Tea for Two

Made a special afternoon tea this afternoon as we are both feeling a bit morbid as our cat, Malkovich had to be put down yesterday. He adopted us 12 years ago and has been a much loved pet even though it was a bit of a pain when we wanted to go away. Over the years he had a succession of caregivers when we did so and he endeared himself to them too. He endeared himself to good friend, Pamela, seen here with him recently.

Made some waffles to have with our beautiful new china given to us recently by BFF Eileen. This is a German recipe halved so you get 4 waffles.
Beat 100g selfraising flour
1 egg
50 mls water
1 capful rum
1 capful vanilla essence
40g sugar

Add
50g melted butter

Add more flour or water to get right consistency.
Delicious with homemade damson jam.

Weekend

Another warm weekend catching up with friends from Germany Ilse and Irene down at a friend of their's place in Mt Wellington.  We were invited for Kaffee und Kuchen, four different kinds of cake which we duly sampled. No dinner that evening.

I am nursing a cold so took it easy today in the morning  and ventured out to look at an exhibition of botanical illustration in the Central Library. Virtual exhibition Flowers Fruit and Foliage which is magnificent.. The colours are superb after centuries.

Sallied forth to Queen St and Giapo's for an icecream, banofee for me and mango and passionfruit for D, both delicious.


There was also a display out in the foyer of the old department stores like Milne and Choyce and George Courts where I used to work in the school holidays and Friday nights when I was a schoolgirl in the late 1950s.  I saved up for all sorts of things - a white Banlon cardigan, a white glittery plastic raincoat and a see-through umbrella and a little mantle radio I used to listen to in the evenings.  I still have it.

Took the ferry over to Devonport for a bit of an outing and took a few Sherlock Holmes books in to Evergreen Books to sell. Was pleased to see some creative knitting adorning lamp and verandah posts.

Called in to the library in Devonport too in the quest for a book to read and then made our way to the ferry back to the city.

Valentine's Day

Arose early, as unprepared for the day's celebration and made a hazelnut cake for Dieter. It turned out well and went down well at afternoon tea time.

Went for a walk along Pt Chevalier Beach in the late afternoon although the tide was well out by then. In contrast to the Herne Bay beaches there is enough beach for a good walk .

House in Herne Bay

Eli did this picture of the villa for me for Christmas. It has all the elements I like so much - the two gables, bay window, verandah, the brick chimney, the red hot pokers and the rhododendron tree.

Tim's classic car adds a splash of colour.

Dresden Figurine

Spent a couple of days on the island this week and decided a trip to the op shop was a suitable reward for household jobs and hanging around for a tradesman working on island time.

Espied an unmarked Dresden-style figurine of a couple, she in lace skirt with a couple of small porcelain roses, he in floral breeches, a brown jacket with a pink sash tied in a big bow to one side. After careful perusal decided that in spite of a dusty lace skirt the ornament was worth buying.

Back home I tried washing the skirt with a mild soap solution to no avail and tried something stronger which also didn't work so have decided to leave it at that and just enjoy as is.

I think it is probably Japanese. The couple have such sweet faces and reminded me of the words of of song that I remember hearing in my youth.

Dressed in your gown of blue brocade, a rose upon each dainty shoe, lady in loveliness arrayed, I'd love to dance with you. Soft powder'd hair and wistful face, shy dreaming eyes of tender blue. Sweet queen of gentleness and grace my heart's aflame for you.

It is a lovely reminder of the beautiful Dresden, Meissen and Frankenthal porcelain we saw on our trip to Germany last year.

Waiheke again

I am on the island again. I did the sculpture walk this morning with old friend Janet whom I know since Hamilton Teachers College Library days.

It is a biennial event, which takes place above the hills of Matiatia and Church Bay. This year we got the shuttle bus to the start of the walk and over two hours or so enjoyed about 30 large sculptures strategically positioned to show off both sculpture and showcase the spectacular landscape.

The first one was an iconic Waiheke bach by Matthew Muir a local artist whose paintings also reflect the Waiheke landscape. I liked it and the next one by Terry Stringer featuring one of his trademark pensive elongated visages, this time in a wooden frame.

There were works by Peter Lange, a corrugated slightly more abstract work this year by Jeff Thompson and different new works by new and emerging artists.

The walk took us a couple of hours after which time we were ready to enjoy a cold drink in the marquee at Matiatia. Janet got a boat back to the big smoke and I repaired by bus to the bach to rest a little before the others joined me.

