Kowhai Corner doll stories

A Visit to the Big Cat Reserve

2012-02-06T00:20:00.000-08:00

April and Edna are visiting the Big Cat Reserve they werehoping to be able to get in a vehicle and be driven around the Reserve but thevehicle driver has the flu and no one else is allowed to drive around the reserve.

They walk together to the tiger’s enclosure and see the bigwhite male tiger with a cub on the rock surveying the scene.

As they walk towards the cheetah’s enclosure they hear thesnarling. The cheetahs have recentlybeen fed.

Next they visit the lion enclosure and see the lionsstanding under the tree ready to move to the far side so they are fortunate tobe able to see them close up.

The highlight of the visit is the lion cubs enclosure where you can payextra and go in and pat the lion cubs and have your photo taken with them. April and Edna have enjoyed their visittoday.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS 2011

2011-12-11T13:24:00.001-08:00

Thelma and Edna singing "Away in the Manger."
Happy Christmas and enjoy the holidays from Kowhai Corner residents.

Happy Holidays 2012

Yasmin and Pat are relaxing during the holidays and have put up a poster with some advice to all during the holidays.

April and Peggy are playing with pet rats.

Tom and Joey have made an aeroplane from a balsam wood kitset. They cut out the pieces with a craft knife and glued the pieces together. Darren has been an interested on looker during the process. Tom has painted the under coat on and would like to paint it yellow. Joey wants it to be grey and Darren wants it to be red! What colour will they agree on?

Helping Hands Meeting December 2011

2011-12-10T20:49:00.001-08:00

This is the last meeting of the year for the Hitty girls. Yasmin tells the group that we callourselves the Helping Hands Group but we haven’t helped any one this year. Has anyone any ideas who we could help? A discussion starts and a few ideas arementioned. The most popular idea is tooffer to take the White sisters poodles for a walk. Those who are interested todo that are to meet at the hall on Saturday at 1.30 pm. We will go together to the Whites sisters’home.

On Saturday the Hitty girls arrive at the agreed time and goto the White sisters’ home. When they arrivethey see the sisters outside putting leads on the dogs so that the dogs areready for the Hitty girls to take for a walk.
The White sisters are renowned for their high quality poodles at the shows they attend. They have been breeding poodles for decades. Thesisters are elderly and find exercising their dogs daily is very demanding.

The younger Miss White asks Thelma to post some letters forher and gives one to the dog to carry.

April has chosen Goldie to walk and Alana will walk Bow.

Ethel likes the pink poodles and is having difficulty decidingwhich one to take for a walk.

Annabelle and Rachel have chosen to walk standardpoodles. Rachel chooses the one begging in front of her.

Tricia will also walk one of the standard poodles but he has otherideas and he starts running as soon as the lead is clipped onto his collar.

Tricia’s bonnet has blown off and the poodle keeps running ahead so she can’t stop to pick it up. She hopes someone will see it and pick it up for her.

Thelma posts the letters that were given to her by Miss White.

On her way back to Miss White's house she sees something blowing in the wind. The poodle also sees it also and pulls on the lead towards it, "Oh, it's a bonnet!" she exclaims and the poodle picks it up and carries it home.

Preparing to watch the Rugby World Cup 2011 Series

2011-11-10T01:42:00.000-08:00

New Zealand is the host to the Rugby World Cup 2011 series.

Tom, Darren and Joey look at the poster of The Webb Ellis Cupand hope New Zealands rugby team will win it.

Steve and Harold are going to set upthe hall for the “males only” to watch the series there.Their wives, Stephie, Daisy (John Sunshine's wife) and Brenda are cleaning out the hall and will stack the chairs so the men have room to set up the couch and bean chairs. Daisy discovered rat poo under a chair while she was sweeping the floor. Is there is a rat living nearby? she wonders.

The brothers, Steve and Harold Sunshine have loaded a couch, four bean chairs and a big screen T.V. onto the truck to take to Kowhai Corner Hall.

Suddenly, a green car tries to past them on the inside and ends up cutting the truck off. Steve puts the brake on as quick as he can but it is too late they have collided.They both get out of the truck and Steve looks at the damage to the front of the truck and can see a big crack.He looks at the green car and sees damage on the front and side but can’t see anyone in the car.That’s odd, he is thinking, where is the driver?

Harold yells out that the load is still secure on the truck and the T.V. is not broken. Penny his dog, on the truck starts barking and Steve’s dog joins in. They all look around but they still can’t find the driver to the green car.
Steve gets in the truck and starts the engine which starts okay so they continue driving to Kowhai Corner Hall.

The ladies have done a good job of cleaning and are ready for the men to carry in the load off the truck. Steve tells the ladies about the car accident and shows them the crack on the front of the truck.

The boys, Joey, Tom and Darren have come and joined Steve, Harold and John Sunshine,Luke and Brian (the vet) to watch the first rugby test on the T.V. at Kowhai Corner Hall.

Three weeks later… New Zealand is in the final game and tonight the men and boys have met to watch the final game between France and New Zeland. The score is 7 to 8 to New Zeland. NEW ZEALAND HAS WON. They jump up at the end of the game yelling and cheering in excitement. NEW ZEALAND HAS WON THE WORLD RUGBY SERIES 2011 and won the cup.They all leave the hall very happy. Steve and Harold will come back tomorrow morning to take the furniture home.

Later that night when all is quiet in the hall two rats emerge and eat up any crumbs that are left!

Wooden Dolls

2011-09-21T15:49:00.000-07:00

Left to right; Pennywood is 29cm high she came with a paper clothes pattern for the purchaser to make the clothes. Next one was made by R. E. Jeffreys, my uncle, in 1985 as a special request. It came without a face so I painted the face. It is 29cm high. The one wearing a blue floral dress and bonnet has a painted pink face and arms and I brought it in 1985 from a doll collector undressed. It is 28cm high. The one on the far right was made by my uncle in 1985 at the same time as the other wooden doll and also came without a face so I painted it. It is 26.5cm high.

Mary lou dolls. One on left has a cream head, which could have originally been white and is 17cm from head to feet. One on right is 18cm long from head to feet.

