I've been inspired to dig out my set of watercolour paints lately. Keira is especially keen on drawing and painting, and makes time to do some everyday. I love it too, but never really make the time. Recently we had a quiet morning at home together, so I made us cups of tea and brought…

Hello!  This has been a week of extreme weather – four seasons in one day, some days…I did bring in some lovely little blooms today after spending an hour or two in the garden. Daphne, freesias and hellebores. Winter flowers seem extra-sweet. It's also been a day for baking – Keira and I made these…

Hello! I hope you've had a good week, whatever you happened to be doing. Mine started well, because I bought a big bunch of daphne from my favourite shop and it's been filling the house with its beauty ever since. I love the scent, and for me it's a sign that the coldest and darkest…

Confession: I love cheese scones. I don't know how popular they are in other countries, but savoury scones appear in most cafes in NZ, and i'll usually order one to have with my coffee. Plain and date scones are usually on offer as well, and sometimes you find 'savoury' scones filled with random bits of…

Hello! I hope your week is going well.  It's been a properly wintry one here, although the mornings are getting a little bit lighter every day. This morning I had to take a photo when I pulled the curtains open – look at how the mountains are edged so beautifully in light! Last week I…