This week’s small pleasures #458

Thistles and Kiwis

Kia ora koutou! I know spring weather is changeable, but this week has seen warm sunshine, a quick flurry of hailstones at 7am on Friday morning, gale force winds and everything in between. Anyway, the department where I am based at work won the organisational Te Wiki O Te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week) trophy this year for participation, so there were a few happy faces in the office.

On Wednesday, I met our local duck couple outside the library, apparently waiting to get in and pick up a couple of books – perhaps The Girl with the Duckling Tattoo or maybe a classic like Of Ducks and Men? They were spotted in our local bakery earlier in the week – stopping off for a mince and cheese pie do you think?

In the basket

I cancelled the Wonky Box this week to try to get through some of the things that are lying in the fridge. We picked up some asparagus (’tis the season!), a pink grapefruit, couple of oranges, this beautiful sprouting purple broccoli, a red capsicum, tins of tomatoes and some pork and fennel sausages, which we had with potato and swede (turnip) mash and the last of last week’s broccoli. There was also beef mince, turkey mince, lovely fresh orange juice and a few other bits and pieces.

What’s for lunch?

As I mentioned, this past week was Māori language week and among the various things going on at work, there was a quiz and hangi (a way method of cooking food using heated rocks buried in a pit oven though now there are also ‘above ground’ electric hangi cooker) on Thursday. Anyway, there was pork, chicken, stuffing, potato, kumara and cabbage. The pork was really soft and the stuffing good – certainly made a change.

On Friday I picked up a chicken sandwich from a place I don’t normally go to which was surprisingly good, and yes I did add a little bag of crisps because…why not! And after Pilates on Wednesday I went to Bond Street Deli for one of their fabulous tuna bagels.


Going out, staying in

On Thursday after work, a friend and I went to a lovely little talk and exhibition at the New Zealand School of Dance about costumes and costume making. We got to actually handle and get close up to tutus, men’s jackets and even a kilt from La Sylphide. A lovely way to spend an hour and so interesting. I then had to run to Marsden Books book club, and my friend to play bridge. Book club was fun, with a ‘free choice’ of books, a couple of which I must follow up.

On Sunday we headed down to Tākina to the World Press Photo 2025 exhibition. As ever, there was a lot to see and take in, and it was good to see it in the great exhibition space at Tākina. We then crossed the road over to Te Papa to see the Ringa Toi student exhibition that showcases the artwork of secondary school students with a focus on Toi Māori and Pacific Arts. This is the tenth year of the exhibition organised by NZQA (New Zealand Qualifications Authority).

Below you can see the entrance to the photography exhibition, the welcome and catalogue for Ringa Toi, the space at Te Papa where the exhibition is held and my favourite work. This photo by a year 13 student, Laneyah Tuifa (Lauli’i Samoa, from Pukekohe High School) entitled Masculinity Vs Femininity really sung out. There is always one picture at any exhibition that you go to that is memorable, and this was the one for me.

At home, we watched September 5, a really excellent film around the hostage crisis at the 1972 Summer Olympics. This dramatisation of the events focuses on the sports journalists there to cover the games. We also enjoyed Brian and Maggie about the journalist/broadcaster Brian Walden and his friendship with Margaret Thatcher. Highly recommended.

Simple things

  • Feeling spring in the air on some days – and loving the kowhai of course (see featured image at the top of the post – the gorgeous yellow flowers).
  • Catching up with friends over drinks and food at our local pub.
  • Listening to the wind and rain and being thankful for being in a cosy house.
  • Finding a gorgeous, if slightly expensive, white shirt – must get a photo of me in it now!
  • Starting a new book on a windy Sunday with a pot of tea.
  • Enjoying these tulips in the garden – such a beautiful colour – very pleased with my choice.

Mā te wā!

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 added to 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.

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Published by Thistles and Kiwis

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

49 Comments

  2. Our spring has begun as a season in turmoil: bright sunshine; thick grey clouds; strong blustering winds; beautiful flowers; and plenty of birds. It is lovely comparing our southern hemisphere seasons with you.

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  3. Those tulips are a gorgeous colour. How do you manage to keep broccoli fresh? Mine never lasts more than a day or two. You live in a great place for activities, Barbara. Always something going on, but good to appreciate the quiet times too xx

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    1. Hi Jo, I always wrap my broccoli in paper towel then in a plastic bag in the veg bin in fridge. It can keep about 10 days. Actually I wrap all my vegs in paper towel…

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  5. You certainly had a full week! One of the benefits of living in the city. I was especially intrigued by the WordPress photo contest. I think of all my blogging friends and the wonderful photos from around the world, giving me glimpses of places I will never see.

    As for small pleasures… not too many this week. I had jury duty. Will be writing about this experience on my blog this week.

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  6. Love the ducks! And the tulips! Especially the Māori art. I have a t-shirt that my husband bought when we were in NZ, and I now wear it: it’s the map of the two islands of NZ as though designed as Māori art. I absolutely love it (especially since I also feel close to my late husband whenever I wear his clothes).

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  12. What a gorgeous tree the kowhai is. And yet more delicious food to make me groan. Seeing your tulips has reminded me that I have 50 or so to plant along with the other 250 bulbs! Oh, well it will be worth it come spring.

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  13. The hangi’s of old were truly tasty the ones above ground just don’t have that same affect. It’s been windy in most places, the kowhai in flower makes up for the horrible spring weather.

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  14. Kowhai so reminds me of growing up in NZ – and the Tui who feast on the nectar. Can’t imagine how an electric “hangi” could possibly provide food with the same flavour, but on the other hand, why not – its just a method of steaming really.

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    1. There is a big kowhai in the garden of a house next door and it is always so full of tui – quite lovely. I had a colleague who had a portable electric hangi and he used to take it around various places so I guess it also has a practical element!

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  16. What a crazy mixed bag of weather!

    Looks like you were able to do plenty anyway! Thank you for sharing your favourite work at Ringa Toi – it looks like a huge exhibition!

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  19. Such a busy week!
    The red of those tulips is amazing and I love the picture of the ducks. We sometimes had wild ducks visiting ours at the zoo and staying for a while and for several years a duck had her babies in the enclosed yard of our library (at the end our janitor always helped her and the ducklings out because they couldn’t fly up yet).

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    1. Yes it was quite a busy week! I am so pleased with the tulips. Oh how lovely about your visiting ducks! The mum obviously knew it was a safe place to be for her ducklings.

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  20. I’ve never seen purple broccoli but I would not have been able to resist trying it! I love both the varieties of flowers in this post too. I recognize the tulips but what are the yellow ones in your first photo (if you happen to know– I don’t actually know the names of many flowering plants/trees here).

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  21. I love the red tulips and the kowhai flowers. I’m going to the 2025 World Press Photo exhibitions in Toronto this coming week. The photos on display are usually outstanding. Thanks you for your weekend coffee share.

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