Wooden Pull Along Toys

2011-09-14T02:11:00.000-07:00

Thelma and Serene are looking at the pull along toy display.

The first one they look at is an elephant.

Next is the big red and pink rabbit.

Serene gives the duck a cuddle.

Serene and Thelma sit down and play with the friendly dog.

Serene and Thelma climb on the Buzzy Bee Twirly Whirly to have a ride. The rabbit has no wheels so he can't pull them along.

The ladybird would give them a ride if she could fly, but she can't.

They can't climb on the turtle's back. The turtle was made in 2010.

The grasshopper has strong back legs but his back is too narrow for them to sit on for a ride.

The dogs tell Thelma and Serene that there is only one more toy to see.

The last toy is a push along toy. The drummer boy plays his drum when he is pushed along.

China Cow Jug

2011-08-28T03:09:00.000-07:00

Serene is admiring the cow.

The other side of the cow. The cow is made in Japan.

The Emperor Penguin

2011-07-05T21:18:00.000-07:00

Ruby has been contacted to come and have a look at the Emperor penguin that has arrived on the Kapiti coast.

Ruby has a Bird Sanctuary where she looks after injured birds she has rescued and birds that have been brought to her with injuries. She returns them back to the area they were found or to a safe area when they are well. Ruby is training to be a vet.

Ruby travels to the coast to examine the penguin. On arrival she observes the penguin is eating sand. She wonders why this penguin is more than 3000kms from its home in Antarctica. Ruby rings Brian the Vet to get a second opinion and they both agree to leave it where it is and she will come back the next day to check on it.

The next morning Ruby observes that the penguin is lying down on the sand and looks quite weak as it tries to stand. Ruby decides to take the penguin to Brian so he can give it a health check.

Brian examines the penguin and can feel the sand in its stomach which is not natural because the penguin would normally be on snow and it would eat the snow for hydration. Brain puts a tube down the throat of the penguin to try and drain out the sand. He is only successful in getting a small amount of sand out.

They keep the penguin in overnight at Ruby’s Bird Sanctuary and notice the next day that he hasn’t improved so they decide to operate to remove the sand still in its’ stomach. Ruby assists Brian with the operation and removes more sand and some sticks from the penguins stomach.

The penguin improves each day in his enclosure which has snow on the floor. Annabelle offers the penguin a fish to eat. Annabelle has been a voluntary worker at the weekends at the Bird Sanctuary since Ruby came to a Hitty meeting to talk about what she does at the Bird Sanctuary. Rachel started helping at the weekends when she arrived at Kowhai Corner, both Hitty girls love helping at the Bird Sanctuary.

Two weeks later the penguin is well enough to be returned to the Antarctic. Ruby invites Annabelle and Rachel to come with her to release the penguin back to where it has come from.

The penguin can see out of the holes in his carry cage and starts flapping his wings in excitment. Ruby opens the carry cage and the penguin dives into the water and swims to the snow covered coast. Two penguins have swum out to meet him (one is on a lump of floating ice). The penguin is happy to be home. The girls are pleased too, but a bit sad because they have spent a lot of time with him. It is too cold to linger so they turn the boat around and head towards home.

Hitty Meeting April 2011

2011-05-31T20:23:00.000-07:00

There is great excitement amongst the Hitty girls about the coming wedding of Prince William and Kate which will take place in two weeks time. Yasmin has organised for a London Tower Bridge Guard to come and speak at the April Helping Hands meeting .

The London Tower Bridge Guard has come to the meeting to talk about his job and about the wedding arrangements that are been made for Prince Williams and Kate's wedding. He is going to be involved on the day of the Royal Wedding .

The London Tower Bridge Guard has brought some London items to show the Hitty girls. A special item he has brought to the meeting is a view master reel of Princess Alexandra's wedding which was at Westminster Abbey, London in 1963. There was blue carpet in the Abbey and she travelled in a black coach after the wedding ceremony drawn by four white horses which had many straps on their bodies which were attached to the coach that they looked like zebras! Edna looks at the view master first and passes it on for the other girls to look at.The Hitty girls have decide they will come to Kowhai Corner Hall and watch the Royal Wedding on the T.V. and have a sleep over.

The following friday evening, 29 April 2011 the Hitty girls come back to Kowhai Corner Hall to watch the Royal Wedding on T.V.

Fifteen minutes after the televised Royal Wedding started in walk Luke and Hannah. Hannah has cooked a wedding cake for them to have for supper and Luke carried in a small table and a bottle of coke and some glasses.

The Hitty girls eat their supper after the Royal Wedding finishes. They stack the chairs along the wall then snuggle up under their blankets and go to sleep… after some talking.

During the night Alana wakes because she hears a scratching sound nearby. She opens her eyes and sees a rat! “Arr” she screams and jumps up causing Pat to wake and she sits up. The rat is by the table eating the left over wedding cake.
“I am so hungry,” the rat squeals “I haven’t eaten in two days.”
“Well, help yourself, but please leave quietly so the others don’t see you.” whispered Alana as she crawls back into bed and rolls over back to sleep. Pat also lies down and goes back to sleep.

In the morning the Hitty girls wake and they fold their blankets, take the posters down and arrange the chairs around the walls before they leave the hall. None of the other girls were aware that they had had a visitor during the night. Pat and Alana don't want to scare the other girls so they keep the rats visit to themselves.

Nunodoll Swap 2011

2011-05-08T04:25:00.000-07:00

The local Maori Culture Group of ladies and their pre-school children meet every Tuesday at Kowhai Corner Hall. They do a variety of crafts, weaving with flax, singing and action songs. The children are playing a stick game.

The Nunodoll Maori maiden has just finished weaving her kete that she is going to take with her to Florida.

The Ladies and children are wearing their National Costume dress today because they are going to farewell the nunodoll today with a Maori action song because this is her last day at Kowhai Corner.

The Maori maiden nunodoll has her things ready to put in her kete to take with her. The things she will take with her include a poster of Hamilton, New Zealand, to show the Hittys and nunodolls in Florida where she was born, her kiwiana book and her big toy kiwi. She is excited to go to Florida to live but she is also sad to leave her Maori culture friends behind.

