tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57996384176939215812024-02-07T16:56:48.335+13:00Lady Mondegreen's Secret GardenOne garden, two houses, some lessons from the past and hope for the future. A look at life in New Zealand, a bit of history and a Morris jig or two. You can also find me on Instagram @hobbyography and @dunedin.street.vintage
Do leave a comment even if the post you find yourself reading is an old one. Alternatively you can use my email address: scroll down the right hand side of the page (or to the bottom on mobile layout) to "About Me" and click on "View My Complete Profile" Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.comBlogger269125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-36862723996006892422022-08-17T19:57:00.001+12:002022-08-17T19:59:49.925+12:00How Many Years On? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHuOpQR0oiDjgZKHaFLxBm_1NaYnDdW3Tk9j-pAH0_DFceozhhOLhNd4Xbh4O4kjzKcqkntZzbKMxQKuI1QuDWeHAM2laRzE4_cFSh05eYa6f3qEbQ8VJo7Hfxoozs4IQwL6s-FF42ep4/s1600/1660720166152838-3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHuOpQR0oiDjgZKHaFLxBm_1NaYnDdW3Tk9j-pAH0_DFceozhhOLhNd4Xbh4O4kjzKcqkntZzbKMxQKuI1QuDWeHAM2laRzE4_cFSh05eYa6f3qEbQ8VJo7Hfxoozs4IQwL6s-FF42ep4/w344-h400/1660720166152838-3.png" width="344" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I can't say I've been blogging for 12 years today. I didn't even drop these LMSG anniversary daffs into my feed last year.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqirkkp4PCB0E0Ms9luKgU0QzGqMYmmxLcdxjqu6f6xx6RQ1UxyBpKQxwhyYhqy38coIbcyEDv6T_degQlXfU1nm4UAQbBzPAg14Y9UcLAykdyuHymConR_Gs7G9DMs7_p14g6Pi4lMFw/s1600/1660716299413132-0.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqirkkp4PCB0E0Ms9luKgU0QzGqMYmmxLcdxjqu6f6xx6RQ1UxyBpKQxwhyYhqy38coIbcyEDv6T_degQlXfU1nm4UAQbBzPAg14Y9UcLAykdyuHymConR_Gs7G9DMs7_p14g6Pi4lMFw/s1600/1660716299413132-0.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">But I'm pretty pleased with how I've managed to increase their number from that tiny patch of five bulbs featured in my first ever blog post - <a href="https://ladymondegreenssecretgarden.blogspot.com/2010/08/new-steps-for-me.html">Entrance</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxErWSB1dMjOINdWeo_HXja0qhvJVfsHvLj1enoEI_IvRjXbeH_UsOer9RmFnXdgBuSKeoqmCAOl1NCdMoRvOTf3UhaoqxdcomB1LCt_c7C6yntQpUzmWRx9_9kZcdiqYUbrWYYul8sE/s1600/1660720180266223-1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxErWSB1dMjOINdWeo_HXja0qhvJVfsHvLj1enoEI_IvRjXbeH_UsOer9RmFnXdgBuSKeoqmCAOl1NCdMoRvOTf3UhaoqxdcomB1LCt_c7C6yntQpUzmWRx9_9kZcdiqYUbrWYYul8sE/s1600/1660720180266223-1.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Looking back twelve years I can also see how this woodland patch has developed quite nicely from a <a href="https://ladymondegreenssecretgarden.blogspot.com/2010/08/sun-came-out-today-welcome-after-so.html">weedy but hopeful</a> tangle of </span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">hellebores...</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHuOpQR0oiDjgZKHaFLxBm_1NaYnDdW3Tk9j-pAH0_DFceozhhOLhNd4Xbh4O4kjzKcqkntZzbKMxQKuI1QuDWeHAM2laRzE4_cFSh05eYa6f3qEbQ8VJo7Hfxoozs4IQwL6s-FF42ep4/s1600/1660720166152838-3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge31GWNdswJduJQLoBMfMyWCOb0O5h51de9joZtp5BjLO-b5lj7ojvSq6RXnYBmrS7SXI9DXHUhoeMehSJiMmpp3oGr6LPpkB_hPWWTBanvAwnsGb8RRt1-a5L2hMYuYPZymkrtJx8xoQ/s1600/1660720188105918-0.png" width="400" />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">...into a richer tapestry which includes self sown violets.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIqNbqejWOzvEdLRx-PGHLAtIqD9unv4pogQBt7SyHcOE5Y_qR522YSnxM5VNWlpOKQn7SpVDQfXmb97-rAhmYniJZY0N6W3jYZwFob9rUN0Gs8I2olLJChOCLt9rk_anNuJ76A8tmUWk/s1600/1660720173564629-2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIqNbqejWOzvEdLRx-PGHLAtIqD9unv4pogQBt7SyHcOE5Y_qR522YSnxM5VNWlpOKQn7SpVDQfXmb97-rAhmYniJZY0N6W3jYZwFob9rUN0Gs8I2olLJChOCLt9rk_anNuJ76A8tmUWk/s1600/1660720173564629-2.png" width="400" />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Another group of narcissus that I rescued have created a pleasing vignette in sight of my favourite window!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-62838105034040818462020-08-17T22:31:00.002+12:002020-08-17T22:34:32.179+12:00Happy Birthday Blog - Ten Years On<p><br /></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmoeuCxKzvFy37CIQOL7EUvxmRSIKp6xIl9z2fh0uBlvMAhVao8zFXUBgUUQe-MPWnapz_QzjTiNSPwnzloPZZ15I0zlY4WwNca0PcG8f2Mvx_pmG4SsTJMJpVztk11BYsejG_waVeJ00/s2048/Pre+Lockdown+Bargain+Plants.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1472" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmoeuCxKzvFy37CIQOL7EUvxmRSIKp6xIl9z2fh0uBlvMAhVao8zFXUBgUUQe-MPWnapz_QzjTiNSPwnzloPZZ15I0zlY4WwNca0PcG8f2Mvx_pmG4SsTJMJpVztk11BYsejG_waVeJ00/w294-h410/Pre+Lockdown+Bargain+Plants.jpg" width="294" /></a></div><p></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p></p><h4 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Ten years today I started blogging - avidly for a time here on </span><i style="font-weight: normal;">Lady Mondegreen's Secret Garden</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">. I'm pleased to see that I have actually posted a couple of times since this date last year when I had to fall back on the annual daffodil update. I was </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">determined</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> to be more interesting this year - and look what happened: NZ entered a new round of Covid-19 Levels to try and prevent the spread of a new outbreak. Such a good time to look back on my experience of our first Lockdown period which unfolded through those glorious autumn days. The day before the country moved to Alert Level 4 I picked up around $100 worth of ornamental plants for around $6 as a garden centre cleared out stock. </span></span></h4><p></p></blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2RKAFPF_k7D8AtFJjiJWqV2M30bssZcm8ZheO_2ia-N02ERrfTfK9GdwqM2ED_D1xmrinaqeVqFnkE8dAkkOeiToNkzFmlpk2AxqO4Gjmgnr3Jh3uUkep9IjdpSvjNFgNQMo64SpkiU0/s2048/Lockdown+Student+Flights.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1252" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2RKAFPF_k7D8AtFJjiJWqV2M30bssZcm8ZheO_2ia-N02ERrfTfK9GdwqM2ED_D1xmrinaqeVqFnkE8dAkkOeiToNkzFmlpk2AxqO4Gjmgnr3Jh3uUkep9IjdpSvjNFgNQMo64SpkiU0/w313-h512/Lockdown+Student+Flights.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">During that first week of Lockdown at the end of March the sky was full of planes flying university students home from Dunedin. By this time normal domestic flights had been cancelled. Mercy flights these may have been but I've heard since that they didn't come cheap.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1RF-QicwwB3jHSOtwRc54Nx0_y6sb3M_moxebo6YDrzCbz6nPspHQ6RZPF-HN2jizBRmf86OF6momTm6yVLqUymSBGAWKN3u25CLmECSMj0yXPl9J59w92xQhyphenhyphenpoAcPAw6nUSiP5AEOg/s2048/Lockdown+Cafe+Leftovers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1639" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1RF-QicwwB3jHSOtwRc54Nx0_y6sb3M_moxebo6YDrzCbz6nPspHQ6RZPF-HN2jizBRmf86OF6momTm6yVLqUymSBGAWKN3u25CLmECSMj0yXPl9J59w92xQhyphenhyphenpoAcPAw6nUSiP5AEOg/s640/Lockdown+Cafe+Leftovers.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;">I was the lucky recipient of a cafe clear-out, the goodies lasted me around two weeks with the perishables being used first.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiStOVEtGEFGJ3skpEodkgYE1HMqMVE-GpFM7c6XoOFxCZI31-4VeGJNvGmCCI9HSs89M7v8LPa3l-HoEqhjD3Xnfw5y_H2BhLzLfc_JernxpSpmzggi6AVRXbJPsri41OxFmnWt0X_KeM/s2048/Woodcutting.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1612" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiStOVEtGEFGJ3skpEodkgYE1HMqMVE-GpFM7c6XoOFxCZI31-4VeGJNvGmCCI9HSs89M7v8LPa3l-HoEqhjD3Xnfw5y_H2BhLzLfc_JernxpSpmzggi6AVRXbJPsri41OxFmnWt0X_KeM/s640/Woodcutting.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;">No distractions away from home meant I could get stuck into jobs around the garden, though I stopped using the chainsaw early on. There were so many accidents drawing on emergency personnel that I thought I'd avoid the risk of adding to their workload. </span></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1D2ufovOSCrH55_Su79izC4DU1nVAam3XgdVbkFTrQdR2ptpSLISep7kPIphNnrBXJPbdJvEaSYZrhViHN8IYOI7VJplXhznSSshOdsnS106CZqIA8uZNGOr8qiTPG5w_QsQva-MhUtQ/s2048/Lockdown+Harvest+Figs+-+Brown+Turkey.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1375" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1D2ufovOSCrH55_Su79izC4DU1nVAam3XgdVbkFTrQdR2ptpSLISep7kPIphNnrBXJPbdJvEaSYZrhViHN8IYOI7VJplXhznSSshOdsnS106CZqIA8uZNGOr8qiTPG5w_QsQva-MhUtQ/s640/Lockdown+Harvest+Figs+-+Brown+Turkey.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;">The garden offered so much to eat - and supplemented my cafe delicacies.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQWIRKmfYUIZyvzAR9CsSTXwcTmpMqSjyYKR76mYNUkRBcr9jjp8UfVoiWYmSrJfSvaDm13HXxbwWUH2D4GPuPw0Aodmgl5RK1kBCUh9OUkD7bT2Pe6FiXe9lrJELkUl12HhSpZVuAus/s2048/Lockdown+Harvest+Hazelnuts.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1377" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQWIRKmfYUIZyvzAR9CsSTXwcTmpMqSjyYKR76mYNUkRBcr9jjp8UfVoiWYmSrJfSvaDm13HXxbwWUH2D4GPuPw0Aodmgl5RK1kBCUh9OUkD7bT2Pe6FiXe9lrJELkUl12HhSpZVuAus/s640/Lockdown+Harvest+Hazelnuts.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;">But eventually I had to go to the supermarket. I remember the friendliness of everyone, the overall patience, the attention to detail by management - but ultimately feeling knackered by the time I had to pack my groceries from the trolley into the car. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd1Qx6GjUFqZy24K-cthHBkSQumK_ySE8FB8n9x3RDrwJ2cEO2NVCJkyedQaJRs5ABvd-u1I9uwX4rzTc1K03a987Qzvbab4gVxKBbedtOBpaWGXKvZWsx5SqjMTSvFTJW1Q8q1nGeZnc/s2048/Lockdown+Supermarket+Queue.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd1Qx6GjUFqZy24K-cthHBkSQumK_ySE8FB8n9x3RDrwJ2cEO2NVCJkyedQaJRs5ABvd-u1I9uwX4rzTc1K03a987Qzvbab4gVxKBbedtOBpaWGXKvZWsx5SqjMTSvFTJW1Q8q1nGeZnc/s640/Lockdown+Supermarket+Queue.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;">Throughout New Zealand people were free to exercise at any time during the day as long as it was close to home. Exercise for me was within my garden and I kept to my one person bubble. Still I felt more connected to the village than usual - everyone was more prepared to greet, and make time for a chat. It was easy to keep our social distance on the wide country roadsides. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3DBdu1X2OUhnh7H5jt1LV27uhNbj5AIz1-d1tqRRYo_3wqlfm2x9F9KSkMj_E0aAQRCjFeevOeE9EmV5BwbITelXDpMsm1xJJq3iCckAeG0P6p_q48VlTRufqEHxeZUBolS9JQLFHqY/s709/Lockdown+Window+-+Teddy+and+Easter+Eggs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="709" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3DBdu1X2OUhnh7H5jt1LV27uhNbj5AIz1-d1tqRRYo_3wqlfm2x9F9KSkMj_E0aAQRCjFeevOeE9EmV5BwbITelXDpMsm1xJJq3iCckAeG0P6p_q48VlTRufqEHxeZUBolS9JQLFHqY/s640/Lockdown+Window+-+Teddy+and+Easter+Eggs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;">The front windows of the Skudder House joined in the national bear and easter egg hunt!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7XIsIYH8KO5_Aq5nIf-PgmkwYv68du10dbSY5rOGUH9sjRRncvuwLRUZ1bl7ahtnh6bZKDltUS53a0LAFX5-D4Y9JEna9zPIg3Ot2EnQ0hzSxPQbd8eVthUlVbmibRDneuoHYuMVJc0/s708/Lockdown+Easter+Sunday+Breakfast.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="707" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY7XIsIYH8KO5_Aq5nIf-PgmkwYv68du10dbSY5rOGUH9sjRRncvuwLRUZ1bl7ahtnh6bZKDltUS53a0LAFX5-D4Y9JEna9zPIg3Ot2EnQ0hzSxPQbd8eVthUlVbmibRDneuoHYuMVJc0/s640/Lockdown+Easter+Sunday+Breakfast.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">And I made the most of my Easter breakfast in the garden.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE-rhrsiwvfwbgY8DXXx2psl-BYtQuP4IEQIUM4P1xiETiVwhYkxTe_3lPhVljsH9h-Z5bSZhdP52vSQB56foqLOdOP3op1l1p7ImI52Kaj8MrI16xLZC43LihsX5pTxGQ7yFkTX1EoJk/s2048/Lockdown+Easter+Legs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1152" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE-rhrsiwvfwbgY8DXXx2psl-BYtQuP4IEQIUM4P1xiETiVwhYkxTe_3lPhVljsH9h-Z5bSZhdP52vSQB56foqLOdOP3op1l1p7ImI52Kaj8MrI16xLZC43LihsX5pTxGQ7yFkTX1EoJk/s640/Lockdown+Easter+Legs.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;">Mostly I didn't feel the need to leave my garden but I did hear about all the Easter decorations around the village - so made a point of going out for a look. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;">That was Autumn and now it's Spring. I feel less content in myself this time round. Getting caught up in the recent Covid testing has made me aware that without any certainty or clarity about when to expect test results I was less able to be my best altruistic self .</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQeCn4ri1jg1-2t5A0JJrwBhBa0mEUJLqUXv2Qb3Puvolo5fx1aQ7HCwKG4PvAjTQbB7lBf0mzyo2T5ZZMW1ymtW3SPAYhYiF1dCYUO_Er_Ys4QdmoAllWHDznbLldpX8yqAUdsnAgS8/s541/Daffodils+2020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="541" data-original-width="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAQeCn4ri1jg1-2t5A0JJrwBhBa0mEUJLqUXv2Qb3Puvolo5fx1aQ7HCwKG4PvAjTQbB7lBf0mzyo2T5ZZMW1ymtW3SPAYhYiF1dCYUO_Er_Ys4QdmoAllWHDznbLldpX8yqAUdsnAgS8/s0/Daffodils+2020.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;">Just for the record, here are the Blog-opening daffodils at about the same stage as this time last year but well ahead of <a href="https://ladymondegreenssecretgarden.blogspot.com/2010/08/new-steps-for-me.html" target="_blank">this date ten years</a> ago. Only two blooms but many more than the five bulbs I rescued back then. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-90089817067650099822020-05-07T10:20:00.000+12:002020-05-07T10:20:35.991+12:00Stormy Light <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Something to be getting on with... </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiasHcD4P22IrAmjlygUBxTHC97vrTvBtx3pSpCAdtyFz2mbxev6K2Qs0EP9l9XvNaptwIOr7mciggJ7HqoT9pSq-7VZdHyIPMft36iR4zK4TOgR481Tl2OqbjQZ-879wIHaZGGJn_9zx8/s1600/Jigsaw+-+Stormy+Light.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1095" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiasHcD4P22IrAmjlygUBxTHC97vrTvBtx3pSpCAdtyFz2mbxev6K2Qs0EP9l9XvNaptwIOr7mciggJ7HqoT9pSq-7VZdHyIPMft36iR4zK4TOgR481Tl2OqbjQZ-879wIHaZGGJn_9zx8/s400/Jigsaw+-+Stormy+Light.jpg" width="273" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In these long easy days of Covid-19 solitude and isolation Lady Mondegreen's Secret Garden is proving a true haven.</span></div>
