On a Mission to Home

Now let me tell you a giddy wee story of home....
The essence and heart of Sunshine Vintage began almost three years ago in a most unexpected way- with a celebration...a birthday afternoon tea in our garden for Pat who had lived in our house some 60 years ago with her grandparents. The event was a delight for us all, a friendship forged that has proven to be a blessing beyond anything any of us could have imagined.

(There's Pat in red)

So surprised & delighted was Pat by her birthday tea party & the opportunity to view the old house that still held a special place in her heart, she sent us a gift voucher for The Mission restaurant in gratitude. Time went by & we had safely saved the gift for a special occasion, when it just so happened that our Matthew & his lovely Sarah returned to Hawke's Bay & came to stay with us awhile. The romance was sparkling but the means were limited so we decided to gift our voucher to the two lovebirds &....off they went on their first "real" date.

The following January they were married!

We let Pat know what we'd done & just how perfect it all was & of course, how grateful we all were for her kindness. But my goodness what did she do...gave us yet another voucher insisting that this time we use it for ourselves. So one steamy night last January we headed off to The Mission for my birthday

Dining out is not something that we do very often so it was a very special treat.

It may sound a little odd but we studied the menu carefully before we went

& we were so pleased that we did

as it enabled to make the very best choices.
 What utterly delectable food.
We savoured every bite.

A romantically memorable evening.

In the middle of a mission of building "home".

So lovely!

You may be getting a little dizzy in my story about now but such is the warp & weft of building connection & memories; as history unfolds in both the predictable & in surprising ways.
Matthew & Sarah organised their own wedding down in Kumeroa where they were house sitting at the time. Yet another remarkable encounter had lead to an idyllic setting for a small & perfectly formed wedding. Before they left we visited with them for a few days.

Such lovely country side.

Eventually it came time to leave the grand old house & move along.

 They soon found themselves up the Coromandel way at Prana Retreat Opoutere 

where Matthew has been running a commercial kitchen & they have catered for large crowds at various music festival events, including this last New Year.

Prana Festival is... from White Light Media on Vimeo.

It's hard to believe that a whole year has gone by since that sweet wedding.

And such a happy day.

An impromptu duet a little later...

And so the thread of connection is once again tucked back in here at 625N Nelson Street.

A humble bungalow, but one that has gifted many with warm & lasting memories of what is truly home. 

It's that time again & our dear friend Pat has popped in once more bearing kind Christmas offerings. 

Old-fashioned bumble bees have been shared amongst us & we have told the story once more to our other son & his friends as they tasted the sweet treats of connection. 

Happy birthday dear Pat.
We'll do our best to take care of the old place.

Morning Glory

Hello dear, kind people.

I wonder, are you a fabulous giver of gifts or are you, perhaps, a better receiver?

Some people just love getting presents & surprises, others are so clever at finding just the right thing for someone else. One of my best & most memorable gifts received, was... half a salami wrapped in tin foil from my friend Trish-perhaps 20 years ago! 

I loved it!

 It meant so much to me at the time.

A week or two ago, I left a little fairy stuck down to Nina's bedroom window sill, with the hope that she might open her curtains one morning & catch sight of a sweet little friend peering in.

Soon after that, Nina was grocery shopping with her mum when she spied the perfect gift for Auntry Catherine..

 Entirely delightful!
And the best part was the Nina made fairy wand....just for me!

 Just in case you're wondering...this is where you keep your fairy wand.

 In amongst the dust & the desiccation, there are magical things in the early autumn gardens.
Like quinces' bottoms.

Aren't quinces buttery beautiful.

 And there are ripe-o-clock blackbirds that are devouring the perfect fruit-wholly, one by one.

 I am rather taken with the vibrant presence of summer begonias at the moment. If you find the right spot for them they flower for months & months, right through to the first frosts. I want to try & label the corms this season before they finish flowering so that I will know what colours I have for next year.

Isn't sweetcorn so delicious & these days it's so sweet too.

I found some more of these vintage corn dishes last week- cute & colourful!

 My fabulous gathering friend Ruth & I have been selling her bulbs & my seeds on Trade me over the last month or so. What a joy it is to sell plants & seeds to people! In amidst the selling a lovely lady called Michelle came from just down the road to collect her purchases & we had such a great conversation. She told me how much she loved our parks & most especially Frimley Park & "The Rabbit Tree". It was about now I found this little rabbit book. The bunnies have their tails painted on each morning by mother rabbit.

 Receiving instructions before going out to play.

 So of course we needed to go & find the Rabbit Tree for ourselves-

 And so it goes that if you come along very softly right about dusk & then you wait patiently & very quietly...

 you just might see the rabbits come out to play.

 sshhh...