Yasmin and Nuno Hitty Holly have also come to farewell her as she is about to leave Kowhai Corner to go to the airport. Nuno Hitty Holly is wandering what the swap nunodoll coming from Florida will look like. Nuno Hitty Holly is going to be her friend and tell her she came to

Kowhai Corner last year as a swap.

Two weeks later the nunodoll from Florida arrives and she is a beautiful ballerina.

LOVE

2011-04-09T14:08:00.000-07:00

Love is patient and kind, not jealous, not boastful,

not proud, rude or selfish, not easily angered,

and keeps no record of wrongs.

1 Cor 13:4

Pipi the Model

2011-03-16T03:15:00.000-07:00

The Hitty girls have gathered together at the Kowhai Corner Hall for the March Helping Hands meeting.

The meeting starts with Pat handing over the hand sign to Yasmine because Yasmine is going to be the new leader of the group.

Yasmine announces the guest speaker for this months meeting is Pipi who is a model. Pipi talks about her modeling in France and about how she trained to be a model. A models life is not all glamour. Pipi gives the girls some advice if they want to become models.
Pipi can see the Hitty girls are quiet short. Pipi tells the girls that to be a model you need to be over 25cm tall! Pipi is 30cm tall.

Pipi tells the girls to practice walking with a book or two on their head so that they will walk with a straight back. Pipi lays a long ribbon on the floor and asks the girls to walk on the ribbon by putting one foot in front of the other as they walk along the ribbon.

Lollipop girl Pipi from France is one of six Lollipop fashion dolls issued in 2002, 1st Edition by Jan Mclean from New Zealand. Pipi wore a black vynal mini skirt and black and white stripped, above the knees, socks (which matched her top) and black high heel shoes. She held a lollipop in her hand.

Summer Concert 2011

2011-02-17T18:17:00.000-08:00

Summer Concert 2011

The Hitty girls have organized a concert to be held at the Kowhai Corner Hall. It will be free for residents and visitors. Afternoon tea will be provided after the entertainment.

The Shore Family are the first visitors to arrive. Pat goes and welcomes them.

Mr and Mrs Shore senior have also arrived and have brought along some people with disabilities. Mr and Mrs Shore have people with disabilities stay at their house for short terms for a variety of reasons. April and Yasmine help them out of their van and shows them where they can sit.

Ethel, Jill, Edna and Serene are in the back room changing into their costumes. They are going to do the first act. Who are they going to represent?

Teletubbies! The children in the audience enjoy their performance of dancing and singing.

The next act is by Holly. Holly is wearing her kimono that she brought with her when she moved to Kowhai Corner to live. Two Hitty girls have put up the backdrop for her and Holly sings two Japanese songs.

Thelma is outside at the back of the hall talking to seven rabbits. I hope she has remembered that she is performing next and needs to get changed soon to be ready.

Thelma is ready on time and walks out dressed as Snow White she is followed by seven dwarfs who circle her and sing, "Hi Ho, Hi Ho it's off to work to go." Who are dressed as the seven dwarfs?

Tricia introduces the last act which is a Zulu family who are going to talk about their life in Africa. Tricia reminds everyone that afternoon tea will be served next and all are welcome to stay and share in a time of fellowship.

Hannah and Luke bring out the afternoon tea which they have cooked and serve it to all. What a great way to start the new year.

Happy Christmas 2010

2010-12-20T19:05:00.000-08:00

Introducing Lim from Vietnam

The Hitty girls are at the Hall having their last Helping Hands Meeting for 2010 and they would like to say Happy Christmas to all the readers. Pat announces that there is going to be a new girl coming to the meeting today who is from Vietnam. Thelma says she can see a girl coming towards the hall. Pat goes over to Lim and gives her a welcome cuddle. Pat introduces Lim to the Hitty girls. Lim says she has been waiting in Sydney for two years to come here.

Pat gives Lim the plate of gingerbread men and suggests she takes it around to each girl and she can meet them individually. The girls start talking about how they would like to give a concert in the New Year.

Hannah and Luke arrived at Kowhai Corner a few months ago to open a cafe but the building is being used for something else! They will organise the food and cook for the January concert.

Marmite celebrates 100 years.

2010-11-18T19:14:00.000-08:00

Marmite celebrates 100 years of production in New Zealand.

Marmite is a yeast spread that can be used in sandwiches, stews, soups, gravy and hot drinks plus other uses. Ethel and Jill like it spread on hot buttered toast in the mornings for breakfast.

An Overnight Camp

2010-11-18T18:50:00.000-08:00

After the Helping Hands meeting where Jeanette and Gretal spoke about moas, Alana and Annabelle talked well into the night discussing how they would like to go to the back of Kowhai Tree Farm and look for moa bones.

The next morning they asked Joey if he would like to come with them on an overnight camp and have a dig for moa bones. Joey was keen and asked if Tom could come too and the girls agreed he could. Joey goes to Scouts so he knows how to set and read a compass, tie a variety of knots, make a fire and boil water.

They all go together to ask Steve Sunshine if they can camp overnight at the back of his farm. Steve gives his permission for them to stay out for one night providing they are back at his house the next day before it gets dark and they are not to climb the big rocks.

The children agree and meet the following morning with the things they will need for the overnight camp. Joey and Tom have been this way before so they lead the way walking towards the back of the farm.

After a couple of hours of walking across the rough ground they stop for a rest. They have a drink and eat the biscuits they have brought with them. Feeling refreshed they set off again.

They continued walking for another hour when Joey calls out, " I can see the big rocks." They stop and look around and decide to set up their tent and stay here for the night. Joey gathers some wood for a fire while the others struggle to put up the tent.

The tent was up when Joey called out and said the billy of water on the fire is boiling. They each make themselves a cup of hot milo to have with their marmite sandwiches. Tom says it's about 30 minutes walk from here to the river where they can start digging for moa bones. They are too tired to walk any more today so will go there in the morning. Alana says she wants to climb the big rocks to see what's on the other side. "We are not allowed to." reminds Annablle. It is getting dark so they put potatoes in the dying ashes of the fire to eat tomorrow morning and the girls go into the tent to sleep. They boys say they will sleep outside the tent and watch the dying fire.

