There are tracks like this, leading to the beach, back home in any New Zealand summer.
That place where the delicate scent of the yellow lupin merges with the smell of the sea is fairly close to heaven ... or that's my idea of it all.
There are tracks like this, leading to the beach, back home in any New Zealand summer.
That place where the delicate scent of the yellow lupin merges with the smell of the sea is fairly close to heaven ... or that's my idea of it all.
Of all the flowers in the world, so far, these are the flowers I would fill my garden with ...
The humble yellow Lupin. Colour-specific because no other lupin smells like the yellow lupin, otherwise known as L. luteus.
In Dunedin, they mostly grow in that place between the land and the sea, in the interstitial zone.
Following the sandy tracks that led to favourite beaches around Dunedin, the yellow lupins filled my soul with something that felt like joy.
My cousin Tania owns the house I love best in the world ...
Situated near the foothills of the Southern Alps, on the edge of a sometimes mighty mountain-fed river, it is a place of beauty ... a place of peace. I love it there.
I have memories of staying there in the past, of slipping outside and crossing the dew-covered lawn, just happy about being alive in that place.
This time the Belgian Bloke and I only managed to fit in an afternoon visit but one that involved an afternoon tea on the lawn in the shade of the trees, surrounded by the most exquisite flowers and birdsong. Beer and lemonade were involved. Stories were told and there was much laughter too.
Next time we'll stay longer. We were trying to do and see everything back there in my world and there weren't enough days in those 5 weeks at home.
Next time ...
I love Lupins too ... and found them growing abundantly throughout the McKenzie Country today.
Lake Tekapo, there in the background, was glowing turquoise today. Stunning country!