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Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-79977577807027505162020-01-01T16:33:00.003+13:002020-01-02T22:21:06.977+13:00Are You Still Here?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I wrote the following as an exercise in January 2019, when I started on a new Computer Studies module...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzV5O1Tv7c3KBIVhNEjWDcFjIM8aAYQTzaeiaQaL7dtram8lBAH_wldeOZh21TJRgAZzRSGb-RsJ42hphMvr1VeSdoX_HX64QKsRoH14C4OLLxoEfC7bXT1HXERpPvjZsfsET63w76hs/s1600/html+sample_0a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="937" data-original-width="1075" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzV5O1Tv7c3KBIVhNEjWDcFjIM8aAYQTzaeiaQaL7dtram8lBAH_wldeOZh21TJRgAZzRSGb-RsJ42hphMvr1VeSdoX_HX64QKsRoH14C4OLLxoEfC7bXT1HXERpPvjZsfsET63w76hs/s320/html+sample_0a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I'm onto this I thought at the time. Well maybe I understand a bit more about computer 'stuff' but it's not helping me - nearly a year on - as I try to choose photos from my phone to use here. I still prefer to write blog posts on a Qwerty keyboard.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I opened my phone's gallery a couple of minutes ago to share a few pre-selected photos with myself and it emptied in front of my eyes. Okay. Choose a different path. Find my Google photos. There they are, but... they won't stop loading, scrolling, jiggling so that I can work with any one of them. Hey, I've only just seen that I can directly access my phone from here. That makes things easier.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguWpZ3WUSxa-QLK1qV7PWV6fRqwz9ynazxpBEMlp0YWl_To-Q-QvODmQtYQeyU_NzXo9sc2ciZtVlgfaHfEO_ou-XR-R13fDFDiqkXrc-KoZFh1wWZoFMwZJcdCTIP4tzarQOzWDFciAQ/s1600/IMG_20190522_125806_387.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguWpZ3WUSxa-QLK1qV7PWV6fRqwz9ynazxpBEMlp0YWl_To-Q-QvODmQtYQeyU_NzXo9sc2ciZtVlgfaHfEO_ou-XR-R13fDFDiqkXrc-KoZFh1wWZoFMwZJcdCTIP4tzarQOzWDFciAQ/s320/IMG_20190522_125806_387.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I think I'm better off with nuts and bolts problems all the same. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj11Q4gFs_swEzd7lhnEoS844LEd-c3xErBbNgAAe-zqDMXxNZ_lZWSgBFnC_DvYAmAwE3LJuxd7kB1hTf5nexxA44DQea6fWmyxqhKREZlAkmg3dsIVnbN3vF__bVmNZ357xdlk2R287g/s1600/IMG_20190919_144504_484.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj11Q4gFs_swEzd7lhnEoS844LEd-c3xErBbNgAAe-zqDMXxNZ_lZWSgBFnC_DvYAmAwE3LJuxd7kB1hTf5nexxA44DQea6fWmyxqhKREZlAkmg3dsIVnbN3vF__bVmNZ357xdlk2R287g/s320/IMG_20190919_144504_484.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I've been planning this New Year post for a few days now. Since an Instagram <a href="https://www.maddybennettcreative.co.uk/blog">friend</a> commented that she had toyed with the idea of getting back to her blog lately I've remembered how <i>Lady Mondegreen's Secret Garden</i> fed me so much in the years after my husband's </span><span style="font-size: large;">death. The link with the wider world was escapism I'm sure, but it satisfied a need. It also helped me hone my writing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz2WeINtYepuexbfvx1-2Tz25nS7-o4xG0Jsr2U9nde6i-BzR05KaJooj2f7h62NOxZ3tLXI9j0XkaBBk55jgQcII30ukLSzUI9QYFg7teJA4vDp52Z5dRHZcGg2agl4BFTpDJvsasH1Q/s1600/Magical+Journeys+Morocco+Back+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz2WeINtYepuexbfvx1-2Tz25nS7-o4xG0Jsr2U9nde6i-BzR05KaJooj2f7h62NOxZ3tLXI9j0XkaBBk55jgQcII30ukLSzUI9QYFg7teJA4vDp52Z5dRHZcGg2agl4BFTpDJvsasH1Q/s320/Magical+Journeys+Morocco+Back+Cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Escapism and writing! I</span><span style="font-size: large;">n 2018 </span><span style="font-size: large;">escapism was </span><span style="font-size: large;">Morocco - a week in Essaouira with my friend Claire Steele, on one of her <a href="https://magicalwritingjourneys.weebly.com/about.html">Magical Journeys writing retreats</a>. Out of that came a short story, <i>Live Music Tonight</i>, which was published in 2019 in this volume of work from twelve Magical Journeys' writers. If you are interested in supporting this venture - Me even - the book is available from Amazon via the <a href="http://www.mardibookshop.com/book/morocco">Mardibooks </a>website.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of the main reasons I eased up on blogging and Internet use in general, was to free up time to work on my land, develop the garden I'd always dreamed about, and maybe make some progress with the Skudder House. I was also feeling stymied by changes to blog rules which meant I could no longer comment and engage on favourite sites. Everything is solvable but I didn't feel that was the best use of my time and energy. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrL7mXH34Nnm0eBs9m941KTl3mL4N7e_t2ZuDCr1tK-62uywWq5vNY7gaE3oFVaT7hwnn1jZnaKqjTytcEHkpS5gQXT78lI56kwasuXnlB_81PQkL17Vf-ryeINN1P4BGmA0lh8Dqa-4g/s1600/IMG_20191108_073046_154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrL7mXH34Nnm0eBs9m941KTl3mL4N7e_t2ZuDCr1tK-62uywWq5vNY7gaE3oFVaT7hwnn1jZnaKqjTytcEHkpS5gQXT78lI56kwasuXnlB_81PQkL17Vf-ryeINN1P4BGmA0lh8Dqa-4g/s400/IMG_20191108_073046_154.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What I didn't realise until last year was that I have almost certainly been suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. It explains a lot. Probably from before Elwin died but heavily masked by bereavement and Earthquake PTSD it has meant I can't work full time. Remarkably, I can still work as a gardener but only if I break my day into roughly one hour and twenty minute slots with substantial rests or sleep in between. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljfmVasOIMFnDsxo4Nxm48lpnRsB-G6lk8QAH70w-lsmZwo6FtmXGeR6r2gYRSdZn63iNbfT-nF7xUwXdcmA4Mb5dVTdv41PvkQPXm1t6LKvxL7cHM9APCFmD__PuraFycibSnC7vOkY/s1600/IMG_20191207_225029_710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljfmVasOIMFnDsxo4Nxm48lpnRsB-G6lk8QAH70w-lsmZwo6FtmXGeR6r2gYRSdZn63iNbfT-nF7xUwXdcmA4Mb5dVTdv41PvkQPXm1t6LKvxL7cHM9APCFmD__PuraFycibSnC7vOkY/s400/IMG_20191207_225029_710.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">More than 3 1/2 hours and I risk crashing. A 'crash' can extend into the following day. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Brain work - like writing this - is equally tiring. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It is ironic that early on after Elwin's death I set things in place to allow for different income streams (I still sell vintage wares on Etsy) so that I could fit work on my property around those. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This has proved useful but also time consuming and emotionally exhausting!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjirQebUAucI4ApR1YF6AQtZJRq_kR0GFAremFcFy0X17DFwjL-V3omb3uehxF2pv6rXhyphenhyphenZG0Rf0bD5cXuGazj_aoXPi4pNSOENMEm28aUKyTxjR-zWtYPNxt-Z6VXzRW4BpzKhhBL8IRg/s1600/IMG_20191117_212353_600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="764" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjirQebUAucI4ApR1YF6AQtZJRq_kR0GFAremFcFy0X17DFwjL-V3omb3uehxF2pv6rXhyphenhyphenZG0Rf0bD5cXuGazj_aoXPi4pNSOENMEm28aUKyTxjR-zWtYPNxt-Z6VXzRW4BpzKhhBL8IRg/s400/IMG_20191117_212353_600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But Life isn't bad. In fact every single day I am grateful for so many joys, opportunities, people, and health improvements.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHrshd4SLr5siLWT1UpkBMvvYlj9kShvbRbPvV1MHXW0zpP08Ho2sY3Q66BrpKmwAuyefO7ACzClqoW0SljXp-KKsQOLNiqP16dg-Ay4PQss7WsbGB4Y4xHcioGhFOpfxCBIg8L6Rl_vk/s1600/IMG_20191218_083109_808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHrshd4SLr5siLWT1UpkBMvvYlj9kShvbRbPvV1MHXW0zpP08Ho2sY3Q66BrpKmwAuyefO7ACzClqoW0SljXp-KKsQOLNiqP16dg-Ay4PQss7WsbGB4Y4xHcioGhFOpfxCBIg8L6Rl_vk/s320/IMG_20191218_083109_808.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpEbxTbtoZk4LbyxHUlqC3b_uThtFgw_6j5FbmktZc9m4-cshByl57lipq9Hkb_6akZScWsKOZP2khSyx6cqZzsQBXJr7z9dk_D_cRFXdu4YuN_R6Ojv0i444bnHJYOcqIAi2tpYnJ5E/s1600/IMG_20190429_230525_252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpEbxTbtoZk4LbyxHUlqC3b_uThtFgw_6j5FbmktZc9m4-cshByl57lipq9Hkb_6akZScWsKOZP2khSyx6cqZzsQBXJr7z9dk_D_cRFXdu4YuN_R6Ojv0i444bnHJYOcqIAi2tpYnJ5E/s320/IMG_20190429_230525_252.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">No promises then of more frequent blog posts but maybe, I'm prepared now to give blogging on my phone a go. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">J D Hobby 2020 Copyright</span></div>
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Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-55622511084353383332019-08-17T18:38:00.001+12:002019-08-17T18:43:56.813+12:00Anniversary Surprise!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VeO3z8YwobwYdRwVJ39D8I5kPyAnIPPU7qMxaBCU4JW-X1IW7dfSeoMPIBTMtVQE5giw0PpF-fSmj6BDT4KKKpJ7WwbdtEveTLUyehVEoDAGSWIFSvRQfIZZdcDywRBW2KN1zCYiK6o/s1600/Daffodils+2019+b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1253" data-original-width="1600" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VeO3z8YwobwYdRwVJ39D8I5kPyAnIPPU7qMxaBCU4JW-X1IW7dfSeoMPIBTMtVQE5giw0PpF-fSmj6BDT4KKKpJ7WwbdtEveTLUyehVEoDAGSWIFSvRQfIZZdcDywRBW2KN1zCYiK6o/s320/Daffodils+2019+b.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It's been awhile since I posted - exactly a year in fact - and quite awhile since I set up <i>Lady Mondegreen's Secret Garden</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Nine years! I'm not sure if nine years really counts when I haven't blogged here reliably for such a long time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Still, today is the anniversary of my first blog post and that post featured these daffodils. Judging by the buds they were about 7-10 days behind this stage on 17 August in 2010.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">These daffs are quite a useful indication of some kind of progress in the garden. I <i>did</i> dig them up and they <i>have</i> increased in number. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Should I keep going with this blog I sometimes ask myself as I post almost daily on Instagram @hobbyography. I'm surprised at how many people still mention Lady Mondegreen's Secret Garden </span><span style="font-size: large;">with interest and appreciation </span><span style="font-size: large;">in face to face conversation. </span><span style="font-size: large;">And I guess that's enough to keep me interested. Now all I need is more time to compose posts! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Narcissus var. </i>Daffodil</span><br />
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Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-82618702148003117102018-08-17T23:16:00.001+12:002018-08-17T23:16:19.811+12:00Now, Where Was I?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I can hardly claim to have been blogging for eight years when I haven't posted anything for ten months...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-LuGFwXPgMyR_I-qjwwQq4FI12cTcyUtx_1Pb6KLh9_BGtTXVw-Z2vZRZIpX2_tzc3QrvYOIcVEjIEeQlRPCasFoA_bZm9ERy_ez0nHDKRhhudxBaj0D5uZ4UCnbZHDpSIv3osGqG0Q/s1600/Daffodils+2018+b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1361" data-original-width="1600" height="544" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-LuGFwXPgMyR_I-qjwwQq4FI12cTcyUtx_1Pb6KLh9_BGtTXVw-Z2vZRZIpX2_tzc3QrvYOIcVEjIEeQlRPCasFoA_bZm9ERy_ez0nHDKRhhudxBaj0D5uZ4UCnbZHDpSIv3osGqG0Q/s640/Daffodils+2018+b.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It's springtime again - though this year everyone is noticing how much earlier so many things are flowering. Eight years ago today I used a photo of these daffodils just pushing through the frosty earth. This year they were so far ahead that they opened their blooms on 12 August.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Back in 2010 when I first began blogging I had grand ideas about charting the restoration of the Skudder House and the making of a garden around it. What with one thing and another I haven't got very far with either of those projects, but I have recorded seasonal shift in a changing world.</span><br />
