Butterfly Cakes and a Frog

Isn't joy infectious!

 I love this picture so much...it's part of the cover of one of our Good magazines.
Childlike unfettered joy is such a liberty.
So many adults seem to misplace theirs along the raggedy pathway of life.
But it can be reinstated...if you want it
 & you're prepared to practice
 & not worry about what other people think!
I plan to spend the rest of my years learning joy & practicing child-like wonder...how about you?
I think, maybe, joy is most likely found in the simple things..
All our blossom trees have come bursting forth this week.

 It's the school holidays at the moment.
The young girl across the road was selling flowers on Monday, outside her Nanna's ..she's saving up for a skateboard. Aren't they beautiful!

 I can't believe her mother sacrificed so many of her garden flowers for her daughter to sell..

 even some orchids in amongst them.

 We had a marvelous time out at St Columbus Church Fair on Saturday morning.
We found so many useful & quaint things...like my chippy paint vintage frog & lots of vintage thermoses (ok then, what's the plural of thermos?).

 I've also found some beautiful Edwardian cloths in the last couple of weeks.
This one was labelled as a tablecloth & did have large blobs of candle wax on it but it fits our 3/4 bed beautifully as a bedspread.

All the embroidery is hand done & the quality of the linen is superb.

 Some things you may only stumble upon once in a life time, like this exquisite Royal Doulton teapot.

 It came with a tiny sugar bowl milk jug & dish...perhaps from a breakfast set?
The whole lot was only $23..the teapot has a chip on the spout but that means that it can be used for flowers which is just fine too.

In our Trade Me scourings for picnicware I came across these fabulous duraware bowls.

David felt we should make some guacamole with the abundance of ripe avocados we had yesterday...good idea so as not to waste them...um, we ate the rest.

 Oh yum, the first of the strawberries were to be found at the Farmers' Market this morning and these wonderful lemon tarts at "Entice". Of course we had to taste test them..I think we may have found the perfect tiny tea party & picnic food.

I bought a $2 wooden plate rack recently & rearranged all (ah, cough...some of) my pretty plates.

It's so nice to be able to see them all & use them easily.

When we went to the Botanical Gardens in Napier last Sunday for a picnic we were so enchanted by the proliferation of white doves..

 and a few odd bods.

 The gardens are nestled in a very steep gully.
On the eastern side is a very old small cemetery. It is a fascinating place to wander, most of it predating the catastrophic earthquake of 1931.

There's a lovely view from the angel's sentinel spot.

 I love this little shelter for visitors.

 Except, I really wanted to go & get a bucket of hot soapy water & give it a good scrub down...poor old thing.

Just as we came over the bridge on the motorway on the journey home I saw this stunning sight..both apple blossom but wildly different colours.

I went to a party today.

There were tiny butterfly cakes.

Do you remember those?

They make me smile.

They taste like childhood & babies kisses.

 My niece Jaimee bought her two day old mallard duckling with her.
His name is Quackers.

 Last I saw, her father was attempting to liberate Quackers from up Jaimee's sleeve, then it was back to his little hot water bottle.

 I've been thinking a lot lately about the fact that we get to choose a great deal more than we actually think we do. Values are like joy they're contagious too.
Jaimee's mother gave me the most extra-ordinary gift this week..joyous enthusiasm for our AVintage Picnic. I am so grateful!! What a difference we can make for one another.
You could also pop over & visit us on facebook too if you had a moment (& do facebook!)...we'd love to see you!
Thank you for all your kind, sweet comments & encouragement..we both feel so blessed!

 ♥♥♥♥♥