One step backwards...

We had one of the worst storms on record for forty years a fortnight ago. Amazingly the only damage was to my globe artichoke. It had already grown to giant proportions so it was a bit of a setback for my vegetable patch. 

Interestingly, the damaged leaves seemed to be even more under attack from aphids (or similar) than when the plant was thriving. I've stripped those leaves off now and hope the plant revives itself. 

The pumpkin growing in my old compost heap is looking very healthy in comparison. It's still quite small but there are flowers already. There's a new choko plant growing alongside it too. 

In the native bed, I was delighted to find that my two dwarf kowhai are in good health and both of them have their first flowers. None of the native grasses survived the summer but some of the other ground cover plants have new leaves. 

Inside, I've been busy pickling red cabbage. 

We've been enjoying bok choi and winter salad too. Our first cos lettuce is in the fridge ready for a salad tomorrow night. Winter growing is off to a good start. 

First Frost

Rainbow Season

The strawberries have gone,
Asparagus is done.

The night is almost cold,
The leaves are turning gold. 

 

Gardens have few flowers,

Sunshine comes with showers. 

The season of rainbows.

Misty Morning

First Frost

It's been a funny winter so far. Very wet to start with - when the drought ended - then some long dry spells. Some days it's been warm enough to sit outside for lunch - and plenty warm enough to work outside in short sleeves. And then we've had cold snaps too - including our first frosty windscreens since we moved here 4 years ago. Needless to say, we were underprepared and had to clear the ice with a credit card!

Darling Buds 2

Rainbow season returns

Debris

The gales in mid-October brought down trees and power cables across Auckland and strewed whole pile of pretty debris across our drive. I was loathe to sweep it up so snapped this photo of it before I did.

More Mist

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The misty mornings have resulted in some beautiful spiders' webs. These webs must be there all the time but it's only when they attract water droplets like this that we really notice them.

Misty Morning

After some of the wettest weather in living memory washed out driveways and turned creeks into rivers, fog descended on Auckland. One early morning we couldn't even see the top of our drive. It was pretty and spooky all at once.

Tip of the Day

...courtesy of the Auckland Botanic Gardens.

Flat Rainbow

It's not the best photo but look carefully and you should see a flat rainbow in the middle of the picture. I spotted it just after midday when the mist and rain had rolled into the valley below.

I don't think it's a circumhorizontal arc because the clouds were low-lying and thick rather than high cirrus clouds. It's not a fogbow either because it doesn't arch and it's coloured. I shall have to keep searching to find out what the name is for this optical phenomenon.

Weather Forecast 1

Windmills on Brick Bay Sculpture Trail

After a stunning Easter weekend, the weather has turned a bit more autumnal. Warm still but wetter and windier.

Raindrops 2

Raindrops 1

Unseasonal Bloom

Our magnolia seems to think it's spring already... Or still.

Dew