Turning

During a local walk on 12 March I took photos of anything autumn-y that got my attention. Tapanui, West Otago, New Zealand.

Bolder Than Blue

In summer, red hot pokers quickly send up tall sturdy flower heads that demand all attention for themselves. They're completely unfazed by the big blue sky above, doggedly growing taller so they can 'own the blue' and boldly take advantage. Viewed against a cloudless, summer-blue sky their brilliance is brightest. West Otago, New Zealand. 29...

Silene

Silene vulgaris or Bladder Campion. Eye-catching weed flowers I found at Commissioners Track, Roxburgh, Central Otago. First 3 photos taken 04 December, last photo taken 27 December. New Zealand. Etymology : "Silene, the genus name, is a reference to the Greek woodland god Silenus the foster father of Bacchus, who was often depicted covered in...

Blue Gloss

Yesterday we returned to Commissioners Track and spent some time on part of it, mostly checking out the weeds and the native plants. We're right into summer now and lots of plants are flowering including grasses. We found some very pretty weed flowers, and some rather nice native flowers too. But today's post is about...

Lift Up Your Heads

Today is Christmas Day in New Zealand. We walked a track new to us, Gabriel's Gully near Lawrence, South Otago. Love these new fern fronds that grow upright but also bow their heads, reminding me of a church song: Lift up your heads to the coming king, bow before him and adore him, sing… Detail...

Remnant

Perhaps the remnant held a claim boundary peg back in the day. It was illegal to sluice away a peg. I was intrigued by the horizontal hole at the top through which I could see the blue sky. The two 'remnant' photos were taken by me. The photos of Blue Lake and eroded hillside slopes...

Blue and Gold

Blue Lake at St Bathans in Central Otago was formed through gold mining activity from the 1860s till 1934. Originally the lake was a 120m high hill.. Kildare Hill.. which I've read was demolished via hydraulic sluicing in about 10 years. By using a hydraulic elevator the site of the now-gone hill became an ever-growing...

31 Years

Wedding anniversary today! So we did a long drive into Central Otago ~ but I took this photo 24 November. Deep red rosebud ready to open, red mature rose blurred behind the bud, scattered soft-focus white roses in background (they're tinged palest pink in the centre). Alexandra public gardens, Central Otago, New Zealand.

Blue Door, Church

As we drove home Nigel made a stop at the fuel station in Clinton so I hopped out and wandered up the road to take a few photos of a church I like to keep an eye on. Something's afoot there but I don't know what - therefore I don't know the fate of the...

Stark Difference

When the gold miners arrived in Central Otago in the 1860s they didn't bat an eyelid at radically and massively transforming the environment. The initial influx of individuals and small groups gave way to larger operations that harnessed the power of water to obliterate large parts of the landscape. They extracted relatively small amounts of...

Fine and Dandy

Roadside orchard at Earnscleugh, Central Otago, New Zealand ~29 Oct 2022. In the pre-storm light all the dandelion seedheads really shone!

Pale Paeony

Found this beautiful pale paeony in the Gardens at Alexandra on 29 October. Central Otago, New Zealand.