Shades of Summer

The bright lights and crisp notes of summer have finally managed to slide in to first base here this past week, just in the nick of time; but the pastel hues of the cooler days travel with me where ever I go in this bag that I have made from stashed doilies & treasured vintage Sanderson. 

  I love this particular pattern as it is so versatile for using up scraps of fabric and is such a lovely shape to wear.

I am so glad about the marvelous diversity of produce that we have here in Hawke's Bay & I am particularly glad that other people are so on to it in growing their speciality things. Like the lady from The Squirrel's Pantry that brings her wonderful berries to the Farmer's Market. I love to eat fresh gooseberries as they turn mahogany like the worcester berries on the left.

 Worcester berries are a cross between a blackcurrant & a gooseberry with a gooseberry dominance in flavour to my mind.

Today when I got home from the market I was so overwhelmed with gratitude for the astonishing abundance that I had been able to gather from my "friends", all those wonderful growers of fine nourishment, that I just had to take a photo of it all.

 Last night I cooked some red rice & their was more than we needed so I made some sushi with the extra. Red rice makes a richly colourful alternative to white & is so much more flavoursome. Our figs are looking a bit odd this year, but they taste great. My red cabbage & beetroot sauerkraut is really delicious & was perfect on this platter for lunch.

  The pink & white stuff is "choggia" & tastes just like beetroot. Isn't this version so pretty?!

 I love my little retro grinder that I found op shopping. It works brilliantly & is perfect for grinding spices or flaxseed & nuts.

One of the nice things about "charity" shopping is that there is very little risk involved. 

I wasn't entirely sure if I would use this $6 candlewick bedspread but I love it as a couch cover.

 Just the right size & a great colour in our living room.

 This dear little garden angel has been swimming & loves to wear flowers on her head.

 I discovered some of our "borrowed cats" playing in trees yesterday. Out pack hunting for birds : 0

 Maddy went way, way out on a limb...silly thing!

The light was lovely again early-ish this morning. I love the amazing hues & flavour of purple basil. It just has something a little different going on than the plain green sort.

 Even good old nasturtiums can be pretty in the right light.

 I love this little blue larkspur. I am so glad that it gently self seeds at least somewhere in my garden each year.

 Hydrangeas come in the prettiest of colours & are so useful in the summer garden especially in shady spots.

 This one always makes me smile as it reminds me of a vintage floral hat.

Like this one that is for sale on Trade Me at the moment. Isn't it delightful!

Hope you're having a lovely weekend.

 I'm run off my feet just now, selling sweetcorn, santa rosa plums, white flesh nectarines & tangelos at my gate..thank goodness for all those lovely people who grow it all!

 ♥♥♥♥♥