Gateway Vineyard

The sun is rising earlier and earlier. By the time I and the dogs had walked to the southern end of the Gateway Vineyard early this morning the sunshine was still golden and casting interesting shadows on the hills in the distance. We were blessed with blue skies most of the day and missed out on the horrendous weather that was blasting through Christchurch to the south and across the Cook Strait to Wellington in the north. The Cook Strait ferries were cancelled for most of the day due to nine metre swells. Apparently heavy seas were crashing over roads and the railway line to the Hutt Valley. Thus trains were also cancelled.
In the meantime, here in Marlborough we enjoyed the sun, albeit the southerly wind change made for a gentle breeze and cooler temperatures. We are expecting frosts overnight so no doubt the frost fans in many vineyards will be action-ed to protect the new growth appearing on some varieties of vines. It is amazing how different the weather can be not far away from us here in Marlborough.
By the way, the mystery tree of yesterday's image turned out to be an Acer negundo...one of the maple family but commonly known as a "Box Elder"