St James Walkway

 well I did promise you more photos of last weeks tramp on the St James Walkway in the back of Lewis Pass/Hanmer Springs area.We started on our road trek from Twizel, and first stop was lunch at Mrs Easy Peasy's (aka Jo Seager - wonderful NZ cook for all you non-Kiwis),

and then a browse around the local shops and art gallery.. then back on the road. We stayed in a a garden room at the Heritage Hotel in Hanmer, very nice but grossley over-rated and over priced for what it was. And the  most hideous meal at Robbie's garden Bar - the service was absolutely non-existant - however...
..it was a fabulous 5 day 4 night hike through beech forests and open clearings,

 mildly up and down so not too exerting, but we walked about 5 - 6 hrs a day, stopping where we wanted to look at the scenery,

 boil up the billie and have lunch, take photos, shelter from the rain, ... yes we got very wet every day.
That just made getting to the huts and getting dry and warm by the fire a very pleasnat experience indeed, long nights in front of a blazing fire, a little bit of reading, some stitching, and lots of chatting with our companions.

We were the only ones we saw on the trek other then a couple from Christchurch on the very last night at the Boyle river hut. Solitude - well for the 4 of us anyway.

managed to get a shot of these beauties in flight ... after we scared them off (unintentionally that is).. every 3rd step was over duck poo or geese poo, amazing how much output they have! ...and the wild pigs make a right royal mess foraging for sweet roots around many  of the trees..

 and lots of fungus, so many varities, even purple, and the most deliciously gorgeous black cabbage rose one that I missed getting a photo of... but I have committed it to memory and feel a needlework coming on.. with  maybe some beading embellishment mayhaps.

The last day was particularly wet, raining all day long. YAY for long hot showers when we got back to the hotel,... it was such a fun week! So good for the soul... I hope you are having a fab week too

.... and yes I did stitch... not sure what I will do with this.. any ideas??I do love working with Pam's threads, they are delightful

 

hello again..

 it feels like it has been such a long time since I have been here, and so much has happened, what a busy life!

I have been rather busy in the shop ... which is a very good thing. Lots of goodies arriving which need unpacking, sorting and shelving. Pom Pom de Paris fabric arrived yesterday, so need to get that on the website, and send out the orders.

and I have been busy getting a customers' quilt finished for her daughter's 21st which is this Saturday, binding went on last night while I was at book club... something I don't seem to do too much of lately,.. reading that is. Anyway, the quilt is all ready for pick up this morning.

and then there are about 4 or 5 customer quilts sitting waiting which I will get started on this weekend (we won't mention the stack of my own quilts that I have sitting waiting either)

and finally I have made a start on Imperial Blooms, Sue Spargo's 2011 BOM, I am loving it, fantastic stuff. I have 4 blocks and #5 should be arriving any day now! These wools are so lovely to work with, and the threads... OMG... they are just so gorgeous!

and tonight is the Friday NIght Sew In, these are great night to put aside just for sewing, stitiching, quilting... whatever takes your fancy really. Go here to sign up, and then check out everyone's blog tomorrow to see what they have been up to. I think that I will do a bit more on my Sue Spargo blocks, they are really talking to me right now... and I am having so much fun with them!

and I shall simply have  to share some photos of the tramping that we did last week, FABULOUS... and great for the soul, and really blew out some cobwebs, altho' we did get rather wet.. more in a later post then

have a fabulous Friday!

Happy Mother's Day!!

I hope every Mother everywhere is having  a fabulous day!