Rumi, you ROCK my boat!

"This silence - this moment - every moment

 ... if it's genuinely inside you - brings what you need.” 

~ Rumi

Rumi, you rock my boat.

My morning has been MAGICAL. 

A cloud-free chilly sunrise shared with the hound and the middle lemming was a magnificent start to a day that has been icily cold!  For the first time this winter there was FROST on the ground, courtesy of the clear skies and south-westerly winds.  

I wouldn’t want to be living in Christchurch!

It was a chilly 1 degree when we clambered over the rocks below the middle lemming’s abode to watch the world wake up.  Despite the early hour of the morning the ferries were already criss-crossing the waves ... even the car-ferry put in an appearance.  

A lone kayaker followed them across the shipping lane.

I could have done with a shot of caffeine!

The hound couldn’t understand why we were sitting on the rocks with a blanket over our knees.  We were on the beach ... there were waves ... why weren’t we in them?

So she barked.  Loudly.

In the quiet of the morning in a secluded bay, sound carries.  

Even she looked round in confusion, unsure as to where the loud noise had come from.

Silence is NOT something she understands.

Reflections are everywhere, in all guises.  They AREN’T just in my mind.  From the reflections at the boat club we found reflections on the beach.  Low tide and clear skies make for awesome mirror images of the hound and Sam and Zak as they race through the shallows. 

It isn’t just Sam who comes racing over to say Hi when I hit the beach now.  Panda does the same.  I nearly got caught off-guard this morning by Panda.  I was busy packing the lead away in the backpack when this great big brown and white hound came charging up the steps and nuzzled me.  I should have guessed it was Panda but he was gone as quickly as he arrived. 

He made me smile.  He’s just as enthusiastic a hound as Sam!

Sam the Man racing to greet me this morning!

Those of you who read my blog will know how very much I love my hound.  I am a firm advocate for animal rights and abhor the decision made by the New Zealand Govt last week to allow for the testing of legal high drugs on animals.  It’s an absolute farce and I’m shocked that the country I now call home HASN’T seen fit to ban this kind of testing.

Zak and Sam making BIG splashes!

Parliament resumes on July 30th and several marches have been planned around the country to co-incide with the re-sitting of Parliament.  The hound and I intend marching at the Auckland one.

“The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way it’s animals are treated.” 

~ Mahatma Gandhi

Love our moon .... looks like lace etched in the sky!

This morning's YUM breakfast at the new french cafe
French brioche with caramelised banana, bacon and mascarpone cheese