Grow your blog

I am joining Vicki at 2 bags full for her Grow your blog party.
Below is just a little information about me and my blog.
I hope you will enjoy what you read and
maybe even join me as I go along.

I started this blog because I needed a hobby 

and as my niece had started blogging I thought I could too. 

Initially I intended to keep track of my walking

 but the blog just took off in it's own direction 

with an occasional nod to the walking.

I write about whatever is happening in my life at any given time,
which could cover anything from family to church activities...

...holidays to books I might be reading,
and even sometimes my walks.

And all sorts of stuff in between.
I usually post photos taken by me
 or one of my  family members.

This is me with Tabitha the donkey.

No, she doesn't belong to us.

We do have a large ginger cat though.

Have a lovely day,

Diana

Walking and strolling

We have been very good with our walking and strolling, my GKB and I.

Sometimes we stroll along the Silverstream and have views like this to look at.

This was along the 'left bank'. 

When you get to the end of our street and go onto the floodbank 

you can turn either left or right. 

One side is flanked by the Silverstream and farmland and in the case of the 'left bank', 

it is farmland on both sides.

If you turn right it is private dwellings on one side, 

most of them have lovely gardens to admire, 

and the Silverstream and farms on the other.

It is a shared space, 

cyclists, joggers, walkers and dogs with their humans.

It's never boring.

We met a dog with her man a couple of days ago,

she takes him out at 1:30pm every day

 regardless of the weather, so he said.

I meant to get a picture of them but got so busy talking I forgot.

Oh well..

Sometimes, like today, we head for a park. 

I wanted to go to the library before we head up to the caravan 

so we took a walk around the gardens at the adjacent park.

They are dressed in their mid summer frocks at the moment

and are rather pretty.

House sparrow.
 I believe he is a male, as the males wear a bib on their chest.

We had a bit of a sit before we headed home again

and this little fellow came looking for crumbs.

He had a few mates with him but I'm afraid we disappointed them all

 because we hadn't really thought about feeding the birds.

Maybe next time we'll be better prepared!

We are off to the caravan in a couple of days,

so until we get back look after yourselves.

Have a good week everyone,

Diana 

We have a date!

Way back in July 2010 I started this blog with the intention of it keeping me accountable for when I trained (haha) for when my sister and I decided to 'do' the rail trail. The blog has gone it's own way, with the occassional nod to my walking and other exercise. And often lack of it :)

But we now have a date!

March 2016.

And we have a mode of transport.

Feet!

We will walk it - hopefully it will take us no more than four days, 

maybe three with luck and a good wind.

We have enlisted my GKB to drive a camper van 

which we'll sleep in at night and he can go fishing during the day, if he wants. 

And as he is a fisherman I don't think he'll have any problem with that.
So now I  need to go walking in earnest.

My GKB has to go walking three times a week 

so I am going out with him but it is more of a stroll than a walk.

.His legs get too painful if he goes too hard at it.

So far we have strolled along the beach once or twice

and earlier this week we went to the lake on a beautiful day

 and walked around the lakeside for a bit.

We've also strolled down the floodbank at the Silverstream. 

My GKB gave up after about 10 minutes, he hasn't learnt to pace himself yet.

 So I took off by myself for a brisk walk to the end of the section we were on.

 On one side was an extremely low Silverstream and on the other the playing fields.

It has been very hot and sunny for the last month but today

 the temperatures dropped and so I went out by myself.

I walked away from town and headed down to a crossroads where I usually turn back 

but today I decided to go a little further, straight ahead.

I've driven down here and knew there were some old homesteads

as well as some new modern homes but have never walked down before.

The picture above is Islington, one of the old homes,
and below is the entrance to Chelmsford, one of the new residences.
You can see the end of the garages through the gate.

Anyway, all that is to say, we finally have a plan and now I need to knuckle down.

Strolling three times a week with my GKB and three times out by myself.

