Art for Heart's Sake

Did I

...... post a photograph of me in my tutu?  I can't remember so here it is now (apologies if I'm repeating it, giggle)..  It's a little out of focus because it was taken on my iPhone.

This is the tutu I tried on in a ballet shop in New Plymouth while I was there.  I spent quite a lot of time in the shop and the ex-ballet teacher that runs it was such a honey.  I went round a corner and saw a pile of these gorgeous black tutus - next thing she was insisting I try it on and ''do you have your phone with you so I can take a photo?''.  Gulp!  She even put me in a pose on the stage to do it!  Ermm can I admit that it felt WONDERFUL!  I ermmed and aaahed for a couple of days about it because I REALLY wanted to buy it - in the end I decided life is just too short so I must, it's all part of living the dream!  It's hanging in my wardrobe at the moment - well when I say hanging, more like bunched up!  I told the other girls at ballet last Friday when we practised and they are insisting I bring it into class, gulp!

I'm busy in the farm shed today, pricking out seedlings.  I've also started working on the last gift tags (yesterday) for Pete's order and am about to do the tea light holders.  I'm very excited about them and can't wait.

I must fly.. so much to do and ballet practise this pm too!  Smiles..

Happy Monday!

Morning on a lovely Monday morning.  Eeeek yesterday (and today come to that) feels like SPRING... NOOOOOOOOOO... bring back Winter!!  We got to 16.6 degrees C here yesterday which was lovely but not when it's winter.  Today we have strong westerlies forecast but so far there is only a tiny breeze blowing.

I've just planted a couple of pansies in the garden opposite our bedroom, plus some tall snapdragons (well they will be tall eventually) to help add some colour to this bed.  It is has a lot of mauve-purple and plum shades so needs lifting a bit.  I planted 3 black tulip and 3 white tulip bulbs (eeek yes a month late!) that I had forgotten about there too.  I will gradually add more each season.  I was thinking of adding yellow and red tulips there too but I can't bring myself to do it, it's just the wrong spot for those colours in my eyes.

Some of the seedlings in my tunnel house need moving outside now to make room for more that I will be pricking out this week.  I've moved some already this morning but there are a few more to go.

I also need to work on my tea light holder order this pm, plus go gardening next door!  As usual, a VERY busy day.  Oooh and I want to plant some cineraria that are too big to send to Bay Landscapes.  They're going to go into the woodland garden where they will be protected from frost and provide lovely spring colour.. Eeeeek I'd better get going!  Smiles..  Photos to follow...

Planting Pansies!

Hi, it's Sunday afternoon and I'm enjoying a refreshing cup of tea!  I've been busy in the garden today which is so lovely - it's been a while since I've had time to garden for myself and it feels great.  I weeded the small garden right outside John's office (front of the house) and I've planted some pansy and stock plants in it to give us some colour.

I did ballet practise earlier this pm and have just phoned Mum to type her weekly letter.  I'm about to leap back into the garden for a while, then I need to fill the wood box and walk the dog, before putting a chicken in the oven to roast.  Hmmm I'd better go and stuff it too!  Crikey!

More tomorrow.. Smiles..

A Busy Day, Getting Nowhere!!

Hi, it's Saturday evening and it's been one of those funny days when time just whisks by and you don't feel as though you've accomplished anything much.  I woke properly at 7.45am which I can't stand because I always feel as though the day is getting away from me at that very instant.  I love waking up at 7am at the latest!  By the time we'd had our usual cup of tea in bed, written up our daily diary and spent some time on our iPads.. yes sad but true... it was about 8.45am!! eeeeeek... NO NO NO NO!!

I went to lunch with my neighbour today for our combined birthdays.  We've been trying to get together since my birthday on 19 April and Caroline's was on 27 May (oops I forgot because I was so busy with my tags etc) so we had a gorgeous lunch today and split the bill.  I managed to get a tiny bit of weeding done in one area of the garden directly outside the house and I'm going to plant some pansies and stock plants there tomorrow.

I must sort out our dinner now, so more tomorrow.  Smiles...

Off to Ballet Practise!

Hi, it's Friday morning and oh bother, no frost!  There was one in the early hours of the morning because I can still see a bit around but then the breeze came up.  That's the end of the cold snap for a week or so.. boo hoo!

I'm off to ballet practise this morning - there isn't a class because our ballet teacher is away but at least we get to practise in the hall.  I am wearing a leotard and footless tights today which feels great.  It makes a difference being dressed for ballet - I feel different and I will be able to move more easily too.

