2020 Draws to a Close - fingers crossed that the vaccine will bring the Covid 19 pandemic also to a close...

   Last night, on St Andrews Night, the Beaver Moon was full and dazzling; however the faint pointers of the Great Bear still located Polaris in the clear night sky.

North Island NZ - Ninety Mile Beach

This year just as the pandemic was awakening Colin and I were so privileged to see another set of pointers (α & β Centauri) marking out the 'famous five' of the Southern Cross when we visited New Zealand and Australia in February and March. What a wonderful time we had seeing the most amazing scenery, visiting family and friends. The evolving pandemic heightened our appreciation of our visit and perhaps we will get to see those southern night skies with all their jewels again...

The New Zealand Silver Fern (Alsophila dealbata) - The silver hue to the leaf underside was used by Maori to guide paths through the native bush forests. On moonlit nights the light is reflected off the leaf. Obviously Hansel & Gretel were children of the Northern Hemisphere!

Below is an inlet part of the Bay of Islands from Paihia looking towards 

Russell (Kororareka), once the 'Hell Hole of the Pacific'. In the early 1800s is was said,

               "around 400 or more sailors would 'rest ashore' and contribute to two other major industries - local ladies and liquor."

Sunrise, Bay of Islands.

Entering or leaving sheep country at Tirau

How can this amazing set not make you smile - a weekend cabin at Hobbiton perhaps?

With cousins Denis & Marlyn at the glow worm caves of Waitomo, NI

(Thank you for your wonderful hospitality & hope to see you over here again before too much longer.)

The world really is a small place. "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world..." Or in 

our case it was a chance meeting in the wine bar at Melbourne Airport with some of Colin's Quick Quacks pals from Cumbria!

Flying west gave us Adelaide and then Perth, before a scramble for the Northern Hemisphere and home on April Fool's Day.

Following the Rules - Cousin Jennifer, Uncle Humphrey, Auntis Margaret & Tish - Perth March 2020

Brunch - Adelaide Beach - Gill, Paul, Evelyn, Allan & Ayesha - Special Days - Thank You

Sunset at Parachilna from the Prairie Hotel, owned by the same family since 1876

Flinders Mountains - Outback Landscape

Stokes Bay, Kangaroo Island - a shallow lagoon

On May 1st we sadly lost Colin's Mum, Bettie to Covid 19. All was very peaceful though and we were able to have a beside vigil via Zoom.

We managed to get over to Belfast in mid September for the interment of her ashes. So she is now safely with her own mum and dad.  Colin wrote this lovely haiku for the day about the new headstone;

            Our dear mum Bettie

       our father's scattered ashes

            now carved together

In June the North Cumbria's Rescue & Response NCRR volunteers took Miss Mollie (named after after Colin's late auntie Mollie Rodgers) for her maiden voyage in Ullswater.

Miss Mollie's launch on Ullswater

Some of the NCRR Team - Colin keeps his toes dry as treasurer!

Both Jamie and I quietly celebrated our 30th and 60th Birthdays with garden teas and cases of beer!

Nicky, Rob & our hairy grandson, Royce!  

                                                            We managed to see Jamie when he cycled coast to coast via Hadrian's Wall - with his Cumbria pals, one of whom he has know since Cubs!

He made another visit in  September with his girlfriend, Eve, before the second pandemic wave started to erupt.

Colin has added to his fleet with a CanAm Ryker, motor trike. And I now find myself to be a passenger - pretty good fun on warm, sunny days.

We've also had a Green Lane Association GLASS outing in the Lakes in June. Colin was helping support a group of new members, so we even got a shout in Mudlife & November's GLASS magazine.

I so remember climbing up the roadway beside these foxgloves - just one of those special days!

I've been dabbling with water colours again & hope to get some more practise in over the short days ahead:

The Lily Pond, Acorn Bank NT

Brother Andy as Longridge Show President 2005                    Clare C & Yatokya - Appleby Show 2016

We've been enjoying weekly drinks on Zoom with our Belfast friends & even managed a glorious, warm weekend at the end of July at a favourite old haunt, Port Patrick, Mull of Galloway:

We are currently having wine tasting sessions as the winter solstice draws nearer!

With the exceptional Bramley apple harvest, Colin has adopted a military campaign approach with cider and sloe gin making - 

Literally hubble-bubble! The girls are enjoying the harvest too.                                                                                                                                               We have three news girls - Ginger & Pickles (buff Orpingtons) and a sweet silver laced wyandotte, named Bettie. The old girls are not too impressed and there is definitely such a thing as a pecking order!

Mid Autumn in the Orchard - the trees held onto their leaves for ages as no frost till 1st December

We hope this finds you well 
despite this strange year.
Keep safe & here is to a proper reunited gathering in 2021
Christmas & Yuletide
Greetings
Love from Colin, Trish et al xxxx

© The Totterings - Annie Tempest