Friday was the Silverdale Historical Society trip to Matakana. Met up on the bus with a nice lady Dorothy, whom I met on the Bay of Islands trip last year. Her name reminded me that it is the anniversary of my Aunt Dorothy's death a few years ago.
It was a lovely day and not very much traffic on the road. Our first stop was the Honey Centre before you turn off to Warkworth. It was a little early in the morning to sample too many things but we did try the ginger honey . My favourite is still the plain old clover honey as it was, is and hopefully ever will be - nice and creamy and pale. They have a great variety of soaps and other confectionery too. From there we drove straight to Matakana in time for our visit to the new cinema with its ceiling of 30 000 paper roses. It does look rather nice. The film was Made of Honour all about the romance and very imminent wedding of an American girl to a Scotsman. It is averted by the "Maid" of Honour, the former playboy boyfriend of the bride-to-be, who is whisked away from the castle just in time to live happily ever after in America again. Lovely Scottish scenery which was the highlight for me.
From there it was across the road to one of the several eateries for lunch - a fetta and spinach quiche and a hot cup of coffee at one of the outdoor tables, very nice until a sudden shower sent everyone scurrying for hard-to-find cover. I found it in the general store where I bought a bottle of my current favourite wine - Lothlorien sparkling feijoa wine which we will enjoy on Mother's Day. Bought some lovely chicken and satay parcels for our evening meal at the wonderful deli with its succulent-looking meat cuts all on display in the window. Took in the op shop (no finds in its rather cramped interior, though they did have big white bowls outside for 50c each so things were priced right to sell) and galleries with beautiful glass, pottery and jewellery.
From there we went to another Country Market with crafts and art galleries and other activities, designed to appeal to children. There is also a weekly Farmers Market in the village on a Saturday which is very popular. Once back on the bus we continued on to Port Wells and Omaha to have a look around, then on to Morris and James Pottery for afternoon tea - a glass of feijoa and apple juice with a slice of yummy spicy apple and walnut cake with cream. Had a browse around the showroom where I bought a nice blue planter, which I have always wanted and will put one of my orchids in it.
Saturday we spent in Orewa visiting the Rotary Book Sale where I picked up a couple of Fiona Kidman books - one of her first novels, Mandarin summer set in Kerikeri where she grew up, and short stories, Mrs Dixon and friends. I am looking forward to reading them once I have read another book of hers I am reading, Ricochet baby.
Spent part of the late afternoon doing some pruning of the hydrangea bushes rescuing a few last blooms for a vase, and removing cape gooseberry bushes and spent dahlias from the driveway.
Reviewed the trip and day's activities over afternoon tea with my neighbour, Gladys before collapsing in a heap in front of the tv in the afternoon.
Home today to a wet miserable Auckland and a cold house. Escaped to the confines of St Lukes for a bout of retail therapy - 2 new blouses - and exchanged 10 jars of old outdated spices and herbs from my pantry for new ones at the Greggs mobile spice centre there this weekend. They have some tasy combinations which I chose - chilli and lime, dill and lemon to name a couple. Elisabeth will no doubt want some of them which she is welcome to have of course.
Called in to see good friend Marlene, seeing we were in the area and enjoyed a chat over tea and anzac biscuits . A visit to King's Plant Barn to get some orchid mix for this year's plants and some mesclun lettuce salad seed mix. I heard on a radio programme recently that Kings seed mix is one of the best and their mesclun is grown widely in Vietnam for the hotel and restaurant trade .
Still two more days of leisure which we will enjoy before the work-a-day world beckons on Wednesday. Arohanui!
It was a lovely day and not very much traffic on the road. Our first stop was the Honey Centre before you turn off to Warkworth. It was a little early in the morning to sample too many things but we did try the ginger honey . My favourite is still the plain old clover honey as it was, is and hopefully ever will be - nice and creamy and pale. They have a great variety of soaps and other confectionery too. From there we drove straight to Matakana in time for our visit to the new cinema with its ceiling of 30 000 paper roses. It does look rather nice. The film was Made of Honour all about the romance and very imminent wedding of an American girl to a Scotsman. It is averted by the "Maid" of Honour, the former playboy boyfriend of the bride-to-be, who is whisked away from the castle just in time to live happily ever after in America again. Lovely Scottish scenery which was the highlight for me.
From there it was across the road to one of the several eateries for lunch - a fetta and spinach quiche and a hot cup of coffee at one of the outdoor tables, very nice until a sudden shower sent everyone scurrying for hard-to-find cover. I found it in the general store where I bought a bottle of my current favourite wine - Lothlorien sparkling feijoa wine which we will enjoy on Mother's Day. Bought some lovely chicken and satay parcels for our evening meal at the wonderful deli with its succulent-looking meat cuts all on display in the window. Took in the op shop (no finds in its rather cramped interior, though they did have big white bowls outside for 50c each so things were priced right to sell) and galleries with beautiful glass, pottery and jewellery.
From there we went to another Country Market with crafts and art galleries and other activities, designed to appeal to children. There is also a weekly Farmers Market in the village on a Saturday which is very popular. Once back on the bus we continued on to Port Wells and Omaha to have a look around, then on to Morris and James Pottery for afternoon tea - a glass of feijoa and apple juice with a slice of yummy spicy apple and walnut cake with cream. Had a browse around the showroom where I bought a nice blue planter, which I have always wanted and will put one of my orchids in it.
Saturday we spent in Orewa visiting the Rotary Book Sale where I picked up a couple of Fiona Kidman books - one of her first novels, Mandarin summer set in Kerikeri where she grew up, and short stories, Mrs Dixon and friends. I am looking forward to reading them once I have read another book of hers I am reading, Ricochet baby.
Spent part of the late afternoon doing some pruning of the hydrangea bushes rescuing a few last blooms for a vase, and removing cape gooseberry bushes and spent dahlias from the driveway.
Reviewed the trip and day's activities over afternoon tea with my neighbour, Gladys before collapsing in a heap in front of the tv in the afternoon.
Home today to a wet miserable Auckland and a cold house. Escaped to the confines of St Lukes for a bout of retail therapy - 2 new blouses - and exchanged 10 jars of old outdated spices and herbs from my pantry for new ones at the Greggs mobile spice centre there this weekend. They have some tasy combinations which I chose - chilli and lime, dill and lemon to name a couple. Elisabeth will no doubt want some of them which she is welcome to have of course.
Called in to see good friend Marlene, seeing we were in the area and enjoyed a chat over tea and anzac biscuits . A visit to King's Plant Barn to get some orchid mix for this year's plants and some mesclun lettuce salad seed mix. I heard on a radio programme recently that Kings seed mix is one of the best and their mesclun is grown widely in Vietnam for the hotel and restaurant trade .
Still two more days of leisure which we will enjoy before the work-a-day world beckons on Wednesday. Arohanui!
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