Penny Murray
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pennym.bsky.social
Penny Murray
@pennym.bsky.social
600 followers 740 following 800 posts
Comma ninja, cake enthusiast. She/her in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa.
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pennym.bsky.social
Here are my self-sown sweet peas (last year's went to seed). They're rain soaked and untamed - and the garden beds are falling down - but they make great cut flowers
A riot of pale pink sweet peas ramble in a garden bed
November 18, 2025 at 7:48 PM
pennym.bsky.social
So my phone has collated the photos from when kiddo broke his arm into a story called "Snaps from a single day"

Dark 🦴
Part of a screenshot reads: "New story. Snaps from a single day" next to a thumbnail of a boy with a broken arm in a sling
November 3, 2025 at 10:30 AM
pennym.bsky.social
Despite bugger all effort on my part, some flowers have grown! Will take them to my mum this afternoon #kikorangi
Pink sweet peas and two other pink-purple flowers I've forgotten the name of right now in a jam jar on the kitchen bench. They smell gorgeous.
November 1, 2025 at 11:01 PM
pennym.bsky.social
Bah. Once again I have finished my tea, forgotten, then been disappointed when I go to drink the last mouthful of tea ☕

This is the opposite of mindfulness, I guess
My tea mug is empty because I finished it without noticing
October 24, 2025 at 9:16 PM
pennym.bsky.social
Please help, #GardenSky - what is making my lemon tree so sad?
I think it might be more than one bad thing! 🍋😭
#kikorangi
A green lemon tree leaf has small whitish spots on it Spring leaves on a lemon tree are pale and misshapen New lemon tree leaves are being attacked by something that's making them curl
October 19, 2025 at 3:06 AM
pennym.bsky.social
Love this pronoun-specific parking at the local YMCA 🚗
White lettering on a black sign reads: "THE Y PARKING ONLY"
September 30, 2025 at 10:34 PM
pennym.bsky.social
Local Pak'nSave got some FANCY pricing going on!
💸👀🍷
Bottles of wine on a Pak'nSave supermarket shelf priced at $109.99 each. And some cheaper bottles at $99.99 each 👀
September 24, 2025 at 7:41 AM
pennym.bsky.social
Realised I still know every word of an album I had on tape in the 90s and haven't heard in easily 15 years

This is why I can't remember a list of three things in the supermarket
The album cover for "Short Sharp Shocked" by US singer songwriter Michelle Shocked. It shows a woman being arrested, held by the neck, wedged between two cops. The picture is black and white with red text.
September 24, 2025 at 4:11 AM
pennym.bsky.social
Update: flash do happened last night and the dress was a hit! #sewsky
A woman in a full-length sleeveless dress covered in silver paillettes smiles on stage. She wears sparkly hair clips and ridiculously high silver platform heels. The words "NZ Marketing Awards" are on a screen behind her. Paillette reflections scatter across the room.
September 4, 2025 at 6:14 AM
pennym.bsky.social
And so it begins. Making the lining first (realised I have enough fabric to make it long, so going for it)
#sewsky
Pattern pieces are laid out and pinned on light grey lining fabric, ready for cutting out. A dressmaking tape measure sits on top
June 29, 2025 at 3:18 AM
pennym.bsky.social
Got a flash do in a couple of months. Reckon I'll make this pattern (short version, sleeveless) in something very sparkly. Going for a human glitterball vibe 🪩

