nathalie

Let me introduce you to illustrator and graphic artist Nathalie Lété. I was looking at her beautiful work on the internet and thinking that it's not really my cup of tea but I like it and wouldn't it be wonderful to have a little bit of it. Nathalie's work seemed so familiar and then I realised that I might have something of hers - a little tin bucket that I'd bought as a gift for a friend a few years back. I began to doubt that my friend would like it so I bought her something else and kept the bucket. I hadn't known who the designer/illustrator was but now I see written on the bottom of the bucket "Nathalie Lété pour Vilac." How weird is that?

Nathalie has illustrated a children's pop-up book Promenade de la petite fille (Ramble of the little girl) and you can see her reading it here. And you can visit her website to see more of her work - i.e. if it's your cup of tea.

Reading: Stoner by John Williams
Eating: strawberries fresh from the garden

wellington weekend

Lyall Bay with good friends, good food, sun, plenty of wind, the sea and Bunnings Warehouse. 

What more could you want?

Reading: Not that kind of girl by Lena Dunham

Watching: Homeland, season 4

snapshot weekend

Waiheke Island on Saturday for lunch at Cable Bay vineyards to celebrate my sister-in-law's birthday followed by a slow late afternoon walk to catch the ferry home.
Then on Sunday another ferry to see the sculpture on the shore exhibition. I gave my vote for the "people's choice award" to Subtlehack by Audrey Boyle - a wire and stretchy fabric sculpture reminiscent of supplejack.
And we ended our weekend in fine style with dinner on the beach - fish and chips and a glass of wine - with some good old friends.
How was your weekend?

Reading: The mad boy, Lord Berners, my grandmother and me by Sofka Zinovieff

tussie mussie

I planted a small cutting garden a few months back hoping to have plenty of flowers for picking over the summer. Everything grew tall and green and then got blown over in a storm and died. I've had to start over. So disappointing. But a few things from last year - like the foxgloves and geranium - have self-seeded. (This is a very good reason not to weed too often or too well). And, of course, there are always weeds. Someone once told me that weeds are just plants you don't want. But some of them - like the forget-me-nots - are so pretty why would you not want them?

Reading: extra curricular #15  bought from here

bees in the city

 

If you live in Auckland and go past Victoria Park you may have noticed what looks like a mini wilderness near the skate park. It's actually a conceptual artwork called The park. It's a hexagonal garden planted with calendula, nasturtiums, borage etc with six horizontal beehives (the strange boxes in the top photo) at the centre. The idea is to inspire people to plant their own "pollen hotels" to encourage bees in the city. If you want to participate you can add your bee-friendly garden to a map here. At the end of the project you get to share the honey.

Today is Labour Day in New Zealand - a public holiday - so it's been a three-day weekend. Hoorah! I did my bit for the bees and worked in the garden for the first time in ages.

Reading: Birdman by Mo Hayder (page-turner crime)

1 to 20

Children's picture books have become a regular item on my library (and credit) card now that I'm a grandma. These lovely illustrations are from 1 to 20, animals aplenty by Katie Viggers. I love that she's included one of my favourite animals - the capybara.

And today, for the first time, I saw Peppa Pig on TV. Isn't it great? I love Daddy Pig's voice. And all that giggling from Peppa and George.

hanami 2014

Today we celebrated hanami - a glass of pink champagne under the cherry trees in the front garden then inside for brunch. We finished up with coffee and Rose pound cake. I found Trine Hahnemann's recipe on The guardian here. Unfortunately I couldn't get the essential rosy ingredients - the rose jelly and pink rose petals - so we had Pound cake with pink icing and a few pink sprinkles instead. And it tasted great.

Reading: That uncertain feeling by Kingsley Amis  
Watching: Project runway season 13