This week’s small pleasures 507

As winter tips over into spring and the days become longer, the prospect of piles of delicious asparagus, fresh peas and crisp radishes comes to mind. What is more, this will be my third spring in 18 months thanks to our trip to Europe earlier this year, so my third chance to enjoy asparagus (though no white ones here in Aotearoa) and, no doubt, my third round of hay fever……..

Anyway, this little pop of red has appeared in the garden. Hopefully, the rest will come up too. I also bought some tulips as can be seen in the featured image at the top of the post which are such a delight and brighten up a little corner of the room.

Lunches

It was a week in which we ate extremely well, from the excellent evening at Noble Rot Wine Bar on Wednesday to very good toad-in-the hole on Saturday. I met Karl for lunch on Wednesday, and we went to Salut Pies. Karl had his usual mince and cheese and I had the black Doris chilli plum roast pork which was very good. Yes it was crispy on the top and pillowy on the bottom (as per the Kiwi pie reviewer, Kosmos).

I popped into local to the office Tipple in the Nook on Tuesday and had a very good sandwich with salami, cheese and salad and coffee for NZ$10, a real bargain for a tasty bite for lunch.

In the basket

The Wonky Box delivered up carrots, three little beetroot, a kumara, one onion, broccoli, a couple of avocados, a lovely fennel bulb, a punnet of mushrooms and a bag of mini silverbeet leaves. I bought some oranges to make a salad with the fennel for work day lunches, lemons, kale and a radicchio along with a chicken, sausages and lamb for the excellent barley-lamb dish from Julius Roberts.

The Food Show haul

On Sunday, a friend and I went to The Food Show, a time to taste, try and buy lots of things. I got some lovely sounding saffron and vanilla figs which I see as being great with ice-cream. A small jar of fig preserve, a jar of aioli, a bottle of very special avocado oil (the taste!), some truffle balsamic vinegar (I must have said ‘flavour bomb’ three times….) and the very more-ish pickled pineapple that I just love. I also got some cheese, sheep milk yoghurt, very good pesto, sardines of various sorts, and two flavoured salts.

Simple things

• Spending Saturday afternoon on the sofa with a good book, tea and some cool jazz.
• Going on the cable car for the first time in ages – it is kind of fun.
• Being able to dry laundry outside – finally!
• Hearing that a good friend completed the Sydney marathon on Sunday – congratulations!
• Feeling that warmer days are getting here.
• Seeing this sunset on Sunday evening.

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.

• Lisa of Southern Patches catches up on life recently.
• Alex Keerie tells us about the end of the trip to Bordeaux. I love his writing.
• Jo prepares for her travels. Bon Voyage!
• Anne spots some blue cranes.
• The Glasgow Gallivanter takes us on a Scottie walk. Now that was fun.
• Meanwhile Travels Through My Lens goes on a hot air balloon ride .
• The Travel Sketcher shares the week in The Pearl.
• Mr Tootlepedal has a quiet day.
• Maria goes walking.
• And Neal shares five good things that made him happy.
• Ju Lyn celebrates the changing seasons.
• And Natalie takes us on a garden walk.
• Deb goes to the beach.
• Finally….Mr Platypus goes to Stowe House.
• ..…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 and good food. Thistles and Kiwis can be found on Facebook and Instagram @thistlesandkiwis