Saturday, February 14

Comfort

I have been offered comfort from many sources over the past few days.

I humbly, say "Thankyou".
Though, I do feel it is not my place to accept the comfort offered to so many, apart from me.

I felt quite ashamed in afterthought, today. We went to our local shopping Village, where the local Rotary were running Raffles to raise funds for the Bushfire Appeal. I bought some tickets, & stood waiting for the spin of the wheel. Gom came up, & asked what I was doing. When I told him, he decided to buy some tickets, along with me, in the next spin. We had no idea of what the prize was... who cared, we were really there to Donate.

I had noticed an unusual name on the winners list. I knew that name. I used to wear that name! We stood & waited as our spin was taken. Number 33! Not our number. Then the wheel skipped to the next number, 14. My number! I could scarcely believe it. I went to collect the prize, which was a $25 gift voucher for meat at the Butchers. I was thrilled.

When I got home, I felt guilty. I wished I had given the prize back, to be given again. It could have raised further funds.

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I was given this award by Brett, at Coachdad. Brett is a courageous Dad, with 4 beautiful daughters. He is a solo Dad, & I think he does a great job. Being a single parent, is never easy.


Thankyou Brett. I am a rule breaker about passing on such things, & am content to acknowledge this is your award, with your sentiments.
Thankyou.


I have posted some pictures, which will not necessarily reflect the subject matter. I just felt like some pretty.

This, a rose at an Aunt's garden in New Zealand. last year.

BTW, Hello reader from Maketu!! I saw your visit on my stats. I spent many happy hours at that beach as a child, & also spent happy days at Newdick's Beach. WAVING!! Please leave a comment. We might have known each other at school...the beach..
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We have had many days of rain here, in the state of New South Wales. The skies have been grey, clouded, & have frequently dropped heavy showers of cold tears, almost a mockery of the heated devastation of the fires in the southern state of Victoria.
This is a rose called Tequila Sunrise. Again my Aunt's garden in NZ BOP.

This cool weather, with the bleak outlook, has prompted thoughts of comforts.
Comfort in quilts. Gom has been huddling under his Red Square Dance. Of course, the irony of the fact that he also is dressed in shorts, seems lost to him!
I have cooked casserole food, which would seem to be the ultimate in comfort food. Pork, with a ton of vegetables. A one Pot meal, complete with potatoes, & so delicious & warming, after slow, aromatic, cooking.
Gom is a terrible coward, where vegetables are concerned. His childhood horrors, with force feeding of vegetables have never left him. It has taken many years for me to trick him into the joys, both taste wise, as well as health wise, of eating vegies.
He had a young Uncle, his father's brother, who boarded with his parents, when he was a young boy. The Uncle had preferences, where certain vegetables were concerned. He liked most vegies, but balked at the skins of Broad Beans. He ate the insides, carefully discarding the shells, & leaving them on the side of his plate.
Gom's mother said nothing. When Gom, who was around 9, left his skins on the side also, & finished eating his meal, she flew at him, & demanded he sit there & consume every last skin! Such tales of cruelty fill me with untold anger. I could NEVER have done such a thing.
As a child, I loved all my vegetables. I was happy to eat almost any, & all. My Beloved Brother did not like pumpkin. I was always so sorry for him, when our Grandmother would force him to eat it. I would sit & try to disguise it for him, telling him to mash it up & pretend it was eggs, which he loved.
To this day, he is not fond of pumpkin, but he will eat it. He still loathes chicken, & I wonder if it is a result of seeing our reluctant Uncle having to kill a chicken at our Grandmother's bidding, once it had ceased to lay.
The experience of watching him struggle with pumpkin stayed with me, & I never forced my children to eat anything they disliked. I am glad to say, they grew up to like almost every vegetable, with no hideous memory associations attached.
Mind you, I hated chicken, back in the day, too, & was never keen to have any of the awful, tough meat, that resulted from the roasted bird.


This is another flower from my beloved Aunt's garden in BOP (which is Bay of Plenty, New Zealand).
This afternoon, I decided to make some French Onion Soup. I don't know why, but it seemed the ultimate comfort for a cool bleak afternoon.
I used Ree's recipe- you can find her on my side bar. I have to say, it is the most delicious I have ever made. I didn't use the oven, but I was flitting about basting a long time quilt.
I have battled with this quilt top, & am still not completely happy with the result. I am hoping the quilting will improve it. It is for my Granddaughter, & she chose the fabrics to finish it off.
Another rose, from my Aunt's garden. A little blurry this one. Photographer's fault. I had been lent a camera, & it took me a while to get the best of it. I probably never did realise it's full potential.
And lastly, my beloved New Zealand bush, which has regenerated on our long abandoned family farm, & I love every inch of it!






Bob Dylan, Not Dark Yet.

25 comments:

Midlife, menopause, mistakes and random stuff... said...

