Kerikeri

Time for a break. After breakfast, Betsy and Grant went to get the cats from their kitty hotel. Afterwards, we sat around until the rains abated. Then a tour of Betsy and Keith’s gardens. 

A few years ago, they had a bunch of old citrus trees removed. Little by little, they are planting native trees, shrubs, and flowers. All around that bed, they laid black plastic to kill the grass, so they can continue expanding it.

The kitchen garden is slow, waiting for spring weather. There is some cabbages and broccoli. A first crop of asparagus, meager, but we will have it at dinner.

Apple and other fruit trees have begun budding, so they need to be trimmed immediately. Yards are just a continuous work in process.

After the tour and some more sitting, Betsy and I went grocery shopping. Grant stayed home to play his video game on her computer. He forgot to pack his iPad, so he hasn’t been able to play. The first time he hasn’t played every day in the 40+ years I’ve known him. Keith was working on odd jobs, including fixing the cat carrier Betsy had bought at the op shop.

Lunch at home, reading, rain, dinner of kumera chili and salad with the raw asparagus added. Keith broke out a bottle of orange wine he made. Not too sweet, not too dry, with an orange aftertaste.

Steps today: 1,400

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