Sunday 10 March 2019

The long languid days of Summer.....




Hello dear blogging friends
have you wondered where I've been?
We have had the most amazing Summer
down under - like the ones we all
remember from our childhood.
When every day is more perfect than the one before!


When not working, my days have been spent
out and about, walking along the beach
to catch the sea breeze
or in the park beneath the huge old trees
trying to keep cool!


For me the languid hot days are not conducive
 to sitting at my computer writing!
I have been reading your posts and
I'm pretty much up to date with what you
are all doing!


I see my dear Northern Hemisphere friends
have been dealing with snow, snow and more snow.
Seeing your photos of shovelling 
mounds of snow to create a pathway
made me feel exhausted!!!


My garden has suffered from the drought
this Summer.
I have been reluctant to water more than
once a week, in my effort to conserve water.
My five new David Austen roses are all
looking rather sad......
However we had a good downpour yesterday
so they will bounce back and fingers crossed
I will have flowers again!


These photos were taken on a visit to the
Auckland Botanical Gardens
which covers 64 hectares of gardens and forest.
~
The day we visited it was full of family groups
and it was wonderful to see the children
running and playing as I'm sure many of them
live in smaller houses and apartments now
with small gardens.
The price of property in Auckland now is prohibitive
for young families, I really feel sorry for the ones
buying their first home.
Is it the same where you live?
.....until next time.
I look forward to reading your comments and
catching up with what you are up to!

Take care and
be kind to one another
à bientôt

Shane xx





34 comments:

  1. ah.....summer......it's been so long since I've seen your pretty face....
    (reading what you said about watering once a week brings to mind the fact that when I was a kid we had to save all our bathwater which my mother carried outside to water her flowers).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Funny MA so did we! I was a War baby born 1942 so the frugal lessons were learnt in my young years! Nothing was wasted - even the bath water!
      Lovely to see you visiting thank you my dear friend!🧚‍♀️✨💫

      Delete
  2. How lovely to see a post from you, Shane. Your summer sounds like a delightful one. The roses, so lush with their open petals must smell wonderful. I'm glad your new David Austin roses are doing well in spite of the lack of rain. Thanks for taking us along on your visit to the Botanical Gardens.

    Oh, and yes, housing is terribly expensive where we live. Young families have a difficult time getting into something, and rentals are not very plentiful, either. It's rather sad.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Lorrie - as you may recall I’m always impressed by your posts on the magnificent Butchart gardens! Their plantings are quite spectacular!

      Delete
  3. Yes, it has been a wonderful summer hasn't it. We have been spoiling ourselves by having several meals out at Bistro de Paris. It is so good to know that one gets an excellent meal prepared on the premises - Doug loves the French Burger or the Beef pies and I have stuck with the Mushroom Galette. If we have to be in town it is a good excuse.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh Sue you are a real regular I hear and very much appreciated too!
      I’m with you I always have the Mushroom Galette and a little cake and my husband has a Big Breakfast!
      We’re creatures of habit aren’t we.🧚‍♀️💫

      Delete
  4. How lovely to see your Post, dear Shane, and so enjoyable to see the flowers in the gardens. It has been such a hot Summer here that only the hardiest plants survive, and I have lost a lot of plants. They need water every day - a weekly watering for roses is amazing to me! So pleased your David Austin are going well, they are so beautiful. Meantime, despite another 38c day forecast tomorrow, I bought a few potted pansies and petunias today, and will nurture them inside the house :) Hope you are well and enjoying life. xxxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Our temps are not as high as yours in Queensland Patricia, but hot none the less!
      I feel one needs to be born into that climate! When we lived there in the early 80’s I was a mess!
      Oh to have had the luxury of aircon back then!
      You stole my thunder as I’m about to replant all my pots with the same plants as you - great minds! 🧚‍♀️⭐️✨💫

      Delete
  5. How good to see a post from you, dear Shane. I thought you must have had a busy Summer. Here we are preparing gardens for what we call summer, not as hot as yours!
    My roses are beginning to put out their new leaf buds, and I'm wondering if I can find a space for one new one!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you my dear and I’m so happy to see you reading and commenting on my blog!
      With the irregularity of my posts, I’m fortunate to still have kind friends like you!
      What excitement to discover the new leaf buds on your roses! Hope Springs eternal!
      If you do succumb and buy another rose, think about the David Austen Evelyn as she has been my best performer this season!
      I’m looking forward to seeing your Sweet Peas and the other seeds you bought from Sarah Raven!
      Love to you both, You’re always in my prayers. Xxx

      Delete
  6. Yes, there have been times when home ownership has been a challenge for younger families; however, right now, things are good in that department.

    Oh what a lovely description of your summer days, "each one more perfect than the day before." I am wearing a big old grin and hoping that the coming summer as you enter winter will be wonderful like that. You are correct, currently, we are in the deepest of winter even though spring is just over the horizon...on the calendar at least.

    I enjoyed seeing all the pretty flowers and I do hope that the water brings your beautiful roses back.

    May your autumn be just as lovely as summer...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you dear Vee!
      What good news that housing is priced within the young families budget - as I mentioned it’s not so here.
      However, the current Government has promised to build 6,400 affordable homes in Auckland within 4 years!
      …Promises are all very well… says my cynical side!
      I imagine you are looking forward to the warmer weather that Spring will bring!
      Xxx

      Delete
  7. I am always a bit shocked by your opposite seasons, especially when you don't post often to remind me! Just this morning we changed to Daylight Savings Time, which will make it feel like spring/summer has begun, with daylight extended into the evening hours. Since I prefer fall/winter, I must mentally 'gird my loins.' LOL

    Yes, here in the Pacific NW housing is very expensive. We bought this place with ~five acres 24 years ago; we could never afford it now!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Our Daylight saving ends on 7th April - boohoo!
      I’m an Autumn girl and prefer winter clothes eg scarves, boots, berets.
      Land is cheaper in our provinces - it’s just the large cities that prices are so horrific.
      Of course there are more jobs available in the city!
      I will try and post more often Michelle.... just for you! 😘

      Delete
  8. ahhh, thank you for giving me your bit of a delightful summer Shane. The photos and flowers are gorgeous! keeping my fingers crossed that we have finally had the last of the snow this year. Happy to have more daylight hours and to start seeing and hearing the Springtime birds and their songs. Good to "see" you again!

