too good to be true...

...is what the Wednesday prognosis proved to be. The piano cleared customs and agriculture (!) yesterday afternoon. We await a sign from the PianoShop as to the delivery. A phone call from Sue, the agent at our NZ--end mover, alerted us to the fact that the Ministry of Agriculture and Food opened the long-anticipated container today. Word has it some official crunched a ‘black widow spider’ with his foot. An entire nest of the creepy-crawlies was then espied. (Did the mom enter our container in Sydney? Valencia?) This means that a fumigating bomb had to be thrown into the container which then needs to sit for twenty-four hours. Very serious stuff, spidies. Once the threat is under control (exterminated) the MAF gentleman will check for any possible dirt on garden tools or other species of bug in the rattan and wicker furniture. For this honor, we will pay between $500 and 1,000 big ones. (Is this how their salaries are paid?) We may see our household goods on Thursday—or perhaps Friday…

It is now Wednesday. Household goods now confirmed for Thursday delivery. The piano is going to lose the arrival race after all. This is a disappointment. It will be loaded onto a truck Friday and turn up on Tuesday or Wednesday of NEXT week—day to be determined tomorrow. (still Wednesday: late afternoon phonecall--the truck is in town and will be here between 8:30 and 9 in the morning!!!**@##!)

Our hiking boots will be held for 'cleaning' and arrive in a week or two (we mightg have visited a farm and be bringing foot and mouth disease into the the country...) Our weed-wacker (given to us by Tessa's cousins who transported it from NZ--it was never used in the US) was confiscated. We had the choice of have our LL Bean door sealing 'snake' fumigated or destroyed for $11 dollars. (We chose the destruction because it was cheaper...)

On a more cheerful note, do you know much about rhodo’s? They do very well here and are starting to bloom like crazy. We have one in our front yard. From our second story window it began to resemble an elephant and now that is all anyone can see when they look out at it. The haunches of the elepahnt are visible out the side window and around at the front window is the large head, trunk raised slightly in a salute to the harbor far away and below. Visualize a ceremonial decoration for one of those Vishnu type gods or goddesses (I know almost nothing of what I speak…) (Botanic Garden and Rhododendron Dell info follows at the tail end of this entry…)

Enjoying some tasty ham for lunch yesterday, I was again bitten by the conversion bug. The ham was smoked, had a perfect natural thickness and seemed to be cut from a real ham as opposed to being processed. Was it high-end, expensive stuff or quotidian? Would it add to my enjoyment to know the price?...was it a bargain, or an extravagance? The price was $12.95 (NZ) per kilo. Divide by 2.2 and you get $(NZ) 5.89 per pound. That makes a good price in NZ $’s and a bargain in US $’s. Actually (now I'm certain) it tasted fantastic!!

Introduction (for the gardners...)
The Dunedin Botanic garden, New Zealand’s first, was established in 1863 on a site now occupied by the University of Otago. Under the direction of David Tannock, Superintendent from 1903-1940, development of the Rhododendron Dell began in 1914 with the planting of 500 rhododendrons. Some 640 had been planted on this site by its opening in 1916. As the collection increased older hybrids were shifted further down the gully to make way for new and more popular hybrids. A major re-organization was initiated in 1988 to bring together plants in various thematic groupings designed to better display parentage, scent or hybrid origin. Today the Dell occupies four hectares in the south-eastern corner of the Garden, between Lovelock Avenue and the Water of Leith. It may be entered by following any of the signposted foot tracks, or directly from the visitor’s carpark off Lovelock Avenue.

The genus Rhododendron comprises about 1000 species and more are still being discovered. Classification is now based on the work of Cullen and Chamberlain, which groups similar species into subsections and horticulturally important forms into Groups. Labels in the Garden give these details as well as the country of origin of species and, where known, the parentage of hybrids.

Dunedin’s equable climate is well suited to rhododendron culture. Annual rainfall averages 776mm (30.5in) and is evenly distributed through the year, while mean temperatures range from 16 degrees C in January to 8 degrees C in July. The City receives an average of 1700 hours sunshine a year. Within the Dell’s variety of microclimates many different types of rhododendrons thrive in its loess and basalt-derived soils. Established in 1863, Dunedin Botanic Garden is the oldest in New Zealand.

RHODODENDRON FESTIVAL
Dunedin holds a rhododendron festival every year, usually in the last week of October, when many of the plants are in full bloom.