The girls wake first in the morning and go to the cold fire to find the potatoes. They move the cold ashes around with sticks but cannot find them. The boys wake and see what the girls are doing and confess that they ate them last night for a mid- night feast!

Alana insists she is going to climb the big rocks to have a look at the other side. So Joey advises Annabelle and Tom to clear up the camp site and he will go with Alana.
Wow!” she yells when she reaches the top, " There's a big egg over there. I am going over to have a closer look. "Wait for me. I'll coming too." yells back Joey.

When they get closer to a big egg they see a door. “Someone lives in here,“ Alana says as they cautiously peep through the door way.
She recognizes the rabbit cushion on the bed as one that Selena has made. A fantail flitters around tweeting excitedly. Suddenly, a loud noise like thumping on the ground starts and continues. Alana and Joey quickly run back to the big rocks, climb over and run to the campsite. Annabelle and Tom are frightened and ask, "What's that noise? Is it an earthquake?" "Could be." replies Joey breathless, "Pick up your bags. We going back to Kowhai Tree Farm." There was no digging for moa bones on this trip!

Meanwhile, Steve Sunshine hears the rabbit alarm and starts walking to the back of the farm to meet the children. He asks them, "Who climbed over the big rocks?" Alana and Joey confess they did.
Steve Sunshine calls them aside and tells them that the punishment for not obeying him is that they are to report to John Sunshine's vegetable garden and help him dig the garden every day this week after school.

John appreciates the help. Alana and Joey say to each other that the next time they do digging will be for moa bones.

New Profile Picture

2010-11-16T00:53:00.000-08:00

Replaced the profile photo (the above photo) to included the Sylvanian rabbits of my other blog.
Back row: Yasmin, Annabelle, Jill, Rachel, Aunt Susan holding baby.
Middle row: Alana with Ethel in front, Edna, Serene, April and Pat.
Front row: Thelma and Tricia

A Visit from Gretal and Jeanette

2010-08-08T19:00:00.000-07:00

Gretchen’s sisters, Gretal and Jeanette have arrived at Kowhai Corner for a holiday with a purpose.
Gretal is an archaeologist, the study of man’s past by scientific analysis of the material remains of his cultures. Jeanette is an ornithologist, the study of birds.

Pat has invited the sisters to speak at the August Helping Hands Meeting. Jeanette is going to speak about the moa, a large extinct flightless bird of New Zealand..

She has bought her posters along and tapes them to the walls of Kowhai Corner Hall so the Hitty girls can look at them while she speaks. The largest species, Dinornis giganteus weighed about 200 kilograms and with its head up almost measured three metres in height.

Jeanette tells the girls how she has found information about this area where a moa bone was found in 1874. She produces a bone from her bag which she says is the moa bone found in this area which she has borrowed from the museum to show at this meeting.

The Hitty girls exclaim in surprise. Jeanette and Gretal end their talk by saying they are hoping to get permission from the Sunshine brothers to camp on Kowhai Tree Farm , by the river, to do a archaeological dig for moa bones.

That evening at Kowhai Corner Hall a meeting with Gretal and Jeanette and the Sunshine brothers, Steve, Harold and John takes place .

The sisters ask for permission to set up a camp at the back of their land, by the river and to do a dig for moa bones. The brothers cannot give their permission because that is the area where K.C. Bunnyborough sanctuary has become established . The Sunshine brothers would get into trouble if the authorities knew that they are protecting rabbits. Farmers want to eradicate all rabbits.

The sisters ask why can’t they have access to the back of the farm. The Sunshine brothers say that the land is in use at the moment and the matter is private and confidential. They leave the meeting very disappointed . They will go and visit Ruby's Bird Sanctuary tomorrow.

To be continued...

SPCA Knitted Puppy Jumpers

2010-05-31T22:04:00.000-07:00

In January 2010 Selena received a pamphlet in the mail from Knit World advertising a wool sale. Also enclosed in the envelope was a knitting pattern supplied by the SPCA for puppy jumpers. The SPCA want to have 3,000 by April 30th. Hmm, thinks Selena. She rings Pat and asks Pat if she can come to the February Helping Hands meeting and tell the Hitty girls about it. Pat thinks this will be a wonderful challenge for the Hitty girls and invites Selena to be the guest speaker at the February meeting.

Selena brings the pattern with her to the February meeting and gives the Hitty girls a copy each. Selena has also brought enough knitting needles and wool for everyone.

Most of the Hitty girls can knit so they choose the colour of the wool they want and begin to knit. Selena helps those who can't knit and soon they are all knitting and talking. Woody, the cat, has come into the hall and is delighted to find a ball of wool!

Time has slipped by quickly and it's time to go home. Selena asks the girls to come back in two weeks time and bring their knitting with them. Woody got into a terrible tangle and the wool had to be cut off him.

Two weeks later when Selena arrives to open the hall for the knitting afternoon some of the Hitty girls are there waiting. Selena has brought some cream horns and donuts in a basket for afternoon tea. Not all the girls have arrived. Annabelle and Rachel have gone to help at Ruby's Bird Rescue Centre. Selena tells the girls that there is going to be a surprise visit at 3pm.

Selena observes Ethel's knitting and notices how long her knitting is! Selena asks Ethel if she is following the pattern that she gave her two weeks ago. Ethel turns red and says she couldn't understand the pattern and is making her own pattern. " Well," Selena explains, "You have made your knitting too long." " Oh, no" replies Ethel, "I don't want to undo it." "Why don't you knit yourself a scarf?" answers Selena. "I will," answers Ethel "and then I will knit a puppy jumper." Just before 3pm they all hear alot of barking. Selena says, "Sounds like our guests have arrived."

The girls all go outside and see the dogs who starred in HOTEL DOGS. The dogs are just stopping for thirty minutes before they continue to their destination. The dogs and girls are over joyed at meeting each other. The dogs and girls play around and thirty minutes past very quickly. Selena has asked the girls to come back next Saturday afternoon to the hall and bring their finished puppy jumpers with them.

