BRIGHTON

In our local paper this morning was this photo of Falmer pond.  It said it was in Sussex so I did a google search to see where Falmer is as I was brought up in Surrey right on the Sussex border.  I discovered that it is, in fact on the outskirts of Brighton just 15 miles from Worthing where my parents were living when I came out to New Zealand.  

There have been many other photos of a parched London.  England doesn't look like a green and pleasant land at the moment judging from these photos.  

Meanwhile, it is, once again, hosing down here but we keep being told that the El Nino is about to change all that.

MONDAY 10TH AUGUST

Yesterday, it rained all day as forecast.  I baked some peanut brownies for Doug and made a tamarillo and apple crumble.  These jobs always take me longer than I expect. For lunch we had the last of the seafood chowder followed by the crumble with yoghurt.  

In the afternoon we went across the road to our lovely neighbours to socialise and help them celebrate their 68th wedding anniversary.    By the time we got back it was time to have our showers and our evening meal (the pea and ham soup I had made the previous day.  I also took some to our friends who were pleased to have it for their evening meal as well.

The weather has completely changed today and we had a very pleasant walk at Totara Parklands in lovely sunshine.  We didn't go for coffee as Doug had an appointment and I went home and did yet more washing as rain was forecast for tomorrow.  The washing is just about dry and I have got it in.  Looks like it may now be fine tomorrow but at least the washing is done.  

For lunch we had a meal I have been intending to make for a while - garlic Portabello mushrooms with mashed cannellini beans and freshly picked broccoli. It was delicious and even got a tick of approval from Doug who usually likes to have some meat with his meals.  This was followed once again with the crumble.

I haven't got around to slicing and freezing the bread I made on Saturday so had better get that done and put fresh sheets on the bed. I noticed there were a few plants that got knocked back by the frost but they will regrow.

THE WEATHER

During the past week we have had two frosts.  Water froze in bird baths and there was some frost damage but, luckily, it looks as though the bananas are o.k.  Last time I can remember it this cold was before we got married so well over 9 years ago. 

The  weather is now set to warm up as we have rain forecast from tomorrow in fact we have a heavy rain watch from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. tomorrow. It then looks better for Monday,  Tuesday and  Wednesday with rain again from Thursday.

The worst part of the forecast though is the El Nino weather system which is likely to bring some extreme heat during our summer.  It sounds as though we may be following Europe with the heat and drought.  

We went to the butcher yesterday and supermarket this morning.  I bought a bacon hock from the butcher (much tastier than supermarket ones) and have a pot of pea and ham soup cooking at the moment.  Among other things we bought some Terakihi (fish), mussels, and cockles.  We usually have pan fried fish after going to the supermarket but decided on a seafood chowder which we made with the seafood from the supermarket and some prawns.  It was delicious and there is plenty for tonight and lunch tomorrow.   The photo definitely doesn't do it justice.

We both had some nice bread with it and I have a loaf of gf bread in the oven at the moment nearly cooked.

TODAY'S GARDEN

Just a few photos from today's midwinter garden. 

A small patch of parsley

Some calendula in the vegie beds

a very ripe lemon on our tree

The sprouting broccoli are starting to form. I also have Romanesco cauliflower/broccoli but they are not starting to form yet.

Two or three years ago a lady in the next street asked for some of our Lachenalia bulbs and asked if I would like some bluebells and snowdrops.  I had thought it was too warm here for snowdrops.  They are in an old  pot so that they don't get lost and are just coming into flower.

and the Pieris is coming into flower.

There are a lot of other plants in flower but I just took a photo of these few.

MIDWINTER FLOWERS

 I always like to have flowers on the dining table. For several weeks we had this potted chrysanthemum but it was nearing the end so I had a look in the garden.

 and I found these 

The oranges aren't ours but from a friend.

SOLAR

 We are pleased with our Solar panels in spite of some very cloudy days (it is winter after all).  A couple of days ago I discovered another use for the solar panels.

CRO

 Cro tells me he is fine but has been locked out of his own blog. His eldest son will sort things out for him when he visits in about a fortnight.