I'll give myself a day off on Sundays.

That should do it - as long as I keep it up!

Have a good week,

Diana

Sharing with:

Roses of inspiration

...so why isn't it March yet?

The Christmas tree is down and packed away and everything is beginning to return to normal. 

So why isn't it March yet? It feels like it should be.

 So much has happened this past two weeks I can't believe it is only a fortnight since Christmas.

What on earth is she on about? you may well be asking yourself. 

Well here's a wee look into my past two weeks.... 

at the beach

As you know before Christmas  I was involved

in the church 's Christmas outreach to the community

 and it was a lot of fun. 

Then it was straight into preparations for Christmas day

 as everyone was gathering at our place.

Eldest Grandson arrived on Christmas Eve and we went

 to the evening church service with his sister and my little mother.

One of the ladies there wanted to get a photo of us all together., 

so here it is below.

Caitlin, Andrew, me , little mother

We had a lovely time over Christmas, the weather behaved and the kids,

 big and little,  played outside in the sun. 

We all ate too much and drank just enough and generally had a convivial time.

Christmas puddings

Two days after Christmas my grandson and his partner departed

and I was rushing around getting beds changed and remade 

for my Aunty and her daughter who were arriving to stay the following day.

You see, just two days before Christmas my little mother's sister had died

and we now had a funeral to look forward to. 

This leaves just three sisters out of a family of six siblings.

So as well as getting ready for Christmas 

I was also trying to find another aunty in Australia 

who was in the middle of shifting cities. 

Well not literally, she was the one moving, not the cities.

Old phone disconnected, new one not yet on. 

But when you've got Facebook it's amazing what you can do.

Mission accomplished eventually, thank goodness for technology.

my little mother and her little sister - a bit blurred, sorry

The funeral was a nice gathering of extended family

with a group of cousins all round about the same age. 

So nice in fact that it was decided that maybe we should have a family reunion - 

and because I was the oldest cousin there I could organise it. 

I'm letting that sit for a while and will check back after things have settled down a bit. 

Am I up to it, I think so but with help, otherwise forget it.

a group of cousins

While Aunty was here we went shopping for a 'grandmother of the groom' outfit,

and found a pretty one for her, then after a couple of days they went away back home.

And New year hadn't arrived yet and I have to admit 

I was in bed by about 9:30pm New Years Eve.

No seeing the clock strike midnight for me.

In the meantime my sister had also arrived  

from Australia for a few weeks holiday with our little mother.

She likes a busy holiday, doing stuff

so we went to beach a couple of times with her 

and I went shopping when she bought presents to take back for her grandchildren.

And that is just my side of the family.

Aramoana beach

A nephew and his wife on my GKB's side were also down from the North Island on holiday

and wanted to catch up, so off we went for an afternoon at the Botanic Gardens.

We really did enjoy our day out with them and the kids, 

and my GKB's sister and her husband. 

A fun time all around.

fun riding the train at the gardens

It really has been a busy time and I haven't even mentioned

 that in amongst all that we have also fitted in two hospital appointments.

Which is probably the reason I was sitting in an empty coffee bar 

a couple of days ago looking a bit like a stunned mullet.

So with all that has been happening my question is,

 "Why isn't it March yet?"

Blessings to one and all,

Diana

joining in with:

roses of inspiration #2

New Years Day 2015

My sister is over from Aussie for a holiday so today we took our little Mother down

 to the beach because she enjoys walking on the beach and we hadn't been for quite a while. 

Mum, sis, daughter

There was a bit of a stiff breeze blowing but the temperatures were pretty good. 

On the way we picked up my daughter who is on holiday 

until Monday and at home by herself. 

We all had a great time, just strolling and enjoying the day.

And some of us played 'silly beggars'.

No they didn't really slide down there but I'm betting 

my grandsons and their father would love to have a go.

And what better way to finish off the day than with ice creams all around.

