Winter Wonderland - NZ from the ISS

The International Space Station captured a stunning view of New Zealand as it passed over the country this morning. I would have waved from outside the library at 8.30am if I'd know they could see Kapiti. 

Wild Weather

June means short days, long dark nights and this year plenty of thunder and lightning. According to a meteorologist on TV it has been an 'exceptional' period of bad weather rather than a new pattern of weather due to climate change. ParkRun was cancelled on Saturday because the river flooded the track and by the end of the weekend Otaihanga Domain was full of water and a couple of tornadoes had blown through Waikanae. Alison had a cracked window and a tree blew down. I got off lightly with a worsening leak in the porch roof. 

The forecast didn't look so bad a week ago. It quickly changed to warnings of heavy swells, gale force wind and severe thunder and lightning storms.

Water on the Waikanae River track. 

Glamour at the library

Life in the library has been rather dull with Covid putting most events on pause during the past three months. However things were more lively and a lot more glamorous this week as we hosted a Rainbow Story Time starring Erika and Coco Flash. My role was limited to introductions, thanks and pressing play for the music. They were lovely and appreciative of our efforts but my Tamariki Times certainly don't match their glam and sartorial style! 

Ruapehu Visit

Alison and I had a couple of days in Tongariro National Park at Easter on the way to visit Mum in Te Awamutu. We walked part of the Old Coach Road, a couple of hours in from the Ohakune end. I finally made it to this track after missing it in December. The next day we walked the Taranaki Falls track and laughed at the memory of Alison falling in the stream at the top of the falls. Not so funny for her at the time but it hasn't put her off walking the track again. The weather was perfect and it was surprising to see Ruapehu bare of snow on the Whakapapa side. 

Kapakapanui

Seven river crossings, a goblin forest, 1001 metres steep uphill and 1001 metres steep downhill. That pretty much summarises the Kapakapanui Track but what a marvellous tramp despite the objections of my knee joints. The river crossings are near the beginning and were fairly easy to cross although it does mean wet feet for the walk. Most of the walk is through beautiful native forest and the trees dripping with moss in the goblin forest was especially pretty. A stunning view from the top, across the Tararua ranges to the east and along the Kapiti Coast to the west. Now I know what the peak that I can see from my house, occasionally covered in snow, is like up close. There were 10 of us in the Parawai Tramping Club organised trip, including my tramping and work buddies Nisa and Simon. 

 

Plant Shopping

Alison finally received a belated Christmas present  from me today - a plant of her choice from a garden centre and lunch at a café. It was very belated because we decided to wait until the March planting season, after the hottest part of summer had passed. Today was a gorgeous late summer Saturday and a perfect day for plant shopping. As usual I was tempted by the offerings at 100 & 1 Plants in Otaki. I spotted a Peperomia Urvilleana, the NZ native peperomia, which I was pleasantly surprised to see was only $9 (as compared to the P. Rubella which was $60!). They also had a good selection of Lithops and I spent ages choosing the 'best' one. So many cute little living stones in different colours and patterns. I also bought a Hypocalymma cordifolium Golden Veil which is a very big name for something with such tiny leaves. 

Next stop was Watsons in Otaki. I was pleased to find a Metrosideros Tahiti as it was on my list for replanting the garden where the cherry tree was removed. I also bought a pretty red lobelia, a Gazania, and a couple of plants for Alison.

By the time we reached Harrisons at Pekapeka we were more interested in food and drink than plants so we ate at their lovely café. The plants are a bit expensive at Harrisons but beautifully laid out in a garden like setting. We were starting to wilt by 2.30pm so we headed home via Pekapeka with a boot full of plants. 

Sore Throat Dilemma

I have a niggly sore throat. More of a throat ache than a scratchy, irritated throat. It could be nothing but it could be something. What if I ignored it and went to work but it was the big C (which at the moment means Covid). So I alerted my team leaders that I wouldn't be at work today and booked a Covid test. I was given a pick up time of 11.59am which was interesting for two reasons. One is that 11.59 is an oddly specific time and the other was that it was a pick up time not a PCR test time. I turned up at the back of Team Medical at 11.56, was handed a box and returned home to do the Rapid Antigen Test myself. The good news is that 15 minutes later I knew I didn't have Covid-19. I had also been feeling very tired for the past few days so I had a restful day at home and postponed my squash game until Thursday. This evening I feel better and now have four spare test kits in case I need another RAT.