I tried to put another comment on his blog but was unable to.

TODAY'S WALK

We had a pleasant walk today with the Parkinson's Walking Group followed by our morning coffee and cake at the home of one of the ladies who recently moved house.

Showers had been forecast but, luckily, there have been no sign of them.  It is a lovely sunny day but there is a chilling wind presumably from the ice and snow in the South Island.

Joined by a friend on the walk.

MORE WEATHER

This was the sky first thing this morning.  I know the colours are never as bright in photos and just pushed my phone through the venetian blinds but it shows the idea.  We have a severe thunderstorm watch from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. so short and sharp.  The centre of the country (Wellington area and the north of the South Island) had severe thunderstorms last night with many power cuts.

 I have just walked down to the pharmacist to pick up a repeat prescription.  It is just 750 metres away so a pleasant 20 minute walk there and back.  I wanted to make sure I got home before the rain hits. We have had a few heavy showers but, luckily it was dry for my walk.

At least it looks as though we are in for a good week weatherwise after this storm.

I cancelled this week's Parkinson walk, the heavy rain hadn't started but with the strong wind and light rain it was most unpleasant.  Luckily it looks as though we will have a good day this coming Monday so I have scheduled a bush walk.  It is a few weeks since I started going to an Exercise Class on Thursdays and am starting to enjoy it.  It is quite full on and much more energetic than I had expected but I feel good for it.

MAINLY YELLOW

It is the official start of winter tomorrow and the main colour in our garden is yellow which is nice and cheerful.

Not yellow but a splash of colour.  I can't remember the name of this plant.

There are still a few roses in flower.

These salvias have small flowers but the bees just love them.

There are a couple of these yellow abutilons

and the lemons are starting to ripen

Things will change tomorrow with a heavy rain warning.

SOLAR POWER

Four weeks ago we got a quote for the installation of solar panels and decided to go ahead with it.  For the first three weeks there seemed to be a lot of virtual paperwork between our installers and our power company but not much else was happening.

That changed last Tuesday when we got a phone call to ask if the following day would be suitable for the installation.   At 7.30 a.m. on the 6th three workman arrived - two to install the panels and an electrician.  

They worked hard all day and finally left just after 5 p.m. telling us that an Inspector would be here on Friday morning at 7.30 a.m.  Actually, there were three men - the electrician who had done the work, the Inspector and someone from our power company.  

We were wondering how long it would be before it was up and running but it was "all go" before they left.  Of course with sod's law the weather has been pretty cloudy ever since.  

I am still coming to terms with the website that gives me lots of information and am yet to download the app which, I think, will give me more information and we will receive an "Owners' Manual" in the mail in a few days. 

This was all one could see of the work on the day.

  

This tells me that, in spite of the weather, our dependence on the grid is 65%.

p.s. I hope people were able to play the video and hear the Tui sing on my previous post.

AUTUMN COLOUR & A TUI IN OUR GARDEN

It was a beautiful autumn day for our walk to the Raumanga Falls yesterday.

This morning the Tui was singing at the bottom of  our garden.  It is hard to catch his song which is mostly towards the end of the video.

Tūī are known for their incredibly complex and varied songs, which include clicks, whirrs, creaks, and melodies. Because they have a massive vocal range, they often produce sounds that are at such a high frequency—sometimes bordering on ultrasonic—that they are beyond the range of human hearing. This is why there appear to be gaps in their song.

STRESSFUL WEEKEND

Yesterday afternoon Blue was nowhere to be seen when it came time to feed him and we realised we had not seen him since breakfast. He often curls up somewhere snug so we had not really noticed he was not about.  

We checked around our section many times and contacted a few neighbours and were really worried as it not like him to miss a meal.

