Blue Ice

 

Last time we were in Franz Josef we were hoping to try this restaurant "Blue Ice" but they were closed on this particular day, shame because I'd heard they make mostly Asian style Thai food (my favourite), after looking at their menu they seem a bit overpriced, probably because this is mainly a tourist town. We ended up going to another cafe which had great food with great prices. Nice sunny Winter's day with a high of 10 degrees celsius, so quite pleasant.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday, All Seasons and Tom's Signs.

St Lukes Anglican Church

 

This church is a tiny little one down a quiet country road in Whataroa and was dedicated on 10th July 1919. 

These stained glass windows were apparently given to the church by Henry Burrough and his sister in memory of their brother Joseph Burrough who died on active service in France on 22 June 1917.

The inside is well maintained, tiny and looked after. Apparently it's still holding services each week and is under the umbrella of the Christchurch diocese.

I was surprised I could open the door as many country churches are locked. This building was put together from an unused church originally located in Goldsborough

There is no cemetery attached as there is a main one further into town along the main street.

Linking up with Through my lens, Tuesday Treasures, My corner of the world, Wordless Wednesday.

Lake Ianthe

 

Yesterday we drove out on a road trip and this place is where we stopped on the way to stretch our legs. Lake Ianthe is also known as Matahi and is located in the South Westland area. In the Summer it's popular with people for boating, water skiing and swimming.

You can always tell who the Kiwis are and who the tourists are. The man in the photo above was reading a book in the Winter sun on a picnic bench.

And these people were getting busy setting up a picnic blanket which was a little strange to me, as it was a nippy 10 degrees celsius and there was a layer of heavy dew on the grass. We were all wearing Winter clothes.

This is a view of the distance, mountains all around. The lake was originally named by a surveyor named Matthews who was inspired by a story about a well known miner named Ian who lived in the area and was named "Ian the bush rat".

ANZ

 

One of the banks in Greymouth - ANZ meaning Australia New Zealand, quite popular but not mine. Photo taken along Mackay Street on a weekday morning when most people are at work.

Linking up with Weekend Reflections and the Weekend Roundup.

Fog/Simple Pleasures #2

 

Last year in November while we were in Auckland we were on our way to visit B's sister and her husband. We drove past Kawakawa Bay, which in Summer is usually a lovely beach but this particular day it was very foggy and rainy - no one goes to the beach on a day like this, except people like me who like to look for rocks and shells to collect but we didn't stop.

Simple pleasures for this week:

• I am thankful that although with received Winter rain, we didn't get any flooding that the Nelson and Marlborough area got, some areas of Auckland even were hit by a tornado - pretty scary. Now again this weekend the Nelson area is under a heavy rain warning as is also the far north.
• I finished a couch throw blanket for B and now I'm starting on one for my favourite aunty (my mum's twin sister who has always been like a 2nd mum to me) which is going to be granny squares sewn together at the end of different colours.
• That B finished making a new house for the chickens after the old one blew over the neighbour's fence in a storm. The chickens greatly approve of their new house.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday and Tom's signs.

For the babies

 

Seen in a Tauranga cemetery about 10 years ago. It reads: For all our babies, briefly known, forever loved. 

Beautiful.

Linking up with Through my lens, Tuesday Treasures, My corner of the world, Wordless Wednesday.

Alone

 

I was walking past a cafe in Tauranga about 5 years ago when I spotted this man having a coffee alone in a cafe very early one morning. There are warmers in the background which have what looks like pies and pastries inside - us Kiwis love savoury pies.

Linking up with Weekend Reflections.

Small Pleasures #1

 

I have decided to take a leaf out of the book of Thistles and Kiwis where there is a post each week about sharing "Small Pleasures".

We had another new petrol station open up in town recently which is cheaper than the others, it's self serve and this is I think number 5.

My daughter and I had lunch with one of my cousins in Hokitika again, we try to do this regularly.

Coffee - I always ask for a large mocha.

Thermal clothes that I can wear under my uniform at work.

Fresh eggs from our chickens.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday and Tom's signs.

Ice

 

Apart from the odd fine days this has been the gist of our Winter so far. But Winter is good for going through clothes and things we no longer use. Last week my daughter and I dropped off 4 bags of items to one of our local op shops.

And last week we had days of waking up and finding layers of ice outside on our deck. So we have had to be careful not to walk on it until it melted so we don't slip over.

Linking up with Through my lens, Tuesday Treasures, My corner of the world, Wordless Wednesday.

Yellow

 

Can we call the building on the right "yellow"? I hope so. This is a photo of one of the roads around Devonport in Auckland. I use to work in this town many years ago and I vaguely remember at some point visiting this building, I could be wrong but I think it use to be a pub, there's something in the back of my memories where I vaguely remember visiting there for drinks when I was in my late teens/early 20s. I don't think it is now, we drove past it and it looked like the bottom level was now a cafe. There is a naval base in this suburb at the opposite end.

Linking up with Weekend Reflections and the Weekend Roundup.

Matariki

 

Tomorrow (Friday) is known as Matariki and it is a public holiday. The word is Maori and the meaning of it is for the star cluster "Pleiades" which signifies the Maori New Year. The name Matariki is associated with the eyes of the God Tawhirimatea and it is a time of reflection, remembrance and celebration.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday.