Spring Is Here

Mittens loves to follow me around. Here she is, peeping around the edge of the box hedging, keeping a close eye on me in the garden. 

I picked a solitary freesia and brought it inside to enjoy it at close quarters. 

The scent is heavenly. 

Today is officially the first day of spring, so it was quite appropriate to hear a blackbird singing when I woke up this morning.  A much nicer sound than the thunder we had for most of last night. 

I decided to celebrate Spring by having some (bought) Ginger Crunch for afternoon tea. 

Provincial rugby has also kicked off for the season, so I've been spending time (probably far too much!) watching their games on TV.

I never got up to watch the All Blacks play the Springboks in South Africa. I enjoy watching rugby, but I enjoy my sleep more!

Hope everyone is having a happy weekend. 

Margaret xx 

SEPTEMBER 2024 HEADER PHOTO

This photo, of a typical Waikato dairy farm, was taken near the end of 2022 (at the start of summer).

The large hill in the background is Kakepuku Mountain, south of Te Awamutu.

 

Another Apron

I have been so happy with the apron I hand-stitched together several weeks ago, that I have begun work on another one.

The first was cut from one side of a $3 thrifted duvet cover, and I have cut this one from the reverse side of the same cover.

Spring is showing signs of arriving - sparrows and magpies are looking for mates and we no longer feel the need for a fire every night.

The mornings are still cool, though, often resulting in lots of condensation on the windows. 

I don't mind the condensation when it is followed by a warm, mostly sunny, day that quickly dries the washing.

Unfortunately,  the afternoon turned very windy and mostly cloudy with the threat of another thunderstorm. 

We had a very loud one (with lots of thunder) pass over us last night - Mittens hid under my bed but Millie just looked up, mildly surprised by all the noise, and promptly went back to sleep.

Changeable weather is definitely another sign that Spring is on our doorstep.

Margaret xx 

The Promise Of Spring

All around us are signs that winter is nearing an end and spring is on its way.

The days grow longer and the birds are becoming more active. 

The white Erlicheer narcissus bulbs are about to open and spread their heavenly perfume around the garden.

The solitary wallflower is also scented, but we'll have to wait for more to open to really appreciate that.

It is a bit of a hit and miss with stock as to whether you get double or single flowers.  These ones are single (so far - I keep hoping for a double), but still emit a faint scent. 

As well as these early signs of spring, there are also a few winter survivors in the garden.

This solitary nasturtium receives warmth from the house and has managed so far to hang on in spite of frosty mornings.

It really is amazing to watch Nature in action, even if it is only through garden flowers.

Margaret xx 

Firsts

 

It was a first for this coming summer season – we put the umbrella up out on the deck.  The sun was almost too warm to sit outside in, and I appreciated being able to sit beneath the shade of the umbrella.

Millie and Mittens enjoyed being outside with me.

The garden is also showing signs of First – this is the first time my iceplant has flowered for me.

The first of the strawberries are beginning to ripen.

And the first of the grapes are beginning to show themselves.

I am still struggling with health issues, so my apologies for not visiting blogland very much. It takes so long to get to see a doctor these days (unless you are a medical emergency and can call the ambulance), and I still have a week to go before I get to see mine again.

At least the sun is shining 😊

Margaret.

 

Up, Down, And Down Again

 

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.

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.

 

Enjoying Springtime

 

Although Autumn would have to be my favourite season, I am finding that Spring also has its pleasures.

These Dutch Iris are making a beautiful show in the garden, and everything is growing rapidly as we move towards Summer.

The weather can be a bit unpredictable though.  Temperatures are rising, but one day can be fine and sunny and the next wet and dreary.  The odd frost will come along to nip off new growth on plants eager to get growing.

We had one such frost this morning.  Much of the country has been experiencing freezing temperatures the last couple of days, with snow in several places, and it is being called an “unseasonal polar blast.”

I call it Spring!

Enjoy your day 😊

Margaret.

 

Spring Is Springing

Yesterday, the first day of September, was officially the first calendar day of Spring.

During the last week there have even been signs broadcasting the arrival of the new season.  The dawn chorus of birds is beginning to ramp up and we even have a resident blackbird chortling away at sunset.  Distant trees that we can see from home are beginning to get a pale golden-green hazy sheen over them indicating that buds are about to burst into a profusion of green.

