objects

A few fabulous things to dream of -

• Karlsson flip clock
• smyrna cushion by Renilde de Peuter
• Juliet Arnold silver inlaid bangle from rekindle
• hand built ceramic pots by Stella Baggott
• uten silo organiser by Dorothee Becker
• Vipp pedal bin

in a pear tree

We had a weekend away up North for a family wedding. It was a lovely wedding and, amazingly, both the bride's and the groom's grandmothers were there - all four of them. The oldest was ninety-five.

On the way back we stopped off at our favourite avocado orchard. Everyone should have a favourite avocado orchard.

my year of not so much

Happy New Year.

Have you made any resolutions? I've been thinking about the year ahead and some of the things I'd like to do in the next twelve months. I've actually given it a lot of thought because there are things that I think I'd like to do but somehow I never seem to have enough time for.

So this year I'm going to focus on how I spend my time.
2015 will be my year of not so much:
not so much television
not so much work (I hope)
not so much procrastination
and, maybe,
not so much stuff

I'll let you know what happens.

Reading: The hundred-year-old man who climbed out of the window and disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

thanks

Happy holidays and thanks for visiting never odd this year.

Reading: Lists of note compiled by Shaun Usher

while she sleeps

Some random photos taken during my granddaughter's nap time.

Watching: Finding Vivian Maier

before / now

This is how cactus plants grow in just over a year of living in a kitchen and getting watered occasionally. How they flourish when you're not looking.

waiorea

Another outing to Western Springs with my little friend last week. The park is almost overrun with birds - seagulls, pukeko, swans, geese, ducks, coots, pigeons, hens. There few still a few fluffy ducklings and cygnets around. And, best of all, if you linger on one of the bridges and peer into the dark water you're bound to see a slippery fat eel or two.

Reading: The non-conformists by Martin Parr and Susie Parr
This is a really interesting book of photos taken by Martin in 1975 while he and Susie were living in a small mill town in Yorkshire, England. It's a sort of documentary about a traditional way of life in a rural community that was already in decline. Susie wrote the text that describes the people and their day-to-day lives. I especially liked her description of the Lydgate mineral water works that made cordials and "fizzy drinks".