Next Saturday afternoon Selena arrives with Emma, (dalmation) and Hayley wearing an adult dog jumper that Selena has knitted. The girls hand over five puppy jumpers and quite a few scarfs. Selena asks the girls would they be interested in knitting baby singlets for the mothers of newborn babies in China, Russia and Africa. Yes, they would like to do that. Selena gives the scarfs back to the girls who handed them in and she delivers the puppy jumpers to the Knit World shop before the 30th April.

Nunodoll Swap 2010

2010-04-07T15:13:00.000-07:00

Three nunodolls have been made at Kowhai Corner. One is ready to go to North Carolina as a swap.

The Hitty girls are having a farewell meeting for her at Kowhai Corner Hall. Yasmin tells the swap nunodoll that she was a cloth Hitty swap a few years ago and that the journey in the dark in an envelope is okay and she will not get knocked around while travelling, in fact she enjoyed the journey here.

The Hitty girls ask her to get in touch and tell them what her new home is like when she arrives at her new home. They are sure she will have lots of other Hitty girls to meet at her new home. Kowhai Corner nunodoll waves goodbye to them all after she has her photo taken and is ready to leave.

She will take a map of New Zealand with her so she can show her new owner where Hamilton is,

he town where she was born. She will also take a book of New Zealand scenes and a kiwi key ring which she hopes she can hang on the wall at her new home.

The nunodoll swap has arrived from North Carolina. She has brought her lovely quilt and a kimono to wear with her.

Gavin and Paulette, who are also nunodolls, run to welcome her to Kowhai Corner. "Oh!" exclaims Gavin, "You look like a Hitty girl." " I am nuno/Hitty/Hollie." she replies. " Well, I will go and tell the Hitty girls you are here," and off Gavin runs and finds Yasmin and Pat. Yasmin and Pat each give Hollie a hug and tell her, " Tomorrow we will introduce you to the other Hitty girls".

The autumn sun has set and it's time to go to bed. Paulette, Hollie and Gavin all clamber into the bed with Hollie's lovely warm quilt over them. Hollie yawns, closes her eyes and thinks, I am no longer in the dark envelope and tomorrow I will meet the other Hitty girls and a smile comes on her face. Gavin props himself up on one elbow and looks at her peaceful face and thinks, how beautiful she is. Paulette gives him a side glance and frowns.

A Visit to the Zoo - part 2

2010-02-20T20:38:00.000-08:00

The girls walk out of the Zoo Cafe towards the Australian animal area.

On the way some of the girls stop to watch the hippos playing in the water. They point at the cute baby one who is watching his parents play.

The echidna is a spine-covered monotreme mammal of Australia and New Guinea with a long snout and claws. This one is shuffling about in his enclosure, probably looking for ants to eat.

Yasmin is enjoying looking at the kangaroos. They are her favourite animal. When she came to live at Kowhai Corner she bought her toy kangaroo with her.

The snake is awake and hisses at the girls. The girls don't stay long as the snake looks hungry. They go to the koala area.

The koala or koala bear, is a slow moving Australian arborel marsupial with dense greyish fur and feeds on eucalyptus leaves. The girls are allowed to hold a koala and can have their photo taken holding the koala. Edna and Annabelle request that a photo be taken of them holding the koala. Yasmin was holding a koala too, but it climbed out of her arms before the photo could be taken.

Serene, Tricia and Alana go into the big shed which houses the noctural animals. It is dark inside. As their eyes adjust they see a cream opossum sitting on a tree stump.

Further along they see a bilby, an endangered animal, on a tree. They hear a noise in the water and see a duck-billed platypus which is an amphibious egg laying mammal of East Australia. It has dense fur, a broad bill and tail and webbed feet. This is the most unusual animal they have seen today.

The girls meet at the zoo exit to go home. The black cockatoo starts talking and says "Gidday mate, hello, goodbye." The Hitty girls talk back to him for awhile before they leave the zoo to go home. Yasmin is looking forward to cuddling her toy kangaroo which she knows will not jump out of her arms. This has been an enjoyable day for the Hitty girls.

Holiday Activities - January 2010

2010-01-31T23:12:00.000-08:00

Stephie,Sweets and Steve Sunshine with Alana, Jill and Pat standing behind. This photo was going to be the orginal blog photo, but I managed to take a better one.

Tricia and Thelma are looking at a model viking ship made from bronze (no identification marks as to who made it). Edna climbs in and looks around and thinks it would be scarey to be out at sea in this boat.

Thelma climbs in after Edna gets out as there can only be one at a time in the boat. Tricia wants to check out the other model boat on display.

This ship is a replica of Batavia 1602

Tricia and Thelma went to Fox Glacier where they each built a snowman in the snow.

Steve, Stephie and Sweets are going into the native bush for a week.

April and Tricia admire the white Clydesdale horse. (Beswick)

Alana and April are waiting to get New Zealand All Black hero, Michael Jones' autograph.

Richard's Motorbikes

2010-01-23T01:43:00.000-08:00

Richard is Steve's friend, who fixes and restores motorbikes - a two-wheeled vehicle that is driven by a petrol engine. Richard has invited Steve to bring Joey and Tom to his place to see his motorbikes.

The first motorbike they look at has been made from recycled materials. "Wow! exclaims Joey as he sits on the motorbike, "This is so neat."

So is this one.

They walk to the garden where Richard has parked some other motorbikes. "Brrm, brrm," says Tom as he climbs onto the seat of the motorbike and pretends to rev it up.

Steve can't resist any longer and starts this motorbike up and gives Joey and Tom a ride, separately, to the end of the street and back.

Joey sits on the biggest motorbike here today and can't reach the foot rests and handle bars. Joey will have to grow a lot before he will be big enough to drive this motorbike.

The visit ends with Steve, Joey and Tom examining the tractor. The boys enjoy having turns siting on it. Steve thanks Richard for inviting them

over to have a look at the motorbikes. Joey and Tom talk about the bikes all the way home and will always remember this great day.

