Dunkleys Great NZ Craft Show South Island Road Trip

In New Zealand we like to think that our winters are mild in comparison to a lot of the world, but in the past week we had a polar blast sweep across the country.   And wouldn't you know it, it was the week that we chose to travel south for the Dunkleys Great New Zealand Craft Show South Island Tour!
We were surprised that the weather was fabulous - a perfect winter's day right over our notorious Takaka Hill, the equally notorious Wangamoas.  But when we got to the Kaikoura Coast in the east the sea was mountainous! 

There were waves the size of buildings coming right up to the road.  Fortunately we got there just after high tide - the water had been right across the road and there was lots of debris dumped there.

Even the poor seals that live there were right up by the road on the rocks trying to avoid the sea!  I couldn't get a photo of them, sorry - and I apologise for the quality of these shots - they were taken from the moving van - there was no way I was getting out of there, and we wanted to get away from there as soon as we could as the wind was buffeting the van alarmingly!

Up through the Hundalees the road was really icy.

Then we hit heavy snow through the Greta Valley

But the good news is....that we made it!  We set up the  show on Thursday afternoon and here it is!

And we won FIRST PRIZE for Outstanding Display!

Woohoo!  Thanks, Dunkleys!

Thanks to those people who dropped by to see us - and I apologise for being so busy that it was hard to chat - the crowd was overwhelming at times.

At the moment we're taking a couple of days out at Moeraki Beach - one of my favourite places in the world - just walking and cloudwatching.  The weather is now glorious!

It's a great place to just sit and watch the sky.

And there's lots of treasure to collect on the beach - it's a great place for sea-glass.

And I found a T-Stick!  Very topical at the moment as that's how I'm using the internet here ;).

Home Comforts

I've been feeling poorly with winter ills and chills, and there's nothing like a little home baking and a cuppa to make me feel better.

These are blueberry and lemon curd muffins - I love cooking (and eating :P) food almost as much as I love cooking glass!

I just made ordinary blueberry muffins and put a dollop of lemon curd in their middles...divine!

I made the lemon curd the other day in a double boiler as suggested in a recipe, but what a fuss! It took ages and even then I wasn't sure that it had set. Then my sister gave me a microwave recipe which she says is easy-peasy, so I'm going to try that next time. Fresh lemon curd is one of life's luxuries for me!

It's officially the first day of spring tomorrow...bring it on!

Spring is here!

Just this week there are lots of wonderful signs that spring is here!

There are spring bulbs flowering, the magnolias, camellias and daphne are out and there is a sprinkling of calves and lambs about.

It's a beautiful day here - a day to be glad that you're alive.

I've been very involved in "busy work" lately - the days have been jam-packed and every minute seems to be accounted for a week in advance, so I did a terrible thing!

I took the day off!!!

Today I've planted the Christmas lilies, done a little cleaning, played with my camera, read my book in the sunshine...and not much else.

I was supposed to be somewhere else today, but I decided that I needed a quiet day at home - and it has been bliss!

I think that days off like mine should be compulsory on a monthly basis, and I may launch a petition...

I hope that you've enjoyed your day as much as I've enjoyed mine.