Spring, the season of hope and new beginnings.  A great time to look forward to warmer sunnier days, with new projects to think about 😊

 

Opoutere Beach

On the Home Front, most of the country (including us here at Hamilton) reduced to Level Three Lockdown yesterday.  Auckland, where most of the cases are found, is to remain at Level Four for a bit longer.

There is not much difference between the two levels socially, and it is still a criminal offence to not wear a mask when visiting public places like the supermarket, but it does mean that many businesses can begin operating again. 

A friend of my son owns a café and he is happy to open his doors once more.  He has moved his whole shop to the front, with the counter across the doorway, so that they can serve people out on the street.  Other businesses, such as hardware stores, can now operate on a click-and-collect basis.

I ventured out and went to the supermarket.  Everyone wore a mask, but social distancing was nowhere in sight – the shop was crowded and I began to feel quite claustrophobic behind my mask and foggy glasses.  Came home utterly exhausted.

But this morning I woke to the birds and the sun rising in a clear sky.  It looks like it is going to be a lovely day.

Be happy and keep smiling 😊

Margaret.

Spring Tonic

 

At 1.30am today we were at our Spring Equinox, and what better way to celebrate than admiring the brilliant green spring foliage of this lovely English Oak (Quercis robur)?

English Oaks are one of my favourite trees and this one was alive with the humming and buzzing of bees and insects.

Traditionally, springtime was a time of food shortage.  The winter stores were almost exhausted and the new crops were still growing.  It was a time of eating the herbs of the field, with their bitterness acting as a detoxifying tonic after the dullness of winter.

Not many people are fond of bitter foods, but they do help the digestive system work better.  This year I have decided to do a Spring Tonic using Swedish Bitters (I have done it before, but not for a long time).

I have 5ml mixed with a little warm water, both before breakfast and again before my evening meal, and continue until the bottle is finished.

This brand of Swedish Bitters follows the traditional recipe very closely.

I actually enjoyed my visit to the cemetery yesterday (and thank-you everybody for all your lovely comments).  The sun was shining while I was there and it was so peaceful to simply sit on one of the provided seats and contemplate life for a while.

On my way home I called at a little charity shop that I know, and bought these two books for $1.  “The Book of the Year” explains how modern customs arose from the different Special Days found throughout the year, and “Salads” is, of course, all about making different salads.

I hope everyone has a great week 😊

Margaret.

A Blustery Wednesday

 

Today we are experiencing a strong blustery south-westerly wind.  The sort of wind that blows your hair all over your face, makes bits of paper rubbish fly up and down the street, and slams car doors when you are trying to load your groceries into the said vehicle.

It is playing havoc with our garden, tearing off petals and knocking over flowers.  Even the pets have gone a bit silly, spooking at each other and jumping at their shadows.

Thankfully the skies are mostly blue, although there are quite a few clouds around as well.  I felt sorry for the hawk who was trying to fly overhead, as he was quite obviously being buffeted around in the wind (sorry, I couldn’t get him into the photo).

Yesterday was rather wet, so I put off my shopping until this morning.  On a whim, I visited a garden centre and found a fancy-leaf pelargonium (commonly called geraniums) that I have been wanting for one of my pots.  

This one is called Mrs Pollock, an heirloom variety that dates back to 1858,  and has scarlet flowers to go with its multi-coloured leaves.

Driving down the main road, I noticed that all the trees are covered with a coating of vibrant green, as new growth bursts forth from the bare branches.  

Spring has definitely arrived 😊

Margaret.

  

Is It Springtime Yet?

 

Did you know that there are four acknowledged First Days of Spring?  Today, the first of September, is only one of them.   It is the Meteorological Date, created by breaking up the four seasons into four three-monthly periods according to the Gregorian calendar, and is commonly used to make it easier to compare notes between different years.

Astronomically, the seasons change with the solstices and equinoxes.  Spring therefore is counted as beginning on the day of the Vernal Equinox, which this year (in New Zealand) falls on 23 September.

Another viewpoint is that Solar Winter covers the three months with the least amount of available sunshine, with Winter Solstice being in the middle, meaning that Solar Spring would begin in early August.  I found it interesting to note this year that that was when the blackbirds and sparrows began nesting.

