Central Plateau, North Island

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

Wednesday 1 January 2020

2020 begins today in NZ

Happy New Year to all my friends near and far.  We had a quiet night until midnight then neighbours set off rockets and crackers. Sydney celebrated to the tune of many dollars as more than many suffered, sheltered or braved the fires. My thoughts with everyone there in Australia.
Here, I finished a bag that will go back to Australia soon, made with the beautiful batiks from Dione over at Clever Chameleon.

Clever Chameleon is where you will find Dione, her news, and all the best things that will happen for them in 2020, including maybe another QAL.


I do not have the usual tree to hang a bag for the photo shoot, so this was the one in the front garden.

 And this one was sitting in the daisy bush.It has 2 inside pockets, one padded for the iPad or other  IT item later on



The hollyhocks continue to grow, and we have one new colour, a deeper pink.
 
And the first plant has a few beautiful blooms still lingering


 They look the same but the larger bloom was paler to begin with.
Some Gladioli have braved their crowded  planting and shown glorious shades.


 I need to learn the photo editing on this, guess it will happen in time.
Meantime, I hope for each of you, hopes and dreams will happen as w
shed for, and health, and happiness are with you in abundance.

Quotation of the day, none better than  one of the favourites of my dear friend Walter,
from Lord Alfred Tennyson ....' Ulysses"

" To  strive to seek, to find, and not to yield"

Greetings from Jean

32 comments:

Barb said...

Love catching up with you as the decade changes, Jean. While you have flowers and warmth, I have snow and cold. Keep sewing! Hope you're liking the new Mac. Happy 2020!

Susan Heather said...

Jean - wishing you all the best for 2020.

The Furry Gnome said...

Happy New Year!

Carol Mattingly said...

Happy New Year Jean. As I type this you are in 2020 and I'm still in 2019 but only for a few more hours. Love the bag and those flowers are gorgeous. Have a wonderful week. Carol

Eggs In My Pocket said...

Wishing you a blessed and peaceful new year!

eileeninmd said...

Hello,

The bag is beautiful and I love your pretty flowers. I wish you and your family a very happy and healthy New Year!

Jenn Jilks said...

You do such amazing work, Jean. I love them all. We love our pieces!

I do loathe fireworks.
Happy new year!

KB said...

That is brilliant and so gorgeous! You are so talented. I ADORE the colors.

Happy New Year to you. I wish for a peaceful year of settling into your new home.

Jenny said...

That's a beautiful bag Jean, so pretty. Happy New Year to you both, and may 2020 bring health, happiness, and lots of stitching time!

Mystic Quilter said...

Oh nice bag Jean! I'm in love with your hollyhocks and such beautiful colours in your gladioli - did you take the corms with you or were they in your new garden already?
Yes, the beginning on another year - I hope that you all have a happy and healthy 2020!!

QuiltGranma said...

I love seeing your garden in bloom at this time when we are cold and wet way up north. It is nice to see flowers any time, but especially so now, with the long dark slowly getting to be less every day. Darling bag too.

Dione Gardner-Stephen said...

Your bag is glorious Jean, so glad the Island Batiks found such a great home. Happy New Year to you and yours, I hope you have a lovely year settling into your home now the worst of the renos are done. xx

Lori Skoog said...

The bag you made is positively gorgeous! It's been mild here with very little snow for over two weeks. Looks like you are having good conditions for growing flowers. Happy New Year and I hope all is well. I can't imagine what it is like in Australia and am sick about the loss of so many animals.

Nancy J said...

Thanks for all the lovely words. The bag has gone to Auckland and I am hoping to see a photo when friend's daughter opens the parcel. Gladioli corms, Maureen I bought new ones, but there are still a lot to bloom, I am having problem leaving comments even though I sign into Blogger, so please know I am reading all your news, every one, but when it says " Google account" and I leave words, they vanish!!! If my name is there or I have an option to enter the details it goes in. Maybe my settings on the new MacBook need to be changed, so if anyone can help I would be very thankful. Cool mornings lately, some smoke haze here in the lower half on the North Island, a lot of ash has blown onto the South Island, and I find it too hard to look at the Australian news or see the devastation.

