Sox kennel finally demolishef

Spring shots

Lola playing with Ed and a sheet. She likes to ride on the sheet and be pulled along.

Bluebells and clivia looking lovely

First begonia flower

Azalea

9th Sept

10th Sept

Cheery trees starting to bloom 14th Sept

Hedges trimmer, kaka beak first blossom

15th August 2013

Today the hedges trimmer came and cut back our shelter trees. Suddenly the paddocks have more light but we have a big mess to clean up

Hedges trimmer cutting the shelter trees

Burning the offcuts. We didn't get the trees done this year so there was a lot to clear away

Mini volcano - no just a small bonfire

Kaka beak in flower

First almond tree blossom of the season

Something Malevolent lives at the bottom of my garden

Something Malevolent lives at the bottom of my garden

I thread my way through the nikau palms and tree ferns forming the boundary and emerge into the interior. Kihikihi crawls over the forest floor and its sword-like sandpaper-covered leaves grab my clothes and impede my progress, it delights in finding a patch of bare skin and drawing droplets of blood. My gumboots squelch into the ooze and release the pungent earthy smell of rotting vegetation. Something scuttles away in the undergrowth in front of me. I catch my breath, my pulse races.
I hear the familiar intermittent flutter of tui flight and look up to see it land in a puriri branch. It eyes me suspiciously. Its beak opens and closes and the white feathers at its throat bob up and down, but it is not for human ears this song, I cannot hear it, yet something listens.
High above in the canopy taraire, kahikatea, karaka, puriri and cabbage trees stretch their arms to the light like a Pentecostal congregation praising the Lord, while those of us on the ground, the kihikihi, ferns, scuttley things and intruding human have to live in a permanent dusk.
A breeze rustles the leaves and they murmur something I can't quite understand. I shiver involuntarily, although it is not cold.
The clear bell like call of the tui penetrates the bush. It launches from its perch and flutters to the garden.
This I hear and understand. It is time to leave. Much later I sat with the spirit and we agreed that a row of clivia plants will mark our boundary. Beyond this line I will not interfere. But he made his trees grow wide and tall and shade even clivia plants so they do not thrive. He wishes me away.

Emmas first Communion

Emma's first communion  1st Sept 2013

Lola snuggled squashed behing cushions  25th August 2013

America's cup revisited

I think I have to change my mind  about the America's Cup.  With Oracle becoming more and more competitive the races are so exciting.  I don't think I have any fingernails left after this  10th race today. We finally won but Oracle won the first race of the day.  The score is still 7 to 1 but Oracle will be winning a few from now on if they stay so competitive. The racing is close and aggressive and can change lead at a drop of a hat.
I do still hope that if we win it we go back to a smaller cheaper boat like the 45's so that it becomes less of a money takes all and more countries can afford to take part.  But these 72's are amazing boats capable of heart stopping moments like when New Zealand almost capsized yesterday. My heart was in my mouth.