Cats on Tour

We are away on another trip (lucky us), the weather was good and the car and caravan just hummed along.  We had our  favourite radio station belting out all the songs from the 50s, 60s and 70s “songs that you know and love”, as the adverts say, rather like spending time with good friends, as we hummed along.  Gemma came too, of course, and she is quite good on car rides, she usually spends her time beside me, leaning on the consul with her head facing backwards as we drive along.  Rather like an ostrich with her head in the sand, I often think.

Arriving at Waiouru we parked behind the  National Army Museum for lunch, usually plenty of room plus a café and restrooms inside the building if required.  The museum building looks rather like a castle, I always think.  We ate inside the van enjoying “something I had prepared earlier”.  I did check out the café which is now under new management, maybe we will lunch inside next time we are passing by.  And check out the wonderful view of Mt Ruapehu through the café window.

Mt Ruapehu

A small tree and a plaque were close by our lunch spot behind the museum.    Australians and New Zealanders  all know about the Anzacs and the Gallipoli Peninsula battle at Lone Pine during WW1.  A solitary pine tree stood at the battle site, and this remaining tree was almost destroyed during the battle.  Once the fighting had subsided, two Australian soldiers collected pine cones still attached to the branches used to cover the Turkish trenches.  These pine cones were carried home with the soldiers after the war, resulting in the germination of Turkish pines throughout Australia.

This tree is one of many raised in the Scion research nursery in Rotorua from seeds collected in 2012 from the Turkish red pine growing at Paeroa Golf Course.  This tree is an authenticated New Zealand descendant of the Gallipoli Peninsula’s original Lone Pine, and three seedlings were gifted to the museum as part of the ANZAC Day centenary in 2015.   How special to see this tree surviving here in New Zealand so many years later and so far from home.

Lone Pine at National Army Museum

Then on to stay at Taupo for two nights, with the “other” cats on tour, my Colourpoint Cats quilt top.  Remember these blocks I laboured over while I was taking part in the RSC each month?  Those arcs and curved piecing almost got the better of me, but I persevered and finally got the nine blocks completed.  I was meeting up with Linda of Razzle Dazzle Quilting who had agreed to work her magic on this wall-hanging.  We sat a discussed what I would like, and what Linda thought would look good.

Colourpoint Cats

Linda showed me a lovely gift she had received from fellow blogger Nancy who writes at Wyoming Breezes.  I read Nancy’s blog too, isn’t it wonderful how we are all connected through blogland!

Linda with her pretty scarf

Of course I had to take of photo of Linda’s sister Peggy too.  She was tucked up on a comfy chair,  busily sewing in the thread ends on a quilt, and one of the family cats on her lap.  IT was a picture of contentment.

Peggy and one of the cats

While at their home I admired some of the lovely quilts on display.  I loved the little village quilt with the matchstick quilting, don't those lights in the windows glow!  And I was in awe of the wonderful quilting on the dahlia panel.  It was so nice to meet up with these two lovely ladies again.

Two examples of Linda’s beautiful work

Then it was time for a little shopping before heading back to the caravan.  We had to make an urgent trip to the local vet, not because Gemma had taken poorly again.  No, I had forgotten to pack her Hill Science Diet crunchies, and they are only available through a vet, not a supermarket.  We arrived home, unpacked the groceries, and Gemma decided to see what was inside the shopping bag.  Maybe she could smell the meat we had purchased at the supermarket?  The bag certainly made a great cat sized hidey hole.

Gemma hiding in the shopping bag