Beating the blues...

This winter has been a tad cold for me,

 I'm not a native to the south.

Where I grew up it was wet in winter 

but a lot warmer than it is here.

After 40 plus years you'd think I'd be used to it, but no.

Taramakau river, West Coast, New Zealand

And I have to admit that occasionally 

I have a felt a little down in the dumps this winter.

We haven't had one this cold for several years.

And that is when I want to up sticks, 

cross the ditch, and join my sisters in Queensland...

...where I can sit in the carport 

and have a long leisurely breakfast.

my Good Kiwi Bloke

Or meet up with our nephew 

and have lunch in the gardens.

my GKB, moi, nephew and sis

Or go bush (a link to our bush visit post) 

with my niece 

and her family for a day or two.

the dining room :)

Or maybe meet up with my other sis 

and spend a day at the beach.

my GKB, sis, me

Or take a day trip to Eungella National Park 

with ex pat friends...

...and gaze in wonder at the strange creatures 

running around the bush.

Or watch glorious sunsets at the end of the day, 

which is very early in northern Queensland.

Or just plain play silly buggers with the toy dog.

Or even all of the above.

And now I have got that off my chest I feel much better.

And summer is coming, yeeha!

joining in with:
roses of inspiration

Thanks for listening to me 

(if you're still with me).

If you're not I understand :)

Have a nice day and we'll

meet up again next week.

Diana

Moeraki

When we head north for a break we occasionally

 take a coffee break at the tearooms at Moeraki.

There is a small township here,

very small, more of a village really.

Sitting out on the deck you look out over the Pacific Ocean.

Looking to your right is the beach around to Moeraki,

a small fishing village with a small commercial fleet.

And looking over to the left is Koekohe beach

 and the reason people come and visit.

The Moeraki boulders, which are scattered along the seafront

 are natural formations that come up from 

the ground or out of those cliffs on the left.

 

Although they don't look very large here some of them are very big.

Some are splitting and you can climb inside them,

 and try them for size if you are so inclined :)

The picture above will give you a bit of  perspective,  I'm 5ft 6in.

And below is one of the older boulders that is just beginning to split.

If you're interested in reading about the boulders

you can go here for a link which also tells 

the Maori legend connected with them.

Needless to say, if you visit the cafe you will be able to buy 

a very nice meal, snack and drinks, hot or cold,

that's after a visit to the gift shop of course :)

joining in with:

WATW  (Wednesday around the world)

Roses of Inspiration

Well I hope you enjoyed 

our visit to the beach.

Until next time keep well,

Diana.

Coming up roses

I have been really busy the past week

so tonight I am doing a lazy post.

Short but sweet :)

I want to join Martha's teacup party 

and here is a cup which used to belong to my little mother

but now belongs to my grandson.

He will treasure it.

It really is quite beautiful I think.

It is a Royal Albert, Old English Rose.

I have seen another  version of it 

but personally I like this one.

I think it was part of a wedding gift teaset

and this is all that is left. 

My little mother is doing well after her op 

and back to normal. Maybe just a little tired. 

Thanks for asking.

joining in with Martha at:
Martha's favoutites
roses of inspiration

A grey day or two...

This week my little mother had to be at in the hospital 

for a minor outpatients op at 7:30am.

I could pick her up at 9:30am and take her home again.

My GKB came in with us, we thought we could wander the shops while we waited.

But here's nothing much open that early,

so we went down to the hospital coffee shop 

and had a cuppa while we people watched.

There's a choice of two places and we picked this one.

Very nice it is too. At the other one we had to balance on high stools

 and it was just too early in the morning for that, haha.

Then it was away to wander the shops!

Little mother had to go back this morning by 8am for a checkup.

But it snowed over night. 

Not that a lot fell here but quite a bit fell on the hill suburbs

and we had to get over two of the hills to get to the hospital.

So we rang and and said we'd be late and went in when it was daylight.

8am is in the dark, well 7:30 is when we would have been leaving.

I had hoped to go into The Octagon in the centre of town while we were there 

and get a photo of the Tardis which has landed and

 cleverly disguised it self as a police phone box.

But it was not to be, it was straight there and straight back

 because we didn't want to get stuck in town.

More snow is forecast over the next couple of days, 

so we are just going to hunker down and stay warm,

when we don't have to be out and about ;)

And for those of you who wondered about the Tardis,

it was advertising for the Gang Show by local Scouts.

And that's it from me. 
Enjoy your week, 
see you next time, 
Diana