I will add #pockets, natch
#sewsky
1960s dressmaking pattern envelope on top of paper pattern pieces. Five versions of "Vogue's basic design" (pattern 2067) are illustrated.
June 14, 2025 at 4:35 AM
pennym.bsky.social
Kiddo still lets me cut his hair. Savouring this hangout time while it lasts ✂️❤️
The feet of an impatient teenager rest on a wooden bathroom floor strewn with pieces of hair. We are on borrowed time
June 1, 2025 at 6:58 AM
pennym.bsky.social
Edmonds recipe, obvs
#AnzacDay
24 Anzac biscuits on a cooling rack
April 25, 2025 at 12:22 AM
pennym.bsky.social
Husband has taken a slightly too accurate photo of me with his new phone 📸
Midlife woman sitting on a sofa does a weird thing with her mouth while thinking
April 17, 2025 at 11:40 AM
pennym.bsky.social
Hey whānau, who remembers the "Girls Can Do Anything" advert from the 80s?
This was the poster, but I've been trying to recall the lyrics to the TV ad 💪
#kikorangi
1980s poster from the Employment & Vocational Guidance Service shows women doing various jobs. Large text reads "Girls Can Do Anything"
January 31, 2025 at 4:30 AM
pennym.bsky.social
I have achieved jam, with damsons from the Kaipara and oranges from Waikato - fruits gifted over the past few days. Bloody good, if I do say so 💪😎
#kai
Damson plums in a large saucepan with two oranges on the stovetop A large saucepan of damson plums with cut up oranges and 3 cinnamon quills on top Jam is strewn over a mini cauldron, gravy boat for pouring, ladle, thermometer and various other implements in my kitchen. 11 jars of spiced plum jam lurk in the background. We listen for the happy sound of jar lids popping as they form an airtight seal.
January 13, 2025 at 9:02 AM
pennym.bsky.social
Mōrena to everyone back at work today ⏰☕😎
Two cups of tea - one English Breakfast, one Earl Grey - are brewing on a kitchen bench
January 5, 2025 at 6:40 PM
pennym.bsky.social
NYE snacks: mushroom popcorn... that we grew ourselves!
So good, and almost 100% pop 🕺🎆🥂
Homegrown "mushroom" popcorn (that's the name of the variety) had been popped and is in a melamine bowl with a popcorn background. A Lego sign reads "Meri Kirimete".
December 31, 2024 at 10:44 AM
pennym.bsky.social
Thrilled as ever by the everyday alchemy of turning flour, water and salt (plus my lovely starter Doughy Parton) into bread. A miracle you can eat 🍞
#BreadSky
A loaf of freshly baked sourdough had been turned out of the rectangular tin and is cooling on a wire rack
December 28, 2024 at 11:17 PM
pennym.bsky.social
In related news, eating the first tiramisu I've made. It is v good
A small bowl of tiramisu (with two spoons) is almost finished
December 28, 2024 at 10:43 AM
pennym.bsky.social
Last minute real Christmas tree shoppers of Tāmaki Makaurau!
Nabbed a lovely one for a great price from Apex Pines. They had a few left last night. PlaceMakers car park in Mt Wellington 🎄
#kikorangi
A real Christmas tree is decorated with family ornaments collected over the years. Photographed against a window with blue sky overhead.
December 18, 2024 at 6:41 PM
pennym.bsky.social
Made KFC-ish bean salad according to genuine (?) 1960s recipe. Blanched the onions, used homegrown green beans and a can of 4 bean mix, but it tasted pretty close. Well received by the whānau, leftovers for lunch tomorrow
A recipe for Col Sanders' Bean Salad
December 1, 2024 at 6:29 AM
pennym.bsky.social
Wayhey!
Made @ellyzoe.bsky.social's recipe for bagels and they're just out of the oven. First go at bagels and they've come out great 🕺
(Just made a half quantity = 6)
Six home made bagels are just out of the oven. They are golden brown and sprinkler with poppy seeds.
October 20, 2024 at 7:20 AM
pennym.bsky.social
Ooh, bagels?
Make these oven doughnuts for the kid's birthday a couple of weekends ago
(Did not know #breadsky was a thing - thank you!)
Oven baked doughnuts down in vanilla glaze and sound with 100s and 1000s
October 6, 2024 at 2:37 AM
pennym.bsky.social
Bluesky now has over 10 million users, and I was #214,056!
I was Bluesky user #214,056 - woohoo!
September 17, 2024 at 9:29 AM