I'm Still Around

I am sorry about the long absence. This doesnt mean that I am in hibernation, far from it. There is plenty to write about, but not the spare time to sit down long enough to contemplate a blog post.

These are the things that get in the way:

Family - coming to stay, visiting them, baby sitting, reading to little ones, and hosting my delightful 'Auntie 94' who came to stay for a week.

Home improvements - we have just completed the addition of a much needed en suite bathroom. This has necessitated a lot of outside work landscaping and tidying up. I have been busy in the garden doing a pre winter tidy up. I even bought myself a rose yesterday - 'mutabilis' which I have wanted for a long time.

Quilting and patchwork - always a project happening. At the moment I am making Christmas stockings for the two newest grandchildren (one born last January and one due in July) and a Grand neice (due June).

Kiwifruit - picking starts tomorrow.

Transcribing letters - this is an ongoing project - I manage a small team who are working on some very old letters. They are written in the mid 1800's with the old dip pens, and the script is often very difficult to read. One letter can take days of hard work. We work from the scan of the letter and decipher as best we can to type up a copy. These are then filed and will one day be available to the public. They are a fascinating glimpse into missionary life in early New Zealand.

Travel - we are away again soon to Australia for 10 days to visit family and do some exploring.

etc etc!

Supermarket visit

When visiting other countries I love to go to the local supermarket, or farmers markets to eye the local produce. In Bahrain I did just that.

These are some photos of some of the fruit in the fruit and vege section. I am not sure of the names of the fruit in the top photo but they are very colourful!

The second photo is a selection of cucumbers, the third photo are mostly varieties of chillies, and in the bottom photo are 'snake fruit'. The skin looks very like snake skin.

Wikipedia says "The fruit grow in clusters at the base of the palm, and are also known as snake fruit due to the reddish-brown scaly skin. They are about the size and shape of a ripe fig, with a distinct tip. The pulp is edible. The fruit can be peeled by pinching the tip, which should cause the skin to slough off so it can be pulled away. The fruit inside consists of three lobes with the largest of the three containing a large inedible seed. The lobes resemble, and have the consistency of, large peeled garlic cloves. The taste is usually sweet and acidic, but its apple-like texture can vary from very dry and crumbly (salak pondoh from Yogyakarta) to moist and crunchy (salak Bali)."

They are native to Malaysia and Indonesia.

Probably one of the most noticable things upon arriving in Bahrain, and in fact most middle eastern countries, is the style of dress worn by the local people.

There are two distinct types of women’s clothing in the region: one for locals, the other for expatriates. Outside the home, most Arab women dress according to religious custom, which means that they must cover most of the body, from head to foot. The traditional black overgarment (abaya) is ankle length with long sleeves and a high neckline, and the hair is covered with a scarf or Hijab. Some Arab women are totally covered, including their face and hands. There are many different styles of abayas, and they usually are paired with matching hijabs or headscarf. In addition to a hijab some women wear niqab which is a piece that covers the face, but not eyes. Some of the abayas are stunning to look at - beautifully embroidered around the sleeves and neckline.

The men wear a long white robe that in Oman is called a dishdasha. Headgear seems to vary with men in Bahrain mostly wearing a cloth head cover and the men in Oman wore a small fitting hat, often beautifully embroidered.

I was fascinated by the beautiful henna painted hands of the women.  One of the checkout operaters at the local supermarket had had her hands painted and it made the visit and the handing over of money that much more intetresting when I could watch the lovely patterns as she counted out the change!

Expats wear western clothes, there is no expectation for women to wear headscarves, but it is expected that women dress modestly.  And if entering a mosque traditional dress must be worn.

The mosques were beautiful inside and out. I think that my background as a patchworker and quilter has heightened my awareness of patterns we see around us and Oman and Bahrain had an abundance of islamic art in everyday life, especially in their buildings.

I went into two mosques, one in Bahrain where we were given appropriate clothing to wear, and one in Oman where we provided our own headscarf but were refused entry if we were not considered to be dressed appropriately. In both situations we were welcomed warmly and given a very informative tour of the building.

Bahrain

Many years ago, in 1969, my friend and I travelled from London to Khatmandu - by bus.  A ten thousand mile journey that took a couple of months. We travelled across Europe, Greece, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Nepal.  From Khatmandu we flew to Singapore via Calcutta. We then went by train up to Bangkok, and train to Chieng Mai., flew to Cambodia - Phnom Pen, and Siem Reap, then to Hong Kong. I ran out of money there and came on back to NZ. 

