The heavens declare...

Over the last few nights the Aurora Australis has been putting on a wonderful display and although I haven't got any decent photo's myself I thought I'd show you some of the ones my grand daughter in Palmerston North took.

And here are a couple my grandson took in Dunedin. 

I love the last one.

Palmerston North is halfway up the North Island, Dunedin is near the bottom of the South Island. These were all just taken on the kids cell phones so you can imagine how much better it was in reality. I think these are pretty good though.

 Have a great week,

and Happy Mother's Day to those of 

you who are celebrating today.

Diana

Lunch at the gardens

 Yesterday dawned cool and crisp, just 5C when I climbed out of bed. A lovely sunny, autumn day but with a decided nip in the air. Just nice for a wander around the Botanic Gardens about lunch time.

If you zoom in you will see people sitting on benches enjoying the sun.

On Sunday my son usually takes me and a friend in to church but yesterday he and his wife were wanting to stay in town and do some shopping after the service. So my friend and I decided to take her car and go somewhere for lunch.

The rose gardens are getting a bit shabby.

We decided on the Gardens tea rooms as we were down that end of town anyway and parking wouldn't be such a problem as if we went into the CBD. After a nice relaxed lunch we decided to have a bit of a stroll around, it was such a nice day. 

Ducks on a small part of the pond.

We wandered through the tropical glasshouse, too hot in our winter coats and a relief to get back out into the cooler air :) Then through the rose gardens and past the duck pond. There were a lot of ducks around, maybe they knew it was the start of duck shooting season this weekend. Finally past the bandstand and the children's play area and it was up the hilly part to the car.

The children's play area.

I hope you've enjoyed this little stroll around a small part of the gardens with us. They really are rather lovely at any time of the year.

   We really enjoyed ourselves and have decided to have lunch out on a Sunday more often. 

Have a good week,

Diana

Briefly - feijoas.

Picture taken from the internet.

  Everyone who commented on my last post asked about feijoas, so briefly, here is an explanation from one of my earlier posts.

Windfalls from the neighbour's tree which overhangs our drive.

'Apparently feijoas taste a little like pineapple, but it's not like any pineapple I've ever tasted. Wikipedia says it is a type of guava native to South America. I think it is an acquired taste, unless you grow up eating it, which I didn't. I do enjoy it a little more each time I have it though'. 

They are ready to eat when they fall. The photo above is from a previous year. Although they are ready further north we are still waiting, our season seems to be later in the year. 

So that's it ... briefly.

Enjoy your weekend,

Diana

Diggers Tavern for lunch

Today our daughter in law shouted us out for lunch. So at midday we presented ourselves at Diggers Tavern which was formerly the RSA (Returned Services Association), and were shown to our table.

 Spitfire Restaurant was looking good with the tables set nicely, a table for two for us :) My GKB is looking a bit solemn but he was enjoying himself. The entertainment hadn't yet started.

There was only one course but it was well worth the money and filled us, so just a snack for tea tonight. We both ordered crumbed Schnitzel with gravy, chips and green salad. We managed to eat it all but I noticed some people took doggy bags home. And we didn't have to wait long for it, it was on the table about 10 minutes after ordering.

I'm also looking a bit serious but was distracted by the entertainers arriving. To eat or to watch them setting up? Eating won out :)

A lady I've known for about 30 years played background music while were dining. She is a beautiful pianist but unfortunately she was on a keyboard today and it sounded bit tinny but no one seemed to mind. It was also a little hard to hear her over all the background chatter, but that's a good thing - chatter usually means people are enjoying themselves in my experience.

Tea, coffee or something cold from the bar was available after the meal. I'm a tea drinker and my GKB went and got our drinks. He ordered me Earl Grey tea, not my favourite but I didn't mind today.

And then the Rhythmix started their turn. It was a wonderful hour and a half of 60's music, the Beatles, Beachboys and the like. Tom Jones. A bit of a singalong and finishing off with Vera Lynne's 'We'll meet again'.
 

We had a lovely time out and grateful thanks to daughter in law Sofi.

********

And just because I can, a photo of two of the great grandkids with feijoas the neighbour has just given them. Alice and Sitiveni.

