I am doing my blog in an effort not to fall asleep!
Work is still going well and is busy but the tourists have changed again. All the children are now back at school here after Waitangi Day which was on Wednesday, a big National holiday for the Maori and Kiwis alike so we took it off too. Well, while in Rome and all that! The more mature couples are here now taking advantage of the fact there are more bargains to be had and everything is more easily bookable, if you like throwing yourself off mountains of course.
Last Saturday we did do some bargain shopping and with a 50% voucher from my favourite Garden Centre Nicholls, we bought a Pohutukawa tree, the native Kiwi Christmas tree. It really belongs on the coast and produces this brilliant display of red flowers over Christmas time and beyond, a bargain at £10 so we bought a pot for it as they are not frost hardy. They do grow here on the South Island in the Dunedin area and we may have to bring it inside in the winter if we get too many frosts but we shall see.
It is so beautiful though, a little like the Australian bottle brushes which we used to have in Baring Road in Southbourne and I suppose it is from the same family.
We did put it here in the front but the red of the flowers and peach of the house clashed a bit so we moved it into the corner of this courtyard area instead. We spend most of our time here anyway so at least we can enjoy it.
I did get another euphorbia as they are pretty drought tolerant, all our plants need to be at the mo, one morning of rain in three weeks is going a bit far but we must not grumble as Autumn is only a month away. March/April are my favourite months here anyway, a nice temperature and the colours are lovely. The grass is all a golden colour now and that has a beauty all of its' own too.
Our veggies patch is still thriving, loads of tomatoes and courgettes. I have dug up most of the beetroot now so just planted some more.
Anyway yesterday we got up early, had breakfast in the garden then I made a quick picnic lunch and we headed off to Lake Hawea as we haven't been there in ages - we went via the bathroom shop as we had to order all the stuff for the ensuite.
Hawea was a haven of peace as usual, there was hardly a soul about when we got to the lake. We parked up and head off to the right of the lake as we had not walked over that way before. The beach is full of pebbles which we found a little tough going as we were wearing flip flops so we took the path which still hugged the lake and got as far as the little pond then turned back.
We drove back along the near deserted roads to Wanaka - even they say it is quiet here at the moment and it certainly seemed so. The NZ dollar is doing very well making it very expensive for people to travel just now (we can only get 1.88 to the £ at the moment - eek****)
Anyway on that note, I will say bye-bye for now. TTFN and take care of each other wherever you are. xxxxx