Jocelyn is Canadian Needle Nana said...

Gorgeous bag,Jean. And here’s to continued good health and happiness in 2020.
My thoughts are with the folks suffering during these horrible fires. I’m so glad Canada has sent firefighters to help. So much devastation.

Julie Fukuda said...

After several years here in Tokyo, our associate pastor left just before Christmas to a calling in NZ. I saw a picture of his kids on facebook, enjoying the sun in shorts and tank tops. Hard to imagine here on a cold day. Beat wishes for this new year.

fromsophiesview said...

Happy New Year Jean. Hope all is well because we care! Winks
Ron Sophie and Jim

Dee said...

Dear Jean, the quotation is from one of my favorite poems. At one time I memorized it and the final five or six lines (the one you quote being one of them) speak to me so strongly as I age.

I'm wondering if the sky in New Zealand has been affected by the Australian fires. The air quality? The color? I can't get my mind around the devastation of 12.5 million acres. Each night on the evening news we are seeing pictures of the fire, the burnt habitat, the fleeing humans, the burnt koalas, and all that is part of this tragedy.

I hope 2020 will bring good out of this vast tragedy.

For myself, I began writing a new book yesterday and I'm excited about it. I'm homing that I"ll be able to complete it during 2020. Peace.

Nancy J said...

Thank you again for lovely words. We have had some haze and smoke and ash further south. Devastation beyond my wildest comprehension. I am still struggling to leave a comment on so many blogs, the new MacBook maybe? I will Gogle some ideas to se if I can solve it myself. Meantime all is well here.

Sandra Walker said...

Oh what a beauty of a bag! Love the hollyhocks too, remind me always of my mum.

Sharon - IN said...

Happy New Year! That is such a cheery bag! And oh, what pretty Hollyhocks. I love them, but the rabbits here must love them more as they eat the greens. I've given up on trying to grow them.

Tanya said...

Your bag is just beautiful and so colorful and cheerful!

Lorna McMahon said...

Such a lovely bag! Those fabrics are a delight! And so are your flowers! Wishing you and yours a very happy new year 🥳 and looking forward to seeing what you will be sharing with us each week!

~Kim at Golden Pines~ said...

Hello Faraway Friend! I just wanted to stop by and let you know that I'm thinking about you. I remember reading this post, because Hollyhocks are one of my favorites, and I admired your talent in the beautiful bag.

I do hope all is well in your corner of the world!! Take care!!

Fundy Blue said...

Hi, Jean! My New Year has gotten off to a crazy start. I've been so buried, that it took a little time for me to realize that I haven't heard from you in while. I do hope that you and Hugh are doing well. I worry when you disappear because you are so consistent, unlike herkyjerky me. I hope that 2020 is keeping you both happy and fulfilled and healthy! Hugs, Louise

R's Rue said...

❤️

eileeninmd said...

Hello,

I am looking forward to seeing some flowers blooming here, hurry spring. Enjoy your day, wishing you a good week ahead. PS, thank you for the visit.

Inger said...

All the best wishes for you for 2020. We both have big birthdays coming up this year. I love your bags, you make the absolutely best bags. And hollyhock, so English somehow.

Eggs In My Pocket said...

Just dropping by to say hello. I heard that the fires in Australia have been controlled? I hope this is true.......but I know there is so much devastation afterwards. Hope this finds you doing well

Inger said...

Hi again, I'm back to answer your question about my birthday. I don't remember the date of yours either, only that it is in July. Mine is June 21st which usually is the first day of summer in the norther hemisphere. So now I need to know when yours is....

Fundy Blue said...

Him Jean ~ Just checking in to see if you had posted. I'm guessing that your ultra busy like me! My best to you and Hugh!

Cathi said...

Oh, my - what a beautiful bag!!! And the setting in which you took the picture? Wonderful -- especially for us to see here in Canada where it's still winter and grey.