The sun is shining

Today we took a trip north of Auckland City, to try out the new toll road and to visit the small settlement of Puhoi that everyone seems to rave about.
The toll road was just that - a toll road - but the charges are done electronically.   I was suitably underwhelmed!
Puhoi was over in the blink of an eye.   What a small small place for such a large large reputation!   But there were a couple of items that brought the camera out of the bag!

This tiny shop sells gourmet mustards!!

And this library.   How cute is that?  

I especially liked the book stall out side and found four books to add to my pile of reading.

We drove on to another small town, somewhat larger than Puhoi, called Warkworth, where we had sushi for lunch and the HDHBEM had a lime milk shake for afters.   This reminds me.   I have been asked what HDHBEM stands for.

It all goes back to this photo of my Half Deaf Half Blind Elderly Mother!!   Too much typing for that title so I invented the acronym which has been in use ever since.

It is true she is literally that but today she looks like this.

The HDHBEM told me I should show a photo of myself but being extremely shy (in truth I cannot work the self timer on my camera) I resorted to this photo of an old sketch done at the local fair. 

After we got home I went for a walk up the local mountain, an extinct volcano.   This is the large crater that is a delight to local children who slide down on large cardboard boxes.   While they howl with delight, their mothers stand aghast at the top waiting for the disasters that never happen.

 

And finally my first finish for this year.   A small hardanger needle book to use up two hanks of hand dyed thread.   I suspect this will meet its fate in the sale basket at the Embroiderers' Guild exhibition.

 Have a good evening everyone.