Flowers from my Garden

A few of the flowers from my spring garden.

Hawkes Bay A and P Show 2007

Yesterday was a local holiday and Hawkes Bay A & P Show. Usually we go on the Thursday, which is busy enough for us. This year we decided to go on the Friday and it was just too crowded and too busy. Still got to see some cool animals. I would like to take home one or two of the alpacas above to mow my lawn.

And my youngest and I would like a few chickens to lay us some eggs. We have even entered a raffle to win a hen and two black bantams, not sure if my fingers are crossed or not as if we win we will have to purchase a home for them if we win. Although my youngest says they will be OK in his bedroom!

As much as I love the A & P show. I really hate fun fairs, the smell, the crowds, the noise and the cost. Yuk. But kids love them, so you have to do the stand around and watch them thing. I could not get out of that area of the show fast enough. Could not even bring myself to take a pic to show you.

Mum's New Vase

Mum came home the other day to find this lovely new vase on her windowsill!

Yesterday's Daisies

Last year this bank was covered in pine trees, which were chopped down. Now it is covered in Daisies. Stunning.

Foxgloves

Clive Square gardens again, Foxgloves this time.

Saturday's Daisies

Some daisies from Clive Square again. Peter and I managed to escape on Saturday morning to have a little wonder around Napier.

Tokaanu Geothermal Pools

The last pics from our weekend away. On the Sunday morning before we left the whole village was shrouded in steam rising from the hot pools. There was bubbling and boiling noises everywhere.

Ruapehu

Some more pictures from our skiing weekend. The first is looking down into the Happy Valley area, not enough snow for skiing, but great for sledgeing.

The second pic is looking up to one of the ski runs. It is called the Rock Garden run. You can see why.

Fish

All over the Taupo area are these fish next to drains. I think it is a really cool idea, and I think they look so cute (for a fish).

Today's Daisies

Today's Daisies were meant to be for Peter in hospital, but instead of being there for four days, he was discharged before the flowers reached him. He was obviously just too healthy to be in hospital. The daisies have had to chase him round Hawkes Bay until they reached him at home. Shame they did not get to him this morning before he left.

Prawns

Next door to the jet boat place at Hukka Falls is the Prawn Farm. Thought it sounded a bit corny so did not consider it as a fun place to visit. Then my youngest spotted people fishing for prawns and thought he should have a go. Unfortunatly to get to go fishing you have to do the whole tour. So Peter and my youngest did the tour and I went to the shops with my middle child. When we got back they had finished the tour and managed to catch a prawn. You then carry the prawn into the restaurant in the little bucket and they cook it for you!





I was quite impressed with the whole set up, the restaurant was quite good too. A very good day out for all.

Huka Falls

The water flooding out of lake Taupo only exits via one river, the Waikato. At one point the Waikato has to go through this narrow gorge. Millions of gallons of water flowing over the Huka Falls each second. A really spectacular sight to see. We viewed it from a jet boat on the river. Not an experience that I would like to repeat, but good fun to try once.

Peter's hand

Just had to leave my hubby behind in hospital. He fell of his bike this morning on the way to work. For some reason he landed on the fingers of his left hand. Nothing else was damaged, or scraped, or bruised. Just a couple of fingers squished. At first we thought he just needed stitches. Then it became clear that he would need surgery. The bone in the top of his finger is totally pulverised. So that's where he is right now, at least he has a window bed with a reasonable view.

And if you want to see the pic of his fingers just let me know. He insisted I took one. Infact he even txted a snap to his work collegues, they did not recieve it. So some poor soul is wondering why they have a snap of a yukky finger.

The Old Post Office Tokaanu

This weekend we stayed at the Old Post Office, in Tokaanu, again. These images try to capture some of the character of the place. If you want to stay in a true Kiwi batch and see a slice of New Zealand's history, then I would totally recommend staying here. There are the minimum of mod cons, so if you need pristine and shiny surroundings this is not for you. But I loved it.

If anyone knows what the two strange chairs are can they please leave a comment and let me know. They seem to be a cross between a chair, a set of steps and a very low ironing table!

Tokaanu Views

We have been back to Tokaanu again this weekend. Here are some views from around the village.

Be prepared there are a lot more pics from this weekend to come over the next few days.

Cheers

Last Wednesday night I had a brill night out with a couple of friends. Thanks Keriann and Katherine for cheering me up (it had been a very, very stressful week). The bottle above is a bottle of Katherine's own wine, from the grapes that grow in the field around their practice in the Nappa valley. Think I will keep it to have at either Christmas or New Year. Thanks Katherine.

Congratulations Mum and Dad

Congratulations Mum and Dad on your Golden Wedding anniversary on 5th October.

Catquakes

Where I work, in my sewing room, is under a loft bed. Last Monday I thought we were having a lot of earthquakes. Every hour or so the desk would wobble, and my computer screens would shake a bit too. I kept checking the NZ geo website to see if there were any quakes registered, there were none. It took me till Wednesday to figure out it was the cat, on the top of the loft bed, scratching. Not sure if this can be classed as either a senior moment, a blonde moment, or a stressed out Mummy moment. Think it is probably the latter.

Just because

I loved the colour of the sun on this tree against the dark stormy sky behind.

Today's Daisies

Today's daisies in a meadow, well actually our lawn. The lawn guy has not appeared for a while.

Red Tulips

Some red tulips in the right place, they look so much better than the one that appeared in among the purple ones.

The Bull on the Hill

A back and front view of the Bull on the Hill, I passed on my morning walk. Every time I see it the Beatles track "Fool on the Hill" goes through my head.