Brrr, I think that we might get a frost soon. I needed gloves and my beanie this morning. There was quite a heavy dew, but the brilliant red sky of last night was true to it’s saying; today dawned ‘shepherd’s delight’. Holly is usually waiting for me at the gate for her morning feed, but today she wasn’t there and I met her part way down the hill. She’s starting to get her winter coat and she is lovely and soft to snuggle into. However when I have her feed bucket, she is not remotely interested in me, it’s the food she wants. I put her bucket down and left her to it!

The dogs and I carried on, moved Holly’s fence and wandered off to the road. The early morning pre-sun rise light on the dewy foliage highlighted the cobwebs on the gorse, rushes and blackberry. It amazes and awes me how spiders spin their webs in on such hostile plants. I don’t know enough about spiders to know the species names. I’d like to be more familiar with them.

Two days in a row now I haven’t seen a vehicle on our road while I have been walking along it. While it’s not State Highway 1 there is usually a steady flow of cars and trucks that pass our gate as it is the only access to and from Karamea. Milk tankers and a few freight trucks still use the road, but there is very little private vehicle traffic. I wouldn’t normally walk the dogs along the road; Mica and Pearl are fine, but Petra is as likely to run in front of a car and not come when I call her and Bo is deaf. I keep them close by, just in case! The sun rose over the Radiant Range as I was walking up the hill. By the time I had huffed and puffed my way to the top of the Loop Track, it was bright in the sky. Looking through the leaves of the red beech and ponga trees gave such a lovely light.

Today I worked in the vegetable garden. It’s starting to come together quite well.I haven’t shown any photos before as it was really such a mess but I’m starting to feel okay about it now. I have pulled so many weeds the compost is starting to look like a large hill! I also planted seeds today. I had the pots ready a day ago, so today it was seed time. I’ve planted lettuce, spinach, silver beet and peas. Hoping now for an abundant crop.

I spent a bit of time on the phone this afternoon. Some of our friends are elderly and live alone. It’s good to know if they are okay or if they need anything. Later this afternoon Laurie asked me If I would go and get the tractor from down the drive and bring it up to the house. I walked down and took Mica and Petra with me for a run. I don’t drive the tractor very often so it was a bit of a novelty to chug up the hill. I especially liked being that little bit higher up and having a different view of something so familiar.

Finally, it was another amazing moon rise this evening. We are spoiled with the extraordinary beauty around us. I am so appreciative and grateful for it.