Late Blooms in Summer

Late this afternoon, I looked for the last of the  summer flowers, and found this, the  one bulb given to me by a very dear friend  in Rotorua. Thank you Hec, this is so  much treasured. No flowers last year, I thought it was lost. Suddenly, one stem, with many flowers to yet open.

Brunsvigia jospehinae, flowering in full sun and in a very hot dry summer, Perfect conditions this year, the flowers are not open yet, but this is one stunning bulb.

Courtesy of the internet, the photo below shows one in full bloom. This can have from 20 to 40 cerise-red trumpets about 3 inches long. Last time mine bloomed, there were 32!!!

I might be home in time to see the last bloom.

Further round was one Amaryllis, or Naked Lady.

 

The wagons are packed, I am all packed too, travel tomorrow will be long, about 5 hours, the last part is  on a rough metal road.

Thank you all for words of encouragement, good wishes, and more. I will do my very best to enjoy the 3 room tent, the long drop toilet, a gas fired shower, and know for sure there will be  some very restful days, in a quiet bush area in the  Central North Island.

Cats, Home and Garden will be well taken care of while we are away, our lovely lady, and another couple will be here in residence!!!

3 weeks will soon fly by, and  I will have lots of news to catch up on when I get internet connection again.

Quotation of the day, from Oscar Wilde

“ Keep love in your heart.

A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead”

Greetings from Jean

Garden Produce, Packing and Bees Galore

 

The summer garden continues to supply us with so many vegetables, beans, courgettes, and when you glance away for a day  or so, they are marrows, blackberries from thorn less plants, beans, tomatoes,silver beet, carrots,lettuce,cauliflower, broccoli,parsley, chives and spring onions, The chillies are very late, I hope they ripen before cold mornings arrive.

Yellow  Submarine tomatoes and large courgettes. One day’s growth.

The Bottlebrush shrub has been over-run with bees, both the drones, and bumblebees. The big ones are almost drunk, after filling on the nectar. the other day about 6 were lying on the concrete below, rolling over in a stupor, unable to fly away.

The Bernina has been busy with merino fabric, neck warmers, hats, long johns and long pants. Fleece pants, and hats lined with merino, I know, I know,  I KNOW, our days are hot here, about 27C to 30C lately, but at Piropiro Flats, it will be cold in the early mornings, a few weeks ago it was 4C at 9 a.m. So I am a very good “boy scout” and will be prepared. Thick merino socks, thinner ones for the ordinary shoes, over trousers of oilskin, and the Gore-Tex raincoat with hood, all ready to be packed tomorrow.

I am not advertising any particular brand, but because I have small feet, have great difficulty finding boots specially that fit. Both the Merrell and Salomon are 7.5 US size, YES, tiny feet,  so when I see a pair in my size, the message is “ buy now”. The Youngstown gloves have had lots of hard use, and still keep my hands so warm, leather on the palms, fleece lined, Velcro straps to close up tightly, I have heard that they are so good when cleaning out a frosty deep freeze that has a build up of ice in large quantities!!! As well as when outside  in –10 Celsius, and snow depth of 12 inches!!

Yes, I will be packing some clothes for the hot midday hours, but it is always better to go with the gear you might need.  Over one and a half hours to the nearest shops!!! So no quick trip out to buy what you left at home. Books are packed, knitting sorted, some hand work with stitcheries, baking done, tomorrow we load up.

Quotation  of the day, author unknown,

“ When things go wrong, keep your hat on,

that way you cannot  pull your hair out”

Greetings from Jean

Photo Competition, not even a Runner-Up

 

The Listener Photo Essay Competition results are online today, the winner is a professional photographer, Billie Win, who graduated from  The Photo  School at Raumati Beach.  You can see her website at

 http://billiebrookphotography.co.nz

The runner up was Anna Jacobs, her story was about her grandmother who lost her home in the Christchurch earthquake in February 2011,This was done with sensitivity and a beautiful close-up of her dearest grandmother’s face.

This is an abridged form of my entry, with  photos not the same as entered,  as I understand these now  belong to the NZ Listener .

Entry photos had no title attached to them.

Some of the other entries can be seen at NZ Listener Photo Essay Gallery.

Summer’s work, Winter’s Comfort.

