Our Christmas in Photos

A wonderful day has been had.  The most important people around us.  Our family, grandparents and cousins spending the whole day together talking and laughing.  Am getting tired now, it's 9.32pm and I have been up since 5.45am.

Here are some highlights for the day and of Christmas Eve....

Christmas Eve happenings.....

 Georgia stuffing and stitching up the chickens ready to cook

Ironing the place mats.  What a helpful daughter she is.

 View of central Christchurch from a lookout on The Port Hills.

 Fish and Chip dinner at the lookout after our church service, a beautiful night with amazing views as well.  We are showing Nando, our student from Brazil, how our city is spread out.

 The trifle is almost finished, this is how I do the inside.  Custard layer is next.

Whipped cream to go onto trifle just before serving.

Christmas Day happenings....

 About to say grace and start brunch, look how bright the sun is streaming in the lounge window.

 

Nando, pleased with his "kiwi" gifts.

My new letter box, carefully crafted by my father.  It even has copper flashing on the roof.

 

Nando and Georgia celebrating.

Lee-Anne

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It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Hello everyone, Merry Christmas!

It is finally beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here now.  The presents are sitting under the tree ready for unwrapping tomorrow.  Christmas food is being prepared in the kitchen, and the countdown has begun. There is a heightened sense of excitement emanating from the children and us adults as well.  Even at nearly 15 and 12, Christmas is still a big thing to them.

We did a marathon last shop around the city, starting off very early to avoid the crowds.  I wanted to spend the day at home today, so it all had to be yesterday.  The shopping was successful, but tiring for us especially me as the driver.  However, we decided to park a wee way away from one of our major malls to avoid that whole carpark thing this time of year.  Alex, we think, has managed to break a toe while pushing our trolley back to the car.  He is having a very low key day today, nursing a very sore foot.

Here is a list of what I need to do today in preparation....

1.   Make sponge for trifle

2.   Make custard and assemble trifle

3.   Make stuffing and cook 2 chickens to have cold tomorrow

4.   Decorate and set table for champagne breakfast, which is actually just sparkling grape juice.  Brunch is something we have done now for 3 years, so is a special time.  Everyone insists that we have brunch and it seems to have become a tradition.  This year is extra special as we have a student from Brazil living with us over the Christmas period and he is experiencing a "Kiwi" Christmas for the 1st time.

5.   Church at 5pm for a special family service.

6.   Fish and chip tea at the beach afterwards.  After extremely hot and windy temperatures this week I am worried it may being raining this evening.

So there we are.  The only things left to do for tomorrow are make a pavlova in the morning and cook the waffles for brunch.  We are spending the day at my Mum and Dad's house.  Everyone is taking something for the meal.  I will be taking cold chicken, trifle and pavlova.  The soft drink and juices for a punch have already gone around.

In the garden...
What a week it has been weather wise.  Some days have been too windy to even venture out the door, let alone garden.  So the poor garden is a bit worse for wear as a result.  The gale force winds have blown over plants and the extreme heat has dried out the ground.

 The yard is a mess with leaves blown off trees

The vegetables have been blown over

Mum and Dad have called in for a cuppa, Dad is checking whether the garlic is ready.  And it is, Dad digs it all out, Thanks Dad

Georgia carries the bundle of garlic to be strung up, smells divine.

We help ourselves to the peas that are ready.  The children were amazed that you could do that.  A wonderful "moment" to share, the children nibbling fresh peas that they had helped plant.

Merry Christmas from  everyone here at Tales from the Garden Gate

A room with a view

Saturday 23rd Octber 2010

A long weekend in New Zealand.  It is Labour weekwend and we also have the prosepect of 10 fines days on a row.  So into the garden we go, doing some more organising and construction. Alf has built my bean fence now that they are popping up out of the ground.  The potatoes are also shooting up now.

My well constructed bean fence, with Alf being an engineer this fence should withstand any big earthquake.

A room with a view....looking over part of the section from our upstairs bedroom window.  The fence and pickets are being completed this weekend, painted and nailed up. The garden by the chicken coop is under construction.  Compost is being added and the ground turned over. In the foreground is the garlic.  To the right is...

3 rows of poatoes, 3 rows beetroot & 2 or carrots.  Next on assembly line will be corn, which I will plant mid November.

1 metre by 1 metre compost bin and pumpkin patch in the corner.  Mental note to self to clean windows.

With christmas just around the corner , it is time to start making christmas cards.  This will be a nice Friday afternoon craft activity for us, so must head off the shop this week to get a new supply of card stock and stamp pads. 

This is my selection to choose from.  There are also boxes of stamps with pretty sayings and alphabet stamps.

I have also starting buying extra fruit mix and ingredients for making my Christmas cakes and baking.  The baking will start at Show Weekend in Canterbury here, which is the 12th of November.  This signals the start of the baking countdown for me that will last until Christmas day. I love baking for the holiday season, it kind of gives me an excuse to try out recipes for lovely nibbles, decadent chocolaty things and sumptuous cakes for morning and afternoon teas.  I love catering for visitors with home made baking. Will blog soon about what I will be making this year.

Love to you all, Lee-Anne