This week was my birthday. We attended another baptism, had a visit from one of the members of the Tarawera Ward and her friend, a convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The convert, an Catholic woman from England, had been introduced to the church by this friend, and spent several months researching the "Mormons." She read the Book of Mormon and was later baptized. She radiates happiness.
We visited with several other families, took two walks to the other side of Lake Rotorua, fed the new missionary transfers, and made plum jam. We saw more waterfowl on the lake than I've ever seen before.
Tuesday was my birthday, and my request was to go to the Mountain Jade store, which I have resisted now for six months. Elder Rooks kindly agreed to accompany me.
On the way we passed this South America native, Tibouchina Grandiflora, in full purple bloom.
We walk a lot because downtown parking is metered. You see the number on the pavement,
...then you pay for parking at the yellow and blue post.
The Mountain Jade store, where they carve and polish pounamu greenstone from the South Island
I had to look at everything. I didn't get any of the sale items.
Elder Rooks liked this piece of nephrite jade, but it wouldn't fit in his suitcase. We met several Americans who were LDS church members in this store.
This is what I finally came home with
...and this is me wearing the greenstone pendant, Hei Matau, a combination of the Fish Hook and Koru. "The Fish Hook represents peace, prosperity, strength & determination, safe travel, safe journey over water. Koru - The design is derived from the unfurling fern frond - meaning growth, harmony & abundance, new life, new beginnings." (thefantailhouse.co.nz)
To me, it looks like a treble clef.
For my birthday, we pulled out the streaky bacon. Beehive brand is the best. Shoulder bacon is more like Canadian bacon.
We had the Fairy Springs elders and sisters for dinner, including the newest arrival, Elder Hubbard from Utah. I made my favorite German chocolate cake for dessert.
Elder Ruediger from Australia is our new district leader. He is pretty sharp and makes nice wavy notes on the chalkboard.
On Friday, neither of us were feeling very well--a lot of people in Rotorua are ill with Covid--so we went for a walk to Government Gardens and the lakeside. It was pretty cloudy and there weren't many people about.
The Prince's Gate Hotel
Most of my pictures of the flowers in bloom were blurry, so this is the best one. The flowers were striking.
We had a nice conversation with a Scottish gentleman and his much younger and very pretty Asian wife. He was a happy man and it was fun talking to him.
The Rotorua Lakes Council has finally decided to restore the Government Gardens museum, a real tourist attraction closed several years ago over earthquake fears
On the walk home from Government Gardens we could see dozens of black swans and their cygnets out near the pier
Kawaha Point
There were hundreds of little black ducks
A swan and some geese, I think Canadian geese
We walked home through Ohinemutu, and heard someone calling out to us
It was a member of the church, whose wife, not a member, had seen us walking past their house. We spent an hour in very pleasant conversation with these delightful people. They have traveled all over the world. In a week they are going to spend three months at Mount Isa, a copper mining area in Queensland, Australia, where they own property and have children and grandchildren living.
The intersection of Rangipahere and Arariterangi St. We finally found our way back to Lake Road and Tarewa Road.
The plums are falling off the trees, and the birds are going to explode from eating so many of them. Elder Rooks went out to pick as many as he could so I could make jam
I've made several batches of jam, or plum sauce really, made with plums, a little water and lemon juice, and sugar, cooked down until it's nice and strong and thick. It's very good on ice cream, and on steamed pudding with custard.
We had to buy jam jars so I could give some away.
I don't know if this is the same pukeko couple we had before, but they are definitely setting up their household in our yard, and eating the plums while they're at it.
