It's the law!

I usually walk past this Auto Electrical business most mornings and this mural is on this side of the building next door which faces their carpark. I've wondered what it has to do with them and then last week I worked out it's there because the other side of the building is owned by a lawyer's office. I think I was a bit slow off the mark there.

This mural was painted by an artist called Shasa Bolton who lives in Tasmania, Australia but is from Kerikeri, where we are - he is a design engineer. 

Hope your weekend has been good. Stay safe, kia kaha.

Linking up with Monday Murals.

Taumarumaru Scenic Reserve

A few days ago I posted about our visit to Rangikapiti Pa site in Mangonui, this one is also another of the same but instead it's been renamed "Taumarumaru Scenic Reserve" and it's located in Cooper's Beach (Doubtless Bay).

There were suppose to be terraces and storage pits but large areas of the land was covered in scrub and weeds so apart from the walking track and miles of long grass the only thing to see was the coastline, but we definitely weren't complaining about that.

This one was a bit more of a walk than the last one, several hills to climb but worth the views on the way up.  This reserve doesn't just have 1 pa site it apparently has 3 which had historical significance to the Ngai Awa and later Ngati Kahu people. 

 It is 22ha in size and was purchased by the Crown in 1984 for public enjoyment, people are allowed to bring their dogs as long as they are on a leash.  This was the view over the coastline from the top looking towards the Mangonui and Hihi Beach area.

Looking over the other side this is the view over Cooper's Beach and Taipa.

The top track lead either way to either straight down or another one here lead down to a pristine beach with golden sand.

Once we were down there it was nice to paddle in the cool water. We get fairly mild winters up here so you can still sit on a beach and enjoy the sun when it's out.  Since we visited here on a Monday we were pretty much the only ones around.

Stay safe where you are, kia kaha.

The old Pahi Wharf

In the Kaipara region, where we use to live about 45 minutes away is the tiny holiday town of Pahi (pronounced Par-hee) situated at the end of the peninsula at the Kaipara Harbour. It is one of the settlements established by the early settlers known as the "Albertlanders" with the nearest town being Paparoa.  The wharf is kind of an icon in these parts and is popular with many tourists, locals and fishing people.

From my research it looks like the original wharf was completed in 1881 with repairs in 1909 but sadly was demolished in the 1960s by a Navy blasting team on a training exercise. On 19 January 1987 the new wharf was opened by then prime minister David Lange built at a cost of $4000 by local residents. These days it is managed by the Pahi Regatta Committee.

Before roads were constructed in the area, dozens of boats would arrive from Helensville in the south bringing Aucklanders and from many farms around the region. As mentioned above, every year the Pahi Regatta is held which was first begun in 1887 and involves a community event of launch races, kayak contests, runabout races and and outboard powered bathtubs - a fun family day.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday.

A visit to Rangikapiti Pa

Road trip time! Yesterday the other half and I drove out 45 minutes to Mangonui to visit 2 historical Maori Pa sites. This was one of them - Rangikapiti Pa which was a significant site for the Ngati Kahu tribe and their ancestor Moehuri who made land fall here in his canoe.

There are amazing views over the Mangonui Harbour, terraces which were used for gardening and housing with defensive ditches around the mountain. It was extremely windy when we were standing on top so it must've been very fortified with fences for protection.

This monument was placed here in 1880 and gives tribute to what once was as well as the longitude, latitude and sea level.

Apart from some pohutukawa, most of the reserve is covered in regenerating manuka while the rest is covered in grass. This was an easy walk up hill that took us about 10 minutes and from the other side of the pa we had views over Coopers Beach and Doubtless Bay.

Here's an idea of what it would've looked like. Stay safe - kia kaha.

Linking up with Our World Tuesday and My Corner of the World.

Slushed puppy

As part of Mural Monday I've included this campervan I spotted behind the local shops over lockdown. I suspect this one is part of the Wicked Campers franchise who have been very controversial with the way their vans have been illustrated on the outside, some have been reported as being quite offensive - this one seems to promote Vodka.

The words "slushed puppy" is a term of reference as being like "sloshed" or "tipsy" and nothing to do with dogs. Inside the van there is usually enough space for a bed, toilet and sink known here for people who like to "freedom camp", something that is not well liked by many kiwis.

