Our Wee Farm

Mum and dad have arrived. Weather has been spectacular - hot, dry and sunny. We need some rain desperately!
We've also been working really hard round about the place. Lots of gardening and planting - we redid the whole of the front bed at the house, all the woody lavender was hauled out and replanted with gardenias and camillias - a wee bit formal, but very pretty. Also lots of farm stuff. The leylandi between the garden and the paddocks were all trimmed, just the lower branches to stop them interfering with the electric fence. It's opened out the view which is rather nice, but needs getting used to. The biggie ( expense wise!) was getting a post and rail fence put round The Acorn. It looks really gorgeous and totally finishes it off. Huge added bonus is is seems to be totally dog proof which means if we need to go out for a while we can put the dogs there, leave the door open and water and voila! Dad and Lloyd slashed back the artichokes ( after getting the tractor fixed) and then L put the seaweed fertilizer all over them, so we're hoping for a good crop. The veggie garden has done well, a terrific amount of courgettes and now at last tomatoes! and all the usual stuff. Even though the watermelon is looking completely feeble it actually has melons in it - all of the size of a marble!

It was Waitangi day a few days ago and we got up at 4am and headed down to the dawn service, with Wendy and Sharon, which was very lovely then watched the sunrise. Fairly scuppered us for the rest of the day though as we were so tired. Here's me and mum with tired faces!this is a clip of me on national news! hahahah!

R&V have bought a yacht! N&S are selling their house!

We've been out for a couple of really lovely meals recently. We went to Cilantro in Keri which I'm amazed we've never been to before - it was just gorgeous. And also to the Thai restaurant in Russell - great food.

Yesterday we went to the Taupo Bay ( for a rest from all our hard work) with the dogs and it was boiling, the water was so warm. Then Manganoui for fish in the way home. In the morning we went to the beach and had pancakes with Ness and dropped off the washing machine. We've just bought a new one - its ace! Its a front loader which I like way better and had a huge drum, all our bedding fits into it in a oner! I love it!!! Won't be sad enough to post a pic!!

We were out on the boat again, and stopped for a swim in a lovely bay, and a mum and 9 of htese wee sweeties came to say hello!