I actually don’t really mind winter too much, I just despair when there is rain day after day. I love that winter means wearing layers of clothes, boots and scarves, and dining on soups with crusty warmed bread and lashings of butter. It is also time to open the larder door and peek inside finding jams, jelly, pickles and preserves that Bill kindly spent time making over summer (I did a few too 🙂 ).
Auckland is renown for rain and given the volumes we have been receiving lately, my veg garden is doing surprisingly well. Of course its positioning on a hillside with great drainage helps considerably. Do you mulch? I heard a gardener say the other day that mulching at this time of year isn’t a great idea and can cause an anaerobic environment. Hmm, I guess if your drainage is poor this may well be the case, but rain on unprotected soil isn’t great either, washing away nutrients, organic material and exposing roots.
I need to start thinking about sowing seed in trays. I have given up making my own seed growing mix … but now buy it instead and opt for the organic stuff. Fun times ahead.
I actually love the process of shuffling through the seed packs. Deciding on what and when. Truth is, I need to get cracking on the gardening plan …
The sparrows and ducks are still partaking of our chook food .. shame on them, while the turkey numbers are multiplying.
Just a few things to share with you …
Winter loveliness
Wood
Dan
Clouds
Misty morning
Blue sky
Muriwai beach
We are thinking of a holiday .. going somewhere warm for a week. I’m looking forward to that!
Happy gardening
That light is still very beautiful too – and in my present mod it makes me miss NZ even more.. I want to come home – c
Hey Celi … it isn’t raining today and is just glorious! Oh I bet you do miss home .. thinking of you. NZ hugs your way
Awwww little lamb! And wonderful beach reflections. Your clouds, Julie, are always splendid. It’s good to “look up”. (And forward to warm holidays!!) Your winters look a lot like our summers. Well …. Our usual summers. This year, we are so dry! We’d gladly take a bit of that rain off your hands – too bad we couldn’t share.
Hey Janet … isn’t that lamb divine! I just love the little fluffy things. Goes without saying, I’m a cloud fan too … How I wish I could send you some of our rain. Still in saying that, it’s fine today and I’m loving it! Great to see you here 😀
Beautiful photos, Julie. We are in the thick of summer here, and I so look forward to winter and wearing layers of clothes. I’m hoping we get rain this winter (our rainy season), but in moderation! Have a wonderful week, and I hope you get to that warm vacation soon.
Hi Miss! oh thank you … Yes winter is layers of clothing, no doubt about it! Wetness in moderation .. indeed 🙂 And you have a wonderful week too ..
That last shot of the dog on the beach, MY beach, is stunning Miss. Oh yes, I am a firm believer in the importance of mulch for all the reasons you suggest. An like you, I find joy in sorting through the seed packets, putting them in seasonal categories, making plans as you go- it’s a lovely passtime. You are fortunate to have all that rain Julie.
Oh you are so gorgeous! My beach … (your beach). Every time I pop up a pic of the beach I think of you. Yes mulch is good – I know it! What is it about seed packets. I’m itching to get sorting! LOL I know I shouldn’t grumble about the rain … we are so lucky! Hugs F
nice pics better book that flight !
Hello – glad you think so! Yes, book that flight please 😀
Hi Julie about the rain. Do you remember when you first moved in how you were so presious about the water ? I know you had only one tank, but with the rain you get there’s no shortage. Anyway loverly shots as usual good to see Dan looking well. Glad you missed the snow listened to the radio yesterday and it’s still bad down South. You would have some good snow slops with your hilly land, and you get to the gate in record time down the driveway! Well we are still having a bit of summer although it turned cold in the afternoon yesterday. Will have to get my thinking cap on and sort out some new preserves etc for the glut of fruit that must be getting ready to bloom. Love to you both Bill xx
Hello Bill! What time is it there? Too early me thinks. 😀 I do remember that first year we moved in. My poor garden. No shortage of water now that’s for sure! Glad you like the pics and Dan is particularly good and wooly. In dire need of a haircut. No snow here – oh imagine my garden if there was? Ha ha ha … I’d make it down the drive in a hurry. Shame on you … Please do pop on that thinking cap Mr B. The preserved pears in the cider amazing (I might save you some). Mind you – the damson plum jam is heavenly. Hugs
Some gorgeous photos here – the birds, the dark, lonely tree – all of them! Your green winter looks pretty good to me although I hope you find some place interesting for a little holiday.
