Sometimes Blog Posts Just Won't Come ..............................

Greetings lovely friends & readers

I have had these photos loaded for a few days now but have not been able to find blogging words to write down ... today is my 3rd attempt.

I had to drop everything & drive down to my Mums again (3rd time this year) after she popped a Ligament in her knee.  I would like to say she is doing much better now but I can only say I think this is going to be a long slow process.  I also had Mum assessed for Resthome Care & she now has help coming in for five mornings a week - much to her disgust & annoyance. 😉

 For years I called Mt Taranaki a "she" but have been told it is a "he".  He was not wearing his usual white coat but was equally as spectacular looking & never fails to take my breath away when I come round a bend.  Quite by accident I found this cute little cafe in Inglewood called Lure Cafe.  I am so pleased I stopped my journey for a coffee & a caramel slice as it was just delightful. 

I was so busy photographing all the eclectic things inside I forgot to get an outside pic so this one is borrowed off their Facebook Page

Jellie the Pig in a paddock outside & a friendly Goat also.

Delightful spaces to sit both inside & out.

A gorgeous array of eclectic vintage treasures to be found in different rooms inside the Cafe.

Along with my coffee & slice I made a purchase ... here is what I bought below ..........

He (She ??) caught my eye & I could Not resist bringing him home with me.  The girl behind the Counter told me it was her own work which made it even more special to me.  I love to create but I also love to support fellow crafters by buying their work.

And Yes dear friends, before you ask ... I did find some treasures at the op-shop 😊 I love the Hospice Shop in Stratford - its clean & well laid out & very reasonable prices.  

This unusual metal urn was from the Hospice Shop in Hawera - $5 ... I plan to do something with it but just not quite sure what as yet.

This book/letter rack was a $2.50 purchase back in * this post * at Christmas time - once again from the Stratford Hospice Shop.  

My friend Sally had gifted me these 2 beautiful books, one for my Birthday, one for Christmas.  I decided to revamp the book rack to display my books in so I gave it two coats of Chalk paint, Pale Duck Egg.  I had to sand the folk art flowers off the front first as their outline kept appearing through my paint.

Some offcuts of Re-design transfers in keeping with the bee/butterfly theme, just completed the rack & the books look perfect sitting in it on display. 

I wondered why the tiny succulent cuttings I had planted in this old watering ram in my garden were not doing especially well. 

I think they have been somewhat flattened by a certain four-legged creature who weighs a tonne !!

Sid is currently obsessed with all things Pokemon related.  Last week I looked up the names he told me on good-old-google & we found images & printed them off ... he spent happy hours cutting them all out & I learnt new names I had never even heard of !!! 😉

Thank You So Very Much for stopping by today dear friends,

I shall be back in a couple of days with a follow-up post,

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend,

With much love & friendship to you All,

Julie & the furry ones x0x0x

Chasing My Tail .........................................

Greetings lovely friends & readers,

Sometimes I watch Miss Pippi chasing her tail ... round & round she goes madly ... never actually catching it or achieving anything - well that is rather how this entire year has felt.

 Round & round I go - achieving very little at times.  And yet another month goes by since I last blogged. 

  I have been away down to Mum's again but prior to that, & just as I was recovering from my surgery, I caught Covid.  I know everyone has a different experience of Covid but I have to say - it absolutely flattened me.  I always had grand visions of being able to craft the recovery time away but friends, I could barely lift my head off the pillow - it just immobilised me & a month later, I am still trying to get some energy back. 

(I should probably add in here that I certainly did Not travel to Mums until I was well over my Covid)

(The stunning Mount Taranaki was peaked in white in the background)

I delivered a large citrus potpourri order (10 bags & 10 boxes) out to the lovely Deb at Brandy's Botanicals while I was down at Mums.  And she has just yesterday messaged me for another order please.  So my dehydrator is busy drying another load of oranges off my tree.

It was the Centuria Garden Festival time while I was down at Mums.  I usually miss this yearly event but this year I was hoping to get to see a couple of the gardens.  In the end I managed to visit 3 but the one I was most excited about was Jenny Oakley's Garden out at Manaia. 

Mum & I first visited Jenny's garden together, probably about 10 years ago now.  I well remember her stunning hanging baskets & they were just as magnificent this time round.

                                           Here they are hanging in this beautiful old Native tree.  

Even Jenny's window boxes took my breath away.

Such a riot of glorious colour everywhere 💗

I loved how she had planted out these Moa's & Pink flamingo's that her husband had fashioned for her.  The Moa's are filled with Mondo grasses in green, & black for the baby.  The pink flamingo is planted with pink impatiens that will be stunning when they grow.  Such imagination 💕

As luck would have it (& good timing on my part), Jenny was giving a hanging basket demonstration & talk at 11am on the morning I visited.  She gives a couple of these throughout the festival. 

 As well as being just a genuinely nice person, Jenny was So happy to share her knowledge.  I honestly learnt so much & so many little tips & tricks.  I shall be giving this a go sometime over the summer months.  

The day after my return was the big Fireworks Spectacular at our local Speedway which we can see clearly from our outside deck area.  So my Grandsons & their families came for a Pizza dinner & then around 8.45 we sat out on the deck & watched the display.  The little ones loved it & it was all over by just after 9 pm. 

 

I have to say I don't especially enjoy fireworks, mainly because of the trauma they create for our animal friends.  Thankfully I had gotten my two furry ones inside early enough as in past years Miss Pip has gone missing for days at a time, so traumatised is she by the noise.  

 En-route to Mum's I usually break for a coffee at the lovely Cafe Lure in Inglewood that I wrote about * here *.  I like to browse their craft section & purchased this catnip mouse for Madam Pip (Yes in floral colours, reminded me of Liberty fabric).  As soon as I gave it to her she just devoured it ... she can obviously smell the catnip inside.  Two weeks later & she is still obsessed with it.

After my surgery my dear friend Sandy loaned me a wonderful selection of books to read, so I decided to make her a bookmark as a little Thank You.  I used one of my lovely friend Jennifer of Elefantz designs bookmark patterns - go 

* here * for the free downloads.   I made Sandy's in Tilda fabrics in two of her favourite colours. 💙 

Lastly dear friends, my step-grandaughter Juno has become a "big sister" as they welcomed little Sadie Joy into the world a couple of weeks ago.  I just adore this photo above - they are all doing well & we look forward to meeting Sadie very soon.  

Thank you as always, for your welcome visits here today,

I am off batten down the hatches as we are experiencing dreadful stormy weather here this week,

Remember to be kind to yourselves & to each other,

With much love & friendship to you All,

Julie & the furry ones x0x0x