Reflections from the sewing room

It is with great happiness I show you my beautiful dogwood in full flower. I came home from Sydney just in time to go 'wow!' and take this photo from my sewing room window (you can even see where I have removed the screen to get a clear view). No wonder there hasn't been a lot of sewing getting done when this is the view at present. The dogwood struggled when it's protecting melaleuca was removed to enable the construction of this room several years ago. But now that it has the protection of the room it is thriving (and I am reminded to water it!). I also must mention the red hot pokers as they are winter flowering ones, successful only once in 20 years as they always get hit by our really horrendous frosts just as they flower and kaput! they are history. This year the clever blighters have waited until spring to flower.

And from the other window I can just see this clematis as it heads towards the kiwifruit vine. I love pink flowers.
It is with great sadness that I tell you of the passing of my dear 90 year old father-in-law, Charles. He spent many years living next to us at Silver Creek and helping us with our trout farm, always whistling, nothing too much trouble. It has been sad to see him become less and less able to get about as age robbed him of his dignity. But he will be remembered as a great father and father-in-law, grandfather and great-grandfather, but most of all as a really good person.