Anzac Day and a little Stitching

Anzac morning dawned calm, clear and crisp.  I took myself out for a short walk.  The ranges are snow free today, but just a couple of days ago, they were covered in snow.  Sadly, I didn't get a photo then.

Anzac Day (Australia and New Zealand Army Corps) is celebrated on April 25th and is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand commemorating all those who served and died in war.  It marks the anniversary of the 1915 Gallipoli landing, where so many soldiers from both our nations lost their lives.  The red poppy, worn proudly on Anzac Day,  is a symbol of remembrance, and represents the blood red flowers that grew on on WWI battlefields in Flanders.  Our local library has a wonderful large hanging of red poppies.  Hundreds of local ladies knitted poppies in various shades of red, with black centres, which were stitched to the backing and is dotted with green felt leaves.  Goodness knows how many knitters took part in this wonderful creation.

Poppy wall-hanging in the library

My brother Brian is the soldier in the family and served in Vietnam with the 161 Battery Royal NZ Artillery.  He has written a book about his tour of duty.  He now lives in Australia and no doubt attended Anzac commemorations today at his local RSA.

Glimpse the Fear

I've collected my Bernina sewing machine from the shop after it had a clean and service, it is rather like a long lost relative come home again.  We certainly miss our machines when they are not here. don't we.

Home again

So today I've started machine quilting using the Serpentine stitch on another secret project.  I have mentioned before that I'm making three children's quilts for a special family.  Two finished, this is the last, then I can pass them over.  I have to get up from the machine and move around, I find, as my back gets uncomfortable if I sit and sew for a long period.   No doubt the joys of getting older!

More secret sewing

Anzac Day in Sanson

 Anzac Day unites Kiwis everywhere, both home and abroad, remembering those service men and women who fought to protect us during times of war, often paying the ultimate sacrifice.  We are on a weekend caravan club rally at Mt Lees Scenic Reserve, and four of us drove down to Sanson to attend the Anzac Day service this morning.  The first part of the service was held by the War Memorial, and the band came marching towards us.

An elderly gentleman who seemed to have mobility problems stood and bravely played the Last Post - I spoke to him later and told him how wonderful it was to hear.  Several wreaths were laid on the memorial then people were invited to add their poppies.   The final part of the service was held indoors, followed  by a very welcome cuppa and lovely morning tea.  

One of the wreaths was from the "Woolly Blessings" so I was keen to find out a little about this group.  Seems it is a group of ladies who meet weekly to knit and crochet in the local church hall, and I was very welcome to join them, they assured me.  What a shame I'm not a local, they seem such a lovely friendly group of ladies.  Their wreath was make from knitted poppies, and had the name of the group done in cross stitch.  Well worth sharing with you all, I thought.

Made with love from the Woolly Blessings

Lest We Forget

Weekend in the Country

Last weekend was spent with our caravan club friends camped at a local dairy farm.

Each day the cows walked along the cattle race to the milking shed,one after the other.  There were plenty of newly weaned heifer calves which came rushing over to the fence, just in case we had some extra food or attention to give them.  And what about this big fellow resting under the shelter – he is sure the Dad of these calves.

Baby heifers and a very large bull

As we were staying on a dairy farm, Rally Captain Dennis had organised a milking competition for us.  Just as well that a real cow was not used as some of the contestants certainly had rough hands indeed.  Poor old “Daisy” had four legs, a tail, and an udder made from a rubber glove – I’m sure she would be mooing in desperation from the treatment she received from the less than gentle townies.  The winners were Murray and Val, who obtained the largest quantity of “milk” actually water, in the allotted time.

Murray and Val, holding their winners cup, with Daisy

Sunday was Anzac Day – 25th April marks the anniversary of the landing of Australian and New Zealand soldiers – the Anzacs – on the Gallipoli Peninsula in 1915. The aim was to capture the Dardanelles and open a sea route to the Bosphorus and the Black Sea.  The Anzacs were courageous and although the Gallipoli campaign failed in its military objectives, the Australian and New Zealand actions during the campaign left us all a powerful legacy. With the coming of the Second World War, Anzac Day also served to commemorate the lives of Australians and New Zealanders who died in that war.  The meaning of Anzac Day today includes the remembrance of all from both countries killed in military operations.  Our group attended a 5.00pm Service at Otaki Cemetery.

Anzac Day Service at Otaki Cemetery

The afternoon service was well attended , and many people wore their own or family medals, plus red poppies.  We watched as members of the Air Force Corps marched  to the flag pole, the flag was lowered, ceremonially folded then presented back to the Otaki RSA representative.  The haunting sounds of a single bagpipe, and a lone bugler playing The Last Post, together with the recitation of The Creed made it a very moving remembrance service indeed.

