Queue

I couldn't believe it one morning when I was in town for a haircut. I'd parker my car down the road further and was walking past the local library when I saw a queue of people waiting outside for it to open, it's not often I see something like this.

Linking up with Weekend Reflections and the Weekend Roundup.

The Giant

This is one of our favourite shops in town. It's like a larger version of a $2 or gold coin shop where you can find items a lot cheaper than most places sell them for. A favourite thing for me to buy in here is usually incense - I like to try new kinds once in a while.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday and Tom's Signs.

ANZAC Day 2023

 

Today marks our national ANZAC Day for Aotearoa. ANZAC means Australia/New Zealand Army Corps.  Many people across the country get up early for dawn services in their towns and cities. It is always remembered on April 25th each year to pay honour to those who were in Gallipoli in the First World War and all of those who have fought in all wars and peace keeping missions. 

Photos above from the Auckland War Memorial Museum taken about 10 years ago by me.

  

These are my family heroes - lest we forget.

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

Taylorville mural

One of the few murals I've seen just out of town in the nearby suburb of Taylorville is this one on the side of what looks like a bus shelter is of a palm tree with a sunset behind it - the only information I have about it is that it was painted by someone named "Konni".

Linking up with Mural Monday.

St Barnabas Anglican Church, Peria

There are little old churches like this dotted all over the country. This one in Peria is St Barbabus church and is about 30 minutes from Mangonui. It is a category 2 on the historic places trust list and was built by the local community for the Reverend Renata Tangata who was ordained at St Paul's Cathedral in Auckland in 1867. 

By 1912 the church had become too small for the growing congregation and a new one was built to replace it which was dedicated as St Barnabas and opened by Bishop Crossley on March 26 1912 - this is the church that is there today. Information by Stuart Park - thank you.

Linking up with Weekend Reflections and the Weekend Roundup.

Diggers for sale

There's a business on the corner of this road that sells diggers and other road working equipment. Quite often we see a group of wild goats in amongst the rocks - they wander around town eating grass, last time I saw them they had some babies with them - so cute.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday and Tom's Signs.

Arnold River Dam Walk

When we first moved to Greymouth we lived for a few weeks just out of town near the Arnold Valley. This is one of the walks in this area and it is one of the nicest I have done along the river and dam.

It's roughly 2.1km and starts at the beginning where we could see some old structures that were built during the depression era.

Near the top looking out over the valley and river and is a popular area for kayakers. 

The river was originally known to Maori as Kotukuwhakaoka, the name of a chief from the north island who had followed it upstream to the lake. According to legend, the chief was attacked by a Taniwha which later became one of the 2 islands in the lake after it was killed by his son. 

 

The time of year we were there was late Autumn so there was plenty of fungi to see.

The orange markers seen throughout the walk are there to show people which way to go through the loop.

 

This little blue mushroom is hallucinogenic. It's name is Entoloma Hochstetteri aka sky blue mushroom.  

Someone had left this little painted rock near the entrance, sometimes you can find these left by people - I think it's clever.

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

Waves and sun

Another campervan with a scene painted on it spotted in a supermarket carpark recently. Not sure who painted this one but it depicts what looks like ocean, waves and sunshine. 

Linking up with Mural Monday.

Opotoki War Memorial

With Anzac Day fast approaching many New Zealanders will be attending most of the memorials around the country in respect of those from the past and present who have and still fight for our freedom. This one in Opotoki, in the Bay of Plenty was designed by Auckland architect Rupert Morton and the cenotaph was officially unveiled by the then prime minister William Ferguson Massey in 1922. It replaced a temporary one that had been originally made by returned serviceman William Jabez Newell. The plaque has names of those who fought in both the first and second world wars.

Linking up with Weekend Reflections and the Weekend Roundup.

