Cool nights and sunny days.

The nights have been cold, sometimes dropping to -5C or below and it usually means we have lovely sunny, if chilly, days. But it's usually lunch time before the sun is coming  through our sitting room windows and we can turn the heat pump off.

It hasn't stopped the jonquils from putting on a beautiful, cheery display along the front of the house though.

The afternoons are fairly warm(ish) up to 12C sometimes and one afternoon last week I went out to a very enjoyable Aglow meeting. The board had gone to the trouble of creating some small vignettes around the room relating to the theme of the afternoon.

We finished off with afternoon tea before we headed home again. It was cooling down again by then.

 You'll have to forgive me for going on about the weather. I don't like the cold. Daughter in law Sofi, says down south everyone talks about the weather - in Auckland everyone talks about the traffic. I'm down south 😄

But in just over a week we're heading to Auckland, where I won't talk about the traffic because I won't be driving in it, and then we're heading to Mackay in north Queensland. Looking forward to some warmer weather in both places.

I'll leave you there.

Keep well and keep warm.

Until next time, 

Diana

Spring is coming

"What is this?" youngest daughter wanted to know. 

"I've never seen one before."

Someone suggested an onion flower!

She sent a closeup so we could all see it properly.

Of course it's a snow drop, but she'd never seen one fully open or with the green spots.

That started everyone posting photos of  their spring flowers.

Jonquils on my kitchen windowsill, blown over by the wind

 so I rescued them.

A collage of eldest daughters spring garden,

and some close ups.

Eldest daughter has inherited my grandmothers green thumb,

 I haven't :)

She always has a nice display whatever the season.

So although the weather hasn't quite settled down yet and the sun is shining at the moment and we've been told it could be a wet and windy weekend, the promise of spring has arrived.

 

Randomness

I haven't been up to posting for a few weeks as my Little Mother hasn't been at all well and I have been seeing to her needs.  

I have been looking in on you though and catching up on what you are all doing but I'm sorry I haven't had the energy to comment. 

It's relaxing just to read sometimes.

But I was looking through my photos and found some 

I've taken over the last few weeks that I could use to take part

 in Five on Friday with Amy and her lovely friends.

So number one: A shot taken one day while I was walking along the Silverstream. That is a cabbage tree (cordyline australis) on the bank. It is over the back fence from where a friend of mine used to live. The cabbage tree was given to her and her husband as a gift but she didn't think it went with her garden so she planted it on the floodbank instead. This way we all get to enjoy it. A lot of people think they are ugly but I like them. They are New Zealand natives and native birds find their berries very tasty.

Number two:  Do you remember a few months ago I told you that my friend's cat had departed to where all cats eventually go? Well shortly afterwards  she was offered this little lady. She is a real character and a lot of fun. She loves playing in the box and is a real blessing to my friend who missed her ginger boy dearly. But the thing that really struck us was that her lovely ginger boy was already named Leo when he arrived on the scene and when this little lady came along she was already named Cleo! I'd say it was meant to be, wouldn't you?

Number three: The Children's Marathon challenge. Out walking around the town one day I was passed by these kids out on a run. I see in the paper that a lot of the schools in the area are taking part in a  marathon of sorts. For the past 6 weeks they have been running around courses at the schools until they have clocked up almost  40 k's.  The final section of the run is then done at Logan Park on a running track and when it is over a ballot is taken to see who gets the donated prizes of sports shoes. A good prize for the lucky ones, only 10 to give out I believe.

Number four: My reading challenge books for a couple of months. I'd had the Joyce  Meyer one, Look Good, Feel Great, for quite a long time and had read a couple of chapters but no further. So I decided now was a good time to finish it. Easy reading, common sense stuff, but something to give you a prod into taking a little bit of action as well. That was the August read completed. :) 

The September book is going to remain unread I'm afraid. Too cynical, hard, and brittle for me. Nothing relaxing about it or even, for me, entertaining. So after persevering for six chapters I've given it the heave and shall probably be putting it in a bin for a book sale instead. What was it? The Best Awful by Carrie Fisher. 

Someone else may enjoy it.

