QUARRY GARDENS

The Quarry Gardens is a subtropical garden in an old quarry created by volunteers.  It is where we went for our weekly Parkinson's walk this morning.  Doug stayed home as his neck is still very sore. One can walk around the gardens themselves or up the hill and I went with the smaller group who tackled the hill.

There was fog in the morning at home which had cleared but as I drove the short distance to the Gardens it got thicker but quickly dispersed to leave a lovely sunny day.

There was work going on at the top of the carpark so instead of going across the bridge I was able to photograph it and the gardens behind.  Going up the hill I didn't get to walk through the actual gardens.

Before we went up we saw the new sculpture by Chris Booth

 Whangarei Quarry Gardens was generously gifted funds by a local philanthropist to go towards a permanent sculpture for the gardens.

Gardens manager David McDermott said the sculpture represented a new chapter in the gardens' story, one which staff, trustees and volunteers were excited about.

"The impressive scale, considered materiality and symbolic kaupapa of this work aligns beautifully with the gardens' aesthetic and vision. We wholeheartedly thank the donor for her generosity. We also thank Chris and Rata for sharing their passion and craft while on the site at the gardens," McDermott said. 

Booth said the piece was fifth in a global series of Varder living sculptures. Varder is an old Nordic word for cairn.

Varder I and Varder II were built in Denmark in 1998, 20 years ago, and are still being consumed by the greatest recycler, fungi, as planned.

Varder I had moved only about one metre in that time.

Varder III and Varder IV are in the Netherlands, III is 14 years old and IV is 2 years old.

We got high up quite quickly.  Our cars look small looking down.

Lighthouses

Doug has now painted Sophie's gate at the front door.  Very useful in keeping her in when deliveries are made.  He has also painted the two lighthouses he made.  He stopped today to get the lawns mowed before the rain came and also went to the Osteopath as he has hurt his neck somewhere along the line doing the painting.  The rain did come - not sure if it is still raining as it is dark now but it is forecast to continue for the weekend with a heavy rain warning for tomorrow.

Before and after with the dog gate repainted.

and the repainted lighthouses that Doug made.
                                       
                                          Before

                                         After

There is still the gate to paint when the weather clears as long as his neck improves.

TODAY'S CARTOON IN OUR LOCAL PAPER (KAITAIA)

FIRST ANNIVERSARY

Yesterday was our First Wedding Anniversary.  How time flies.  Friends took us out for a delicious lunch.  

Doug's Latest Task

Many years ago Doug's youngest daughter gave him a concrete dog.  Doug being Doug, he painted it.  When they shifted up here the dog came as well and was getting a bit worse for wear.  The time has come for a rejuvenation.  He has had a new paint job and new eyes ( I suppose the equivalent of a cataract operation for us).

The poor old fella looks a lot better - well he would have to wouldn't he.

FINISHED

Doug has been busy, as always and has almost finished the front entrance.

He still has the gate to keep Sophie in to paint then he can move on to the inside jobs.  Well done Doug.

MY PASSION FOR TREES

I received an email from my step daughter in Australia this afternoon and she mentioned that they have just watched a programme called My Passion for Trees by Dame Judi Dench.  She commented on what a good programme it is so I googled it and came across a short video on the Crowhurst Yew.  It was fascinating but I was surprised to see it as I grew up just three miles from this tree and had never heard of it.  In Lingfield we had a large oak tree that was hollow inside but I had no idea that just outside the village was this magnificient specimen of Yew.

This is the link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCQ62deoq_8

and this is the tree



I do hope the programme is shown in New Zealand