A Visit to the Zoo - part 1

2010-01-12T01:46:00.000-08:00

Some of the Hitty girls have decided to visit the zoo today.

When they arrive at the zoo they go to the grazer animals area. They walk right up to the zebra and to pat him.

While they are admiring him two other zebras come over to see if the Hitty girls have any food for them. There is a notice at the entrance saying, Do Not Feed the Animals. The Hitty girls move on towards the elephant in the same enclosure.

The elephant is walking towards a bush where they can hear some shuffling noises.

Behind the bush a baby elephant emerges and walks towards its' mother.

The baby elephant stands by his mother, lifts its' trunk and lets out a noise to warn the Hitty girls to keep away from his mother!!!

The girls move behind the mother elephant to the other side and the baby elephant turns around and raises his trunk again and bellows. "Lets run," yells Yasmin, "before he charges us."

The girls run towards a herd of camels.

The camel attendant asks the girls if they would like a ride. They all accept and have a ride around the camel enclosure.

In the next enclosure are the giraffes which are the pride and joy of this zoo. This zoo has bred an albino giraffe. The attendant lets Rachel feed a branch to the giraffes and the albino giraffe comes up.

The albino giraffe puts his tongue out and wraps it around the branch and eats it all.

The girls are hungry now and decide to go the zoo cafe for lunch. After lunch Yasmin asks Rachel "Where's your shoulder bag?" "Oh! no! I took it off when I fed the giraffe." replies Rachel.

Rachel goes back to the giraffe enclosure and finds her bag!

Rachel runs back to the other girls who have been waiting for her and she tells them where she found her bag! They all laugh and laugh...

Hitty Girls Babysit for Mothers to do Christmas Shopping

2010-01-02T02:19:00.000-08:00

The Hitty girls decided at the November Helping Hands meeting that they would babysit preschoolers for mothers from 9am to 3pm next Tuesday so that the mothers can go and do some Christmas shopping.

The Hitty girls are at Kowhai Corner Hall early on Tuesday morning and babies and toddlers start arriving and it's not 9am yet! Brenda has brought three of her children to be minded.

Tricia greets Brenda and takes the children inside the hall.

Stephie arrives with Sweets and is welcomed by Annabelle. Aunt Susan has arrived to help if necessary.

Stephie passes Sweets to Annabelle and along comes Daisy with William. Brenda, Stephie and Daisy are going to town together.

All the Hitty girls are busy watching the children.

Two hours later... Tricia is trying to give the bottle to Hope. Annabelle is successfully giving Sweets her bottle and William is playing with a toy car. Alana is putting a baby in her pram for a sleep. Thelma is rocking one of the twins to get her to sleep. Jackie is happily playing with a teddy. Aunt Susan has gone home because her baby was unsettled and kepted crying.

Two hours later at the Mall... Brenda, Stephie and Daisy have finished their shopping and have put it in the car. They walk back to the Cafe to have lunch. They ordered a pizza to share and a drink each. Just as Daisy was about to cut the pizza Ruby and Selena arrive.

Ruby and Selena join them and order coffee. Daisy starts reminiscing about her life before she married John.

Daisy use to go to the Ice Skating Club and performed in a show.

Daisy also did ballet and did performances on stage.

Daisy also recalls how Selena knitted a dress when she was at High School and Daisy modelled it and Selena won an award.

Selena tells them that she met a new shearer at Kowhai Tree Farm recently and shows them his photo. The ladies gasp in surprise when Selena drescribes him as handsome and hopes to see him again! Time has moved on and it is time for Brenda, Stephie and Daisy to get back to the hall to pick up their children. They are going to ask the Hitty girls to babysit again.

Brenda, Stephie and Daisy arrive back at the hall at 2.50pm. The Hitty girls hear the car engine and look out the window very much relieved to see them back. It has been quite an experience for the Hitty girls to look after so many pre schoolers at once. The mothers thank the Hitty girls and all go home happy.

Ruby's Bird Rescue Sanctuary

2009-12-10T02:14:00.000-08:00

Ruby was the guest speaker at the Helping Hands October meeting. Ruby has a bird rescue sanctuary. People bring in injured birds to Ruby and she looks after them until they are well enough to be released back to the area where they were found, if possible. She lives on the coast so often gets sea birds brought to her.

Ruby has put her wall chart up about the Yellow-eyed penguin. Ruby tells the Hitty girls that she is involved in the Save the Yellow-eyed Penguin project. The wall chart has information about the Yellow-eyed penguin's nesting and incubation, hatching, adult moulting, chick moulting, feeding and predators.

Annabelle has brought her poster of Pippa, The Fairy Penguin, a book which was first published in 1974 and puts it up on the wall for all to see. Annabelle enjoyed the book and would like to see a penguin.

Annabelle talks about how she helps on Kowhai Tree Farm feeding the hens and collecting the eggs for Mr and Mrs Sunshine. Ruby says she has read the book and that Annabelle would be the ideal volunteer to have helping at the Bird Sanctuary.

Ammabelle gives Ruby a penguin ornament and a donation on behalf of all the Hitty girls at the Helping Hands meeting. Pat thanks Ruby for coming to the meeting and sharing with them about her bird sanctuary and the Save the Yellow-eyed Penguin, project.

Ruby thanks the Hitty girls for inviting her and invites them to come to the bird sanctuary to see the penguins that are there at the moment. The Hitty girls have accepted the invitation and will visit next weekend.

Next weekend... John is going to the Bird Sanctuary to mend cages and do some maitenance work. He has offered to take the Hitty girls. Annabelle put a Save the Yellow-eyed penguin poster on the side of the truck. Ruby greets them when they arrive and John starts his maitenance work while Ruby starts showing the Hitty girls around.

Ruby shows them the little blue penguin who has recovered from being mauled by a dog.

One of these penguins has head injuries from a propeller of a boat. He has a water proof hat on to keep his stitches dry.

The brown penguin has been resuced from an oil slick. Ruby has bathed him once but it will take a few baths to get all the oil off his coat.

