Kerole's Place

23 Jun '09 9:04 am

It may look pretty but it's a bitter cold way to start the day! Thanks goodness most of it usually thaws by mid morning and the rest of the day is spent in glorious sunshine.

23 Jun '09 7:23 pm

Hi there Kerole!

I wouldn't describe your pics as second-rate, although I know how one can end up feeling that way! You've given us some lovely winter shots; I particularly love the one with the yellowish sky and the horses in the frost - the colours seem artificial, but really capture the crisp early morning cold. Your winter reflections in the pond are lovely.

We have had the wettest June since our personal records began in 1981 (91mm to date - the last two years were both zero) but, perhaps because of the wet, we've hardly had any frost since early May, when it was quite light anyway. I MUST photograph the aloes, quite presentable already. They have only three times in 20 years gone through their full flowering cycle. Perhaps this will be the 4th...

I am scanning old 35mm slides... some interesting material is coming through, from the days when my garden was a lot younger. Stuff that you can take heart from!

24 Jun '09 11:46 am

Jack, about that funny yellow sky - for some reason yellow is the predominant colour of our sunrises here. If I get up early enough, the land and sky may be tinted apricot but generally it is that strange jaundiced yellow. We never have those seriously cool red and purple sunrises that others boast about. Frosts are hard to photograph well - the results are never white enough, or cold enough. Confused

I've been following your 'baby plantings' slide show on your thread, and you're right, I'm taking notes and heart! It looked lovely even way back then. I really liked the look and feel (if I can say that from viewing one cropped photo!)of the old brick Joburg house. I'm an old house nutter and to me the garden seemed timeless.

25 Jun '09 10:13 am

Some moody sky photos taken yesterday as a filthy front moved in. On the upside, this spells the end of all the frosty starts... on the downside, this means rain. Rain, rain, rain. Last year, the rain started in June and didn't stop 'til the end of September Sad

28 Jun '09 1:27 am

I just went to your diary thread to see what I may have missed and accidentally started from the beginning instead of the end. No matter, I started browsing from there forward. Have you only been posting at Moosey's since 2008? It sure seems like longer than that. Surprising but that's when this thread began.

I did make it through to the most recent and found that I had missed quite a bit. I like the views out over the pasture land with the rolling hills of grass and the fences slicing that up. Very scenic. In a somewhat older posting there was a photo of your house I didn't remember that shows it surrounded by palms and at least one mature cordyline (I think). So you have a fairly mild climate there. Though I saw some frost pictures I didn't see any of standing snow. Do you get any?

You really have a farm there or what we in the states would call a ranch since your primary concern, aside from horticulture, are horses and cattle. Have you always lived in the country? Do you have 'city-life' close enough by?

28 Jun '09 8:56 am

Hi Mark. I have been posting here a fair bit longer than that but it took me a while to pluck up the courage to post my own thread. Yes, we live on a farm. About 14 acres - that's not big enough to be called a ranch right? We breed horses and sometimes have steers too. This property includes a stable building with seperate accomodation, hay barn, cattle yards, a creek with pond, and our main house/garage. In the next few years we hope to totally rebuild the old house back to it's former glory (and make it much bigger) and this will include a swimming pool and tennis court with a pool house and potting shed (yay!!).

We live in a very beautiful rural area, made up of smallish blocks like ours. It is secluded, treey, and pretty. But best of all it is a 20 minute drive to Auckland (NZ's largest city but notthe capitol - that's Wellington) so my very tolerant other half can work in the CBD. I am super fortunate! Very Happy

The climate is being a bit weird lately. Normally it is warm and humid. Frosts like those of the last few weeks would be rare. Rain is common but the summers are usually hot and moist. We NEVER get snow but we can get hail. I guess our coldest days would still be around 10 degrees (C), in the summer it can get up to the mid 30s. Anything below zero is freakish!

9 Jul '09 1:17 pm

I'm afraid I'm already over Winter. Had enough of the mud and the perpetually dripping trees. Everything squelches under foot and weeds abound. I long for heat in the sun. And shiny clean horses.

13 Jul '09 4:02 am

Winter has great beauty - and you have captured it in these shots!

Think how boring a perpetual tropical summer would be...

That said, damp and dirty animals do change the picture. My Taubie dog exuberantly went for a swim this afternoon - and had to be towelled down before she could come inside and lie on her couch. Horses (he said knowingly) are bigger and need more grooming...

13 Jul '09 8:12 am

Haha Jack. Yes horses are bigger and need more grooming! You're dead right there! Mine are rarely groomed in the winter. At the moment they're smelly, wet, and covered with mud. Thankfully they never want to come in the house and sleep on the sofa! Shocked

17 Jul '09 1:36 pm

I have just had a thoroughly enjoyable catching up after being absent for a while.
your winter photos are spectacular,Kerole--especially those with the horses,and coloured skies.
I was so interested in the sedum beside the log and my mind is busy thinking about having the same scene for my garden,as I have found that type of sedum really nice,but didn't know what it was called.
I also like the idea of a white and green garden,but would have to be really disciplined for that.

Kerole's Place

More Brrrr....

Winter pics

More Sky Shots

Getting caught up.

Ranches and Horses

Winter Yuk

Come on, Kerole!

catching up