Kia Ora

The month began with a visit to the vets for Honey as her itching and scratching was getting worse and she had started getting bald patches on her hips and legs. Another course of steroids has helped.

We also had a trip with the bonsai club to the Eastern Bay of Plenty to visit four collections. A lovely sunny day as we drove to Papamoa, Whakatane and Kawerau. On the way back we stopped at Tikitere nursery near Rotorua.

Whilst working in the garage one week-end we heard the tiny patter of paws – a mouse! Out came the traps and …… nothing so far. Kiwi mice don't seem partial to peanut butter or nutella. It certainly explains why Honey woke us the previous morning at 4am barking madly.

We spent one Sunday at a friends’ house digging up one of his many unwanted lonicera bushes.
	Pruned and potted up we’ll now leave it to produce shoots everywhere (hopefully) for the next year or two.
At our bonsai club we’ve started our two year shohin project (shohin are bonsai 25cms or less tall). Small rata, cotoneaster, serissa, myrtus and corokia were all worked on. In two years these should look quite nice especially once they're potted into bonsai pots.

May gradually got colder and colder and we finally gave in and for the last week in May we've been lighting the fire in the evenings.

Honey has new game – bomb the bean bag. She waits for Ann to stand by the bean bag and put her boots or shoes on, then she launches herself at the bean bag and as she lands the whole bag rolls along the carpet – usually towards Ann!

Peter spent two nights in Auckland for work - good job it was raining so the girls had popcorn instead of walks and Ann had to starve.

Bath time - the first one cold enough for the girls to wear their coats to keep them warm and the furniture dry.

In the garden we've started trimming the hedges. This normally takes Peter about 8 days to do. Then we have to chip everything and spread it as a mulch.

Although Honey is still a bit of a town girl she definitely likes being outside. Whilst Maxie is lying on the beanbag in the family room Honey prefers the shade of the mandarin, nectarine or feijoa trees.

News from Home

Ann's dad, Mike, celebrated his 79th birthday.