Coddled Eggs

Coddled Eggs

Saturday 30 January 2016

                                                        Girl Cave 

Today the temperature gauge rose quickly .
By noon the children were running out of puff and had to go to the creek for a dip.
Meanwhile I took advantage of the quiet and ventured up the hill to my "Girl cave".
 A caravan that is meant to  one day be my studio.
It is parked up on our hill and is meant to be my tranquil spot .I get so distracted at the bottom of the hill and because the vegetation is more lush below the hill and in the shadow .....I tend to not go up too often .... HMMMMMMMMM I'm thinking  its a bit of a cop out really...

To date there have been more pressing projects like tree houses and a new pump shed.



Water is so scarce for us.
Our spring dried up about 6 years ago it coincided with Dairy farms being introduced into our area.
Huge irrigation ponds and kilometers  of  Pivots have been needing all the water they can use.
 It is so strange to see cows in the paddocks around us.
No shelter to escape the burning sun and dry dry dry conditions even with all day irrigation...





We have very little water and rely on a creek close by to supplement our supply. Right at the minute the spring is completely dry. In Winter the level rises slightly enough for us to pump water to the tank.
The pump was on its last legs so for christmas we installed a smaller pump and Dr Project made a new shed to house the pump.
Sadly though no water in the well.
Our section , like the majority of the land in our area is built on a bed of rock of schist and dust .
The irony is directly across the road is the Clutha River with a plentiful supply of water.
I digress. I really wanted to write about the pump house.
We told the children it was a fairy house.
When I  have finished with it it will resemble a fairy house.






Meanwhile back in the girl cave I am trying to inspire myself.
I parked myself up on the bed, which will eventually be removed to make room for my easel , and stared at the unfinished paintings hidden in this cave with a view.

Empty canvas just waiting to be painted...
half finished work 

almost finished work..

Autumnal work

Work I started when I was sad





Work I really desperately want tuition with.
Anyone out there in bloggers land want to come stay a weekend and teach me the finer points of painting birds??? 

Work that is too blue

and then there is the work that beckons like a quiet country road...I started this painting when Matilda Betty was two...HMMM she will be off to school in April


Looking at it all at once makes me feel overwhelmed....

It is so hot in the caravan even with the doors and windows open it is hard to relax..it is a great sauna though..with lovely views
How the day has disappeared I hear the delightful squeals of little people back from the creek...energised by the cold water and probably in need of a good long drink...
Summer days...Summer Daze...









Thursday 28 January 2016


No Drips but plenty of Sundrops



There is a drought ,of that I am sure.The total fire ban is at extreme .The hay smells dry and is scratchy in my throat.The dust is everywhere and driving off the metal road only adds to the ever present dust in the air.This is Summer at it's best.
To think Febuary/ March will be hot hot hot and dry if our history of keeping record of weather patterns is anything to go by.

Its February time for the kids to return to school and the sun the come out again. Lindy Lamb



Driving to "The Nook" (I will write about that eutopic place on another post) was as spectacular as ever. A hint of snow still remains on Corner peak .


The Hawea back road  A road well travelled by myself.


..and heading into the Family  driveway of  my daughter's   always leaves me in awe .
Today I was going to pick up Matilda for a sleepover whilst her mummy performs as a wedding singer.
The pick up also included gathering a basket full of Apricots.
The magic of the Nook is not just in it's people it's of it's people.
The extended family are always peaceful  giving and attentive .Our daughter has been blessed to have married into such a loving giving and inspiring whanau.




As if the drive out isn't inspiring and breathtaking enough (and to think this makes up my neighbourhood...0
there are always great photo opportunities. 


The feeling when I hit that Nook Road sign always brings with it a smile.The Nook is never uninteresting.There is always a hive of activity.
I will write in a later blog the exciting news about a trillium cultivated by Mr Nook..Jamie Urquhart but that can wait. Katherine  Yes that's you Mrs B You can call Anna directly to order...As for now its Anna, Matilda Oscar and Apricots... 

Although the clouds have not dripped on us the fruit certainly drips from the tree's.

See how the light tenderly love the apricots, it takes them over completely, enters into their pulp, light them from all sides! Paul Cezanne



...and today I has two precious little helpers  ..at the ready to pick and to eat apricots destined for my basket



















Now mummy if you see this blog post please let me tell you Little Mr Oscar took his sunhat off every time  I put it on him.. That's it behind him ....He's such a cheeky boy...



I love how you can just see the washing in the background.First glance i thought it was prayer flags between the corn...HMMMM

Ready to Go to Oma's ...and mummy is ready to sing...


Just have to get Koala Jones organised ..



Now we are good to go

Homeward bound













and by Eight  all is well ,fruit bottled and babies asleep ...