Lion Rock

Lion Rock

On Friday we had one of those days. The sun was shining the sea was like glass and so we cancelled everything, packed the boat with snorkels masks flippers, possibly a hundred towels and sarongs and enough food thrown into the esky (aka "cold bag"/"chilly bin"…) to keep hungry swimming kids and adults going for a decade or so. Oh and we also took our dog who likes to come for the ride but doesn't leave the boat, we think he is guarding it, not sure what from!

 We anchored up in a Bay and swam ashore and hunted for treasures which can be anything from a dead animal to a beautiful piece of sea glass and this time we were really lucky to find a Blue penguin resting on the sand. We couldn't believe it and of course gave it a wide berth so as not to scare it unduly. We hadn't seen one before. No photo as we couldn't swim ashore with a camera.

Lion Rock

After swimming, snorkelling, jumping off the boat and eating everything we cruised past the very aptly named Lion Rock and got home just before the wind got up. 

Blue x

Friday Gifts in Yellow

Ripple Bay at its best this week; it rained and poured and there was a biting southerly, but inside was a different story. I seemed to be a magnet for gifts of the food variety which are of course the best type.

 Fresh eggs from the first ones laid by a friend's new hens and then lemons from a neighbours tree. Not the sort of lemon from a supermarket but the sort that you scratch the skin and the lemony smell bombards you. 

Eggs with big bright golden yolks and you practically know the name of the exact chicken who laid it (thank you Houdini!). Now I just need to squeeze in time to make this Lemon and Blueberry Cake by Julie Le Clerc and I will be the perfect mother. Failing which and more likely, it will be Gin and Tonics with lemon juice tonight and boiled eggs for breakfast tomorrow - everyone's a winner! 

View with yellow boat! 

Happy Weekend, Blue x

Meditation

Walking or running for me is like a form of meditation, our Big Dog gives me an excuse to get outside and walk or run and I pretty much follow one or other of a couple of tracks every day. What I find inspiring is being able to observe the same scene day by day as it unfolds, in effect a slowed down, back to front version of those speeded up films that show a flower opening, or traffic in a city condensed down from a 24 hour period.


Today I could see that the blossom on the wild peach trees had finally burst open, the cows had muddied the walking track into a luge down to the beach,  and yes there were even ripples at Ripple Bay!


We had been asked to make suggestions to the school's physical environment and as I walked it became clear as crystal that the school and the children are missing a community garden where they can plant, pick, sow, eat, cook, learn about compost and all those things that connect us so tightly to the natural world. My walk/meditation having solved the pressing issue of the day, I came home and had a virtuous coffee!




There are some great innovations like this one here so the next job will be working out how to realise the actuality of a school garden, and making a plan.

 Happy weekend, Blue x

Pattern Friday

I got out the paint box this week and painted some monarch butterflies for Tiny Happy's Pattern Friday. I could imagine a fine gauzy fabric printed with these wonderful butterflies, fluttering gently in the breeze.

 You can find out more about monarch butterflies and what you can do to support them here.















Happy weekend, Blue x

seaweed harvest

seaweed to boost the new mandarin tree

The seaweed came in today and so we rushed to gather some while the tide was low. Now we have tucked up the fruit trees and our secret garden to overwinter. Fruits of the sea! 

Hope the passion fruit vines like seaweed?

 And this week the hellebore has decided to put on a show and the bulbs have started coming out - can this really be winter?


 Love Blue, x

Hunting and Gathering

We had one of those meals last night that seem to take all day to catch, collect and gather and engender a warm feeling of slightly smug satisfaction as we sit down to eat. Line caught snapper and muscles collected by kayak, with spinach, silver beet, fennel and lemon all from the garden. Even the chilli flakes were a homegrown gift from a friend (thanks E!).

Warm steam filled kitchen as we made the risotto

I must admit though, the wine was a wonderful New Zealand Savignon Blanc but we had nothing whatsoever to do with making it! Cheers, Blue x