Another sunny Sunday

The sun was shining and so we decided to go on a short road trip down to Lake Waihola and have a stroll on the lakeside. And maybe grab a hot drink before heading home. We headed down the road behind a horse float and I couldn't help smiling as I remembered our daughter in law's astonishment at seeing a "car for horses" the first time she was over from Japan on holiday.

But as we travelled south the clouds started coming in and we thought it wouldn't be very pleasant down at the lakeside. So we decided to take a detour to airport and do some people watching and plane watching instead while we had a drink. The sky was looking a little moody over Mangatua.

 

A new feature at the entrance to the airport was this 'rainbow crossing'. Well it was new since last time I was there early in January. I hope it doesn't become as controversial as the one in one of our larger cities which was painted over by an objector who then ended up being prosecuted for his trouble.

People were only just starting to arrive for their flights so we were able to get a table reasonably close to the windows and where we could see what was coming and going.

One of our national carriers taxiing up the tarmac for takeoff. I prefer this livery to the all black one with the silver fern on it. 

Photo taken through tinted glass.

And some lucky person's private jet parked up. The owner could be in Queenstown as the pilots often need to fly the jets to Dunedin to park them due to lack of space to park in Queenstown for any length of time.

And a statue of our Southern Man is outside the entrance. A tribute to our high country farmers and stockmen. The horse is so realistic I kept expecting it to move while I was taking the photo.

Southern Man plaque. 

Speights is the name of the local beer brewed in Dunedin.

Autumn colours, I couldn't resist taking a photo as we were driving away from the airport. It looks much better in reality and some of the trees are looking decidedly bare but others still have a lot of leaves.

But that's autumn I guess :) 

I hope you've all had a good weekend.

Keep well until next time,

Diana

Some unexpected visits

 It's been a real autumn week weather wise but that didn't stop us from catching up with both our southern great grand boys.

First off was an invitation to have morning tea with Theo and his Mum and Granma at the Village Green. And of course we didn't turn down the opportunity. It was a miserable day but we had all gathered just after 10am. The Village Green is part way between both our suburbs and is at a sports ground - so no searching for a carpark. Yay! And the first thing we saw as we went through the doors into the restaurant was a roaring fire.

We put our orders in, my GKB and I had cheese rolls for breakfast, and were directed to a reserved table by the window. Youngest daughter, also known as Granma, works here so the boss came over and sat with us for a few minutes and had cuddles with Theo. Orders arrived and we spent a very pleasant hour or so chatting together.

Later in the day I called around to a local rest home and visited with a friend. She has no family here and so there is a little group of us who visit and do her personal shopping for her. You can see the state of the weather in this photo but it was nice and warm inside.

Then the next day I had a message from eldest daughter, can Arlo and I come out and visit this afternoon? Of course we said yes. That was another wet and miserable day but a little better than the one before. My GKB set up the construction set before they got here, he always likes to play with it and it takes a bit of putting together and he can get the Lego and a few other games out himself. Guess what he decided to play this time? Chess! None of us play chess but we have a set so at some time one of the kids must have played. I think it was our son.

He taught himself how to set the board up, and we had a lot of fun playing 'Arlo's rules', but we have told him that there are other rules and he will need to learn them if he wants to play with other people. He is 4, turns 5 next month and will be away to school. Where has that time gone? He is the eldest of the great grandkids and Theo is the youngest at 6 weeks. 

Today the sun is shining and it has been nice and warm. We went for a drive to Outram for an ice cream and I went for a stroll up the street afterwards. As you can see, a beautiful blue sky day.

That's it for today, until next time

 be kind to yourself :)

Diana

A slow week

It's been a slow week.

My little mother has gone home and it is 

a bit strange not having her in the house.

Our son and DIL have also been offered a flat 

and will be moving into it in the next couple of weeks.

We shall be empty nesters once more.

