What a difference a day makes

Finally I have got around to clearing and planting the area at the bottom of our section.  I now have to keep the Wandering Jew under control - I plan to spot weed it to start with and then put down wet newspaper with lawnmowings on top. 

The "plants" are bits cut off a plant (is it an agave?) near the house that was getting too big and I gather that they root really easily - I hope so.  At least it looks better than it did.

The branch at the top left is a huge magnolia.

Pizza

Last night was pizza night - I make the dough in batches and freeze it in portion sizes which makes for an easy meal.  We had mushroom, roasted capsicum and feta cheese.  It was much better than it looks in the photo and was delicious with a salad of lettuce, radish sprouts, persimmon and avocado.

Healthy and economical!!!!

Storm

After some lovely fine autumn days Thursday was horrible with strong wind and rain blowing in from the north.  Yesterday and today were fine once again but I discovered that our Luculia had shed some branches.  The scent of the flowers was almost overpowering.  I took some cuttings so, hopefully, some good will come from it.

I posted a picture of this bush earlier in the year when it was just coming into flower.  When we arrived here two years ago there was no sign of it under all the weeds.

Whau Valley Dam

This morning we had an appointment at a Guest House providing respite care.  As we were early we went up to the Whau Valley Dam first.  The weather was glorious.  The dam is full and it is hard to believe that just over a year ago it was virtually empty.

Stressed Wife

I was woken early on Sunday morning by a crash and discovered my other half in a heap having collapsed.  As I was unable to rouse him I dialled 111.  Luckily he was conscious by the time the St. John's had arrived and they checked him over - at 81 a blood pressure of 124/72 can't be too bad.  Thankfully they decided he didn't need to go to hospital.  He slept all of Sunday and today was feeling a lot better with just a cut over his left eye and a painful area in the middle of his back.

It didn't do much for my stress levels but things are improving.

Thought for the day

Happy wife - happy life!!

The Story of a New Zealand River

I must admit I had never heard of Jane Mander prior to our moving to Kamo and then only because there is a Retirement Village named after her.

We recently went on a group boat trip on the Otamatea River in the Kaipara Harbour and a gentleman recommended The Story of a New Zealand River by Jane Mander as it is set on this river where she lived with her parents.The book was written in 1920 and was published in New York. 

We were particularly keen to do this trip as my late mother-in-law's family settled near Mangawhai  in 1860 and her grandfather grew apple trees which he sold around the Kaipara Harbour.

I have just finished the book which I borrowed from the local library and found it a fascinating story of the tough life in the bush in those days made all the more interesting by the fact that we had just been there.  The landscape has changed though as in those days they were felling the kauri trees and clearing the bush.