That's it for today, 

until next time,

Diana

A prayer for ANZAC Day

 We thank you for the peace and security that you have gifted our great nation. We thank you Lord, for the courage and sacrifice of the ANZACS over 100 years ago. As we remember those who have fallen in battle, we give thanks to you, gracious God, for their great sacrifices in conflict and in captivity.

God of nations, At Thy feet, 

In the bonds of love we meet!

Hear our voices we entreat,

God defend our free land.

Another sunny Sunday

The sun was shining and so we decided to go on a short road trip down to Lake Waihola and have a stroll on the lakeside. And maybe grab a hot drink before heading home. We headed down the road behind a horse float and I couldn't help smiling as I remembered our daughter in law's astonishment at seeing a "car for horses" the first time she was over from Japan on holiday.

But as we travelled south the clouds started coming in and we thought it wouldn't be very pleasant down at the lakeside. So we decided to take a detour to airport and do some people watching and plane watching instead while we had a drink. The sky was looking a little moody over Mangatua.

 

A new feature at the entrance to the airport was this 'rainbow crossing'. Well it was new since last time I was there early in January. I hope it doesn't become as controversial as the one in one of our larger cities which was painted over by an objector who then ended up being prosecuted for his trouble.

People were only just starting to arrive for their flights so we were able to get a table reasonably close to the windows and where we could see what was coming and going.

One of our national carriers taxiing up the tarmac for takeoff. I prefer this livery to the all black one with the silver fern on it. 

Photo taken through tinted glass.

And some lucky person's private jet parked up. The owner could be in Queenstown as the pilots often need to fly the jets to Dunedin to park them due to lack of space to park in Queenstown for any length of time.

And a statue of our Southern Man is outside the entrance. A tribute to our high country farmers and stockmen. The horse is so realistic I kept expecting it to move while I was taking the photo.

Southern Man plaque. 

Speights is the name of the local beer brewed in Dunedin.

Autumn colours, I couldn't resist taking a photo as we were driving away from the airport. It looks much better in reality and some of the trees are looking decidedly bare but others still have a lot of leaves.

But that's autumn I guess :) 

I hope you've all had a good weekend.

Keep well until next time,

Diana

Some unexpected visits

 It's been a real autumn week weather wise but that didn't stop us from catching up with both our southern great grand boys.

First off was an invitation to have morning tea with Theo and his Mum and Granma at the Village Green. And of course we didn't turn down the opportunity. It was a miserable day but we had all gathered just after 10am. The Village Green is part way between both our suburbs and is at a sports ground - so no searching for a carpark. Yay! And the first thing we saw as we went through the doors into the restaurant was a roaring fire.

We put our orders in, my GKB and I had cheese rolls for breakfast, and were directed to a reserved table by the window. Youngest daughter, also known as Granma, works here so the boss came over and sat with us for a few minutes and had cuddles with Theo. Orders arrived and we spent a very pleasant hour or so chatting together.

Later in the day I called around to a local rest home and visited with a friend. She has no family here and so there is a little group of us who visit and do her personal shopping for her. You can see the state of the weather in this photo but it was nice and warm inside.

Then the next day I had a message from eldest daughter, can Arlo and I come out and visit this afternoon? Of course we said yes. That was another wet and miserable day but a little better than the one before. My GKB set up the construction set before they got here, he always likes to play with it and it takes a bit of putting together and he can get the Lego and a few other games out himself. Guess what he decided to play this time? Chess! None of us play chess but we have a set so at some time one of the kids must have played. I think it was our son.

He taught himself how to set the board up, and we had a lot of fun playing 'Arlo's rules', but we have told him that there are other rules and he will need to learn them if he wants to play with other people. He is 4, turns 5 next month and will be away to school. Where has that time gone? He is the eldest of the great grandkids and Theo is the youngest at 6 weeks. 

Today the sun is shining and it has been nice and warm. We went for a drive to Outram for an ice cream and I went for a stroll up the street afterwards. As you can see, a beautiful blue sky day.

That's it for today, until next time

 be kind to yourself :)

Diana