Summer or no summer

Shells from the beach

The month of January should be the hottest time in summer, but not this year.

We are still having strong winds like we normally get in spring and summer storms with lots of rain.

The vegetable garden is not producing a lot, we have no beans yet and the cucumbers are just coming into flower.

Luckily we eating our potatoes and one apple tree is producing a good crop, so coming week I can bottle some apple sauce.

I started a part time job picking strawberries 3 times a week. The strawberries are grown hydroponic on bench height, so easy on my back. The picking only last for 2  to 3 hours in the morning, because after the picking the strawberries are getting packed and delivered to the customers.

The picking job will last till the beginning of May.

The Nelson area were I live is for many a holiday spot and the beaches are always popular with swimmers and water sports.
Most beaches have lovely shady spots under the big pohutukawa trees, the New Zealand Christmas tree, now in flower with big red fluffy flowers.
I love these big beautiful trees and for me they symbolize summer with lazy afternoons swimming and reading a good book in their shade.

The native pohutukawa tree in flower

Ollie our dog got his favourite toy for Christmas and he is unpacking his tennis balls out of the wrapping wearing his little Santa suit.

Ollie unpacking his tennis balls.

Beach in Golden Bay

I started the art sessions after the Christmas break in the rest home and hospital and we painted watercolour butterflies and a background with charcoal.

Two lovely ladies in Motueka donated lots of art materials for me to use and here we are using the watercolour paints and the paper. So a big thank you!

Art session in the hospital

I am part of Sunday Sketches