Central Plateau, North Island

Central Plateau, North Island
View from a friend's farm

Wednesday 27 July 2011

Winter is the season now

Tararua ranges near Masterton 26th July 2011
The Tararua Ranges near Masterton, taken on 26th July, just after the road was opened. What a way to start the day,looking for a feed in the snow and ice.010

These two photos are from Hugh's camera.Mine were not so good,  and when I asked, he said "YES" I could use them, then wanted to know how long they stay here."Until I delete them, or forever" WOW!!!

One of the photos from the far south, no vehicles ventured far that day,  definitely a day for the 4x4, the Rhino or the quad.3 layers of Merino, thickest socks, Muck Boots that have that wonderful lining, Gore-Tex coat, Youngstown gloves that defy the coldest air, and for sure a double layer hat as well.and the saying “ put another log on the fire” please. would be  put to good use.

road at Waitahuna
Photos from Mt Cook, Twizel and Wanaka are still to come.I hear that longboarding on the road, at 7 a.m. in minus 7 degrees was “ sooo good”.

Quotation of the day,  name not known.
A Japanese proverb
One kind word can warm three winter months.


ある種の単語は、三冬を暖めることができる

Cheers from Jean

Sunday 24 July 2011

Winter flowers

Sept,windfarm,Napier 011Sept,windfarm,Napier 015
Some of the colourful displays of flowers in the Wanganui  winter garden. The cineraria showed off to great advantage with the mass plantings of one colour, the ferns looked graceful with drooping fronds, and outside just one mother duck with her ducklings, almost camouflaged in the bark. Nearby is a huge aviary, and I will need to get some photos of the  colourful birds another day.

Sept,windfarm,Napier 012Sept,windfarm,Napier 020Sept,windfarm,Napier 014
further South, One family is at Mt Cook in minus 1 Celsius, and so much snow.Latest report from Twizel is " V.COLD". This trip began with a very rough Cook Straight crossing,  delays to many  departure times because of the bad weather. I hope some photos via email will follow later.The other family has too much snow on the farm, and the travel is 4 x 4 every day this week.
Here the snow is forecast down to 200 metres in our area, we are 149 metres above sea level, so should escape the  extreme cold. a friend near Kimbolton will no doubt get some snow on the paddocks, they are just  365 metres a.s.l. and it is forecast to 200 to 400 metres  in places. We have been here for some 10  years, and in that time have had  just one  very light fall of snow quite near our home in 2003.
Pink is not one of my favourite colours, so I do really hope when this is transferred from Live Writer to my blog, the colour goes to a preferred shade of blue.BINGO!!! it did.
quotation of the day translated from the poem, “Le Lac”
by Alphonse de Marie Loius de Prat de Lamartine
1790-1869
“O Time! arrest your flight, and you,
propitious hours,stay your course”
Cheers from Jean

Monday 18 July 2011

Winter days

The shortest day has been and gone ,but the coldest are yet to come. Good times to be inside and look at new projects.
Sewing? Quilting? Housework? Tidying up?Baking? Maybe a day out?
“NOT another one??” queries Hugh., No, just some of the unfinished ones to sort out, priority being  gifts for our Japanese friends who arrive in just 4 weeks.I need to have a gift for their family at home as well, will a bag with special New Zealand fabric be acceptable??? The gifts need to be lightweight, able to go through customs easily, be similar for every person, and made with much thought,care and love.
These 6 bags were the last to be picked up and put in the bag for Wellington,  bags,5 are from Val Devlin ,with her lovely toggles once again, one with the music fabric will I’m sure, go to someone very special. The striped one was from one of Val's friends. I tried to arrange them on the table at Post  Haste Couriers, before they were packed into the larger bag,  all the time hoping not too many customers would come in and watch me.
Colleen  Bags July 2011
Some more arrived in the post, in time, from Ann Cleary, the pockets have a heart on, and this  will  make sure the bags will be treasured for a long time.
Ann Cleary bags July 2011

NEW TOTAL
360 bags

Stream in flood 17th July 2011Just a few days of rain and the Tutaenui stream is dirty, running fast and high.I heeded the family warnings and did not go near the edge. I had been reminded of the person who ventured too close to a bank in the snow to get a better photo, the bank collapsed   and the photo told the whole sad story later on.
Tomorrow is firewood day, I watch while Hugh uses the chainsaw. Just the job to warm us up, and if there is a frost again, the morning temperature will be very low. It always seems hard work at the time, but the following winter the satisfaction of a warm fire makes it all so worthwhile.
Quotation of the day.. from Lewis Carroll, 1832-1898
An excerpt from   Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
“  “Begin at the beginning”,the King said, gravely, “and go on till you come to the end: then stop” ”
Cheers from Jean

