A new year ...

January is already marching on, life busily carries on and doesn't pause.  Good to see all the kids home, time went too fast of course.  If you want to see most of my photos refer the Thompson Tale blog!
Anyway… the week before christmas the asphalting was prepared and laid.  Had to dig out a couple spots and re-compact where there was sinking.

 My 'gang'..

 Hydrangea at the back of the house has been lovely to look out on each morning from the bedroom.

 Christmas Day started with fresh baked raspberry danish and coffee

 Shelling fresh peas for dinner

 Add to that my rainbow baby carrots

 And try out the ice cream machine with vanilla bean

Master gorgeous James

 The most photographed child.. with butts!

 whom Ike on the very last day of our week together at the bach got close enough to laden with dandelions cut from the lawn :)  James bashfully accepted them all.

 Ike's very first wee snapper caught on the rod - he wasn't going to hold it though!

 The Turducken (boneless stuffed chicken inside a boneless duck inside a semi boned turkey) enough to feed 20.  We had Stuart's cousin and partner and two of their visitors to lunch at the bach to share it.  That is quite a large meat platter full!  And, first time I've enjoyed Turkey :)

 Tried some mini ginger & lemon scones with fresh raspberry jam for afternoon tea when Heather & John called in.  They've relocated to Queensland now.

 A new Hayley Westenra standard for in front of the lounge.

 A replacement Katherine Mansfield bush rose

 And a new old fashioned climber for over the pergola

The walkway is looking a little more finished with David Austen standards each side - lovely creamy ones called Lichfield Angel

 Found a couple of cast iron urns at an antique place in Motueka on the way to collect more roses.  Will have to burn off the dark green, but thinking they will be perfect for channeling the water into the storm water pipe each side of the front entrance

 And today the tilers finally arrived…. after so many promises.  Back deck and ramp mostly glued except cuts and edging

 Started to lay out the random pattern for natural stone paving from the front steps out to Pergola

 There is a stack of it to lay

And that's me fairly up to date for now !!