A lady saw the poster on the side of the truck and has brought in a $5.00 donation and it has the Yellow-eyed penguin on it! Good on you, Annabelle for putting the poster on the side of the truck. Annabelle is looking forward to start as a volunteer next week.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO MY

FOLLOWER AND READERS

Selena Sells her Knitwear

2009-10-30T00:54:00.000-07:00

Selena grew up on a farm and most years had pet lambs to bottle feed. The lambs have grown into sheep now but they still remember Selena when she visit's the farm. Selena works in the city as a secretary and visits the farm most weekends. Her dream is to open a Wool and Craft Shop at Kowhai Corner.

Selena learnt to spin wool and knit as a young girl and she still loves to do both.

She has asked Pat to be her assistant to help her set up the hall and sell the knitwear each Friday. Pat has agreed and they set the hall up ready to sell what Selena has knitted. She has knitted blankets, Hitty shawls, cardigans, jerseys, rabbit clothing and her speciality ... rabbit cushions.

Selena has knitted herself a dress for the occasion. It is not long before the Hitty girls arrive and they like the shawls and buy everyone!

The Hitty girls leave, talking to each other exclaiming that they will be back next time. When all is quiet... some rabbits hop into the hall, most are undressed! (They are from K. C. Bunnyborough - a safe place for rabbits at the back of Kowhai Tree Farm.)

The rabbits find the clothing that will fit them and want to try it on. Selena gives permission for them to try the clothing on. Suddenly, screaming is heard...

Oh! No! It's Mrs Lemon and Mr Know both holding and pulling the red rabbit cushion. They both want to buy it. Pat steps forward to help sort the problem out. Mrs Lemon reluctantly lets go and lets Mr Know buy it. Pat whispers to Mrs Lemon that she can choose one of the other rabbit cushions and she will give her 25% discount off the price.

The undressed rabbits have all bought knitted clothing and pose for a photo with their new clothes on. Selena and Pat say, "What a successful and eventful day this has been." They smile as they pack up and look forward to their next trading day.

For more rabbit stories visit; http://kcbunnborough.blogspot.com/

The New Residents Arrival

2009-10-26T16:38:00.000-07:00

John has harnessed Greylegs to the wagon ready to go into town to pick up the three, soon to be residents, who are coming to live at Kowhai Corner.

Rachel sees John approaching and waves out to him. John stops at the Three lights lamp and greets Tricia, Joey and Rachel.

John puts their bags in the wagon before he helps them in. He tells Joey that he will meet Tom, a boy about the same size as him and that Tom is looking forward to have a future playmate.

As they past Kowhai Tree Farm John points out Charlotte and her grown up calf, who is now bigger than Charlotte. Anchor is also there with her grown up calf who looks just like Anchor.

Thelma, Annabelle, Daisy and April are at Kowhai Corner to welcome Tricia, Joey and Rachel. John helps Rachel get down from the wagon first. Joey sees Tom and climbs down without any help.

Tom makes Joey welcome by inviting him back to his room where he meets Darren and William. Tom and Joey want to have adventures together.

Daisy and the Hitty girls walk to Kowhai Corner Hall where the other Hitty girls are waiting to meet Tricia and Rachel. The Hitty girls welcome Tricia and Rachel and tell them that they are all going to sleep in the hall tonight. Daisy leaves and tells the girls not to stay up too late talking because accommodation arrangements have to be sorted out early in the morning.

The Hitty girls admire Tricia's clothing. They haven't seen a dress in that style before and none of them have a bonnet or combination underwear. Tricia is only too willing to take her dress off and show off her underwear. She will not take off her bonnet for the other girls to try on though. In fact she goes to bed with it on!

In the morning there is a knock on the hall door. Steve and Stephie are outside with Aunt Susan and her newborn son. Aunt Susan arrived late last night and stayed with Steve, Stephie and family. Aunt Susan meets all the Hitty girls. Aunt Susan is going to help with the organising of accomadation and keep a record of who is living at Kowhai Corner.

Aunt Susan has bought her cow with her to add to Steve's cows. Steve accepts the cow graciously and takes the cow to the paddock to join the other four cows. Hmm... Steve doesn't really want another cow to look after as his cows produce plenty of milk. He thinks a Cafe would be good to have at Kowhai Corner. His sister, Selena, has already expressed her desire to open a Wool and Craft shop.

The Hitty Girls Meeting

2009-10-19T01:24:00.000-07:00

The Hitty girls are having a meeting at the Kowhai Corner Hall. They want to start a group. They have decided to call their group, HELPING HANDS. They discuss the opening of Kowhai Corner Hall and congratulate Annabelle for her quick thinking to get the ladder to help get Plchard down from the tree. Yasmin and Alana are thanked for setting up and serving on the stall on the milk promotion day. Pat and April were helping outside the hall looking after Harold and Brenda's children so that Harold and Brenda could meet the residents who came to the milk promotion day.

Pat has been nominated to be the leader of the Helping Hands Group for this year because she was the first Hitty to arrive at Kowhai Corner. Jill presents her with a plastic hand sign which will be put up outside the hall when they have their meetings so other residents will see that the hall is in use. The Hittys have disscussed their next "Helping Hand" offer of help and will speak to Steve about it to get his approval.

Pat and Jill make Steve an offer he can't refuse! They tell him that it was decided at the Helping Hands meeting that the Hitty girls would like to paint his truck. It was agreed at the meeting because Kowhai Corner is becoming popular and the truck should look a credit to the community. Steve chuckles and gives the go ahead for the girls to paint the truck. He will supply the paint.

They have started! Pat will paint the front, Jill the sides, Edna the inside of the trailer and April will paint the back. They have put their aprons on but it is hot and they should have their sunhats on as well.

They have finished painting the undercoat on the truck. What a hot job that was. Stephie has arrived with some drinks and apples for the girls. Stephie thanks the girls for a well done job.

In the cool evening Steve and Stephie with Harold and Brenda come and inspect the painting. They are very pleased with the quality of the painting and look forward to see the truck with the top coat of paint on.

Early the next morning the girls are back ready to start painting the top coat. Later in the afternoon, when the paint is dry, they climb in the truck to have their photo taken.

