Flaming Red and Friendship

There's been a bit of a major conflagration at our place this week, in more ways than one. Just down the road a fruit packaging place went up in 20 metre flames only a couple of blocks from where we live. The spectacle could be seen from all around Hawke's Bay and drew rubber neckers from everywhere. It's a strange old pull that one...couldn't help ourselves...we just had to take a walk down the road & see too...the drama unfolding in our neighbourhood. Fascination, awe, gratitude for a vast & courageous fire crew. 

We met throngs of people in their pyjamas standing at the gate, on the footpath or clambering on the roof to take a better look.

Funnily enough I bumped in to my brother...wearing angel wings. Good lad!

Although the fire truck tyres melted & half a dozen homes had to be evacuated for the night, just in case, it was very fortunate that the evening was windless & the fuel was only packaging for the coming apple season not some nasty industrial chemical.

Fire is an astonishing colour & so unforgiving.

I've never been much of a one for red before & have, in fact, suffered a life-long allergy to orange. Yet, quite surreptitiously healing snuck up on me while I wasn't watching. I appear to have been cured of my affliction & have more recently managed to view these hues with a new appreciation. Not that I am about to paint my living room walls orange though you understand. My vintage coat hanger & button finds are, however,  entirely congenial & match perfectly with the delightful afternoon tea cloth that I discovered in the linen draw of the newly opened antique shop down at the Mayfair shopping centre. "Shopping centre" is a little grandiose for a grubby little string of odd shops, however, "The Pavilion" is lovely. I shall be popping back often.

And the tea cloth. Isn't it gorgeous. All those hollyhocks!

More flame colours.

There's just something about red hearts don't you think? 

This picture comes from a delightful book "From the heart to my Friend"

It's been sitting by my bed for a while now..funny how we don't always appreciate the things we already have. I am practicing visiting with all the loveliness already around me.

A dear little quality book full of sweet sentiments

& pretty pictures.

Thank you for your friendship. I am so glad that you are visiting.

My best friend came to visit yesterday morning. The darling girl gave me this card & so many exquisite gifts, chosen just for me & given with utmost love.

This little gift fell out of a tree. I guess it is a thrush egg. I love the colour don't you

Almost the colour of the vase on the right that I found at Connections this week. Yay it had a chip so it was nice & cheap & utterly usable for flowers. The dear little duck I bought from my lovely Trade Me friend Lamp lady.

Just in case you're local I thought I'd let you know about an upcoming bazaar (love that word!)

Coco and Co. is a new shop in Market Street run by Jo & Jess of Fruit Bowl Craft Jam fame..you can see some great pictures of the shop here at Sweet Mary.

The duo's philosophy runs like this: "The crazy lovechild of Jo Pearson and Jess Soutar Barron, Coco and Co. has grown out of a passion for hand-made, design led, found, upcycled and recycled objects - the beautiful, the useful, the interesting, the obscure, the nostalgic, and sometimes - given the right light - the grotesque.... CoCo and Co is a collaboration, a curated collection, an open work room & a sometime shop." marvelous! 

Chances are my week may be a little bazaar. 

Hope yours is fabulous & colour-full!

MUCH

♥♥♥♥♥