This morning there was still no sign of him so I found this photo taken a few weeks ago, edited out the grandson he was sitting next to,  and put it up on Facebook as well as making a flyer.  I then visited a few of our neighbours as we thought he must be locked in somewhere.    I nearly didn't go to a house a couple down from us as they don't have a shed or garage but went anyway.  He hadn't seen Blue but while we were talking we heard a plaintiff meow.  Blue was under the wooden deck.  We searched for a way into the space and decided a plank would have to be removed. I went to get Doug to come and remove it but by the time we got back it was already removed. We could see Blue in the distance.  It took a few minutes before he came out and then he just shot off home.  

He was hungry and thirsty as he must have been in there for about 24 hours and is staying close to home.

What a relief.

AUTUMN

We are, finally, getting some lovely autumn weather.  I hope it continues.  There were just eleven of us for yesterday's walk from Vinegar Hill Road to the park and back but the weather was fine if a little chilly.

There are several of this  yellow Justicia in the bed by the drive and we look out at them  from our kitchen window.  We also have the white and pink although they have finished flowering for the moment.

I picked these chrysanthemums before the last storm.  They are plants we bought last winter. The plants are quite tall and tend to fall over but are lovely in a vase on our dining table.

This Salvia isn't very showy but the bees love it.

MONDAY'S WALK

 On Monday the forecast was not the best but, luckily the weather held for our walk at Beach Road in Onerahi.  We often see small boats and yachts going past but, just as we were setting out a larger boat appeared. It was the Allankay, a Sea Shepherd boat.

We ended up having an enjoyable walk followed by coffee at Flames.

MORE ON THE WEATHER

With Climate Change (or Global Warming) we are getting more and more severe weather events.  Last weekend it was the turn of the  south of the North Island and the north of the South Island with flooding and slips in Wellington and other areas.  One man was missing from his house in Wellington that had water through it and, unfortunately, his body was found yesterday.

These photos are from Radio New Zealand.

A bowling club

This car was swept from a carport further up the road and came to rest on this fence

Wellington Hospital Carpark under water

We now have another heavy rain warning although, so far the front has travelled further south and has hit the area between us and Auckland.  The slip below has closed the non-tolled road between here and Auckland.  The road is between these villas and the slip.  The villas have been evacuated.  

Just came across these photos of the same slip on the Hibiscus Coast Neighbourhood Support FB page.

There has also been snow on the Desert Road and temperatures here are a lot colder.

We still have a heavy rain warning until 9 a.m. tomorrow so fingers crossed for the areas already affected by earlier storms.  

UPDATE: I have just read that tomorrow's Anzac Day Dawn Service has been cancelled due to safety concerns.

WEATHER AND FLOWERS

 Well, luckily, the storm wasn't as bad as predicted and no loss of life this time.  We ended up with a lake for a lawn but it drains away quickly.  

A lot needs doing in the garden.  I bought some broccoli, spinach and silver beet plants a few weeks  ago and they still haven't been planted out.  Hopefully in the next couple of days.  The weather and appointments keep getting in the way.

Just before the cyclone I picked some flowers as I thought they would get damaged by the weather.

Some Chrysanthemums still in bud.

Different colours of Justicia

Some small white hydrangeas at the end of the season with some white chrysanthemums in bud.

ANOTHER ONE

We are having warnings about Tropical Cyclone Vaianu which is due to hit New Zealand on Saturday (tomorrow) with heavy rain and strong winds overnight into Sunday.

There are warnings for the whole of the North Island. This was at 4.46 p.m. yesterday (Thursday).

The rain and wind watches have now been upgraded to warnings (orange at this stage and I hope they stay that way).  The soil is already sodden from all the other storms.  I can't remember having this many warnings about a coming storm before and just hope they are being over cautious.  

WALKS AND WEATHER

 In spite of the storms we had the previous week and a storm the previous night we had a wonderful day for last week's Parkinson Walk around the Town Basin.  

The shadows are starting to lengthen

At the weekend the clocks went back for the end of Daylight Savings. It is great to have some more daylight in the mornings. In spite of rain overnight we had a reasonable walk today with just a couple of showers however rain is forecast later today. We have a heavy rain warning and strong wind watch for tomorrow and a suggestion of another storm at the weekend or early next week.

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