Monday 27 May 2013

An Autumn Walk





We are so lucky to have Cornwall Park
on our doorstep.

It is quite unusual - as this is a working farm 
as well as a recreational park
in the centre of a city of 1.5 million people.

125 hectares is fenced off  for the
Simmental cattle



 and Perendale sheep



City children can experience a taste of 
country living without leaving the city.

The park has a series of seasonal events
all through the year and everything is free.

There are sheep shearing displays
guided archaeologocal walks
art displays
school holiday activities
and much, much more.



Today I'm joining Mary for
please do visit her blog to see some
great photo mosaics.


À bientôt

be kind to one another

Shane 







Saturday 18 May 2013

My talented Aunt



My 91 year old Aunt Josie
has always sewed beautiful things
for the benefit of the
Save the Children Fund.

"These are a few of my favorite Things"




She belonged to her local branch
which involved a group of like-minded
kind souls who made various
useful items which they sold at
their local Save the Children shop. 





Aunt Josie made many pretty
patchwork bags like these ones
which she still has at her home
hanging on door handles!






There are many wonderful people in
every country across the world
who use their talents and
give their time to help
raise funds for various
aid organisations.

Very few of them get the recognition
they deserve.
Yet little by little their efforts
help people in need all over our
World.




A beautiful bag made up of tiny hexagonal pieces
was made by my cousin Jane (Josie's daughter)
for her mother's 90th birthday.


I'm joining Claudia's
A Favorite Thing

and



Bernideen's
Open House

and



Mary's
Masterpiece Monday

please pop over and see what others
are posting today.


À bientôt

and be kind to one another


hugs


Shane 







Wednesday 15 May 2013

Vee's Note Card Party




It's Vee's monthly Note Card Party
and today I decided on a french theme
for my cards 





On my visit to France last year
my family took me to
Fontainebleau Chateau.

We enjoyed Sunday lunch at a bistro
in Fontainebleau village
and then spent the afternoon
wandering through the palace
and the peaceful gardens.



I've visited several chateaux
so I now know what to expect
however, the sheer opulance
is always awe inspiring.

I hope you enjoy my selection of photos
for a set of four note cards.



.

Please pop into Vee's blog
to see everyone's cards -
there's always a varied selection
which makes things interesting!




Welcome to my new followers
and thank you all for leaving
your comments.


À bientôt

and be kind to one another


hugs


Shane 









Tuesday 14 May 2013

Flowers - a photo Challenge





I'm running late for Donna's monthly

When I visited her blog I saw that the 
party linky had 53 minutes left
before closing.

I searched my photos and finally
made a decision on these three.

When I went back to link up the 
linky had closed.....




... so I left a comment on Donna's blog
telling her of my dilemma...
then I received an email from her
to say she had re-opened the linky
so I could now post -
how kind is that?

Thank you dear Donna!

I'm linking to this month's
flower

Please pop in to see some great flower images.

I use a very basic 'point and shoot'
digital Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS3
with a Leica lens.


I take most photos on 'normal picture'

mode.






I took all of these photos about six weeks ago
in the
Nancy Steen Memorial Garden
within the Parnell Rose Gardens in
Auckland, New Zealand.

You can tell from the colour of the foliage
that these are Autumn blooms,
they also have that soft spent out colour
which I love.

Nancy Steen wrote a beautiful book
called
which is a bible for lovers of the old heritage roses.


À bientôt


and be kind to one another


hugs



Shane 




For some wonderful tips and helpful suggestions
on photographing flowers
please visit Donna's blog





Sunday 12 May 2013

Bonne Fête Maman!





Today we are honoring our
darling Mothers
and my mother Grace was
a real darling.
I still miss her sage advice
and wonderful stories she told me
about her family.


The gold chain and locket belonged to my great great Grandmother
was worn by my mother on her wedding day


Sadly my mother is no longer with us
she has joined my father
and most of her family in heaven.

She was an accomplished young woman.
Let me just tell you she made her
wedding gown and her trousseau.





My darling mother at 18.
I love this photo of her,
the crimped hair
the long string of pearls
and the beautiful sequinned
velvet gown.

At this time she was studying music
in Wellington and received her letters.
I have recollections from an early age
of listening to her playing works
of all the great composers.


My mother's family, she is seated far right

 My mother had six sisters
Ethel, Kate, Ellen, Cecelia,
Joan, Josephine
and one brother Jack.

My aunt Josie is the only one still with us
and she is 92.


Grace on her mother's knee

 My Grandmother Mary Elizabeth
with Cecelia and Grace.
You can imagine how I would love
to have those exquisite little dresses now!
I wonder what happened to them.



This sweet card arrived in the post on Friday
from my daughter in France
with wishes for a
Happy Mother's Day!


Wishing you all a very happy
Mother's Day
I hope someone is spoiling you today!


À bientôt

and be kind to one another


hugs


Shane 







Tuesday 7 May 2013

Embroidery Day at Red Beach



Oops!
I'm running late for Mary's
Mosaic Monday!

These photos were taken a couple of years ago at
Red Beach on the
Whangaparaoa Peninsula
25kms  north of Auckland.


One of my friends in our embroidery group 
has a beach house here
and it was the perfect venue
for a day of mid summer stitching.
The photos were taken a couple of years ago!

I'm joining Mary for Mosaic Monday
...hope I'm not too late!



Thank you all for visiting me and
for leaving your kind comments.
WELCOME
to all my new followers too!
I will be having a little Giveaway
in a couple of weeks so
stay tuned!

À bientôt



and be kind to one another

hugs


Shane 



A Gray's beaked whale in Whangaparaoa Bay




Friday 3 May 2013

Spring Inspiration





Over the last couple of weeks
I've been inspired by your posts
welcoming the arrival of Spring
in your neck of woods!


Of all the seasons
Spring is the one we long for the most.

"O wind, if Winter comes can Spring be far behind?"
                                                               Percy Bysshe Shelley





In the Northern Hemisphere
you've come through a very harsh Winter.

I've sensed your longing for
the first signs of Spring ...
and now all of a sudden there's a great flurry 
with talk of trips to the garden centre.
I've seen photos of your trolleys
laden with pots, plants and packets of seeds,
fertiliser, mulch, and even a new garden fork!

So the cycle begins again
of planning, preparing and planting
your gardens
for the long awaited Summer display!





The regular readers of my blog
will already know that I live in
New Zealand, where 
Autumn has arrived in all her golden glory...

so I have dug deep into my archives to
bring you these photo memories of my
glorious Spring from a couple of years back!




I'm joining Mary's "Thursday's Inspiration"
the prompt this week is "Spring"
and
Bernideen's "Open House"
and
Kathy's "Home and Garden Thursday"

I hope you will pop in for a look!


Kathy is also having a a beautiful
Rose
inspired Giveaway here


À bientôt

and be kind to one another


hugs

Shane 









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