Rain, Power Outages and Devaluation.

Well it is just as well we worked like idiots all weekend as it has rained ever since. Not hard all the time, some just drizzle but it has kept us from working under the kiwifruit.
 See the raindrops on my lovely yellow Asiatic lily. A bright spot out the window on a very dull, cool day.
 Plenty else to do like making shortbread.

 I make the pattern on the top with a used plastic bullet rack, seen on the right here when it was uncooked.

 Just as well I cooked that yesterday and made scones this morning cause just before 1pm our power went off for several hours.( as it did over most, but not all, of the North Island. )

Unfortunately no power narrows the options of what to do. Jane I ended up cutting out and hand sewing some little felt Christmas tree brooches for my Great nieces. ( Will show in the next post )

*I forgot to say the cauliflower was delicious as were the first courgettes that I made into fritters and at last I picked the first handful of tiny yellow pear tomatoes. They have been really slow ripening ( or maybe I'm impatient...hope the bigger red will be ready soon.) 

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Yesterday we got in the post our 3 yearly Notice of Rate Valuation.( from the Western Bay District Council. ) Perhaps more interesting than the drastic drop in capital value of our property was the accompanying letter of explanation.

The average drop in land value in the WBOP  is 22.2 %.

They say it is a national trend and is mainly because of the world global financial crisis, as well as the outbreak of Psa in the kiwfruit.

 All types of land use have been greatly devalued. Horticulture 37.5% ; Dairy 35.2 %; Pastoral 32.7 % ; Forestry 13.9 % and rural lifestyle 12.6%.

It then said it doesn't mean your rates will be any less.

 It's a strange world we live in. The dairy farms are doing really well, the unaffected kiwifruit land is producing just as before and the forestry blocks are supposed to be just what the world's atmosphere needs ( carbon credits )

 Unless one is buying or selling ( and we are not at the moment ), nothing has really changed except what a piece of paper says.

 How are your pre Christmas chores coming along ladies?  - some of you I note are doing really well!