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Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-79487934741056171012017-10-27T10:34:00.004+13:002017-10-27T10:34:57.699+13:00Spring Into Summer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOql5p5Dum0f8H5XKKZDxQv4JlQJxNcFLsDobICP8Dp9SpuH8k60WGZk5qG-bnDiTf726iNbVKL8nwzgIbKWdTq4AUqnpBoz8wIyA936TEkyan7Xamno7PCNzPESpe8521Po2G5zN55o4/s1600/Wisteria+Over+the+Veranda+2017+b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1122" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOql5p5Dum0f8H5XKKZDxQv4JlQJxNcFLsDobICP8Dp9SpuH8k60WGZk5qG-bnDiTf726iNbVKL8nwzgIbKWdTq4AUqnpBoz8wIyA936TEkyan7Xamno7PCNzPESpe8521Po2G5zN55o4/s640/Wisteria+Over+the+Veranda+2017+b.jpg" width="448" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">What a season of floral extravagance this spring has been. Everything that could bloom has - and to its peak. The mild wet winter meant many trees and shrubs blossomed around three weeks earlier than normal here in North Canterbury. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3duZkpIA-5rbvoPB05XMMUcN0rNtEXIGsbjyR1duptKNA41_ScjnKEKo2OpLxlN-ID31ae_xgznbdf53X9FdizKZ_Ln2-M3ZVTyDfRypVYjtzfevUSO72GN4denwuJw7sjRpTf7qTMkg/s1600/Spiraea+Church+Hedge+2017+a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1002" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3duZkpIA-5rbvoPB05XMMUcN0rNtEXIGsbjyR1duptKNA41_ScjnKEKo2OpLxlN-ID31ae_xgznbdf53X9FdizKZ_Ln2-M3ZVTyDfRypVYjtzfevUSO72GN4denwuJw7sjRpTf7qTMkg/s640/Spiraea+Church+Hedge+2017+a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The spiraea hedge at the Ashley Church had been trimmed late so there hasn't been a profusion of its snowy white flowers but this is an exception.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-puwX7E3dr4-1mnIJjnHE18uDOG010r1tW2c9gVgxfxP2ObcQ_5bbs_9JrKNByWzliQL9pIfnxiKvEedog2mImRmc5NIgBrbOFpXtZLSVvlfy1JCC-6oIpFCFw1obM1UHHsISYWQKaOQ/s1600/Rose+Delicata+2017+a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1124" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-puwX7E3dr4-1mnIJjnHE18uDOG010r1tW2c9gVgxfxP2ObcQ_5bbs_9JrKNByWzliQL9pIfnxiKvEedog2mImRmc5NIgBrbOFpXtZLSVvlfy1JCC-6oIpFCFw1obM1UHHsISYWQKaOQ/s640/Rose+Delicata+2017+a.jpg" width="448" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Where does Spring end and Summer begin? With the first roses maybe. This was the first 'Delicata' bloom encouraged by gentle warm days but unfurling into a rainy period.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdlJnp6ISYW04FDGQFGKWobL3_VOsIemC1y9xkhHoz_ikV7HtJIh3eFlKcCC8RuzHT_AEyAlFEdinRn4Bn3zCnCHQFgEtQ5ju5I1j_e985fh8PAhTfNbNCsS_PzKLUYfvgi4jG1hVoiu8/s1600/Clematis+Niobe+and+Raspberry+2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1037" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdlJnp6ISYW04FDGQFGKWobL3_VOsIemC1y9xkhHoz_ikV7HtJIh3eFlKcCC8RuzHT_AEyAlFEdinRn4Bn3zCnCHQFgEtQ5ju5I1j_e985fh8PAhTfNbNCsS_PzKLUYfvgi4jG1hVoiu8/s640/Clematis+Niobe+and+Raspberry+2017.jpg" width="414" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And just this week this clematis opened its first flower. In typical secret garden fashion 'Niobe' is rambling through a patch of overgrown raspberry canes, its crinkled petals echoing the creased berry leaves.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixvJJqVtEhMtd0SDFcENEoZaZ4NSBiwe7rK6kKdbYpTCTsqLup_e-U_1_VHDOIlcfnifMqrxgboQHgqumE2DB-GTnVqGWtv5Lalol7YJRJO9EGkkfUGboKXSeaJHe_E2XwsJAKf6N3vb0/s1600/Pink+May+Kitchen+View+2017a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="883" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixvJJqVtEhMtd0SDFcENEoZaZ4NSBiwe7rK6kKdbYpTCTsqLup_e-U_1_VHDOIlcfnifMqrxgboQHgqumE2DB-GTnVqGWtv5Lalol7YJRJO9EGkkfUGboKXSeaJHe_E2XwsJAKf6N3vb0/s640/Pink+May+Kitchen+View+2017a.jpg" width="352" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I'm enjoying the double pink may trees which frame the view towards the river bank from my kitchen window. They've come into flower a little later than the white hedgerow species which, within itself, has staggered flowering on different trees. This is a <i>floribunda</i> year - gorgeous to look at and good for the soul. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Wisteria '</i>Caroline'</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Spiraea trilobata</i> [uncertain]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Rosa rugosa </i>'Delicata'</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Clematis </i>'Niobe'</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Double pink may, Double pink hawthorn - <i>Crataegus laevigata '</i>Rosea Flore Pleno'</span><br />
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All photos taken on my Samsung Galaxy 5</div>
Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-80333526225586229512017-08-20T21:23:00.000+12:002017-08-20T21:30:50.863+12:00... Another Anniversary With A Seven In It<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQRJ2kek4SHZZNfs7tmKtEdFo-DJFc3hW0RdeuQxrqm0d0jwGGQmYHPGdY0CdTK4xFdPOoGeC3k9sXtmwxXuE3LapbXO0HhIbBBeGGR7gz6RaN1xIShyOXVHD3xmoEc6mm7OtSrvBuF4/s1600/2017+Birthday+Morning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1314" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQRJ2kek4SHZZNfs7tmKtEdFo-DJFc3hW0RdeuQxrqm0d0jwGGQmYHPGdY0CdTK4xFdPOoGeC3k9sXtmwxXuE3LapbXO0HhIbBBeGGR7gz6RaN1xIShyOXVHD3xmoEc6mm7OtSrvBuF4/s640/2017+Birthday+Morning.jpg" width="520" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">A parcel with my morning </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">co</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">ffee?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Hand-made by Kitty: one of her speciality bracelets!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Brunch at Artisan - the long languid kind - with sister and daughter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Preparing dinner: with more languishing - in front of the fire as the evening drew on...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And a birthday memento from our afternoon out: What began as a driving lesson for Kitty turned into a prowl around 'Twine' and the other shops at Sandersons' Mill at Waikuku.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">A quiet birthday this one, with nice connections with family and friends to brighten a cold grey day.</span></div>
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Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-77621996129891936192017-08-17T16:06:00.001+12:002017-08-17T16:17:19.782+12:00Seven Years On<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I imagined writing all sorts of interesting essays for this </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">7</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">th anniversary post. But for the same reason that I don't post often that wasn't going to happen. I <i>am</i> posting almost daily on Instagram however. Surely I can do something similar for my blog? All these photos taken on my phone have appeared @hobbyography over the past fortnight. The silver ball didn't quite float away this time though the water did come up around it. I like it being a dynamic part of the garden - floating, or blustering around in strong winds. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi35H40d6CZF_FJpJ2I257taUNaRWUqXKzyJrNGErlcH6x8lnz3l10iKczwl_QlMAVTeW5B_BcpEVLs0K17j0s0wf-ximsruDXQmmNMddwOWudlosFG6FnZgSHvreTLB4sEIAsvFHvo7Ig/s1600/Irises+and+Primulas+Phone+I.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi35H40d6CZF_FJpJ2I257taUNaRWUqXKzyJrNGErlcH6x8lnz3l10iKczwl_QlMAVTeW5B_BcpEVLs0K17j0s0wf-ximsruDXQmmNMddwOWudlosFG6FnZgSHvreTLB4sEIAsvFHvo7Ig/s640/Irises+and+Primulas+Phone+I.jpg" width="360" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This little patch of woodland garden, is where the ephemeral stream originally found its way down to the river (before human intervention channelled it into a different course), and when the water is very high, as it was in the previous photo, it still comes close to running through here. I get quite a thrill when I dig down and find river sand because the rise we live on is deep </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">silty loess dropping down to the river flats. We literally live at the edge of the old river bank!</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn77I8cbK_583bKfD_-qAqmI5YoeeOULtZ6YmqAF0rqGQjKGxoWAVMpc1h1xhBFGXS0o0oxZnhY8CAXdnBAEwYtul13F032BLr8420wKKH9Oq0uPKnU2RqX2bUyi5JByXYyum382C4uNM/s1600/Hellabore-+Winter+Roses+Phone+I.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1230" data-original-width="1600" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn77I8cbK_583bKfD_-qAqmI5YoeeOULtZ6YmqAF0rqGQjKGxoWAVMpc1h1xhBFGXS0o0oxZnhY8CAXdnBAEwYtul13F032BLr8420wKKH9Oq0uPKnU2RqX2bUyi5JByXYyum382C4uNM/s640/Hellabore-+Winter+Roses+Phone+I.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Using a phone camera makes it easy to photograph the down-turned flowers of winter hellebores. There are so many varieties bred now to show their centres but I like the mystique; the sense of beauty hidden from casual view of the old varieties. These and some deep burgundy-flowered plants are naturalising in this woodland patch, which was once my father's vegetable garden. I'm looking forward to extending their sweep down towards the stream bed - and closer to my house.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Between flood conditions I've managed - with help - to clear some space under the willow closest to the house. Its veil looked very beautiful but had completely overwhelmed our al fresco dining area. The longer the branches become the more likely they are to collapse as well: not a risk worth bearing where people spend time. As well as providing firewood for next year, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">this pruning </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">also opens up the area where I want to extend the hellebore</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> planting. Progress in the garden!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Variegated Iris <i>Iris </i>'Variegata'. Species uncertain</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Winter Roses, winter hellebores <i>Helleborus niger</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Weeping willow <i>Salix babylonica</i></span><br />
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Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-70935288782059465122017-06-23T16:07:00.000+12:002017-06-23T16:07:10.278+12:00Capital Culture and Craft - NZ Morris Dancing Tour 2017<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">What's happened to this blog of mine? Instagram: that's what. It's a quick and easy way to blog while its limitations call for tight editing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But I never intended to neglect <i>Lady Mondegreen's Secret Garden. </i>And I never intended not to record New Zealand's National Morris Dancing Tour this year. Since Morris dancers will be gathering for Midwinter celebrations this coming weekend, now seems like a good time to recall our summer holiday together.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Brittanic Bedlam Morris Gentlemen </i></span><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">hosted the<b> Capital Craft and Culture Tour</b></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large;"> this year in the first week of January, programming it around Wellington's craft breweries and cultural hot spots. We stayed in the boarding facility at St Patrick's College, Silverstream.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> On the first evening a bunch of crafty women subverted the theme to suit themselves... using a pool of eager hands to unravel a hoard of yarn and thread as well as get a project under way.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Monday
morning saw everyone out in the carpark work-shopping three tour dances. I’d
only had my new orthotic inserts for two weeks, but that was enough to get me
up for <i>Ring o’ Bells</i> when the cry
went out for ‘one more here'.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">’</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I enjoyed dancing,
but restricted myself to one dance a day throughout the week. I've learned the hard way how to ruin a holiday by dancing like there was no tomorrow.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In the afternoon we gathered en masse for some Culture at the Dowse Gallery in Lower Hutt. I enjoyed seeing a nearly full side of <i>Perth Morris Men</i>—great to have them and all the other Australian guests on Tour.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Then we moved on for some Craft— ale of course. How
did we all fit into the Sprig and Fern at Petone? But we were tolerated, appreciated even, judging by the number of busy phone cameras snapping the
dancing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Tuesday
was wet, wet, wet. Dancing in the rain </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">outside The Museum of New Zealand - Te Papa Tongarewa - </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">made for some pretty spectacular photos.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Later, to dry out, some of us joined the crowds and very long queues to see Peter Jackson's exhibition - <i>Gallipoli: The Scale of our War. </i>Worth the queuing with its attention to detail and the sobering human story. This exhibition runs for the four centenary years of the Great War.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After
lunch the dancing migrated to Mac’s Brew Bar where a narrow covered way
provided shelter. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large; text-align: left;">My new orthotics were causing aches and pains in unexpected
places and I’m afraid I was just feeling elderly and damp by this stage of the day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Heart of the Sun </i>cheer me up. These three women from Hastings always show their pleasure in the dance and each of them is also a natural performer</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">. Every move they make not only expresses their own personalities but their understanding of the flow of the dance too. Not usually something that you see across every dancer in a side.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; text-align: left;">Wednesday's programme was just kidding about <i>The Garage Project</i> and <i>Tuatara Third Eye</i> in Te Aro - right?
