Spring flowers

 The lawn has started to show lovely growth, not quite needing a cut every week, but looking good after winter. 

Spring flowers are adding some colour to the garden now.

Cream Bearded Iris, flowering early, a few pink Ixia, almost finished their display.The small lemon tree in the background is fruiting !!!

Moxie's daisy bush has started to give lots of pink flowers.

Purple Granny Bonnet showing through the Japanese Maple shrub.

Two Mauve and purple Cineraria plants.

The Rays of Hope wall hanging is coming along slowly, last week I found in a fabric shop two spools of black bias tape fusible, what a great way to do the stained glass strips. This is the  lower part, similar shorter sections  will be added to the top,  the strips are fused to the thin interfacing, then the black bias added and sewn down, even though it is fused, stitching makes a better finish, a gift for a friend who doesn't see my blog. I just have to figure out how to do the words, Faith,Hope, Love in applique and fuse them to the centre cross. Out of all my batik scraps, and they are in MASSIVE supply, the red was the only one I had trouble to find. The right hand block  has yellow topped pins still there. 

Here is the finished wall hanging, courtesy of the internet, a pattern from Carolyn Morris, if you Google her and the pattern, you will find the story behind this beautiful quilt.

Days continue to be warmer, the firewood is handy in case of a late cold night.

Thank you all SO much for comments after the quake, we are a long way from the epicentre, and no damage, here of further south. It was deep and out in the water off the top of the South Island.

Quotation of the day, from John F. Kennedy

" Change is the law of life.

And those who look only to the past and present are certain to miss the future"

Greetings from Jean

Early morning wake up jolt!!!

This morning just after 3 a.m . Boris leapt off our bed and raced to safety in the guest room. Next thing we had rumbles and a shake, the quake was centred over 160km  km in a straight line  from us, north west off French Pass, the channel between the mainland at the top of the South Island  and D'Urville Island. The deepest colour is where the quake was felt the strongest, then medium orange, palest was where it was felt lightly. The small circle in the blue is the centre of the quake. Courtesy of the Internet. 

According to Geonet New Zealand, the earthquake was  5.7 magnitude, a depth of 146 km, and 65 km northwest of French Pass. 

French Pass is the channel between D'Urville Island and the mainland, there is a whirlpool there, and the current races through.Treacherous waters, all boats need to be aware of the danger.

This is the road from Havelock, through Rai Valley, out past Elaine Bay, Waikawa Bay and finally there. Vehicles are warned of extreme gusts, and to be aware of this, many years ago  a van was blown off the road!!! There is a beach there, a jetty, and a small camping area.The small school, a one room building built in 1913, was  closed in 2006.

We stayed there in 1986, at the almost end of a year in the South Island with our caravan,  went for a few days, that turned into 3 wonderful weeks.A small community that welcomed us with such generosity. A meal with the then District nurse, Peggy Young and Alan, wild venison, so yummy,  the school pupils who came to my rescue to help pull down the caravan awning when a gale blew through,  while  Hugh was taken to D'Urville Island with a local man, on the mail run.

Memories to last my lifetime.

Southern Hospitality at its very best.

Quotation of the day, author unknown

" Earthquakes are an unpredictable hazard"

Greetings from Jean

Weather warnings for both Islands

 The following is courtesy of the Internet, with Niwa( National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research)  giving dire predictions and warnings. 

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Niwa is warning there would be a real hypothermia risk for people and livestock from an icy cold snap forecast to move up the country.

Nearly all eastern and southern lowland areas of the South Island will have an “effective temperature” between -5C and -10C around 1am Thursday, the agency is forecasting.

The effective temperature includes factors that contribute to how the temperature feels to a warm bodied creature. So along with the normal air temperature, that can also include wind chill and humidity.

A pulse of freezing air is due to spread over the country in the next two days, starting from the south on Tuesday evening. It brings with it the chance of heavy snowfalls to sea level in some parts of the South Island, and the possibility of some snowfalls in the lower North Island, including a chance of snow in downtown Wellington.

--------------------------

We live in the North Island, in the lower half, so snow might just travel around, or it might send some flurries our way. 
 We have stocked up the firewood, looked out some late season thermal gear, and will wrap up warmly, if we dare to venture outdoors.

This was in the far south, one May,  a very early heavy  snowfall.

Quotation of the day, author unknown,

Weather the storm and sunshine will brighten your day"

Greetings from Jean.

Queen Elizabeth

 Today we received the news that our much loved, admired and respected Queen Elizabeth had passed away. 

Her family will grieve, but they must be so thankful that she had lived a full and long life.

I so value the card sent to us for our 60th Wedding anniversary, this was the photo on that card.

This is how so many will remember her, gracious, smiling, our Queen .

Quotation of the day, from the Queen's  21st birthday broadcast, 

 from Cape Town, South Africa, 21st April 1947.

" I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, 

shall be devoted to your service

 and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong "

Something New

 The  last week was a short holiday, just 3 days, all meals provided and excellent care every hour of the day and night,

Thursday I had angina again, after months of no episodes, then Friday, at the supermarket ( One cheery Doctor suggested it might be the price of food that brought it on)!!! So had to resort to the sublingual spray right there, find a chair, leave Hugh to struggle with the 2 trolleys full  !!!  Home, and further pain,  and rapid heart beat.Off in the green and yellow courtesy car, with two lovely ambulance officers taking great care of me.