Your pictures are breathtaking. What's I give for one of those amazing roses cut fresh from your grammie's garden! I'll bet it smells like heaven! :)
Bob Dylan too??? You have a bloggy friend for life.
Happy Valentine's Day and....

Steady On
Reggie Girl

Sarah Lulu said...

Love the roses ....really do. I'm very fond of open roses with pink.

And Bob ...been listening to Bob in the car all week.

Sarah Lulu

ancient one said...

My husband had his name drawn last Saturday for a store's grand opening and won a $25 grocery gift card. It went fast at the grocery store. Prices climb every week.

Love the pictures of the roses. Happy Valentine's Day!!

Pauline said...

Your flower photos are always breathtaking.

I was never forced to eat anything I didn't like except fish on Friday (as I was raised Catholic and meat was forbidden on Fridays). I'd be sick every time. Turns out I have a mild allergy to most fish and avoid it to this day.

Kitty said...

Oh Meggie - don't feel bad at getting something good. You're one of the good guys - something nice happened for you. I'm pleased for you!

Gorgeous roses. x

Warty Mammal said...

Lovely roses. Congratulations on your win and the award! Good for you for doing something for the fire victims.

Catalyst said...

I love the Tequila Sunrise photo. It is colored exactly like the drink.

I made Chicken Cordon Bleu and Fettucini Alfredo for our dinner last night. But that awful rolling process probably means it was the last time. SWMBO and I talked about it and decided next time it may be Chicken Saltimbocca, which I don't think requires rolling.

Nancy said...

I love your blog. Your pictures are amazing. I have given you an award on my blog. Happy Valentine's Day!

Mary said...

I agree - you deserved that win!

I am of the same child rearing school as you - I don't force the kids to eat something they don't like - and it seems to be working as they grow older...

Mary said...

I agree - you deserved that win!

I am of the same child rearing school as you - I don't force the kids to eat something they don't like - and it seems to be working as they grow older...

Pam said...

Of course you deserved that win. Don't feel bad.

Glad you're feeling some comfort.

Q said...

Dear Meggie,
Just checking in. The roses are lovely. Sending comfort.
Hugs,
Sherry

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your win - no need to feel guilty. The organisers were thrilled by your generosity because you participated!

Thimbleanna said...

Beautiful flowers Meggie. Funny you mentioned the french onion soup -- I've been thinking about making that same recipe as I have some leftover gruyere from tonight's dinner.

Coachdad said...

Love Bob Dylan... beautiful pics as always. Thanks for the kind words.

The Sagittarian said...

Haha, I recall my mum making me eat curry one night and I was to sit there all night if it took that long! Phillip Sherry was reading the news and kept glancing up (as the readers do) and "caught" me poking my tongue out at Mum's back...I was so sure he was going to ring and tell on me!
I love curries these days.

Veronica said...

Dear Meggie, Thank you so much for your good wishes for Bear - she would want me to send you one of her special hugs and wags of her tail. I expect that she would happily sit by your side, leaning her weight gently onto you as if to say, 'All is well - you are special and I'm glad you're my friend.' You ARE special Meggie, Warm hugs to my friend xx

Ragged Roses said...

I have been thinking a lot of you recently. Take care. This is such a tragedy.
KImx

New Yorker wannabes said...

Kouragio (Courage) Meggie and congradulations on your win. Just the thought of giving it back shows the wonderful person you are.

Thank's for the flowers

Take care
peace and love
xoxo

Leanne said...

It is funny the emotions the bush fires have stirred up for those of us not affect. I know I feel a little guilty that my life has not changed I have donated and sewed somethings but there is not a lot one can do. We can not go there to help or offer a shoulder to cry on. It is a weird feeling.

Ian Lidster said...

Seeing your flowers is making me long for northern hemisphere spring, which I hope is coming soon.

Tanya said...

Maybe the people who throw their TVs out the windows have got the right idea. I wonder why we watch it when all it does is raise the blood pressure. Japanese TV is just a ridiculous...

Anonymous said...

Hi Megggie I am new to the blogging game and have stumbled across yours. I love it . I use to make jam/jelly with my gran all the time when i was a little girl and she use to grow the most beautifull roses all the time when ever i smell or see them i think of her.
I agree with what you said about the news reporters and the fire. Disgusting. All of these tragedies floods and fires have really made me put my life in to perspective this month and I am on a journey to make the most of what i have I am trying to ensure that i get as much time with my children and husband as possible because life is just too short. Check out my blog and feel free to give me any advice.

Rebecca Beare said...

Hey meggie i forgot to make my blog visable

Ian Buchan said...

Hi, Meggie, the picture of the bush re-growing on the NZ farm interests me; I'm quite interested in the deforestation of NZ, and consequent environmental troubles. I'm going for another visit in April, mainly North Island, where I would like to see somehting of the National Parks, and of course the geo-thermal wonders! I hope to visit Tutira, former home of herbert Guthrie-Smith the naturalist. However there are social obligations, people to visit etrc, so don't know how far I will get. Cheers for now.