Out and About in the first days of Winter

 The Winter season has ticked over down here in the Southern Hemisphere.  The weather has been fine and sunny, although the temperatures are definately getting much cooler.  We had great weather for our caravan club weekend away.  It was a long weekend with Monday 3rd being a public holiday, King's Birthday weekend to commemorate King Charles birthday.  Although his actual birthday is in November, it is celebrated in June.  Why?  It all goes back to King George 11 and the cold English winter weather, he started this tradition way back in 1748.  He had a November birthday, and announced that is was much too cold to hold the public grand parade.  Since then, British monarchs who were not born in the Summer get to celebrate their birthdays twice, once on their actual date of birth, and again in the British Summer.

We spent the weekend at Takapau Caravan Park.  The former caretakers have a Lilac Birman cat who has always been allowed to run free through the camp.  They live in their motor home and are moving on.  And have now  realised that they should have got the cat used to being on a lead, both cats and dogs must be on leads in motor camps.  So to help keep their cat contained they have purchased a pet stroller.  There was the cat, sitting up and looking very regal, as she was wheeled around.  And no, we won't be getting one of these strollers for Gemma.

We had a right royal quiz one evening, trying to answer all sorts of questions about the royal family.  Although I didn't win, I did quite well, and I was the only one to know the names of the 6 wives of Henry VIII and get them in the correct order.  As I often say about quizzes, they are easy if you know the answers, and I have a particular interest in Tudor royalty.  Then on Monday morning I provided some cake to share in celebration of the King's Birthday, and gave a little talk about the Kings Charles I (who lost his head) and his son Charles II.  And now, of course, we are up to Charles III.

Cake for morning tea

On Sunday we visited the Onga Onga Museum complex.  We had been there recently, but were not previously able to look inside the buildings, as they are only open on Sundays.  

I was so pleased to see lots of old linen, old irons and sewing machines, and clothes from yesteryear inside some of the buildings.  I really enjoy seeing this sort of thing.

You could imagine the effort it would take getting the household laundry done, standing over a big hot copper then wringing and rinsing all the garments.  It is so easy for us today with modern appliances.

Colonial life in early New Zealand

After seeing our fill of the museum buildings we drove on to find a cafe for lunch.   The cafe was  very busy, the best in town, the owner informed us.  The food was great, the coffee was nice and hot, and when she spotted my camera on the table, offered to take a photo for us.  What great service.

Out to lunch, Jenny, Robin and Dot

Sign in the cafe

All too soon it was time to pack up and head for home.  Unfortunately our club president got stopped on the road for some time when a stock truck overturned on the hilly Saddle Road.  He phoned to let us know the road was closed and eventually had help from the police and fire brigade to turn his car and caravan around and get away.  Cattle from the overturned stock truck were wandering around, and the truck was blocking both lanes so no doubt it would take a bit of sorting out.  He is sure to have some stories to tell at the next caravan club rally about his experiences.  We took the alternate road over the hill, the Pahiatua Track, and got home safely.  

It’s been a Busy few Days

It certainly has been busy, starting with the Coronation on Saturday.  Or in our case, living in New Zealand with the time difference, Saturday night.  The TV coverage started at the very civilized time of 7.00pm, and we settled down to watch.  With a glass of Kahlua and milk in my hand to toast the momentous occasion.  And what an occasion it was, full of pomp and ceremony as only the Brits can do.

The Coronation ceremony stretches back more than one thousand years and represents God's blessing. The ceremony progressed, finally arriving at the most sacred part, when the King is anointed behind screens.  Following the anointment, the King is then prepared for the crowning, which is carried out by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The oil was consecrated by the patriarch of Jerusalem and the Anglican archbishop in Jerusalem.

The screens were designed by  Aidan Hart and worked on by the Royal School of Needlework, the designs taking inspiration from the stained glass sanctuary window in the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace, which was gifted by the Livery Companies to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee in 2002. According to the Royal Family, King Charles personally selected the design.  With the monarchy’s cipher at the bottom—to represent the king’s position as servant to the people—the screen boasts 56 leaves to pay homage to the British Commonwealth’s 56 member states.  And New Zealand, together with Australia, had a part to play in making the screens, the wool for the backdrop was sourced from both Australia and New Zealand, but was milled in the United Kingdom. 

