Season's Greetings to You All.

In the subdivision / Community where we now live we have a lovely NZ Christmas tree  on a small round about which is flowering at just the right time.

 Zealand Pohutukawa tree.( or Christmas Tree ) 

 Every time we go out in the car we go around this tree to get to the  gate way , then main road. I also walk there quite often .

 Last evening we had friends in for dinner and that was very pleasant. ( tomorrow is our 51st Wedding Anniversary, so a wee celebration of that.  And a belated house warming.) 

Later tonight 2 grandsons and their parents arrive so things will get busy around here.
  I am currently working on the very last Hexagon/ motif  on littler Grandson's felt embroidered ball so that's good. At 4.5 months old he will probably enjoy the wrapping paper better anyway.
 We have a lovely Christmas tree in the lounge as yet without decorations, as 3 year old grandson and his parents can help me with that.

 Wishing All My Blog Readers a Very Happy time over the Christmas Season.

Some Bright Things.

Some of the things I have planted in the new garden are rewarding us with bright displays. This dahlia Holly Houston being the biggest show off.
 The Golden Wedding Rose my sister gave me ( that spent the first 6 months in a bucket at her place till she could safely get it to us ) sat for a while became acclimatised then grew. These are its first 3 flowers. It has only a mild scent.

Looking out from inside, this corner garden is doing well. I pulled out the box hedging along its front so I could grow some flowers.

 I  started a herb garden along the back wall within easy access of the kitchen even if it is raining. So far there are 2 mint ,1 parsley, 2 sage, a rosemary and a thyme.  Some basil seeds I planted in the gaps are just through.

 Sorry this is sideways.

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 The felt ball has gained  2 more motifs.

 Just 3 to go now.

 Over the weekend I planted 2 new blueberry plants. A variety I haven't had before - very large berries, called Oneal. This morning R has been making me a bird proof cage around them with an opening part so I can pick the expected crop if they thrive.

 The house is filled with the scent of Christmas lilies. They all fell over in the wind so I have been picking them. It can become a bit heady, but along with the smell of fruit mince pies cooking it suits me.

It's a Wet Blustery Day Today.

Rain and wind going side ways some of the time. Shower after shower. Most outside activities around Tauranga cancelled. We have both only ventured outside once. R to empty the compost bucket, me to pick courgettes and silver beet and to check out the height of the tide down at the jetty.

             The sky pretty much tells the story.

 The 2 metre tide is touching the side boards ( bottom ) along the jetty. The highest I've seen.

 I'm not sure we left our fire heap ( on the left ) far enough away from the bank.

 The firewood is the trunk of the liquid amber that toppled in a storm 3 ( or 4 )  weeks ago. I hope it doesn't float away.

 Back inside I have been making Banana Bread to put in the freezer for when Grandson is here. R has been making marmalade from frozen pulp we had in the freezer from back at the orchard. ( the new owners have pulled out the orange trees to plant 2 more avocados.....silly move as the avo spray will get on the kiwifruit! ) ( the oranges were spray free ) 

 We will be able to make different varieties from the fruit trees here. ( grapefruit ; orange and  Lime ) 

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The felt ball for younger Grandson now has a dolphin and a kite.

 4 more motifs to add ,so getting there.

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The only rose in this garden when we came here was this one. 2 bushes side by side, quite shaded but producing lots of lovely blooms. It has a slight perfume only slight and I don't know what it is called. The buds appear white with a lime green tinge but it has an underlying yellow hue. when open.

 Any ideas what rose it might be? It was lovely in a big vase. ...lasted well.

 If you live near me I hope you are staying warm and dry and finding inside activities. Not difficult at this time of the year.