Just when the roses are fading , I come
to Rose
Town again.The trees are still green
and the
grass luster but the roses are fading.
Autumn's coming !
It anounces its arrival by painting
the landscape
different shades of gold. When
will nature change
its garment completely? I muse
to myself.
Strollling through the tree-lined streets
of the town,
I lose the excitement I once used to feel when I first
came here, a stranger in a strange land !
Very often I walk to town alone.While
strolling,
I take in the scenery, enjoy the cold air;
a change for us tropical birds .
The cool weather of Autumn weather is
good
for a stroll but
I still need an extra
jacket in the morning and good footwear that
covers the feet to prevent them from cracking
and cream for my hands and face .
As noon approaches , I
feel the heat stifle.
It's time to take off the jacket .
I remember the description,
" summer in the sunshine
and winter in the shade ". You experience
all weathers
in one day as outdoor at night is cold to us even
in Summer.
Later we discover some nice gardens.
There we wile away the whole of our morning
sitting in the park of green wilderness
watching birds fly here and there
and ducks swim in the pond.
Shopping is another activity I
love ;
Just to buy those cute little souvinirs ;
post-cards, dresses can be
a treat.
During weekends my family and I go
to some
weekly markets near by.
It's just like our tamu.
The only difference is that there are bands here
and singers sing songs ,play music that
liven
up the place , giving it a romantic touch.
Here you can get almost any vegetables we
have back home. We buy so much meat and
fish ; enough to last a
few weeks.
On the way to Hamiton, we pass sheep , cows
grazing on the vast
meadows.Beautiful
roses , cherry trees and gardens adorn the streets
and free road-side parking .
Once in a while we are invited to
some farm houses
to enjoy the
picturesque country- side and its
spaciousness and to pluck apples .
However house work keeps me occupied
most of the time : helping with washing dishes
and cooking ; looking after my grand-daughter
,
singing nursery rhymes to
her or watch her
toddling round the house .
If we like a change , there's always
the Chinese
fish 'n' chips take- away , den-sin at Chinese restaurants
to tantalise our taste buds . Other food-stuff that I
frequently eat include ice-cream,
chocolate , bread
with peanut-butter , salad and fresh
apples.
My other pass-time includes
reading , surfing the net
and attending church services in a beautiful
old
wooden church near by.
Life
that is not so hectic suits
me well.
The beauty of New Zealand enthralls me
for an earlier future visit .
By Agatha Lai ©