It was a long night indeed, and after watching the balcony appearance, we finally made it to bed at 2.00am, tired but so pleased to be able to witness this historic occasion.  I was around for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth, a young 8 year old,  and there was no TV in our country way back then.  My first fleeting brush with royalty came during the Queen’s tour to New Zealand.   All the children from my school were given flags, and we lined up along the main road waiting till she drove past, frantically waving our flags.

Rising a bit late on Sunday, Robin still did the honours and produced our usual Sunday morning cooked breakfast.  Later in the morning I used up the last of our feijoas to make some muffins.

We’ve been cooking

Just as well I did make some muffins as we had a visit from grand-daughter Megan later in the afternoon.  She had driven down to Wellington to help her friend who was looking for a wedding dress.  Not an easy task, it seems, and the prices are horrendous.  Not only that, but the bride-to-be had to pay a fee at the shop for the privilege of trying some dresses on.  I had never heard of that.  Megan stopped and chatted for an hour or so, before heading back home.  She reminded me that it had taken some persuasion on her part before I finally knitted her a pair of socks!  So we checked through my sock yarn and she has selected what she liked for her next pair of hand knitted socks.  No promises when they will get completed though.

Me with Megan

Tuesday was Sew Wot Tuesday again, and we met at Mary’s lovely home.  With everyone having a tidy up in their sewing rooms lately, I took along a little something lurking about in my sewing cabinet drawers to see if Mary was interested.  It was a needle holder with pockets to slip needle packets in, and as Mary was the only one in our group who seems to do hand quilting I thought she might like it, as I had never used it at all.  Yes, she was delighted to take it off my hands.

This found a new home

Of course, there was show and tell as well.  Carol started this off showing Emily, a beautifully knitted doll and clothes.  Emily will be staying with Carol for a while, I think.   Plus two small knitted teddies which will be going to the Neo Natal unit. 

Emily and teddies

Heather had brought along a pretty knitted blanket.  This started last Christmas when everyone at the Spinning and Weavers group she attends brought along a wrapped ball of wool for a Christmas swap.  Heather’s gift was a ball of teal wool, and she added the brown alpaca yarn to knit her blanket.  Each of the teal blocks has a different pattern, and she finished it off with a knitted lacy edge. 

Heather’s knitted blanket

Heather is an avid sock knitter and had just finished a pair of socks for her grand daughter, nice and colourful, aren't they.

made for Heather’s grand daughter

Jude had been knitting socks too.  Not one, but two pair of socks for her son. 

Lucky boy, two pair of hand made socks

Mary had a top to show us, made with beautiful batiks.  Called “Skipping Stones” it is made up of nice big blocks with a partial seam.. Not too hard at all, Mary said.

Skipping Stones

Mary enjoys crochet too, and brought out her gorgeous Pandemic blanket to show us.  Made in shades of white and grey, it is wonderful.  I really admire people who can crochet with ease, it’s something I cannot do.

Pandemic blanket

There were a few WIPs brought along too.  I had taken my purple clam shells to show the slow progress I had made, pin, pin, pin, and carefully stitch along the curved lines. I’m still getting the occasional tuck which needs to be fixed, but not as bad when I first got back to this project.  It I can do several rows each week I’ll be happy.  And Sandra had brought along two WIPs to show us.  After completing a pansy quilt for her Aunty, she decided that she should be making one for her other Aunty too, and decided on star blocks.  The other blocks are inspired by a quilt Jude had made featuring 1.5in strips, so Sandra is working on that design too.

Sandra’s WIPs

We spent a lovely morning together, morning tea was served, but no photo was taken, obviously we were all enjoying it so much.  Thanks to Mary for being hostess, and she had a little surprise for us when we were leaving.  Her garden had produced several pumpkins, so Mary chopped one up into pieces for us to take home.  So nice, I love pumpkin.