Tete a tete - miniature daffodils

My GKB and I decided to drive to Outram one day

 to see if the cherry blossom was out yet. It wasn't 

so we opted for an ice cream instead. While we were 

eating it I spotted the spring bulbs on sale 

and decided to buy a pot for DIL to take to her new home.

They are getting past their best now but will be lovely

 in a pot next season.

Chopped and ready to freeze

I was rostered on this week to do a meat dish for our church outreach and as the man in charge was to be away he asked me to do a big pot of potatoes as well. That was fine but what he failed to do was let the lady know who usually cooks the veges and she had done a big dish of roast potatoes. Oh well. For some reason our numbers were down so we decided not to use my spuds and I brought them home. I'll freeze them and turn them into a potato/vegetable bake dish for next week. AND I shall remember to tell everyone, lol.

I finally found a Jan Karon book and must say I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I found it a bit hard to get into as looking at the cover I imagined Mitford was an English village and couldn't work out why the author was using American words and expressions. Thank goodness for the internet, I looked up Jan Karon's books and discovered these ones are set in the Blue Ridge Mountains, phew. You don't realise how much easier it is to read something when you have it all in context rather than a wrong world view of it. I found it very hard to put this book down :)

Enjoy your week

Diana

Lunch in Outram

It was a beautiful spring day and as life has been a tad busy lately we decided to head over to Outram for a bite of lunch. It seems everyone else had the same idea but we managed to get a little table outside and dined al fresco.

That's my GKB sitting under the hanging basket on the left.

I had a cinnamon roll and cup of tea which was served in a lovely Queen Anne rose patterned china teacup. Lovely. It's nice to get your tea served in one of these dainty cups when you're out.

One of the reasons we decided on Outram was that we wanted to get some photos of the blossoms and daffodils. And although it is country it's only 10 minutes drive from home.

The pink and white blossom is really beautiful and we could hear the tuis calling to each other as they fed. I have more photos and will put some up next week if I get the chance. 

We had parked in the gateway to a farm road and it is absolutely beautiful. Either side of the driveway is absolutely smothered in daffodils. More photos of those as well for next week, so I guess this post is a bit of a tease.

And finally on the other side of the road were the paddocks with the ewes and lambs. Sure signs that spring is here.

I hope you have enjoyed my springtime photos.

***************

Thank you for your concern for my little mother.

She has had a bad year and for someone who is not used to being ill and is very independent she has not coped well. On Monday she had her annual checkup with the heart specialist and on Friday she goes in for tests to ascertain what to do next. She is much happier now she knows something is being done. 

joining:
Five on Friday
Friday foto friends
Teacup Tuesday

A snow day - sort of

Today my GKB and I spent the morning in town at appointments and on the drive home he said to me, "Oh well, it looks like we're not going to get any snow, I think it's well and truly finished". He sounded so disappointed! Being a good wife I suggested if it wasn't going to snow on us then we could take a drive up the track and find some. After all we're retired now and can do this sort of spontaneous stuff. We drove on in silence for a time and he said "Shall we go straight up now and have lunch when we get back then?" What? I was in high heeled boots and not enough layers if we did find some. And it was lunch time! So we went home, which was in the right direction anyway, and had lunch and coffee and then we drove inland on a snow hunt.

This is what it looked like through the windscreen of the car. You are quite right that is not snow although it was trying to happen in the middle of the picture. That is Mount Maungatua in the centre shrouded in cloud. But we were not heading there, just passing by.

Up on the tops it looked like this, snowing in the distance and a little on the edge of the road but nothing to write home about. We could see it happening but couldn't get near it. Yesterday all this was covered in the white stuff according to the news.

These sheep were standing around in it up to their knees and it was falling all around them, but not today! Mind you the wind was blowing a freezing gale and I don't know whether I would have got out in it anyway. Oh yes I would, I'd have wanted at least one picture to prove we'd gone looking. 

