This week’s small pleasures #463

Thistles and Kiwis

Today is the Labour Day holiday here in New Zealand, so, as is the tradition of such days, the weather is ghastly. As I type this evening, the rain is pouring down, and I dare not even run out for a spot of parsley.

Anyway, it is peony season, so I had to buy a bunch – a bit pricey but there are times when we all need something to brighten our lives and these certainly do. Here they are on Saturday…and Sunday.

Lunches

I had a bit of disrupted week with one thing and another, but still managed to get to The Bond Street Deli for one of their fabulous tuna bagels again. They are just so good!

On Friday, I picked up some sushi and sat out in Midland Park with other civil servants and lots of pigeons. I sat on one of the benches and looked out at the fountain, which I think looks like poppy seeds bent over in the wind.

In the shopping basket

We took delivery of a Wonky Box this week and there was a great selection of produce: a head of broccoli, 2 cioggia beetroot, a capsicum, bunch of asparagus, potatoes, a lettuce and bag of baby spinach (not pictured) and some added on tomatoes and…three cucumbers as I added on two and got one. Still, I made a batch of pressgurka, the Swedish pickled cucumber with one of them plus a half I already had in the fridge. I topped this up with more asparagus, apples, red onions, spring onions, a piece of ginger and some dill to add to a potato salad. There were sausages, lamb and steak from the butcher, tins of tuna, burrata, little cherry bocconcini and a packet of pumpernickel bread to have on hand for lunches.

Sunday

On Sunday we drove over to Eastbourne, a lovely drive through the bays on the other side of the water from Wellington. As you can see, this Eastbourne is rather far away from the other one. We went for lunch to one of our favourite places, the French café Tartines. We both had croque monsieur, me adding salad and Karl, chips (or fries). We had intended to go for a bit of a walk, but it was rather windy, so our walk was curtailed somewhat. Still, it looked lovely and you can see Wellington in the distance on the other side of the water.

Simple things

  • Starting some cross stitch embroidery after a break of many years (and finding I can really only do it in daylight these days).
  • Enjoying time for reading.
  • Staying indoors, drinking tea, when the weather is bad.
  • Eating strawberries for the first time this season.
  • Getting out into the garden, doing a bit of weeding and tidying up.
  • Spotting lots of bees when walking to the bus on Saturday morning.

Today I read some sad news over at Natalie’s blog. Trent McDonald of Trent’s World blog passed away earlier this month. His posts about his dogs, his music and his life were always lovely little snippets of his life, and I used to feature him in my list each Monday of blogs that made me smile. Condolences to his family.

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 featured in the weekend coffee share hosted by Natalie.

  • Laurie of Notes From the Hinterland introduces us to a Franco-American journal.
  • There is a beautiful weed over at Anne’s of Something Over Tea.
  • Travels Through My Lens takes part in a protest.
  • Natalie takes us to Edmonton and Calgary.
  • Min of Write of the Middle showscases the jacaranda tree.
  • The clocks have gone back in Europe and Mr Tootlepedal sees the darker evenings.
  • The Travel Sketcher celebrates the past week in The Pearl with some wonderful sketches and wonderful food.
  • And the Glasgow Gallivanter takes us to Ullswater.
  • It is lovely to see Deb back in the blogosphere after her fantastic trip (I could at least keep up with where she was on Instagram).
  • Fred shares six things in his garden including some lovely looking chillies.
  • Jude does an annual round up of her beautiful garden.
  • Ju-Lyn is colour co-ordinated.
  • Still Reslessjo is grateful to her Polish family.
  • And Jo shares more of her time UK trip going to Thirsk, Felixkirk and York.
  • ..…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.

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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. Those peonies… I’ve been contemplating taking up embroidery again, but suspect I’d need both glasses and a strong light these days.

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  3. I don’t think I’ve seen cut peonies for sale. Such a fabulous splurge! We have a poinsettia tree on the patio and it’s full of blooms right now, which has the same cheering effect as I sit here looking out. Thanks so much for the link, Barbara. An unexpected pleasure. I shall go visiting the others after I’ve posted this morning.

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  4. I can only sew or knit in daylight.

    I watched a BBC series yesterday – The Ridge – starts in Scotland and then goes on to New Zealand.

    A strange psychological thriller. NOT sure about it – very odd.

    Have you seen it?

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  5. I did a comment – but cannot see it.

    I can only sew or knit in good light.

    I watched a BBC psychological thriller THE RIDGE.

    Starts in Scotland and then goes to New Zealand.

    Very Strange – Have you seen it?

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  6. A delightful post as always 🙂 I have had the stitches on my knee removed and will continue to use crutches for a month – all good news though!

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  7. That looks like a lovely drive around the bay and what a nice croque monsieur. It’s not often you see one on a menu here. Wet and windy here too! But there was some sunshine this morning, always so good to see.

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  16. The peonies really makes me think of summer (while the yellow leaves are swirling down to the grown outside my window).

    How fun with a cross-stitch project. my grandma always wanted me to do at least one every summer while visiting her. I haven’t done one since my early teens ..I don’t know if I would remember how. I did get inspired to give it another try a few weeks ago while visiting Melissas blog https://undertheelderberrytree.com/ she was just starting a project of her own. Perhaps I’ll start one in November? 🙂

    I found out about Trent yesterday just before leaving for work. He will be missed. I think we’ve been blogging friends since before my daughter was born, and she’s 13 now.

    Thank you for another great blog post. I hope you have a wonderful week.

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  18. Thanks for the mention Barbara. It really was a shock about Trent wasn’t it?

    Cross stitching used to be my ‘thing’ but I haven’t picked it up in quite a while. I get the daylight light being required these days!!

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  19. Peonies are my ultra favourite flower. I have a yellow tree peony about to flower – will share when it opens. That toasted sandwich is making me hungry.

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  22. The peonies are such a beautiful colour and must have helped to brighten up a rainy day. I’ve only been to Wellington once (my cousin lives there) but he took us on a drive round the bay, which was beautiful. It looked very similar to Eastbourne – we were on the other side of the bay from Wellington and had nice views back across the water. Thanks for following my blog Le Chic En Rose – I’m now signing up for yours, best wishes Rosemary 🙂

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      1. Yes I’m not sure but the view does look familiar. We were on the opposite bank to where the ferry sank a number of years ago. It was a very pleasant outing and the weather was lovely when we were there 🙂

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