Our family travelled north to KeriKeri over the weekend, to visit our ailing 95 year old elder. She always loved her garden, but since being in a Rest Home has no plants to tend. We stayed in a 'tourist flat' where the new owners are tending their huge property with great love and attention. They've planted little explosions of spring colour amongst the trees. Here is the bird of paradise, which little Mira (3) calls the 'tui flower', noting that it was probably very sharp to touch (it was).
Here's a fresh basket of alyssum, tucked into a corner on the deck.
A pot of lobelia on a table. . .
And primroses, spaced out along the drive.
Our little one loved the place, with its 'stepping stones' (a new word), and the punga edges, which are perfect for a small one to borrow some extra height from. She didn't know the word for 'I'm taller than you', when she hopped up on the bench beside the deck, so she said, 'I'm older'.
Not really!
Here we were as a family, with ages ranging from 3 to 95, enjoying being together. Our elder has a collection of little ceramic and fabric frogs of all shapes and sizes. She even used to have big ones (wooden) that lived in her garden. With the frogs to share, she related beautifully to her little great-great-granddaughter.
Out hosts at the holiday park were friendly, the Rest Home was just across the road, and all those little touches of spring colour in the environment made it a welcoming place to stay.
