My Favourite Window

April 27, 2013

Postcard From Cairo




Well actually it was posted in Italy: it arrived this morning, a reminder that Keith and Barbara will be back to retrieve their bus in a few days time.
A whole month of Autumn days has passed since they parked their bus and flew off ...




Foggy mornings;


Rainy days; and for the first time early in April, I saw the garden's bellbird feeding within inches of my kitchen window. His mossy plumage with white wing flashes usually makes him hard to find high in the trees as he chimes his lovely call: "like small bells exquisitely tuned," according to Captain Cook. This little nectar feeder had been feasting on the late pears, but the end of supply and wet weather drove him down to hunt insects on spent perennial seed stalks, as well as using this potted tree to hunt weatherboard spiders from. So close at times I could see his beady black eyes, but never easy to photograph through wet glass.



After the rain there is always sunshine again, and a return to outdoor dining. 
Finding ourselves in Lyttelton on a warm sunny afternoon inclined us to ambling, eating ice creams and viewing the street art.



There hardly seems anything left of the commercial area of the port town



but the local community responded to the destruction caused by the ongoing earthquakes, with optimism and creativity. While there are shocking reminders of the damage at every turn, the town had a quiet energy about it - and no shortage of photographic subjects!


Back at home one of the joys of a moist autumn are the field mushrooms that pop up across the land. There are never enough at one picking for more than a slice of toast or two, but that makes them one of the season's prizes: to be cooked quickly with butter in a stainless steel pan, laid on good grainy toast with some fresh parsley and savoured for lunch.


Just as the mild, wet weather brings out the mushrooms, so it  makes the grass grow. I like to think that one more cut and it will be time to take the mowers in for their annual service.


But, with one month to go before I leave for an English summer I suspect this grass has a lot more growing to do before cold weather checks its growth.

Bellbird, Korimako, Makomako  Anthornis melanura




13 comments:

MrsC (Maryanne) said...

Oh, you're off so soon to enjoy improving weather, well timed!! :) Nice to see what you have been up to lately.

Cro Magnon said...

And my beady eyes spied Pork Pie and Pickles. I'm hungry!

John Going Gently said...

Nice to have you back

Lady Mondegreen's Secret Garden said...

Thanks John, can't promise to blog as regularly as you!

rusty duck said...

The garden looks beautiful in the mist.

I do hope our weather will have improved for you by the time you come over.. we desperately need a fine English summer this year!

Lady Mondegreen's Secret Garden said...

Maryanne: I'am taking some of those Wellington Morris dancers with me!

Cro: Gee you have got beady (or do I mean greedy) eyes. :-)

Lady Mondegreen's Secret Garden said...

rusty duck: I'll bring some fine weather with me - the sun always comes out when we dance:-)

libby said...

Hello stranger...where you live looks so beautiful...are you looking forward to your England trip?

Lady Mondegreen's Secret Garden said...

Thank you Libby. Maybe you should come and visit some time. Yes, I am looking forward to England - with a bit of Wales thrown in. Maybe I should come and visit you?

libby said...

Aren't you dancing in Kenilworth or Warwick? if so then maybe we can meet.

Lady Mondegreen's Secret Garden said...

Gee Libby, you've read our itinerary! I'm hoping to get in touch with Steve Bloggertropolis while I'm in that neck of the woods too.

The Sagittarian said...

Those Mushrooms look lovely! Have you tried the Creamy Chilli 'shrooms at Beat Street Cafe? They are absolutely wonderful!!

Lady Mondegreen's Secret Garden said...

Thanks for the epicurean tip Saj. I haven't been to Beat Street before.