Flowery Thoughts and then....

This bush looks like daisies, but it's just leaves not flowers.

These buds are bigger than my fist and bloom into these amazing flowers.

These little ones grow into these tree looking ones.

Yeah, the short round succulents grow into the trees.....no way.....yes way.

And these bud feels like bird feathers.

And bloom into these beautiful yellow flowers.

All this was on the side of the road. Like they put something pretty for people to see as they drive by instead of looking at the car park on the other side. Yep, this garden was just between the road and a parking lot. Really nice. I do find myself singing in my head, "They paved paradise to put up a parking lot."


Last night's widely-felt magnitude-7.0 earthquake was the largest in the area for up to 120 years.


Thank goodness there was very little damage in Opunake and none where I am, Wellington, which is 107 miles away. We just had a good shake that felt kind of like a heavy train going by close to the house. Wow! I've experienced my first earthquake.


Coming soon.....Seal Safari Tour, Zealandia Exhibition & Sanctuary Valley and Pukaha Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre. My friends have found some great deals on grabone.com.

Also, they're taking me to see a car Saturday, so maybe I'll be taking to the road. I am so ready to drive again. I've been paying close attention while in the backseat or on the bus. I'm sure I can remember to stay to the left, give way, instead of yield and, when in a car park, look for the way out, instead of the exit.


Well, ta for now and thanks again for coming along with me.

Gifts of Land and Sea

Laughter is a wonderful gift....this electronics store at the mall has the funniest signs.

More beautiful gardens.

The women's center where I've signed up for a flax weaving class.

The Tazman Seashore.

 

 

 

 

I sat on top of this stump and the ocean raced in and foamed up all around it.  I felt like a mermaid...lol.

I received beautiful gifts from the sea. Shells, drift wood and a heart shaped stone.

The water was very cold and my feet were numb in no time. I would sink up to my ankles in the pebbles as the water rushed over my feet.

 Walking back to my friends and their car parked there in the distance. I am very grateful for this opportunity they have given me and am so glad for my friends and family that are sharing it with me. Love you all!

Percy's Reserve

Today my friends took me to a great place for a tramp, or hike as we call it. Percy's Reserve has native plants, waterfall, a duck pond and I only saw a tiny bit of  it. I did take a ton of pictures. Weather has not been conducive to getting outdoors, 40 to 50 degrees and rainy with cold southerly winds, but today we had a few hours of nice weather and took advantage of it.

Hello Mike and Leilani. Can you tell which one is the native Kiwi and which one is from Texas? Haha, yep, the huge parka is a dead give away....lol.

The fern trees are unusual but the ducks are normal mallards.

This trail was pretty steep and full of mud puddles from all the rain lately.

All these amazing plants growing along the steep sides of this ravine.

 My friends found a nice bench to sit on while I did the steep trail. See them at the bottom in the middle.

This fern had one of those awsome spiral babies that chefs like to cook. I got a close up of it.

Yea, I know, that's a lot a ferns. Hehehe, but they're so awsome!

Vibrant purple little flowers. Really pretty.

I'm so glad that you guys went tramping with me today. It's great to have someone with whom to say, ooooh look at that. I can't wait to take you with me on my next adventure.

Beautiful Library Park and the Beach

Seagull and Variable Oyster Catchers

Too cold to get in the water yet. Looking forward to finding out more about whale watching.

This beautiful park is at the library where I carried lap top, phone and kindle for free wifi today to get this post done.

There were some people doing tai chi in the park. Too bad none of them spoke English I would love to learn.  I used Skype for the first time today.  I got to talk to my sister, Robin, and my friend Christy. Christy's first published book , Four In The Morning, came out recently on Amazon. Be sure and check it out.