CONTINUING THE CHRONICLES: September 2013

I have to steal Kent's quote from his blog.... it was PERFECT for mine these days!

'WARNING: IF YOU BORE EASILY - CLOSE THIS WINDOW. THERE ARE NO OVERSEAS TRIPS, SWEET RIDES OR FUNNY STORIES. JUST LIFE.'

And yes, it's been gardening, gardening, gardening... so take his advice and close this window if this sounds like you!! Next month might sweeten up a little!

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Met Lesley, Michelle (one month off new arrival!)

and wee Peter for lunch.

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Back in August 2011

Kent bought me two beautiful Royal Albert

trios for my birthday from an antique shop.

One month later, 'the' earthquake struck

and they were both broken.

Finally, we found two on Trade-Me and Mike replaced them!

I am VERY pleased!

Meet....

Royal Albert Lavender Rose!

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We mixed new white pebbles with the old grey ones on our front paths.

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Miners Lettuce

has sprung up everywhere in the pond area.

Stan pointed it out, or I would have thought it was a weed!

Rich in Vitamin C

Likes damp shady places

Delicious tasting in salads

Eat it all: stalks, leaves, flowers.

It is great foragers food as grows everywhere and anywhere it can!

NUTRITIONAL VALUE :
The nutritional composition of miner's-lettuce has been determined to be
37.1 percent protein, 42.5 percent total carbohydrate, and 12.4 percent
crude fiber. The calcium:phosphorus ratio is 0.66:1.0 [37].

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HUGE winds all over the South Island recently.

Many places lost power for more than a week...

even just an hour away from us.

We awoke to twigs everywhere!

And our wee home-made shed overturned.

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Skim folks, skim this bit...

the spring flowers.

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Unpacking its bags for Spring

Don't forget me!

Grape hyacinths

Magnolia and Camelia

Astra Maria (Thanks Nell!)

Yellow daisies

Periwinkle (growing beautifully wild in the creek area)

Pass!

and in passing....

Day lilies

"And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils. "

William Wordsworth

Chiving

Polys

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Brooke and Corey - Perth - came and stayed a couple of days

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Deeanne and Brieanna came to stay.

They brought these amazing tulips.

Chook Manor

sells chooks down the road.

We went and talked about buying some new ones.

Chook Paradise indeed!

Chook mansions for sale.
Better than our old house!!!

Brieanna

(Paul), Marianne and Desiree popped in for a cuppa.

We went over to Akaroa

Hilltop

Glasses Jewellery!

Came across Heath's old car at Barrys Bay!

He and the owner had a catch-up.

Note on the women's restroom mirror!

Too scared to linger!!!

In actual fact, these are weeds.

Heath has someone to play pool with!

Attacking the Vege garden section this afternoon.

This is a 'before' picture.

(So, watch the spot!)

The cutest birds nest hidden in the flax's.

Do birds come back to last years nest?

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Because we have the best log fire, we use it lots... so we ordered our third load for the winter...

this time half a truck

(double our normal order).

The wood forced an issue.

We had nowhere to store it.

Mike and Heath set to, and built a woodshed out of various pieces of wood and corregated iron all around the place.

Follow the progress to the finished result.

Pass quickly, or you will find yourself bored!

And finally!

Only a bit in so far, but now it is full!!

Come on over and enjoy a warm fire and some hot date scones sometime!

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Yeah, so I was inside one quiet winters day and happenstance to look out the window...

almost freaked...

actually, DID freak...

saw this HUGE black PIG eating its way up our driveway!

Ended up chasing it out with a broom and closing the gate!

The joys of country living!

Couldn't get up the steps!

Phew!

But then a week later, back he (she) came!

This time Heath was home.

He got the leaf blower out and chased her...

She ran and ran... the noise of the blower and the air shooting at her.

Why didn't I think of that!

By now, we had found out where she lived

and which fence she kept escaping through,

so we leaf-blowered her back home!

(A good hike down the road!)

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For my (56th) birthday

Mike and Heath got me (us) a garden archway.

When you come to visit, you will enter through it!

It was assembled in the lounge...

(as you do)

and put in its new place the next day!

I am SO in love with the Japonica

Another wee gorgeous birthday gift

(Thank you, Rebecca!)

(LOVE the fact she gave me one of her own aged pots as part of the gift!)

Some flowers (etc) from Rosemary and David (and Una)

and the tiny white shelf
(Thanks Rose!!)

Thanks Una for the gorgeous soap!

And Rosemary pruned our rose bushes as a Birthday gift!

Showing me what to do!

Then Ollie Kate took me to the
Lincoln Tea House for afternoon tea!

Playing ladies is the BEST!

Thank you SO MUCH, Ollie!

and I stole Ollies photo for my blog too!

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Not to mention all the other beautiful gifts!
Thank you so much everyone, for your wonderful thoughtfulness and generosity.

Tracey... Marilyn... Dad.... Rosalie.... Ivy..... Marianne...

and more!

It almost made it worth turning

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Ivy and I went to Sweethearts at Berryfield's for a treat!

It was finger lickin' good!

Meringue special for me

and Pecan Pie for Ivy!

We popped in on Hilary and Les

and these gorgeous luds were there!

Elliot and Oliver kindly obliged for the camera!

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Went to Stedfast Brass annual concert

from my seat
waiting to begin

Chris brought Katie and Barry, and Gary

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Visited Collets one day.

Loved the hat Mary knitted for him! SO cute!!

Dennis not so well now. Has the dialysis machine at home.

Mary picked me a root of flowering current to take home and plant!
The smell is gorgeous!

She has made her own "raised garden green house" from windscreens and a covering!!

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Back home...

our Magnolia is in full bloom - breathtaking...

Heath playing a spot of pool at our local pub down the road... our Saturday night supper of light repast ..

Enjoying our usual Saturday lunch... date scones... in the sun on the decking...

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The Cheskins Peach Orchard (over the road from us) is in flower.

Literally every day, cars upon cars stop and take photos as it is such a magnificent sight.

Merle and Lew had a couple of days in Chch
It was her birthday...
we went to The Colombo

and ate up nicely!

Lew wanted it all!

Amazing creations

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Interesting and surprising details

Canterbury
Average summer temps 20.8
(How embarrassing!)

Average winter temps 11.4
(Nowhere near as bad as what I thought!)

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Then it was Ollie Kates birthday!

Friday night the Clan went to Tutto Bene

When the noise gets too loud
or the conversation runs out
or he has nothing else to do
or...

he has kindle!

Hey there!

Jeremy and Heath

Steve and Mike

Love the progressive conversation

Lil sis wrote a card- poem to commemorate the birthday!

Ahhhhhh... it was the BESTEST night EVER!!!!

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Stan and Jono came out for Saturday lunch and afternoon and tea!

We worked!!!

Heath and Jono did the whole house guttering

We took about 6 photos of Heath throwing the muck down into the barrow... and this is the only one with it.
See the teeny weeny black stuff falling?

Afternoon tea time!
Stan did SO much. Pruned back the grape vine and countless other jobs that we had NO idea
what and how to do them!
Thank you Stan!!