Autumn skies and bulbs

Autumn skies are just about daily here. Looking out over my backyard I'm always happy I bought this property. The section is larger than the average property has and we see some very cool colours from the lounge window. Easter came and went here, people buying and buying chocolate eggs up large. I thought I'd splurge for once and bought myself a Baileys Salted Caramel Chocolate egg which I got stuck into on my day off but it wasn't as nice as I expected. Don't think I will bother next year.

I have been however planting quite a few bulbs for Spring. And in my vege garden I have planted a few pumpkin seeds, one which has sprouted already with flowers on it. I probably put it in the ground a bit late but I'd like to see what happens.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday and Tom's Signs.

Things of yesteryear

Sometimes when I venture into op shops it can be a bit dangerous. Recently in Reefton we popped into the local traders and I spotted this rather old vacuum cleaner. Can't say I'd buy it but I do wonder how good of a job it use to do compared to today's modern ones?

I did however buy this little Choysa tea caddy which probably was part of a promotion once upon a time. It now stores my teabags in it and will be perfect in my new kitchen.

Not many people know I have an obsession with vintage hats so when I managed to buy this one online made of faux fur - I was very pleased. I will definitely be wearing it in Winter.

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

Under the sea

Sometimes around town I see vans and campervans being driven by tourists that are covered in illustrations and murals. This one I spotted last week features what looks like an octopus and was painted by Kiwi artist Dan Mills who was born in England but has lived in Wellington, Mangawhai (my home town) and now is in Taranaki.

Linking up with Mural Monday.

Number plates

Not much to see here except number plates on cars that are parked along one of the main streets in town. I've seen some unique ones over the years including this one:

Linking up with Weekend Reflections and the Weekend Roundup.

Autumn mornings

Let's see what's been going on this week. We planted a load of Spring bulbs in between all the roses in my front garden. The vege garden is slowing down with a limited amount of tomatoes but the rainbow chard spinach is still going strong.

We applied for underfloor insulation recently as there is a scheme here which is called the Healthy Homes initiative. Every house needs to be insulated with some sort of fireplace or heat pump among other things. Ours is pretty warm as it has a fireplace, a heat pump, a DVS system and ceiling insulation but there are government grants people can apply for to cover the rest. We had a guy come around and inspect the property, it's been approved and we only have a tiny 5% portion to cover ourselves. All we are waiting for is a date it will be done.

I have been regularly getting rainbow chard from my vege garden and yesterday I bought some more punnets from Mitre 10 that they had on special - I think it was 3 x 6 packs for $12 which I thought was pretty good. I ended up buying a pack of spring onions, a pack of chinese cabbage and a pack of beetroot.

Tomorrow is the beginning of Easter for us. It is a public holiday here so most of the shops are shut - everyone gets the day off but we still get paid for it. I'm expecting today to be absolutely mad, people go bonkers because we are closed for one day. These chocolate hot cross buns have been calling to me, they are so good.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday and Tom's Signs.

A stormy day

Last week my daughter R and I met up with one of my cousins for coffee who was moving back to the North Island after living here for a few months. It was a stormy day so afterwards we drove out to one of the local marinas for a look at the waves. This one is in Cobden, a nearby suburb.

 

Can't help but enjoy the sound of the ocean when it's angry and the smell of the salty air. Linking up with Through my lens, Ruby Tuesday, Tuesday Treasures, My corner of the world and Wordless Wednesday.

Pukeko

Time for another utility box mural - this one is in Cobden, a nearby suburb was painted by artist Stacey Dunnachie saying "The design depicts 2 pukeko birds looking out for each other". If you don't know much about these birds, they are very common in New Zealand - they mostly scout around ditches and wetlands looking for scraps of food. They are coloured mostly blue and black with an orange beak and live in groups rather than by themselves.

Linking up with Mural Monday.

Man with mask

The week we were here on holiday before we moved down in January 2022 we were waiting for our flight at Christchurch airport and I was snapping random photos on my phone - back when we had to wear masks in public places. I'm not sure what he was doing, possibly looking at his phone. In the background is the cafe/bookshop with seating for people to wait.

Linking up with Weekend reflections and the Weekend roundup.