 I love to return to the St Luke's Church Fair each year out in Havelock North.

Stalls like the flower ladies are such a delight.

 I decided to be a little floral all by my self.

 This ensemble (double bass included)

 were just adorable & played the funnest old tunes.

 I was so thrilled to be able to buy this entirely hand worked tablecloth.

 The edging is all bobbin lace & must have taken an extraordinary amount of time to make.

When I pass this delightful signage on my way to work, it always makes me smile.

As my friend Kerry said.."It's like nourish...one leads to the other!"

Yes, indeed that's true.

We are doing quite well here this week. We're all ok.

Grateful for that.

"What's the story morning glory?"

Aren't they amazing...each flower unfurls like an umbrella each morning & tucks itself away again each dusk.

(click to see the whole picture)

Fresh glory in the morning, tucked in & protected each evening.
That'll do me, today.
Blessings & friendship to you!
Thanks so much for your visit.
Much love, Catherine

Violet Jelly & the Journey of the Piano Keys

I am so grateful to be living in this amazing time in history.

To be able to learn & connect, to encourage & be encouraged, support & be supported; share inspiration & friendship across borders, barriers, nations & provinces. We are no longer confined to friendships & connections that we make in the villages, towns or cities in which we live. We can freely cross borders of time & space to live more openly, broadly, even deeply than ever before..in connection; while still maintaining our own rhythms of daily life.

When I opened the unexpected parcel that I found in my letterbox last week, my heart melted & tears streamed down my face.    

 I had waited my whole life long for those of my past to "see" me, to tell me I was at least ok, but that time never came & never will. Yet here in my arms was a fresh proof; the gift that carried a thousand affirmations in one, from a dear heart to mine. I am seen. I will be ok. I am so grateful!

 Memories... new memories I have softly laid down in a bed of kindness & care.

 I am so glad that you have traveled with me, my friends, as I have journeyed through the hard things & the "Lucy" moments.

 The best & most beautiful things in the world are indeed felt with the heart. Thank you dearest Julie for your loving stitches of kindness. How glad I am to be able to visit Threadbear Cottage & your Threadbear Life at any time of the day or night to have a catch up, find endless inspiration & entertaining kitten antics. 

 The days have been endlessly dull for ages now, which is a little perturbing. 

 I think that that may be why, although we can see the signs of emerging Spring, it doesn't really feel like Spring; just yet. This is a lovely place to walk down by the Karamu Stream. Getting out & about in the country side always helps to lift your spirits when the times are a little odd.

There are moments of some sunshine.

Coriander does so love the cooler weather though.

 As does the floral marvel of radicchio. Such a beautiful vegetable....you could almost wear it.

A little muddly potager

 down in the back corner of the garden.

 Just over from the bluebells..

 and the brand new of the raspberry canes. Green arises from "dead" sticks.

 A new white dove descended in to the Fairy Garden last week.

 My most exciting triumph in ages....finally figuring out how to make a truly effective, non-toxic weed killer!! And so simple!! A tablespoon of nasty table salt, a big squirt of dish washing liquid & fill up the bottle with white vinegar. That's it. 

 And it really works.

 Cath Kidston has a theme of clocks going on at the moment. Aren't these little cruets cute.

 I just love my Trade Me "work"...sending things like violets, fabric & Cath Kidston wallpaper all over the countryside. We have so many lovely people living in our land. I like to wrap things nicely with ribbons & handwritten cards, but these old piano keys were a tad tricky on that count. They arrived with David a few years ago when he returned home from Greymouth. I listed them for a dollar as I couldn't bear to throw them away & a very interesting arty lady bought them locally. She very kindly deposited $10...as a "token of her delight". They have gone off to be shared with four other arty ladies & so their journey is complete. As it happens the piano itself was gifted to a kindergarten in Canterbury in the 1960's, later it was sold to a family, who eventually moved & couldn't take it with them...David fancied ownership & consequently hauled it over the Southern Alps where it resided with him for quite sometime. Heavy & cumbersome at the time of his leaving it then appears to have met it's demise, yet not quite fully caste off, the keys journeyed north with the intention of becoming an art installation...which, indeed, has now been fulfilled. 

How extravagant to pick a whole bowl of violets!!

 If you pour boiling water over them 

 & leave them to steep for an hour or two

 strain, add honey, lemon juice, gelatine & a tiny splash of rose water you end up with the most divine jelly. You can find the recipe here.

 We ate it for breakfast with rhubarb & kefir cream & a little fresh coconut grated over the top.

 Heavenly!

And so are these gorgeous grape hyacinths & bluebells.

I wish you all fragrance, good friendship, some jelly & a very happy week!

Much love

Catherine x0x0x