Walks in the Gardens

Auckland Botanic Gardens in Manukau is a place where Penny and I visit frequently. There are all kinds of beautiful trees and flowers, and lots of space to walk. It is just up the road from the church in Takanini where we work, so we sometimes just drop in for lunch and a quick walk on work days.

The lanes meander through exhibits of trees and flowers from various locations. Not all of the plants are blooming at the same time, so every time we walk the experience is a little different. I usually think to bring the camera so that I can capture the color. The pics make great backgrounds for my computer desktop.

Some of the hiking (tramping) trails go by green fields. I love the fields in New Zealand. They seem to go on forever. The clouds are also glorious here. Clouds remind me that Jesus is coming. The whole experience also helps Penny and me get over the fact that we are so far away from our family in the States. Cities remind us of the differences between the two countries. Landscapes remind us of the similarities.

Occasionally we will run across a plant like this one – one which we have never seen before. I am amazed at the variety of plant life on this planet. It seems like God wants to tell us that we will never get bored throughout eternity because he knows how to keep us guessing what he’s going to do next!