|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
...August newsletter 2006... |
|
Keats in his poem “Ode to Autumn’ called it ‘the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.’ Well it’s not autumn, not yet officially spring but the macadamia nuts are raining down! We are having periods of warm weather, fine misty rain and down pours!
The priority is to get the macadamia nuts in, de-husked, and dried down to 10% moisture content and stored rather than to on-process them. Nuts deteriorate if allowed to stay wet. It is a battle with the weather as the orchard floor will cut up if we take machinery over it without allowing time for things to dry out between down pours.
In the garden and around the property camellias are in full bloom. Daphne perfumes the air. We have a series of bushes planted under bedroom windows and they are natural air fresheners. The magnolias are early. Leading the way is Vulcan with its almost purple flowers, then Felix Jury with dinner plate sized deeply cerise flowers much admired by visitors to The Nutcracker Suite, followed by Iolathe magnificent crimson and white blooms. Down in the gully Campbellii the oldest of out magnolias is stately against the bush, pink and white. And the rhododendrons are starting, will there be any left for the Rhododendron Festival at the end of October?
Birds seem to be everywhere. They know spring has come no matter what the official starting day is supposed to be. One of the most beautiful songs is that of the Grey warbler a tiny grey bird smaller and skinnier than a sparrow that sits in the trees around the house and over the back of the property and sings and sings, a lilting treble that abruptly stops. Some describe it as sad but to us this bird epitomises the joy of being alive and the end of winter.
The weekend of the 26 August saw us exhibiting at the National Camellia Show up at the TSB Stadium in New Plymouth. Talk about rain, it BUCKETED down on the Saturday! Such beautiful blooms from delicate rose like blossoms to those that looked like carnations and every variation in between. People came not only from around New Zealand but from around the world, enthusiasts. Great bus trips to gardens of national significance were part of the registration for the show and members of the Camellias societies had better weather on the Sunday and our beautiful, majestic Mt Taranaki came out of the cloud.
Christine is contacting and visiting the chefs that came during last months New Zealand Chef Association conference so trips to Wellington, Auckland and Taupo. On one of these journeys she was travelling behind a truck with this message painted on its rear doors- “Live life full of exclamations not explanations!” Food for thought.
The dictionary tells us that the word exclaim means to ‘cry out in emotion or excitement’. Another powerful e word. To be excited about life about being alive, to live with enthusiasm, a great challenge to us all. Good on you trucking firm for provoking thought as you drive around our beautiful country. Thank you.
Archive If you would like to read previous newsletters, please click on one of the following links:
[ introduction ][ history ][ macadamias ][ factory ][ products ][ favours ][ orders ][ tours ][ contact ] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- Carrot cake - Gluten Free |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- Feedback - FAQ
|
|
|
Links Site Map Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Shipping Rates |
|
| Copyright © 2004 - 2006 Ennovation Ltd New Zealand. All rights reserved | |
August enews 2006