Oh thank you and big smiles your way! So pleased your enjoyed. There is no doubt that our winter is green! 😀 Holiday is booked .. yay!
Beautiful photos. The one with the fence posts, cow and power lines is especially delightful. What a cute little lamb, also. We have mulch everywhere, but it’s dry here so we don’t have to worry about anaerobics.
Hey Tim … oh I’m pleased you liked that photo. I do too. Yes that lamb sure is cute, one of the locals. Such a great time of year and fun to stop the car and watch them run and skip! Mulch is king … Great to see you here Mr Price
A lovely election of Wintery shots from middle Earth, Julie. Do you have plans on writing a gardening book?
Strangely, no mention of garlic. No need to answer that. 🙂
I hear warm crusty bread goes well with olive oil, too. How’s your home grown stock tasting?
hello Mr Draco! What about your memory? Nope not mentioning the garlic. It is not looking flash … (typical of me I go quiet .. LOL ). I did think about writing a gardening book – I might one of these days. Be nice to fill it with pics of Middle Earth. My oil stock is going famously btw. I would be more than happy sending you a bottle 😀 Love your visits …
You can’t necessarily trust those Customs guys once they know there is bottled gold in a package. I’ll collect a bottle personally from you, one day. 🙂
Bottled gold 😃 there’s a bottle or two waiting for you ..
Thank you. 🙂
I love blue’s of winter.. Fabulous captures!
Hey Roberta … thank you, so nice to see you here 😀
I want that lamb as my very own!
Hey Merilee .. me too but I don’t think my sheep would be too enamoured! 😀
Dan and the lamb are both very cute and there are some very atmospheric shots Julie. The winner is the silhouettes of the little birds, they’re adorable! 🙂
Thank you .. So pleased that you enjoyed the photos. Those sparrows .. How they love the chicken food!
Dear Julie, how beautiful your photographs… Especially the last one fascinated me 🙂 New Zeland is beautful land, and also as I heard/read it is the most peaceful country… Have a nice day and a wonderful holiday, Blessing and Happiness, Thank you, Love, nia
Hi Nia .. Yes New Zealand is very beautiful. We are so very lucky 😃 a lovely day to you too. Thank you for stopping by ..
Lovely post – genuine duck weather with you…!
Ha ha Nexi .. it certainly is duck weather. Raining again today. Hubby spotted Mrs Duck and about 10 ducklings yesterday .. more pics coming soon 🙂
Love it. My NZ relative has park ducks in her garden, but foxes are partial to the little ones unfortunately!
No foxes but we have Hawks who sadly find them to their liking
Shame, isn’t it! We’ve had a brilliant 3 part docu on NZ wildlife here recently – seen most of it. Didn’t realize how much of the South Island was tropical.
It’s still just so lovely there in the winter. Love the fragile light in the garden and misty mornings. Dan is so cute. Love that boy too. All the dogs must have so much fun at the beach. We take the kitten for field and meadow walks every evening and he runs around like a nutter! 😀
Hi Julie, such lovely pics and glad that you are enjoying this lovely cold season of winter! Do have a great holiday too… more pics! 🙂
Hey Iris … thank you. I actually do enjoy winter – love having seasons. Just wish for more sunshine 🙂 Holiday booked pics to come!
The phrase “lashings of butter” seems strange to an American, even if the butter itself doesn’t.
Hmm that’s sensible! I love butter so that is a Julie thing … nice to see you here Steve 🙂
It was the “lashings” part that as an American I had to look up to confirm my guess about its meaning, which is number 3 at
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/lashing
And I wish we could have some of your rain! Everythings turning browning…myself included but there it’s not that bad 😉 August is always a difficult time in the garden with temperatures soaring and hardly any rain but we’ll get through it. I have to mulch more in future too. Fab pics as usual, Julie, I keep my fingers crossed for you in the raffle 🙂
Hello lovely … wish I could send you some rain .. the skies have opened up again today. I always feel sorry for the garden and land when there is an absence of water. I never used to mulch and really appreciate the values of doing so year round. Glad you liked the pics Annette – thanks for stopping by 😀
Your winter is lovely. It is our spring. We are feeling like fall here…September actually. I hope you have a fun winter holiday. Warm is always nice!
