Dance. Smile. Laugh.

Browns Island in the early morning sunlight

Abraham Lincoln once said 

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, 

or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”

I want to think like that EVERYDAY.

The power of the mind is a marvelous tool.  We are WHAT we think and have the ability within ourselves to change our lives .... IF we choose to.

Dance. Smile. Laugh. 

Marvel at the ABSURDITIES of life. 

Of which there are many!

The home we’re currently in shares a property with 2 other units.  They’re all inter-linked but very private.  One of the units is currently undergoing renovation but said renovation is causing much mischief!

In order to renovate the unit scaffolding had to be erected in OUR driveway ... which is VERY narrow. The unit being renovated doesn’t use the driveway to access their garages, but both us and the other unit do.  In order to support the weight of the scaffolding they wanted to put a support pole in front of our garage doors.

Understandably we wouldn’t let them as the renovation is be on-going until the end of February.  As an alternative, they’ve erected support scaffolding in the garden of the next door neighbour.  That’s where the fun begins. 

The Shag Tree ... and nest!

Next-door neighbour, despite having agreed to it, is a tad aggrieved at the size and quantity of scaffolding in his garden.  He’s also frustrated at the noise and dust emanating from the renovation

 ... as are we.

A breeding pair of Pied Shags.

He wrongly assumed it was us doing the renovations and took his frustration out on the plant material which is growing under the scaffolding but over the dividing wall.  Years and years of growth get lopped off and dropped onto our driveway.

We couldn’t even OPEN the garage door.

One phone call or knock on the door would have cleared up any misunderstanding but instead we had a driveway FULL of plant debris to clear up.

Remembering to view roses as thorn bushes with flowers made me smile.  

Even our taciturn neighbour MUST have some good qualities!

Odin, a 5month old Golden Lab we met ... this is what Sam must have looked like when he was younger.

Life is very much an art form with artists from all walks of life  adding to the canvas that it IS.  

Be in love with your life however imperfect it might be!

Nico's been practising his rugby in secret!

“Keep looking up ... that’s the secret of life ...”  

so says Snoopy

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.