FLOWERS

More on the South Island trip later but we picked up flowers today ready for The Big Day on Saturday.

Tomorrow afternoon we can set up the tables.  

FLOWERS EVERYWHERE

It was Max' funeral this afternoon.  When the Funeral Director visited on Friday he said he was arranging a "small spray" of flowers for the casket.  

The small spray consisted of a lot more flowers than I expected.

FLOWERS

I like to have flowers in the house all year and they must come from my (or Doug's) garden.  Yesterday, I picked some brightly coloured zinnias from Doug's and, when I got home, found some different coloured alstroemerias.  With a couple of pieces of greenery I like the effect.

Not exactly a flower this time but I liked the look of this when I was doing some pruning early this morning.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas

I have been very pleased with a couple of flowers in particular over the last couple of days - a surprise as we have had such terrible weather, rain, rain, rain.

The above is a flower from my Oak Leaf Hydrangea.  The flowerhead is 15 inches long.

Yesterday morning I discovered this in flower just at eye height - it was all over this morning but was wonderful while it lasted.

and here is a smaller Hydrangea with some Christmas Decorations.

The best news of all is that Max and I became Great-grandparents on  the 17th - a 7lb baby girl called Taylor.  The photo I have is in a format I am unable to transfer to the Blog.

May Flowers

Yesterday I went in search of some flowers for the house.  I came back with some deliciously scented pink Luculia, some rust coloured and white chrysanthemums, a piece of native fuschia, a lovely blue hydrangea, a flower from a bromeliad and a nice cream rose.  Not bad for an autumn vase of flowers.  

Autumn flowers

We have been having hotter days since April arrived - it has been glorious although some rain would be great for the gardens and farms.

A couple of days ago I went on my usual search for flowers for the house and ended up with these white chrysanthemums that are just coming into flower and a few of the remaining alstroemerias  with some rosemary for extra green.

The tropical frangipani was only planted in the ground last year after being in a pot for years.

 I like this single rose

which is right next to this double one

Not sure of the name of this lovely plant with small mauve and white flowers.

The hanging baskets are past their best but still keep going.

I like the Lasiandras - I also have a pale pink one.  The flowers are huge.

Another small single rose

and finally this lovely creamy white rose flowers for months.

The Trip Home

It was a lovely day coming home from my break and I took these few photos from the bus window when we stopped at Paihia in the Bay of Islands.

When I got home the man who built our house (way back in 1973) had delivered me another load of firewood  for the pot-belly stove (I had just bought a load for the wood burner).  Doug who came and watered my garden for me while I was away also stacked the firewood.  Lynn, my hairdresser gave me the lily head, the Amaryllis, which now has two flowers out, was a bargain pack I bought just before going away.  The seedlings are nine bundles from Awapuni.  In spite of the 28 degrees C today I have managed to plant half of them.  I see 30 degrees forecast for Tuesday.  Way too hot for me.

Springtime

All the spring flowers are starting to come out.  The weather is typical spring with sunshine one minute and the next wind and rain.

I visited the Rest Home today and took a photo of M's fiddle rug which was given to him by the family of another resident.  I also took him the centipede and he did seem to like that.

 The main thing he seems to prefer on the fiddle rug is the wool pom-pom which I have already replaced.  I attached the rubber ring hand exerciser while I was making the new pom-pom.

 My first two roses.  The Burgundy Iceberg is in bud.

 The Australian Frangipane is covered in flowers again this year.

 These pinks are from a small cutting I bought at a church fair.

The Statice was in the reduced bin at the garden centre - I doubt if I would have bought it otherwise but it has done really well

I took this photo of the sage flowers before cutting them back.

The Snowball tree is doing well and in the  background the plum tree is covered in fruit of various sizes.  The Banksia rose is something I always wanted and never got around to buying.  When we arrived it completely covered what we call the rose hut.  It took a lot of work cutting it back and now I am keeping it as a standard.  The trunk shows how old it must be.

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A Wonderful Spring Day

After 24 hours of rain it was wonderful to awaken to sunshine this morning.  I actually went out in the garden for short periods.  Still haven't shaken the virus off but sunshine makes everything seem better.

I got a load of washing done and dried and some mats from the porch that got wet with the rain driving in are almost dry so it was a good day all round.

Spring flowers are coming out and, once I get better, there will be a lovely cauliflower to eat.  I bought a pack of baby vegie plants - had a couple of Italian Brocolli that didn't seem particularly small and now this delightful cauli.

Have been watching the Tuis in the Australian Frangipane Tree - the tree is huge - I have never seen one as big - so it is great for the birds out of harms way of cats.

Feeling Down

On Monday, after the walk I visited my other half in the rest home and then a friend from Kaitaia who is down here in Whangarei Hospital after a fall.

I was fine then but I spent most of Monday night sitting on the toilet and felt rotten.  I felt a little better on Tuesday but stayed in bed and was unwell again in the night.

I phoned the hospital yesterday to see how my friend is and was told she was fine but today I was told she is in isolation.  They wouldn't tell me what she has but I know Norovirus is around in the hospital and some rest homes.  I don't think that is what I have.  Hopefully, tomorrow, I will feel like getting up and possibly going outside.

People have been wonderful - someone came and split firewood for me.  Another bought me some chicken breasts and bananas at the supermarket and yet another delivered free range eggs to me today.

I know that I could phone one of several people and they would help.  I still feel down though and it is because at times like this I miss my darling hubby as he once was.  Anyone in New Zealand who reads this I had a call last night to tell me that there is an excellent article on Alzheimer's in the latest (October) issue of North and South magazine - I haven't seen it yet but , once I am out and about I will buy it.

Anyway, on a more cheerful note the garden is showing signs of spring.  These photos are all from inside. The wisteria was a small plant growing in the middle of a flax bush  but is starting to come away and will, hopefully, cover the pergola in due course.  The perpetual wallflower spent many years in a pot (we brought it with us three years ago) but has flourished since being planted out.

I think I am finally finding my way about this new Blogger!!