A visit to Dunedin.

No particular reason for our trip to Dunedin - except that Duncan had a free fare from his credit card. So apart from the free sector we went on all the unpopular flights over Waitangi weekend. Its good to see them in their home environment rather than just at Ohiwa. This is Alex's environment - very electronically focussed. I think Jill will tidy it up when he leaves home.

Alex agreed to make me a tag for my car keys. Here we are designing it on the computer

Alex and the 3 D printer

This is sort of the base to add strength to it.

Just about finished. I have it on my car key ring. Just love it!

One night we went to madame Wu's. The food is malaysian street hawker food. I think I ordered unwisely and really fancied what other people had.

Still loosing my hair a bit due to the warfarin so I have cleverly substituted palm frond to give it height and volume.

Millie and Duncan

Very interesting watching Millie's make-up session before we left.

And here is the finished product in the newly bought top.

We also went to the Settlers museum. We could spend heaps more time here., really fascinated by the examples of the homes that early settlers would have made when they first arrived.

The structure behind the chest is a bed - a bit flimsy.

I'm sorry this post has taken so long to get up. I will endeavour to be more timely with the next posts!

The First Plant.

Many people thought we were crazy when our first load of baby Macadamia trees arrived in early February in the middle of a heat wave but they are heat loving trees and as long as we keep their roots wet we hope they will survive. In fact it was a bit drizzly when they arrived - bought down the coast by Rod in the Torere Macadamia truck. You can see the grafts covered in  blue wax - we have to be a bit careful with those still. We had two different varieties, identified by either red or white tape

Our first and only nut.

Fortunately we got a bit of light rain, but still had to fill the holes with water before planting. The plants were all huddled under the silver birch trees. The first day of planting was very experimental and we didn't get many of them in the ground but since then we can operate like a well oiled machine especially when we had a few friends to help.

1. Fill up the holes with water and allow to soak in.

2. Put the trees in the back of my car (we did try it in a wheelbarrow to start with)

3. Cut the plastic wrapping.

4. Lay the tree  with the root ball near the hole

This was what I mainly did.

5.Duncan put the plant in the hole and filled it up with soil and  firmed it into the ground

6. Use some of our lovely hay as a mulch

7. Put in a stake and tie above and below the graft - we used a special tie that we use on the grapevines so that it doesn't cut in.

8. Stand Back and admire a lovely row!

9. After that keep a watering program going. We reckon we give them about 4-5 litres each time

Well I couldn't play golf because I had trees to plant so my lovely golfing friend Judy came and helped. We really had a good session that morning.

And what do you offer the planters at Morning Tea time?? Macadamias of course.

The leaves of the A4 variety are quite sharp and as I did the ties I got quite scratched. Hence this is why most pictures of us show us wearing long sleeves.

Here we are in full swing. I am the youngest at 65, Sandy and Judy in their 70's and Duncan and Graeme are much the same age.

Sandy MacHugh

Graeme Black - we might have to help plant avocado trees on his block next year

Close to finishing - just spreading the mulch around with the water tank  in the background.