What Can You Do With A Cable Reel

One afternoon I picked up my husband for lunch and saw an old cable reel lying in a "dump site" at the factory.  I casually asked him if he could bring it home.  In my head, I wanted to create different living spaces around the ponderosa.  A few days later, it arrived home, which I was delighted with!!!

But it didn't end there.  A few days later, another arrived, then another until I finally had five in total, all different sizes.

Hmmm, 5?  All in different sizes?  Wow!!!  I got to planning the first living space under a wonderful oak tree which forms part of the "hammock" garden.  Of course I had to move three of the reels in and out of the area to see which one suits.  I decided on the second largest and used two old outdoor chairs that I've had with me for a long time.

I did think of painting the chairs and/or the reel, but decided to leave them in the raw form.  The reel itself can house four chairs nicely and numerous times over the long hot summer, we have sat under the tree and enjoyed a cool beverage.

One day I stumbled over a use for the smallest of the cable reels which occurred when my husband was in the hammock reading his book and he wanted something to place his glass on.  Enter the small reel.

My husband in the hammock with our lovely little foxy Bruno enjoying the shade

 I decided to jazz the reel up with some potted colour to add a different dimension for the garden itself.

I do envisage some outdoor lighting above the reel table to add another dimension, but now it's autumn I'm thinking I'll wait until spring to revisit this garden/living space again.

As for the other two reels?  One is being temporarily used by my husband to house his building tools during our big shed project, and the other is casually sitting in the back paddock by the fire bin.  This one provides a lovely sitting space while we burn our rubbish on the weekend and look out at the chooks and the sheilas eating in the paddocks.  I'm not quite sold on the resting place of this sitting area, but when I am, I'll post another blog.

Have a great night people!!

Bruno - The New Addition

Remember my blog Our Best Friends and How Time Flies.  Well how time flies indeed with so many changes on our dog front!!!

Firstly PAL, who was old and sick ... and I had to make the hard decision to put him to rest.  Also JOSEPH ... our funny little foxy who never ceased to amazed us.  He wondered onto the road and tore all is ligaments and cartilage in his legs when he was hit by a car .. again I had to make the hard decision to put him to rest.

It was a challenging few weeks after JO left us but it didn't take long for us to decide it was time to get us another companion on the farm.  Not just to keep us entertained, but to keep the local rabbits and rodents at bay.

Enter BRUNO ...our young fox terrior, who is still trying to find his way on the Ponderosa.  He was born in October, and how it was a mission to get him to us from Marokopa.  He is just starting to understand the different smells, and hasn't quite figured out the rabbits yet but it won't be long before his foxy instincts kick in and he'll be away.

The chickens aren't happy he's around, and as for our beloved sheilas? ... they are starting to get used to him.

Have a great day people.

Cakes, Cakes, Cakes - Again

Its been a pretty busy couple of weeks with me making cakes so I thought I'd post some more photos for people to view.

I'm really enjoying experimenting with different styles of cakes and encourage anyone to give it a go!!!

Happy living people

Childhood Memories Onboard

So ...one of my husbands lovely toys is a boat.  He had always wanted one, but we never had the space to be able to store it, so when we arrived at the Ponderosa it became a reality for him - 9 acres is big enough I think.

I have wonderful childhood memories of holidays, weekends and even daily outings on our boat - particularly to water ski.  Mum would pack the chilly bins with lots of different snacks and off we would go to Lake Karapiro, or to Horotiu or Ngaruawahia.  Having a river at your finger tips is another bonus of why I love who I am.

My sister and brother were always the first to jump in the water and ski for kilometers at a time.  As the younger sibling I would sit and watch them as they crossed from one side of the wake to the other, try different tricks and most importantly try to out do each other.  If we were bored on the boat, my dad would simply drop us off at the nearest ski ramp.  We would bomb and dive all day long, with dad and the boat returning every now and then to collect us for our turn to ski, or to have something to eat at the nearest vacant shore line.

During the xmas break, my childhood memories on the boat turn to daily trips out in the glassy waters of the Bay of Islands, where we would travel to Rawhiti and spend our entire break camping with some of my Snowden whanau.  Fishing, diving or just travelling to Russell every so often to visit and/or collect some essential supplies.

Later in life, my fishing and diving experiences on the boat turned to Raglan when my grandparents moved there, and then to the Coromandel where we travel more often now.

I'm extremely grateful for all the hard work my parents put into ensuring they provided the best they could for myself and my siblings and in doing so have created some loving, positive memories and lessons in return. Lessons and values we can take and pass on to our own children.

We have our own boat now, and although it's only been a year, I know my daughters are enjoying it.  I know I am!! This wonderful weather we are experiencing sure is helping us make some easy choices of spending quality time together with my whanau and friends on the boat.

Have a great day people!!