And finally to Number five: These beautiful daffodils are growing at the boundry fence between our house and the neighbour's. They are the only true daffys I have and so I am reluctant to pick them. But the bonus is that I can see them from my kitchen window and can enjoy them anyway. They are a real promise of better days to come. We have had a few stormy days, snow and hail lately so it is lovely to see this splash of colour along with the jonquils all along the front of my house. See the header picture for a look at a small section of them.

The First of September

Below are some photos I took around town today, 

it was cold and grey and the colour was just starting

 to show on some of the trees and bushes 

while on others the branches were still bare and bereft of any life.

Almost as if we were still in the throes of winter.

The poem I've put with them sums up

 the beginning of spring in New Zealand,

where I live, as well as Australia, which it mentions.

The jonquils have been putting on a great show for most of the winter

but the daffodils are the first ones I have seen this season.

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

The morning it is breaking cloudy and gray

It does seem another cool late Winter's day

But the birds in the Parkland they whistle and sing

Believe it or not 'tis the first day of Spring

The first day of September the day of the year

When to Australia in the Southern Hemisphere

The Spring she arrives for her three months stay

With much warmer weather just a few weeks away

The Spring has arrived with her wildflowers and green

And her beauty in gardens and parks to be seen

Spring she arrives and she brings with her new life

And in parks and gardens Nature's beauty is rife

For the first day of September a cool chill in the breeze

But the birds chirp and whistle on the bushes and trees. 

The First Of September 

Francis Duggan

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

Joining in with Stephanie at: 

roses of inspiration

I hope you are enjoying your week 

whatever the season.

Until next week,

Diana

A Daybook entry...

Not a lot has been happening this week, it's just been one of those ho hum weeks. 

Not that I want a lot of drama, ho hum is good occasionally.

So this week I thought I might join in with 

The Simple Woman's Daybook.

So let's get going.

For Today - 30th June, 2015

 Outside my window... the sun has just set, it is dark and cloudy
 with a tinge of red across the top of the hills
and a cool breeze is blowing. The street lights are on.

I am thinking... it's time I went out to the kitchen
and dried the tea dishes and put them away in the cupboards.

I am thankful... my house is warm, dry and mostly weather proof.
I'm pleased we got the insulation in before the cold of this winter arrived.

I am wearing... blue jeans, blue long sleeved tee shirt,
 bright red socks and white sneakers.

I am creating... I'm not creating anything as such
but I am trying to put together a jigsaw belonging to my daughter.
It is a snow scene and apart from sunlight on a misty mountain
 it is shades of blue, white and grey.

 I think it will take me the rest of the winter!

I am going... to take a break and make a hot ginger drink.

I am wondering... whether writing this piece on Tuesday evening
 is okay because even though it is Monday in the US
it is Tuesday evening in my neck of the woods?

I am reading... Unafraid by Francine Rivers. 
I have only just begun it and so far am enjoying it.
It is one of five novellas telling the story of five women from the bible.
This one is about Mary the mother of Jesus.
I have already read one of the others and found it quite intriguing
 even though it was a fictional account based on the bible telling of the story.

I am hoping... the next few days stay nice and sunny
and we have a little bit of warmth in the sun.
And that the wind stops blowing up from the Antarctic. Please.

I am learning... to live a contented life post retirement :)

In my garden...The jonquils are through the ground
 and beginning to make a bright show along the front of the house.

Otherwise it is in its dormant state as it is winter 'down under'.

In my kitchen... I have a bench covered in feijoas ready to bag up
 and take down to the church for whoever wants them.
I'm the only one here who eats them and
there are far too many for me. All windfalls.

A favourite quote for today... a hand up is better than a handout.
I have no idea who said it originally but I think it is a good philosophy.

A peek into one of my days... What did I do today?
It was sunny skies and a good wind so the beds were
changed and washing all hung on the line to dry.
I picked up my friend and we went around to my mother's
 house for lunch and to watch a devotional video with her.
Then everyone piled into the car and away we headed to do the weekly grocery shop.
Back to my friends for a hot cuppa, dropped Mum off
with her shopping and then home again by about 4.00pm.
Cooked tea and cleaned up, husband is away out, I'm bathed and relaxing.
All is well.

One of my favourite things... a lovely hot bath on a cold winter's evening.

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

I'm also joining Stephanie over at 

The Enchanting Rose for her weekly gathering:

Roses of Inspiration

That's it for this week folks.

Keep well 'til we meet again.

Diana