I just returned home last night from my home. Confused? Me too at times. Being at home in New Zealand was fantastic; just the break that I needed. I had a big huge dose of nothingness mixed in with long days in front of the fire trying to stave off those single digit temperatures. I got together with some of my best friends and had a grand time catching up. However, I could not wait to arrive at home in HK because I knew there would be 6 furry faces waiting to greet us at the door. It is always nice to know that you’ve been missed and the “kids” do a fantastic job of expressing that.
On the flight from Auckland to Nelson, I was in the front row facing the flight attendant on arrival. We were chatting and he asked where I had been. I told him HK and after the normal questions about this, mentioned that we lived there. “So,” he asked, “visiting family in Nelson?” “No, we have a house here and I’m coming down for a bit of a break.” “Oh,” he says, “So, where is family?” “In the States,” I reply. At this point, most people just twist their head to the side and give a bit of a funny look. So home, well, home is where we are. It really does not matter as long as those you love most are within arms distance.
I sold a few (well, actually quite a few!) pearl necklaces and earrings and have had more people wanting me to get together with them and their friends on my next trip. With a few well placed, and connected, people, I could have quite a booming business down there.
I was admiring a friends sweater and she told me that she got it at Cruellas (great name!); check out their website www.cruellas.co.nz . I stopped in for a look and could have walked out with a half dozen sweaters; fortunately I narrowed it down to just one. Everything in their shop is made from hand spun yard and is hand knitted; you can purchase finished garments or raw materials and patterns to make your own. Beautiful, beautiful things. 
At the end of my trip, the New Zealand Cancer Society was having a fund raising drive and Cruellas had knitted items on auction for the cause. I had the winning bid on this necklace/scarf. Besides the colors being totally me, the way it is made intrigues me. It is 6 ropes of approximately 6 rows of knitting all join together at the back. I think this concept could look quite good with a smaller yarn and some beads thrown in here and there for effect. I refuse to allow myself to pick up another hobby but I just might have to attempt making something like this!
The one thing I love so much about being in NZ is our home. Having designed and help build it, I feel intimately connected to the place. I can look
at any wall, corner or cabinet and know what it took to create it. This is the heart of our home; the entry and dining room which opens to the back yard. This is a very special spot and one I find myself drawn to. The columns are hand painted concrete. There are 7 of them to signify the 7 energy centers or shakras. The artist who painted the columns apprenticed with a Dutch man and together, they painted the columns in the Bee Hive (NZ parliment building) in Wellington. This is a home that loves people and our last weekend we had guests all around the dining table. Laughter filled the space. Perfect…
My elusive
yucca is doing it to me again! I have had these plants for nearly 10 years and I have yet to see them bloom. In defense of my poor plants, they did have a rough start which put off blooms for many years. But still, it could cooperate and coordinate with one of my trips! These plants came to me from a friends yard whose preferred method of yard maintenance was a sprayer full of herbicide and a shovel. He came over to see me one day with these two yuccas in the back of his truck and asked if I wanted them. They were beautiful and I was thrilled, until he pulled them out and I saw that they had 6″ or less of tap root. It took a lot of TLC to keep them alive and now they are thriving. If only we can get the blooming sorted…
This is one thing I am glad I got to see. This is my favorite rhododendron. I just love the varigated flowers and leaves. Mrs. Roosevelt I think it is called. I know that it is named after a President’s wife and Lady Bird just does not sound right. This rhody is nestled right up next to the pine forest in a nice shady spot so the blooms are always big and full.
Now that I am back home, I am going to be getting organized to start classes the middle of the month. By all indications, the YWCA is having a high turnout on enrollment for Autumn classes. My dressmaking students are increasing which is going to see me add a second morning. I have a group of Chinese knotters who are very keen to learn more and I have a few fun projects for them. And there is always my stitching that I am setting aside one afternoon a week to do…something just for me.
I hope everyone’s transition into Spring or Autumn (depending upon which side of the equator you are on) is a good one.
