BETTER DAY

We awoke to a heavy mist which has cleared to a beautiful sunny day.  26 degrees. this is the main highway (State Highway One that runs from the top to bottom of New Zealand) just north of here where flood waters have made a mess of it.  I just saw a news clip saying that a temporary fix will be put in place which is good.  

Once again a lot of damage from this storm.  In many places even moe than in the earlier storm this year.

RED RAIN AND WIND WARNINGS

 

Already the Far North (where Max and I used to live) is cut off on both highways.  There is a lot of flooding especially in the areas hit by the last floods in January.  Apparently, the heavier rain is due to arrive this afternoon.

We are pleased we don't have appointments either today or tomorrow so can stay home in the dry.  My only outing has been a quick one down the drive to collect today's newspapers.  

Doug's youngest daughter has a much needed day off as all Rural Deliveries (Mail) are cancelled due to the Red Warning.

Forecast: 

Expect 100 to 130 mm of rain on top of what has already fallen. Peaks rates initially 15 to 25 mm/h, but increasing to 25 to 40 mm/h and possibly greater from this afternoon through to early Friday morning. Thunderstorms possible from Thursday afternoon.

UPDATE THREE

 Once we changed from summer to autumn with the start of March we could feel the change of season.  Of course the days are getting shorter (Roll on the end of Daylight Savings)  but it also feels a lot cooler.  We have rain today which is very welcome.  I really must get around to starting my winter garden. 

This was actually our last Market shop in February but is the same as our most recent shop.

With the cooler weather we returned to Lake Waro for our walk on Monday and it was very pleasant.

If you enlarge the photo there are Dabchicks 

UPDATE TWO

 A couple of weeks ago my stepson came up for a few days and, while he was here, we went over to Matakohe to the Kauri Museum.  The first photo is a "slice" from a kauri triee as one enters the Museum. 

Then there is some very impressive kauri furniture (there was a lot more)

A wonderful tool chest

How is this Water pump for ingenuity.

Looking down at some of the machinery

and some of the "models" doing different tasks

This hollowed out kauri with a seat. 

The girths of several large well known kauri trees 

We spent an interesting couple of hours there and it was good to see so many people.  We then went across the road to the cafe and were lucky to order just before a large coach load came in.  (There were two other coaches parked when we arrived).  It was a very pleasant day out.

UPDATE ONE

 Well, the peaches kept on coming.  For a self sown tree it is amazing.  Unfortunately, a lot had the dreaded Guava Bud Moth in them but we eventually froze 38 x one litre packs of lightly stewed peaches, ate a lot more and gave lots away to family and friends.  

The above photos are back to front as the peaches are frozen in the 1 litre containers then removed and vacuum packed.  This way we can fit 18 in the small drawer of our upright freezer.

As we had excess bananas we decided to freeze some for use in smoothies.  It was my first time freezing bananas and has worked well.  These are also in vacuum pack bags.

YESTERDAY'S WALK

I posted my photos straight from my phone before writing the blog and they have gone on back to front.  Never mind.  It was another hot day so I had organised another bush walk for the Parkinson's Walking Group. It was a shorter walk with the possibility of adding on to it for the more energetic walkers.  As it turned out there were only six of us and we were all happy to go at a gentle pace. It was most enjoyable and lovely and cool in the bush.

Trees and branches are just left to rot naturally unless they are a hazard, this one fell across the small stream.

photos of the stream from both directions taken from a small bridge

it is a lovely path, much better to walk on than a concrete path.

I love the patterns on kauri bark.

lovely new growth on a Punga or Ponga tree fern

I liked this fern growing up the trunk of a small tree.

A smaller kauri with two smaller trees either side

This is the main kauri tree alongside the boardwalk from eye level and looking upwards.

the valley floor from the boardwalk

Someone must have tied this tree in a knot when it was young.  Often done to make a walking stick.

 

PEACHES AND SWEETCORN

 It is that time of year again. We have a great crop of peaches this year, so heavy that the second branch on the tree has just broken although I am leaving it attached in the hope that the peaches will still ripen.  

The poor tree is so dry that a lot of fruit are falling off.  I also have a very high tech picker (a fruit can on a stick) and have picked a few.

On top of this we went to the Growers' Market as usual early yesterday morning and bought a dozen corn on the cob.  We were going to process them straight after breakfast but had a visit from a delightful 22 year old young lady, she is the daughter of the lady who did a reading at our wedding and, when she was still at school would often call in with her family but we had not seen her for a while.  When she left we were surprised to see we had been chatting for almost two very enjoyable hours.

When she left we processed the corn.  It is blanched then the kernels removed, chilled and this morning it has been frozen.

By the time we had finished it was definitely time for lunch (delicious gurnard and vegies).  Later we both set to getting the peaches ready and cooking them for a short time.  We ended up with two bowls.  These were put into containers and frozen last night.

This morning the sweetcorn was also put into containers and put to freeze.  Lots of summer goodness ready for winter.

Photos back to front :)

The broken branch on the peach tree

One of four trays of peaches so far

One of two bowls processed so far.