I've been sewing

It is my great nieces birthday this month so I asked her mother what she would like.  Turns out she is right into owls and would love an Owl cushion.  Managed to get some material remnants and found a free pattern on the internet and away I went.  Was so pleased with the first one I made that I made another one for her.  Wish I could see the look on her face when she receives it

The are being posted unstuffed so my niece is going to stuff them when they arrive.

Rugby World Cup

Phew it's been a long time coming but the All Blacks finally won the World Cup again, 24 years after they first won the inaugural one!

It was a real cliff hanger to watch as the AB's were starting to fall like dominoes with injuries.  Have to say the French really took it to us but thankfully we held on and made it.

This afternoon they are in Christchurch for a victory parade.  Times like this that I wish we lived closer but then again I don't think I would handle the crowds all that well these days

More on Larry and Dolly

Well they have been in their own paddock for quite a few weeks now, running around, eating grass and happily accepting their morning and night drink of milk

They are going to wonder what hits them tonight as I will be moving them to a bigger paddock which has ewes and younger lambs and they will only be getting one bottle a day for the next couple of weeks!  I hope they enjoy being with the other young lambs and can't wait to see them all playing together.

Yes, it's true I am a softie but I also have to be realistic and their milk powder supply is getting really low so they must learn to fend for themselves sooner rather than later.

The other day they got outside of their perimeter fence and when I arrived to feed them they both went ballistic as they couldn't get themselves back in!  It must have looked and sounded like a real circus as I was busy trying to untie the temporary gate.  Dolly got herself to me but then when they were both separated you would have sworn I was trying to strangle them - what a noise and commotion! LOL  However all ended well and they were both reunited and fed.  Poor Larry couldn't finish his bottle as he was shaking so much from his frightening experience!

Larry and Dolly

Here they are enjoying the sunshine in their new pen up the back of the section

Good to be alive day

Yes it really is a good to be alive day!  The sun is shining, no frost.  Was out feeding Larry the lamb in the sun this morning and the birds were all sitting in the Kowhai tree waiting for food.  The Kowhai tree is starting to burst into flower, my daffodils are all out in flower.  Dare I say that there is even a hint of Spring in the air!

More snow photos

Just went for a drive up the road and took these

It was snowing heavily as I took the bottom photo.

Snow at MotunaU Beach

Yep the forecast was right - we did get snow to sea level.  This is what I woke up to this morning

As I write this it is snowing a blizzard again and it is 1.5 deg C outside.  Time to put another log on the fire!

photos from the red zone

these are not my photos but those taken by Ross Becker Photography
Hereford Street

 

 Worcester Street and demolition dust

 Christchurch Cathedral

 

Looking south down Manchester Street

 

Cathedral Square

Finally - a background

Yes I finally came across a background for my blog that depicts where I live!

On a different note, the weather is absolutely freezing here today and I heard on the radio that they have had sleet in Christchurch and believe me, it looks like it do something like that here.  I just read in the paper where snow can be expected to sea level brr

Weka Pass Field Trip

Yesterday I joined members of the Rangiora Photographic Society on a field trip to the Weka Pass via steam train.  This steam train is 102 years old!  We travelled in an open carriage with an abundance of photo opportunities.

We left Glenmark Railway Station at 11.30pm and travelled inland through the Weka Pass to Waikari.  This took about 45 minutes but along the way the train stopped and we could get off to claim a vantage point whilst the train backed up and steamed up towards us giving an excellent photo opportunity.
Some photos along the way:

 

 

When it reaches Waikari it has to turn around so it backs up, changes track and moves forward onto this turntable.  This was then turned around and then it was able to back up to rejoin onto the carriages.  

 After a break for lunch we left Waikari at 1pm and it was full steam ahead back to Glenmark

A well known rock formation commonly known as Frog Rock

 A lovely day out

In the Blog World again

Hi, here I am again! I haven't vanished off the face of the earth.

I came across a blog by Aussie Scrap Girls which laid down a challenge using the template they posted on their blog. It certainly inspired me and I decided to do the layout digitally of my niece's wedding last December as I had just finished working on an album for her.