All along this was going to be a mystery tour. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; text-align: left;">The double decker bus and its driver was fantastic and it did take us to Te Aro Street, where we could see into the
top windows of all those gorgeous gingerbread houses.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The breweries might have been closed till midday but worth doing all the same was: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; text-align: left;">Dancing in delightfully wooded Te Aro Park; </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; text-align: left;">Enjoying coffee and cake in one of Te Aro Street’s quaint cafes;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">and strolling down to the <i>Rogue and Vagabond </i>like a bunch of
raggle taggle gypsies O.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large; text-align: left;">Then the Craft-as-in-ale rejoined the
programme. What a great spot with Glover Park to hand to drink, dance, sun
ourselves in the surprising sunshine and linger longer in. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Kitty and I did
sneak off for a bit of lunch and gratuitous shopping in Cuba St. Then maybe
things could be seen to turn to custard when the group gathered at a free house - which will remain anonymous - and not withstanding our average age being over 50 and morris dancers' reputation for liking good beer, we were made to feel unwelcome. We </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">chose to leave rather than weather the barman's attitude.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> To be fair this was more due to some mis-communication, as well as a generational and cultural misfit on both sides, but this particular bar lost a lot of business that midweek afternoon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Weather. Yes it had been a lovely day till the storm clouds gathered. The <i>Hotel Bristol</i> on Cuba St welcomed us with open arms, or at
least they didn’t bat an eyelid when we set up camp in their bar/dining room. Just
in time too as the Southerly storm slashed horizontal rain along Cuba St. Not too long after that our
friendly double decker bus came to rescue us and take us home. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Not
much Windy Wellington on show by Thursday but plenty of sunshine after the storm made for
some great photos outside Parliament.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Moving on then… to an engrossing tour of Parliament
with a witty, young Chinese-Kiwi guide. Though he kept it light,
the sense of our country’s parliamentary process - as well as its multiculturalism - came across nicely. Over at
the National Library we heard about three documents that define our country
including Kate Shepherd’s third and successful Women’s Suffrage petition.
Although I am a first generation New Zealander the survey to collect descendants of the signatories showed a fascinating way to view ancestral
legacy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">After
lunch everyone re-grouped at the National War Memorial Museum to see the Great
War Exhibition. Kitty and I had seen it before and were keen to spend more time
in the Gallipoli section. It was a good compliment to the exhibition we’d seen
earlier in the week at Te Papa but also, at the end of the day, I felt how much
it fitted with today's theme of what it is to be a New Zealander. Particularly
moving were some small watercolours painted by Captain Malone’s great granddaughter
after a visit with Peter Jackson to Gallipoli in 2015. On 8 August 2015, I had watched a production of Maurice Shadbolt’s ‘Once on Chunuk Bair’ and seen his </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">(fictional)</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Malone character die on stage. I hadn't appreciated that
Malone was struck by New Zealand shell fire. What it is to be a New Zealander?
Wednesday may have been my favourite day of the Tour, but Thursday was the most
thoughtful for me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Full
Steam Ahead Friday started with our national AGM. There was some good debate about
presenting ourselves in public, </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">but I know this: those who dance footloose and
fancy free are unlikely to become sticklers for order and precision, and the
precise traditionalists are never going to understand the joy of anarchy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">People do join the Morris in </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">New Zealand</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">after being attracted by the friendly playfulness on display just as
others join it for the intricacy of stepping and smart uniform. Some of us manage the middle ground but we will never
please everyone watching us perform because the public is just as diverse in
character as we are ourselves.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I always like steam trains and vintage railways, which are usually operated by enthusiastic volunteers with a lifetime of experience. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The S</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">ilverstream Railway is one of those
wonderful work-in-progress heritage projects. Its limited track length meant we
rode back and forth </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">over the same route </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">with the L509 locomotive, our trips interspersed with vigorous dance spots
on the station platform. Great fun and the dancing looked good too.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Later in the afternoon while everyone was dancing in Upper Hutt, we were approached by the owners of a brewery not on our programme! They wanted us to visit: </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Kereru Brewing</i> was a nice surprise, set up in the old Dunlop Tyre factory with room to dance!</span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Back at base while we were dancing our final <i>Saturday Night On</i> of the Tour Chris and Natasha from Kereru Brewing </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">walked in with their arms full of beer,</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> and then joined the procession through
Brittanic Bedlam Morris Gentlemen’s touching guard of honour to join us at our
Feast and Ale and participate in some dancing later. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So
the Capital Craft and Culture Tour ended—this week not just of dancing, but
tuis fluting in pohutukawa blossom, of night-time quake-waking, and massed
sky-gazings to watch the International Space Station pass overhead. Great
memories Gentlemen. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif; font-size: large;">In 2018 the tour will be hosted by the City of Auckland Morris Dancers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you would like to read the more detailed, personal and uncensored account that I have based this post on you can find it beginning on page 16 and running through to page 29, <a href="http://aucklandmorris.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Sphere178.pdf">Issue 178 of the NZ Morris Sphere</a> with lots of other people's photos and contributions interspersed throughout.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Pohutukawa, NZ Christmas tree <i>Metrosideros excelsa</i></span></div>
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Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-56116119479951233732017-01-28T22:26:00.000+13:002017-03-29T21:38:36.755+13:00A Gentle Stroll<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This was going to be the weekend Kitty and I checked out post-earthquake Kaikoura. I had the car serviced in anticipation of the not-very-long road trip but a seriously flat battery put an end to our journey. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Let's have a holiday around home we decided (and we do need to buy some milk). Since new orthotics have increased my mobility, I have been eager to walk to Rangiora along a recently created footpath by the river. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The road from Ashley to Rangiora has never been pedestrian friendly but this bosky walk, recently upgraded as the Tarapiroe Trail, takes a shorter if more rugged route along the river bank to the road bridge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Coming out from this dappled trail onto the busy road bridge marked a change in the mood of our walk, and by the time we had reached the picnic area on the Rangiora bank we were ready for a rest out of the sun with some quick refreshments. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If we thought the traffic on the bridge was busy we were in for a surprise at the showgrounds where it seemed the rest of New Zealand had come to colour our holiday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Muscle Car Madness </i>had returned as it does each January. Cars in unfamiliar places; queues of people on the road; traffic controllers in normally quiet spots...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And oh those cars! Of course I never quite had my camera handy when the longest or lowest, ugliest, or loveliest machines passed by but I managed to capture some of the madness all the same...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">both heading into Rangiora, and back again, when everyone was leaving the show.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In Rangiora we made a point of exploring some of the shops we don't usually shop in, but for lunch still headed to one of our favourite cafes, Continental Bakery. With a mind to our walk home, Kitty and I both succumbed to these delicious little cottage pies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Then it was time for a lie down in Victoria Park. When would I ever make time to relax in a park except when I am far from home? But today I needed a nap and I also needed to rest my feet for at least an hour. When I am travelling this is something I factor into my day if I have been walking a lot.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And after my rest we did a little supermarket shopping, bought cooling gelato cones from the new Vietnamese yoghurt parlour and felt that our day had matched anything we could do around heartland New Zealand.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jeneane on Cones Road Ashley Bridge: Photo by Kitty Jamison</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photos taken with both Canon SX30IS and Samsung Galaxy S Note 5</span><br />
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Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-61663959865068507842016-12-31T21:45:00.000+13:002016-12-31T21:45:29.812+13:00Feeding My Soul<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;">Shall I sum up the year with twelve photographs as I did last year? </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Won't it be difficult to choose just one from your overseas trip? </i>asks Lady Mondegreen. <i>I especially liked that one you posted on Instagram of the early morning sunshine slicing through the garden gate into the grounds of Christ Church College.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Yes, those early morning shots are one of the up sides of across-the-world jet lag. A stop-over in Dubai seems to ease the effects of jet lag for me. A cheap hotel by the airport made for an adventurous couple of days. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">I should have planned my cash needs better for Dubai but I got by; people-watching in the Mall of the Emirates.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In fact I should have planned my cash needs better for arrival in England! </span><span style="font-size: large;">During the weekend of my arrival I had to stoke up on my B and B breakfast in the dining hall at University College </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">and then survive on airline snacks, and wild blackberries from the canal towpath </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">until my sister-in-law loaned me money enough for dinner. Once I could get to a bank on Monday morning I was back in the modern, touch button, digital world. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Touch button? The middle of this year was when - in time for my overseas trip - I upgraded to a smartphone. Most of these photos including this one of The High on my first evening in Oxford, were taken on my touch screen Samsung Galaxy Note 5. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of the deep pleasures of being a visitor back in Oxford is that<br />I can indulge my senses and find intellectual stimulation at every turn without the distractions of household responsibility. The awful photo below reminds me of the <i>Bodleian Treasures: 24 Pairs</i> exhibition. I was carrying 'Frankenstein' in my bag (and had been reading it for quite a few months) when I came across a page from Mary Shelley's handwritten manuscript of the work. