Mosaic Monday - Looking Back at March

I'm pressed for time this week so I decided to look back on

some of my previous posts.

I'm working tomorrow morning and

I have a dental appointment in the afternoon.

Then on Wednesday morning I'm flying to Queensland, Australia.

Cyclone Debbie has created havoc - I've looked at the photos on line

and the devastation is incredible - nature at her worst.

It's heartbreaking for families whose homes  have been destroyed.

I feel somewhat guilty arriving for a holiday amid such chaos.

I will be catching up with a very dear blog friend in Brisbane

whom I met two years ago when she was passing through

Auckland on her way to see her family in Canada.

Have you guessed who she is?

All will be revealed very soon!

 I'll be out and about taking photos and if time allows

I'll join you all next Monday.

Thank you dear Maggie for hosting

MOSAIC MONDAY

Take care and

be kind to one another

à bientôt

Shane

Thank you for visiting.

Paris Fences

The Pont Alexandre

is one of the most beautiful bridges in

Paris

It is a great vantage point

to view all manner of boats, barges and 

the Bateau Mouche excursion boats

on the Seine.

I'm joining Tex for Good Fences

Thank you for your visits to my blog

Take care and

be kind to one another

à bientôt

Shane

Anzac Day 2016

Anzac Day occurs on the 26th April.

It marks the anniversary of the landing of the

Australian and New Zealand soldiers

known as the 

ANZACS

on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey

during the First World War in 1915.

On this day we commemorate all New Zealanders

and Australians

killed in war and we honour

our returned servicemen and women.

The War Memorial Museum

is the venue for our

Anzac Day Memorial Service in Auckland.

There are services in every city and small town

throughout New Zealand

and Australia.

I'm joining

Judith for Mosaic Monday
Gemma for Ruby Tuesday Too
and the girls at Our World Tuesday

Take care and

be kind to one another

à bientôt

Shane

Summer Blues

Blue Agapanthus are common plants

in both New Zealand and Australia.

It's a sign of Summer in both our countries.

I took these photos when I was in Maldon, Australia

at Christmas.

In New Zealand 

Agapantus have been declared an invasive weed

by The Department of Conservation.

It is thought it arrived here with soldiers returning

from the second Boer War in South Africa.

It seems growing conditions here are perfect

and they can be found from North Cape

to Stewart Island, the southern most point of 

our country.

Aggies - as they're affectionately called

line the pathway to the house where we stayed.

Needless to say I felt quite at home here

thanks to the gorgeous blue aggies!

I'm joining Jeanne for 

Blue Monday

Take care and

be kind to one another

à bientôt

Shane

Moments in My Week

On my trip to the Waikato on Wednesday,
the client I visited told me to look out for cows
in Morrinsville!

I expected to see real cows but this is what she was
talking about!
Isn't this one gorgeous. 
We discovered a small herd of 8-10
life sized cows throughout the main street!

The last roses of Summer on my archway.
This is Pierre de Ronsard which I've shown you many times.
Such a worthwhile rose to have in the garden.
It is at it's best in Spring, but continues flowering through Summer
and as you can see above, well into Autumn too.
My only regret is it's lack of fragrance.

Dawn in my neck of the woods.
I'm up at 5am on my work days and 
I captured this exquisite sky before I drove out the driveway.
I love photographing skies - what about you?

The May issue of New Zealand House & Garden

magazine arrived in my letterbox this week.

Usually the May issue focuses on Mothers Day

and spoiling our mothers, baking etc

but this one only gives a cursory nod to mothers.

Change - it is happening everywhere!

Someone who never changes is the Queen
and what an example she is to all of us!
Celebrating her 90th birthday and
63 years as the Monarch of Great Britain
and the Commonwealth.

New Zealand was a founding member of the Commonwealth
family in 1931 and we remain loyal to the Queen.
Congratulations Your Majesty!

Some days as I head off to work 
I ask myself "why am I doing this at my age"
and I'm only in my seventies!!!

Last night we watched a wonderful BBC documentary 
of the Queen's life.
The Queen "works" almost every day of the year.
The only days she doesn't have to read
the Parliamentary 'red box'
are her birthday and Christmas Day.
Now that is real dedication to duty.
God Bless the Queen.

Today I'm joining these parties
Mimi for Five Star Frou-Frou
Susanne for Friday's Fave Five
Amy for Five on Friday
Nancy for Random 5 Friday
Tanya for Willy Nilly Friday
Cath for Fun Friday Favourites


Thank you all for your visits

Take care and
be kind to one another.

à bientôt




Shane

Country Fences New Zealand

I spent yesterday in the countryside

meeting with clients.

My job is in the dairy industry

and I love getting out of the office

and meeting them on farm.

It was a balmy Summery day

even though the calendar says differently 

and we are officially in Autumn.

It also gave me the opportunity

to take some photos to share with you here!

I'm joining Tex for Good Fences.

Just letting you know I'm still researching cameras

so I'm very interested in your recommendations.

I'm looking for a camera with a great lens

that can capture good detail of a distant landscape

as well as taking close ups 

of flowers, insects and birds.

I know I may need a separate lens for close-ups.

Take care and

be kind to one another

à bientôt

Shane

Red Geraniums en France

A quick post today as I'm working.

I'm joining the girls for

Ruby Tuesday Too


Take care and
be kind to one another

à bientôt




Shane

Château d'Ancy-le-Franc

Château d'Ancy-le-Franc

Burgundy, France.

I visited this beautifully restored chateau

in 2013

If you would like to know more of the history you can read about it

here

Two of my grandies playing on the path!

I'm joining Jeanne for Blue Monday

Judith for Mosaic Monday

and

Bernideen for BTTCG

Thank you ladies for hosting.

Take care and

be kind to one another

à bientôt

Shane

Pastoral scenes New Zealand

I snapped these pics on a recent road trip
as we drove along the highway
hence the lack of detail. 

New Zealand is green most of the year.

On our trip to Ireland last year
I noticed the similarities in the landscape.
True there were not as many sheep in Ireland
but the rolling hills were a familiar sight

I'm joining Eileen for Saturday Critters

Thank you all for your visits.

Take care and
be kind to one another

à bientôt




Shane

French Village Walls

When I'm with my family in France
we often drive to a neighbouring village
park the car and enjoy an amble through
the little lanes and walkways.
I always have my camera
and snap away at all manner of things that take my eye.
Walls, fences, gates, doors, shutters
winding lanes and gardens.

One of my granddaughters has a small
nature set which includes a magnifying glass,
an insect reference book and pencil.
She has great observation skills
and looks for signs of animals as well as insects,
birds and butterflies.

My father would love to know his great grandie
has an interest in nature as he was a
keen botanist and bird watcher!
When I was young he often took my brothers and I
on hikes in the bush, telling us the names of
birds, trees, plants, mosses and lichens.
As children we weren't that interested and
preferred climbing the trees or playing
hide and seek.
However, as I got older it became an inherant
 part of my life too.

I'm joining Tex for Good Fences

Thank you for your camera suggestions
I'm narrowing my choices now thanks to you
my dear bloggy pals!
From what most of you have said
it's all about the lenses rather than the camera body.

Take care and
be kind to one another

à bientôt




Shane