And it's a start...

There really is nothing more special some days than enjoying a fresh morning. The Sun  hasn't yet found it's strength and yet the light shimmers and is so clear. Morning dew adds to the beauty and the scent of flowers..well let's just say it's a great way to start a day..ith a cup of coffee of course..

Courtyard

The front courtyard..a great suntrap; but Autumn is on the way as soon as the Anemones are on show...

I'm not sure whether I prefer the Spring though; this Winter Cherry is virually the first to bloom of anything and the hum of bees soaking up the pollen for the first time in months can be heard..let alone the Rosellas having a field day.

Finally! The gable roof is finished and painted despite the appalling Summer weather and constant rain. New guttering was put on as the opportunity was too good to be missed.

Now it is looking a lot better; one of the great pleasures is the green environment. when the houses were built a small private park was included - such a nice touch in an ever-expanding residential area. It WAS called Regent's Park - somehow the sign disappeared, probably once the Council decided to pay more attention to the area and regularly maintain the grounds.

A 2 minute walk by private walkway leads to Abbott's Park..

Walking through Abbott's Park to Abbott's Way leads one to Waiatarua Reserve, recently deescribed by the New Zealand Herald as the 'Jewel of East Auckland'

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10783157

An extract from that article:

Birds have returned in abundance to the 57ha "Jewel of East Auckland", the Waiatarua Reserve. Tui feed in the flax, and a little pied stilt made it very clear that we were just too close to the pompoms on stilts that were its chicks.

This is a huge reserve. So huge that there's a 60-minute single circuit walking track around it. It is home to the largest urban constructed wetland in New Zealand.

A separarate website shows more of this reserve:

http://waiatarua.com/index.htm 

 *****

Ok..after almost 2 weeks of the most awful rain the new roof is almost finished

What should have taken 1 or 2 days has taken almost 1 month due the 'orrible weather. The old tiles were fine just the colour didn't suit the paintwork and the showed signs of bleaching from the Sun. New tiles have replaced and now they will be painted a more suitable colour.

Steps..the only way really to deal with a slope. With a smaller garden the best plan is to divert the eye away from the farthest point, normally a straight line to a fence. Having steps that curve and planting trees and shrubs along the curve helps make the eye wander. Decided there had to be a 'destination' so built a small hexagonal deck at the top; this catches the late afternoon sun and the last of day. Land is being developed more and more in this area so large scented shrubs have been planted along the new fence to give shelter and privacy. Hard work building the things - and in one evening a huge downpour created flood. The builder had created a channel to by-pass the hole being dug for the deck and this became like a pipe for the water. With no plant roots and pure exposed soil a lot got washed down the channel and sludge arrived about 4cm deep onto the nice cream Italian tiles. Lovely!