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1EyvVh0pN5LCVtP984ImIHUPFmsIEYbybStdL79FYmJu3N2gCZgLJtcQOlw1yFxI8BU4nLRnI7m-IuemhOWX4io764_XvGkcPxCfIhVq-fU5GvZy5O8YxoyznFrHBUdiw1mza1jYVOjQ/s1600/Bodleian+Frankenstein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1EyvVh0pN5LCVtP984ImIHUPFmsIEYbybStdL79FYmJu3N2gCZgLJtcQOlw1yFxI8BU4nLRnI7m-IuemhOWX4io764_XvGkcPxCfIhVq-fU5GvZy5O8YxoyznFrHBUdiw1mza1jYVOjQ/s640/Bodleian+Frankenstein.jpg" width="476" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Although I couldn't capture detail it describes the moment when the monster first opens an eye... Mary's husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley annotated Mary's text in darker ink, which is just visible. Without the published book in my bag this would have been just one of many remarkable exhibits but the serendipity of my own pairing made it my favourite item in this exhibition.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbRdSwP3iQ7fRhyU-2l4aJSQkhavlpbn9cDOWU0x4m0L5ycUvWOi8QzSXxEXpgGDI1aKLamFHocN3wehKAQO8uOU3w_cVjCCvw9tJ6qXCXLiz539MDvVuwts67qF0Sh0aZcu4mrOzjwQ/s1600/%2529xford+-+Exeter+Chapel+I.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbRdSwP3iQ7fRhyU-2l4aJSQkhavlpbn9cDOWU0x4m0L5ycUvWOi8QzSXxEXpgGDI1aKLamFHocN3wehKAQO8uOU3w_cVjCCvw9tJ6qXCXLiz539MDvVuwts67qF0Sh0aZcu4mrOzjwQ/s640/%2529xford+-+Exeter+Chapel+I.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So many breathtaking experiences including the harpsichord concert I attended in Exeter College Chapel. From the stained glass windows illuminated by the setting sun to the gilded iconography and the harpsichord itself this was a sublime experience. Kha Ming Ng playing a programme of caprices and fantasias added his own impromptu introduction to one piece: when the college bell struck </span><span style="font-size: large;">9 o'clock just as he began to play a new piece, he allowed the bell space, using it to count himself in - superbly appropriate improvisation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">But I had a loose end to tidy up while I was in England and </span><span style="font-size: large;">when I arrived in the country,</span><span style="font-size: large;"> three years after </span><a href="http://ladymondegreenssecretgarden.blogspot.co.nz/2014/08/recalling-lammas-tour-27-july-4-august.html">the event</a><span style="font-size: large;">, these draft badges were waiting for me to select a final design </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV-rdvSANjpB3CBscu1prUJ7lkXQrJq_ZoeJ9G6t3UF58BLdNfP7ErsnwP_RfqbJav41LNqUjzYcajrJ2cey65KqVf3AlwoSNZ-gUQxZfgESs6W3AOLIj1AoeInnbKfkgmdl9Snx6G6Ho/s1600/Morris+Dancing+Badges+-+Lammas+Tour+I.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV-rdvSANjpB3CBscu1prUJ7lkXQrJq_ZoeJ9G6t3UF58BLdNfP7ErsnwP_RfqbJav41LNqUjzYcajrJ2cey65KqVf3AlwoSNZ-gUQxZfgESs6W3AOLIj1AoeInnbKfkgmdl9Snx6G6Ho/s640/Morris+Dancing+Badges+-+Lammas+Tour+I.jpg" width="506" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">With help from graphic designer, Wayne Batistic, and the craft of George Butterworth, badge maker, I finally got these out of my head and onto people's baldrics. Once I'd chosen one from the four offered, George mass-produced my order alongside the badges for this year's Saddleworth Rushcart event.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwN0dBOwPo79uV21r5Lv1AeMaJjTuxgYtpjw9JdLsJnBuGf85LOR3bTECPPOyvdSrtqceQQd01FQWucTNoLg9_Xs8l8eiusRIPZQzVW9JeWVYS5wtCiCyka2TW42TfwNeBdX3ZUBqx6Bo/s1600/Morris+Dancing+Badges.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwN0dBOwPo79uV21r5Lv1AeMaJjTuxgYtpjw9JdLsJnBuGf85LOR3bTECPPOyvdSrtqceQQd01FQWucTNoLg9_Xs8l8eiusRIPZQzVW9JeWVYS5wtCiCyka2TW42TfwNeBdX3ZUBqx6Bo/s640/Morris+Dancing+Badges.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Before I joined other New Zealand Morris dancers for the latest English tour, I had more visiting and travelling to do. I even dabbled in a little creative writing. Another exhibition at the Bodleian - <i>Shakespeare's Dead - </i>gave the public an opportunity to write a sonnet. I didn't quite get it right, but inspired by the exhibition's theme of death and memorial, and also the difficulty I had seeing the artefacts in the dim light, I did produce my own memorial piece.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-Y5cdej3thxLmOJEZWOEFz0AqnQ6XtY63FyxBiAzFuTUfN8WJX6sycBl2BcFPxFVl4Q62PRREHZ_9fJRM8HIs4qqwb9jHqnYSUumdMYSNGFjGLU24_JlM9XTvSO6FnfTRB9Hb7EzLA4/s1600/Oxford+-+Cranes+III.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-Y5cdej3thxLmOJEZWOEFz0AqnQ6XtY63FyxBiAzFuTUfN8WJX6sycBl2BcFPxFVl4Q62PRREHZ_9fJRM8HIs4qqwb9jHqnYSUumdMYSNGFjGLU24_JlM9XTvSO6FnfTRB9Hb7EzLA4/s640/Oxford+-+Cranes+III.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Dead is he who brought me first to this fair city</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>To wed where now the cranes swing and reach across the past.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Around the world I've come, eager for old ways underfoot,</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>But find my feet, my eyes, my breath are failing fast.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In 1989 the Oxford Registry Office - where Elwin and I were married - was in the Westgate Centre right on the edge of the current, massive re-development of the Oxpens area. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKwNztr5BOwiBJSjVn_1DTWcz6I5PQiqmmVV62trMZMKwbWWZJG6FHqJeZ0iU3X98nzEqrb3DV_-tQGL2i3gRu4-lBR0LSjUK3f3vL9ui1jS9VSC5ZOvPuoha-HfSb9XoWSSAUeQunh-A/s1600/Magical+Journeys+Writing+Workshop+I.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKwNztr5BOwiBJSjVn_1DTWcz6I5PQiqmmVV62trMZMKwbWWZJG6FHqJeZ0iU3X98nzEqrb3DV_-tQGL2i3gRu4-lBR0LSjUK3f3vL9ui1jS9VSC5ZOvPuoha-HfSb9XoWSSAUeQunh-A/s640/Magical+Journeys+Writing+Workshop+I.jpg" width="418" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Later, near Aylesbury, with my friend Claire of <a href="http://clairetheprodigal.blogspot.co.nz/">The Prodigal</a> blog and</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="http://magicalwritingjourneys.weebly.com/">Magical Journeys</a>, </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">we wrote together experimentally, using her tutoring format. Over the years we have written </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">to </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">each other, but never before </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">with </i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">each other. Hopefully we can do it again sometime.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">At Durham I stayed in another university college hostel - there it is in Durham Castle on top of its hill... and then I had to climb the ever ascending stairs in the Keep to reach my room! I loved being up there so close to the Cathedral and museums and not very far from the town and river below. Climbing the stairs? Not so much.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8kshUQT3u-6lwKNkK2-tLcwmzRO212IrLteIMDdp7QC-KSVRSaBeBS5NC2-KFa8iqKUqqMbB6t5f3jof9F26BksS1VIJnCcZLH3L4caJSDKwk3AUrVCvub81lpdhlhXzjbM8lTBGsA4/s1600/Durham+Castle+I.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8kshUQT3u-6lwKNkK2-tLcwmzRO212IrLteIMDdp7QC-KSVRSaBeBS5NC2-KFa8iqKUqqMbB6t5f3jof9F26BksS1VIJnCcZLH3L4caJSDKwk3AUrVCvub81lpdhlhXzjbM8lTBGsA4/s640/Durham+Castle+I.jpg" width="402" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk8TX8z6g-QBkl3JTQpxocs1_GeP_jm6HqlrAlKZIwwkc33fqRFrJ_4zvbu2MlTh4k_bjV7jY06P5aYYQWwU3bwhnmoJKmJW6wR9qRIGEQzHIVMLTkpFjK0eMVBzYFXDwd2nyR6hvoo9Q/s1600/Saddleworth+Rushcart+Jockey+2016+I.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk8TX8z6g-QBkl3JTQpxocs1_GeP_jm6HqlrAlKZIwwkc33fqRFrJ_4zvbu2MlTh4k_bjV7jY06P5aYYQWwU3bwhnmoJKmJW6wR9qRIGEQzHIVMLTkpFjK0eMVBzYFXDwd2nyR6hvoo9Q/s640/Saddleworth+Rushcart+Jockey+2016+I.jpg" width="458" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And then it was time to join the Great Yorkshire Morris Tour, which took our New Zealand group through a whirlwind week of Yorkshire highlights. I observed my birthday at the Saddleworth Rushcart day - one of England's revived festivals that celebrate traditional seasonal activities with arcane customs and ceremonial pomp. John, this year's 'Jockey' on the rushcart enjoys the best of two worlds.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">From his home in Hanmer Springs, he travels back to his Saddleworth roots for this festival every year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSsr1exAyyGBz6jfXts_EQJisvEC3mX0fiOFKQA6KcJh-QtXjJRAx4EcxRmv8J9Qk90fBzvsrytMh2eIZcO0fhPgyEiV35Z61s4_vI8DW75h2CN8ORqvdq8ij-KDySlNW3EsxEcebIwB4/s1600/GYT+Theakston+Brewery+Group+I.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSsr1exAyyGBz6jfXts_EQJisvEC3mX0fiOFKQA6KcJh-QtXjJRAx4EcxRmv8J9Qk90fBzvsrytMh2eIZcO0fhPgyEiV35Z61s4_vI8DW75h2CN8ORqvdq8ij-KDySlNW3EsxEcebIwB4/s640/GYT+Theakston+Brewery+Group+I.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Great Yorkshire Morris Tour brought together some of the group which had formed the Lammas Tour as well as new tourists, and looking at this photo I'm reminded there was a good following of Australians and English groupies too.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All too soon it was over, and so was my holiday. Sitting killing time in my hotel room at Manchester Airport, I played around with the concept of the mirror selfie. At home I would never have time to dabble in self-portraiture but here is what I discovered I could do with my stylus and S-note application.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmS955KmcQM_dz-lAeQo5A1oGqqZnQqtZC6r8kMjddkElOM-7y6NbUUdQ4iNa180ZTpgPzeOjxR1p9o5y-WMgnOs7Z2Z6NoltZM4jmI-wR1ZnuYO3CW-gpYeVzLV1bBgqRJfug4W4eAw0/s1600/Jeneane+Mirror+S+note+Selfie+I.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmS955KmcQM_dz-lAeQo5A1oGqqZnQqtZC6r8kMjddkElOM-7y6NbUUdQ4iNa180ZTpgPzeOjxR1p9o5y-WMgnOs7Z2Z6NoltZM4jmI-wR1ZnuYO3CW-gpYeVzLV1bBgqRJfug4W4eAw0/s640/Jeneane+Mirror+S+note+Selfie+I.jpg" width="620" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sixteen photos and one digital drawing! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Well this ceased to be a yearly round-up the moment I began. Instead it's just a tiny bit of my August 2016 travelogue!</span></span></div>
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Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-74723979024789970712016-11-15T23:36:00.000+13:002016-11-15T23:36:18.656+13:00Getting Up Again<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today this arrived in the post. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdcQQBC-Ey8cGq97JF-nuX2sKNQwQvfWl8skgfZbZyDTVNa-6A0POnIL-H4uVS8mlZ6GDaUL9S-BJxdlFQ2sE-9tAmL4h6GENgW0a6JTHBgH2EixpvfzRbhRQlIvvD47OCZ2I-4v-RHJg/s1600/Dip+Edit+I.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdcQQBC-Ey8cGq97JF-nuX2sKNQwQvfWl8skgfZbZyDTVNa-6A0POnIL-H4uVS8mlZ6GDaUL9S-BJxdlFQ2sE-9tAmL4h6GENgW0a6JTHBgH2EixpvfzRbhRQlIvvD47OCZ2I-4v-RHJg/s640/Dip+Edit+I.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I can't quite believe I got to the end of this course and am now entitled to put the letters Dip Edit after my name. </span><span style="font-size: large;">A one year course of study dragged out into three, and I am extremely grateful for the patience and understanding of the staff at the New Zealand Institute of Business Studies. I am now a trained proofreader happy to accept work and with the added advantage that, from New Zealand, I can work through the Northern Hemisphere night to have copy ready for your morning. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Certainly my mail this morning was the silver lining to the earthquake state our country has returned to. While I was planning this post around my new bookshelves I had thought of calling it <i>Earthquake Recovery </i>on account of the time it has taken me to start re-establishing order in my living spaces. That was before the latest earthquakes. Surprisingly none of these books fell and I suffered no breakages. It does seem that the deep piles this house stand on, and the silty clay takes a lot of the shock, though experiencing that midnight quake two nights ago was easily as shocking to me as the Canterbury earthquakes of six years ago. I lay tucked down beside my bed, for between one and a half and two minutes while the house shook violently but evenly, with a noticeable clonking sound. That sound continued after the shaking and I think that it was a combination of the curved roofing iron over the veranda buckling, and the heavy weights inside the sash windows swinging.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Bryony had been to stay over the weekend and got on with sorting and shelving books that had been out of sight and out of mind for far too long. There's not enough room for them all and I have an embarrassment of riches in the gardening and plant lore department. I have decided that the copper sheathed corner wot-not is to be my sorting shelf for china sales, rather than having them cluttering any available surface.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Once again I am aware of the positive fatalism that I felt after the February 2011 earthquake. Death and destruction hover, and as I lay through the shaking the other night, I was quite prepared for my house to collapse around me. The thought of losing precious 'stuff' including my beautiful home seems quite acceptable now. I know the costs to mental health; I know that I can start a again; I know that I can recover. </span><br />
