Garden Love: Photo a week challenge

So we are nearly packed up and heading out to Rotorua for the weekend when I realize I haven't even considered my blog, let alone pictures for my blog!  Unfortunately, my camera is out of batteries (stupid thing seems to chew through them sometimes! Need to buy some decent rechargeables someday).  Apparently Dave has even packed his camera for the trip (thanks to our slowly becoming organized for these weekend trips to the bach.....and the list we made to check off each time).  I considered using some photos I've got saved from last week of another bay I visited and meant to post, but that seems a little like cheating.  I'm supposed to post a photo I've taken THIS week.  So, I grabbed my phone and headed to the back garden.

I apologize that the photos aren't very good quality.  Between a smaller camera, few focus/zoom controls, and a bright morning sun on half the top half of the garden the pictures aren't amazing.  But you get the gist of our overgrown, but productive space.  Corn, tomoatoes, an eggplant between the ridiculously large unused spring onion (are they even edible after they become leek size?), and a very large Jamaican pepper plant.

25 February: Dohner/Milner garden. Bright yellow marigolds give color
to the tomatoes that are slowly ripening. Leftovers from semi-shucked
corn that will be dinner tonight litters the grounds.

25 February: Jamaican Pepper Plant. Supposedly the "wings"
will be sweet, the heart will be spicy.

Note, due to time constraints (i.e. we are leaving in 10 minutes) I cannot google my Jamaican plant.  I'll look a the label on Monday and give you the scientific name and a google link :)

Waiomu Beach: Photo Challenge

A 10 minute drive up the Coromandel Coast from Thames lies Waiomu.  There is a hip little cafe and a great reserve (park) full of gorgeous pohutukawa's (not in bloom at the moment though).  Here a few views of the beach from the reserve :)

February 19: Waiomu Beach

February 19: Waiomu Beach

Woodhill: Photo Challenge

So we spent this last long weekend in Auckland. We spent Saturday and Monday in Woodhill, mountain biking with our friend Joe.  We spend Sunday sailing on Joe's boat! I'd planned on blogging a bit about the weekend, but I seem to have misplaced the camera that has the sailing photos on it! :(  I've no idea where it could be....a little more than obnoxious really, but hopefully it turns up.

In the meantime, here are two photos taken with my phone while in the Woodhill forest:  I'm using them for my weekly blog photo challenge :)

4 February: Woodhill Forest: Dave coming downthe trail (Joe further behind in red)

4 February: Woodhill Forest: Joe feeling the bike love.

Long Rotorua Weekend

So it's only February and I'm already behind on my photo a week challenge!  I was so excited to get photos during our long weekend in Rotorua, that I forgot to get a photo for the week before the weekend!  Then....I forgot to bring my camera to Rotorua!!!!  What a goose!

Fortunately, I have a fairly decent camera on my phone, so I was still able to capture a few memories of a wonderful weekend spent with friends (which just happened to fall on my birthday as well :) )

So, instead of just one photo to tempt my readers, I'll post a few :)

We spent the weekend staying at the family bach (vacation home). It's small and cozy, like a traditional bach should be.  Our good friend Joe made the trip from Auckland Saturday evening, while our flatmate David brought his bike along for some mountain biking. At the bach, I discovered "swing ball" (like tetherball with a tennis ball and paddles).  It was GREAT fun!

Dave and David playing swing ball

We met up with our friend Renee on Sunday day and took a walk around Blue Lake:

Dave and I gaze loving at each other

Renee, Dave, Joe, and David at Blue Lake

Renee tries barefoot walking

 After a lovely walk around the lake, we headed to a natural hot stream called Kerosene Creek.  It's a bit out of town, but well worth the effort.  Unfortunately, I have no pictures from that day!  But, here is a picture I stole off a friend back in 2008 (see WAY BACK post to read about another Rotorua weekend)

Kerosene Creek, taken in 2008. It's a naturally hot
creek that has a natural spa pool

Unfortunately, the creek is down a gravel road with lots and lots of potholes......

Flat tyre (yes, that's the way kiwi's spell it)
on the way home from Kerosene Creek

 Back at the bach, we love the kittens that grace us with their presence.

Everyone say "awwwww"

We spent my birthday taking the morning shuttle to the top of the mountain biking tracks for some bone jarring downhill.

David speeding downhill