Pohutukawa & bee

This is the iconic Kiwi Christmas tree - a blaze of beautiful red flowers which hum with the sound of hundreds of bees.

(Well actually, this may not be a pohutukawa tree as I'm not sure they grow this far south..........but it's definitely a cousin! Possibly a rata??)

Posting late following a serious problem with my computer - I've 'lost' heaps of pics including my entire 2008 folder :(

I'm trying not to get too upset/angry/frustrated.........

So far so good, although every now and then I remember a shot that was in there that appears now to have disappeared.