An Auckland family's front yard has become something to admire from afar for people out on their trot around the block.
Teddy bears, big and small, are on display every day come rain or shine.
On a recent rainy day in the east Auckland suburb of Cockle Bay, the bear family and friends - 30 of them - were in their pyjamas reading in bed.
Susan Mudford was the mastermind of this gathering, one that was allowed under Level 4 restrictions.
"After the Level 4 announcement that we're going to be here a bit longer and they just want to stay in bed today, so they're just having a stay in bed and read book day," she said.
Photo: Facebook / Susan Mudford
She started the displays in March last year when the country went into its first lockdown and it was prompted by a teddy in a house window across the road.
"We put a big Ted up on the deck looking out and then each day I just added a teddy or a toy until we got up to...I think we got to about 49 in that first lockdown or something like that and it just grew."
The bears were originally gifts to her children, now grown up, and Mudford made some of them too.
Once a passer-by donated three big and medium-sized bears after seeing the displays, which she has since gifted to a refugee family and a teacher.
Photo: Facebook / Susan Mudford
As a school teacher, Mudford gets the show ready before teaching online each day.
The group hide under the roof on rainy days and are on the lawn when it's good weather.
"Normally they're up there playing on the tractor or going tramping or mowing the lawns or doing road works or up the power pole fixing the Internet. They've done a bit of skiing and snowboarding, a bit of scuba diving ... all sorts of different things," Mudford said.
She said it's a challenge coming up with new ideas every day but she enjoyed it and all she wanted to do was put a smile on people's faces.
Susan Mudford says the bears and their friends decided to have a stay in bed and read book day. Photo: RNZ / Liu Chen
"I work up there and when the children come past and some of the grownups even and you can hear them laughing and that's just really cool to hear that people are reasonably happy...
"Smile is good exercise for us and if it lifts people and their day, then that's job done."
Neighbours said everyone loves them and many would take a photo to share with family and friends.
Karl Papa was walking with his family.
"It's good, it's uplifting. It's warming and it's good to see something different every day."
Another woman who was taking a walk with her two-year-old daughter also enjoyed the displays.
Photo: Facebook / Susan Mudford
"We walked past it quite a bit, so my daughter loves it. She said when we walked past before she knows exactly the house that the bears are at."
Paul Groothuizen said he knew another woman living in the neighbourhood would take a photo and share it with her granddaughter.
"It's nice. Before in the first lockdown there was a lot of them everywhere, but I haven't seen too many this time, but this one is back again as always good. It's always interesting and they put a lot of effort into it too... it's not a little thing. Sometimes they got 10 or 20 bears. "
Mudford's husband Stuart was a big helping hand. He said his wife would get up early to stage the day's display.
Photo: Facebook / Susan Mudford
"It's good to see the joy that the community get from it, and even when I'm working outside, people go past and say how much they enjoy it," he said.
Mudford said once the city goes to alert Level 3, the teddies will start their appeal for donations for the local foodbank - last time around prompted generous help.
"Ted just puts a sign out at the gate... Last time when we did it, they were really running out. I think a lot of people are struggling right now.
"We live in an amazing community that's generous and caring. If we can do our bit and help the food bank, then that will be rewarding."
Susan Mudford and her husband Stuart. Mrs Mudford says if the displays lift people and their day then that's job done. Photo: RNZ/ Liu Chen
