Blimey where did the last three years go.  So much has changed, so much has happened.  You can see some of what I have been up to over here  cauliflower.co.nz.

Visitors

 Down our drive today came trotting two chickens and then two bunnies.  After chasing them home four times just for them to escape again, and shouting over the fence "Rodger your rabbit escaped again".  I just gave up.  Maybe it will be a couple of sheep and a kangaroo tomorrow.

Mackerel Skies and Stormy Skies

 Mackerel skies a promise of a change in weather.  Rain on the way.

 Stormy skies with a bigger promise of much needed rain. 

Dry dry dry garden

 It has been so long with out rain the grass in my garden is almost non existant. Just baked hard earth really.

 There are a few flowers that are still surviving the dry heat.  

 Down at the creek in the shade is still green, but the water is just lying there hardly moving at all.

 And looking really, really murky not its usual crystal clear self.

 I had a good scolding from this little fantail while I was down there.  It was swooping around my head and tweeting its head off.

 The plant that is enjoying the conditions best is the leucadendron, it is positively thriving in the heat.

 This is the view from our bedroom window this weekend, from the bach we were staying in.  Coulter and Coulter were off on the road at the Martinbourgh fair, and I left it to late to book accommodation.  So we ended up in Featherston.  The only house I could find in the whole of the Wairarapa.

 The batch was fantastic, really clean and tidy and relaxing.  Below is the room my son stayed in.

 Fetherston has always been just another town that we have driven through on the way to or from Wellington.  So it was good to get the chance to walk around and explore.  At first it seemed like a really run down town.

 But with some fantastic typical Kiwi buildings.  I so love this type of iconic Railway hotel building.

 I could have spent all day photographing old windows with peeling paint.

 And as for Pizza, almost for a moment Callum was thinking mmmm yum Pizza.  

Then we looked closer through the window and I don't think anyone has been in there for a very, very long time.

So it was great to see that there are some great new cafes and cool shops setting up there.  If you have not stopped in Featherston yet, you should do, it won't take long.

Moth

Beautiful moth that sat on my workroom window all day.

Fire Lily

 My fire lily is flowering its little heart out at the moment and I love it.  I think even more than daisies.  The one very strange thing about fire lilies is they have six stamens and six petals.  I am sure I read somewhere that plants only liked odd numbers. As in five or seven petals.  Tomorrow I will have to look closer around the garden, to see if that is true for other plants.  That is if they have not all died in this very, very dry summer.

First Daisy of 2013

 Here it is the first daisy of 2013.  The last few months of 2012 where so busy with no time to sit and watch the daisies.  I hope that 2013 is a little less frantic.

A little time

 I think a few weeks ago I said I would have more time for blogging.  Hmmm, not quite how it worked out.  But I did get about 20 mins last weekend to take a few pictures and here they are.

 I spent a few days down at Pukeora estate selling my Coulter and Coulter cushions and stuff.  Inside this building there was the most fantastic array of craft stalls in a maze of corridors.  The outside however has that wonderful peeling paint look.  I could not resist taking some snaps.  The views out over the Tukituki river are amazing also.

First Week

 Last week was my first week working for myself again.  Its great to have a little time to do the little things again.  Like hanging out the window, just taking pictures of my garden in the rain.

 Picking lots and lots of limes straight from the tree.  I love lime juice.

And best of all time to trawl around op shops to find lots and lots of bargains.  I came home with armloads of goodies today all for $11 total.  

Drip, drip, drip

Picture says it all really rain, rain and more rain.  Sorry for neglecting my blog lately.  Soon I should be back to posting more often.  See you then.

Today in my winter garden..........

 In my Winter garden today there are still roses blooming against blue skies and daisies turning their heads up to the sun

 Thank goodness for the Queen's birthday long weekend, giving me an extra day to get out and enjoy the sunshine.

 And do a bit of well needed gardening.  Vege beds cleared ready to get spring plants in soon.  Just seven borders to weed and the wild place to strim.  Oh well roll on next long weekend.

Super Moon

 My snaps of the super moon, a little hazy in cloudy sky.

Today's visitor

 I think that Peter can be forgiven for thinking that there was a bit of stick stuck on the back of his chair.

From Art Deco to Art Demo

Napier is known as an Art Deco city. Each year there are Art Deco inspired events,  Art Deco tours and Art Deco costume shops.  There are even everyday Art Deco inspired clothing shops.  I had to laugh when I saw this sign on a very large demolition site.

Sea, flames, bread, sausages and marshmallows

 What better to do on a sunny Autumn afternoon than to head down to the beach for great views.

And fires made my real men.  Well they gathered the fuel for the fire, and a log to sit on.

Sausages cooking.

Bread cooking.

And no pictures of Marshmallows cooking because I was too busy eating them.