The Family.

Here is The Family.
Don't they scrub up well. Jeanine is the perfect Mother Of The Bride.
At the wedding I made a speech and slightly digressed at one point
and left an important part out, so I will say it here.
Steve has now a beautiful and clever and loving wife. As if that is not enough,
along with his bride comes the most wonderful family.

Sunnyhills.
I'm sure that name is because of the property at the top of the hill. The property that oozes love and the good life.
The two storied house. The big rambling section. The fruit trees and grape vines and roses and pansies.
The vegetable gardens with fresh greens and sweetcorn and juicy tomatoes, potatoes and carrots and sweet smelling herbs...
and down at the bottom of the garden the little worker bees buzzing in and out of the two tall hives, busy making honey for John to give to family, friends, the sick and one pot of honey for every wedding guest!
Yes, there are sure to be fairies down in the bottom of this garden.
Inside the two storied house you will find home baked goodies, wild venison, wild duck, homemade lemonade of the sweetest kind,
and the best fresh fruit salad ever. You will find books and good conversation.


You know about the beautiful daughter by now. There are three more in this family.

John. Father. Academic. Quiet and wise and patient. Hunter, fisherman, gardener and beekeeper.
The day before Mo died, his two brothers dug over Mo's vege garden. When spring arrived I faced a garden overgrown with weeds and thought.. Oh my goodness.. this vege garden is mine!
It was the very best therapy I must say. Whenever John and Jeanine visited, John would visit the vege garden and quietly pass on garden knowledge and wisdom. A wonderful teacher.

Jeanine. I dislike that word superwoman but it does come to mind! Dr Jeanine. Mother. Academic. Historian. Teacher. The worker bees learn from Jeanine ..or vise versa.. she never stops! Her relaxation is pedalling for miles on her bicycle. If you find a basket of goodies at your back door, it may be the fairies but more than likely it is Jeanine who left it there on her busy way. I know she loves beautiful music. It is the background to her busy-ness. Jeanine loves the theatre but being Jeanine, she doesn't just go to the theatre. She works there! When she has time off she spends it relaxing doing the garden at Richard's place. You are amazingly wonderful Jeanine.

Richard. Son. Brother.
Last year Jeanine, John, Ann and Steve cycled 800kms along the Danube River. During this time I had a phone call from Richard saying "Joan, there they are having a lovely time pedalling down the Danube
while you and I are home here by ourselves. I am taking you out to dinner."
I think that sums up this young man. Unique. Kind and funny and thoughtful. Thank you Richard.

What makes me so happy though is knowing Steve has been accepted into this warm and loving family
and I know he loves and appreciates them all.
His own little family has been rather shattered and his ma has needed time to find calmness and herself again, and it makes his belonging to this family all the dearer.
This family is warm and inclusive and makes me so welcome as well.

Well, I wasn't going to say all this in my speech. But it is easy to say for it comes from my heart.
I love you all.

The Bridal Waltz.

Here Is The Cake..

Lucy made the cake.
AMAZING!!!
Soooo Steve and Ann. Licorice Allsorts.
The bottom tier looked like a traditional fruit cake ..BUT
hidden inside were BIG FAT LUMPS of CHOCOLATE
and juicy figs.
The top tier was banana cake magnifique,( Steve's Favourite)
and the middle tier was chocolate cake rich and divine.
Chocolate has to be for Ann.
Under the icing was gooey sweet .. um.. what was that stuff?
Ooh la la!
Lucy was heard to say "NEVER AGAIN..no more wedding cakes.
only this one for Ann and Steve."
Isn't that what women always say after giving birth?

It was lovely to catch up with Steve's friends.
Mike brought his lovely Irish wife Leigh over from Sussex UK.
There is a new baby on the way! Good one Mike.
(I did love those dreads though).

The Family Matriarch, Aunty Vyver.
Who said it was the loveliest wedding she has ever attended.
Out of the five thousand and one weddings she has been to that is really saying something.
We love you Aunty Vyver. Amazing Aunty.

Steve dances with his Ma.
I don't yet have a photo of The bridal waltz so you have to put up with me.

I'd say The Love Bug will be staying a while in my garage ...
how could Ann and Steve part with their little car after she took part in their wedding.

Isn't she lovely! Am I not the luckiest
Ma-In-Law in the world.
Not only is she beautiful. She is clever and funny and kind and forgiving...
and loves books and shoes and shopping and girl-friends...and chocolate and ice-cream and diamonds!