    ReplyDelete
  9. It seems Spring can never come early enough Linda.
    I know after a couple of months of cold winter days I’m ready for a change!
    I like to plan weekends away (or preferably a few weeks overseas if there’s spare cash in the coffers)!
    It helps break up the monotony of cold winter days!!!
    And oh who doesn’t miss the birdsong… and butterflies and bees 🦋🐝
    Sadly our daylight saving ends on 7th April,🥺🍂🍁

    ReplyDelete
  10. Glad you had some rain and I hope your roses revive. What a beautiful garden. It is hard in many areas for first time homebuyers here in the U.S. The problem is that where houses are more affordable, jobs are more scarce. Hope you have a good week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The rain was so welcome and all the plants have perked!
      It’s the same here Ellen, more affordable housing in the provinces but fewer jobs. A catch 22 sadly.

      Delete
  11. Such beautiful a tour around the botanical garden, Shane , thank you- The roses are gorgeous . Also here we had a dry summer in 2018 and much water was used to keep the soil just a little damp, just as you have been doing now.
    And yes, impossible priced in the bigger cities, to buy property !!
    Have a wonderful week - Hugs, Dorthe

    ReplyDelete
  12. Lovely to see you here dear Dorthe!
    My garden is coming back to life - amazing what a day of rain can achieve!
    Housing is a world wide issue it seems.
    Take care
    Much love
    Shane🧚🏻‍♀️⭐️✨💫

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi Shane,
    so lovely to hear from you again! Thank you for all those lovely summerpictures! We are waiting for Springtime, but at the moment we have stormy and rainy days ...
    Have a lovely time, take care,
    and lots of Love, Claudia xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Claudia, and so lovely to hear from you also!
      Soon those storming days will be behind you and you garden will SPRING into life once more!
      Much love
      Shane xx

      Delete
  14. Hello Shane, it's so nice that you enjoyed the summer. What beautiful photos of the Gardens. Here in the northeast it's still cold we have had some snowy days in March as usual. I am so looking forward to spring. I know you will be going into fall soon. Take care.
    Julie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh I know how much you're looking forward to Spring Julie. Snow is lovely for a short time but I can see there is a lot of work involved in clearing pathways etcet!
      Yes Fall/Autumn is my favourite. I enjoy the change of seasons!
      Take care
      Shane xox

      Delete
  15. Oh the flowers and gardens at the Botanical Gardens are quite wonderful. I am so looking forward to roses coming in the next few months. My daffodils and crocus are now blooming. Where I live in Oregon we had a very mild winter until about the first of February and then it got cold with a little snow, but mostly cold and rainy. Now it looks like Spring will soon be here and I am very excited about that. How I wish I could have walked on the beach with you and through the gardens.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. With daffodils and crocus flowering Spring is sure to arrive very soon!
      Our winter is cold and rainy off and on too and it gets tiresome - hence the longing for Spring!
      Oh Marilyn it would have been lovely to have you with me on those walks, chit-chatting along the way about and and sundry!
      Then we could have found a lovely tea shop and sipped tea and chatted some more! xxx

      Delete
  16. Dearest Shane,
    What a joy for seeing the summer wind down and for visiting Auckland's Botanical Garden.
    Lovely photos, that bring joy to us now starting to see anew blossoms showing up; spring is there!
    As for property prices, no here in the southeast of the USA they are very favorable and there's a lot on the market. Sad if young people see their life's dream and plans, kind of shattered...
    Sending you hugs from a lovely warm Georgia where we could bike together today for the first time in shorts!
    Mariette

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hello Mariette
    How nice that you can be out and about wearing shorts!
    We are always grateful when Spring arrives and bringing with it the warmer days!
    We are having very warm Autumn weather!
    Hugs
    Shane xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Shane,
      Well, it's cool again... too bad!
      Happy Saint Patrick's Day.
      Hugs,
      Mariette ☘

      Delete
    2. With the horrific terrorist attack in Christchurch - all the Saint Patrick Day parades were cancelled.
      We never thought we would experience such horror in our quiet corner of the world - we thought we were safe.... not so.
      Hugs
      Shane xox

      Delete
    3. So sorry for all the people that worked so hard on that very special event and all in vain!
      Big hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  18. It's always so nice to see you blogging here again! I loved your post, filled with the blooms we have months to see. What a magnificent garden.

    I have been thinking of you and the terrible terror attack in NZ, but I see it is not your city. Still, a tragedy.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thank you Jeanie.
    We are all still in complete shock. We thought we were isolated enough not to be effected by extremists and terrorist attacked....sadly not so.
    These poor families chose New Zealand because they thought it was a safe country.
    The perpetrator was apprehended as he tried to escape and is now in Police custody.
    Thank you for your concern for our country dear Jeanie.
    Much love
    Shane

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hello Shane, the Botanic Gardens are lovely and peaceful, and the roses made me smile. I love the color of the soft pink ones. I hope you've had some rain since then - it is always much needed for the plants and flowers, and makes everything fresh and clean again. We got lots of rain this year, and we are in the Summer months right now. I hope you are doing well. It was so good to see your comment the other day.

    Take care,

    ~Sheri

    ReplyDelete

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...