SeReNDiPiTy aNd HeR SisTeR JoY

I just love her, Serendipity, she is so much fun & she gets along with absolutely anybody. She has a sister called Joy, but I'm still getting to know her. I hope that in time to come we will be Best Friends Forever & ever, all of us. You may know these girls too? I really hope so. Sometimes I think that the further that we travel away from childhood the less we have eyes to see the beauty & love around us. That's why I have been so inspired & encouraged recently by Chrissy & her blog cul*ti*vate meaning "to prepare, grow & develop". Chrissy is presently running a 14 day "heart & seek"... finding hearts in unexpected places & bringing them out to play. There's just something about hearts that makes my little heart sing. Here's one of Chrissy's that popped up in her daughter's frozen yoghurt.

I have mentioned my friend Serendipity before, as I recall: "an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident" not to be confused with Serendopity a nasty piece of work that causes "an aptitude for dumb things happening by accident". 'Dopity shows no discrimination either, but is absolutely no relation to our sweet "girl".
Although 'Dipty has a huge affinity for hearts she is by no means exclusive & is highly inventive. Like the day of my birthday, driving home I came across this remarkable sight at a busy intersection..even a sign there to point out the spectacle. A tenacious wee tomato plant growing in a manhole & fruiting!

 During the following week, when Rob found that he didn't have enough shifts for the fortnight & couldn't fix it, I started to slide down the slippery old slope in to despair..but, just right then the Black Doris plums came on stream from my dear friend Ruth... & just as they finished, Bob, the lovely orchard man, called to say that his golden peaches were ready. As I was serving someone at the gate that day a lady drove up, wound down her car window & handed me this box of mushrooms.."Here, have these" she said

  & drove away. When next I went to pick up more peaches I was given these gorgeous nerines ( I've never seen them grown commercially before)

& bucketsful of slightly bruised peaches, with which I was able to make some delicious chutney

& scoff ourselves silly..juice dribbling down the chin stuff & give some away to our neighbours..& passersby : )

 Utterly melting last Friday & since Rob was not at work, we sort respite over on the Marine Parade in Napier & as we sat there with our little picnic..this beautiful ship went gliding by.

 a friendly lot over that way

...out on an adventure

 meandering walk/cycleway

 The Veronica Sunbay

 taking the scooter for a walk : )

 right behind us..I had to giggle at the irony of King Kong & the cross

 looking up to Bluff Hill

 Locally iconic Pania of the Reef

 I've never seen this plant before but looking at the leaf I think it may be a perennial statice

Today 'dipity put free range eggs on the counter, right under my nose, at the commercial packaging shop!

 a dancing star on the front porch

This week let's cul*ti*vate every serendipitious goodness ♥

 MUCH JOY &

 
 XXXXX

Race you back home

 Even in the midst of all this heat (phew mid 30's today) I am riding a wave instead, of joy. So many thoughts & threads crowding in shouting pick me! pick me! But shhhh!!

Today I'm ignoring the clamour of the hard stuff & dancing like no one is watching.

I have loved these pictures from a Donna Hay magazine for ages

& I recognized them instantly when Matthew bought the book last year..finally I found a copy on Trade Me. That's just it, we are all in different seasons, each one passing in to the next in our lives in it's own time.

For lots of reasons, I missed big junks of childhood. The weight of the world never seemed to shift itself from my shoulders. He tells me that a childlike heart these days is a good thing. I asked Rob to please find our old typewriter this week..

Then today Kaitiaki came to play..."What's this Katie"? and in no time at all he had mastered the knack of the old typewriter

 then, in a trice had noticed my new sundae glasses

& asked if he could have a drink of water out of one of those please..that green one (I discovered them at Connections this week..a set of 8 in 4 different colours for a great price.)
After helping me scrub the tangelos (being spray free they get a bit of sooty mold at this time of year)
 & observing many things near & far with the binoculars, Kaitiaki felt that Pop's prostrate trestling would make a great jumpy platform

 Do you think I could take a picture of you Katie? (eeew!)
"Right", said he, after grasping all the instructions in 2 seconds flat, "Now I want a happy smile & your hands in the air...

& your feet"..too hard I cried! "No, I mean stand up on your feet"

& now I'll just
 take one of
 myself

I'll race you to the park eh!

Such amazing evening light this week.
So much more to share..come back now you hear!

MUCH

 
XXXXX

A Wild Rose and a Cafe

Golly, look at that. Here I am 50 years ago, hanging out with my grandparents Bill & Estelle. Nan was born in 1915, so she would have been about 45 at the time. I wonder if that's the feijoa tree in their Wairoa back garden in the background?

In the early hours of the morning, lying wide awake, listening to the torrentially pouring rain, I wondered what I was going to do, exactly, since I had arranged to meet my special girlfriends at the Wild the Wild Roses Cafe at the centre of Mission View Gardens, the prettiest place I could think of for a birthday; & it's all mainly outside.

But, come the morning light, the rain did stop & the sun returned to dry the garden out.

newly washed & sparkling

such a lovely setting & nicely tucked away out the back of Taradale. Quite easy to get lost trying to find it, ahem...









Gorgeous food!! beautifully presented

pretty china

& great coffee

my yummy frittata..
adored the heart of course!


dear Ruth had been all morning picking plums what better "card" could you wish for..than a plum

We were all in a lovely spot for our lunch just behind here.

My sweetest Cheryl came down all the way from Taupo for the day just for me!

some say that they are camera shy, but I don't know about that

 blending in blue

such a special time... the girls & me
Later, Dad & Bev cooked me a lovely dinner

 including a madeira cake made especially to Nan's perennial birthday cake recipe..yum!

 The power went off for an hour just after the cake went in to the oven..here it is in the background with the candles on it.
The Turkish orange cake for dessert was very delicious indeed. Pop in to the kitchen blog for the recipe.

 How do I feel about turning 50? Kay's card sums it up the best I think:

"Fifty is the FREEDOM to be yourself.
Fifty is INTUITION & IMAGINATION.
Fifty is DREAMING, DARING & DISCOVERING...
Fifty is FANTASTIC.."

 I think I will indeed celebrate this season of my life..probably mostly in the garden.

Here's to a brand new day.

 Thank you so much for all the sweet messages, gorgeous gifts & for being your lovely selves.

 MUCH

XOXOXOXO