A Secret Garden or Gone With the Wind?

Dad's been wanting to visit the Botanic Gardens for some time now but for the most part either the weather has been against us or it just hasn't been convenient. Happily today was a great day for it with a warm, fine morning. 

We visited the greenhouse area first and then admired the rose gardens, although noted that it didn't look as well maintained as it was when we came here two years ago. 

Before going down to the duck pond I ran back to the car for bread (and a hat, and Mom's coke and tissues and handbag and sunglasses), and when I got down to the duckpond I could see Mom and the boys but Dad had disappeared.  We assumed he had gone for a walk on his own so we went around to the park area and said hello to the yellow-crested cockatoo who tracked us as we walked around his enclosure, and "hello pretty boy"'d us several times. 

Fed a loaf of rye bread to the ducks, who appreciated it more than we had considering the length of its stay in the freezer.

By the time the loaf was finished we were starting to move beyond simply wondering where Dad had gone - whistling and calling hadn't brought him out the woods so we were a little concerned, but thankfully he appeared and contrary to our imaginings of him being out on a nice stroll, he had spent most of his time looking for us, assuming us to be at the duck pond and going off in that direction - alas, we were at the other duck pond! 

Tea was at Liz and Graham's place, and an amazing wind blew up midway through barbequing; Liz and Claire dismantled as much of the seat swing as possible for fear the wind would carry it away.

Mmm, Graham about to sample that rare tahr fillet...

Had us a round of Taboo after tea (and after watching some hilariously funny YouTube clips, as one does).  Speaking of Claire, here she is again...she's just moved to Timaru from up north, and will be starting a teaching position at a local high school.  We helped her with some moving yesterday and today and look forward to getting to know her better.