Calzones: Photo a week challenge

Wow, it's been a slow week here. I'm 2 days late posting this photo and it's going to be a less than amazing photo.  I think we might have a winner on most boring picture of the year!  And you thought the ball of yarn picture was lame! ;)

And so I present...... Mel's first calzone.....

21 June: Pepperoni, mushroom, ricotta calzone

Yep - I warned you it was going to be unimpressive!  Unfortunately, the before and after of this calzone is the only thing I took a picture of this week!.....wait!!!! no it isn't! ......  I also played in the garden this week!

I had a surprise Thursday off work so I planted a lot of the succulents I brought back from Rotorua. I created a little succulent section in our "flower" bed (everything is sleeping at the moment as we start towards mid-winter)

19 June: Transplanted succulents

I'm afraid it's still not much of a winner for photo of the year, but it is probably a bit more interesting than my ugly (yet tasty) calzone! (the next calzones created looked heaps better, by the way).  However, it is nice to know that I had more in my life to photograph (using my phone) than just cooking creations :)

Wood Pigeon - Photo a (belated) week challenge

So - I didn't get around to a blog last week! A little disappointing, but considering I wasn't able to get out of bed until 4pm Sunday afternoon (due to self-induced illness from the night before) I won't be too hard on myself......(I'll also just pretend that Saturday mornings aren't actually my posting time!)

Here it is Friday night. I've just finished a super lame shift at the restaurant - 9 people, really!! I haven't taken a picture for this week's challenge and we are off to Rotorua super early (9am!).  So, I guess I'll just have to live with a missed photo week.  However, I think this pic is epic and will make up for it!

4 June: Fatty in a tree:  NZ wood pigeon (Kereru)
at the Arataki Park visitor center

Dave and I headed up to Auckland 2 weekends ago to pick up my cousins.  They were in NZ for a total of 6 days! They were in Auckland for even fewer days. Fortunately, the Monday they were here for was a public holiday (Queen's birthday observed), so Dave and I were able to spend the day giving them a bit of a tour outside of the "big smoke".  We started at the Arataki visitor's center: gateway to the Waitakeres.

4 June: view from Arataki Visitor's center

We were just leaving the second viewing platform at the visitor center when I happened to spot a big fat wood pigeon in a tree!!!!  Perfect timing.  This guy looks like he's been eating at a local McDonalds parking lot, but we'll give him the benefit of the doubt and just say he's fluffing up to keep warm ;)

The next stop we took Bob and Connie to was Piha beach.  It was a great day to watch the surfers, not too windy and rough but some decent breaks.

4 June: Far end of Piha Beach

We ended our day trip of the Auckland surrounds by hitting two wineries for some tastings. Getting out of the car at the first winery (just off the road on the way through Kumeu) I heard lots of birds.  But one bird call in particular caught my attention.....a TUI!!!!!  I love tuis!  I love the little puff under their throats, I love the sound they make, I just love them!  Fortunately, the bird must be used to humans, as it didn't bat a wing when I creeped around the tree looking for him.  Dave found the optimal viewing spot, and all four of us had a spy.  Unfortunately, I didn't have the camera with me!    But still.....the fatty wood pigeon was a treat!

Bougainvillea: Photo a Week Challenge

I was again going to take a picture of the hibiscus in our neighborhood, but I became distracted with this nearby bougainvillea instead. It's not an amazing picture, and I'm disappointed at how bad my closeups came.  Do I not have the patience, or is the camera actually getting worse? Someday...I'll play more with manual focus options...  Not today though.  Today was a just a quick walk to get his picture and get it posted before heading to Auckland. (I'm meeting my first family to land in NZ in 3 years!)

3 June: Bougainvillea in the sky

I am pleased with the blue sky background though. Similar to last weeks flower photo.  It's so nice to see that even as the temperature drops further (we've had frozen windscreens one morning) there are still beautiful flowers to brighten the day!