also spotted a little fungus in a pot which was maybe not looking its best.

Anyway, I am actually feeling a lot better, though not exactly bursting with energy. Still, now my foot is almost back to normal, I can soon go out walking more and getting a bit fitter (too much enforced sedentary activity in the past few months).

In the basket

It wasn’t the most exciting or useful Wonky Box delivery this week. A butternut squash, red kumara, a head of broccoli (I like broccoli but not every week…), a couple of red onions, a bunch of carrots and, not pictured, a small cos lettuce and baby white choy as well as this daikon. Other than making a pickle with it and carrots, which I just know it will sit in the fridge and eventually get thrown away 6 months down the line, I am not sure what to do with it. I may take it to work and see if someone else can use it and love it. I topped this up with pears, persimmons, some red Brussels sprouts, coffee beans and because I am obsessed with watching Norwegian YouTuber introvert and dog, a piece of Jarlsberg cheese. There was also chicken, beef mince from our local butcher, some venison burgers for a quick dinner before book club, and three types of smoked salmon and some cheese for our celebrations at the end of the week (more about that in a later post).

Out and about

The French Film Festival has started, and on Saturday Karl and I went to see The Thread (Le Fil), a courtroom drama with Daniel Auteuil (who also wrote it) and Sidste Babette Knudsen at Lighthouse Cuba in the city (pictured below). The film is an adaptation of Le Livre de Maître Mô, a book of the legal experiences of a French criminal lawyer and blogger. The story is about Jean Monier, a troubled lawyer, who agrees to represent a client named Nicolas Milik. The latter has been accused of murdering his wife. There is a lot to this film, and the ending is…well, let’s say not what was expected.

On Sunday, a friend and I went to the Lighthouse cinema out in Petone to see the romantic comedy Jane Austen Wrecked My Life. Agathe is a French bookseller who works at Shakespeare and Co in Paris. She lives with her sister and her sister’s young son and has a close friendship her co-worker Félix. Inspired by an image at the bottom of a sake cup, she begins to write a novel, and on the basis of the opening chapters, is invited to a writing residency in England where she meets a handsome descendant of Jane Austen and…well I will let you guess. I recommend both films though they were very different. It was also nice to see full cinemas on both occasions. Oh and don’t you love how the title was abbreviated on the ticket below?

Staying in

At home we watched Australian/UK crime drama North Shore and the Swedish comedy drama about rich young women who steal things to finance their lifestyle, Barracuda Queens. We have just started to watch The Survivors based on Jane Harper’s novel set in Tasmania.

I made a rather good though I say so myself pasta bake before heading out for the cinema on Sunday, which we had for dinner yesterday and today with broccoli on the side. We enjoyed pea soup with added veggies and garlic bread for Wednesday’s dinner, and for lunch on Tuesday I made these carrot, chioggia beetroot and halloumi fritters, inspired by the carrot and courgettes (zucchini) ones I saw on introvert and dog. They were so good and I would definitely make them again. There was a bit too much left over kumara, but you know, that is the way things go.

Simple things

  • Enjoying a slow day on Wednesday.
  • Going to the cinema twice in one week.
  • Booking a short trip to Sydney – been ages since we were there.
  • Reading all sorts of different things, from blogs about Antarctica trips to Japanese novels.
  • Looking forward to Matariki Māori New Year.
  • Treating myself to a pastel de nata for an afternoon treat in the office on Friday.

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. This week’s little fungi in the garden is in the featured image. Also shared on #WWWhimsy and 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.

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Published by Thistles and Kiwis

Loves summer, sunshine and cats. Beginner gardener, likes eating, cooking and reading about food

45 Comments

  1. The pasta bake looks interesting, and I’ve never seen red Brussels Sprouts. No doubt they’re headed this way. I watch very little YouTube but you may have just fostered an addiction. I has a quick flirtation with Gothenburg xx

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  3. I miss the cinema in our town: it closed down several years ago. Fortunately, we haven’t got cold enough yet to experience frost – those days are still to come! Enjoy your week ahead!

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  5. Thanks for the mention! The Thread sounds really good. Will keep an eye out for it. Speaking of detective stories…have you watched Department Q on Netflix? An excellent show with a wonderful script and terrific acting.

    I am a huge Jane Austen fan, but alas I have been burned too many times by bad Jane Austen-inspired movies. I feel encouraged by your endorsement of Jane Austen Wrecked.

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    1. Yes we enjoyed Department Q – great fun.

      Jane Austen Wrecked My Life is what I would call a Sunday afternoon film – very light and frothy but nice for when you are in the mood for something like that. every cliche in the book but not bad for that (you felt it was done deliberately).

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  8. Wow! Sounds like a nice, packed full week. The movies sounded very good and your dishes of food look yummy! Jane Austen Wrecked My Life sounds like an interesting one. Trying to read her books has been a challenge for me personally so she’s sort of wrecking mine too. *wink* Hope you have a good week!

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  9. I am happy top hear that your foot is improving. Not being able to walk in comfort is very boring indeed. I was horrified by the frost picture. There should have been a trigger warning. I don’t like to think of winter until I have to.

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  11. Hi Barbara it certainly is getting chilly now! Glad your foot is healing well although I can imagine your frustration over the last couple of months. I spent Sunday afternoon in the comfort of my home watching a contemporary production of my favourite ballet Swan Lake. It was Ballet Prelijocaj a French company who performed at QPAC here in Brisbane and was also streamed live o QPAC digital. I loved it. x

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    1. It has been frustrating yes but getting there! I saw Ballet Prelijocaj many years ago in Copenhagen. Really good and so glad you enjoyed the ballet. Streaming live performances is a great idea.

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  13. Hurray! I am so glad your foot is almost completely recovered! and that you are feeling better from your illness. It really is no fun being deflated and homebound.

    I love pastel de nata – yours looks a delicious one!

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  15. Hi Barbara, all this sounds amazing and 2 trips to the cinema in a week, how fabulous! Thanks for the recommendations of what to watch, I always find it hard to choose. Thanks for the mention and for joining Min’s #WWWhimsy linkup.

    Deb for #Teamwwwhimsy

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  16. Pingback: looking down – Touring My Backyard

  18. hmm small pleasures for me this week:

    My partner making a new chicken coop for our chickens.

    My daughter giving me a bag of coffee grounds for my vege garden.

    Having Friday off from work.

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  19. That Jane Austen Movie is very popular here too. #WeekendCoffeeShare I thought the first pic was Ice Plant which I am struggling to grow but no. Actual frost.

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  20. I’m glad you’re feeling better and your foot is almost back to normal. The frost on the plants looks pretty. The French Film Festival sounds fabulous. I love pastel de nata. Thank you for the mention and for your weekend coffee share.

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