Can almost see myself and little Dolly enjoying that beautiful place.xx

That is part of what is called "Elizabeth Park" in Masterton. It has a lovely lake too, with ducks, swans and geese. And grandkids paddling about! :-)

Such a beautiful pic Ciderman, makes me feel relaxed and happy to be alive despite the atmosphere in the world being so tense and dangerous. Thanks.xx

Lovely autumn co!ours. If today's temperature here is anything to judge by, Lincolnshire has skipped both summer and autumn this year and is now heading rapidly back to winter.

So Pleased someone else is admiring Cidermans pics, they are so beautiful. My Mum and Dad were set to emigrate to NZ in the 50's, unfortunately at the last minute my Mum was taken ill and we couldn't go,

Good heavens, Dita; that's so strange! My parents were packing up to go to NZ in 1955 under the £10 assisted fare scheme. My father had relatives in the Wellington area and we were going to stay with them to begin with. It all changed when my mom got pregnant with my kid sister. She'd previously had several miscarriages so was reluctant to leave her doctor and her own mother to set off across the world. After my sis was born, life had moved on in all sorts of ways so I grew up a yellerbelly, not a kiwi!

My parents were going under the same scheme as yours Andere but it was Christchurch, in fact some friends who went at that time fly over each year to visit family and always call and see me too. Can completely understand your Mums anxiety at going at that particular time. That's another thing in common, as you know I have very strong connections with Gainsborough too.

My dad's naval career took me to NZ in 1952, when I was 12, (after 2 years in Bermuda and 6 months in New York). At the end of his time on loan to the RNZN it coincided with a commission period so he had to sign on or go back to UK. We all loved it here so he opted out.

That's the desirable way to make permanent changes - time to find out whether or not you like it before you make a final decision. Obviously, it all worked well for the Ciderman household. I sometimes wonder if it would have done for us or not. OH pointed out recently that, if I'd been in NZ, we wouldn't have met and, if we hadn't, our daughter wouldn't exist ..... I find it difficult to get my head round that notion!

My father wanted to migrate to Australia before WW2 but my mother didn’t want to leave her family. When we went to catch the boat train from London to Southampton, mum stopped us at the station and said, if any of you don’t want to go to Australia then tell me now and we will go home again. The railway official on the gate said, Gee Mrs, you’ve left it a bit late. My father took the view that we were not leaving home, we were going home.

I love this time of the year CD - beautiful during the day but not too hot to sleep at night. We have some lovely gardens close to us, too. They are the E. G. Waterhouse Camellia Gardens in honour of an expert in Camellias. There are hundreds of different camellias, azalias, rhododendrons, Wisterias as well as many other bedding plants. A colony of bats have made their home there as well as ibis, parrots and ducks. With lots of children’s play equipment, barbecues and picnic tables together with a Teahouse it is a lovely spot throughout the year.

http://www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/O ... gbah-South

That looks beautiful LM! Our one is called Queen Elizabeth Park similar even down to the public BBQ that anybody can use. :-)

It certainly looks a great place to visit, can imagine my Camellias,& Azalais would look very anemic at the side of what is there.

Michael, your park looks beautiful and Hazel, your park too.
What a coincidence, Dita and Andere, both of your families having been on the brink of emigration in the fifties. We discover new bits of history from each other all the time, through the Rowan Tree.