The week that was!

It has been a busy week.

My daughter graduated with a Batchelor of Design on Tuesday night, in what was a very moving ceremony. It would have been moving even if she was not graduating, as her university still follow the 700 year old traditions which I believe are based on those of the University of  Cambridge in England.  The stage was filled with staff wearing colorful robes and academic caps of various shapes.  A Maori welcome, some musical interludes, speeches which were interesting and lovely seeing my daughter rewarded for her four years of study.

 Taken after the ceremony.

The following day at my office before the parade, which ended up being cancelled.

As it was graduation week, there were lots of parents from out of town and I was able to catch up with three friends from my Nelson life at different times. Somewhere in there I fitted my birthday and office job.

A fun week but I am not very used to lots of chatter and socialising so happily exhausted and planning a quiet weekend here at the beach at my sewing machine.

I need to learn and there is fear in the camp!

It is nearly 12 years since I gardened in Nelson and my memory has faded on how helpful a decent climate is to even the most challenged vege gardener. 

Growing veg amongst the native trees in Wilton and the wind swept hillside in Johnsonville was a mission, even with the finest compost and TLC.

As a result I have become sloppy with my distances between seedlings and planted quite closely much closer than the 40 to 50 cm commonly suggested.  Now even with it being autumn and pure sand beneath the compost my veges are growing so well  that I have a crowded patch and this is where the fear in the camp arrived.  I suggested we cook something with bok choi.  The response was "I feared we were going to have to eat those greens."

Will he develop a taste for fresh vegetables that come with the odd hole from a pukeko peck and consume homegrown with pleasure rather than seeing greens as a necessary evil.  The jury is still out.

And my lesson will be to follow the instructed planting distances between seedlings. 

Food from my childhood

Twice  in the last fortnight  I have made "Little Brown Balls."  These were a lunch box or top off treat when I was growing up and I have been making them for about 47 years.  They were made long before I knew about brandy or rum truffles or other exotic chocolate balls.  In recent years there have been adaptations but the basic recipe is just as good.


Little Brown Balls

8 Weetbix, crushed (over the years the size has decreased and it is possible to add another one or two)
2 heaped tablespoons cocoa (dark Dutch cocoa is excellent)
1 can of sweetened condensed milk (lite is fine)
1 and half cups of sultanas
Mix all ingredients together well.
Roll walnut sized balls in desicated coconut (I tend to make them larger because I get tired of the process!)

These days I add up to about 2 cups of dried fruit, sultanas, chopped dried apricots, fruit cake mix, or currants, one or other or a mixture.

My sister sometimes adds a generous number of chocolate chips which makes them extra yummy.  I added about 3/4 cup to the the last batch I made.

 (I need to learn how to photograph food properly!)