It is the season not so much of mist but certainly of mellow fruitfulness and the plum tree has dropped its canopy of ripe fruit on the grass below. The birds have had their fill and I will stew what is left and freeze in small containers to use and enjoy during the year.

Oneroa

Enjoying a bite of lunch at Fenice before returning to the hustle and bustle of the city and suburbs again. Have had a few days quiet and solitude at the bach in Surfdale, swimming each day down the road at Surfdale beach.

We had a man come in and fell some monkeyapple trees and thinned out other overgrown foliage which had grown very tall, meaning we got very little light in our back garden.

They piled up the foliage on the front lawn ready to be mulched which will be another project.

Happy New Year

2013 has got off to a good start with the lovely sunny weather we are having in Auckland. New Years Eve was spent quietly at home which is unusual for us as we like to be at Waiheke, however pleased that Eli wanted to go with Tim.

Ponsonby was very quiet and always is with people away on holiday. Joined the throngs at the beach and made our way down to Victoria Park, across the park to pick up a bus to the North Shore so we could enjoy the mid-morning tide with a lovely swim at Takapuna Beach.

The beach and grassy embankment under flowering pohutukawas was dotted with family groups of all ethnicities enjoying their picnics, their families and the water.

Had a lovely lunch at the fabulous cafe along the end of the beach. Yummy organic eggs Benedict with salmon.

Today is the second of January and decided to repeat the process with a trip to Mission Bay for a swim and a picnic lunch a deux, with the minimum of fuss for the maximum enjoyment. Mission accomplished and we completed a successful outing with a bus trip up Queen St to our favourite ice cream parlour, Giapo for deep red mixed berry gelato and pistachio ice cream.

Happy Christmas

Spent  the day up in Orewa at our beach house on Saturday  and had our  first swim of the season as well as doing some last minute shopping at the Silverdale Market - things like strawberries for our Christmas dessert. The pohutukawas are in full bloom and add to the festive atmosphere.

Christmas Eve was spent at home as usual with the usual roast dinner folllowed by trifle.  Round 9pm we listened to some Christmas music and exchanged presents.

Attended Mass at St Patrick's Cathedral on Christmas morning and enjoyed the singing and organ music as usual.

Pre-Christmas

Went to a Knitterati gathering at a gallery out West this morning. We were to take a self-made ornament which would be part of a group window installation. They were to be white and filmy but I thought I would take along a red one I had made a while ago but it was too much the odd one out so two of us knitted a little white boot each which was included. Mine is the one on the right.

Waiheke weekend

Enjoyed a couple of days of respite over on the island recently and also a day trip to celebrate a longtime friend's retirement from the workaday world. The pohutukawas are in full bloom, heralding Christmas as they do in their scarlet splendour. The agapanthus provide a spectacular contrast, though on the island they are regarded as a weed as they do tend to smother native plants in time.

The delicate pale flower which I believe is a kind of lily, used to be quite prolific on the island and is hardly seen anymore. I was delighted to see this one on our walk in to Oneroa after Mass on Sunday.

The flax is flowering too and is particularly spectacular above Oneroa beach .

Baking

Finished my Christmas baking this afternoon with some Basler Leckerli- thin gingerbread laden with aromatic spices, honey and almonds.

Earlier in the month I made spicy Spekulatius biscuits from my old Dr Oetker recipe book which I have been using for over 40 years now.

Plump Vanilla Kipferl from Edible gifts by Claire Clifton and Martina Nichols complete the trio of biscuits we have been enjoying.

Marmalade Morning

Got up bright and early this morning to make some chunky grapefruit marmalade, a labour of love, as I am giving a jar of this to my dearest and nearest this Christmas. I get the grapefruit in winter from my neighbour, Gladys in Orewa, slice them finely in the food processor and leave the pulp in ice cream containers in the freezer until I am ready to make the actual marmalade whenever the whim or need overtakes me during the year. I take it for the trading table fundraiser at bowls and that means once a month I have needed some otherwise Nina is disappointed. Last week Alla from the gym gave me two empty jars so now they are full and ready to be given back to her. This time last year she was in hospital and I took her some there and now she is on my list too.

I use Alison Holst's metric marmalade recipe as a guideline but basically I barely cover the pulp with water , boil to soften the sliced peel for up to an hour, then add cup for cup of sugar and boil until setting point is reached. I like my marmalade chunky and so it does not take too long before it is ready to be poured into warm jars from the oven. Voila marmalade for breakfast!