Anzac Day 2013

It was great to hear a female kiwi call as I started my walk down to the Dawn Service; last Anzac Day I found a dead kiwi that had been hit by a vehicle as I walked down to the Bay which put a damper on the stunning sunrise as the service took place. This year the heavy cloud blocked any signs of a sunrise but at least the rain stopped for the service which was attended by many locals and visitors to the island. The Salvation Army Band, bagpipes plus a bugler to play the Last Post made it a ceremony to remember.

After the service I headed off to Deep Bay to check my rat lines, plus wire-brush, oil and rebait all 54 traps. Light showers turned to more persistent rain and although the bush makes a reasonable umbrella, I was pretty damp after 6 hours out in the elements - the rainbows made up for it though and catching 6 rats was a bonus.

Rainbow stretching over Paterson Inlet

The recent easterly storms have blown up a wonderful heap of seaweed on the beaches. There's a wee bit of kelp in it, along with a mixture of all the other seaweeds. Mother Nature's gift for the gardens and about the only time that I hanker for a vehicle so that I can collect it. On the way back from my rat lines I filled up 10 bags which a friend picked up and delivered. Tomorrow I'll put some on my raised bed and the rest on my compost heap.

We've had fronts rolling through for the last week with winds, showers and cloudy skies. The temperatures have been quite mild though and, with the extra protection of the micro-climate cloth and plastic greenhouse, my seeds are growing well and just starting to get their second leaves.

Eco-Store organic mesclun mix

Perpetual spinach seedlings