The end of the far north

We have finished our lovely break up north and today have driven back to Auckland.


Got rather carried away with our panorama taking - we had a verandah right round so this was the front.




A pic of The Old Oak from around the way - I have really loved all the pohutakawa flowers which are coming out everywhere and have loads of photos in various stages and have done little drawings. I have been stitching on green


But I need red thread for my pohutakawa bits and pieces. Actually I have done very little thread stitching - more brain stitching (thanks Shelagh for those words) and lots of ideas forming into action for 2013.

Over the last couple of days we have been to Kataia and Shipwreck Bay and visited a lovely vineyard with a wonderful view of two seas and a very chatty but lovely owner. I have learnt more about cows than I ever knew - did you know that a lot of dairy farmers are only milking once a day - amazing. And then there are the self serves where cows go do their own thing. A lady told me yesterday that it works well but some cows are too lazy to go and then there are the ones who pop in and out all day. Just like humans you might say....




We have been photographing red hot pokers in various stages



Yesterday I visited the Doubtless Bay Embroiderers group with a wonderful host in Donna and country hospitality abound. Loved the lemon slice.




Interesting photo I know... Last night we went to The Pear Tree in Keri Keri for a nice meal (not as good as Wharepuke though). Right outside the window in the water was this pole and Ian assures me it is the one we tied up to back in 1977 when we sailed in the Bay of Islands and lost our anchor. We motored to to Keri Keri, tied up and walked up the hill to get a new anchor and a bag of oranges.

We also went on a fab side trip on the way down to Keri Keri - magical places We hadn't seen before.



As you can see I am a bit obsessed with the pohutakawa flowers.