Object no 3. The Ginger Jar Vase

Decided that this was something I could do without and listed and sold it last week. It only meant something to me, not the others, and I have other vases I use and prefer,  especially for leggy flowers like these tulips. 

Right through my childhood in Dunedin I remember seeing this vase on the mantelpiece filled with flowers or blossom from the garden -  wallflowers, roses and japonica blossom, especially the japonica. There was a prickly hedge of it down the side of the house with salmon pink blossom heralding the coming of Spring.   

My father had been given the jar of ginger by a Chinese man with whom he had dealings through his job at the Inland Revenue. Or so the story goes.  

Extra Long Weekend On Waiheke

Made the most of the good weather by extending our Labour Weekend on the island by a day, going over Saturday returning Tuesday. We hadn't been over for several weeks. 

Sunday was an auspicious occasion of the birthday variety .  Started the day with Mass at St Peter's overlooking Little Oneroa and followed that by a visit to the Blackpool Car Boot Sale en route to Solar for our customary coffee and muffin. They have the most delicious muffins there, roast vegetable with a hint of cumin for the savoury ones this time and berry and white chocolate for the sweet, both super-fresh and moist. 

Back to the bach for lunch after buying some local Turkish bread from the Waiheke Fruit  and Vege Shop which we enjoyed with a tuna salad, a bit like salad Nicoise but my version of it.  

In the afternoon we had a long hot walk up to an art studio of one of my favourite Waiheke artists, Katie Trinkle Legge. She does lovely big paintings of fruit often with or in retro containers like enamel pitchers, old bottles etc.

In the evening  we went to Vino Vino in Oneroa for a celebratory dinner. Friend Shona from across the road came too and Frances was with us for the weekend so there was a bit of a party atmosphere.  The restaurant was full and had been recently renovated and looked lovely. 

Started with a glass of bubbles followed by a delicious meal of tender salt and pepper calamari with salad and a rice dish.

Spent Monday in Surfdale, going for a walk along the beach and having lunch at local French cafe, Frenchot.  Had a lovely baguette stuffed full of delicious rare roast beef.

It is where I practice my French - bonjour, merci etc.

Tuesday was warm and breezy and made the most of the morning by getting the bus to Oneroa to go to the Red Cross shop to drop off a few things, and  Upcycle to see what the enterprising creative craftswomen of Waiheke have been making. 

 There were some lovely little heart brooches made of small pieces of embroidered doyleys and some other brooches made of coiled zips, and some others with an old fashioned button inside a decorated bottle top.

Back to the bach for lunch and tidy-up time before the usual rush to the bus stop to get the bus to the wharf and ferry back home.

Saturday in Auckland

Had a full Saturday with visits to two galleries to look at jewellery -  souvenir paua jewellery at Objectspace, and contemporary New Zealand jewellery  at the City Art Gallery.   Both were very interesting.  Then we went  across the road to look at Fingers at jewellery to buy! The rings I liked were $600 and $700, so too much for moi and unfortunately D thinks so for him! 

As part of Art Week there was a retrospective Ans Westra exhibition of photographs , the earliest from Washday at the Pa days, a delightful picture of a young girl holding her dog.  This was at a new gallery Bowerbank Ninow at 312 K Rd. this is a lovely light airy gallery with friendly staff.

From there to St Kevin's Arcade via an op shop where I tried on two jackets from the $2 specials rack out front. At that price I was pleased they fitted me like a glove. The arcade was buzzing with people setting up for an afternoon tea experience with fancy china and dainty food to match. Watched some people doing ceramic painting and wished I had my whole life over again to do all the things I would like to try my hand at. 

Then we took in Divali celebrations in Aotea Square and in part of Queen St nearby and enjoyed some delicious food from a Penang stand.  Freshly made  naan  bread with  dhal was my favourite.  But we tried curry puffs, samosas and pakoras too. 

The crowd  with the women and children in colourful saris was like Little India and a wonderful atmosphere to stumble upon and enjoy. There was music in the air and dancing  We are lucky Auckland has such a wealth of sights and activities to enjoy. 

Art Week and other Amusements

Art Week followed on the heels  of Heritage Week and as  we were still in the spirit of getting out and about we joined a walk round Ponsonby Galleries led by the knowledgeable Edward Bennett who did a lot of the local heritage week walks and talks we attended. 

We started off at Black Asterisk which had an exhibition of sculptures and large framed photographs of flowers, one of which of hydrangeas appealed to me.  

We moved on to Objectspace a few doors along which had a memorable retrospective display of Ruth Castle baskets.  I once did a basket-making workshop in the 70s when I was in the Handweavers Guild and still have a little basket I made over at the bach on Waiheke.  

There was a display of paua jewellery of earlier decades when brooches were popular souvenirs.  Must get back there and take a photograph of them.  There must have been a couple of hundred examples. I remember having a paua shell cross on a gold  chain myself. 

Across the road we looked at the murals on two sides of the old reservoir.  This is a photo of part of a new mural.

Then into Studio One, formerly Art Station, formerly Outreach.  There was a bit of art in the downstairs gallery  which we looked at, then toured the various outhouses which served as the cells for the Police Station in a previous century.

Onwards to Western Park which has some interesting sculptures and pebble mosaic paving then on to Whitespace Gallery which had a good exhibition of artworks created from sheets of stamps featuring fish and other aquatic creatures, drawing attention to marine ecology and pollution.  By this time I was feeling cold and tired so we snuck off and got the bus home.