How could I be so blind??

I recently posted here, about a tree we have growing on the side of our property. I always felt this tree had the leaves, & appearance, of a Pohutukawa, & I wondered why I had never seen flowers on the huge tree. I finally concluded it was not a Pohutukawa, & wondered what it could be.

I ventured out, after our rain, & strangely cool weather, to see if there was a photo-worthy sight. Imgine my surprise, after living here for 10 -ten!- years, to finally discover I was correct in my recognition of the leaves. I was so surprised. I could not believe I had never seen these flowers before. I do believe they are in the family of Calistemon, but the Pohutukawa tree is known as a New Zealand Native, & it flowers around Christmas time in New Zealand. It is also known as the New Zealand Christmas Tree.

When I was there last year on holiday, slightly later than now, I was happy to see the Pohutukawa were bursting into blossom on the East Coast of the Bay of Plenty- my home ground.They bloom all along the East Coast on the cliffs above the beaches, & if they bloom early, are said to auger an early, long, & hot Summer.

This is an illustration from wonderful books from my childhood, of the Adventures of Hutu & Kawa, by Avis Acres. These were the New Zealand equivalent of the Gumnut Babies of May Gibbs, of Australian fame.

'"We must be cousins!" said Hutu'

An illustration from Hutu and Kawa find an island (1957), by Avis Acres.

While I was on the lookout for things to photograph, today, I was struck by this cloud formation, looking to the west. I could not believe the colours, when I transferred the pics from the camera.

Where did the yellow, & the pink come from?? Very interesting to think about. Was it some reflection? I was not wearing garments of either red or yellow colour. I had white shirt, with a pale green & blue print.

This view is what alerted me to the colours, when I cropped the photo.

We used to experience the phenomena of 'Ghosts', when we lived in the Christchurch Inner City Tavern. We felt cold spots. We heard noises. Friends experienced strange happenings, visitations, when they spent the night in our flat.

Our children had water sprayed at them- real water, with no apparent source. We had many strange events. Patrons in the downstairs Bars experienced odd, cold touches, chills, so cold they defied explanation. Staff swore they felt the presence of 'persons'.

A strange law, ('Strange laws' have been the subject of some blog interest lately,) for our Hotel, was that, as it was situated on the banks of the Avon River in Christchurch, it was to be available at all times, for use as a morgue.

This was necessitated, by it's proximity to the river, & the fact that many drowned bodies were fished from the Avon River in those days. There was another Hotel which was designated for Morgue duties too, & that was the Oxford Hotel, which later became a Tavern, of the same name. This was the case in our Hotel's evolution, & it was known as the Royal Hotel, way back before it's reincarnation as the Grenadier Tavern.

Enough of the ghosties & the ghoulies.

Take some music, & drift away on the thoughts.

Joan Baez, Daddy, You've Been On My Mind.