Views from Home and Away, 2012

The year has been busy, exciting, happy challenging sad, frightening and more. I have so many new friends, new hopes for 2013, and new challenges ahead. These are some of my photos from this year, not favourites, or the best photo of the month, but ones that had a special meaning, or were taken at a special place.

January
Rangitoto Island, in the Hauraki Gulf, taken from St Heliers Beach. The dull grey morning, before the funeral of Hugh’s friend Ken Croskery. Clouds cleared, rain sped away, we gathered, tears fell,we  talked, met old friends, and remembered  times together ,tinged with sadness,  some laughter, and happiness for his life and friendship with us and so many others. Unforgettable, irreplaceable .Fond memories, Ken.

February

Hugh and I stayed at a friend’s A Frame bach, high in the hills in the Central North Island. A haven of peace, quiet, and nature’s beauty.

March

We had a holiday at Piropiro Flats, and some mornings were cold and foggy. This was the beginning of a photography challenge, with a new Canon 550D .

April

Evening sky at our home, Nature has beautiful colours.

May

Morning sky at Rotorua, during my wonderful days there with the family

 
June

An old tree trunk toppled over in a storm, how many years was it standing tall and proud on the skyline?.

July

Morning mist at our place, looking to the West

August

The Otaki River, taken while trying to balance on the huge stones, too uneven to try and use a tripod. Slow shutter speed practice. 

September

Wedding photos taken in our garden, one of the men quipped …” Do we we look girly enough?” The photo is cropped as I needed to ask permission before I posted the original.

October

 The last tulip, after heavy rain.
 

November

Tutaenui Stream on our boundary,The colours seemed to be like a watercolour from one of the Great Artists.
 
December

Early morning,December 25th, a moment to reflect
 

Quotation for the year, from Ralph Waldo Emerson,

 

“ To the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own beauty, and in the same field, it beholds,every hour, a picture which was never seen before, and which shall never be seen again”

 

New Year Greetings to all from Jean

Morning Views, Christmas Day, 2012

 

The sky greeted me very  early,  with   beautiful colours that  suggested another fine,hot day. Shadows  played on  the trees and lawn as the sun started to show .

One brave Gladioli has deep purple petals, with almost lime green foliage.

I wish to you all…

Safe travels, fine weather, laughter, happiness,  good health, and days to share with family or friends.

 

 

Quotation for Christmas Day 2012, author unknown

“ May the spirit of Christmas bring you Peace,

the Gladness of Christmas give you Hope,

the warmth of Christmas grant you Love”

Merry Christmas from Jean

Christmas Greetings

 

I send to all my wonderful friends, those here in New Zealand and  in  many other countries, overseas,   the Best Wishes for a Joyous Christmas, Peace, Happiness, and  Good Health We might not know each other by meeting on the street, having a phone call, or travelling together, but our friendship  is so strong.

These last few months have shown me the true and so very real value of friends here in Blogger, you have all been so caring, and supportive with comments and emails, sending love, wishes for Hugh to improve, and messages for me too. I thank you so much.

Hugh is well, he has  recovered from Cardiac Surgery ,and is looking forward to next year with maybe a new challenge, or two or more.His List is impressive!!!

My  “Bucket List” was short, for 2013, I hope to begin a “ Diploma in Digital Photography” and finish the many started projects , but it must surely include one most important item"

“ Travel overseas and meet all my friends”

Take care, enjoy some time to  rest, reflect, join in celebrations, and  begin  the New Year with happiness in your heart.

Some photos from our home, our trips around New Zealand, and sunrise to sunset.

Quotation of the day, for Christmas 2012 from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“ I heard the bells on Christmas Day their old, familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet the words repeat of peace on earth, good-will to men”

Greetings to all from Jean

A Small Boy, A Huge Smile

 

New Zealand teenage girls and young ladies  in  the years to come,  watch out for the young lad with dark hair, big brown eyes and a lovely charming way. He stole my heart, what about yours??

Rodrigo is in NZ with his Mum and Dad,Dad has a new position here, and the little lad is so friendly, comes to a TOTAL stranger so easily.

His Mum’s blog is on my list, check it out for lovely goodies, ( I hope the Etsy shop opens again next  year ) photos from abroad, and some NZ scenes too.

http://saidosdaconcha.blogspot.co.nz

 

 

  

We hope  we can be  NZ friends for the little boy, ( and Mum and Dad) and see him walk, talk and grow up here in NZ.

Life continues to be busy here, Hugh is well, but we know that life has changed, for both of us, and are aware of limitations, future surgery, and the “ Bucket List”, that  is always on his mind. The tick off starts next year with a re-visit to Piropiro to continue a photo shoot of the cycle track , starting  with the  longest and highest suspension bridge in NZ which was under construction last March, and as I understand, is finished.

He can take the photos and test the bridge, I will watch.

Quotation of the day, author unknown

“ If you love someone, put their name in a circle,

for a heart can be broken, but a circle never ends”

Greetings from Jean

Busy days, maybe should be “Busy in a Daze”

 

The days pass in a blur these last few weeks, with little time for photos or the blog. Hugh, the garden, (housework when I fit it in), in no particular order, or maybe in that very order!!!

Hugh is well, and we are, have been, and will  continue to be so very thankful for the expert medical care  he received. Each Sunday evening we line up all the bottles and packets and arrange the Monday to Sunday medication for another week.Thank goodness for those pill organisers, for want of a better or correct name. There are slots for A.M. and P.M. and it makes for a foolproof system, if you forget, they are there for someone/ME, to see and give a gentle reminder. Each one is necessary,  the one to stop clots around the stent is necessary for 12 months, Wait till next November, “ Hip,Hip,Hooray” will be the shout from the man.

And many thanks for emails, comments and caring messages and thoughts.They have meant so much, and thanks seem hardly enough to say how important the words have been.

However the garden, specially the vegetable part, is thriving. we have planted almost all the veges from seed, and I am quite/ pretty much/ very proud of what I have achieved. The small glass house has had a water blast, windows mended,trays scrubbed, and seeds planted.

Dwarf Golden Beans

 

Potatoes are in a new plot this year, and are thriving.I hope that under the ground, they are as productive as on top.

Beetroot and carrots, almost ready for thinning.

Yellow Submarine Tomatoes,small golden shaped pear shaped, and tasty. 

Snapdragons, and the Bumblebees manage to open the flower and burrow inside. Not as easy as getting inside a foxglove.

 

This beautiful flower is a Iris Sibirica, and the flowers are on stems at least 30 inches tall. They are in a shady part of the garden, and shine in the dim light.

We have one Mother duck and her babies in the Tutaenui Stream, right on our boundary. She ushered them into the bank where they were almost hidden from above. I could see their little feet paddling as they tried so hard to keep up with her when she went further downstream.

Quotation of the day, from Tennessee Williams

“Time is the longest distance between two places”

Greetings from Jean