HEADER PHOTO AUGUST 2024
This month’s header photo is of the boat sheds on the shores of Lake Rotoiti at Okere Falls, near Rotorua. It was photographed in 2023.
SON AND I DONATED THREE BOXES OF BOOKS TO THE ANNUAL LIONS
CLUB BOOK FAIR THIS MORNING.
BEFORE WE LEFT TO DELIVER THEM, I SNAPPED THIS PHOTO OF SHADOWS BEING CREATED BY THE MORNING SUN STREAMING INTO OUR KITCHEN.
MY HEADER PHOTO THIS MONTH IS OF THE WHARF AT OMOKOROA IN
THE BAY OF PLENTY. THE PHOTO WAS TAKEN
IN 2011 BUT NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED HERE SINCE THEN.
HAVE A HAPPY DAY,
MARGARET xx
I no longer have a herb garden as such. Those days are past me now. What I do have, though, are a few herbs
dotted around the garden.
Most of them are in pots as a lot of herbs seem to like
sharing their space with other plants, or swamping them altogether!
I did a wander around the other day to see how many I actually
have available, and was surprised to find there are 14 of them: borage,
calendula, chives, comfrey, garlic chives, lavender, mint (garden), nasturtium,
parsley, rosemary, sage, salad burnet, thyme and a little patch of violets
(yes, violets are classed as herbs too).
I went to the garden centre the other day and saw this
Chocolate Mint for sale. The smell was
enough to make my mouth water, and I thought what a delicious tea could be made
with its leaves.
I have since found a tea recipe online, but will need to
wait for this little baby to grow a bit bigger before I start raiding it for
leaves. I hope it grows fast!
Have you ever tried using this herb for anything?
Cheers,
Margaret 😊
HEADER PHOTO FOR FEBRUARY 2024
Between Tauranga and Whakatane, in the beautiful Bay of
Plenty, there is a small coastal camping ground area known as Pikowai
Reserve. Back in 2008, we stopped there
for a while and I took this photo down on the beach beside the Pacific Ocean.
Making New Year resolutions has never been a big thing in my
book – perhaps I instinctively knew that it was extremely unlikely I would keep
any of them!
But the start of a new year, like the turning of a page,
does seem to be a good time for starting off on new ventures and making new
plans.
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| A sunny day at Raglan |
Perhaps I might have more success with making resolutions if I followed the advice of Bishop John H. Vincent and reminded myself of them every day. He was a Methodist minister who died in America in 1920, and in 1909 the Chautauqua Press published this prayer by him in one of their calendars:
“A Resolve for Every Morning of the New Year
I will this day try to live a simple, sincere and serene
life, repelling promptly every thought of discontent, anxiety, discouragement,
impurity and self-seeking, cultivating cheerfulness, magnanimity, charity, and
the habit of holy silence, exercising economy in expenditure, carefulness in
conversation, diligence in appointed service, fidelity to every trust and a
child-like trust in God.”
I wonder how well he succeeded?
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| The dawn of a new day |
Mittens and I wish you all a safe and happy New Year’s Eve,
and a great year in 2024 😊
Margaret.
HEADER PHOTO FOR JANUARY 2024
I took this photo in 2008 while on holiday at Papamoa beach
in the Bay of Plenty. It shows the
walkway we followed through the sand dunes to reach the white sandy beach and
the blue ocean beyond.
The National Orchid Show (named Orchids & More) has been here at Hamilton this year, so I took the opportunity of visiting it.
Orchids may not be my most favourite bloom, but I was impressed by the
variety available and the richness of so many of the colours was amazing.
Each individual Orchid Society had their own display – some
of them quite impressive – and there were also stands selling plants and pots
and fertilizers etc.
It did not take me very long to see everything, but I will
say I really enjoyed my visit.
Margaret 😊
HEADER PHOTO FOR OCTOBER 2023
Wairere Falls has the distinction of being the highest
waterfall in the North Island (153 metres) and is found in the Kaimai Ranges
near Matamata. It is visible for miles
around, and after heavy rain can look quite spectacular. There is a track that leads to the top,
involving a steep flight of steps at one stage.
Although the walk is quite picturesque, it can also be quite challenging
for the unprepared. The views from the
top are what makes the trek worthwhile.
What a bumpy month August has been, healthwise. I’m sorry I haven’t been posting, or visiting
other blogs, but I simply haven’t felt up to it.
I’m still undergoing tests so not really sure what is going
on, but it seems possible there is more than one issue happening at the same
time.
Hopefully September will be a better month, especially as it
signals the start of Spring. Many birds
around here have been getting quite territorial and amorous for a couple of
weeks now, so no doubt it won’t be long before we start hearing little cheeps
around the place (especially from the noisy sparrows!).
And this last week, our resident blackbirds have begun
singing their Dawn Chorus. What a
welcome sound that is.
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My little garden has been giving me much joy. My first Iceland Poppy shyly opened its
petals this morning, hovering over the Violet and Sweet Alyssum which have been
scenting the air for some days now.
I love to sit out here when the day is warm and the icy
winds are not blowing.
Welcome to Spring 😊
Margaret.
HEADER PHOTO FOR SEPTEMBER 2023
September’s photo is of the Rangitaiki River in the Bay of
Plenty. This scene was taken from
Thornton, where the river empties into the Pacific Ocean (this river is not to
be confused with the Rangitikei River lower down the North Island). In the background can be seen the volcanic
cone of Mt Edgecumbe.
This photo was taken back in 2008 so no doubt the view has
changed since then as the river has suffered a few floods in that time.
