Seasonally Unpredictable

I’m no meteorologist and if I was then I could explain the seasonally unpredictable weather we’ve been experiencing lately. Wellington, in particular, goes crazy in the Spring – and it’s approaching – with signs from ‘Mother Nature’ and changes in the fashion outlets window displays. I came across a fascinating read on the Met Service website entitled, ‘The Old Man Southerly: A look at classical Christchurch and Wellington southerly blasts.’. This article explains the turbulent place Wellington is in meteorological terms. Spring is a time when layering is an essential asset to everyone’s wardrobe. Today we enjoyed the opportunity to shed a few layers and soak up the rays.

The evenings are beginning to lighten, the clocks move forward at the end of September and there is some hope in the air that the worst of winter is behind us. The increased daylight hours are already taking an affect in the garden with everything growing so much faster. I saw an ‘ad’ for the latest edition of New Zealand Gardener Magazine and there’s a reminder to ‘get sowing now!’ on the front cover. The girls are getting excited about planting and their ‘top three’ are pea-pods, tomatoes and strawberries. Charli also loves curly-leafed parsley (has to be curly!) and will eat bundles of it!

Current edibles and herbs in our garden: celery, mint, purple sage (as well as lovely lemon balm, rosemary and thyme):

After week’s tucked up indoors doing arts, crafts, puzzles and board games we are finally finding snippets of calm weather (amongst the storms: check out my friend Marrisa’s post ‘Who Upset Mother Nature?‘ for a great video clip of a recent storm!). Today the girls couldn’t wait to get outside and cover the sidewalk in chalk, try some rope jumping and a even a little limbo!

After a relaxing morning at home it was time to drive up to Karori for Charli’s weekly swim class. Enroute we stopped off at the Botanical Gardens to feed the ducks (but fed a lot more pigeons!).

Sophie eating half the bread on the walk to the pond. Charli trying to feed a pigeon with bread stuck on the end of a stick!

Signs of Spring are everywhere – with daffodils in blazing glory and tulip shoots emerging from the winter earth.

Dan took this beautiful image of the waterfall descending from the duck pond:

After a wonderful run around in the sun and a few games of ‘hide and seek’ we arrived on time for Charli’s swim lesson at Karori Swimming Pool. We’ve found this a wonderful interlude at midday on a Sunday. This pool is always quiet (compared to ‘The Spray Pool’ at the Wellington Aquatic Centre) and we enjoy real family time. Charli’s lesson is within the pool that is open to recreational swimmers – so we are able to play with Sophie and cheer Charli on at the same time!

After our swim we stopped for a play at Central Park in Brooklyn (one of 102 parks and play areas in Wellington!). Located on the fringe of Wellington’s central business district this park on Brooklyn Road features a three cable flying fox, a six-metre high space ball climbing frame, spinner bowl, whirl and swings. The park also has a junior section with slides, swings, crawl tunnels, climbing net, seesaws and a springy racer. It’s really got something for everyone and beautiful picnic spots abound under the canopy of the surrounding trees.

After a few thrilling rides on the flying fox (and the rest!) we made our homeward journey along the stunning south-coast road. We were delighted to see the ‘Island Bay Marine Education Centre‘ had an open day.

The girls were so excited to hold starfish, hermit crabs and feed turtles. The Marine Centre has updated its website with some wonderful educational links, photographs and information on the species to be found in the beautiful ocean on our doorstep.

We returned home for a rest (and more skipping for Charli and Daddy!). I was so tired that I fell asleep on the sofa (I’m getting over yet another cold/cough – arrrr!), but am now feeling much better and hoping for a few more signs of Spring this week (though a quick look at the Met Service forecasts predict the southerlies aren’t over for a while yet!). Oh well, I shall start getting organised for some seed sowing regardless!