July 11, 2022

I was born and subsequently spent the next sixty years of my life living in in the State of Michigan, USA. We then moved to New Zealand and I've been living in a state of confusion ever since.

I knew of course, that we were moving from the northern hemisphere to the southern, but until I stood in front of an oak tree in July and saw it bare of leaves, it didn't really hit home how completely different things are here.   

The Oak, shut down for the winter.  

In Thoreau's work Walden, he wrote about a man who hears a different drummer. 

I think that a lot of plants here listen to their own drummers as well.  They live their lives, regardless of what the calendar says.  As I walked through Tui Glen today, on the 11th of July, 2022, I saw plants in several stages of their life cycles.  

To an old guy like me, it's confusing.  Just what season of the year are we in, anyway?  Is the year coming or going?  Did the calendar fall of the wall and its pages get shuffled around before it was put back into operation?  

Oranges and lemons, on trees about 100 yards away from the sleeping oak I showed  you earlier. 

Don't misunderstand me. I don't mind the differences. I think the mixed-up seasons here are interesting, exciting, even exotic. They add flavor to my life.  It's just that the seasonal rules that controlled my previous existence in Michigan no longer apply.  The mind boggles. (When you're 70, the mind boggles easily.)  

Here are a couple of photos for comparison.  Fall and winter. 

Taken on April 7, 2022

July 11, 2022

 

This was taken from our balcony at about 7:10 a.m. on the 11th of July.  Sunrise won't be for another 25 minutes or so.  (My camera is very good at picking up available light.  That sky actually looks darker to me than this picture makes it appear. ) 

And speaking of exotic, look at these three shots I took, also on July 11th.  

I grew up with maples and elms and cedars. Even after having lived here for 10 years, I marvel at such plants. 

 

This menu board has nothing to do with the rest of my post, other than that it was put up on the 11th of July. I just thought you might enjoy seeing it. (And, since my post this week is shorter than many others, this is a good way to -stretch- it just a little) 

For those of you in the U. S., divide these prices by 1.48 to get an approximate cost in U.S. dollars. 

That's it for today.  To all of you back in the northern hemisphere, where summer now reigns, enjoy the long days and the bounty of your gardens. 

And return here next week for another look at our lives in Aotearoa.   -djf