 

I  was  happy with my entry, it took time, serious thought, careful selection and some editing, ( it was suggested not to do much post-processing)  , it has been  a good lesson in what judges are looking for,  and I hope if they run the competition next year, to enter again.

Quotation of the day, author unknown,

“ Do not limit your challenges, but challenge your limits, Achievement is born from  your dreams, your desire, and your vision”

Greetings from Jean

Kereru and Lamb’s Ears

 

This morning a New Zealand Pigeon, or Kereru, flew round and stopped at the top of a Cabbage Tree , Cordyline A ustralis  I’m sure, to eat some of the white berries.  He /she then moved to another tall tree close by.These birds  were once  one of the the major dispersers of the  Cabbage Tree seeds. He posed, not facing me,  but side on, showing off beautiful plumage.

 

 

On the other side of the garden, early morning dew settled on the leaves of the Lamb’s Ears plants. Stachys Byzantina, drought tolerant and “ deer-resistant”, I wonder if rabbits like them as, although he was too fast for me to get a photo, Bugs Bunny was in another part of the garden, eating the few leaves left from some lupin plants.

Quotation of the day, author unknown,

“ Words and feathers are easily scattered,

but not so easily gathered up”

Greetings from Jean

Valentine’s Day in New Zealand

 

February 14th 2013.

A special day  for  so many, as they celebrate love, happiness, past and future, and lots more.Enjoy the day, if it is today, hope you had a wonderful day, if it was yesterday.

The peony  is known as the flower of riches and honour. They embody romance and prosperity, and are regarded as an omen of good fortune and a happy marriage.

Red roses may be traditional, but very costly on the day,

One bouquet, 24 red roses, nicely arranged, NZ $ 350.00

I  am very happy to have my own  peony photos with special memories to accompany them.

 

 

Quotation of the day  from Kahlil Gibran, abridged.

“ Yesterday is but today’s memory and tomorrow is today’s dream”

Greetings from Jean

Temporary Tent Accommodation

 

The first time we camped at Piropiro Flats, Hugh left the medium sized tent at home!!!Not a good start to 10 days holiday. We managed but life was fraught with a struggle to fit in the small area at night, trying to keep mosquitoes out, trying to get dressed while still kneeling on the floor, and falling over guy ropes.The little orange tent might well be finding another home later this year. The blue tent is for a shower, privacy, keeping out of the cold wind, and tall, so I could stand up to get dressed!!

Last year we took a slightly larger tent, not really high, but OK, We had a cyclone, cold mornings, freezing fog, and met some lovely people there.This was when the wind and rain started.  White and purple, better than orange.

 

This year we have the  LUXURY model, 3 rooms, all full standing height, separate bedroom, with mosquito netting on doors and windows.!!! Red and grey, we had a trial run and put it up on the back lawn. Very tempting for an afternoon snooze!!!

This is the centre room, storage area to the left, bedroom to the right.

 

this is where I will lay my tired body at night, self inflating mattress, wool under blanket, fleece on top in case of those cold mornings.Cosy and comfortable!!!

This is the  Maramataha Suspension Bridge, 141 m long, one of the longest  in New Zealand, and made for access in the Pureora Forest Park, as part of the Cycle  Trail. Hugh wanted to see the finished construction, as when we were there last year, the supports were being cemented into place. I might watch from the side.

Quotation of the day, author  unknown

“  A tent is not a good place to have an argument,  have you ever tried to walk out and slam the flap shut!!!”

Greetings from Jean

Trees, Garden Mulch, and a Night Sky

 

My competition entry has been sent, photos selected, so now I can post some of the others here.

I am  almost at the “ Full Glass” level, thankful for each day with improvement. A  parody on those words from Lady Macbeth

“ Out, damned virus, Out I say”.

The tree felling was a big event, and the split firewood very reassuring for our winter fires .

Night sky last night, no pink/red, but that deep blue turning to darker grey.

This mulch has all been spread onto one garden area, let the weeds defy its powers of suppression!!!

Winter’s warmth, drying out in the sunshine.

 

The rope  is in place , Baz had to climb this tree first,a real feat in itself.

 

Here he is starting to limb another tree. all difficult with branches at awkward angles.

This huge tree stump had the runny sap dripping off the edge.it was golden, and sticky and  had the wonderful pine tree smell.

 

Quotation of the day from Peace  Pilgrim

“ Keep your feet on the ground and your thoughts at lofty heights”

Greetings from Jean