Two nights in ED, it was so crowded, all staff run off their feet,  and seen by various staff, doctors, blood taken, and the X-Ray machine brought into the cubicle. New tablets, and home on Sunday. The care I was given, as was the same to  all the others, was outstanding. My thanks in huge amounts to all in the ED at Whanganui Hospital.

The quilting has taken a back seat lately, and I thought a new project ( not that I don't have so many to finish) might tempt some enthusiasm.I have a little booklet a friend made years ago, and with a stationery voucher, managed to find some card, paper, and today some linen thread.

The inside papers, that will be sorted into sections of   12 pages with assorted colours , all A5 size, so one A4 sheet will do  2 double pages. I have a super duper guillotine to cut them accurately.

Then the outer cover papers, slightly heavier weight.

Then the binding, I struggled to find the same method on Google, but finally found it at veterokforbooks, a lovely lady in Finland, and a handy tutorial and diagram for threading the sections.

Here you can see the different coloured pages, and the darker grey covers.

So wish me luck, I hope this  ends up like the elephant motto.

Quotation of the day,  slightly edited  for publication. 

from the same friend who sent me the above words,

" Be careful whose toes you tread on today, 

they might belong to your boss tomorrow"

Greetings from Jean

The Finishing Line. !!!

 At last I can focus on my laptop, and see letters more clearly. New glasses  left side lenses will make this even better in about 6 weeks.

Thursday began with a very early breakfast, who wants to eat Sultana Bran and have a smidgen of coffee at 6.a.m.? It was a very wet windy start, and we decided to leave home at 6.45 a.m. giving plenty of time in case of road problems.  Just one lot of road works , so we arrived before the 7.30 scheduled time. 

Into the Day Surgery Unit, all particulars taken, and into the room with the Lazyboy chairs, red non slip socks, a blue   hairnet, and of all colours, a yellow plastic cape with long sleeves.  This goes on over your own clothes. By this time the eye drops had really worked and everything  was a blur.

The lovely surgeon visited each of us in turn as we waited.  Next thing, I was wheeled off into the theatre. An additional 5 theatre staff I think, position your head on the rest, get it fastened tightly so you cannot move,  and a tube with oxygen and air under the blanket, blood pressure cuff and oxygen meter on one finger. Then the anaesthetic drops started. A second lot, then some pain.By this time I should have not been able to feel anything.More drops, I could feel them on my eye.Then another type, 2 lots, and total numbness!!

My surgeon talked quietly as she said what was happening, a small slit, then a hum, then a bit later, " That's half the cataract out " . Did I mention that she is from Spokane, Washington ?? We were all so fortunate to be seen by her before an  extended leave to see family. A little later, with some water dropped in, more humming,  and looking at the light all the time, orange and yellow blur,  I was ready for the new lens to be implanted. 

I didn't know that the lens had little "wings" guess there is a proper technical term for the side pieces, and each eye has to be measured in width, height and also depth before the lens is made.

The cut had to be sealed, then all done. The theatre table was titled, so it sat me up.Warm blanket, back to recover with coffee and biscuits.

Lots of instructions, and home with 2 lots of drops.  No bending, no sleeping on that side, no lifting anything heavy , so I have abandoned our bed and am sleeping on the sofa in the lounge, where I cannot turn onto my left side. Even our cat Boris knows something is strange, 

Friday, I returned to the Opthalmology Clinic to have my eye checked, and behold!! The pressure is too high, so another type of drop for 3 days.

NOW, I am only the second person in 18 years that my surgeon said that type of local anaesthetic didn't work.How odd is that!!! So if I need anything else in either eye, Lidocaine is the #1 and only choice. 

Next check up in 4 to 6 weeks, by which time I should have my full driver's Licence posted to me.

New left lenses in both distance and reading glasses in 6 weeks, then Hooray, I will be back to sewing again.

Whanganui Hospital, your Day Theatre staff , from the front door and all others, are all truly wonderful, so caring, For those in the theatre that I did not see, a huge thank you. 

Quotation of the day, author unknown

 " You do not miss the  water until the well runs dry" 

Greetings from Jean.

I leapt over the penultimate hurdle!!!

 Hi Folks, I am not sure what happens in other countries, but in New Zealand when you turn 80, you have to have a medical examination,  every two years, an eye test, and at our surgery, also a cognitive, memory and recognition test.

So today was the day. It began with me being given a name and address, yes, it was here in NZ, repeat 3 times, and remember it after about 15 minutes.

Then draw a clock and the time at 5.10. Identify 6 road traffic signs. Name the day, date month and year.

Then list as many animals as you can in one minute.  I astounded both the practice nurse and our GP with some weird and wonderful overseas animals ,.  Needless to say, after the minute was over, I remembered  a lot more.

But I passed 30/30. Hooray!!!

Blood pressure, weight, and all good for the next part of the process, off to the local Automobile Association for a photo that is put onto your licence card. I was issued a temporary paper one.

Then the ultimate part of this journey, second cataract surgery on Thursday.After that,  a few weeks healing time, there should be no stopping me with photography, at the moment I struggle to focus the lens correctly.Quilting, I am hoping all the seams will line up effortlessly.Well, maybe that is hoping for a bit too much.

So no photos today, but  belated best wishes for  all USA 4th July Celebrations.And more for those friends in Canada for 1st July.

Quotation of the day. author unknown

" Celebrate today, as tomorrow it will be left behind 

and a new day will be dawning"

Greetings from Jean,.