Happy sunny Sunday. I chose to start my day early with a bit of dead heading of geraniums before I had my brunch. I selected my little blue Steiner cup because the colour is the same as summer skies and I paired this with Green Sencha Tokyo Lime, bright with a lingering tartness.
Temperature sitting at 24.5 degrees at 10 am, expecting a high of 27. It is hot, some of you reading this may think “what she talking about 27 degrees is not hot” but it is for us here in Taranaki. Added to which the days are still, normally the heat is leavened by a sea breeze but this hasn’t been the case. My optimal temperature range is 18 to 21. But we have been having temperature up in the mid twenties since November and February traditionally is our hottest month so I am wondering what we will get over the next few weeks. The sun is shining and that is always a delight. Today I plan on being inside working on my goddess and reading with the fan blowing a breeze around.
I was excited to receive the plants I had gotten from TradeMe this week. I am going to be the Berry Queen next summer as I got thornless Raspberry, Blackberry and Boysenberry; a Black Current, Red Current and White Current; a black Muscate Grape and Rhubarb. Also new five Geraniums; Plum Rose Rambler, Double Cherry Blossom, Double Carmine, Komptesse Double a soft white blush and a free one Cynthia Double Pink . I decided on the plantings for the stretch of garden by the driveway I am going to put in five Griselinia Ardmore Emerald and between them four Limelight Hydrangea. As the Griselinia are evergreen I will have foliage all year with the added interest of the Hydrangea in the summer.
Sharing a poem I wrote 29/11/2017 after walking home from work in the heat of the summer sun. I would welcome Tonga-ma-uru’s caress today
Sun, Wind and Shadows 29/11/2017
From the sou- west Tonga-ma-uru danced in
Bringing the sea’s coolth in his train
Curling around me like a friendly cat
He wound his way into my aura
A cool caress across my sun heated skin
Taking away the fieriness of Tama-nui-te-ra
A burning heat that fired embers in my blood
Creating a molten lava flowing inside me
Ignited by this fierce sun
I had struggled under the burden
As I walked into the end of the day
Tonga-ma-uru wrapped himself around me
A diaphanous scarf of cool air
Flowing across my limbs
Creating an invisible barrier
Between me and Tama-nui-te-ra’s heat
I gratefully accepted the playful coolness
But Tama-nui-te-ra had chosen me to burn
And the heat flowed up from beneath my feet
Grasping at my ankles and rising up
Digging its way inside
As I turned toward the south
Tonga-ma-uru spun off towards the west
Wrapping a last caress across my face and arms
As he left I felt the burn of Tama-nui-te-ra
Fire licking along the arm caressed by Tonga-ma-uru
Sweat dripped down from my head
My journey was almost at an end
But I carried the weight of Tama-nui-te-ra
Heat a burden upon my shoulders
And I drooped under the weight of the burning sun
As Tonga-ma-uru danced back across my skin
I raised my head to see shadows before me
As large trees laid down their shapes upon the ground
In their shadows the air was cool
Tama-nui-te-ra could not grasp me under the shadow of the trees
And like a mouse I used the protection of the trees
To reach my home and quiet coolness away from the sun
As I shut the door Tama-nui-te-ra looked for another to burn.
Blessing to all. May you find some delight in the elements that surround you in this coming week.