I'd better fly.  More tomorrow.. Smiles..

GORGEOUS FROST!

Hi, we had another magnificent frost this morning.  I took the camera out with me when I went to open the chook house...

It was so beautiful seeing the sun shining on the frost - nature's glitter!  It is almost 11am and there is still a lot of frost on the ground and we've reached 2.7 degrees C.  How I'd love to be further down the south island so I could experience that winter wonder - hoar frost!

Yesterday I was busy doing all sorts of things.  I was feeling pretty exhausted yesterday so didn't do anything terribly strenuous - just finished unpacking, walked the dog, cleaned out the bird bath in the afternoon (it had 1cm of ice on it and wasn't going to thaw!) and a few other things including ballet practise.

Today I DO need to sow some seeds - I'll use that window of time between about 12.30pm and 3pm before it gets too cold.  The farm shed (where my potting benches are) will be freezing cold no matter what!

It's meant to start to warm up a bit over the next few days - sob!  I love these cold, crisp blue sky days.  It's not meant to be 15 degrees C (forecast for next week) in winter!!!  My cup of tea is getting cold so much go and drink it.  Smiles..

Aaah Home!

Hi, on a very cold Wednesday morning.  It's only 2.6 degrees C at 10.45am!!  Crikey, yes it's winter and I LOVE it!  We had a huge frost this morning and it was -2.2 C when we woke up.  Some parts of the inner South Island have plunged to -20 degrees C over night, oh how I'd love to experience that!  Yes I'm a sick puppy and I love it!

It is so lovely to be home again!  It was hard saying goodbye to my gorgeous Mum especially because she kept telling me how much she'd miss me.  She is such a honey, a very strong-minded woman in her own way, but vulnerable at the same time!  I am so glad I managed to make a difference to her life for a few days.  It felt so good to be able to rub cream on her sore knees and ease the knots in her upper back.  It's the little things!

I'm about to go out and water things in the tunnel house.  The sun is on it but the hose is frozen and I've realised my the spray gun attachment on the end of it has cracked in the frost - oh bother!   It won't take long for the hose to thaw because I've pulled some of it into the tunnel house itself.  

I know I'm over-tired because I haven't slept very well over the past few nights - not even last night in our bed.  I've been taking echinacea and vitamin C over the past few days to help ward off any possible colds - everyone seemed to have one when I was away, including a man coughing behind me on the plane yesterday.

I must go and continue sorting out the things I bought back with me.  Some of it needs to go out into my freezing! cold studio!  My poor paints will be a bit solid I fear!  It's not good for paint to go below 10 degrees C and my studio is 7 degrees C right now.  More tomorrow when I'm feeling a bit more ''with it''.  Smiles..

On way home

Hi honeys just a quick post. Am leaving for home this am and need to get out of bed!! Will do a newsy post tomorrow! Smiles

I'm here!!!

Hi and oh Crikey, I've just realized I haven't posted on here for 2 or is it 3 days???!!! I'm so sorry, did you notice? Giggle. I'm in New Plymouth visiting mum and I completely forgot to sign in here until this morning. This is mainly because I'm using my iPad and I don't have a blog icon. I must remedy that! All is good here, the weather has been crazy, stormy on Friday (horizontal rain and wRm wind) and flooding but no wind yesterday. I drove 20 minutes to see my sister (outside New Plymouth in a small town called inglewood) and just got back when they closed the road!!! Phew. The central city was flooded with sewage as well as water so advising people to stay away. The magnificent coastal walkway here is closed for three days due to seWage going out to sea (i.e. Poopy waves coming ashore) so I won't be walking there which is such a shame. On Friday I spent a lot of time in a ballet store and I have a photo of me in a tutu!!! I can't post it on here but wil when I get home. It felt amazing!! I did buy a midnight blue leotard which is gorgeous! If I'm going to do ballet I need to look the part, it makes me feel lovely. It's lovely to see mum. She is so very cute if totally frustrated with still being alive!! Today I'll go for a walk and then hopefully we are going out for afternoon tea with my sister. The weather is colder but has improved a bit! Smiles

On My Way!

Hi, just a quick post this morning because I'm about to head off to the airport to catch my first flight. I'll post again this pm from New Plymouth!  I have to pick up a rental car and then head to the supermarket on my way to Mum's because she doesn't really have much food in the house and definitely not the sort of things I like to cook!  Unfortunately Mum doesn't cook any more so I don't get a holiday from that!!  Smiles..