The Rose Cottage Hittys Return!

 All has been silent with the Rose Cottage Hittys for over a year now, but hopefully no longer...

Their home is smaller, but they are making do until they can get something more suitable...

Hitty Patience and Hitty Ethel have already set up their areas - a library/writing area for Hitty Patience and sewing room for Hitty Ethel.  The 'Hicks' Hittys, Hitty Rimu, Hitty Phoebe and Hitty Moana are trying to work out just where to put things in a smaller area.

They seem to have done pretty well overall, although Hitty Phoebe seems to have disappeared while they were working.  Hitty Natalie Rose joins them and admires their work and has a sit down and chat with Hitty Rimu.  Hitty Annabelle is reading to one of the twins.  They are pretty sure Hitty Madge is going to be delighted with her art studio and hopes she will start painting again.

Work has also been going on in the Boarding House...keep an eye out for updates.

Tea Cup Challenge Prize

Imagine our surprise when Hitty Madge won the Tea Cup Challenge.  A lovely little prize of tea arrived in the post and the Hittys are delighted with it.  They couldn't help but show another little tea set that they think is rather special.

Thank you to the Quimper Hittys for organising this challenge.  We really enjoyed it and also thoroughly enjoyed reading about other Hittys and their teacups and the fabulous pictures.

Choosing a Christmas Tree

Hitty Madge called all us girls together to see who wanted to go and choose a Christmas Tree.

Some of us were content to just stay in the warm, as we knew we would have fun decorating the tree once it arrived anyway.

Hitty Madge was joined by Hitty Annabelle and Hitty Rimu and they had a lot of fun choosing the tree.

They loaded it on the sleigh, helpfully pulled by a local reindeer ready to be taken home.

It is starting to look a lot like Christmas

Here at Rose Cottage there is a hive of activity...

Hitty Mary Jean has almost finished trimming the tree.

Hitty Annabel and Hitty Ethel have been having a change round in the living room and moving furniture.

Outside Hitty Moana and Hitty Rimu have been decorating the largest pine tree.

Hitty Natalie Rose has been putting up the Nativity Scene.

Still more to do, but it is looking just lovely.

Hitty Madge's Surprise!

 Well all the Hittys at Rose Cottage were in for a bit of a shock!

Hitty Madge, normally pretty undemanding, came home with a big surprise for them yesterday.  She decided it was time that they joined the 21st Century.

Oh my goodness!  They gasp.  What have you done Madge, can you drive?  

Well if I can fly a helicopter, then driving a car can't be too difficult! She tells them.

She hops out.  They really can't believe their eyes!

It's a convertible.  She tells them.

A convertible what?  Hitty Mary Jean asks.

Silly!  It is a convertible car, that means you can put the top down.  Ideal for warm summery days.  Madge explains.

But it is winter!  Mary Jean reminds her.

Yes, but it won't ALWAYS be winter. She replies.

Would you like to go for a ride?  I can fit in three at a time.  She says.

Hitty Moana, Hitty Rimu and Hitty Mary Jean hop in while Hitty Phoebe stands by and watches from a safe distance.

Whee!  This is fun calls out Hitty Mary Jean.  I think this is a great idea!

Some time later...Hitty Madge surprises them yet again!

What is this?  Hitty Moana asks?

Well what do you think it is?  Madge replies with a hint of mischievous in her voice.

I've got us a caravan!  

Come inside.  She suggests.

They follow her inside.

Hitty Mary Jean can't quite believe it.

Hitty Moana and Hitty Phoebe have to sit down to take it all in.

She shows them all the 'mod cons' as she calls them.

Mary Jean tries the bed out.

Well?  She asks.

Well!  They all chorus.  But it is winter time!  We can't go camping in winter, it is too wet and cold.

Well we COULD, she replies, but of course you are right, it would be far nicer in the summer.  In the meantime I though we could occupy ourselves over the winter months by making accessories for it, to make our camping experience more comfortable!

It looks like the girls have a winter project!  

Earth Day Photo Challenge Prize

Imagine our surprise today when a little parcel arrived in the post for us.

We had forgotten all about the Earth Day Photo Challenge competition we had won on Hitty Girls.

Lots of goodies arrived especially for us.

Hitty Moana shows some of the lovely gardening books which will be a valuable resource.

Looks like Hitty Carol Faith has almost fallen asleep reading hers!

Hitty Natalie Rose couldn't be more delighted.  She has more seeds, gloves and row markers for her garden.

Best of all she received a little bonnet and bag which couldn't match her lovely dress and apron any more perfectly.

What a super surprise indeed.

Thank you so much Susan K. 

A Busy Monday

Rose Cottage was buzzing with activity today.

Hitty Mary Jean was helping Becassine tidy up the Boarding house when she found the two shells Hitty Helen R & M had found on Orewa Beach in New Zealand...they must have forgot to pack them so she packaged them up and they are now on their way to them.

Hitty Madge was admiring the purple rhododendrons

She also picked some purple flowers for the vase in their living room.

There, that looks pretty.

Hitty Phoebe is going to go and do some shopping and asks Hitty Moana and Hitty Rimu if they would like to come with her.

Hitty Joyful is busy in the tearoom.

Whilst out side the boys are playing, Hitty Carol Faith is doing what she does best and Hitty Natalie Rose is going to plant some seeds.

Hitty Helens enjoy a final visit to the Rose Cottage Tea Room.

Sadly the time has come for the Rose Cottage Hittys to say goodbye to their guests Hitty Helen R and Hitty Helen M.  Of course they couldn't leave without first having morning tea in the Rose Cottage Tea Room with the NZ girls, Hitty Moana and Hitty Rimu.

Hitty Helen R enjoys a cup of tea and sandwiches with Hitty Rimu who is enjoying hearing all about her place of origin.

Hitty Helen M along with Hitty Moana, have already finished their sandwiches and are on to their cakes.  They are enjoying a laugh with Hitty Joyful - especially when Hitty Helen M relives her experience with the giant insect!

They will be busy the rest of the morning packing their things and saying their goodbyes to the rest of the Rose Cottage Hittys.

Our First Visitor to Rose Cottage Boarding House has Arrived!

The excitement here in Rose Cottage reached a high this morning as the first, yes you heard right, the first of not one, not two, but possibly THREE visitors to Rose Cottage Boarding House arrived.  This was most unexpected.... seems the thought of  visiting us here in England and then travelling with Hitty Madge  to New Zealand is a very popular destination indeed.

So anyway....who was the first to arrive we wondered?

Hitty Mary Jean gets the scissors to help open the travelling box.

Oh wow look!  Our visitor is from the United States of America!  How very exciting!

Lots of white polystyrene peanuts to protect and soften the journey.

Hitty Rimu, Hitty Madge, Hitty Mary Jean and myself, Hitty Patience start trying to clear the way.

First we discover all these amazing little baskets - this was certainly unexpected and very exciting.

We put them aside for now so we can see who is in her special travel pouch.

We are delighted to see she knows how to travel in style.

Untying and lifting the lid and there is Hitty Helen.

We welcome her to England.  She is a little bewildered after her long journey.

To give her a chance to recover before meeting the rest of the Hittys we take her to the Rose Cottage Tea Room where Hitty Joyful has been making her some sandwiches and cakes and of course the ever needed cup of tea.

Enjoying some sustenance, Hitty Helen appreciates a bit of a quiet chat.  She is very pleased to have arrived safely after her long journey.