She is a honey bee that works hard and is organised and trustworthy...
and...

she loves Steve.

The Whacky Ma-In-Law.

I lived up to my name... and wore the whackiest outfit!
Ann has always called me "Her Wonderfully Whacky Ma-In-Law"
It was designed by Jane Mabee under the label CHOCOLAT.
Poor Aunty Vyver was speechless.

The first pics.. of the most beautiful wedding.
What a fantastic day!
more to follow.

The Big Day dawns at the Bridegroom's house.

1: Steve was banished to the "grandchild's bed" at his Mum's house, the night before. The list is on the floor. (I don't have a grandchild...yet... but Linda named it that.)
2: Breakfast in bed? Steve has breakfast on the top deck..
3:Steve and groomsman Mike from london deliver The Love Bug to the venue and bring back the van.
4: Steve checks the list.
5: Checks the list again.
6: and again, while the bestman and the groomsmen wait.
& OK Mum. See you at the venue .. we're off
7: Have I got that list in my pocket? Just kidding.
You're awesome Steve. Love you heaps. Mum xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Have the happiest day ever.

A busy day today. One more sleep to the wedding!
Ann and Steve will be married 3pm tomorrow.
Poor Ann has a cold. (Calling all healing fairies!)
This is an unfinished dooldle. In 2000 Steve sent us up in a balloon for Christmas.
We sailed over the city and out into the country. It was magic.
The circles are punga (fern trees). From above they looked like big green dinner plates.
Must go - lots to do today.

There Goes Jack-In-The-Box.

This is Natanael's favourite balloon.

Magic In The Air.

The balloons were all heading East into the sun.
Neighbours were out on the street watching, chatting and smiling.
My small neighbour Natanael was out in his pyjamas and his mum's big cardigan.
He was jumping up and down, waving and clapping.
The balloons float soundlessly like inverted raindrops.

Oh The Magic Of Balloon Festival.

When I woke this morning I heard a loud whooshing.
That meant one thing. A balloon was close by..
Staring in through my bedroom window was that beautiful peacock.
He was first in a big parade of balloons right past my upstairs bedroom.

Morning Ablutions At The Lake. I think they must be getting ready for a wedding.

Preening and primping, feathers are smoothed and oiled.

After grooming himself the gorgeous
goose air dries himself with a good flapping of wings.

Another Look at the Balloon Cuddle.

What is the bear saying as Peacock comes over for a smooch?

Happiness Is Hot Air Balloons. Balloons Over Waikato.

I love Balloon Festival Week.
Balloons make everyone smile.
Peacock and Jack-In-The-Box seem very fond of one another.
Peacock moved right in for a snuggle with Jack-In-The-Box
and laid her head on his breast. Very cute.

Autumn At The Lake.

It was a little bit foggy as I took my usual early morning walk around the lake.
The geese were attending to their early morning ablutions
and the shags were enjoying the Autumn morning calm.
If you look through the trees to the far side of the lake you can see something unusal is happening.
The Annual Hot Air Balloon Festival is about to begin.

Sweet Pete my Jazz musician neighbour came to my rescue and made a RAT bait trap in my garden. I went shopping and bought rat bait too and tucked lots up under the cladding around the base of my house - which is the only place they could surely enter. So it's death to rodents! And I hope they don't keep me awake tonight with their partying in my bedroom walls!

A SCARY NIGHT!

Autumn is here and the nights are cooler ... and last night while in bed in my castle tower
I had visitors that scared me. There was a bumping and scratching behind the headboard of my bed!
A scuttling and squeaking!
I shut all the windows just in case!
It turned out the visitors were inside the wall.. and in the ceiling.
I think there must be mice ... or worse... rats!
So what do I do now? How do they get in? Nothing like this has happened before.
My bedroom is three levels up. This calls for action!
But what? Who?
HELP!

Curiouser and Curiouser.

Moths Are About.

I read blogs from the Northern Hemisphere and they all speak of the arrival of Spring.
In Aotearoa-New Zealand Autumn has come.
Cool nights and shorter days.
Cicadas still sing in the trees during the day and moths fly by night.
After hot humid days we welcome the cool.
The crazy thing is we prepare for Easter now in the Southern hemisphere.
This is the time of mellowness. A time to remember those who have gone.
Halloween and All Saints.
Oh for festivals attached to seasons of the Earth .. not a calendar.
The older I get the more discombobulated I feel.

My Daily doodle.

Dilemma.

Not Minimalist.