Happy New Year to you all. 
May 2015 bring you all you could wish for.
Blessings,
Diana

linking up with:
roses of inspiration #1
wake up Wednesday

Te Harinui - glad tidings of great joy

Christmas greetings from my home to yours.

As you open your Christmas gifts pause for a moment to remember 

why we celebrate at this time of the year. 

'For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son

so that anyone who believes in him shall not perish 

but have eternal life'.

Two hundred years ago on December 25th, 

Samuel Marsden preached the first sermon on new Zealand soil 

to the Maori people and the pakeha (europeans)

 who were in Oihi Bay at the time. 

Today we commemorate that momentous event

 as we celebrate the birth of our saviour.

Let me finish with a well loved New Zealand carol

written in 1957 by Willow Macky.

Te Harinui 

Not on a snowy night  By star or candlelight  Nor by an angel band  There came to our dear land Te Harinui  Te Harinui  Te Hari-nu-i  Glad tid-ings of great joy But on a summer day  Within a quiet bay  The Maori people heard  The great and glorious word The people gathered round  Upon the grassy ground  And heard the preacher say  I bring to you this day Now in this blessed land  United heart and hand  We praise the glorious birth  And sing to all the earth

I wish you all a wonderful Christmas

and all you hope for during 2015.

Merry Christmas,

Diana

Walk through Christmas

This year at church we are having a 'Walk through Christmas' rather than a production. It is open to anyone who wants to come and we have it on for three days altogether. A couple of us have been working on the concept for about 4 months and about halfway through a team joined us to do do sewing, baking, painting and building. It's been so satisfying and a lot of fun.

So let me walk you through Christmas.

Mary is visited by an angel who tells her she will give birth to God's son. 

We made a cut out figure so little, or big, girls could have their photo taken if they wanted. 

Nine months later Mary and Joseph are making their way to Bethlehem 

to take part in the census decreed by Caesar Augustus. 

Mary is said to be riding on a donkey.

We were able to have a donkey for the children, and adults, to interact with.

They were able to feed her with carrots or apples 

and some of the boys had a go at brushing her down.

Everyone loved her. She was so quiet and gentle.

It was a long three day journey to Bethlehem.

As they approached Bethlehem Mary was due to give birth but there was no room left anywhere for them to stay. They found accommodation in a stable and Mary gave birth and wrapped her baby in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger.

Angels also appeared to shepherds who were tending their flocks in the fields

 and told them of the birth of a saviour. 

" Unto you is born today in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord". Luke Ch. 2 verse 10. 

The shepherds decided to go and find the baby and when they had found him in the stable with his parents they worshipped him and went out and told the rest of the community.

The sheep were a collaboration between the Sunday school kids 

and some of the adults. 

The kids drew, copied and painted them and the adults cut them out.

Meanwhile there were three wise men, (kings, astronomers),

who were travelling from the East in search of the child. 

They called on King Herod to ask directions, saying

"Where is He that is born King of the Jews?

 For we have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him".

 Matthew Ch. 2 verse 2.

Herod was rather worried about this as he was King but he told them to go 

and find this new king and to come and tell him when they found him. 

Herod planned to kill the baby but the wise men were warned by God 

in a dream and after visiting the stable and presenting their gifts they returned home by a different route.

**********

There is a film clip depicting the shepherds and also a chance

 for the kids to ice and decorate some star biscuits

 before they follow the star trail into Bethlehem. 

Mums and Dads get Christmas cake or truffles to nibble on 

while they are waiting for the kids to finish creating.

When they arrive at the stable everyone who wants to can dress up 

and have their photo taken in the stable with the baby.

Those who have been through so far seem to have enjoyed themselves.

**********

I hope you enjoy what is left of the lead up to Christmas.

On Friday I am heading back into town with my girls 

and leaving my GKB behind. I have shopping to finish

and when I told him I the area I intended to cover

he decided to give it a miss. Coward, haha.

Diana