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.

Great Journeys start with Small Steps

The main hall of

Auckland International Airport

The aeroplane is the Percival Gull which belonged to

Jean Batten - an early New Zealand aviatrix in the 1930's.

She made the first-ever solo flight 

from England to New Zealand in 1936.

What a great achievement!

I'm joining Jeanne for Blue Monday

Take care and
be kind to one another

à bientôt

Shane

Thank you all for your visits.

Country in the City

Cornwall Park is an urban working farm

ever changing through the seasons.

For city dwellers

it takes many of us back to our country roots.

Also it's a wonderful "hands on" learning and teaching tool

for both school children and teachers.

Sadly today, many children think milk comes from the

supermarket or dairy.

I'm joining Tex for Good Fences and

Eileen for Saturday Critters

Thank you both for hosting

and thank you dear friends for reading my posts and

leaving your comments so I know you've visited!

Take care and

be kind to one another

à bientôt

Shane

Blue cows in Morrinsville

On my recent trip to the farms down country
I photographed the cow sculptures
as we passed through Morrinsville.

I saved the blue cow to share with 
Jeanne who hosts Blue Monday
and my friends
who participate with their 'blue' posts.

I've named her Rosie
and she is part of a Street Art Exhibition called
"Herd of Cows?"

It celebrates the heritage of  dairying
as well as the growing art culture
in Morrinsville!

I snapped this photo of a milk tanker
as it left the farm
after collecting milk from the large vat.


I'm joining Jeanne for Blue Monday
Why don't you join us with your "blues"!


Take care and
be kind to one another

à bientôt



Shane

Weekend Reflections

Driving home through Auckland city last weekend

I snapped these reflections on a glass fronted

office building!

I'm joining 

James for - Weekend Reflections

and

Arija, Gattina, Ladi Fi, Sylvia, Sandy and Jennifer

for

Our World Tuesday

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

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

Moments in my Week

I think this must be Cotton Tail - don't you?!
Spotted through a fence on the way to
Sandspit at the weekend.

I'm at my happiest in the countryside
I'm not at all a city girl
in spite of living in the city
for my entire married life - 46 years
(on Monday 11th April)!

Our embroidery group met yesterday,

this is always a very relaxing day.

The picture above is a hint of Rose's next project

(Rose is the creative one in our little group).

These beautiful threads and silk ribbon will be used

to embroider a paisley design for a cushion!

I'll give you an update once she gets started!

We met at Thelma's
and she made us a delicious salmon salad for lunch with
fresh grainy bread - all very healthy.

For afternoon tea we had Madelines and
Apple Roses - both extremely yummy!
If you would like the recipe and 'easy peasy' technique
for making these Apple Roses
let me know and I'll email it to you
(don't forget your email address if I haven't got it already).

I subscribe to an email newsletter called
Bonjour Paris.
The latest issue arrived at my computer this week
One of the articles was about the
restoration of the Royal apartments at
Palace of Versailles.

Guerlain are taking orders for their
limited edition perfume called
Le Bouquet de la Reine.
The price will be... 550,00 € tax incl.
($921 in New Zealand dollars)
...just a tad over my budget
how about you?

I'm joining Mimi for Five Star Frou-Frou
Amy for Five on Friday
Nancy for Random 5 Friday
Tanya for Willy Nilly Friday
Cath for Fun Friday Favourites
and
Bernideen for BTTCG


Thank you everyone for popping in
I love reading your comments!

Take care and
be kind to one another

à bientôt




Shane

Thank you ladies for hosting your link-ups!

Views of Auckland Waterfront

With the lovely weather over Easter
we visited the waterfront and viaduct harbour.
There were a few clouds about
but with the temperature at 28°C
we had an enjoyable walk.

It's now early Autumn and in a month or two
the days will start to draw in.
This weekend on Sunday 3rd April
Daylight Saving finishes.......
I'm thankful for such a magnificent summer
it has truly been one out of the box!

Wishing everyone, everywhere
your best summer ever too!

I'm joining Gemma for Ruby Tuesday Too
&
Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia, Sandy and Jennifer for 
Our World Tuesday
Thank you all for hosting.

Thank you for visiting over Easter

Take care and
be kind to one another

à bientôt



Shane

City Fences

I took these photos with my phone

on a stunning late summer afternoon.

We are seeing more and more security gates

protecting homes and the people who live in them.

Sadly it's the inevitable result of increasing population

and higher density housing

in a growing city of 1.7 million people.

I grew up in a small country town

where we didn't even lock our doors.

The crime rate was non existant back then.

Sadly that is not the case anymore.

I'm joining Tex for Good Fences

Thank you for your visits

Take care and

be kind to one another

à bientôt

Shane

New Zealand Summer Farm Fences

We've had a few trips away this Summer

and I take photos out of the car window

as we speed along the country roads!

If we stopped every time I see a photo opportunity

we would never arrive at our destination!!

On this particular pre-Christmas excursion

there was a lot of hay making going on.

Farmers were cutting hay, baling and wrapping it

quickly and efficiently while the weather was fine

just in case the weather changed.

Have you noticed that farmers talk a lot about the weather?

That doesn't surprise me as the weather determines

all activities on the farm.

I'm joining Tex for Good Fences

and

Eileen for Saturday Critters

Thank you all for your visits

I'm hoping to visit you all this weekend,

however it is my birthday on Saturday so there could be other plans afoot!

Take care and

be kind to one another

à bientôt

Shane