This old wagon was at the side of the road by the Clarkes Junction pub, and no we didn't go in for any liquid refreshment, maybe in the summer. It has nothing to do with snow hunting, I just thought it was quite picturesque so took a snap. This is where we turned the car around and started to head home. And it was about here that my GKB said "Hmm, the fuel light has just come on." Pardon? We're out driving in the hills, looking for snow and you didn't check the fuel gauge? But once again, being a nice wifey, I bit my tongue and said not a thing until much farther down the road where I "hoped we'd get back to Outram then". We did, just. 

On the way back there was still a little bit of snow on the ground at the entrance to Traquair Station and it looked quite pretty so I did take a couple of photo's. The page header was taken here as well.

This is the start of the drive into the station and beyond the trees is a beautiful big garden and the homestead. A beautiful home. And you look out onto the rolling hills of the station. It's quite a sight to see. But the snow was all behind the fences and not really enough to do anything with anyway. We did pass one snowman but even he was a bit lopsided and starting to melt. 

After refuelling at Outram we headed home again, for more hot coffee and a biscuit. It was a good relaxing way to spend the afternoon even if it wasn't very fruitful.

Until next time, 

Diana

Mardi-gras, Outram style

Last Friday I went with my GKB to the mardi-gras.

No, not the big one held each year in New Orleans.

This was just the name given by a local school

 to its annual fundraiser. We'd never been before so

 were looking forward to it.

It was a beautiful warm and sunny evening 

and hundreds of people turned out to enjoy it.

We weren't sure whether there was to be a parade or not, 

we never saw one, but there were lots of little fairies  

and pirates wandering around along with other storybook characters. Mostly the junior school littlies.

There was a fairy grotto and a pirate booth, horse rides for the kids and lots of stalls with very cheap 'stuff' to tempt 

the rest of us to part with our money. We succumbed.

Lots of food stalls with prices ranging from $2-00 to $8-00 depending on what you wanted to eat. 

We bought a nice tea for both of us along with a hot coffee 

and sat and listened to a jazz trio (what else at mardi-gras?)

while we ate it, one of four or five bands playing 

during the course of the evening.

Of course with it being a (nearly) country school there were all sorts of farm animals there...including this wee lass. 

Or perhaps I should say, this big girl. I think her name was Bess.

As you can see she had a pretty full udder and the farmer was letting people have a go at milking her. She was so patient.

Most of us didn't have a clue as to what we were doing.

I say we, because I had a try.

 I thought why not, here's your chance to do something you've always wondered about. 

So this is a picture of me, trying to milk a cow. It's not as easy as you might think and I probably managed to squirt about 1/2 teaspoon into the jug. As I said she was so patient, with kids of all ages and sizes having a go. Every now and then the farmer milked her properly, just to relieve her I imagine.

He made it look so easy!

Next year we will probably go back, 

it was a very pleasant way to fill in a warm autumn evening.

Well that's it for another few days.

Stay well till next time.

Diana

A country town

Today was a sweltering 27 degrees C out here on the plain.

Far too hot to just sit around at home.

"Let's head out to Outram for an ice cream" says I.

Outram is just 10 minutes drive west, 

and they have great ice creams,

 so away we went. 

Windows down and the breeze blowing through the car.

Once we arrived we decided to have 

a stroll around and see what was happening. 

These two shops were closed, much to my disappointment, 

the one at the top had some nice pieces in the window.

It's a craft shop, the others are second hand shops.

 All of them only open at the weekend.

These two cafes were open and doing a good trade

especially as it was a week day. 

But of course it is the school holidays.

Outram gets a lot of weekend visitors

 who go out for the cafes and craft type shops. 

And ice creams. 

It probably helps that the river passes by the entrance 

to the town and has good bathing and easy access.

Of course no small town would be complete

 without the local watering hole and a church.

And houses for people to live in. 

The house below is a converted church,

it looks really beautiful and tranquil.

And this is what you gaze at if you are sitting out

the back of one of the little cafes, 

it is so peaceful and restoring.

Now I want to show you some real 'country style'.

Don't ya just love it? 

I hope you've enjoyed strolling around Outram with us.

Have a good week,

Diana