Linda
We are still feeling like winter here Linda. It was such a mild start to winter and then the last few weeks have been cold. I am so looking forward to our holiday – looks like we are going to Samoa! 😀
YAY! Take Lots and Lots of Photos!!!
simply beautiful once again! and soothing to the soul!
Hello the dune mouse … thank you so much. Lovely to think they are soothing to the soul. Good! 😀
🙂
I like winter, too, in many ways 😊.
I’m in two minds about mulch myself. Hadn’t heard of the anaerobic conundrum but I had wondered about rain just washing it away or the water just not penetrating into the soil. If it works for you, though, that’s fab.
I did a big ‘aw’ at the lamb photo. Love the purple mist shot, too.
Hello Helen .. no I hadn’t heard about the anaerobic conundrum either – although volumes of organic material and loads of water with poor drainage may well cause this scenario. I am a great fan of mulch. I can’t sing the praises enough .. for me the downside for it in winter, is the darn slugs can hide under it. Thankfully it never gets washed away and I have great drainage. That lamb photo is an ‘aw’ isn’t it. So pleased you liked the ‘pink’ mist shot! 😀
PS looked again – the flowers are pink!
Count your blessings you don’t get snow, Julie. Another beautiful post!! Thank you!!! The one of the misty morning drew an Ohhhhhh from me!!! 🙂 <3
Hi Amy … oh I do count my blessings. I couldn’t imagine not being able to garden all year round!😀 Glad you enjoyed the post .. I laughed when I read the big ‘Ohhhh’ from you. Good! Big smiles your way …
Damn! Wonderful post. Be careful you are going to piss off all your artist friends with the cow on the fence line under the wires. If they ask questions, keep drinking wine and act drunk. 🙂 They will accept your response as an artist, and chalk it up to beginners luck. Seriously, wonderful to see what happens a full half world away. Loved your first paragraph. Take care. Bob
You are hilarious! So you like the pic of the cow next to the fence with the power lines do you? 😀 I rather liked it as well … It’s great to see what others are doing or not isn’t it Bob? I just love this blogging environment .. How is Cooper Cash? Glad you enjoyed the post … Take care right back at you .. Julie
Thank goodness you know when I am joking. Sometimes I hit send and then go, ‘uh-oh’! Cooper Cash is wonderful, Lisa and I will be seeing him soon. Hope you and Andrew (and Dan) are well. Better get those seeds out soon. Bob
so amazing and the light is so so cool Julie 🙂
Hey Joshi .. thank you so much. 😀
Julie every one of these captures draws me in your keen eye for amazing compositions left me wanting more. Stunning world that you live in and thanks for sharing them.
Kath
Hi Kath … thank you so much. I’m really pleased you liked the compositions, sorry there aren ‘t any more. 😀 It is a lovely place that we live and so lucky to be able to share it with you.
I’m sure a warm week would be a welcome break. Thanks for sharing all the loveliness you portrayed so beautifully with your camera. That was a welcome break for me.
A lovely comment .. thank you so much. I’m pleased you enjoyed the loveliness. I’m really looking forward to a week away .. with my camera too of course! 😀
Enjoy!
There are lots of nice pictures here, but I think the lamb still wins the cuteness award.
Thank you! The lamb was such a cute thing. And I managed to get it on a day when the sun was out! Good to see you here .. thanks for stopping by.
It was a little cutie! 🙂
Them’s some beautiful blues Julie-Hubble says the baby lamb can come and live with us 😉 and I really like the clouds image-it sort of sums up the solitariness that comes with the winter weather I think-don’t forget about your iPhone on your getaway 🙂 !
Hey Meg … you like those blues do you? I’m sure Hubble would love that baby lamb. My neighbour’s ewe gave birth to 4 the other day! Amazing. I will take my iPhone away with me, that’s a given. 😀 Went fishing yesterday (can’t remember the last time I went) and yes, I had the phone with me!!!
Hello, Julie. Wherever place you go I am sure with your eyes it’s going to be a pretty one. That’s so marvelous, I love the dreamy photograph of the birds flying, seems like seeing inside a barely remember dream, a saved image of a longer story. Thank you. : )
Francis .. so good to hear from you! We are going to Samoa – which will be perfect! I’m so pleased that you like the pic of the birds flying. Oh how I like that … seeing inside a barely remembered dream. Love your way with words!!! I miss your blog …
Those are beautiful pictures of winter down there in New Zealand, Julie! Yes, we do mulch here, and heavily. Winter rains do leach a lot of nutrients out.
