Today is officially the first day of winter. And, yes, our weather is a bit grey and bleak
and damp and a little cool, with showers passing over at regular intervals, so I
guess it is winter! We don’t normally
get very cold until after the shortest day, but that is only three weeks away
so Winter Proper is very close. Not that
we experience “winter” like so many around the world do.
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| Berries on the Idesia polycarpa tree |
Apart from not getting outside to get my daily dose of Vitamin D, this day has been pretty much normal. It is a public holiday (Queen’s Birthday weekend) so most places are closed, but I have been happy pottering around at home.
The sheets have been changed, the house tidied, and I’ve had
a long phone conversation with a friend.
I counted seven pukeko (swamp hen) in the paddock behind us, along with
several starlings and a couple of thrushes poking around among the grass now
the cattle have been moved out.
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| Gathering storm clouds |
I visited my youngest grand-daughter yesterday, for her seventh birthday – she was thrilled with the soft fluffy pink blanket I bought her, but more than a little dismayed that all the glitter on her card kept falling off onto everything else!
We had a minor earthquake while I was there, this one
centred near New Plymouth. Several have
been felt near Levin lately, and one wonders what is moving around beneath us
to cause these. Although we should be used
to them by now!
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| Warm woolly coats, perfect for winter weather |
At home here, we are receiving some dreadful reports of
riots, looting, and curfews throughout the United States. It seems the whole world has gone crazy
lately, what with the pandemic and now this.
I hope all my readers there are keeping safe and well.
Margaret.
Happy first day of winter!! Grey, bleak and damp describes, for the most part, winter on the west coast of BC. Of course right now we're moving into the lovely month of June which is full of flowers and early strawberries all with sunshine ( we hope). Thankfully we don't have any violent riots here. The world does at times seem as if it's going crazy.
ReplyDeleteLove that last picture with those sheep all winter-ready. Have a great week!
I have never felt an earthquake and don't want to.
ReplyDeleteIt seems strange to me to read of someone experiencing the start of their winter when we are experiencing the exact opposite.
ReplyDeleteAs you might well imagine I would have been thrilled to sit and watch Pukekos with you! As for the earthquake, I am happy to have you enjoy it without me!
ReplyDeleteI don't know about "enjoying" it! LOL
DeleteI know they aren't always popular with crop farmers, but I just love Pukekos.
ReplyDeleteHere it is the start of summer. It has been up to 27C today. And all people "run" to the seaside and it looks like they have forgot all about keeping distance. I had to Google to see what the Pukeko was, lovely birds!
ReplyDeleteWe lived in a mining town and when the mine closed and the tunnels were flooded, there were rocks bursts that woke people at night. We thought it was a earthquake the first time it happened. I would not like to experience an earthquake. I love New Zealand but I would not like the earthquakes.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you ever get used to them.
DeleteIt was a bit of a bleak start to winter, some memories on Facebook came up which reminded me of much nicer first days. On the Raglan group page people were saying they had felt the quakes, we didn't! But then the earth hasn't moved around here fir a looooong time 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤪🙃🤔🙊
ReplyDeleteIs it disconcerting to you when we of the northern hemisphere is having the exact opposite season to you? Maybe disconcerting is the wrong word...just always a little bit strange feeling. Though our summer is starting out strange. I think either tomorrow or the next day is supposed to be like real summer.
ReplyDeleteI had to look up Pukekos...I think I have looked them up before or seen photos on someone else's blog. But they are gorgeous. Such a vivid blue.
I have felt one earthquake and the aftershock...a strange feeling there, too.
Yes, the different hemisphere's weather is always hard to imagine. We can be having a cold wet miserable day and my daughter (in Arizona) is in the middle of a fire-season. It is a strange feeling - like earthquakes are LOL :))
DeleteI do like your photographs, especially the lovely red berries.
ReplyDeleteIt must be strange to feel an earthquake.
Enjoy this new month of June.
All the best Jan
Life has been very interesting these past few days, over here (I live in southern California), with the virus, the protests, and, yes, even an earthquake (yesterday). But, things have been safe and quiet in my immediate neighborhood.
ReplyDelete