Learning Takes Time

"..people are more than one thing. Everybody is a mixed bag. With that starting point, I can imagine a very different community from the harsh, conflict-laden one we’re presently creating for ourselves." ~Bishop Jake Owensby, 17-Sep-21/blog. Bp Jake is fourth Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Western Louisiana and published author of 5 books. A...

Hope springs eternal

A couple of days ago we walked over to the flower field to check on the daffodils and a young woman was already there, picking flowers by the fence. Turns out she's the new owner. We're immensely happy that these flowers are going to be used commercially again. She was lovely and gave us a...

Starstruck

The brightest stars steal the show; they also cast the shadows.

On Track

Reporting on our Covid elimination effort, as well as sharing walking track photos from Black Gully Reserve, Tapanui, West Otago, New Zealand. Today was our big chance, for people outside of Auckland/Coromandel, to perhaps have our alert level reduced with the big announcement by our PM Jacinda Ardern scheduled for 3pm. I thought there might...

Peace Lily

This beautiful flower attracted my attention in the sub-tropical area of the Winter Garden Glasshouse at Dunedin Botanic Garden on 10 April. Until this morning I didn't know what it is but after seeing a helpful comment on another blogpost featuring the same flower, I now know the name. Then I found an online page...

It Only Takes One

Got your attention? This is one of my favourite roses at Dunedin Botanic Garden; name is 'Wild Cat'. The flowers of 'Wild Cat' were looking stupendous when I visited on 10 April 2021, our autumn. New Zealand. Rose info: Floribunda, Dickson, UK pre 2009. Click on any of the images below to enlarge. Now I'd...

Major Sales Push

This is an exhibit that I particularly enjoyed when I visited the Hurahia ana kā Whetū exhibition at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery on 13 June 2021. Untitled (1994), by Peter Robinson. I've included a photo of the information about the artwork, at the end of the post. New Zealand. Click on any photo to...

Fried Egg

A bit of fun today, in response to blog-friend Mike Powell whose posts are full of facts, fun and fabulous fotos! This morning on Facebook I found he'd posted a photo showing the yellow-centre detail of a daisy and he said: "Yesterday morning I spotted this tiny green metallic sweat bee on a Shasta daisy...

River Crossings

I was fascinated with this artwork in the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, viewed on 13 June 2021. With lots of mountains and hills, high rainfall in many places and snow in some, we have lots of fast-flowing rivers which can be extremely dangerous to cross (particularly after heavy rain). In the white settler days drownings...

Creativi-Tee

When I was in Dunedin Public Art Gallery on 13 June I saw colourful patterns on the wall in the children's activity room. As usual I was drawn to the colour like a moth to flame and found a large wall area with colourful solid pins inserted into holes. I pulled out one of the...

Life Worth Living

This is my second Cover Story .. this time for Jake's latest book which bears the same name as his blog: Looking for God in Messy Places. I've previously featured Jake's writing on my blog but for those unfamiliar with his work, Jake Owensby is Bishop of Western Louisiana (USA/Episcopal). I remember when Jake first...

Wild Highway

A quick 'extra' post. I was prompted to do this when I saw a comment conversation between two blogger friends. They were discussing how plants will grow even in the most unlikely places given half a chance (my paraphrase of what they said). Cracks, straight out of a rock, tree growing on tree, etc. So...