Sunday, December 21, 2014

I Must Ask/Tell You...

Today is December 21. These are our pohutukawa (New Zealand Christmas) trees. The right one appeared when we took out surrounding shrubs on Christmas Day 14 years ago; it was a nondescript 70cm stick but it looked alive and we recognized the leaf so we left it. The one/s on the left, which are in fact two to three meters taller, was/were purchased as 4cm/50-cent saplings from a dodgy-looking nursery in West Auckland in late 1995; they lived in various pots and a wine barrel until they reached two meters and had to be put into the ground. We cannot tell if one survived and the other died, or two are cohabiting nicely.

Some years these flower splendidly, some years not, and the last two years they couldn't be bothered flowering. When they do, though, they tend to have the best week in early to mid December. For whatever reason, this year they're going to put on a show between Christmas and New Year and I am intensely pleased. More flowers are opening every hour and I almost feel I need to shoot it every two hours.

The one on the right, and the shrub in front of the window, block our views to the west. I like the feel of living amongst trees, and the leaves block a considerable amount of road and airport noise, but Ben misses the view, and we do have quite an expansive view to the West, though increasingly industrial. This has been one of those "contentious" issues for a few years; a compromised, half-bottomed trimming may be in the plan.

Now I must ask you: would you like another Weaver to Weaver, albeit later than usual? If so, I'm thinking sign up by January 4, 2015, notification of swap partners by January 6, and posting of inspiration by January 31. I figured it's not exactly a bad time to put aside some inspirations this time of year. 

Also, A Day in the Life Of Looms, Loomsday as Cally coined it will take place on January 1, 2015. Except you have to take the pics on January 1, so nothing to prepare here.  

Today we've been wondering whether to go to berry picking today, (Sunday=crowded,) or tomorrow, (Monday=less crowded but possibly depleted). While sun, beach and berries sound nice, this time of year I sure miss Minneapolis. And even Tokyo's intensely-junk-merchandized, gross-over-commercialization of the season.

7 comments:

  1. Hi Meg!! Weaver to Weaver and Loomsday both sound good to me. Will watch for more details...

    Terri

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  2. Oh - and so glad that your pohutukawa trees are blooming. We thought we might see them while we were there, but I guess we were too early and they are late this year...

    The blossoms are so gorgeous!

    Terri

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  3. Wonderful, Terri; will do.

    Puhutukawas are supposed to be good only as far south as us, and on the South Island we're recommended to plant rata instead to guarantee flowering, and at the bottom of the South Island, I'm not even sure if rata would bloom. Pohutukawas are coastal, too, so although I can see the sea, I'm appreciative mine make the effort. The year we came to New Zealand, pohutukawas were in full bloom by mid-November, fringing all teh coastal roads in Auckland. I also suspect the flowers last longer further north. Some old trees are protected so owners of the property can't trim them, but ours, no problem. They WILL stay, but I may not be able to see it out the window sitting down. There is Nakagawa politics involved, you see.

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  4. Dear Meg,
    I am looking forward to see more of the flowers, close up!
    It is with wonder that I look at your vegetation this time of the year, which means cold and hemlock trees around here.
    Merry Christmas from Vienna,
    Merisi

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  5. Hello, Merisi. I am loving these pohutukawas this year as they are finally tall enough to see from the living room. (But even just now Ben's talking about pruning. BOO HOO!) I am taking at least one photo a day but yesterday we sat and almost watched them open one after another after another, He has taken great shots over the years but I'm surprised to see comparatively few on NDP, but here are some when they are more abundant - North Island does better, especially Auckland and further north. http://www.nelsondailyphoto.com/search?q=christmas+

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  6. Love my pohutakawa in my Sydney garden. I should have shown you Meg!

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  7. Oh, absolutely, Carol. How close to the coast are you??

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