Since that trip overseas where I was away for a total of just over two years, we have made brief forays to the UK, Europe, Australia, and apart from a 12 week stay in America with a very ill daughter, our trips have been of the travelling kind rather than staying put for any length of time.

And so I returned to the Middle East, this time to stay put for a month, which was then extended another two weeks, we arrived back home last weekend.

Our daughter and son in law live in Bahrain and their first child was due to be born there. We rented a small one bedroomed villa just a few hundred yards up the road from them which was just ideal. Staying with them, with a new born baby to manage as first time parents, was not an option! So we became residents of the floating city, at Amwaj.

Bahrain is a large cigar shaped island adjacent to Saudi Arabia, in the Persian Gulf, and joined to Saudi by a causeway. Amwaj is right at the tip of the island and is a group of small islands, joined by causeways and bridges and much of it is land reclaimed from the sea. Part of Amwaj consists of an area called the floating city, there are several canals with villas built alongside them. Most people have their boat moored at the bottom of their front garden.

The first two photos are taken from the balcony of our apartment, the third is the walk down to our daughters place with the skyline of Manama silhouetted, and the last photo is the back of our apartment - we were upstairs.                                            ......to be contd.

I'm Back Again

We have been away overseas in Bahrain and Oman for the last seven weeks. What an adventure! Our fifth Grandchild - our third Granddaughter, was born in Bahrain on 20 January.

It has been a privilege to be able to spend time in these countries and to learn about and observe a culture so different from our own.

Some interesting photos yet to come.

Afghan woes

I decided recently to brush up on my crochet skills and thought that the best way to do this would be to make some 'Granny squares'.  After all I am a Granny so the title fitted and had a good ring to it. And we have a new grandchild due later this month and a woollen cot blanket would be very acceptable. (The fact that this Grandchild will live in a country where the av summer temperature would be 40+degrees Celsius  and the av winter temp not much less didn't occur to me at the time! However air conditioning does make it cooler inside)

I selected a suitable pattern, designed the colours and off I started making the 100+ squares required. As I completed each square I tossed it into the bottom of my knitting bag and went on with the next. After I was about 3/4 through the required number I decided that perhaps it might be time to sew a few together too see how it would look.

To my horror some were bigger than others. At some stage I had accidently swapped from a 4.50 size hook to a 4.00. The half size difference made the squares 1/4" bigger all round which was enough to make it impossible to sew them together. I sorted them into their sizes and had to begrudgingly rip apart carefully unpick and redo about 35 squares.

I was not happy at all! However I am pleased with the end result.

Santa - NZ style

The Christmas Story

The story of Christmas as told by the children of St Paul's Church, Auckland, New Zealand. Anyone is welcome to show this film publicly, but not change it in any way, nor make money out of it. 

Te Harinui

(sorry about the quality of sound in this video - it was the version I could find)

Te Harinui - a New Zealand Christmas hymn

Samuel Marsden, the first missionary in New Zealand, arrived in the Bay of Islands on 23 Dec 1814 on board the ship Active. They anchored near Rangihoua on the North side of the bay.

On Christmas Day Marsden held the first official Christian service in New Zealand, using the text '“Behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy” (Luke 2:10).'.

There is a beautiful New Zealand Christmas Carol, Te Harinui, which was written by Willow Macky to commemorate this event. 'Te Harinui' translates into English as 'Great Joy'.


Te Harinui

Not on a snowy night by star or candlelight;
Nor by an angel band there came to our dear land.

Te Harinui, Te Harinui
Te Harinui, glad tidings of great joy.

But on a summer day, within a quiet bay,
The Maori people heard the great and glorious word.

Te Harinui, Te Harinui
Te Harinui, glad tidings of great joy.

The people gathered round upon a grassy ground,
And heard the preacher say, "I bring to you this day:"

Te Harinui, Te Harinui
Te Harinui, glad tidings of great joy.

Now in this blessed land united heart and hand,
We praise the glorious birth and sing to all the earth:

Te Harinui, Te Harinui
Te Harinui, glad tidings of great joy, glad tidings of great joy.

______________________________________

Its a wonderful simple hymn, and always spells Christmas to me. Our children at end of year school assembly would sing it beautifully, it suits childrens voices.

Pull the Cord!