Even when I was at school I was never one for going to town on a Saturday to shop. I’d more likely to be found at a horse riding lesson or mucking about in the sandpit practising my long jump technique (no, really – I was a Schools national champion... Defying all my gloomy predictions for the weekend today has been simply blooming marvellous. Clear skies, bright sunshine and a hint of wind. Enough to break out the wheelbarrow and crack on. The plan for today was to get our fruit garden up and running –... Given the haphazard approach to my Spring garden it’s been a relief to see the tulips rearing their heads this year. Their splash of colour has been a distraction though as I sprint from the house to the barn getting caught in the howling wind and rain. But... Seeing the snow capped Rimutakas reminds me that we’ve still a long way till we are really into Spring up here in the Hutt Valley. You can be lulled into a false sense of security with blue skies and warmer temperatures that suggest the onset of better... Today I was rugged up with winter coat, gloves and swaddled in a scarf battling against the gale and wintry sleet. It was not a day I wanted to venture off the veranda let alone have to hack into town. As well as work appointments I had a coffee date with a new... 