Closer to Christmas Day 2018

sun — Sunflower – success to grow at last!

Four Years have gone since we moved here in Eureka, Waikato. Walking around the property where I grow many flowers, herbs, fruits and vegetables this afternoon. Many of flower plants, fruits like strawberries, vegetable crops producing more than before and surviving the harsh weather in the past. Even battle with rabbits, possums, birds and mice/rats pecking foods before us.

In the last four years, I have been trying to grow sunflowers, and the vermin animals beat me three times. Finally, I won the battle and sunflowers were there to brighten up the days. There are few more sunflower seedlings ready to plant this weekend. The rose garden is doing well, and many of the roses are old – over 10 years. It is time to do rose cuttings or get some new roses to replace the oldest roses. I planted six lavenders – Grosso in the rose garden. Another section of shrubs next to the driveway, it was completed, and it were the lavenders – Munstead.

A planter box full of strawberries under the silk tree – it showing display of fruits when they are ready to eat BUT I need to pick them before the birds and rabbits even Joseph – our oldest dog loves eating strawberries. It is better than last year because of the weather. The strawberry planter box is in front of our kitchen window where we always look out toward the field and the road.

Bright and cheerful colour bottlebrush trees displaying at the driveway when we go or come home from work and shopping every day. It reminds us it is nearly Christmas time this month. I looked back this year and how peaceful and relaxing times for us and our dogs here. For my health – chronic C5-C8 Radiculopathy and degenerated disc disease impacted my life this year. Nothing will stop me from doing activities here and at work! The only option is effortless – start maintaining lifestyle, change or to adapted types of equipment for gardening, cooking and housework. I was lucky for my workplace gave me the opportunity to work from home when I am in great pain overnight or in the early hour of the morning. We would not move back to Hamilton City because we choose to live here in Eureka, out in the rural lifestyle. We knew the city of Hamilton is growing fast and no space of private, the lack of growing vegetables or fruits gardens in a small section and for our dogs to run freely etc.

Garden is my favourite hobby and it helps me to relax a lot of times in the last four years. This year I am taking easy as along when doing weeding, pruning and growing seedlings. It is NOT alway easy when my partner is not at home where I need help with shifting or digging up.

One evening I was looking out through the kitchen window and saw the beauty of sunset out in the field and across the farmland of our neighbour. We get many beautiful sunsets every time we see out there, and it bought us wonder and the peace of goodwill for us. This is how we choose and to enjoy living in Eureka, Waikato.