Can you believe we are almost at the end of March? I certainly can’t. The mornings are getting darker, evenings seem to come earlier and it won’t be long until the clocks go back. Autumn is well and truly here.
Getting out
On Thursday, I went to the first meeting of a new book club hosted by Marsden Books. It was great to meet new people (including someone who was actually at the same school as the sister of a friend in Scotland…what a small world this is!). I’m looking forward to reading the first book – Delirious by Kiwi author Damien Wilkins.
It was also so nice to get out into town on Saturday after Pilates. We had booked a long lunch and sherry tasting at Noble Rot Wine Bar – but more of that on Wednesday. I took my time walking, stopping on the way, including sitting by the iconic bucket fountain on Cuba Street. I love the sign – ‘please don’t feed the birds, they aren’t toilet trained’.
I also sat down waiting for Karl: Noble Rot is situated in the building with ‘The Bake House’ on it, and next door is Best Ugly Bagels. The car park in front of these buildings will be transformed into a stage area next week for the Cuba Dupa street festival.
In the basket
The Wonky Box delivered up some great things this week – potatoes and kumara, capsicum, courgettes (zucchini), mushrooms, a little garlic, these baby pak choi and silverbeet, as well as a bag of green beans and a bag of Brussels sprouts. I topped up the box with passion fruit – a favourite of mine.
There wasn’t really a lot more needed – some chicken and pork filet, pasta bows, two lots of blueberries, pears, 2 special figs, tomatoes, broccolini, and some mint feta and – oh joy! Boursin.
Other edible delights
The café next to our local library always turns up trumps, and their bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato sandwich is excellent and one of the best around. On Sunday, I roasted some of veggies left over from last week for my work lunches on Monday and Tuesday – capsicums, courgette, red onion and radishes – adding in a tin of chickpeas half way through – and topping it all off with feta. Oh and yes…the red kiwi fruit…this is what they look like when you cut them open.
I turned to Madhur Jaffrey’s classic text Indian Cookery for Sunday’s dinner, slow cooking lamb from our local butcher, making some spicy green beans, a carrot salad and a cucumber raita to have alongside with rice. Lovely! (NB: I did not style the pictures or dishes!).
Simple things
- Reading about the fish of the year
- Enjoying bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon for Sunday breakfast.
- Starting to read ‘Careless People’ – interesting so far!
- Bumping into people I hadn’t seen in a while when out grocery shopping on Sunday.
- Having someone come round and help me with the garden – can’t tell you how happy this makes me! Cataract op + moon boot = neglected garden
- Spotting fungi in the garden.
What were your small pleasures this week? Here are some other blog posts from a few fellow bloggers looking at the good things in life.
- It’s melting over at Notes from the Hinterland.
- Anne of Something Over Tea has a day in the garden.
- The Glasgow Gallivanter visits some Manchester churches.
- Deb of Deb’s World gives us a round up of her March reading.
- Enjoy coffee and a chat with Trent.
- Meanwhile Maria of Green Dreams has a nice trip to town.
- While Mr Tootlepedal is watching the watchers.
- It is time for Brookford Kitchen Diaries cook book of the month post.
- Donna of Retirement Reflections also shares her recent reading.
- As does Sue.
- Travels Through My Lens takes us through the Panama Canal.
- And Fred shares 6 things from his spring garden.
- The Travelsketcher tells us about his week in Oregon.
- Mr Platypus of Now I’m 64 spots a bird far from home.
- There is a wonderful display of spring flowers over at Cornwall in Colours.
- And Natalie tours the Spadina Museum.
- ..…and all the other lovely bloggers out there. Sorry if I have missed anyone…..
Thistles and Kiwis is a Wellington, New Zealand based blog written by Barbara, who likes cats, summer, good food and pretends to garden.
You can find Thistles and Kiwis on Facebook, and also on Instagram @thistlesandkiwis.