Rain Has been Forecast......

We need rain. The sky has clouded over, the air become chill.... I  hope it starts gently and gives us our fill.
Some plants are just beginning their producing lives so I hope they don't get trashed.

 Like these first Iceland Poppies. ( Poppy Wonderland Mix - Kericell Nursery )

 And this first Abraham Darby  - English Rose. ( Matthew's Nursery ) ( Auscot ) 

 I picked it just in case the weight of it broke the branch. It has 10 more buds getting ready . Smells good already.

 While outside I picked these for the beginning of a salad for tonight's dinner. These were all planted by me since we moved here so I am chuffed with that result.

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 This morning we went into the city as I wanted a second opinion on 2 paintings I saw yesterday. The exhibition was on just across the road from our Patchwork and Quilting building in Tauranga.

 R liked both my selections so 2 new art works came home with us. There are still at least 2 other hooks awaiting art in the future.

 After that we went to The Lion's Used Book Sale at the racecourse.

 I got 11 books and 3 for Grandson. R got 14 books.

 A good morning's  work; well leisure actually.

Improving the View.

 Yesterday this happened.

 We parked our vehicles up the driveway.( the truck is on the left behind the tree. ) (one there is Merv's not ours)  so the driveway was clear down in front of the house for the tree removal truck and chipper to get around the back. Luckily it just squeezed around the corner to the back lawn(s).

 Extended Family members own the Arbor Barber Business and were removing a China Doll tree which was obscuring our estuary views and bullying a small peach tree beside it.

 They worked really carefully and did no damage. It wasn't too noisy either. (Not like we were used to when felling gum trees on the orchard ) 

 This is a before View.

Its the big tree on the left that's to be removed.

 After looks like this .

That's Zac up the tree ( not a family member ). Hes a very slight chap and ideal for this type of work.

 The tree gets smaller.

 It didn't do this I assure you. Please turn your head to view.

 He then cut the last trunk sliding down and re gripping till it is just a stump.

 That is probably the first of quite a few trees we will remove to give fruit trees priority.

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 The first flower on my Graham Thomas rose is out. Lovely. The new pink one is only a day or 2 behind and it is going to have lots.

Things I've Planted Now Producing.

 We moved here on the 4th July. I planted these climbing snow peas shortly after that and am now picking the first pods. The garden had good soil here and compost bins full. I am putting in more every now and then.( they are the sort you can eat shell and all. )

 
 The broad beans have tiny beans forming ; they will take a week longer, the first flowers being slow to pollinate .I've seen one bumble bee and many ordinary bees but they like the lavender and cherry blossoms best.

I removed the unsightly frame from around one bed . R had made a very smart strong bird protection frame for my strawberries. All 4 plots here are the same size so it is movable when I want to put strawbs elsewhere another year.

The lids come up in 2 halves - nice and light.

 Grandson will be very pleased. He loves picking and eating strawberries. To have ones own strawberries after the recent sabotage of punnets for sale will be reassuring.

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This pure wool 4ply scrap blanket is now finished. the weight on the needles was getting heavy so a good time to stop.

 We have seen 2 more adult rabbits yesterday and one today. R can only get a shot at them if there is no neighbour's  house behind. Meanwhile I am covering every little plants I plant out. 

 On my next post I will show how I am getting on with newest Grandson's Felt embroidered ball.

Getting the Feel of this Place.

I think the reason it has taken me ages to get to feel as though I belong here is someone else had done all the work. Gradually I can look around and think I did that or changed that or planted that, so maybe I'm / we are taking possession. The weather has warmed up beautifully, that makes me happy. My health has returned to normal along with my energy levels. Yesterday we were out with friends for lunch for R's Birthday and they had the dreaded bug we struggled with for the last few months and they too were feeling awful.( altho on the mend now )

 Here is a photo of ( dead )  rabbit # 6 who was being a digging pest in our garden, especially where there was newly worked soil. I already had wire netting cloches but not enough, so today got some more.  Cover and protect is a necessity.

At the weekend elder Grandson almost 3 and I made and sailed little boats made from saved walnut half shells.We launched them from the jetty and the side of the estuary. Most soon became water logged but we had a happy hour and a half mucking about with boats and sticks and other stuff.

 That photo is on it's side ↺

 ( does anyone know a way to rotate photos once in Blogger? )

 Theses are sideways too. I change them and they don't stay when I up load them here!

 Unique rhododendron coming into flower - there seem to be about 8 all the same one.

 Clivias orange and lemon are doing well. 3 tiny pink and white azaleas next to them don't seem to clash. This shade area is the best part of the garden. The previous owner wasn't into flowers.

 We are glad to say one tatty half dead box hedge has been removed. 18 agapanthus overhanging one grape vine have also gone. It's a start of the many changes and improvements we wish to make with the garden, Inside the house lights have been changed and the sound system finally got going in the lounge.

 R went and bought a hedge trimmer as there are many, mostly photinia red robin, hedges to keep cut.

At the moment they are bright red with Spring growth.

 Sewing = 0

 Knitting = a blanket using left over wool is  almost complete.

 I am on the way with newest Grandson's felt embroidered ball too.

 The table I hope to use for sewing finally arrived last week. So maybe my quilting mojo will return sometime soon.

Bright Quilt.

Yesterday was Patchwork and Quilting day for me with the Tauranga group. In order to get ladies to finish some put aside projects we have a thing we call " Top  5 ". Any one who wants to enters their name in a notebook with a description of the project ( quilt ) they would like to get finished but for whatever reason procrastinate over. We have  a draw of the names every now and then with a small prize. Valerie came with this huge bright quilt which she started over 10 years ago. She had finally finished it. It was magnificent and bigger than King size.  ( the photo shows it lying on a bench but gives an idea of the bright colours.

