Saturday, October 24, 2009

Brisk But Beautiful

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Brisk but Beautiful



Put on your coat
and hat
and gloves
Grab your scarf
It is brisk...









we are going to
the Botanical Gardens










 



parking in here under the
new shoot green
tree canopy















the rununculous










 



are bright and cheery
just what we need
on such a chilly morning










 


the pansies are huge









 



as are the resident ducks









 



my eye
is drawn to the green
dome of this spring sky



We warm ourselves
over coffees
in the Gardens tea house










 



and later
I head off for a walk
to the University
in Ilam




 









Cherry blossom drift
almost a prettier sight
than the cherry tree











 



new leaf growth
on deciduous trees









 



and conifers










 



a sign of
renewal
and rebirth









 


camellias
that seem too perfect














almost like a lotus











 



I am particularly fond
of the rugged
old man
clematis









 



and its ability
to transform
a dusty city fence
into a thing of beauty














bluebells ring out










 



 and fat thrushes hop









 



over fairy tale lawns










 



and here we are
along the stream
that becomes the Avon River,
on its way down
from the Southern Alps











 



the learned hallowed
Halls of  Knowledge

are rainbow fringed








 



in azaleas









 



Look, azalea
rainbows encircle the green
an insect heaven









 



 We'll warm up in the coffee shop
at the corner of my street
with my sister and niece


hot chocolates












 



a tiny sample
of rich caramel cake









 



and the requisite
soy flat white

with jaffas!














Happy Days





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32 comments:

  1. Those camellias are so perfect, they remind me of some plastic ones my mother had in the 1960s!

    Love those huge majestic trees, too.

    But my favorite part of the walk was the coffee shop with you lovely ladies. :^)

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  2. Another beautiful walk Delwyn. Those cherry blossom shots are just lovely. The one with them hanging heavy and the fallen ones below - surely too sacred to walk on!

    The camelias were perfection and the wall of clematis and the canopy of fresh new green growth, and, and, and, and . . .

    You, you sister and niece look like you are having 'happy days'.

    If I ever am lucky enough to go to New Zealand, I will be sure to do so in Spring!

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  3. I agree with everyone so far (all two of them), the camellias were extraordinary both in colour and balance.

    Linda and I like to visit the botanical garden greenhouse here in Toronto in the middle of winter and let the beauty of the exotic plants and flowers remind us of warmer days to come.

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  4. Delwyn,
    your lovely post today moved me personally, the majestic dark tree with it's new spring green, being surprised the pink flowers were fallen cherry blossoms, the fact I thought "so perfect" before seeing your description of the camellia, a photo of a Thrush (like our shy Wood Thrush here that I am forever chasing for a perfect photo in the spring),the orange and yellow of our autumn here, all while I'm drinking my morning coffee just like you! Well, it was a little too much pleasure to contain, without the release of moisture to the eyes. Beautiful portrait...post and photo!

    Luv and Smiles,
    Wanda

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  5. "cherry blossom drift" went way deep inside of me delwyn. what a phrase! i love bluebells and even though i know they are pernicious and move quickly across properties, i really want a carpet of them across my lawn!!!! the camellia is beyond imagining until i check again and sure enough, it really is that perfect. the three lovelies at the end though are the real flowers!!!!! lucky lucky you. steven

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  6. This post so reminded me of my late Mum. Her garden beds were full of Rununculi and the Camellia is just her to perfection. She even had that variety among her collection.

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  7. Beautiful spring flowers, fresh new green leaves, and newborn pine needles - what a great way to start my day!

    I love the fat thrush too!

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  8. How wonderful for you to get time with your sister and niece and to spend it in such beautiful surroundings. That tunnel of trees is magnificent.

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  9. The petals on the camelia are almost too perfect! They are so delicate.

    It sounds like you had such a lovely day. I adore being outside when it's a little cold. It's great to wrap in a warm scarf and carry around a warm drink if you can! Our days are still hot here, but hopefully we will get some fall weather soon.

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  10. Beautiful! Thanks for sharing these lovely gardens. If I were rich, I would have a home here in FLorida USA, and one in Australia, then I could enjoy spring all year round!

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  11. Just when we're going into winter, you provide a lovely taste of spring. Beautiful flowers and trees dressed in new green.

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  12. Wait for me...(grabbing scarf)...I'm coming, too!

    I'd go for a brisk walk any day you promise caramel cake at the end! :)

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  13. Lovely blooms, the rununculus (sp) are just stunning!
    I have never seen such pretty Camelia. How long does a blossom last?
    I am craving some of that cake, it is yummy looking!

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  14. Delwyn
    I have never seen coniters and the camellias are the prettiest pink color I have ever seen. The shape is just perfect! This post was pleasant to read and to look out

    Best
    Tracy :)

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  15. This post was pleasant to read and to look at--sorry Delwyn.

    Best
    Tracy :)

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  16. The attention grabber for me (before I saw the caramel cake :) the bluebells! Love those shades of blue... who would have thought it was chilly, as this whole post is so warm with spring!!

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  17. Happy Days indeed - the flowers, the birds, and the greenery welcome spring. Your family portrait makes me smile, too! Christchurch has a green thumb.

