Granity Band Rotunda

In towns we visit I like to take photos sometimes while B is driving of things I see along the way. Last year when we took my parents to Westport we visited Granity which is on the outskirts of town. I like old historical buildings and noticed this old band rotunda. I can't find much about it but normally these were made around the turn of the 19th/20th century to honour military in the wars and so military band members could play their instruments on important days. Many towns around the country have these, there is also one in Westport and one in Greymouth.

We've been enjoying a very hot dry Summer so far and although we've had the odd bout of rain, water restrictions are still applying. Auckland and Northland have unluckily had storms and floods including one this week that started at a category 3 cyclone and ended with a category 2 - 5 being the highest. We can count ourselves lucky that we moved to the South Island just in time last April. Climate change, as people call it seems to have it's own mind about what it does.

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

Grace Brothers

We have 2 new chickens, both black ladies. If any of you are familiar with British comedy tv shows you will recognize the names we have given them. This one is named Miss Brahms. And this one is named Mrs Slocombe. At the moment we have them in a temporary shelter next to the Special Patrol Group that we've had for the last 9 months just so they can get to know each other before we intigrate the black ones in with the brown ones. These ones give us a white coloured egg whereas the brown shavers give us brown coloured eggs. Linking up with Tuesday Treasures , Happy Tuesdays and Wordless Wednesday .

Auckland Metropolis Museum

In amongt the modern new highrise buildings in Auckland City is this smaller vintage building that is currently for sale (I'd buy it if I had the money). My research found that: "It was designed by English-born architect Charles Towle and erected in the early 1930s as the Church of Christ, Scientist, the building's Graeco-Roman facade has towering columns that frame its impressive entranceway, with three ornate timber doors decorated with leadlight inserts providing access to the expansive foyer. Arched ceilings dominate the former congregational high stud space beyond the foyer and numerous picturesque windows provide a light, airy feel and an ambience many office buildings lack. The building housed congregational and Sunday school services for 70 years until it was sold and converted into office space in 2003. A significant refurbishment was also carried out with care taken to ensure that the building's distinctive character remained intact. Special architectural ...

Westland Explorer's Monument

In the nearby town of Hokitka (half an hour away) is the cemetery with this monument near the entranceway. It commemorates 4 men who lost their lives between 1863 and 1866 ; George Dobson - road engineer, murdered in 1866 Charlton Howitt - explorer, drowned in Lake Brunner 1863 Charles Townsend - drowned at Greymouth (probably in the Grey River) 1863 Henry Whitcombe - surveyor, drowned in the Taramakau River in 1863 Construction of the memorial started 1868 and the railings were added in 1869. Linking up with Mosaic Monday .

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