MORE OF WELLINGTON

 Jeff, Alicia and Charlotte early in the evening walking to dinner.

 Foxglove on the waterfront where we just ate Tapas.  It was really delectable.

 At Concrete Bar where Jeff and Yvette had a voucher for a cocktail.  It was nice to sit and relax after a busy day on our feet.

 Walking along the harbourside to the Handmade Markets.  I love the sculptures along the walkway.  This section is like being on the deck of an old sailing ship.

 There are many statues and fountains in Wellington.  It really is a lovely city.

We were amused by this sign for the ladies toilet.

 We caught the cable car up to the Observatory where we had booked in to see a special weather show.  I might have enjoyed it if it was the weather on earth, but it was the weather on every other planet in outer space.  I HATE outer space.  I think it might be agoraphobia!!  I HATED THE SHOW.  But everyone else enjoyed it.  The theatre was amazing.  It had an overhead circular screen.

 Jeff in the children's activity room which he thoroughly enjoyed.  At 6pm at night there were no children to contend with so he got quite a go and the flight simulator. 

 What you can do in a mini theatrette when you are the only patrons and you're dog tired after a full day walking.  Jeff actually went to sleep and Yvette was close to it!  The film was the Maori legend as to how New Zealand came into existence.  I enjoyed that one.

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND
On the 18th October we Jeff and I flew to Wellington New Zealand with Yvette, Alicia and Charlotte for a weeks holiday of shopping, eating, walking, museums and a Lord of the Rings Tour.  We stayed in a three bedroom apartment at Chews Lane, right in the middle of Wellington which enabled us to walk everywhere.
The weather was cold and windy with temps around 16cdeg and with a wind chill factor.  It was colder than when Jeff and I were in Alaska in April/May with snow on the ground.  We wore our Alaska clothes in NZ and were quite comfortable.  Several of the locals were wearing short sleeves because "the sun was out" and it was Spring!!

 Yvette was the first one to buy something in the shops.  These gorgeous red suede shoes.

 Shopping on Lambton Quay.  The waters edges originally was at Lambton Quay but after several earthquakes the land heaved upwards creating two more blocks before the waters edge now.

 Trolley buses were a novel interest.  We caught one a couple of times when we were tired of walking and when we went to church as it was quite a distance to walk.

 Yvette christened this statue "Dapper Chap" as she sees a man in Tuggeranong Mall often dressed the same as the statue, in his top hat and long jacket.

 The beautiful General Practitioner restaurant where we ate dinner on our first evening.  It was built as a residence and surgery for the general practitioner in the 1800's.  The first was lovely and the decor stunning, complete with display cases of ancient medical instruments.

 Inside the trolley bus with it's New Zealand silver fern fabric seats.  They were exceptionally clean buses.

 Sweet Mother's Kitchen for breakfast on two mornings.  Charlotte chose it because it served Mexican food. 

 Sweet Mothers Kitchen looks nothing like any of my friends kitchens!!

 A statue dedicated to Peter Jackson, director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.  Wellington honours Peter Jackson and all the finance he has brought to the city with his film making.

 "Lunch" at Floriditas.  No room for anything else after a big breakfast.  We just loved the vintage, mismatched china they served everything on.  My red and white plate sporting a Portuguese Custard Tart is sitting on a Royal Albert 'Canterbury" plate matching our dear Elva's tea set which Felicity inherited.

Charlotte's gorgeous cup.  I have never ever seen another like it, but I will now be on the lookout.  I can't remember what it was now.

RED COW FARM SUTTON FOREST

  Red Cow Farm is tended by only one man as far as I could ascertain.  It is a serious of gardens rooms.  There was so much structure to it with  very high hedges between to protect the gardens from the cold winter weathr.

 Although there wasn't a lot of colour in the garden in September, there was still a lot to discover and appreciate.  This was The Abbesses Garden. 

 I love garden statures and would love to have more in my own garden.

 These wooden towers are actually supports for climbing roses.  In the summertime they must look gorgeous.  I hope to go back and visit again in the summer.  The garden is opened from September to May.