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Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-77235621237054036842016-11-06T22:34:00.001+13:002016-11-06T22:34:40.068+13:00Silver Lining<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Late spring into early summer. How lush and vivid and beautiful the season is this year, with frequent rain and not too many nor'west gales... yet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The flowering cherries and orchard fruit blossom is fading a little now, making way for weedy may and broom with the promise of roses in full bloom in a week or two.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This rather wild garden of mine stills needs heavy physical work to keep some equilibrium. Faced with tasks like clearing the shelter belt trimmings, makes me especially grateful for Elwin's company in our years together. This season, this memorial day, are especially poignant with the promise of growth and new life all around me.</span><br />
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Apple <i>Malus domestica </i>'Egremont Russet'<br />
Wisteria <i>Wisteria </i>'Caroline'<br />
Quince <i>Cydonia oblonga </i>'Giant of Gascony'<br />
May, hawthorn <i>Crataegus monogyna</i><br />
Broom, Scotch broom <i>Cytisus scoparius</i><br />
Macrocarpa, Monterey cypress <i>Cupressus macrocarpa</i><br />
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Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-17232811239265075592016-07-12T21:53:00.000+12:002016-07-13T20:25:46.796+12:00Peter Pan<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Holiday time. And a term of drama school rehearsals comes to conclusion when <i>Peter Pan</i> opens tomorrow. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Yesterday I caught Peter Pan and </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Wendy </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">out and about in Rangiora!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Today - from the fly floor - I watched everything come together in the final rehearsal. That includes Peter Pan flying above the stage! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Peter Pan - A Magical Musical </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>from the Hartley School of Performing Arts. Rangiora Town Hall. July 13 -16 2016.</i></span><br />
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Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-85827065119508186702016-07-09T22:27:00.000+12:002016-07-09T22:27:56.069+12:00Fog and Fungus<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>Get up and photograph the fog, </i>I thought to myself pulling the quilt closer around my neck... But because I left it till the fog was dispersing I was rewarded by sunlight seeping through mist. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Once I was outside with the camera, the cold didn't matter. It was time to capture this <a href="http://ladymondegreenssecretgarden.blogspot.co.nz/2011/06/winter-delights.html">fungus basket</a> before it melted away.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Fungus basket, Tutae whatitiri </span><em style="font-family: georgia;">Ileodictyon cibarium</em></span><br />
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Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-3542693221518412392016-06-26T17:45:00.002+12:002016-06-26T17:45:34.216+12:00Midwinter Celebrations<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Maybe, just maybe, mainstream New Zealand is beginning to dispense with the idea that Midwinter in the Southern Hemisphere needs the idea of 'Christmas' attached to it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The celebration of <i>Matariki </i>the Maori new year, is becoming more common amongst the wider community with its seasonal relevance. Kitty's school, Ao Tawhiti, which has existed for over a year on the two pre-merger sites, came together on Friday night for an evening of activities and feasting at the junior school's, Discovery campus. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The children, staff and parents there had worked hard to create a festive atmosphere, and Unlimited staff and students contributed too. Kitty enjoyed painting faces for her younger schoolfellows and Florian's telescopes were a hit. It was the wrong time of night to see Matariki (or the Pleiades) whose reappearance in the sky at the end of May signals the time for final gathering in of food stores before the true winter weather arrives later in June. Jupiter, Mars and Saturn were all in our sights however.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The hangi-cooked food and pot luck meal was a Midwinter feast to rival roast turkey and its trimmings. Meat falling from the bone; vegetables melting in the mouth and everything infused with the distinctive earthy, smokiness of the hangi.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9abQBDkZDF1GzYjDDot7qiHxdYPhai9b8Kt3VOb62BiYBITjUwiE-d3I6Z-FdMi0vbQBIGUioyCmBrPj72S01R73Ed5Z2TNw_AQwvhJW-5C_qG9WOy0K-lxGXAKjPAnKZoa6q5z_21I/s1600/2016+Matariki+at+Discovery+Campus%252C+Hangi+Food+I.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM9abQBDkZDF1GzYjDDot7qiHxdYPhai9b8Kt3VOb62BiYBITjUwiE-d3I6Z-FdMi0vbQBIGUioyCmBrPj72S01R73Ed5Z2TNw_AQwvhJW-5C_qG9WOy0K-lxGXAKjPAnKZoa6q5z_21I/s640/2016+Matariki+at+Discovery+Campus%252C+Hangi+Food+I.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">No need for me to feel regretful at being too busy to prepare a Midwinter dinner at home for the Solstice. Earlier, when summer and autumn fruit was so abundant, I'd intended to put away something of everything to make our Midwinter dinner with.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This has been a family custom for me, dating to my father's involvement with Antarctic research programmes and the observance of the shortest day, whether he was wintering over or celebrating at an Antarctic Society Dinner. One of my siblings is a direct result of one of those festive occasions! Later my parents continued the tradition at home, always raising a glass to the men enduring the endless polar night.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">A Matariki feast then, to end a Midwinter week that began with dancing at Dawn.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFu-bCNUUCVXGhUIlXCuVaBixIjW4UgFehiE3VVCoqUQ-4jB3SDnC3dvmXFBakQu3rZB0RyFGY0QcLXPNP2A09tIZSGlERwkKbqAIJkZWcjkW88pn61PARJWPuq8p5eEvssec-fZAfiw/s1600/Paekakariki+-+Dancing+at+Dawn+I.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFu-bCNUUCVXGhUIlXCuVaBixIjW4UgFehiE3VVCoqUQ-4jB3SDnC3dvmXFBakQu3rZB0RyFGY0QcLXPNP2A09tIZSGlERwkKbqAIJkZWcjkW88pn61PARJWPuq8p5eEvssec-fZAfiw/s320/Paekakariki+-+Dancing+at+Dawn+I.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Of course I celebrated the Winter Solstice - a few days early - with a spot of Morris dancing. <i>Brittanic Bedlam Morris Gentlemen</i> hosted the gathering at Paekakariki with their usual flair and attention to detail. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">They warm my heart whether they are masters of the kitchen or fancy footing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But so too does everyone else!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz1PLBfmlSWId0_J5fE_bqnY-CwoLxqfVvv72D60OTPICrnM2vMb75nb83jJcYWBjCAaw23Bh-462GkF9MtSReBt31T_-pjSX__GhDYJttxy1s-LhgCNK5PMDU2vf2wfFJCvGvtrQuxAo/s1600/Paraparaumu+-+Market+Dancing+VI.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz1PLBfmlSWId0_J5fE_bqnY-CwoLxqfVvv72D60OTPICrnM2vMb75nb83jJcYWBjCAaw23Bh-462GkF9MtSReBt31T_-pjSX__GhDYJttxy1s-LhgCNK5PMDU2vf2wfFJCvGvtrQuxAo/s400/Paraparaumu+-+Market+Dancing+VI.JPG" width="327" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It has occurred to me that if we got up even earlier on the morning that we dance to ensure the return of the Sun (and after all the sun gets up well after </span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">7</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> o'clock</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> at Midwinter) we might be able to see Matariki ... </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNaoVd8RvKIjFCjpNsvSAFwmIOIGX6PhvFCJZN2dCVy0bH2beBrqoZu8g_JBgq_MSqFIENO-7HKh2yMt7Cm5R_zgMWllH1XxSBgkzVyiJrg1GMhupYxbbxiH5-wS1c8ANOMhxL_kg0E4/s1600/Paekakariki+-+Sitting+Down+at+Dawn+I.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNaoVd8RvKIjFCjpNsvSAFwmIOIGX6PhvFCJZN2dCVy0bH2beBrqoZu8g_JBgq_MSqFIENO-7HKh2yMt7Cm5R_zgMWllH1XxSBgkzVyiJrg1GMhupYxbbxiH5-wS1c8ANOMhxL_kg0E4/s640/Paekakariki+-+Sitting+Down+at+Dawn+I.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-88087597211090735452016-06-01T22:54:00.000+12:002016-06-02T09:55:19.400+12:00The Merry Month of May<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">All good intentions to blog frequently, came to naught in May, but now it's been and gone it's still worth mentioning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">It was merry in all manner of ways from greeting the month in </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq_6jCUqPpNR7Jl9FhtR7UiIM4Jk9Cn77cgzmPypLmKELOe8MzIshgChutasxK-fV3NsMPHqhm-dyJDP-7nymgP1xIiWmluohzziMcj51wmqdblHRTcvh51iBXN3mSZmSj0OVfkvPq6Qw/s1600/May+Morn+Mt+Eden+V.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq_6jCUqPpNR7Jl9FhtR7UiIM4Jk9Cn77cgzmPypLmKELOe8MzIshgChutasxK-fV3NsMPHqhm-dyJDP-7nymgP1xIiWmluohzziMcj51wmqdblHRTcvh51iBXN3mSZmSj0OVfkvPq6Qw/s400/May+Morn+Mt+Eden+V.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">at the top of Mt Eden in Auckland...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">generally having a good time...</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">with gathered Morris dancing friends while celebrating Mayday... </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">to serving on the fly floor for the North Canterbury Musical Society's three week season of <i>Aida. </i>This was the Elton John and Tim Rice rock musical rather than Verdi's opera.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Up and down this ladder the flyboys scuttled </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">for some fairly lightweight action in this particular production </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">(lots of down time for reading or just enjoying the show). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">While the stage manager's directions murmured between various production stations in my headset I marvelled at the quality of voice and instrumental music. Mainly this was due to ability and professionalism, but I noticed how all the intricate structural woodwork created superb acoustics high above the stage - and close to me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">Although Kitty was on stage I have no photos of the production due to copyright reasons, so this is my personal experience of the show. I made a note of my position on the fly floor while I was working in the garden across the road. My task for the whole of May? Clearing the fallen leaves from the tree who's morning shadow graces the Rangiora Town Hall, reaching up to trace my corner, where on the other side of the ochre coloured wall, my chair and headset and hauling gloves await my return.</span></div>
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Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-78187654255220787062016-04-14T22:08:00.000+12:002016-04-15T20:53:21.384+12:00Heart Wood<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The woodshed is all but empty.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhenQQ8HTsbcQKX2cjbWzBhmh5p6g9rtX-cVYHrNVra5_Q2oI5gB-5W8qtUcqZHHufMAo-NsXkR4KFuEqmx1RV4M9iORr_0TwgX0oUf-SoWI2hADJcHeBaD9PJpvd8MwTk3FM2UNFPqCBQ/s1600/Firewood+Time+II.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhenQQ8HTsbcQKX2cjbWzBhmh5p6g9rtX-cVYHrNVra5_Q2oI5gB-5W8qtUcqZHHufMAo-NsXkR4KFuEqmx1RV4M9iORr_0TwgX0oUf-SoWI2hADJcHeBaD9PJpvd8MwTk3FM2UNFPqCBQ/s640/Firewood+Time+II.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Early in the day I tidied up the last of the small-wood I'd gathered to dry over summer. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3Cd-TBVvXvNf0rqpll4TEfnF7CfXDZt0bwhytKIaEZ9fVhWGafh5E7NrkuhPxMOxEtU6SWaRexmvYiwwm63XL8lhmJGTwFejM4viwL-Ip9zeX-fKme7C-FDA-SrKokhl8vs3bIjk5Kk/s1600/Firewood+Time+I.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="515" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3Cd-TBVvXvNf0rqpll4TEfnF7CfXDZt0bwhytKIaEZ9fVhWGafh5E7NrkuhPxMOxEtU6SWaRexmvYiwwm63XL8lhmJGTwFejM4viwL-Ip9zeX-fKme7C-FDA-SrKokhl8vs3bIjk5Kk/s640/Firewood+Time+I.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And I realised as I worked at my sawhorse, that today Elwin would have celebrated his 75th birthday. I remembered... because he made the sawhorse for one of <i>my</i> birthdays. He presented it with a hobby horse head, the children riding it into the bedroom dressed for chivalry with pruning saws for swords. I look back and think how his gifts like this one meant so much more to me than jewellery or lingerie or luxury holidays. A sawhorse is a perfect accessory for the forester in me!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Beechwood fires burn bright and clear</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">If the logs be kept a year</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Oaken logs if dry and old</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Keep away the winter cold</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Chestnut's only good they say </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">If for years 'tis laid away </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">But ash-wood green or ash-wood brown</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Are fit for a King with a golden crown.</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Elm she burns like the churchyard mould</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Even the very flames are cold</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Birch and pine-wood burn too fast</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Blaze too bright and do not last</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">But ash wet or dry </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">A queen may warm her slippers by.</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">My stocks of various species are collected from my garden or the churchyard. I also buy to support fundraising efforts, as well as from local firewood merchants. The rhyme above is an old English guide but here in New Zealand, I spurn poplar for its cold slow burn; I covet oak which does just as the rhyme says; I puzzle over gum, because the different varieties perform differently and I forget from year to year what burns how. I accept pine gratefully; and would love to burn kanuka if it didn't mean clearing ancient stands to get good-sized logs. To my mind it is like oak - hot and long-burning once it's dry. Plum has similar qualities, and needs to season for a couple of years. There's plenty of that here, adding it's woodland magic to the Secret Garden.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Maybe there will be someone else to share my hearth and my heart with one day. I would like that: for today though my thoughts are for the richness Elwin added to my life.</span></div>
