Monday Musings

I have decided to post this photo again, I posted it years ago and yet I still keep going back to it. When I first posted it I didn't know the complete story behind the photo and have since been brought up to date.

I have been told that this cross, which is actually fixed to a roadside fencepost as is often the way over here to commemorate road side deaths, belongs to a young girl of about 8 years old who was struck and killed by a car as she was crossing the road. 

This area had been flooded when I took the above photo, and as it has been cropped here is the original site.

Silent Sunday

New beginnings

From the gnarly trees and grey skies who have been exposing themselves for the past month or so, to the cheeky blossoms and blue skies beginning to appear....

To the daffodils who are beginning to shout and wave from the garden beds...

 and to the wild roadside poppies.....

Nature has truly started her new beginnings!

Tuesday Tipple

I feel a bit of Vodka abuse coming on....

Caipiroska

1 teaspoon palm sugar

1 lime, cut into eighths

1/2 cup ice

60ml Vodka

1/2 cup crushed ice

Place palm sugar and three quarters of the lime in a shaker, and crush with the back of a spoon or end of a rolling pin. (Or use a muddler - they are much more fun and you look like you know how to make cocktails if you own one of these babies!)

Add ice and Vodka and shake. Pour into a glass with crushed ice. Garnish with remaining lime wedges and two short straws. I'd use and old-fashioned glass for this.

OK, now let's boogey like we did in the 80's...here is a new Kiwi band, what do you think?

Silent Sunday

Food, glorious Food

I think it is something to do with the rather chilly weather we have been having, but I find that I am constantly thinking about food. The Stud and I do enjoy cooking (food) and so it is a subject that comes up quite regularly as in "Whats for tea?" or "Did you take anything out of the freezer for tea?"


Food to some people is an inconvenient way to spend time - in fact, I once had a boyfriend who complained of that. "Takes up too much time, this eating business" - of course, I would have felt less like smacking him with a hefty fry pan if he hadn't said that as I was dishing up a meal I had spent the better part of my day making! However, I digress.


There are some dishes that are imprinted in my mind forever - for example, the toasted chicken sandwiches that I had many years ago in Melbourne while waiting for the ferry to Tasmania on my first trip overseas alone; the whitebait patties that my dad would make me for my birthday breakfast for as long as I can remember....


My top dish is Spaghetti Bolognaise. If I'm out for dinner and it is on the menu you can almost guarantee that I will end up ordering it. My good buddy Pixie once sent me a postcard from her holidays in Italy, telling me that I wouldn't recognise Spag Bol over there as it is so deliciously different! When Pixie and I first lived in Wellington, we used to go to the Mangiare Spaghetti House in Dixon Street and order Spag Bol, while we waited for the meals we would always eat our way thru all the Parmesan cheese and the staff would have to bring us another bowl of it to go with our meals. I loved those dinners, even tho' we spent a fair bit of our time trying to be brave and not be homesick.


The next favourite dish would have to be tinned salmon, mashed with vinegar and pepper and spread on wholemeal toast. I have been eating this for breakfasts and as hangover cures FOR YEARS! To this day, whenever I visit my mother she always proudly points out where the tinned salmon is in the cupboard. 


Actually, as hangover cures go - I know Jamie Oliver swears by his Hangover Kedgeree but that takes too long to fart about making. My tried and true recipe is nothing simpler than Poached Eggs with Brown Onion Gravy (thanks to Maggi for that).


My mum's pavlova would be next - so crunchy on the outside and all gooey on the inside. A perfect mix of egg whites and sugar. I gather it is the vinegar that is the secret, that and a dash of cornflour! Whenever I eat that, I am transported to the special occasion days such as birthdays or Christmas and my brothers and I would hang about waiting to see if it was ready yet!


I think it's fab when food can conjure up such powerful memories, my youngest daughter always wants to make Roast Chicken when we go to Invercargill because it reminds her of the times we were on holiday down there for my brother's birthday and she and her Dad made us all that dish. She had such a wonderful time making it and serving it up, that brings back memories for her.


What foods bring back the good times for you?

Tuesday Tipple

Today we're going to do the Bossa Nova...well, tell you what, how about  YOU dance while I make the cocktail!


Bossa Nova


30ml Galliano
30ml Bacardi
15ml Apricot Brandy
15ml fresh lemon juice
30ml pineapple juice
dash of egg white
ice


Pour all ingredients into a shaker, shake, then pour into a highball glass.


Ok everybody ready? Let's go......

Silent Sunday

Tripping

I recently have been away again, for work. I know, it's a hard job but someone has to do it. The best part (other than the wonderful people I meet at the places I visit) is the chance to get the camera out! This first photo looks quite bereft and sad, but as it was the start of my journey I wasn't feeling that way at all!

The trip took me up the east coast, where I stopped to wonder at the huge waves bullying their way to shore. This area of the Kaikoura Coast is 'awash' with baby seals at the moment but we didn't see any this day.

Then we had to turn inland, and hoorah for snow eh?

Past the snow, at a wee "blink and you miss it" place, was this beauty. A purple Morris, how cool are those mag wheels??

I found this ol' faller-downer just outside the above Blink n Miss It. Anyone fancy a working bee with the paint brush and a few curtains??

Upon reflection (gag) maybe not, however this Mountain puddle reflection I quite liked. It was very cold taking this photo.

The cold was worth it, even tho' it was -3 the following morning the day blossomed into a wonderful serene day. This photo is taken overlooking the mountain range and river near Hanmer.

The adventurous amongst you may want to consider doing a bungy jump from this bridge, see the nice red sprint boat waiting at the bottom? Note the log truck going over the bridge? Yep, too high for this particular chicken.

But then, imagine my delight at finding this wee fella just in time for a cuppa tea? I thought of Owen over at the Magic Lantern Show and felt for sure he would love to put this part of the world on his "to do" list!

Tuesday Tipple on a Wednesday

In a nod to my Big Sis over at Decollete Glimpses I have knocked out one or two of these, first in first served! If you don't mind swigging something that looks like Gorilla Snot, this is the drink for you!

ANGELS DELIGHT

3/4 oz Triple Sec
3/4 oz Gin
1 1/2 oz Cream
3 dashes Grenadine
Best served in a Cocktail Glass.

Silent Sunday

Thursday at last

Do you have those days where you feel like you're trying to perform the impossible? You know the days I mean...things go wrong before you even leave the house. Its a sign that one is meant to stay in bed.

My youngest 'baby' (above) is going to be 13 next week. Already I can see the tide turning, grouchy surliness where previously there was laughter and light. I know it's all just temporary and yet that somehow makes it feel worse! I want my Little One back!! I want snuggles and someone to laugh at my really dumb jokes, I don't want the eye-rolling and the dark looks! This is the stuff they DON'T tell you about in the fluffy pregnancy books.

I am sure I was never like this when I was wee.

Tuesday Tipple

I'm having a crazy week, so we might as well indulge in a CRAZY HORSE. This is not like anything that The Osmonds would have dreamed up...


Crazy Horse


30ml scotch whisky
15ml strawberry liqueur
15ml creme de banane
ice
chilled champagne


Pour the whisky, strawberry liqueur, creme de babane and ice into a shaker, give it a good shake (I just love that sound, don't you?); then strain into a champagne flute and top up with chilled champagne.


Say goodnight, Nurse!

Silent Sunday