Springvale, Wanganui, NZ - My new Neighbourhood - you can tell that I have a fascination with palm trees. The gardens are spectacular. Everything is so tidy. I felt badly when Tess made a bit of a mess and I wasn't prepared with a bag so I had to go back and fix the situation so the neighbourhood would remain "neat as a pin". I know NZanders would probably shudder at this statment but I feel like I am back in the 1950's and I love it. There are also images here of ducks eating apples fallen on the ground under an orchard. I love the rural places so I gravitate towards them. I must miss our acreage. I also like the gardens that are innovative. I've started noticing where the industries are that belong with the cars and trucks parked in the suburbs. Amazing what you learn just walking to work and observing. My first day as I was falling to sleep I felt the house settling only to find out the next day that there had been an earthquake [3.5 on the Richter scale]. The Maoris say the earthquakes are an island that is trying to be born.