The Librarian

I went to out-of-the-way petrol stations, bought my groceries at expensive supermarkets, and always, always kept my blue and white card at the front of my wallet. I was a girl on a mission, lured by the idea of free stuff . Feeling the constraints of parenting on a single income, I was determined to get - no, I was single-mindedly focused on getting - enough Fly Buy points to order a treat. And, when Fly Buys finally wrote to say I could go shopping on their website, it didn't take me long to decide what I wanted to spend my hard-earned points on. Lynda Hallinan had just taken the helm at NZ Gardener magazine, and she'd given it quite a makeover. With its new layout, fresh, stylish photography, and inspiring articles, NZ Gardener was the mag of the moment. So, I spent my points, and that year I took my first real foray into gardening. Quite a few years later, with a few years of gardening under my belt, I still enjoy Lynda Hallinan's writing, and her infectious e...

Four years ago we went to France. We travelled with my husband's mum, who, delighted to be returning to her homeland with her little entourage of wide-eyed Kiwi family, took us on a whirlwind trip to all her favourite places. One of those places was Giverny, the little town in Normandy that was once home to Monet. In preparation for our trip, I purchased two children's books for the girls, about a little American girl Charlotte who goes to live in Giverny with her parents at the time when Monet and his many disciples are painting 'en pleine aire'. The first book, Charlotte in Giverny , brings Giverny to life, and gives context to many of the famous paintings of that era. My girls loved Charlotte, and spent many hours poring over the books, with their delightful illustrations and collaged pages. The trip to Giverny was made all the richer by having a story, and a character, to link it to. In the second book, Charlotte in Paris , Charlotte's visit to Pa...

Sometimes it really hits me just how many and varied are the responsibilities of parenting. There's stuff like the values we model, and then there's other stuff like making sure they get to all their teeth when they brush. It's a big gig. It's a gig that gives me infinite joy, ( oh, and sleepless nights occasionally too ) but I don't take the responsibility lightly. I'm conscientious, that's just how I'm wired. And I'm also a librarian.  So, imagine this: I go to my daughter's parent/teacher interview, and am told that my child is doing just fine (good), but....there's one thing....(uh oh) she could do with extending her reading . As I walk past the empty playground after the meeting I erupt; "bwah hahahaha". Because the irony certainly isn't lost on me.  But, I'm so glad for that parent/teacher meeting.  It got me to thinking. Both my older children have been hooked on reading book series - ch...

I know, I may as well set up camp in their promotions department, but I just love them so.   Cross-stitch and Embroidery for Babies, Toddlers and Children  by Isabelle LeLoup has some really sweet little projects....and even though I haven't made anything from it, I am happy to just gaze at the beautiful styling, and feel inspired (to tidy my house and make it pretty like in the book) . x Library Girl

The Language of Flowers   by Vanessa Diffenbaugh was recommended to me by several friends, and after another phase of reading non fiction, it was an extra special treat to have a compelling bit of fiction to look forward to at the end of each day....  to be honest, I didn't always limit myself to bedtime reading - a few chores were ignored in the reading of this book!  Victoria Jones overcomes the emotional scars of a tumultuous and bleak childhood in foster care through a love of flowers, and the messages that they convey. The tale, told in a dual narrative between her child and adult self, weaves a story where struggle is intertwined with little glimpses of hope, and carried along by an underlying tension - she has done something that she fears she will never be forgiven for.   Victoria's tentative move towards happiness and love unfolds rather like a delicate flower - it's subtle and affecting.

I'm unashamedly soft when it comes to 'music moments'. Nothing gets me in the same way as the right song, in the right place, at the right moment. Nothing. I've got a stockpile of memories, magical spots of time, when music has got me. Those moments can't be manufactured - it's the show of human qualities that make the magic. I like that - a lot. So, I take my hat off to people who commit themselves to making music. Who work at their craft even when it's going badly, who commit themselves to daily practice, who turn up for the weekly band practice. I've never been one of those people - a proper musician - so I can only imagine that it's not always a picnic, but that perhaps the lure of being part of (or the cause of) one of those special moments can go a long way. Here's my pick for this month's top three hard working New Zealand bands, bringing the magic. (Click on their names to check out their video)        1. Nightchoir - who are a...

My dear friend Gin (of bake club fame) has supplied me with just about every beautiful recipe book I own. I consider myself spoilt - I've been a grateful recipient of some real classics.  Last Christmas Gin bought me the Ripe deli book  Ripe Recipes  by Angela Redfern.  I've looked through plenty of recipe books in my time. While most inspire me to dream,  it takes a special cookbook to inspire me to action. This one did. I have used it numerous times in the last six months, and absolutely love it. I made brioche for the first time, a little tentatively (my husband is half-french and he's got a frenchman's taste for brioche!), but I needn't have worried, they were such a hit. The recipe was really straight forward, and the filling (rhubarb and custard) was divine! I'll be making them again. To continue the rhubarb theme, I also made the rhubarb butterscotch layer cake. It wasn't quite as straightforward (it took me three tries to get t...