the boys going to bed

I was in the middle of watching a programme on TV the other night so told the boys to get into bed and they could read a book until I came to tuck them in.

I went looking for Jakob and he was not in bed. About to get angry at him I went in to see Eli and look what I found. Now how can you get upset with that?

Gorgeous soup from the winter garden.

I love bacon, barley and bay soup. So picked all the veges from the garden and made a delicious soup. What a good haul from a garden in winter. The fejoas make a gorgeous after soup snack.

Foraging - Waikari - Northern Canterbury

While on the railway walkway in Waikari I found an apple tree and what could either be a pear or an apple - i will have to study up on what trees look like!! Often along railway lines there used to be fruit trees springing up. From passengers eating fruit and then throwing the cores out the window.

Hodgie Podgie day

2 years ago we created our own family tradition. When we set a Hodgie Podgie day we have a direction only that we go in. There is no destination set and no time set. Anyone has the right to yell "Hodgie Podgie" if there is something interesting they want to do or see or turn off to. The kids have as much right as an adult.

This has gotten us to see some amazing things in our areas and have some absolutely awesome days. Winter we always take the thermette and hot drink things and bread for toasting over the fire. Summer we always take togs etc.

We have headed to Hanmer and ended up staying a night, we have gone Akaroa way, we have headed into South and gotten as far as Ashburton, We have gone north and ended up at Gore Bay.

Today we headed towards Hawarden. We often drive pass the turn off and have never gone exploring. First Hodgie Podgie call out was Waipara as I had heard about a place that had railway carraiges to sleep in. What a find! http://www.waiparasleepers.co.nz/ . After a good look there we continued driving to the next little settlement. There we walked the old railway walk through the back of the town and then came back via the road, had an icecream and then went toward Hawarden. From there we went towards Lake Sumner but the gravel windy road that we thought would take 20 mins to half an hour was at least three times that long. So once we hit the south branch of the Hurunui we stopped for hot food. (it was meant to be lunch but it was 3pm).

We came back via a back road that came out near State Highway 7 and the Hurunui Pub and had a pub dinner $9.90 roast and came home. Excellent fun day out.

Places to stay

yesterday when out on a family Hodgie Podgie day we found the best, cheap, local accomodation for a getaway. http://www.waiparasleepers.co.nz/ A very cool backpackers that has onsite caravans, cabins but the coolest of all is that it is based around an old railway idea. There are four railway caraiges that are set up as either bunkrooms or doubles. They have four beds or a double but the guards area is turned into a mini lounge with the original train seats, fridge, toaster, jug and tv. So very cool. The boys and i are going to stay when Aaron is in USA so will update with photos etc later.
Some of the cabins are old railway items and the kitchen dining area is the station waiting room. There is fresh bread every morning from a breadmaker in the kitchen and in the summer there is veges from the garden or "free fresh eggs available at chickens convenience". We were quoted a price of $60 for the family in a carraige. Very cool!!!!

Charity Quilting

Once a month anyone who is interested comes to my house for an evening and we do quilting. At the moment we are doing quilts for Hope Homes International. Hope Homes International This is a orphanage in El Dorat in Kenya, which is set up for the children to live and learn life skills they would have learnt if being brought up in their own house. They go to a private school as public schools have up to 60 children in a classroom, then they live in houses on a five acre block. They have house cows for calf raising, a chicken raising area which gives them eggs and extra money selling adult eating chickens to the community. They have goats for milking, huge maize growing and are currently filling a pond with fish for eating and selling. Eventually it should have five houses, housing 10 kids each with a mum and dad employed in each house. Currently there are two houses.
The quilting current aim to give a quilt to each child. We have nearly finished two quilt tops.

This is Jeanette and Karen G hard at work last night.

Recreate - What a find

Well, yesterday on the way home from Rugby at Mandeville, I finally stopped at a shop that I had meant to go and look at ever since it opened about one and a half years ago. The Barn on Giles, which is on Giles Road, just out of Kaiapoi. The Barn on Giles

My goodness the things I have missed out on. It was so me. Button necklaces, pieces of material, retro feather duvets and blankets, mosaics, re-upholstered chairs like mine. A veritable treasure trove of ideas.
I am going back when I get some time to myself and I am taking everyone who comes to visit me.
They also are so into reusing and recycling that they sell rolls of wallpaper. but it is what they do with it in the shop. If you buy something it gets packaged into a lovely bag with string handle and cut out picture (mine was a dove). The bag is the width of a wall paper roll, folded over and sewn down the two sides, then with holes punched in the top. The cut it is old paint swatches that are from colours the paint shop is no longer doing. How cool is that!!!!

Recession busting ladies - here we go - idea city!!