Sunday 17 July 2011

Sunday timetable

The  final date for sending bags is here, and they go tomorrow. Now the last lot of photos can be edited, posted, and I can look at the job list for July and August. Family soon arrive on their way south to ski at Mt Hutt and Wanaka, just a one night stop-over before  the ferry crossing.So all fabric,patterns, boxes of cord,ribbons and other associated “stuff” must be tidied away."PHEW, thank goodness” says Hugh, he is so tidy, and I have had mess everywhere for some time now.Then the family arrive, on their way home, for one night again, then the next family come on 14th August, then Mayumi and Akiko come, from Osaka,via Tokyo, via Seoul, to Auckland, fly to Wellington, where we will meet them on 15th August.Ken and Joyce will no doubt share some tears with us, after many years back home in Japan it will be such a reunion.Anyone at Wellington Airport that day will see 6 people all gathered together,  tears of happiness evident, and much talk  and laughter !!!Photos will follow.
The lovely bags from Carol, have sheep, and stripes, the other  has lemon strips  and birds on a blue and green patterned background.
Carol bags July 2011Louise made a lovely selection of drawstring ones, a lovely choice of fabrics
Louise Nicols July 2011
Another from Marj, with some super choice of toning colours, and one from Louise as well.
Marj & Louise Nicols July 2011
These next photos have bags, again from Auckland, with the overlocking stitches on the  outside, making a nice finish, and all with a pocket as well. 2 in a bright purple colour, the other 6 in paler green or beige.
Akld bags 6 July 2011Akld bags 5 July 2011
Quotation of the day from Francis Bacon, 1561-1626, an excerpt from “Essays”
“Some books are to be tasted,others to be swallowed,and some few to be chewed and digested”
Cheers from Jean

An Accumulation of Photos

There  may be a collective noun for bags, but try as I did, I couldn’t find it. However  I might just invent one.  A BAGGLE OF BAGS, at least it rhymes the same as A Gaggle of Geese.
A trio of bags from Dawn, with lovely buttons, patchwork and embroidery.Dawn Borovich 3 bags July 2011


Shirley Taylor’s bags, 3 bright navy,red and white flowers and a burgundy/orange toned knot bag. These were from Auckland.
Shirley navy and red bags

Janelle Pengelly made these, again from Auckland, the rick-rack just adds a special touch to finish off the bright contrasting colours
Janelle Pengelly Akld July 2011
Rosemary P from Auckland sent these drawstring bags, the bright stars will lighten up a small person’s day for sure.Rosemary P Akld July 2011
The next photo on this  page is some of the bags  from Maria Van-Zoom, these had lovely tie handles, and applique or ribbon and button trim. Maria sent another 8, which will be in the drawstring collection.
Marieka Van-Zoom bags July 2011








The following are some of the drawstring bags from Auckland, all with bright patterns, cords that  look so good with each bag, and a lovely variety, so the people who give out the bags have such a great selection, for  either boys or girls.
akld draw 6 july 2011akld draw 5 july 2011
Bags July 2011 017




akld draw 2 July 2011


akld draw 4 july 2011
Akld bags 7 July 2011


There are more to come, believe me.Photos galore, so many the memory card suddenly gave me the signal’ CARD IS FULL, so the delete program went into full alert. Making sure,very sure, that I had entered them on the laptop first.
Quotation of the day, from
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1807-1872   from “ The Day is Done”
“ The cares that infest the day shall fold their tents, like the Arabs, and as silently steal away”
Cheers from Jean

A Collection of Bags

The bags have come in all shapes,colours and sizes.There have been plain,patterned,applique,patchwork, pocketed, with zips, with flaps, buttoned, long handles, short handles,  they have been, and yes, they have gone.   The total is
  …..DRUM ROLL….                 355
The thanks have come in, and also been sent out, to all the sewers,quilters, couriers, ladies on the phone who said  Yes, of course we can, that yet another large box could be taken to Wellington, the men I have not met who arranged the freight to Tokyo, John, so many thanks for without your help this would not have gone ahead, and Mark, the same, as without you in Tokyo the bags would not have been sent out over there.To all the men behind the scenes who watched and waited…also many thanks,  you all , and especially my Hugh, have no doubt wondered where they were all going to, how many patterns,piles of fabric,bags waiting for photos, would there be??? Here are some photos of the later arrivals.Donna's bags July 2011
Donna’s bags ,5 lovely larger size in red,white and navy. a sure winner.

some more of the clown bags, with different colours in each appliqued face, so smiley and cheerful. Thanks to Robyn, Stella and Bobbie in Auckland,  3 of the POP ladies.
clowns 2 July 2011Clowns 4 July 2011clowns 1 July 2011

There are more photos to come.

Quotation of the day. from  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe  1749-1832
“Talent develops in quiet places,character in the full current of human life."

