352: sheep resting

Holidays have arrived and  I am glad to 'officially' start my training regime for Cluny next April. While I was sweating up and down a few hills, it was nice to see these sheep still had time to relax and be peaceful under this tree.

331: Himatangi Beach

This was the first really fine day we have had for ages and the beach was calling. The tide was really high, and I ended up with really wet trousers, but the water was surprisingly warm. Loved the walk. And it was especially good to have a day that provided an inkling that summer might truly be just around the corner- because most of November the weather has not been so good...

310: eucalyptus trunk

I was out walking again today, on the walkways near Summerhill Drive, getting my hill practice in. Was planning on a three hour trek, but in the end with the drizzle I settled for two- and it feels like I had a good workout. There is a lot of hill walking needed before I leave town next April!

284: afternoon tree shadows

Afternoon tree shadows fall on the side of St Peter's Church, Terrace End.

277: kowhai

The kowhai tree outside the classroom is coming into bloom...

245: afternoon shadows

 There are some interesting shadows late in the afternoons at present...

235: magnolia

The temperature has warmed up again, and I love arriving home to see the new buds on the magnolia tree in my front garden. This fresh bud has brown bits behind it from a flower that was probably touched by last week's snow...

198: Magnolia

Spring is in the air..... a magnolia flower at the Esplanade today...

140: Shadow Tree

I loved the intensity of this tree shadow in the late afternoon light, cast against the Methodist Church in Broadway in Palmy. Another blue sky day- but this tree is looking very wintry already.

114: Easter Sunday

It seems like we have been promised rain now for several days, but it hasn't yet arrived. Instead, for Easter Sunday we have a glorious autumn day here today in Balmy Palmy. I have just returned home from cycling in sunshine in t-shirt and sandles, with barely a breeze.... Priceless!

And in the end I couldn't resist making this a two-fer-one post- autumn leaves in the sky, and autumn leaves on the ground, both photos taken in the Esplanade in the day's beautiful sunshine. 

109: autumn tree in Square

After awful weather yesterday, the southerly cleared to leave a beautiful sunny morning. And I cycled down to the Square to discover that my favourite autumnal tree was at its glorious best in today's sunlight.

95: feijoas

 

I woke this morning to a grey drizzly day, hardly one to get enthused over.

But then as I sat at the table to eat breakfast, I noticed the beginnings of fruit on the feijoa tree, just outside the window. Such a simple thing instantly brought a lift in my 'joy' levels!

93: autumn leaves

Almost overnight, it seems that more deciduous trees are showing autumn colours. 

I love these colours: I hope I don't bore my 'viewers' with too many autumn shades before winter arrives!

82: What tree?

The flower spikelets on this tree had me wondering today. Seemed unusual in various ways. Not sure what the tree is, but they seem to have taken trouble to preserve it outside the council building...

70: Clocktower at night

Clocktower in Palmerston North lit up early evening

29: Apples ripening

 

apples ripening at a friend's house

It seems to have been a good long summer this year, the sort I remember from my childhood. And now as we reach the end of January, there are signs -like these ripening apples- that we are heading slowly but inexorably towards autumn.