Family Reunion, Covington edition

Despite my woeful absence of late, I have not abandoned the blog! This post is extra long to make up for lost time. We just returned to Texas after nearly a month long visit to the east coast. This was my longest visit to Charleston so far, and we had a wonderful time catching up with Sam's family.

Lover's Eye Brooches

1. For sale at rubylane.com 2. Sold by georgianjewelry.com 3. Sold by georgianjewelry.com 4. Sold by georgianjewelry.com

As a teenager, I had a large section of one bedroom wall collaged with single, vignetted eyes, of all shapes and sizes, cut from various magazines. Some visitors to my abode found the display cool, others creepy, but I always liked the way it looked. Eyes can convey so much, and each one is as different as their owners. Therefore, when I saw these "lover's eye" brooches, I was smitten.

Not-So-Sunny Nelson

Nelson, known for being the sunniest place in New Zealand, has been mostly cloudy and pouring rain since we arrived, but we've still managed to enjoy ourselves.  We've even had a bit of sunshine.  We're in good company with Bill, our HelpX host, his deaf old dog Bear and his feisty chicken Fuifui Moimoi. Fuifui was named for a rugby league player, in case you're wondering.

Fuifui stalking around Bear while he gnaws a fresh bone.