October

It is October 2019 and it has been rather a quiet month.  We have got back into routine quite quickly and am looking forward to Christmas and another break already.  Spring is coming, kowhai trees are out and the native birds kaka and tui are decimating all the flowers in search of seeds and sugary delights.  Wandering up to the car each evening I have watched a ponga fern begin to unfold.  I took great pleasure photographing it - greeting it with a cheery hi and a goodbye - sleep tight I would say.  Thinking it would only be a matter of time before someone broke the wonderful branch that unfurled across the path - there surely would be plenty of room for the fern and walkers, runners, prams, skateboarders, electric scooters and dogs.  But no.  Two weeks into my photographing of nature began it came to a cruel ending.  Here are some photos of wonderful nature - and a testament to my little cell phone camera.  Ironically, on the day I found the fern branch broken and spread across the footpath, my camera wouldn't focus!!

My walk to the car takes me up a small path lovingly built and maintained by locals.  A big thank you to John who I imagine is one of the volunteers.  It is after all called John's corner.  By the path is a recognition that once a famous person walked in these parts - probably before the library was built and deli was established and most certainly before the volunteers created the bush walk.  Spike Milligan had friends here.  This little path is edged with kowhai trees, yellow from fallen flowers and and above the tuis screech in delight.

We had another treat this month.  Our regular night with friends, pizza and movie.  "How Green was my valley" took me back our days in Wales.  Some things have changed a lot - and some things just stay the same.