Come for a Walk with me

*

Come for a walk with me

I need to be out amongst the trees

and the green...

Let's follow the Avon River

as it meanders

through the Botanical gardens

in Christchurch

I need to breathe the fresh Autumn air

and see signs of life

this waiting

this waiting for death 

is new to me

I am a stranger to its ways

unfamiliar with its dance

the erratic path it takes

My Father

is very strong willed

but so is Death

they are engaged in a duel

where there is no doubt

as to who the victor will be

Autumn is slipping away

the slow Avon keeps on flowing 

to the source

and nature fills me anew 

with her

 golden energy

*

A Week in Christchurch

 

*

*

Governor's Bay

*

Governor's Bay

Banks Peninsula

Christchurch

New Zealand

One day

during the week

of my stay in Christchurch

we packed a picnic

collected my father

from the rest home

and drove to the sea

We made our way 

around the side of Lyttelton Harbour

on Bank's Peninsula

Governor's Bay

is nestled in the Port Hills

at the far end of Lyttelton Harbour

twelve miles from the open sea

The small township

of mostly commuters

was named after an early 

Governor of New Zealand

George Grey who welcomed

the arriving Canterbury Association Settlers

to this beautiful Southern land 

from this spot in 1850

Out in the harbour

from Governor's Bay

you find Quail Island

which was the quarantine station 

for dogs and ponies

for the early Antarctic expeditions

Between 1918 and 1925 

Quail Island was a leper colony

The hills are often dry

in late summer,

brushed repeatedly 

by the hot Nor' west winds

Governor's Bay is a picturesque 

and peaceful town

And my father 

enjoyed the day's outing

and loved his picnic

*

Brisk But Beautiful

*

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

*