January 2012 gale force winds pummeled Tūtira. There were casualties……an Oak and fruit tree located in the orchard.

2012 began with a mishap.  A borrowed chainsaw from our neighbour to begin removal of Lucerne trees located at the entrance to our property. 

The offending log…

The poked eye…

Discussed at the September 2011 meeting of the Tūtira Maungahururu Visionary Group – provided by the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council - distributed by the Guthrie-Smith Arboretum and Outdoor Education Centre - placed in the windbreak behind our home.

Stoats were introduced into New Zealand to control rabbits and hares but are now a major threat to the native bird population. Immediately prior to human settlement New Zealand did not have any land based mammals apart from bats, but both Māori and European settlers introducing a wide variety of animals.

Warnings about the dangers to bird life from stoats were given by scientists in New Zealand and Britain.  The warnings were ignored and stoats began to be introduced from Britain in the 1880s, then, within six years drastic declines in bird populations were noticed.

Saturday, September 24^th 2011 Matthew, Xander and I along with our neighbours Hans & Jan Weichbrodt all had our first experience with a controlled burning of what we believed to be Prunus Armeniaca (8-12 metre apricot tree hedge) cuttings. We were informed the plant is either Prunus Salicina or Prunus Mume more commonly known as Japanese Plum on our 1.3150 hectares (3.25 acres).

Let sleeping dogs lie.

If you've never been thrilled to the very edges of your soul by a flower in spring bloom, maybe your soul has never been in bloom ~Terri Guillemets

Roaming our 1.3150 hectares (3.25 acres) two Ewes with twins August 2011.

Matthew and I were introduced to a fruit called “feijoa” (native to Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, and Argentina) also called pineapple guava and guavasteen. It is widely cultivated as a garden plant and fruiting tree in New Zealand. The fruit, maturing in autumn, is green, ellipsoid, and about the size of a chicken egg. It has a sweet flavor. It was suggested we make bread or cake out of the donated feijoas……and we did......with cranberries and cinnamon.

Don't you kind of love December
When the merry snow bells chime
We're together once upon a wintertime
Every single snowflake falling
Plays a jingle down your spine
Lovely weather once upon a wintertime

Composed by Bobby Worth and Ray Gilbert – 1944

(6:43 a.m. Monday, 24^th July 2011)

Friday, 15^th July 2011 Xander paid a visit to Michael Lintott BVSc MACVSc (our veterinarian).

REASON FOR VISIT:

Dermal Fibroma – removed left shoulder

Dermal Fibroma – removed dorsal lumbar

Interdermal Fibroma – removed lower neck

Lymphoma – removed sternal medial

Slab Fracture – upper left carnassial tooth extracted

ASSESSMENT

Biopsy Confirms All Benign ~ Discharge ~ Clean Bill of Health.

Keep sending those ‘good healing wishes’ for Xander! THEY ARE WORKING!