 The dam is at the bottom of the property.

 The old outbuilding looked to be about 100 years old. 

 This garden room was like a church with a statue of a Saint in each
alcove.  I just loved it.

 I always think this is Saint Anthony holding a child.

 This must be Saint Frances because he is holding a bird.

 Looking through to the orchard.

TULIP TIME IN BOWRAL

Last Thursday we drove an hour up to the Southern Highlands to visit Bowral for their Tulip Time. We dressed in layers and took our overcoats but the weather was quite warm.
 Corbett Gardens in Bowral was awash with colourful tulips and pansies.  The blossoms trees were just gorgeous.

 We visited Red Cow Farm at Sutton Forest.  It is a collection of garden 'rooms' and was just magnificent.

 Corbett Gardens

 This was an amazing Peony.  I saw my first peony at a B and B we stayed at in Ipres in Belgium.  I had to grab the owner and take her to it in the garden to ask what it was.  Then when we stayed with our friends in Somerset in England, Linda had one.  This is only the third one I have ever seen.  The flowers were as big as a bread and butter plate.

 This gorgeous Japanese Crab Apple was just beautiful.

 The beautiful St Jude's Rectory in Bowral.

 Red Cow Farm again.

 Beautiful Rhododendron at Red Cow Farm.  I just loved the Peter Rabbit watering can in the garden.

WHERE HAVE I BEEN FOR A MONTH

 I hurt my back 5 weeks ago and was totally laid up for a week, flat on my back.  Jeff had become chief cook and bottle washer as well as nurse and maid, as well as trying to keep up all his own activities.  I tried not to be too demanding and give him lots of thanks and praise, but after a month of not being able to do very much at all, we are both getting very tired.

Fliss and the children came down for a couple of days to cheer us up.  Cooper helped Jeff prepare chicken schnitzels for chicken parmigiana.  Yes, Jeff's cooking has become very creative over the last month.  Today he has even attempted a quiche, making pastry for the first time.  Looking forward to tasting it at lunch time.

Jeff reading the children their bedtime stories.  "Just one more" is usually the cry.

Sienna loved the fact that I was confined to my easy chair and bought me numerous books to read and sat on my lap to watch TV.  She kept me company for hours.

 Charlotte and Jaimeson came to visit me too, when I was a little bit more mobile.

 Jaimeson LOVES the Swiss clock with the little girl who bobs up and down as it ticks.  When it's stopped he MUST set it going.

My right knee still gives me a lot of pain but I can get around a lot better now, but I'm still quite slow and get tired very quickly.

We played outside in the lovely warm spring sunshine.  Jaimeson went through a box of old toys which had belonged to the girls when they were little.  Charlotte oohed and aahed over the memories.

MY WINTER GARDEN

 Our back deck is rather useless in winter as it's on the southern side of the house and never gets any sun.  The seat cushions are retired to the storeroom for the winter.  Actually last summer they hardly came out either as it was so cold and wet over the summer.  Looking forward to a long hot summer this year.

 Our new purchase is the bicycle plant stand .  I saw them in France and loved them but could not fit one into my suitcase.  I was delighted to see this one in Bunnings.  The wheelbarrow is growing snow peas.  The poor old wheelbarrow came with us from Grafton but now is rusted through and ready for the bin.  We will buy a new wheelbarrow to use and recycle the old one into a new vegetable garden.  It's great because you can wheel it round chasing the sun.

 We will soon start heating the pool ready for swimming in October.  Can you see my yellow orchids along the pool fence.  I have had so many spikes this year, but their pots have rotted the pool deck and Jeff has had to do some replacing of timbers.  NO MORE POTS ON THE POOL DECK had been decreed!!

 A close up of my orchids.  They originally came from my Dad via a sojourn in Katoomba with my sister Laurel.

Our front yard.  My stocks have been just beautiful.  I have picked bunches of them.  I just love the smell.  It transports me to my childhood as Mum used to grow them.  My wooden wheelbarrow is now overflowing with pansies and lobellia.