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Macrocarpa, Monterey cypress <i>Cupressus marcrocarpa</i></div>
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Pine, radiata pine, Monterey pine <i>Pinus radiata</i></div>
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Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-72712283367899648392016-03-05T22:33:00.000+13:002016-03-05T22:33:00.337+13:00Autumn Tints<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I haven't forgotten the garden, especially as Autumn brings cooler nights, mellow days... <i>and</i> another flush of roses. This one is 'Compassion.'</span><br />
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Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-12836875385071234222016-02-15T22:51:00.000+13:002016-02-23T07:52:34.094+13:00Shake A Leg <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Valentine's Day earthquake has put a new twist on this review of the annual New Zealand Morris Tour. Two year's ago I put my hand up to organise the 2016 gathering of Morris dancers. I was particularly keen to draw on the post- earthquake recovery vibe around Canterbury as my theme, before the Rebuild was complete and the creative energy had been replaced by a new steel and glass Christchurch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">A month ago, two years of planning and five days of tripping around Christchurch and the Waimakariri district came to a satisifying end. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Visitors from around the country as well as from overseas, especially those who hadn't visited the area since the February 2011 earthquake, felt moved at seeing close-up, some of the sites - and sights - which played over and over again on news footage following that disaster five years ago. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Some also expressed awe and dismay at the magnitude of land clearance, observing that they could only understand it once they were standing amongst it all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But yesterday's</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> 5.7 magnitude quake brings the safety fences, the barriers of shipping containers, and the fear back into sharp relief. These <i>when will they be gone,</i> features proved their worth yesterday, particularly around Sumner where cliffs and rock faces crumbled spectacularly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">A reminder of our frailty; a reminder to love well, to enjoy the life we lead; and not place too much value on tangible possessions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Back to the Tour then!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Kitty made me proud - and wistful because Elwin wasn't here - to see her play melodeon for the Morris for the first time in public.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> - as a groupie - delighted to see old friends from our years in Wellington.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We did indeed take an ex-London bus - for a night out at The Twisted Hop. The route the driver took from Kaiapoi to Woolston was an unexpected treat in itself. The sun was low and bathing the familiar countryside of pasture, market gardens, and Red Zoned riverside, with an evening glow. Even the sewerage ponds and estuary with all the water birds settling for the night looked beautiful with the back drop of the Port Hills sculpted by the light. I drive this route regularly but had never seen it from the top of double decker bus before! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Earlier in the day the group danced in Rangiora, meeting the maker of our badges, Caroline Travella of Bizzart, in Good St.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I was a bit disappointed that our dance spots in Rangiora did not reflect the Rebuild. I'd watched Conway Lane being developed over the last eight months and thought it would be very celebratory to dance there. It is a new and well thought out collaboration between Council and business owners, but I couldn't get approval to perform there. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Dancing in Victoria Park had very little to do with the Rebuild but everything to do with showing off a place dear to me. From my earliest childhood visits to the playground, through my time as a gardener learning my craft there and any number of fairs, markets and picnics, this park is part of my being. But showing visitors around always opens up new awareness. People commented on the huge size of the two oak trees, something I take for granted. We were certainly grateful for their shade.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">On our day in Christchurch we managed to see and dance at some of the best known features, not all of them at Rebuild stage...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Along with the evening bus ride I think the morning tea hosted by the Pines and Kairaki Beach Association was one of my personal favourites on the Tour programme.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">S<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">o much of these two beach settlements were made uninhabitable by the September 2010 earthquake, yet the residents maintain a strong and unified community. Members spoke to us about the Residents' Association history and also how lessons learned from the Canterbury quakes were used to inform Wellington's earthquake readiness. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It seemed strange that with the land cleared and all the homely back gardens gone, the Pines Beach Hall actually had a lovely treed one to host us in. The hall itself is damaged and we could only venture in a few at a time to view the history display of the area.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Later that day we danced at the Brick Mill </span><span style="font-size: large;">Cafe</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> which is part of a larger historic twine mill at Waikuku. The building is an ongoing labour of love for its owners, Paul and Jeni Sanderson. They have managed to strengthen it using ingenuity and their own labour, running it as a cafe, gift shop, art gallery and antiques shopping destination.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">For a sobering end to the week's outings we joined Joseph Hullen of Ngai Tahu for a fascinating tour of the local Kaiapoi Pa site. Joseph coloured his talk with, botany, archaeology, and New Zealand history, but tempered that with his own familial links to the site. Everyone agreed that his humble and non judgemental approach brought the site to life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Being in that place, where poor governance and betrayal lead to a horrific massacre, was also a reminder to me that no matter how distressing the Canterbury earthquakes have been, they are an act of Nature, not mankind against mankind. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The seismologists tell us that there are still another 25 years or so of after shocks - like yesterday's - ahead of us. They will be part of the rest of my life. I hope that even though I feel my dancing days are over, Morris dancers will continue to be family of mine for the rest of my life. As 13 year old Myles said in his television interview "<i>Everyone's nice". </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif; font-size: large;">9 year old Ewan had this to say about his dancing holiday: <i>Tour this year was AMAZING!!! The best parts were riding on the double decker bus, having </i></span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>lots of fun at the Ale and playing at the Margaret Mahy playground. I absolutely loved </i></span><i><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif; font-size: large;">dancing and riding on the tram. The food was delicious, I had pizza, Chinese and Indian. </span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: large;">The trip to Sumner was AWESOME, especially climbing the rocks. Thank you to the organisers </span><span style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: large;">and I’m looking forward to next Tour.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The youngsters attending this tour showed that a new generation is moving up, with Myles, Kitty, 11 year old Hamish, and Ewan, all having grown up around Morris dancing. It's too early to tell whether 4 month old Rowan who was also on Tour is going to follow in <i>his</i> father's footsteps.</span></div>
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Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-59751811519575760982016-01-10T10:12:00.001+13:002016-01-10T10:12:49.104+13:00NZ Morris Dancing Tour 2016 <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">2016 New
Zealand Morris Tour<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sunday 10th
– Friday 15th January</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Public Appearances</span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Monday
11 Jan:</span></span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">11.45 am – 12.30 pm: The Tannery,
post-Earthquake Boutique Shopping Centre, Woolston.</span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">2.30 pm – 3.30 pm: Sumner by the Seaside.</span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Tuesday
12 Jan:</span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">1.30 – 2.30 pm: Good Street mall,</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Rangiora.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"> 3.30 – 4.30 pm: Victoria Park, Rangiora.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"> 7.45 pm: The Twisted Hop In Woolston.</span></span></div>
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13 Jan:</span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">11.30 am – 12.30 pm: Re:Start Mall</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Also dancing at other points around the central
city.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">3.30 pm Dux Central Brew Bar.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Thursday
14 Jan:</span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">10.30 – 11.15 am: The Pines Beach Oval </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">2.00 pm The Mill, Waikuku </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For the full programme see:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/nzmorrisdancing/tour">https://sites.google.com/site/nzmorrisdancing/tour</a></span></div>