Just Add Potted Colour

This summer is extremely dry. Given there isn't rain and I'm saving the water in our tank for the necessities, my gardens are looking dull and life-less. Time to add some drama and colour to the mix.  Potted colour.  

When my cousin moved back to Australia, I inherited quite a few of her pots, so I decided to grab some potted annuals and a few test pots from the local mitre 10 (which were on sale) and start painting.

The results, I think look awesome!!

This is not bad for a lazy days work, and the results around the ponderosa is fabulous!!

Happy living peeps!!

An Old Bench Gets a Revamp

I can't believe February is nearly over and I'm thoroughly enjoying this beautiful weather we are having.

My husband is busy trying to build a new shed on the ponderosa, so I thought I'd get to revamping an old bench seat that I acquired on trademe over a year ago for less than $100.

The benchseat was looking a little worn, and it should because it has a few years on it.  I thought about sanding it right back and exposing the wood, but decided to go with a vintage green.  It's only paint and my motto is when or if I get sick of the look, then I can simply change it.

Before the make over

Revamped and Revived

With the new bench seat now in place there are a few changes to the porch that are needed until I'm happy with it, so will post the finished result soon.

Happy living people!!

Importance of Water

This weather is absolutely wonderful.  High 20's, sunshine all day long means an opportunity to swim, outdoor living, inviting friends over for drinks and BBQ's .. the list goes on.  It really is lovely, however the down side is more sun means less water and living on the ponderosa has provided a new prespective on how important water is to us.

This is the first house where I've had to considerably watch our water consumption because once our water tank is empty, we have to buy a truck load of water for anything from $200 to $300.

In the past, I've thought in some respect that our water consumption has always been pretty good, however in reality I could always turn on the tap and know that water was going to come out of it.  Washing the car to watering the grass were things I considered pretty important to me when I lived the lifestyle of suburbia.  Now reflecting, I've realised those things are not as important as I thought.  What is, is just having enough for the necessities such as drinking.

Having two teenage girls is a challenge when it comes to water, but we are all learning as we go.  The grass is VERY dry, and in some cases, there isn't any grass at all.  The gardens are looking dry and next summer I need to consider more mulch in the winter/spring time to keep the moisture in the ground.

Yes, this year has been a very good learning curve for me and my whanau in regard to our water consumption and we definitely need to look at better ways of preserving water and not wasting it.

Have a great day peeps!!

Time Of Reflection

I love to travel to the east coast to Matarangi to spend some R&R either relaxing on the beach or on the boat fishing or water skiing or simply chilling with a magazine at the beach house.  That's exactly what we did this past weekend and it was fabulous!!!

I have to admit that the roads are a challenge and really aren't for those who are prone to motion sickness but the drive itself has the most spectacular views in the world.  

I personally enjoy the drive over as it allows me an opportunity of taking in everything I love about this wonderful country and makes me appreciate just how fortunate we are to have such beauty literally on our doorstep.

I often ask "where else would you be able to see and experience such beauty", and my answer is generally, all over Aotearoa.

Have a great day people.

Cakes, Cakes, Cakes

I'm really enjoying experimenting with cake designs at the moment.  Some people have requested that I share some of my cakes online so I thought - why not.  These are just a few that I have done over the past couple of months.

Happy living people

Reflection On Life

I hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend with Auckland Anniversary.  I know I did, although like most holidays, they seem to go way too fast!!

This year we travelled north to visit family and friends and catch up on lost time.  This trip was so rewarding as we got to meet the latest addition to the family - at only 7 days old as well as the oldest in the family - at 90 years of age.

To me this trip was a reflection on life itself.  To hold a 7 day old baby knowing the opportunities ahead of them and pondering on what journey they will take in life - to enjoying sitting with your husbands 90 year old grandmother discussing the journey she has already taken, seeing her weep with joy as she holds her great great grandson and yet pondering how it must be to grow old.

I've often wondered this with my own grandmother (who is now 84 years old) and discussed with her over the past couple of years.  She is the last of her generation in her family, and the only grandparent I have left and I love her so dearly, but seeing her grow more and more frustrated with age saddens me.  She is definitely young at heart, but what the mind wants to do, the body doesn't agree.

Although growing old is a fact of life, I can't help but wonder how lonely it must be to have your love ones - husband, brothers, sisters, parents, friends, all those who you've grown with now passed on, leaving you to find a new life, new friends, new challenges to keep you going.  My nan says she is a very rich woman to have so much love in her family which keeps her going and it's fantastic to have such a matriarch like her. 

My grandmother - Elizabeth Paki Haggie (nee Turner) overlooking the Ponderosa

90 year old Lorna Hudson (nee McManus) with Haerenga Grant Ray Tukariri Abraham

I'm a great believer that your children are a reflection of you through their choices and journey in life.  I hope that if I am to reach the age of 84 or 90 years, I am able to reflect on my life with a feeling of success and happiness.

Have a great night people!!