In the Pre-European Maori Garden.

beautiful colour in the Indian Char Bag Garden.

In the American Modernist Garden.

Peace in the Japanese Garden.

Camelia time in Hamilton Gardens.

I am home again from a brief trip to Auckland city with Little Sister.
With niece and her partner we went to see the show "Avenue Q",
a muppet Show for adults.
The puppetry was very clever..the plot needed no brain exertion.
Yesterday morning we took the (very slow) train into the city
and walked to the Catholic Catherdal and on up to Ponsonby village.


My doodle last night has a distinct cathedral look.
The renovated cathedral is beautiful.
Our mother loved to take us there when we were young.
It seemed so big then.

I love my niece's little flat
and I stole some pics of my favourite Shabby Chic delights.
I hope she doesn't mind...but you know how I love shabby chic
and my niece and her partner are a delight too..
every little piece has a story that makes it all the more special.
Of course the curtains and fittings etc all belong to the flat and
are all shabby chic.. and charming.

Our mother.. Jessie Mabel.

Born 1908 .
This photo came to us today . How delighted we are to have this picture of our mother.
She was eighth in a family of twelve. Quick and clever.
She may look feminine and soft but she milked cows and rode horses and reared six children.
She baked our bread and sewed our dresses.
She could chop the head off a chicken for our christmas dinner and make the best plum-duff christmas pudding wrapped in cloth and steamed in the copper and filled with threepenny pieces.
She told us stories and made us "wheelie-beelies" by nailing a tin-can lid onto a long stick that we could ride like a horse.

In her seventies she rode a ten-speed bike and was called Ten-Speed-Granny by her grandchildren.
She wrote poems and danced and skipped when she walked.
She was non-judgemental and loved everyone unconditionally.
When she looked at herself in the mirror she always smiled.
Thank you for being a wonderful mother.
We will love you forever.

As we walk to the hospital we pass The Sheltering Tree.
I love the roundness of this old tulip tree.
I think of dear Mother Carmel whose idea of heaven was trees.
I love their stillness in the busy city.
I love the way they exhale beautiful oxygen for us to breathe.
I love the way they are shelter for birds and insects.
I love their greeness and the way they mark the seasons for us.

The seat beneath is welcoming.

The child in me wants to climb and sit away up high under it's canopy on it's strong gnarly old branches. When I am very very old I will put on my best wacky witch outfit and sit up high in the tree and scare people walking beneath me....................... just kidding!

My Daily Doodle.

Busy with family and hospital.. this is my doodle
created before I go to sleep, over three days.
No plans.. they just evolve.. so calming.

This is by the seven year old.
I love it.

A doodle by someone who is seven.
Isn't it wonderful!
The concentration and fine motor skills are impressive.
I love the way he looked at what I was doing then never looked again, but
with great confidence drew his own doodle.
I keep seeing an elephant there.

A Prayer For Healing.

Because I live a ten minute walk from the hospital
I am often a refuge and support for family members who are ill.
Today I am spending time with the most delightful pair,
a small grand nephew and niece, while Mum and Dad are up at the hospital.
We breakfasted at Macca's and been to the Lake playground.
We are home now watching a DVD and doodling.
This is mine ... but wait til you see what the children have done.

Happy Mother's Day to all Mums..

A Haiku
In memory of my Mother.

A warm cup of tea
and a plate of sweet porridge.
The smell of bread baking.

Mmmmm.
Mother.

Thank you Riroriro..

When we arrived home today I said to Adele "Listen. That's Riroriro singing."
I told her I had never seen this little bird but he sang constantly the sweetest song in my garden.

At my door there is a small tree, and as we went to go inside..
There he was.. Riroriro flitting about so close.
I could not believe my eyes.
It was as if he had decided to introduce himself.
He is so tiny.
Thank you Riroriro. I have waited three years to see you!
Thank you my Little Friend.

The bridal Veil Falls. Raglan.

Today The Aussie Cousins Adele and Bernie and I visited the Bridal Veil Falls.
A spiritual place as all such places are.

A Bicycle for a Whacky Woman.

I belong to a family of cyclists. Their last big ride was from Passat to Budapest along the River Danube.
800 kms in 17 days. Two of them in their 60s. This bicycle that turned up when I doodled this morning in bed while listening to the early saturday morning stories on Radio NZ ... is definitely me!

Early Morning Haiku.

The westerly wind
Up and over the mountain.
Sea salt on my face.

daily Doodle.

Well...I'm not too sure myself!
Any suggestions?

My first mandala .. again!

My mandala was attached to the previous post..
but somehow while writing my message..
I lost it!
Oh the things I can do without trying.