Art is DEFINITELY in the eye of the beholder.

Mother Nature blows my mind.

It’s been the first weekend in I don’t know how many months that I haven’t been working or participating in a market or fair.  I’ve slept late, rambled longer, had numerous caffiene fixes and tasted temptation at a newly discovered coffee haunt.

Temptation of the Donut kind.

I’m in love with weekends like this.  

So is the hound.

I’ve watched a Tui have breakfast, a Pied Shag fishing in the waves and a Sparrow plucking seeds from a Sunflower.

Simple moments .... but beautiful.

Everyday kind of moments

My kind of moments.

.

Today I’ve seen colourful blooms in abundance, in every variation of colour, shape and size.  When Mother Nature opens her petals to the world, she does it in style. Summer is the BEST time to witness this floral proliferation of  Mother Nature so a visit to the Botanic Gardens was in order.

It was an educational visit in a way too as the Significant Other hasn’t been there before.

Time to broaden his horizons.

The hound’s been there frequently so she knew EXACTLY what to expect.

What I didn’t expect was for her to SWIM in the fountain.  

She’d already had a swim in the pond in the off-leash area of the gardens 

so was nice and cool as we ambled back up through the rose gardens.  

Obviously NOT cool enough though.

Swimming in the fountain aside, it was a magical morning.  

The Sculpture in the Gardens Exhibition is on at the moment 

with some weird and wonderful pieces.  

Art is DEFINITELY in the eye of the beholder as some of the sculptures left me baffled.

One of my favourites would have to be the steel parasols suspended between two trees

 ... seven of them.  

So fragile and dainty to look at but made of rusted steel!

Mother Nature even came to play in the exhibit titled

 “Regeneration: Oak Garden Fork and Oak Garden Spade” 

Is it neglectful gardening or magical realism?  

Whatever it is, it depicts an inability to stop Mother Nature unless we work in harmony with her laws. It’s a playful look at the false notion we have that man dominates the world. 

So clever.

Days like this .... MOMENTS like this ... are just SO necessary.

No GOMS, no Dog Wardens, no Traffic Wardens.

My kind of heaven.

“Whatever’s good for your soul ... do that.” 

~ unknown

Ha .... and they say women are the WEAKER sex!

 Happiness CAN be synthesised!

Hercules, the rather large kitty that lives down the road
.... he comes out to say Hi to the hound and I every morning!

It’s not just the Heron that’s grumpy

... a certain lemming in our house was grumpy today too, but he didn’t know why.

The moon in my morning sky as I walked down to the beach today

He needed a hug ... and I’m good at hugs. 

I should know ... I’m always giving myself some.

Bumble bees on Sunflowers at the Botanic Gardens

I reminded him about a TED video that he posted the link to on his FB page the other day. It described HAPPINESS and our capacity to manufacture it, regardless of our circumstance. He told me to F*&k Off .... with an exclamation mark .... how rude!!

As I’m writing this I know both my male lemmings are smiling. They think it’s the most amusing thing in the world to pull the cushions out from under me when I’m sitting on the couch. As I’ve got my laptop on my lap, they didn’t do their usual “tip Mom in a heap on the floor”  thingy, but they did pull the cushions out so that I’m left at an awkward angle with my legs higher than my bum.

Just loving those clouds!

The oldest lemming did it first, then the youngest lemming appeared and offered to right the cushions for me ... and I let him, only to have them pulled out from under me again by him.

Still glistening with dew.

I’ve continued with my writing though

 ... just to irritate them and just because I can.

I’ve been reading some interesting articles about how we’re evolving as a species. One of them is titled  “The Male of the Species: Why is he needed?” and was written back in 1994 by Pullitzer prize winning science writer Natalie Angier. 

It’s here if you’re interested in reading it.

It’s a rather ‘tongue-in-cheek’ look at the mystery of why males arose on the evolutionary stage and why women have tolerated them. 

A lot of it makes an awful lot of sense.

Gorgeous reflections ...

She says and I quote “One of the most persistent and frustrating problems in evolutionary biology is the male. Specifically ... where did he come from and why doesn’t he just go away?”

.... and still more

For instance, scientists have finally found evidence that the greater majority of new mutations that are appearing in a population of animals, are caused by the male of the species.

It’s not because their genes are weaker but rather a simple matter of cell division. The male of any species, including humans, generates much more sperm than a female does eggs. His sex cells therefore are dividing faster and more frequently. It’s during cell growth when the chromosones are being copied that the greatest likelihood of mutation arises.

... and I even caught myself in the reflections too!

Amongst humans the rate of mutation in a man’s sperm cells is at least six times greater than in a woman’s eggs. That rate of mutation increases as a man ages.

It makes sense then to choose a “toy-boy” to father your children

 .... and men say women are the weaker sex ..... pffft!!

Having sparked a bit of controversy here I’ll go back to loading my photos of our gorgeous ramble at the Botanic Gardens this morning!

The moon was STILL visible well into the morning!

Promise .... I DIDN'T get wet! Really .... I didn't get wet!!
This was when the hound and I were on the beach this morning before Julia picked us up.
I was trying to keep her dry! She wanted to join the heron in the waves.

You can hear them if you listen closely ...

Auckland Botanic Gardens and the SUN's shining!!

SUNSHINE and BLUE SKIES in abundance today! 

10am on a gorgeous Friday morning and the beaches are EMPTY!!

So many things that I love!

The Auckland Botanic Gardens were a feast of colour and fragrance. We’ve spent an awesome few hours there  taking in the sights, the sounds, the scents, the space .... the absolute serenity of it all. 

Look at all those reflections!

The roses are bursting off the bushes, so many colours and varieties. I was told off, very politely, for stepping onto the mulch to get a better picture of a rose ..... whoops! The same employee told Julia off for having exited the off-leash area with Indy off lead ..... bigger whoops! Indy was having a moment and WOULDN’T come back to Julia. I think HE planned on viewing the rest of the gardens on his lonesome.

Despite having spent a good few hours there today, and having visited it before, there are still some areas of the gardens that we haven’t yet explored. It’s begging us to visit it again ..... and we will .... and not just for the gardens. The food at the café is moresome too! 

Days like today mean summer’s coming! Those white cotton-wool clouds that are floating aimlessly across the blue skies are whispering to me. You can hear them if you listen closely ...... summer’s coming ...... shhhhhh ..... don’t tell anyone.

Also taken before we left for Botanic Gardens .... we're not allowed on the beaches with our hounds
and it's a gorgeous day and they're EMPTY!

Reflections, sunshine, cotton-wool clouds, blue sky .... and my hound ......  it’s my idea of heaven!

When the sun’s shining I’m invincible. Nothing can get me down. 

I think my hound loves me!

Our mate Sam is recuperating at home. He doesn’t DO the “lie down and rest” bit very well. He doesn’t seem to understand that he’s had his body tinkered with and isn’t allowed to run around OR swim. I’m not sure who’s going to go mental first ... Sam .... or Carol! 

He apparently got hold of the toilet roll today .... I’ve not seen a shredded toilet roll before but Carol assures me full rolls of toilet paper do NOT make ideal toys.

Shoes have taken on new meaning to Sam too. He brings them ALL out .... maybe he’s trying to find Carol’s walking shoes so she’ll take him to the beach!

Max, the 4 year old Black Labrador .... he was FULL of beans!

I just know the next TEN days are going to be awfully long for Sam and Carol!

Only one little duckling with it's Mom ... I reckon it's siblings got eaten.