What I found funny though was that one of their vans is painted in the style of the Scooby Doo "Mystery Machine" - anyone of my generation and older will remember that one 😁

Stay safe. Kia kaha. Linking up with Monday Murals.

A walk through nature

This weekend we have my sister staying, she has come up for a visit so yesterday I showed her one of our nature walks we have here. There are about 9 waterfalls around Kerikeri in total so we thought we would see the river waterfall.

 

The walk in total is about 20 mins along an easy track with Kawakawa trees just about everywhere and the leaves can be used in a healing balm.

 

Some nice fungi I found on one of the old logs and because there are Kauri in the forest, near the entrance is a cleaning station where you have to scrub your shoes and spray a disinfectant on them. This is to prevent Kauri dieback disease which has affected many trees in NZ.

This is the waterfall once we got to it, we couldn't walk down to the edge as it was too slippery.

This is us both, we don't really look alike. I take after my dad, she takes after mum. Anyway we are due to spend the rest of the weekend and most of next week with heavy rain.

Stay safe. Kia kaha

A big hiccup

We have been cruising along here, people are been quite happily getting out and about feeling the freedom. I've seen friends and families shopping and enjoying coffees and local cafes - all of which is good for businesses.

Unfortunately 2 days ago we heard a news story that 2 people coming in from the UK had been given compassionate leave to attend a funeral, they were allowed to leave before the end of the supposed compulsory 14 day quarantine and hadn't been tested. By the time they got to their destination they had a test done which came back positive - I'm feeling quite angry about the stuff up as is alot of other people.

It's been said today that apparently they didn't travel by car without stopping, they got lost, had to phone an acquaintance to come and help them after which they gave this person a hug and a kiss. We are all hoping like hell here it's not going to be the start of another cluster as well have been more than 2 weeks covid free...until now.

Edited to add: Yesterday we had another person who arrived from Pakistan has also tested positive and is in quarantine. sigh.

But we have been keeping busy in our own routines. We have had Spring roses coming into my work so I will be working extra days to repot them, there's about 1000 but I don't mind.

And I made my family a custard cake, I've made these before but this one was a new recipe - link here. I try to do a spot of baking once in a while like shortbread or muffis etc - this one was quickly approved.

Hope you've had a good week. Linking up with Skywatch Friday.

St Francis de Sales and All Saints Church

This is one place that's kinda special to me because of family connections. The St Francis de Sales and All Saints Church in Devonport, Auckland looks like one grand austere old lady.  Between 1890 and 1900 the Catholic population in town doubled and the first church on this site was a former mortuary chapel barged across the Auckland Harbour from the historical Symonds Street Cemetery to be resited here in 1893. This particular suburb was first settled by colonists in 1840 and is one of the first colonial settlements in Auckland and the first on the North Shore.

St Leo's school opened across the road in 1893 and by 1904 the church was enlarged for 200 parishioners. Father Michael Furlong who was the parish priest from 1905 to 1962 sold his own property to finance the current church, above which was built in 1919. 

My mum on the right with her twin on their confirmation day in the 1950s.

Interestingly enough my mother and her siblings were raised in Devonport and attended St Leo's school and this church as they were growing up, in fact when my grandmother passed away in 1996 her funeral was held here because they were all Catholics until the last 5 years of her life when she became a Christian.  Mum has said she remembers the nuns at school being very strict and not very kind to the children.

Linking up with Our World Tuesday and My Corner of the World.

End of the week...

Each day while I've been out walking I've tried to take a different photo of what I see.  Day 1: A hedge of Camellia trees.

Day 2: This Marae at the local high school. The Whare Hui is at the main entrance - it is the focal point of Maori culture at the school and the place for the frequent powhiri welcoming visitors.

Day 3: This echevaria I spotted sitting by itself on an old log next to someone's woodland garden. 

Day 4: The car on the right I saw outside a local dentist business.

Day 5: A carpet of Tibouchina petals lining a walkway where the tree branches were hanging over the fence.

Day 6: We have this large lemon tree in our backyard and one thing I know is that having fresh lemons over Winter is a big win!