    My friend was in Melbourne visiting relatives. They are now at the Great Barrier Reef.

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  18. Steven's final comment was the one I was going to make. We have many of the same blossoms to enjoy here in Northern California six months from now.

    As pretty as all the florals were, my favorite photo was the final one. Who took it?

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  19. The best part of your beautiful photos is that I feel I was there - I especially love pansies and ranuculus, oh and of course, the chocolate caramel slice!

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  20. Hi Delwyn! I missed you! You and apparently a brand new budding springtime! The new lime-green of the trees, the profusion of flowers--camelias, rununculous, bluebells, azaleas, rainbows, and the cherry blossoms! I love the stylish photo of the Avon creek in its lush setting. And there is my friend having hot chocolate! Good to see you! LOVE xxox

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  21. The camilias are so beautiful in their perfection...beautiful, inviting photos, enjoyed the post very much!

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  22. Good morning everyone

    I have been to the market at 6am, done my chores, the washing is flapping in the breeze, the day is a warm 25*, I have had 2 coffees, that is one too many and am feeling pretty perky...

    Hi Jann
    thanks for walking and finding those camellias perfect too

    Hi Margaret
    Ditto Margaret. I hope you enjoyed your break. This was spring in New Zealand where I spent a few days last weekend.

    Hi Gleaner
    thanks for your company, are you familiar with caramel cake...with the boiled condensed milk...a New Zealand favourite...

    Hi Dan my friend
    Yes I imagine you know these temperate climate flowers.
    My niece was holding the camera hence the side on look...thanks Dan

    Hi Barb
    Christchurch really does spring well. Nice to have you walking Barb

    Hi Tracy
    conifers are pine trees of any type, with needle leaves
    The camellia was a 10/10.

    Hi Rosey
    I can't tell you about the camellia perhaps a week or so...on the plant before they brown and drop...
    Caramel cake is very rich and calorie busting...

    Hi Betsy
    I can do that!

    Hi Janie
    We can share the world Janie and its glories.

    Hi Judie
    thanks for joining me on my walk.
    You will have to add NZ to your list, that's where I was for spring.

    Hi GW
    My two sisters were there so it was a good family get together...
    THis isiter and family live in Israel so it was a rare trip for them

    Hi Amy
    almost too perfect...I am not used to the cold so suffer adjusting - and being tall and thin the chill blows straight through me.

    Hi KB
    Those fat thrushes move a lot...I got lucky...

    Hi Scintilla
    I hope that was a good trigger for you - a memory burst...

    Hi Steven
    those blubells were so shapely and perfect, and I wonder what I am going to use that camellia for, maybe paste over my diary cover or scrap book...
    and thankyou for the floral sweetness...

    Hello Wanda my friend
    We were on the same 'page' Wanda, our sensitivities are often attuned don't you think... My thrushes were on the hop too, wouldn't let me close or keep still...You are so sweet Wanda, thank you

    Hi Barry
    that's a good way of picking up your spirits isn't it Barry. Flowers are like magic...

    Hi Bonnie
    too sacred...I love that...Yes do go in spring...it is a wonderland

    Hello Willow
    unfortunately when flowers are too perfect they can look artificial. My mother had a thing for those artificial flowers too after my Grandmother began amassing the plastic ones in the 60s. They thought that they were God's second gift...Funny...


    Happy days everyone

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  23. the carpet of cherry blossoms that have fallen from the tree are beautiful

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  24. Absolutely beautiful as ever! The green, greenness is just awesome, and the cherry blossoms are so special too. enjoy your family time (great coffee shop pics!)

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  25. just as wonderful as your pictures, your wandering captions...i am walking through yellow orange and reds as we are hiking in our cities autumn woods...a different kind of magic, but just as beautiful.

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  26. Ooh, I'd love a piece of that caramel cake!

    This reminds me of my childhood; Mum would take us three children by bus, train and tram to the Botanical Gardens in Melbourne. It was a very big day out!

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  27. Hi Delwyn,
    lovely to see you, how special to spend time with family and in such beautiful surroundings.

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  28. Hi Delwyn,

    I was lost for words!! Every flower is stunningly beautiful! The pink camellias and orange azaleas are very special! Is it getting warmer and warmer in your place? It's getting colder here and a typhoon is approaching now. Thanks a lot for sharing!!

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  29. Just gorgeous, enchanting. I think this is my favorite post so far.

    I know I've said things like this before, but I just really enjoy seeing your spring while I'm having autumn, thinking about your cherry blossoms blowing while my leaves are falling. It awakens me further to the dynamic balance inherent in the world.

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  30. These are just beautiful. Nice to have some spring to look at while we are headed into winter. Those runuculous are gorgeous and that orange azalea! And the cherry blossoms were incredible. And the clematis. thanks!

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  31. Hello, dear Delwyn,

    I've finally had the time to sit and fully enjoy your beautiful walks through Christchurch. What a stunning place! There appears to be something to delight the eye no matter where you look.

    I hope you, your sister, and your niece had a lovely time at the coffee shop. The picture of the three of you is beautiful!

    Hugs,
    Angela

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  32. so pretty!I love it! Very creative!That's actually really cool.
    謝謝你的文章分享,請你有空到我

    參觀,Thanks

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