Little Bricks in Blue

It’s time for some more Rainbow Scrap Challenge sewing.  I only have one project still going, believe it or not, the others are complete.  Not properly complete, I hasten to add, but a series of blocks sitting in their project bags.  Little Bricks was started late, and will be carried over to 2023.  I cut out eight blue blocks and got to work stitching.  Well pinned, as I like to do.

I like to use plenty of pins

While I was up at the ironing board,pressing the blocks, Gemma decided to join me at the sewing machine.  After snoozing the day away, I think she was looking for some company.

I’m here to help you, Mum

The blocks were stitched together in a zig zag line, with a sashing strip added to each end.  There, all done – this will join the purple and orange strip now.

Blue strip complete

Our Spring here in New Zealand arrived a couple of weeks ago.  Looks like our native kowhai tree has got the message, as the tree is now festooned with pretty hanging yellow blossoms. 

Our kowhai tree in blossom

I have just come back to  writing this blog post as  I had to stop and sit in front of the TV to watch the “Ascension of King Charles 111”.  Full of pomp and ceremony, 200 members of the Privy Council met to hear King Charles make his declaration.  Later heralds gathered on the balcony at St James Palace, and the Proclamation was read out from the balcony to those members of the public gathered below.  This is the first time this ancient ceremony, dating back to 1600s has been shown on TV. 

End of an Era

We awoke to the news this morning that Queen Elizabeth had passed away, so it really is an end of an era.  New Zealand is a member of the Commonwealth, and although we are governed by our Parliament, our Governor General is the Queen’s representative.

I can remember the Queen’s visit here in 1953.  As an 8 year old, I lined up with all the school on Waiwhetu Road, my flag in hand, waiting for the Queen and her entourage to drive past.  I’m not sure, as a youngster, if I expected a queen dressed in a sparkly dress with a crown on her head, travelling in a golden coach.  She was conveyed in a large black car, regally waving to all the school kids, as we excitedly waved our flags back at her.

Another highlight was on our trip to England in 2008.  We were staying in London for a week or so, exploring all the wonderful  sights.  Luckily for us, Buckingham Palace was open to visitors and we purchased tickets for a tour. Sadly the Queen was not at home so we didn’t get invited to meet her over afternoon tea.   Here are our thoughts (taken from our 2008 blog) of the visit through the palace.

“What can we say? The state rooms that are opened for public viewing in the summer season are just mind blowing. We had purchased our (timed) tickets the previous day and queued up with a huge crowd waiting to get in to this London landmark. After going through security we collected our audio guides and started our tour. We went up the Grand Staircase and into the Green Drawing Room, with  walls hung with pale green silk. From there we went into the Throne Room and the long Picture Gallery, the Silk Tapestry Room, the East Gallery and into the Ballroom. This magnificent room was set out as it would be for a State Banquet. On the tables were silverware, the beautiful dinner service, crystal, and flower arrangements, it really looked superb.

The State Dining Room was dominated by a huge highly polished mahogany table, and our audio guide informed us that is is not covered with a table cloth when used as the table settings look so wonderful on the rich timber. The Blue Drawing Room, the Music Room, followed by the White Drawing Room were just as wonderful to view We then went through the Marble Hall with it's collection of marble statues and lastly into the Bow Room which overlooks the gardens.

Our impressions are: wonderful red carpets, beautiful domed ceilings, and a colour scheme of (mostly) white and gold. Add to this priceless paintings, marbles, works of art, tapestries, wonderful pieces of furniture. There was just so much to look and admire. We were not permitted to take photos inside, unfortunately, so we can not show you any of the treasures we saw. Guess this photo ban ensures that paying guests purchase a souvenir guide!!”

The official guide

At the rear of Buckingham Palace

So what happens next?  I’m sure things are well in hand behind palace doors, and all the protocols will roll out like a well oiled machine.  I’m sure Charles will step into his new role with confidence, with his family right behind him.