it's mid july

 

July seems to have been a very busy month with plenty of traumas - Ian's computer went on the blink in the middle of producing issue 9 of the e-mag which kinda slowed everything down while his new one was being built. I became his online secretary and for a while we couldn't do printed receipts etc and a few of his important had to be loaded onto my computer and I had to share.... Meant we started July about 10 days late. on the catch up once more.  But a treat - I went off to the Kiwi shop - there is ones a long way north and the other a long way south so I rewarded myself with a purchase or two of beautiful New Zealand whitebait. Before any Aussies tell me they are crunchy and fishy, they are indeed not. Them most delicate flavour - and yes - you eat the lot. When I was a little girl - 1000s of years ago - I used to bike to beach to the mouth of the Manawatu River with my whitebait net and bring home a bucket full (I really think the whitebaiters probably helped get them but I did go pretty often) and my mother cooked whitebait fritters. I have a slight penchant for them.

I cooked us up whitebait fritters with basically eggs and whitebait and because I read on the net that kiwis love mint with their whitebait, I made a salad with cos lettuce, avocado, persian fetta and mint, and dressed it with lemon and honey - and we had it with a good kiwi chard.

I am off to teach in Berry at the end of August at Berry Quilt Retreat - Ian is trading and we are taking lots of our yummy stuff - but I don't really have work to hang which might sell so I have started  working on a number of pieces on canvas frames - this is one of my little red wovens and stitched pieces. I am hoping to do quite a few but this one took rather a lot of time so who knows. I have three ready so far and had planned 20. Let's see how we go. I don't normally sell my work - it is personal stuff so this is an adventure for me. Probably no one will buy them anyway - the commission goes to charity.

But this is a section of my piece for the Red Obsession exhibition  - I have also started on  World of Texture and trust me this is not hand stitching like this. I love doing it but boy does it take some time. I have also got a few half done bits and pieces for the Perth show in 3 weeks for my Stitching Station spot. I guess that is why I am busy - this really is our only show of a decent size and I have a long list and slowly working through all the packaging and ticking things off. Hand stitching whilst watching the Tour de France in the evening.

I got this wonderful book - have spent time poring through it. i haven't read as much lately - go to bed and read a couple of pages and fall asleep. But I have three really good books I am reading - really should read one and then move on.

 Love Shonagh Koea - have read all of her books - she has a way with words

 and Margaret Drabble's latest - been reading her since university days

and Hannie Rayson - I listened to Margaret Throsby interviewing her and ordered it straight away - read two chapters and loving it.

We have found some great new restaurants lately - this is Shadow Wine Bar in William Streets under a new boutique hotel - Alex - we went for a drink last Saturday becasue we had been working all day and went back to eat the other night. Great addition to the Perth scene.

Sauma Indian basically opposite - fabulous little post - been there a few times - great Indian food
Northbridge is so much better these days.

And this is our favourite of course - Three Coins in Mt Lawley - such lovely people as well as fabulous Italian food - shame people keep writing such super reviews becasue sometimes we can't get in.

All this sounds as though we eat out every day but I do love cooking as well.

I have started work on my family work - i am working on a paper journal as well as textiles and i have extended from just my grannie to the family as there is so much to add - lots of frustrations with my printer and programme but I will get here - it might take me ages to do this one - lots of notes so I don't forget what I keep deciding to do.

Sadly the Hurricanes didn't win the final of the Super Rugby after such a wonderful season but it was a fabulous game - next year!  We enjoyed seeing the All Blacks win against the Pumas last night.