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Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-50264134528287433022016-01-01T11:50:00.000+13:002016-01-01T14:55:54.069+13:00The Year Behind Me<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So many photos sit in my files that don't see the light of day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I've chosen twelve for this post; not one for each month, but rather for the memories and milestones they mark.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgO6MeLqDEi_dyP-qqIhlVkyz8BsMQDsjBdY-8IrQawOl_jE1cuqqm4eG-TgSKgVLHnp_m1lktSvgaA5IV73oyP212r0TvrKIj0oXv4xApartdSHSHJTX9DrZNl6SJn6zfEIzRlGIjM0/s1600/2015+Review+Vintage+Breakfast.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgO6MeLqDEi_dyP-qqIhlVkyz8BsMQDsjBdY-8IrQawOl_jE1cuqqm4eG-TgSKgVLHnp_m1lktSvgaA5IV73oyP212r0TvrKIj0oXv4xApartdSHSHJTX9DrZNl6SJn6zfEIzRlGIjM0/s640/2015+Review+Vintage+Breakfast.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In January I made a point of sleeping in the Skudder House, not in any of my old bedrooms, but for the first time in the house in thirty years. The room I did sleep and breakfast in is flooded with sunlight all morning. A few years ago the Google Maps image for this address showed my mother sitting in her chair in the sun, just an obscure internal shape to any other viewer, but familiar and dear to me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">After the demolition of the Farmers building in Rangiora, the waste ground came alive, at first a sea of green, and then a vast crop of waist-high fat hen. Because Rangiora is historically a farming town, and fat hen is a weed of crop and pasture land, there were some vitriolic letters to the editor about it being allowed to flourish. 'Spray it' was the cry. All credit to the project manager who didn't. This land had last been open to the elements in 1918. Historic fat hen indeed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This year another large block of land in the Ashley village was developed for housing. Five houses from Red-zoned land in Christchurch were trucked here - no - only four of them made it. One caught fire while passing under - and clearing - power lines during a wet and stormy night. Insurance cover means one of the houses is a 'new build.' The developer went to a lot of effort to arrange the houses in a sociable and community minded manner, and they do look good now. But the quiet country village that I grew up in will soon be a suburb of Rangiora.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">What with the limitations of arthritis and other foot conditions, I haven't danced as much this year as I would have liked. But I did join a sewing bee in June to make a set of tatter coats for the Tussock Jumpers Morris Dancers. We gathered in Michelle's sun drenched house overlooking the city and in spite of keeping our mind on the job of sewing narrow fabric strips, in rows, onto base coats, had a good time together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Kitty and I visited another favourite city of ours in June. We lived in </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Wellington </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">for two years when she was little; we visit regularly; we have friends who live nearby; but we had never quite got around to seeing Katherine Mansfield's Birthplace. Kitty reads and has an appreciation of KM's writing so with that awareness she was ready for this visit. The entry fee was very modest and the house is lovingly presented; a poignant introduction to the writer's difficult but talented life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I look at this photo and think, Is that really my garden? I took it following a prolonged hail fall. Maybe because it was winter the hail didn't pass quickly and violently as it does in the summer. It 'rained' gently for about ten minutes leaving a thick layer of fine ice highlighting the contours of the land.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">During another trip away, to join Morris friends in Nelson, I rejoined Judy afterwards at her home in Queen Charlotte Sound, in Marlborough. Here she is on her beach deck! She and her husband John operate a delightful B and B or Homestay. Here is the link </span><a href="http://www.journeysend.co.nz/" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">http://www.journeysend.co.nz/</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In September, the Skudder House had visitors. Ernie Skudder, who I have met before in Rotorua, brought family with him to see the house for the first time. His daughter, Bev, is the great, great granddaughter of Thomas and Hannah Skudder who built this house. How strange that she opened my eyes to something I'd never noticed before: afternoon light coming through a window beyond this one and flooding this room. Bev is a photographer too. I wonder how her photos turned out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">At the end of September I joined the fly team for <i>The Wizard of Oz</i>. Oh boy, I never imagined I would be drawn to this element of theatre, but a tour after the Rangiora Town Hall was re-opened, left me in awe of those upper spaces. Really, I want to go even higher, into the roof space above the auditorium with its walkways and the great curved timbers supporting the vaulted ceiling, just looking like any other lathe and plaster from above. I found my strength on the fly floor was on 'comms' relaying the calls </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">from the stage manager </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">to the fly boys. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Although the new Ashley, Cones Rd bridge was opened in March the old one wasn't demolished until October - pretty spectacular and in spite of its scale, done in a methodical and orderly way. This area is also a rare bird nesting site, and all the bridge work over the past two years has been done with strict limitations on the field of operation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Recently I wrote about an <a href="http://ladymondegreenssecretgarden.blogspot.co.nz/2015/10/spring-better-late-than-never.html">old riverside kowhai tree</a> that hadn't yet flowered, but it did: about three weeks later than usual. I got back with my camera when the seed pods had begun to form. Those long silky filaments will eventually fatten into the shape of the old pods, still showing on this tree.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And what better way to finish the year than with a family picnic down beside the River. Yes it's the middle of summer and there are a lot of scarves and warm jackets! My brother, Hugh, took this photo. His daughters, Livvy and Jess are second in on both sides of the table, next to Kitty and me. At the far end are my sister Ingrid and her son, Rowan. Her daughter, Alys is forward of her sitting opposite Bryony. We had a good ramble afterwards, and promised each that we should do this more often!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Fat hen <i>Chenopodium album</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Kowhai <i>Sophora microphylla</i></span><br />
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Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-27103142222868600472015-12-26T13:21:00.000+13:002015-12-26T13:21:00.033+13:00Christmas Joys<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">They are many, but for me they need sorting from the other highlights of December in New Zealand. I keep customs like decorating the tree until after I have observed the Summer Solstice around the 21st December. Some of the Christmas joys are quite unexpected like the appearance of this family of California Quail on the road outside our house on Christmas Eve.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The quail were a distraction as I made final preparations for the Ashley Carol Service. The Church of St Simon and St Jude was full, and the interdenominational service, lead this year by Baptist pastor Jonathan Melville, was uplifting and reflective in equal measure. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Supper in the churchyard afterwards is always a sociable and satisfying point for me - knowing that the Committee's months of preparation have paid off, and that now I can turn my attention completely to my family.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Bryony and Kitty spend a lot of time wrapping their gifts with intricate care.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">All of us enjoy writing and interpreting the puns and riddles we create for our gift labels. Unwrapping our presents together is as much a time of appreciating each other's mental processes and creativity as it is pleasure in the tangible gifts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And then it's time for Christmas brunch. Bryony has taken this on for the last couple of years and working in a cafe kitchen has honed her food preparation and presentation skills. This was our main meal of Christmas Day and I have no regrets that there was nothing 'traditional' about it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Surely these two daughters of mine are my greatest Christmas joys, but I must mention the final joy of Christmas Day, which many of you will have shared, and that is the full moon. How brilliant its light was as we returned from an evening with extended family. In this part of the world it was certainly not a <i>Full Cold Moon</i>. Its warm summer light gilded the architecture of this house and I fell asleep in a room full of moonbeams.</span></div>
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Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5799638417693921581.post-13155533902074724862015-12-22T08:34:00.000+13:002015-12-22T08:34:14.129+13:00'Tis The Season...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For dry river beds awash with wild flowers, like these california poppies in the Makerikeri River.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0RyQIW0Jrgu9piHqAonh3BVszW4iY83Hf38CyU1TODzwkjUueP_I_cXICd9zpAz4EEHr3jrpMy2lBc9eeYqfg7Xfabjp1tDwbyo04Qz3GBk7RLXhtIIGUh4RDX2j2WAhMfS43RHENCZ8/s1600/California+Poppies+-+Makerikeri+River+Bed+I.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0RyQIW0Jrgu9piHqAonh3BVszW4iY83Hf38CyU1TODzwkjUueP_I_cXICd9zpAz4EEHr3jrpMy2lBc9eeYqfg7Xfabjp1tDwbyo04Qz3GBk7RLXhtIIGUh4RDX2j2WAhMfS43RHENCZ8/s640/California+Poppies+-+Makerikeri+River+Bed+I.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For early Christmas trees.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Y7V3Mh5K4IxA7zSTumKwN6KncINcVnL3HSMD99RbaZRHeWBuq4g2UT-fVXmr9eX2JgP7Q7VXiAp9D3bxwSx5dL4x6BzzTrdy-AYPa2yr7udwbWSYI6X0dnmfkgDRPy0HJrGgYNP0yMQ/s1600/Christmas+Trees+-+Council+Display+I.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Y7V3Mh5K4IxA7zSTumKwN6KncINcVnL3HSMD99RbaZRHeWBuq4g2UT-fVXmr9eX2JgP7Q7VXiAp9D3bxwSx5dL4x6BzzTrdy-AYPa2yr7udwbWSYI6X0dnmfkgDRPy0HJrGgYNP0yMQ/s640/Christmas+Trees+-+Council+Display+I.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">To check that there hasn't been a cool change in the weather since you dressed for the party.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNX9OXAQtjSpYfRqowSIXTE4ZV4_IyRXfox_Yd6MpqyQ-62z6xhz9yM8p6Kd7bNCHnq-wcA56JMgS0GPnLdtbD6OBSjdN2N_Kj9BkWSNu1lX9NxIqu7ylPuciPfdbcEwFxxPADJdi_2P8/s1600/B+and+K+Party+Girls+I.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNX9OXAQtjSpYfRqowSIXTE4ZV4_IyRXfox_Yd6MpqyQ-62z6xhz9yM8p6Kd7bNCHnq-wcA56JMgS0GPnLdtbD6OBSjdN2N_Kj9BkWSNu1lX9NxIqu7ylPuciPfdbcEwFxxPADJdi_2P8/s640/B+and+K+Party+Girls+I.JPG" width="409" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For farmers and small holders to make hay...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNqTbVT46hAWtYbuJCtWPjr1RdvEk7QHFwG399g17HmtwwZ1fqgHP50vsBWkHjDEDI55tUA462-B72IH4truHDGki-nWAlY4IHE2WGu4QARVLx3bJSDLYjFyhqyVzMqlHD8aNKN2YHGqI/s1600/Hay+Baled+II.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNqTbVT46hAWtYbuJCtWPjr1RdvEk7QHFwG399g17HmtwwZ1fqgHP50vsBWkHjDEDI55tUA462-B72IH4truHDGki-nWAlY4IHE2WGu4QARVLx3bJSDLYjFyhqyVzMqlHD8aNKN2YHGqI/s640/Hay+Baled+II.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">... in hope.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Bt9HgA8NVFISPZXDd8rl99fDkjFzEhytxctilQn163NZJgzo8Ihui13stzcDiEpnbDns2wuxgIgwJ67Wu-vJBCUqM2dNbCnf_4YvZCvFwZYX3ovALOfYy8J1exBu3E9yI-vKijDq9QQ/s1600/Hay+Baled+IV.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Bt9HgA8NVFISPZXDd8rl99fDkjFzEhytxctilQn163NZJgzo8Ihui13stzcDiEpnbDns2wuxgIgwJ67Wu-vJBCUqM2dNbCnf_4YvZCvFwZYX3ovALOfYy8J1exBu3E9yI-vKijDq9QQ/s640/Hay+Baled+IV.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For farewells: </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Tanja Grzeta - too young at 45 to leave us, but she motivated and inspired everyone around her. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_fwuVglhZKm09hyb4hyphenhyphenh1a9M5Eb1f07k8gRlW6eft6RmiZ-_hpbq7FP12q__26jiwK3hQgRSCx-p2jT2e_5oh9f74IHSX3vImZ7LlzNSyXrtJhLBQcDTWvr5jVS-SVEyz8fs_JJKdlw/s1600/Tanja+Grzeta+Funeral+I.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_fwuVglhZKm09hyb4hyphenhyphenh1a9M5Eb1f07k8gRlW6eft6RmiZ-_hpbq7FP12q__26jiwK3hQgRSCx-p2jT2e_5oh9f74IHSX3vImZ7LlzNSyXrtJhLBQcDTWvr5jVS-SVEyz8fs_JJKdlw/s400/Tanja+Grzeta+Funeral+I.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For end of year school ceremonies and graduation occasions: Alys, the youngest of another generation of my family left primary school this year and the Ashley School leavers, in grand tradition, went out for dinner together.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg56UxIqaHiVV4CAJDrgAqBCNZ94MgGG05FByC8PSx02ZRzUsRT-wiZlSSXR7Z3l5ADwpuQPMXyyyJuFh9qajfhMeECdLvy-jF4k0a7h0nf__yOwKt_wxyR3w0g2Jf1uCPYqzMCZES-Rmc/s1600/2015+Ashley+Graduation+I.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg56UxIqaHiVV4CAJDrgAqBCNZ94MgGG05FByC8PSx02ZRzUsRT-wiZlSSXR7Z3l5ADwpuQPMXyyyJuFh9qajfhMeECdLvy-jF4k0a7h0nf__yOwKt_wxyR3w0g2Jf1uCPYqzMCZES-Rmc/s400/2015+Ashley+Graduation+I.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Ao Tawhiti Unlimited Discovery also bade goodbye to a layer of students including a good friend of both Bryony and Kitty, Feroze Brailsford, who's looking forward to a career in constitutional law and international human rights. He's a pretty good actor too.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4U9cl4aSGD9LieViyWuYc4aFJNc9hCJ6G5GMFFtkjZVyPLB9gSuYiLY8uU6OmTvBwCpkk7WrCDr2ra1TOzvQZT9Kykdcv_mU3gKoPP53Gz5flQPNsRZ_077eEGy-0fbkJHCZ1U95wmPo/s1600/Feroze+Brailsford+Final+School+Speech+I.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4U9cl4aSGD9LieViyWuYc4aFJNc9hCJ6G5GMFFtkjZVyPLB9gSuYiLY8uU6OmTvBwCpkk7WrCDr2ra1TOzvQZT9Kykdcv_mU3gKoPP53Gz5flQPNsRZ_077eEGy-0fbkJHCZ1U95wmPo/s640/Feroze+Brailsford+Final+School+Speech+I.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">In an eloquent speech he remembered his first three weeks at the school's central city site, and how that ended there with the February 2011 earthquake and Tanja Grzeta's masterful command of the situation and her students.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">'Tis a time for Mid Summer Playing, for Harvest, for Celebration... for Reflection.</span><br />
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California poppy <i>Eschscholzia californica</i><br />
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Lady Mondegreen's Secret Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07638813551209321151noreply@blogger.com3