 On the sunny day during the week I weeded this area around one of the cherry trees. Today I planted some ice land poppies and some snapdragons.. I have covered them with net to try and deter the digging rabbits.

 This morning I added 6 asparagus plants to the little patch here. I also planted an early cucumber and a sweet 100 tomato in the plastic house hoping they will come ready before our main outside plantings.

This lovely cauli I picked and gave to the nice neighbours. There is an even bigger one for us to pick for dinner.

The bees are loving the many lavender bushes.

 Its been a beautiful Spring Day in BOP.

Having a short Break.

We recently had a flight to Wellington.

 The Captain wanted some good photos of the mountains in the middle of the North Island so we also got some good close shots.

This is Mt Ngaruhoe ( the pointy one ) and Mt Tongariro.

 This is Mt Ruapehu - the crater lake is just visible.

  We visited Te papa - this was a colourful display for kids.

 We visited the War memorial Exhibition and went down in the Trenches. Very realistic very smelly. ( Peter Jackson Creations.) No cameras or phones or bags allowed so no photos.

 Staying at our Hotel were  the All Blacks. ( just back from Nelson )  Gosh they are tall when you stand next to them in a lift! 

 We only bought meals and Books! quite a few books.

I've Had My Gumboots on Most of Today.

 I've been strenuously working in the garden then decided to take a break down at the Jetty. The tide was coming in fast.

This trailer was delivered this morning, so having it's first photo shoot.

This is the boundary fence between us and nice neighbours.

From their side the sun makes a swaggy shadow.

 Do notice the sky in these two photos.When R offered me a quick ride back up the hill....you guessed it....I had the first ride in the trailer!

 Glad I did cause it bucketed down.

 First thing this morning this was in the sky.( it has a 2nd very pale one to the right ) 

But then the sun stayed out. I got washing dry...then suddenly navy blue sky.

Earlier we both had been pulling out half dead box hedge. R wants to plant his potatoes behind here.

 He has a heavy grey strap around the trunk of the plant. The Hustler does the work.

 Elsewhere I was carefully digging my ones out.

 The  first lovely cherries are now finished and have new feathery red leaves.  4 more are yet to flower - different  ones.

What's Happening in the New Garden?

Bulbs that came with me in pots are flowering. The rain knocked these freesias with very long stems to the ground. There are other orange plants beginning to flower under the cherry trees. Clivias  like the shade.

 Yesterday I went out during a spell in the rain and planted a new rose called Golden Jubilee. My sister had it in a bucket since the end of last year and bought it up when they came to visit late Monday. It didn't seem the worse for too long in a container so I hope it likes its new place in my new garden.

 The dying box hedge to the right of it is on the list of things to pull out so then it will have more space.

R has had seed potatoes out sprouting ( chitting ) . He is clearing a patch of garden at the end of the vege garden of irises and renga renga lilies. They host slugs and snails and along with agapanthus are not great things to have planted beside edible plants - just asking for trouble. ( we will remove them all given time ) 

 

 Down the steepish  bank where all the fruit trees are growing the first few pink buds are appearing on I think a peach tree and this plum is covered with blossom.

 Right at the bottom of the property near the estuary it can be very wet - especially when the tide is in. This Swamp Cypress is an ideal tree for the conditions. I noticed it is just showing new green leaves . Here from a distance it still looks bare.

(The pear tree is to the right behind it ) 

 In the vege garden that was already here we have lots of side shoots on broccoli and cabbages coming ready. Cauliflowers are showing promise too. We have grapefruit and lemons in abundance.

 Everything I have planted new is doing okay.  ( my snow peas and broad beans are climbing!  )  Rabbits visit the garden daily and so far R has only been able to eliminate one ! 

Knitting.

I have finished knitting a jersey for elder Grandson and a beanie as well.

 Its about the 4th time I have knitted this 4 ply  Jersey pattern and think its a good one by Debbie Bliss.

 Its a really wet day here in BOP so its all inside activities.

 I am now working on an embroidered felt ball for new Grandson.

 I wonder what motifs I will decide to put on it?

A New Family Member.

Finally rid of our nasty bugs we got to visit the Big Smoke yesterday and meet first hand our new Grandson.  He was born last week. A tiny wee brother for Grandson who you have recently seen here on this blog when he was flying a kite.
 This is my favourite photo I took. Son was holding him and  big Grandson was talking to him so he was listening and looking where the voice was coming from. We  are very pleased to have 2 lovely grandsons. 

Many Different Views.

Today it is overcast and misty giving us quite different views from the house.

 This is from the lounge door. 

 On a finer day this pic looks up the valley from the top steps.

The clumps of daffodils are a bright splash of colour 

This lot Molly with the avocado tree behind them.

See it is quite large.  As we know what to do with avos we will prune it into a vase shape to let more light in and reduce the overall height.

I picked some of the first blossom from the flowering Cherry ( Pink Cloud  - 3 of those ). It came out quickly inside in the vase.The trees have a real red tinge and will shortly burst forth.

 You know I like taking photos of mailboxes well this is ours...the one with the red flag up.

( no scruffy boxes allowed obviously ) 

 These of course equate to how many homes are in out small subdivision.

 I got my knitting out yesterday. Hurrah!!. Feels really good to be knitting again. I made rapid progress. Just the sleeves to do now.

 I think my cold is on the way out -seems better today. Having to stay in in the warm so here's hoping.