Friday, 30 December 2011

The Colour Purple 2



Any ideas what might have made the holes in these leaves? Man, bird or beast?

Thursday, 29 December 2011

Wednesday, 28 December 2011

Tuesday, 27 December 2011

Three Colours: White


One of my granny's favourites...

Monday, 26 December 2011

Three Colours: Red

Over the next few days, I'll be posting some pictures that I took around our adopted neighbourhood just before we moved back home so that you can share some of the kiwi Christmas colour.

When I was growing up, the only bit of Christmas colour came from holly berries or a potted poinsettia - or our jolly decorations inside. But here, not only is the sun blazing for the festive season, so are the gardens, looking their best after the spring rains. Agapanthus and lilies grow like weeds and hyrdangea bushes are glorious. But I'm going to have to rely on Margaret to name this red flower for me...

Sunday, 25 December 2011

Saturday, 24 December 2011

Friday, 23 December 2011

Thursday, 22 December 2011

Wednesday, 21 December 2011

Tuesday, 20 December 2011

Monday, 19 December 2011

Sunday, 18 December 2011

Saturday, 17 December 2011

Friday, 16 December 2011

Thursday, 15 December 2011

Wednesday, 14 December 2011

Tuesday, 13 December 2011

Monday, 12 December 2011

Sunday, 11 December 2011

Yellow Boat

Saturday, 10 December 2011

Friday, 9 December 2011

Thursday, 8 December 2011

Wednesday, 7 December 2011

Cow Parsley

Tuesday, 6 December 2011

Kingfisher

Monday, 5 December 2011

Dead Dog Bay 4

Sunday, 4 December 2011

Dead Dog Bay 3

Saturday, 3 December 2011

Dead Dog Bay 2

Friday, 2 December 2011

Dead Dog Bay 1



Every other February, Waiheke Island hosts the Headland exhibition - an open air sculpture trail along a coastal path. Since we visited the island in November, we had to make do with a trip to Dead Dog Bay, a sculpture garden at Te Whau. It was a pretty good substitute though, with intriguing art and gorgeous gardens.

Thursday, 1 December 2011

Wednesday, 30 November 2011

Tuesday, 29 November 2011

Matiatia Bay, Waiheke



My favourite place on Waiheke Island has to be the coastal path from Matiatia Bay, where the passenger ferry docks, round to Church Bay. Huge blue skies, heaps of cabbage trees and beautiful azure seas. Unbeatable.

Monday, 28 November 2011

Pukeko Cottage

A bach is a classic kiwi holiday home. Often constructed from random building materials, a bach is furnished with odds and ends and decorated with whimsical bits and pieces. It should be walking distance from the sea with enough space to squeeze in the family and some hangers-on. There will be games for wet days and fishing rods galore. The kitchen is a piece of history and the barbecue always well-used.




Pukeko Cottage
in Onetangi lived up to expectations and we spent many happy hours lazing about there during our Waiheke trip. The shower was temperamental and the beds sagged but none of that mattered when we had a view of strolling pukekos whilst doing the washing up.

Sunday, 27 November 2011

Absence

Apologies for the recent lack of posts - I've been gadding about with my parents.

Highlights have included a trip to Waiheke Island in the Hauraki Gulf, an hour's ferry trip across Auckland Harbour. We stayed in a bach and spent four days strolling along beaches, eating delicious food, admiring local art and doing a little bit of lazing about.

Check back over the next few days to see some of our holiday snaps.

Monday, 7 November 2011

Fading Fast


This Rugby World Cup pitch at the Winter Gardens might be fading fast but memories of the All Blacks' success are still fighting fit!

Sunday, 6 November 2011

Saturday, 5 November 2011

Friday, 4 November 2011

Day at the Museum 3

As well as the usual taxidermy and display cabinets, the natural history exhibition at Auckland Museum also features some fascinating seascapes.

These reconstructions of various sections of the region's coastline provide a glimpse under the waves at Piha, Pakiri and Devonport.





Thursday, 3 November 2011

Wednesday, 2 November 2011

Tuesday, 1 November 2011

Monday, 31 October 2011

Sunday, 30 October 2011

Saturday, 29 October 2011

Down the garden path

This was the path to the Mediterranean garden.



The garden owners had installed numerous seats in the garden which seemed to be divided into places to drink coffee and places to drink wine. This was a wine-drinking spot.



And this was the view from the wine-drinking bench.

Friday, 28 October 2011