Still others will follow the cycle of Mother Nature, trusting that she will know when the time is right for trees to burst their buds or birds to begin nesting.  There is a whole system devoted to gardening this way, known as phenology, where plants are set out according to what nature is doing.  In New Zealand, a common example of this is found in the belief that when the shrubby kumarahou begins to flower it is time to begin planting the kumara crop.

To me, the seasons are not static.  Sometimes our autumn is incredibly short yet at other times it can last for ages, spring often appears to be the same as winter although we have more daylight and sometimes the days are warmer.  Summer can be cool and wet, or hot and very dry.  Some areas of the world experience long winters or long summers, while ours are usually reasonably short.

So, which system is correct?  I guess it all comes down to personal preference and what you wish to obtain from acknowledging the passing of each different season.  This year, I am trying to appreciate all of them and the little joys that each season can bring.

Stay safe 😊

Margaret

Seasonal Decor

 This ewe was a busy mum with her triplet lambs (2006)

Occasionally I meet a person who believes in changing their home’s décor with the seasons and have always thought it sounded like a great idea, doing things like swapping heavy winter curtains for lighter summer ones, putting out throws on the sofas during winter, or creating a fireplace arrangement for summer.  It sounds like a nice way to mark the change of seasons.

My efforts are much less exciting and far more utilitarian.  With our temperatures warming up, I have now removed the electric blanket off the bed and moved my slippers to the back of the wardrobe.  Everything in my bedroom has been cleaned to make it sparkle, not that it was that dirty as we only moved in a couple of months ago.  I still have two sheepskin rugs on the floor as I like the look it gives the room, but once the days get hot they too will disappear into the blanket box, as I know it will make me hot just looking at them. 

Halloween pumpkins displayed on the porch (2010)

I once met a woman who loved to decorate her house according to the current season or holiday period.  She kept barrels of decorations stored away in her basement, all neat and tidy and labelled so they would be easily accessible when needed.  I wasn’t sure if I thought her efforts were Ultimate Clutter or Creative Fun, but the main thing was she loved what she was doing.

Always be yourself,

Margaret

Spring Fever

About this time every year I get Spring Fever.  The days are getting longer and the sun is getting stronger.  The earth has warmed up enough for all except very tender summer crops, like tomatoes, and all I want to do is get outdoors and start gardening.  It happens every year – my fingers itch to get playing around in the dirt, planting seedlings, sowing seeds, trimming back overgrown plants.

Loose leaf lettuce plants

Unfortunately, next thing you know summer has come along and it gets too hot for me to be outside.  I wilt, and so do my plants.  The weeds take over, and my gardening efforts slow right down and sometimes even come to a grinding halt.

In 2006 I used to have an incredible vegetable patch that kept two of us almost self-sufficient in vegetables and various soft fruits.  

Our Vegetable Patch in 2006

Things have a way of changing over the years.  We moved into a caravan park to live, but still managed to have a good garden.  This time it was in raised garden beds sitting directly on the ground.

Our garden in 2012

Now my garden exists only in containers.  It is a whole different way of gardening but I am finding it quite pleasant not having to bend over quite so far – so much easier to weed!!  The plants are a little bit like children though, as they need more attention than they do when growing in the ground.  They need to be watered more frequently, fed more often, talked to and pandered over, if they are to produce the best they can. 

Container gardening in 2019

I’m not sure how to get around the fact that containers can very easily look a little disjointed and messy.  They don’t sort of flow together like an earth garden does, but maybe if I mix up a few flowers amongst the vegetables no-body will notice because they will be too busy looking at all the colour on display!

Happy pottering,

Margaret

Spring Is Here

This is my very first time posting a blog!  It is the first of October today and the season of Spring has arrived here in Hamilton, as evidenced by the weather.  We have been having lots of rain mingled with sunshine, as well as the strong winds that always seem to arrive around the time of the spring equinox.  The ground is wet underfoot, but the temperature is growing warmer each day, and local gardens are full of flowering cherry and apple trees.  I drove to the shops this morning and loved all the kowhai (genus Sophora) out in flower.  Kowhai is the Maori name for yellow, and the flowers on these trees certainly are the colour of golden sunshine.  Enough to cheer up anybody's day!

Kowhai trees along Wairere Drive, Hamilton

Flowers of the kowhai tree

Until next time,
Margaret