Coming Up Close

I've been meaning for the last week or so to stop and take photos of the Pohutukawa trees that are flowering here in the Bay of Plenty and finally I managed to do that this morning on the way to work. I stopped just down from Bureta Park and snapped these runners spring around the coastline, and with this scenery who wouldn't want to right? Although the tide was out you can still see the scenery and let me tell you it's been boiling here to the point of melting here lately. See that green stuff on the sand? It's sea lettuce, weirdly enough, for a few weeks every year it comes in from the ocean then disappears again. These Pohutukawa flowers and my favourite Summer flowers - truly New Zealand's very own Christmas tree. For more Skywatch Fridays click here :-)

Yesterday was one of those boiling hot Summer days where a visit to the beach was sorely needed so we drove 15 minutes out to Mount Maunganui in order to cool down. We sat down and relaxed further down the beach from the popular part which was packed with people. Nice view right? In amongst the sights I spotted this family flying their kite in the air, looks fun right? I think another trip next weekend is in order, especially now that my two teens are here for the next two weeks. For more Our World Tuesdays click here :-)

Christmas day has come and gone for us kiwis. We spent the day vegetating, playing wii sports (at which I failed miserably), drinking the odd Tequila shot (which knocked me on my knees), battling the humidity and heat then driving out to Mount Maunganui for some fresh air. As you can see from the photo above lots of people had the same idea as us by swimming to cool down and this part of the beach isn't even the whole thing. At the other end of the rocks in the above photo there were some fishermen surfcast, not sure if they caught anything but I'm sure if their fishing rods weren't secure in the rocks it would be likely to take off if a fish got on the line. This last shot is of the light shining through the clouds over the apartments and buildings that line the beach. A short time later it rained which made things alot cooler. That's about the gist of my day - hoping yours was Christmasy and full of catching up with family :-)

The shopping malls are getting frantically busy here with the lead up to Christmas so early Sunday morning we were at one of them looking for clothing for my step daughter. After leaving around 10am we happened to see one rather surprised Santa out in the parking lot getting a photo taken with whoever this lady was and her dog. What a good sport he is! For more Our World Tuesdays click here :-)

This is what happens on the way home from work when I'm stuck in a traffic jam - I start taking photos of the sky...and no doubt the nearer to Christmas the worse it's going to get -_- For more Skywatch Fridays click here :-)

Wow what a display of colour! Yesterday I parked my car on the side of the road to shoot across and get some photos of these lovely white Alyssum and Pink Impatiens that are planted in the middle of a garden mound in Bureta Park. It's been so warm and dry here that I think they look like they need a good dose of water. There's so much colour here at the moment with all the sun worshipping plants and flowers in full bloom so I'll try and get some more photos in the next few weeks :-) For more Wednesday around the World click here ...

At our local supermarket last week I stopped in there to do some food shopping after work, What a surprise to see Santa and one of his reindeer on the roof. Wonder what they are looking for? This week has been a very busy one, my parents came down for a visit and we met them for dinner on Tuesday night so it was good catching up with them before they drove on to visit other family members in other towns. Last night was my company's Christmas dinner so I enjoyed it with friends/colleagues, was alot of fun :-) How's your week been?

Yet another photo opportunity stopover for me today, this time on the way home from work. I drive past this place every day and yet this is the first chance I've had to pull in there and explore. This is the Tauranga Bridge Marina , just off the motorway - the Pohutukawa trees planted along the water's edge are just starting to come into flower and there is a myth here in NZ that if you see the flowers before Christmas it means we're going to have a perfect Summer :-) For more Skywatch Fridays click here :-)

After work last week when I was wandering through one of the local shopping malls I came across Santa's grotto - kinda nice to see decorations up and someone taking the time to dress up and talk to children about what they want for Christmas. For more Our World Tuesdays click here :-)

Over the weekend we travelled again to Orere Point where the weather was marvellously hot - on the way home I couldn't help taking a shot of the scenery along the Kaiaua Coast. So nice seeing some of the Pohutukawa trees starting to flower, in fact there's a myth here that if you see their flowers before Christmas it means a bumper summer will come. Today btw it's the 1st of December aka the 1st day of Summer so here's where I start using very high factor sun block due to my pale skin - hope things are going well in your part of the world :-) For more Our World Tuesdays click here...