"HOORAY!" the Hitty girls yell, "We have finished."

The Unexpected Cow

2009-10-16T05:56:00.000-07:00

Steve receives a phone call from a Farmer offering him a cow that has had trouble keeping its balance since it was born. The cow is unsteady on its' feet and it is unprofitable for the Farmer to keep it. Steve accepts the cow as it will be company for the cow that is due to come to Kowhai Tree Farm next month.

The Hitty girls hear that a new cow has arrived at Kowhai Tree Farm. Edna, Serene and Thelma decide to take a walk to the farm and have a look at the new cow. The girls arrive at the paddock and see the cow lying down and it starts to struggle to get up but is unable to. Edna runs to find Steve to tell him.

Edna finds Steve and he comes over to the cow with her and tries to lift the cow to its feet. He tells the girls that the Vet is coming this afternoon to check why the cow has difficulty to stay standing.

The Vet arrives in the afternoon and checks the cow over and says the cow needs a calcium injection. Steve and the Vet lift the cow to its feet and coax it into the barn.

The Vet says after a course of calcium tablets the cow will improve and will be able to stand and walk, though she will look unsteady, she will be able to keep her balance.

A week later the girls come back to visit the cow, which has been named Charlotte, she walks out of the barn to greet them. Steve is pleased with her progress. Charlotte will have a good life here.

THE EXPECTED COW

Steve has been advised that the cow he ordered is ready to be collected. It is an Anchor breed of cow which is know as a prolific producer of milk. Steve is hoping this cow will produce enough milk for all the residents at Kowhai Corner. Steve and Harold go together to collect the Anchor cow. They discuss names as they drive back to Kowhai Tree Farm and decided to call the cow Anchor.

Anchor is unloaded and taken to the paddock where Charlotte is. It is hoped that the two cows will become good friends.

Anchor has settled in very well and is producing lots of milk. The Hitty girls have arranged
to have a stall at Kowhai Corner Hall on Sunday afternoon displaying the different types of milk that are being produced with Anchor's milk. The residents of Kowhai Corner have been invited to come and taste samples of the different milk and take home a free sample of milk. Many of the residents have ordered milk and that will be delivered daily or weekly to their homes.

Pat and April are looking after Harold and Brenda's children so Harold and Brenda can welcome all the visitors into the hall.

Harold has set up the outside table by the side of the hall. He tells the residents that Anchor is behind the hall and they are welcome to have a look and give her a pat. Pat and April are trying to give each child a drink of milk. Emma, the dog, is quite content to stay put and eat her bone.

THE BULL ON LOAN

Charlotte and Anchor are getting along very well together. Steve has decided to have a loan of a bull for a few weeks. Steve and Harold go to collect the bull. When they arrive back at Kowhai Tree Farm Jill, April and Ethel are waiting to see the bull.

The bull gets excited when he meets Charlotte and Anchor. The bull is very sturdy and strong. He has taken a particular interest in Charlotte. Can you see the Anchor brand on Anchor? Jill, April and Ethel will be telling the other Hitty girls about what a fine looking bull he is.

Nine months and one week later Charlotte has a calf. Wow! That was a successful outcome. When Ethel, Jill and Annabelle hear the news about the new calf they run over to the farm to have a look. Steve tells them that Anchor's calf is due next week.

The Official Opening of Kowhai Corner Hall - 28.12.08

2009-10-10T05:15:00.000-07:00

Steve, Harold and John Sunshine welcome Wendy, Bob the Builder's assistant, who has been invited to officially open the Kowhai Corner Hall. They are surprised that she has brought her cat, Pilchard with her. The brothers moved the hall to Kowhai Corner and have done alterations to it for the Hitty girls to stay in until they find accommodation and for them to use for their meetings.

Steve gives Wendy the scissors so she can cut the ribbon and declare the hall open. Gretchen is standing at the side of the hall so she can keep an eye on Pilchard in case he decides to go exploring and gets lost.

Hitty Alana thanks Wendy and presents her with a bunch of flowers from all the Hitty girls. Alana thanks the Sunshine brothers for arranging to have the hall moved to Kowhai Corner and allowing it to be used by the community. The brothers have sanded, painted and put glass windows in the hall.

The guest cheer and clap to show their appreciation.

The Scottish family were invited to provide entertainment for approximately thirty minutes. The father plays the bagpipes; the mother plays the drum and the daughter sings and dances.

Some of the women and children from the local Maori tribe have arranged to sing and do action songs. They would like to use the hall once a week for flax weaving and crafts.

Everyone is invited to come into the hall for afternoon tea. The people discuss with Wendy that they would like to add some shops to this area. Meanwhile, Pilchard, thinks this is a good time to go and find the local cats.

Gretchen notices Pilchard leaving the hall. Pilchard finds Snowy, who is asleep and Woody who is delighted to meet Pilchard and wants to play. Emma, Harold's dog, sees Pilchard by the cats and gets excited and bounds over towards them barking. Pilchard gets a fright and runs and climbs the nearest tree.

Emma's barking has attracted two poodles over who also join in the barking at the base of the tree. Gretchen goes over to calm the dogs while Hitty Annabelle goes and gets a ladder. Annabelle climbs the ladder and reaches Pilchard who she passes to Gretchen. Gretchen carries Pilchard to Wendy.

Wendy thanks Gretchen and she gets in the car with Pilchard and Steve drives them to the airport. Some of the residents wave to them and sigh in relief that no harm has been done.

Hitty Photo Album 1

2009-10-08T15:29:00.000-07:00

Serene on mat, Thelma in cradle. Cradle made from rimu 2006

Ethel on top bunk and Jill on lower bunk.

Alana with her bronze cycling medal 1984

Annabelle, What shall I wear today?

Hitty Chair Swap from Linda 2008

Yasmin 2006 Sue Sizemore cloth pattern

Pat 2006 carved by P. Thompson

April is an unpainted Robert Raikes Hitty which I painted in 2006

Edna wearing her new knitted hat and cardigan

Rachel undressed

Tricia is fully dressed

Joey