Cheers from Jean




Sunday 10 July 2011

July’s mixed Bag of Bags

Julie Town July 2011
 Julie Town’s bags, from Pukekohe. There is still the shop on the corner that sold wool, clothing and hats some 64 or more years ago.I remember the blacksmith shop in the main street, the council office I visited to get my  driving license when I was 15 years young, Pukekohe High School for my 3rd form year, the play “ Richard 111” and the words “ A horse! A horse!, my kingdom for a horse” remain imprinted in my memory. Too many memories for this page!!Akld bags July 2011

More sets of bags, again from the POP ladies.The colour combinations work so well together. These bags all had linings that went so well with the designs
Akld bags 2 July 2011Anna O'Brien July 2011
Anna O'brien bags 2 July 2011Anna O’Brien made these so different bags with turn over tabs,    they will be such a delightful addition to the bags at Tokyo and further North.
A  further 10 drawstring bags from Anna in colours of yellow, blue, and  pink flowered ones.
These also came from Tarras, another 13 bags, and I don’t quite know how Tui Willson did it, but she found the one bright fine day in Central Otago, and sent me her photos.So much appreciated!!Tui Willson bags 2 July 2011
Tui WEillson 1 July 2011
I took another one closer up, so we could see the lovely bright colours.     
     Quote of the day, from Shakespeare, “As You Like It”
“Blow,blow, thou winter wind, thou art not so unkind as man’s ingratitude”
Cheers from Jean

Send in the Clowns!!


Here are a selection of recent bags from Auckland.POP, or Patches on Ponsonby, and these bags have been made by Robyn,Stella and Bobbie.The story goes like this...Robyn won the BOM clown squares, and between them they added borders, and hey presto, the clowns are now in the bags,Just delightful.I could not resist a close up of one  face.



A trio of clown bags, these are so realistic, just like the clowns that were at the fairs and shows I went to as a child. Throw in the ball and win!!! Needless to say I didn't win much at all. More to come but the pictures will not load for some obscure reason. How slow could a PC go???The rest will follow later when speed resumes to normal speed.




 More knot bags from Auckland, these ones look like more  from Marj, I think her favourite colour might be mauve. the lovely black/grey ones will be so popular with the ladies in Japan, who seem to like muted colours. The bright cats will strike a happy note with the new owner.


These are just a  few from the many bags I have collected from the mail box, the local Post shop, the courier at the door at 6.30 a.m., and again at a later more appropriate time, over the past week,from North,South, yes, also East and  West. They will be so appreciated, and the breaking news
 of  another quake in the same area makes us realise how fragile the earth is.
Quotation of the day, from Rose Lane.
"Happiness is something that comes into our lives through doors
 we don't even remember leaving open"
Cheers from Jean

Sunday 3 July 2011

Visitor from Japan

Joan Parrish has given a great selection of bags, with pastel colours in the smaller ones,6 altogether, and bright orange, 2 large and 2 smaller.These bright colours will be greatly appreciated and brighten up some one's day so much.




  Nancy Price has her labels sewn inside these bags. A permanent link to the sewer from New Zealand.The paler fabric goes so well with the contrast blue, and small toggles at the end of the cords are a lovely finish. The larger"" black cat"' bag and the one with little girls with pigtails have  variegated thread stitching which looks so good on the black fabric.

SUNDAY...... BREAKING NEWS

The email was dated  Sunday. 12.03 a.m. I opened it at 6 a.m. this morning.I replied,YES,

 Now who sent it and what did it say... Mayumi stayed with us in 2002, and she will be coming for a short, very short stay in August. I need to plan NOW the gifts I will make for her to take home for the family.I need 6 in total, any ideas?? She lives near Osaka, Suita area, and her friend is coming too,they fly into Auckland  Airport at 7 a.m. on a Monday.Will  Hugh and  I go there? Will I wait till she arrives here?  questions?? decisions?? How much can I remember and learn anew of the Japanese language?Time for a crash course, in between bags etc.Cheers from Jean

Photos,photos and more

The pen-ultimate lot of bags from Auckland threatened to take over the Queen bed, as they waited for their photographs.

I thought this was the final instalment, but another one will be on its way this week.Coloured,striped,applique,small bags,  medium size bags, larger bags,ones with pockets,some with zips,short handles, long handles,pale,bright,dark, contrast linings,they are all here.

Dawn McGlone bags July 2011 Dawn McGlone 2 bags July 2011A group of bags made by Dawn  McGlone, the first three have the same design,front and back,so no matter which way the bags faces, this delightful bright design is seen.The next ones have lovely applique, on dark green fabric. These will be a wonderful  gift for some lucky person. Here are a selection, 2  from Elizabeth Sadler, green with flower patterned handles, and dark blue with a teal band, 2 bright blue bags from Marilyn Lees, and from Dawn Thomas drawstring bags, one blue patterned,the other with fruit and flowers

 Marilyn Lees b Blue,E Sadler 2 on left,Dawn Thomas 2 on RFrom Dawn McGlone, a lovely large size bag, the green band and handles compliment the patterned fabric with leaves and flowers, Marj likes the mauve colours,this has an applique flower and narrow ribbon on the handles,perfect combination,Heather Wheeler used the bright colours in her striped bag,including a small zip purse and a cord with a clip to attach keys .

Dawn, Marj, Heather Wheeler To.day we visited Sara-Jane and Russell, to drop off the 2  large parcels for this week’s delivery to Wellington,then to Tokyo,  and could see the heavy covering of snow on the Northern Ruahine Range, and even more on Mt Ruapehu.Great news for all skiers

Cheers from Jean.