Smallholders' Auction

On the last Saturday of January, the Pohangina/Ashhurst Lions hold an auction. It takes place on a farm 7km from Ashhurst and has been going for a large number of years now. Originally it was set up for people like me, who have a smallholding, to be able to sell their livestock - 1 or 2 sheep, a calf, chickens, whatever, because it wasn't possible, at the time, to sell small numbers at the big auction places.
I hadn't been for a few years, but have always enjoyed meeting up with people and sometimes bidding on goods.
Here are some snapshots of the day:

 These 3 geese really knew how to pose!

 I very much liked this 2 tooth Suffolk ram, but didn't bid as it was at my limit, and I didn't have a trailer to bring him home in (just a collar and leash - tied up in the back of the ute, imagine!).

This man was selling a cute Kune kune piglet.
Here is the queue for the hamburgers and sausages:

These 3 porkers didn't want a bar of the happenings!

A Pitt Island cross ewe, which sold for $200.00 - a record!
I had a great day!

A Long Weekend

Today is Wellington Anniversary Day, which we 'celebrate' here in the Manawatu (not having our own anniversary day). Well the weekend has not been very nice weather-wise, so we have been able to do some relaxing reading and more de-cluttering.
I have finally finished a table-runner which I started last year to give as a wedding present - it's late now, but a fun, eclectic present:

New Zealand fabrics - it measures 55 inches long x 13 inches wide. The center square is quilted with a circular feather wreath, the strips are stitched either side of the seams (approximately 1/4 inch).
Sorted out my quilt photo album - I made (finished) 15 quilts, 3 table-runners and the 30 pieces for the S.I.X. exhibition - phew! tired just looking at it all.
This year is another year of finishing UFO quilts :-)

A Cute Plant

I bought this plant last year, but it has more flowers this year. It is called a Tiny Piny (Eucomis) and originates from South Africa. Before the flowers opened up it looked just like a pineapple under the top leaves! The flowers measure 2cm from tip to tip, so quite small.

Eucomis - Tiny Piny

So lovely to have inside at the moment!

We've Been Building...

... some yards for the sheep - they aren't finished yet, but Derrick has been hammering in nails, taking nails out, hammering in more nails and cutting planks of wood. I was the very best assistant, supplying nails and holding up ends of planks! Plus I made yummy date scones in exchange for delicious espresso coffee! (Photo when yards are near completion).
I also picked some of our agapanthus flowers and here are 2 macro shots - the colour is simply natural and gorgeous!

Sunset Over the Manawatu

Had to share this photo I took this evening from my sewing room window around 2100 hours:

Enjoy!

The Entries Are On Their Way

Phew! It was touch and go for the last challenge entry, but I had finished it enough to get it photographed and sent with the others (that's 4 I've sent in). Here's a teaser (clue: it's title is Lest We Forget and it's about New Zealand war memorials):

The finished quilt bears about 25% resemblance to the original design I had. Still, I'm pretty happy with it. Just have to 'bind' it, add the label and the hanging sleeve.

Taking Some Sheep Time

It was such a good evening we went up to the paddocks and spent some time with the flock and Beauty. These are a couple of my favourite photos:

Rosie and friends

Derrick and Beauty

Rosie is hoping that we have some treats and Beauty knows we have treats AND cuddles!
Back at work today after the Christmas break. It's our busiest day with returns and shelving and with people coming in to resupply their reading fodder.
Here at home, I'm desperately trying to finish another challenge quilt for Symposium this year. Photos and entry forms have to be in Queenstown by Friday, which means I have to have them posted at the latest by Wednesday. Just a little bit more to do, so it can be photographed - at least I can finish it properly in slower time (which really means by the end of the week, because there are other things waiting).

The Tui in the Gully

This morning we went on the walk earlier than usual and spent time sitting in one place awaiting the opportunity for a good photo.
This is one that looks pretty good :

Tui on flax

Here is another that looks better but doesn't have the same depth of field.

There are quite a few tui in this gully - plenty of variety for food - and they are very cheeky. While we were sitting, they would swoop low over us, then serenade us in a high tree. What a lovely sound and range of notes to be treated to.

On Our Walk This Morning

Part of our walk was through this new-ish planting of native trees in a little gully near the local supermarket:

What about the brilliant colours in these flax flowers?

And I love these seedheads:

Happy New Year to You All!

Well, I've have a productive day today - cleaned and sorted out the laundry (yes, I know, it's one of the smallest rooms, but at least it's done and dusted, so to speak!). Finished the quilting on the zig-zag quilt, which has taken FAR TOO LONG to do - mostly because I got bored with it. Now just have to trim it and sew on the binding (yippee!). Also quilted a block for the sewing group charity quilt we are working on.
This evening, Derrick and I took Chloe for a walk along the Manawatu River. We walked along the Bridle Path by the Esplanade. Here's a lovely close-up of a fern - great designs on the leaves for quilting, and you can see the stomata in each cell:

Now in this photo, I asked Chloe to pose for me - new tree stump, light reflecting off the river and setting sun behind the trees: