Yesterday evening was the first of the gatherings. 
Beautiful Daughter arrived on time and within hours had hijacked the dog and walked to two local dairies looking for her favourite dip ingredients.
Sops had been dreaming of this Kiwi dip for days and could not settle until she had found the ingredients, mixed it up and popped it in the fridge to cool.
She made her dip by mixing dried onion soup, reduced cream and a spark of vinegar. And we snacked on this while the oven did it’s thing. 
Mama was snapped snapping: 
The shot is of the cutting of the hot bread. 
This is home made bread and Mama’s Meat Loaf. All the meat loaves were topped with piles of New Zealand Tasty cheese. The Original version has swathes of tomato sauce and yellow mustard on top of the cheese and the New Improved is topped with lashings sweet thai chilli sauce. It goes without saying that my children started with the original. We also had a beetroot and feta salad, that was eaten so fast no pictures exist!
The evening proceeded with loud chatter and laughter the way all these family gatherings do. Our plates, that excited so much attention only minutes before, were cleared of food, refilled, cleared of food again and then left where they lay as we talked on into the night. 
And as both my sons work in the film industry and are pretty mean photographers themselves, Camera House was passed around with the wine and the photos, and the images deteriorated into a fairly honest unfocussed mellow documentation of the evening.
Good morning! Now for some news of The Farmy.
Everything seems to be going according to plan except for Daisy. Over the days since I have left the Farmy Daisy’s behaviour in the milking parlour has deteriorated to the point where she would not let the Milkers or John milk her at all. She has been hurling herself about the room, kicking and carrying on and generally putting her health and the safety of my people in danger. I kept thinking she would settle down but yesterday John was unable to milk her at all. So I told him to call the breeder and, yesterday evening, after she had milked her own cows, she came over with an anti kicking device and milked Daisy dry taking 32 pounds of milk from our bad tempered cow. (Usually we get 20 pounds each time)
John called it miraculous. I shall talk to Our John again today and hopefully get him to send me a picture of this device. The irony of this does not escape us. I worked so hard on covering the milking with extra people, but did not anticipate this reaction from the cow herself.
Everyone else is behaving just fine, the pigs are still obediently trotting to and from their fields and the sheep are healthy. Kupa has been observed standing on top of the builders digger inspecting the worksite and they should be pouring the footings in the next few days. I did not ask how many eggs they are getting each day. Maybe I don’t want to know.
Today is my birthday in New Zealand so tonight I am roasting New Zealand lamb with a rosemary yoghurt crust, crunchy roast vegetables (all of them) and enormous salads! We will once more gather around the big oak table, that has been handed down through generations of my family and is resting with Fourth Son for this generation, pick up where we left off last night and talk the night away.
Have a lovely day.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
100 responses to “The First Gathering and a Little news from the Farmy”
Happy Birthday. You are having a fabulous time!
Perhaps you should record a story or two for the milkers to play for Ms. Daisy? She is missing her Mamma!
Celi, the happiest of birthdays to you! I want to know how you have remained so beautiful after birthing 5 children–now all adults. I know how you keep in shape in the present, but years ago, how did you DO it?
Also, I’m so sorry to hear about Daisy. She obviously misses you, but thank God for the breeder and his help. Myself, I’m worried about Big Dog and TonTon.
What a great way to spend your birthday! I’m glad so much of your family could gather for your, Celi. That Diasy! Throwing a hissy fit the minute she knew there was half a world separating you both. She knows you wouldn’t allow such naughty behavior. Glad the breeder had a solution. Your John must be relived.
Have a wonderful birthday, Celi!
John is relieved, sometimes you just have to call in the troops! c
Also, I learned from your readers that that beautiful dog is not a German shepherd but a BelgianTervuren!
Yes he is, a stunning animal.. and so easy to train, we are having good walks together.. c
Happy birthday! It is lovely to see all the pictures from your family gathering. So sorry that Daisy is being a bad cow back home. She must be really attached to you. I’m glad the breeder was able to milk her! Hugs, Rani
Morning Rani, thank you and I hope things calm down on the farmy.. c
Happy Birthday Celi! I’m REALLY enjoying your posts from NZ! Your family gatherings sound wonderfully familiar……
Happy birthday! It looks as though you are having a great time in NZ.
Oh, Daisy — I guess she just has to express herself in your absence. Happy Birthday and many happy returns.
Cows are such creatures of habit. I wonder if Daisy had a recording of your voice saying all the usual soothing things you say to her when milking…. Don’t let it spoil your good time worry though. Look how resourceful they’re being without you! Plus, you’ve certainly earned this break and they know it. Lovely and important that you have this quality time with your children. Dare I ask, were your movie industry sons involved in filming The Hobbit? It comes out Friday here and I can’t wait to see it!
just quietly .. yes they have.. maybe I should call at milking time and talk to daisy!! c
Happy birthday, and what a wonderful sense of reunion your posts convey. Poor Daisy, she’s obviously become accustomed to your touch, and only your touch. But she will settle and learn to accept others. It’s a bit like leaving a 2 year old – big tantrums ensue!
Happy kiwi birthday C. !! Love daughter’s hair color! 🙂 Those meals and gatherings sound fabulous!!
Leaving Kauai today-Aloha!!
Aloha fellow traveller! c
That Daisy is a stinker, that’s for sure!!!!! Happy Happy Birthday Celi!!! So happy that you are with your kids and having a fabulous time!!! xo
Happy Birthday, Celi! Hope Daisy behaves herself for Our John and the brave milkers tomorrow. Your pictures and stories are wonderful, Is reduced cream anything like our sour cream? Sops’ dip sounds very much like the one we make.
No it is not cultured at all, I think it is more like condensed milk but without the sugar.. c
Could there be anything nicer than spending your birthday with your family. Happy Birthday!
To read this post, with the exception of misbehaving Daisy (dairy farm girl that I am, this does not surprise me), makes my heart happy and me now desiring to sing, “Happy birthday to you!”
Continue to enjoy and celebrate.