February 2014 in the Southern Hemisphere

[fermi de Sousa]

Maggi
it stayed burning for hours. We eventually went inside when we felt that it was under control (there were a lot of fire-trucks!) but it could easily have been a disaster for us if the direction of the wind had changed. I decided to go to bed about 2 am.
I took these pics in the evening from a hundred metres from our front gate; the last one just before we went in,
cheers
fermi

[Hillview croconut]

Thank God you and Will are safe. Heard on the radio that things have now settled.

All the best, Marcus

[arillady]

I hope they keep an eye on those gums for the next few weeks Fermi as we still seem to get the occasional tree fire nearby. Not on our property thank goodness as Harry made sure he stopped the fire from getting to most of the gums. Only one I check every so often to ease my mind.

[Anthony Darby]

Two pots of Cyrtanthus elatus bought @ 2 for NZ$15 at the Clevedon Sunday market recently. I chose pots with two spikes and then put the two in this larger pot.

[Maggi Young]

Your new Cyrtanthus plants are a more relaxing "fiery" picture, Anthony than those frightening scenes from Redesdale.

[David Nicholson]

Keep safe Fermi and Pat and that goes too to any of you "upside down" lot that might be in danger.

[Lesley Cox]

Flooding in the UK and fires in Oz. If only the twain could meet!

[ranunculus]

Flooding in the UK and fires in Oz. If only the twain could meet!

Firewater!!!!   Sounds good to me. 

[Lesley Cox]

Why didn't I see that coming?

Had to go into the public bar of the Waihola pub tonight to get an overpriced bottle of wine, feeling desperate as I hadn't had a glass for about two months! Place crowded with loud men, mostly using foul language so I didn't stay long. Chose a bottle of Sauv. Blanc from their choice of one. Got home to find the bottle said "Produce of South Africa." Thoroughly wrecked my evening. With all due respect to Rogan and our other SA Forumists, their wine is rubbish!

Cyclamen season has started. C. hederifolium uncovered today as I cleared some long grass (no pic because of the long grass) and C. purpurascens also discovered among pots of dry bulbs but I had missed the flowers. They were already making screwed seed capsules. Just a faint whiff of their former perfume left.  These are seedlings from seed sent to me by Ashley A in the Rep of Ireland. Many thanks Ashley. C. coum has been in early leaf for a month, I suppose because of the damp summer we've had.

[Anthony Darby]

I take it supermarkets were either closed or too far away Lesley? A nice NZ Sav certainly hits the mark if it's well chilled.

[meanie]

A nice NZ Sav certainly hits the mark if it's well chilled.

It certainly does! With all due respect to our NZ (and Oz members) certainly far more than your beers!!
I was given a NZ sparkling wine at christmas which was also lovely - nicely dry and beautifully smooth (if that is an accepted term for a wine?).

[Anthony Darby]

I'm slowly trawling my way through New Zealand beers. Lots of microbreweries here, so some interesting beers. Refreshing to listen to the master brewer on Waiheke Island talk on a recent beer tour. He was waxing lyrical about ales and the nonsense pubs generally commit here - chilled Guinness for goodness sake! You can't taste it at that temperature. If you want a cold drink he suggested you try lager rather than beer. He has ten taps in his lounge - more than most pubs, and all for ales. We only sampled 4 at that bar, and 4 at each of two others. As for the 'English' drinking warm beer. Have you tried sitting in a bath at 8-10^oC. It's damn cold! Here I can buy several different versions of Porter and other ales and stouts, all brewed in New Zealand. Shame I have to do most of my drinking out of bottles now (wouldn't have a can in the house ). I can still get some Yorkshire classics like Black Sheep and Old Peculiar and many others at The English Corner Shop. Here's a good site http://brewersguild.org.nz/.. I have some bottles of Chocolate Moose from http://boundaryroadbrewery.co.nz/.

[johnralphcarpenter]

I`m going to the White Cliffs Winter Ales Festival in Dover this afternoon. I`'ll drink to your health!

[Anthony Darby]

I'll drink to that John. 

[fermi de Sousa]

Despite the heat and the wind, the reawakening of Urginea maritima! Seen here against a background of dead watsonia leaves; there's even a second spike just emerging!
cheers
fermi