House and Garden *October*

October has arrived with lovely warm spring weather. We have felt like spoilt brats when it comes to the lovely weather and to be able to enjoy life in the backyard.

There is not a lot of activity around the house at the moment - apart from a bit of weeding. Some plants have been blossoming lately. Below is what met us after our trip to Kerikeri. Aren't they lovely?

Especially the plants by the back wall gave me a pleasant surprise. The colors are just so strong and vibrant. I don't know what the name of the plants are and if you do, please leave a message.

The three last Bird of Paradise flowers are also out.

Kerikeri

Last weekend we went to Kerikeri, a small  & lovely village about three hours drive north of Auckland, 20km south of Paihia, Bay of Island. My better half was busy at the radio yacht regatta while in Kerikeri, so I was left on my own among tempting shops and cafes. So what do you do then? Bring the big handbag, sunglasses, water bottle, credit card, magazine (even a Norwegian one - bliss!) and good shoes.

We did visit Kerikeri on my first trip to New Zealand in 1997. However, we didn't visit the centre of Kerikeri then, only The Stone Store which is New Zealand's oldest building. This time we didn't do any sightseeing, so it was my chance to do some research on Kerikeri's boutiques and cafes.

Kerikeri