Our day ended with a meal out together at Curry Town in Otaki.  Have to admit that we are not great Indian cuisine lovers so this was an experience for us.  We checked through the menu and professed to our dining companions that we didn’t really know the difference between a Rogan Josh, Korma or Tikka.  Eventually we made up our minds and placed our orders.  The food was nice, and the surroundings were very pleasant, and it goes without saying that the company was wonderful.

Dinner at Curry Town

It was a great rally, and Anzac Biscuits were shared for Morning Tea.  Some went on the bush walk through a lovely stand of native trees, protected and fenced off from the stock.  Sadly, the pair of us decided against taking part, with Robin’s bad knees and my bad back it all seemed a bit too hard for us both.  Never mind, we had enjoyed this walk last time we stayed here.

The only stitching I have done lately is to repair the lining in my hand bag.  After searching high and low for my keys, I finally discovered that they had slipped through a small hole in the lining.  So I had to carefully retrieve them, then set to and repair the hole.  Has this ever happened to you?

Blue Selvedge Sewing, and Anzac Day

The month is rolling on and I’ve completed my last lot of blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  This month the colour is light/bright blue and I've been working on my two selvedge projects.  Quite simple sewing, I’ve made a blue selvedge block which will join the other colours to eventually become a bag.  And another little selvedge spool block – I’m making this to hang in my sewing room (spare bedroom in reality).

Last blue blocks for the month

Wonder what colour will be chosen for May?  Guess we will just have to wait and see.

Here in New Zealand and over in Australia our countries have  just celebrated Anzac Day. ANZAC is an acronym for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, a grouping of several divisions created early in the Great War of 1914–18.  The Anzacs first saw action at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. The small cove where the Australian and New Zealand troops landed was quickly dubbed Anzac Cove. Soon the word was being used to describe all the Australian and New Zealand soldiers fighting on the Gallipoli Peninsula. Later it came to mean any Australian or New Zealand soldier.

This year, because of Covid 19 Lockdown, the first time in more than a century, there'll be no dawn services to commemorate ANZAC Day.  People are encouraged to mark it in their own way, perhaps placing poppies in their letter boxes, or in windows. We have our hand crafted ceramic poppy outside our kitchen window.  This was purchased three years ago when we visited the Great War Exhibition at the historic Dominion Museum in Wellington -   read about our visit here.  And the New Zealand flag is proudly flying from our flagpole.

Our poppy and flag

Giving thanks to all our Anzac heroes, past and present.

Kereru, Poppies, and Holiday News

It’s a busy life while on holiday in the caravan, driving here and there, staying at interesting places.  I found a little time to sit and stitch for a while.  Some stitching over several days and I’m happy to say that I have completed my kereru – one of two native birds I’m doing to hang in the caravan.  The kereru is a large native pigeon, with feathers in shades of green, and a snowy white breast, and gorge themselves on fruiting trees.    Please excuse the unpressed condition of the stitchery – I don’t have an iron in the caravan.

Kereru – native wood pigeon

Crochet in a Airfield Museum?  Why not.  I came across this lovely crocheted giant poppy displayed at the New Zealand Warbirds Museum in Ardmore, Auckland.  (Once more, apologies for the photo, as overhead lights were reflected on the glass).  400 crocheted poppies were made by a group of local ladies to commemorate the 2015 Centenary of the Gallipoli Landings in 1915.  This battle was a disaster for our troops and among the dead were 2779 New Zealanders, about a sixth of all those who had landed on the peninsula.  The red poppy has become a symbol of war remembrance the world over, and in New Zealand it is most commonly seen around Anzac Day, 25 April.

Poppies to remember the fallen

And now for a little news from our holiday.  As already mentioned, we visited the New Zealand Warbirds Museum, dedicated to the restoration of service aircraft.  All kinds of interesting planes were on display.

On view at the NZ Warbirds Museum

We spent the weekend at a caravan rally enjoying good company, a delicious Pot Luck meal, and we all gathered around the raging bon-fire on Saturday evening to celebrate Guy Fawkes night.  It was our wedding anniversary too, this year it is number 34!

Fine dining indeed at the pot luck meal

And while we were there we visited the historic local pub.  At 153 years old, The Riverhead is thought to be New Zealand’s oldest riverside tavern and holds New Zealand’s second oldest liquor license.  Nestled on the shores of the upper Waitemata, The Riverhead is steeped in local history and played a part in the development of early New Zealand, with thousands using the wharf and hotel as the gateway to lands in the north prior to the completion of roads and railway.  

The Riverhead, historic pub

We walked through to  “The Landing” bar and restaurant and settled down to enjoy a drink looking out over the muddy Waitemata.  Later a walk through the doors took us down onto a large deck surrounded by 100 year oak trees.  It was such a lovely peaceful setting.

Looking down from the deck

We are heading home this week but there is sure to be another adventure or too, and interesting sights to see.  And hopefully a little more stitching will be achieved too.