Week 16 ORR

After getting back from Auckland yesterday it was back to the car again to drive back down to West Auckland to pick up Jonny. He was ready and waiting for me and we were soon on the way back north. We stopped off in Warkworth to pick up a couple of dvd's for him and were back home before 5pm. Rob came in after work and had a meal with us.
On Saturday we went into Warkworth to do some shopping at New World and in the afternoon we walked down to the estuary. Rob came after work and stayed overnight. After Rob had put Jonny to bed with one of his dvd's I was soon in bed, with a good book, as I was feeling pretty shattered. After a while I got up to go to the loo and found that Jonny had sneaked back upstairs and was sitting on Rob's knee watching a fishing show on my laptop. It was so sweet to see them sharing time together.

Rob took Jonny back next morning and we had a very lazy day after the last week. In fact we had a lazy week altogether. We went for a walk at Whangateau harbour one day and the rest of the week we just took it easy.
So, as there isn't a lot to say about the week, I thought that I would post some photos of the flowers that we still have here despite the fact that we are now into winter. It doesnt seem like winter although we have had some cold mornings but still a lot of sunshine. When the sun is shining it floods into our accomodation and because of the huge windows it soon gets warm indoors. We are now lighting the fire each evening and some mornings but during the day it isn't necessary. The view from the house doewn't look at all wintery as most of the trees are evergreen so there are not many bare trees to be seen.

                                                         Kauri Trees

                                                         View from the deck.
There are banks of New Guinea impatiens still in flower. In the UK this is an annual but here it is perennial and it grows into large shrubs and seems to flower all year round.

On the terrace overlooking the estuary are two  Banksia (Australian Honeysuckle trees) that are producing large, yellow flower spikes each made up of several hundred small flowers. The Tuis love these flower spikes and I have watched them sucking the nectar from them. The Tui spend a lot of time in these trees and their melodious song can always be heard as they call to each other from the two trees.

                                                                      Banksia Tree

                                                                    Bansia flower spike.
Not far from the Banksia is a Glory bush or Princess flower. An evergreen bush with many bright purple blooms that seems to flower all year round.

Hiding in the shade is a small shrub that seems to be part of the Azalea family with shiny, green leaves and  bright orange flowers.

Shading the Azalea is a Cassia - Buttercup tree whose bright yellow flowers lit up this shady area from early autumn to winter.

There is a fried egg tree - Gordonia Axillaris which is a member of the camellia family flowering next to a deciduous magnolia which has just come into flower.

                                                              Fried egg plant

                                                               Deciduous Magnolia.

So, although it may now be winter here we still have lots of colour and interest in the garden and the surrounding landscape.