Totems + Milk

On our recent re-visit to the Symonds Street Cemetery right next to the Jewish section is this mural painted on the side of an old building. Named "Totems + Milk" it was painted by artist Reuben Winter who sadly was successful in committing suicide in 2020 with the dates "1994 - 2020" signifying his birth and death. 

Young Reuben suffered from chronic pain and fatigue illness, he also worked with many influential New Zealand artists. Such a talented young man will I'm surely be well missed.

Linking up with Mural Monday.

Karangahape Rocks

I've been wanting to take a photo of this sculpture for ages, when I lived in Auckland many years ago I wasn't really interested in it but now I think it's just so weird and unusual. Here's what I found out about it:

Greer Twiss's bronze 'Karangahape rocks' (1967–69) sits in a park on the corner of Auckland's Karangahape Road and Symonds Street. It is a water fountain but the flow is modest – Twiss had the water trickle gently down the grooves in the large discs so it would not spray out in high winds. The water feature broke down in the late 1980s and was only repaired in 2012. 

It's like a focal point where it's located, at an intersection of Grafton Bridge and is easily seen if anyone is sitting in their car at the traffic lights. Greer is the Godfather of contemporary sculptures, for more than 50 years he has made them, exhibited, been collected, been commissioned, taught, been reviewed and written about. He has also been a pioneer of cast metal here in New Zealand and has also held exhibitions overseas.

 Linking up with The Weekend Roundup and  Weekend Reflections.

In the clouds

This is the main highway between Taupo and Napier, we drove up through mountains so high that it felt like we were driving in the clouds. 

Lots of Autumn colours and a bit of a drop in a cooler temperature, apparently the road use to be a very windy gravel one that took alot longer, B remembers being in the car with his parents in the 1960s and 1970s when they lived in Whakatane and had to drive to Napier to visit his grandad.

 

All up it took us about 90 minutes for the drive when it use to take at least 2 hours or more before this part of the road was made.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday and Timeless Thursdays.

Always a risk

In most regions and towns here are these signs warning people of how high or low the risk of a fire is. Usually in Summer most of the country enforces a fire ban which means you can't light fires at all including incinerators and outdoor fire pits etc. Because we are now in Autumn the risk starts to get lower and the fire ban comes off around March - this photo was taken in Taupo last week while we were out for a walk.

Linking up with Our World Tuesday, Through my lens, Tuesday Treasures, Travel Tuesday, My Corner of the World and Wordless Wednesday.

The eyes have it

Looking back on the last year or so. April 2020 we were smack bang in the middle of lockdown here in New Zealand. B who is an essential worker was the only one working full time, myself and my 2 adult children were stuck at home unemployed and boy was it frustrating financially. Luckily I found some old dvds that were in our television cabinet so I managed to binge watch those for the 6 weeks. We are pretty fortunate and lucky here that our country is in such a good place health wise, we have our freedom as well which is pretty important if you ask me. Last week both our government and the Australia government entered into a travel bubble so people flying between the two countries could do so without having to quarantine so many people have been snapping up tickets, I wonder how long it will last?

Last week we were on holiday in Taupo, to my delight there were numerous murals around the town. This one is like the eyes are watching. Painted by Xoe Hall this one is part of the "Graffiato" Taupo Street Art Festival which is celebrated every year on Labour Weekend (last weekend of October for us).

Linking up with Mural Monday.

Volcanic Kerosene Creek

While we were in Rotorua last week B took me to this spot called Kerosene Creek, he use to live in the city and Taupo many years ago. It's like a watering hole/swimming spot off the beaten track that isn't well known. When we were there we only saw a mum with her children and a couple with their dog enjoying the hot geothermal water. There is geothermal activity all over Taupo and Rotorua so this is probably one of many natural heated streams. We didn't have our swimming stuff with us so we just walked the track. Enjoy the photos.

 Linking up with The Weekend Roundup and  Weekend Reflections.

Time to cross

We were driving through Mount Eden, a suburb in Auckland earlier this week. There are a lot of old buildings in this city that were built near the turn of the 20th century, what I like is that there are so many that are still being used today instead of being pulled down. 

In 1840 having settled upon Auckland as the site of the capital for the new colony Governer William Hobson secured a 3000 block of land for the government. It was purchased from local chiefs and included the northern part of the suburb of Mt Eden. The following year a 13,000 acre block was purchased by the crown. Once surveyed and divided the land was subsequently offered for sale and gradually the trappings of colonial life grew upon the landscape. 

Linking up with Skywatch Friday and Timeless Thursdays.

Classic cars around Taupo

 

 

 One thing I noticed last Saturday while we were in Taupo is that there were alot of classic cars parked in town, I'm wondering if there was a show on. I just love the look of these, so beautiful.

 Linking up with Our World Tuesday, Through my lens, Tuesday Treasures, My Corner of the World and Wordless Wednesday.

Gasp! Ice cream mural

While in Taupo earlier this week this was the first mural I spotted on the side of a building. Painted by GASP (Graffiti Art Sign Painting) it's very colourful and has a sort of retro feel to it.  This was part of the Graffiato Walking Tour during the Street Art Festival.

Linking up with Mural Monday.

Kamokamo and Kumara

 Another street/shop view in Kaikohe - this time it's a corner shop that sells vegetables. This one has signs selling Kumara for in $3 packs and Kamokamo in $20 packs. If you are unfamiliar with Southern Hemishere vegetables I'll do my best to explain what these 2 are. 

Kamokamo is kind of like a type of Squash or Butternut, it is  like a pumpkin - it's very yummy whatever way it's cooked, I like to add it to either Winter soups or a Roast Pork/Chicken dinner. Kumara is like a type of sweet Potato and is used in much the same way but it was bought here over 1000 years ago by early Maori settlers from the Pacific Islands. 

Worth trying if you can. 

Linking up with Timeless Thursdays, Skywatch Friday, The Weekend Roundup and  Weekend Reflections.