Painting of Punakaki River Valley.

 I was visiting a friend in a rest home when  this painting on the wall in the foyer caught my eye. I thought I recognized the area, it's the Punakaiki River on the West Coast of the South Island, NZ. As a child I spent a lot of summer weekends in this area as my uncle had a batch on the river and he frequently took a carload of cousins, aunties and uncles out there for the day and after the batch was completed, for the weekend.

Moonrise

 

Binned

 

A boot full of spring bulbs

Gladiolus, daffodils, and hyacinths with a dahlia or two for good measure. 

 

A view of the saddle

 Saddle Hill from Mosgiel

Yes? No?

 It's a NO from me!

Hot dog anyone?

 

Winter boredom busters

 

A new path

A new path has been made up to the floodbank ...

... and the Silverstream is almost back to its normal level but running quite swiftly still.

 

Boot scootin' quartet

 

The Silverstream is up

A hidden nook

 

Stacked pallets

 

Otara farmers market

 

Matariki

 A short explanation of Matariki taken from the internet.

 Matariki, also known as the Māori New Year, is a time of celebration, remembrance, and looking forward, marked by the rising of the Matariki star cluster (Pleiades) in the winter sky. It's a time for communities to gather, share stories, reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and plan for the future.

Finished

 And only one piece missing.

Can you spot it?

It looked so happy

 

She didn't want to eat it, but...

Someone had a birthday.

 Stevie turned 4

Frost on the ...

...fence post.

A busy tavern

 

Nurse Chloe

 Drawn by 5 year old Alice.

Winter streetscape

 

Exploring

 Sassy and Purr exploring their new home.

A hold up at the roundabout

 And it looks like a break in the polar weather.

Hot out of the oven

Cold weather lunch.

 Hot toasted crumpets and a cup of whatever hot drink you fancy.

Pasta meal

 I cooked the meal for Friday Light this week. So much easier now that they are happy with a one pot meal instead of the meat and veges we used to cook.

What is through the arch?

 We never did go through so I can't tell you but I like the words. 

The Winding Thoughts Theatre.

Eureka!

 Someone hit paydirt panning in Lawrence.

Good advice

 

Not quite a match

 

It's been a tad windy

The feijoas are falling like they're going out of fashion 

And the swing seat is not in its usual position.

I'm pleased we don't have a trampoline.

 

An office minion

... almost...

Queued

 Sassy knows her place in the pecking order and it's not at the front of the queue. She's waiting to get up by the fire.

Guinea pig

 Arlo's prize winning cavy boar.

Line up

 Great for keeping the toddlers happy in the supermarket.

Spring

 at the end of autumn 

A cutie

 A cute, standout letterbox adorned with NZ native birds.

Kereru or wood pigeon, piwakawaka or fantail and a tui or honeyeater. We have two honeyeaters , the other is the bellbird or korimako.

Second growth

 In all the times I've walked past this tree I've never really noticed that it is growing out of the stump of the original tree. I suppose if you see things often enough you stop 'seeing' them.

Big rigs

 I can't understand why the big rigs are allowed to use the main street through town when a bypass was built over 20 years ago. 

Clinging on

 

The feijoas are clinging on and starting to grow to a reasonable size. Now to hope the winds don't get too strong.

Dessert

 Mango shaved ice

Berries in the sun

 

Winter pastime

 

You order, we'll deliver

New World Supermarket 

delivery truck.