The far north

We have just returned from a glorious holiday to the far north of NZ. We stayed in Pahia (Waitangi) and travelled from there all around the place. On Wednesday we drove and drove and drove and drove until we reached Cape Reinga right at the very tippy top of our country.
Here is Georgia looking out over to where the seas meet and where you an go no further north.

I never realised that the far north was so ingrained with so many places of early pioneering kiwis as they came over here from England and Scotland. The oldest remaining house built in 1818 was just eye candy to me as was the adjoining oldest stone store next to it, that sells wares you would find back then. So they teachers are getting slates and pencils (!) for presents.
As soon as we came back, seven days later, I was into the housework with renewed enthusiasm, proving time away is indeed valuable.
When you are lucky enough to have orchardists for relatives you get bags of this and that. I received a huge bag of Granny Smiths which I have stewed(Pictured ) and a bag of seconds limes and I wasnt sure what to do with these so I squeezed as much juice as possible into the ice cube trays.
While on holiday I made good progress on hand quilting my table runner and also found some gorgeous reproduction quilt material in the Stone Store, proving that you can buy reproduction material in NZ from the 1800s. Now I just need to find some more and when I have enough I will be looking to make a quilt very old pioneer looking.
On the way home I stopped at a quilt store in a cute little town called Tirau in the Waikato and bought two0 gorgeous magazine Amercian patchwork and quilting. Whaty have I not discovered this mag before??? It will replace all others as first choice in quilting magazines BUT at 18.00 is is terrifically expensive. Still I love it, and am very envious of all the Amercians who can buy this magazine much cheaper!!!
Take care for now.
Cherie