Coddled Eggs

Coddled Eggs

Sunday 20 December 2015

                                                  Homecoming ...

Arriving home from being away always holds mixed blessings...
One for me was that the plane did not crash (albeit there was the worst turbulence I have ever felt.)
Two The winds and horrid weather back home didn't wreck the garden so it was all ship shape in no time.
 Three That we had family at home to surround us and help us transition back into the ho hum of work and home...
It was a quick whisk around the grounds to tidy up and prune ,to make posies for inside and to generally tuck back into the soil.....



Pears have grown .
Freedom...Chinese saying ?????















Loads of peaches.


Apples in the tree already..

Figs My how they have grown..

Walnut Tree's  are bursting with nuts.








Great crop of artichokes.





Not a daisy in sight Lawns so short and dry...












...and my pooh flower The trout lily put on a welcome home aroma....mixed blessings.

The human soul is hungry for beauty; we seek it everywhere - in landscape, music, art, clothes, furniture, gardening, companionship, love, religion, and in ourselves. No one would desire not to be beautiful. When we experience the beautiful, there is a sense of homecoming.
Now that we are home it is time to organise our christmas....
Deck the halls my friends.xxx


Saturday 19 December 2015

When all the Birthdays come at once.....
November is a busy time for birthdays in our family ...The man  of the family , number 2 son , number 2 daughter turning 30 and this year a special  birthday....That of a special son ... Dane ...Our big 40 year old in Australia...Its a long story of  an adopted baby and a birth father  reunited many years ago but this year was a special year as that wonderful young man turned 40 .We all flew to Melbourne to help celebrate and to give our love to this truly remarkable man.

Not only is Dane an extremely talented chef . He is a fantastic family man and loves to be surrounded by people he loves...His birth mother, his adoptive Mum's and Dad's, his in laws and families, his friends . his birth father (that's Bas) and all the respective siblings...
Most of all ......his precious wife and children...

The virtues of this  Maori ,Dutch , New Zealand, Aussie , French ,Swedish  blended family would take an entire blog on it's own. to explain ...but  then explanations are not necessary.
We were there to celebrate ...A birthday ....
and to show our love and in return we were spoiled beyond our dreams .


To sit out on the balcony and take in the briny air and listen to the sea birds and watch the little fishing boats bob around on the sea...ahhhhhhhhhhhhh







The Royal Hotel  is the family's pride and joy. It's been a labour of sweat love and hard work. ....Dane and his wife Philippa along with Philippa's mum Maria  have worked tirelessly to create what can only be described as  a  Right Royal  Experience.Their hotel has an old world charm and feel to it and really made me feel as if I was on a set from Downton Abbey. 




Every meal was delicious and every cuddle and kindness will be  etched into my memory forever...What a birthday celebration. One that  filled me with joy and happiness.
A celebration that just didn't seem to end.
I hope for Dane that it made his dream of being surrounded by love a reality.

“Adoption has the dimension of connection — not only to your own tribe, but beyond, widening the scope of what constitutes love, ties and family. It is a larger embrace. By adopting, we stretch past our immediate circles and, by reaching out, find an unexpected sense of belonging with others.”
Isabella Rossellini

It was fitting too because my last stay at the Royal in Mornington , beside the sea was cut short when two days into my stay I returned home to NZ  for the funeral of my dear friend. 
I was a bit worried the return would bring with it waves of sadness but every day was a joy.



Sea views and the sounds of waves hitting the shore...ahhh the delight of it all...



Youngest grandchild rolling around laughing just added to the joy of oldest to youngest all being together.

Every fitting every decoration was tasteful ...












and at the end of each day as the sun set a little frivolity would begin xxx 




I am truly grateful That's for "Shaw"






Of couurse the other special birthday was youngest daughter ...that was a big 30th.We arrived to stay at her inner city apartment before setting off to Mornington by the sea.A bustling city so full of  markets colour and foods of all nations....I was in heaven...and who better to show me more of the sites then Nic .


We took Nic out for a birthday meal of Korean .....

Then went back to her apartment where we relaxed 





Couldn't help seeing this wee photo booth strip of Nic and I from 2 years ago.....Nawww she loves her Mamma...

The days to follow before going to Mornington were spent wandering the city and visiting the markets


I love Victoria market ..The variety of food is almost overwhelming It is a paradise of  food.





Let the degustation begin..
As the sun set on another adventure I was able to give thanks for family ...friends food and fun...and a future filled with love .



  Daughters may outgrow your lap, but they will never outgrow your heart.  ~Author Unknown