Hey Lavinia .. thank you. The last few days have felt like spring, with mild temps and bright blue skies. So good to hear that you mulch too … I’m with you, winter rains sure do leach those nutrients. Thanks so much for stopping by 😀
The things is, Kiddo …. you can talk about winter and vegetables growing in the very same breath, which I find astonishing. I think I could handle your winter….
Thanks as always for your beautiful photographs, Julie. The one of the young lamb is a keeper.
I think you would really enjoy our winter Cynthia. I’m gazing outdoors today and it looks and feels like spring is here already. The grass appears to be growing while I’m watching it. 😀 So pleased you enjoyed my photos .. And that lamb was such a sweetie.
Love the scenes you captured, every single one of them. It’s a beautiful, envious blue winter out there.
Hi Amy … Thanks so much glad you enjoyed them. We have had the most fabulous week of sun. No rain .. but I hear it is coming!
Hello Julie,
here in Hamburg,Germany…summer blues…weather looks like you have…no heat but sometimes rain…bought two nice autumn jackets…but where the hell on earth is the summer ?
kind regards from jürgen
Hi .. I hear that you haven’t had a good summer at all – such a shame. Our winter has been mild with loads of rain. I’m thinking about going out shopping too! Any excuse! Great to hear from you
Always love your beach shots but that misty morning shot…. too good.
Oh thank you .. I love that misty morning too 😀
Sitting reading about your winter and rain. Ours was bad in May and haven’t seen any sign of the clouds opening yet. So hot and dry and MuSt keep watering. The mulch idea sounds tricky. I guess we’ll drained soil is the answer.
I’m a mulch fan … and use it summer and winter. It’s raining again today .. wish I could send some your way. Enjoy that heat .. I’m looking forward to Spring 🙂
I like dry, cold, blue winters… I loved winter in Beijing, for instance, and I detested the wet winter of Shanghai
Hey Rajiv … I’ve never been to Beijing, but it rained too when I was in Shanghai. Funny, it’s raining again in Auckland. Great to see you ..
It rained here as well!
Such beautiful light! It’s been raining most days in England and it’s summer here – at least the rain keeps things fresh.
Hi and thank you! Gosh I’ve heard that your summer hasn’t been too good. What a shame .. Rain sure does keep things fresh, probably why it is so green here. Thanks for stopping by … 😀
My pleasure! I suppose rain makes us appreciate clear blue skies more. We have had a few really nice, sunny days.
You’re images have come on so much Julie. a whole number there I really like; misty morn, blue sky and Muriwai beach being among them ….😘👍
Hello MM … ah how nice to see you here! And thank you .. I’m pleased you think so. Sometimes I wonder .. We are off to Samoa soon, I’m so looking forward to some warm, dry weather and being out and about with that camera! 😀
Samoa, wow that will be very interesting. Hope you and Andrew have a great holiday, take care and “speak” soon, MM 🍀😘
And to you 😘
It always looks perfect! 😊
Thank you! 😀
Glad the sunnier days have returned. I don’t mind the cold or the rain so much; it’s the darkness which bothers me most. It was so lovely to have light until 6pm today.
Oh it is lovely having the light for longer .. We have had so much rain this winter. But spring is nearly here 😃
Really love these photos, especially the one with your dog….he walks as if he’s a star performing on stage. ;-))
Hey Josephine thank you .. He doesn’t mind being the centre of attention 😄
I love your photos. Theyre movie quality. What breed of dog is that? And is new zealand known for its wool? Im sorry if Im asking too many questions.
Hi .. pleased that you enjoyed the photos. Wish they were movie quality 😀 That is our dog Dan and he is a Border Collie. Yes New Zealand is a wool and diary country. Don’t worry about asking questions .. 😀 Thanks for stopping by
Thanks for responding. Youre welcome. I enjoyed the post.
You have shared the beauty and hope of winter after the rainy grans–I needed that because this morning I felt the first day after the rainy grans…and it was threatening!
https://flahertylandscape.wordpress.com/2016/10/13/descent-without-mercy/
Gorgeous light! I love winter and you captured the beauty of this season.
Oh thank you! I love all the things that goes with winter, boots, warm clothes, soups and log fires! 😃
I love winter the snow and blues…not so much the ice though ☺️ smiles Hedy and this is also another beautiful post Julie 🤓❤️
Thanks Hedy .. always good to see you at our place 😊