Winter gave Autumn a cold shoulder

The week's gardening fits into a neat nutshell. After 4 inches of rain (2/5ths of last years annual rainfall), the trailer was needed in a hurry to rescue some stock grazing near the river. It was on my mind to empty all the horse poo off it earlier but it was very cold outside and deliciously warm inside. Owing to the sudden urgency, I had 5 willing helpers barrow off horse manure and finished covering every bed in the glasshouse in about 15 mins. Some of it went over lupin and peas sowed the week before and some over oats now about 6 inches high. It really was the icing on the rain-cake and it's not often you would call manure that.

This is the Taeiri River down by the green bridge. Normally it's a thin winding strip and the trees on the left are on the bank.
On Wednesday the school bus couldn't get through at one point and turned around and dropped our kids back off again, home for the day. The next two days were snow days, inside/outside, every radiator draped with wet gloves, hats, coats, and children everywhere. Is it any surprise that by Sunday Mama and I decided to head off for a drive and explore the snow from the comfort of the car with the prospect of a coffee stop at Black Forest Cafe? No it is not.

Kyeburn diggings, the cliff face scoured away by the gold miners and we followed it into the hills as far as we could go...

...to not much past here. We were planning on driving as far as the Dansey's Pass Hotel but the road was closed in a very convincing fashion, it looked completely swept away. Couldn't see any smoke rising from the cribs. One had a prominent sign 'NO visitors, NO callers'. Guess we won't be popping in there then. You can see the mountains reflected in the windows. This building looks like an old hotel to me. The current hotel is only a few kms away.

Those same mountains that were reflected in the windows. I have a poem complete with permission to use it, both courtesy of Mama. Many thanks. Poem by Nelson poet Carol Don Ercolano.

Seasonal Talk

...

You're one hot baby

Summer, said Spring

I'm off before

I get burnt

...

Very wise, said Summer

who spoke in cliches

If you can't stand the heat

get out of the kitchen

...

Autumn went to

Summer's funeral

dressed

in her finest colours

...

Winter gave Autumn

a cold shoulder

and sent her packing

...

With one look Spring

Melted Winter's heart

and he dripped sleepily

to bed

...

you're one hot baby

Summer, said Spring...

...