Coming Up Close

  Another photo from the Fiji archives - 5 years ago. These sculptured faces were placed among most of the gardens within the resort we stayed at. I think they show the indigenous history of the Pacific Islands. I'd love one for my garden.  Linking up with  Tuesday Treasures ,  Happy Tuesdays  and  Wordless Wednesday .

  This fish mural suddenly showed up on one of the bumps at the local skatepark yesterday. I have no idea who the artist is but it's nice to see some colour among the grey cement. Linking up with Monday Murals  and  Mosaic Monday .

  Spring has really hit here in New Zealand/Aotearoa. We are having alot more sunny warm days which means I can get outside into the garden more but we are also getting the odd rainy day. Unfortunately this photo is a wee bit blurred but this dog didn't have to wait under the entrance very long for his owner to come out of the shop in town. Thank you for the helpful hints about dealing with sciatic pain. At the moment it comes and goes - one minute it feels like it's getting better and the next it's not but so far the only thing helping is a hot water bottle. Some of the medication that has been suggested in comments is not available here. Linking up with  Weekend Reflections  and  The Weekend Roundup .

  Now that we are into late Spring, my town is starting to get more and more tourists coming in. Apparently the UK comedian John Bishop came through here not so long ago and was not impressed, I read that he was expecting a resort town which made me laugh, mind you I can understand his underwhelmed comment as Greymouth isn't exactly an attractive town although the council is trying their best to update it bit by bit. For instance, the green building to the left looks like it's art deco in age and needs a good paint but there are plenty of others around town just like this too. Linking up with  Skywatch Friday  and  Tom's Signs .

  2 more photos taken when I was on my way home from work at 8pm so no one around, shops tend to close around 6pm-ish except the 2 supermarkets we have here. It's only mid November and already I am seeing Christmas decorations in shop windows. Linking up with  Tuesday Treasures ,  Happy Tuesdays  and  Wordless Wednesday .

  My daughter R and I dropped off a load of bits and pieces to one of the local op shops last week and on the way back home we got stopped at the main road next to the Greymouth railway station while the Tranz Alpine was passing through. At the moment it seems that the carriages aren't that full but usually over Winter they are full as there is spectacular scenery between here and Christchurch. Linking up with  Weekend Reflections , the Weekend Roundup ,  Mosaic Monday  and  Shadow Shot Sunday .

  On the way home from work (I finish at 8pm) last week I stopped to take some photos of the sunset and walked up the steps to the lookout next to the town clocktower and Grey River. This is looking the opposite way over the town square which is only one side of town. This lady looked like she was trying to set up her drone next to the clock tower. And this lady also stood next to me taking some photos of the sunset too.  I have been having issues with sciatic pain this week in my lower back. It started 25 years ago when I was pregnant with my youngest, she use to sit on my tail bone. Ever since then once in a while the nerve twinges. Painkillers don't work, Voltaren emulgel isn't working, neither is deep heat, I've tried yoga stretches - the only thing I've found that relieves it is a hot water bottle on my back. If you have any suggestions please leave a comment. Linking up with  Skywatch Friday  and  Tom's Signs .

  Back in Autumn when my neighbour first bought his property next door to us he was cleaning up his backyard and gave me his rose plants that he didn't want. This photo and below are now the results of that gift - as you can see they are both blooming but I'm not sure of the name of them. I like to leave spring onions in my vege garden to attract the bees and they have been buzzing around these ones. Calendula flowers I leave in too as I plant herbs in between the vegetables for companion planting, I don't use sprays or pesticides. Spring is here. Linking up with  Tuesday Treasures ,  Happy Tuesdays  and  Wordless Wednesday .

  Photo taken about 10 years ago in Mangawhai at one of their market days over Summer. Has anyone ever tried Kombucha? I tried it once and it tasted like very sour vinegar but I love cheese (no idea who the man in the photo is though). Kombucha seems to be almost like a new age healthy thing that is supposedly good for the gut.  Linking up with  Mosaic Monday  and Shadow Shot Sunday .

  I've been going through my photos from an overseas trip to Fiji about 5 years ago and came across this one taken in the town of Sigatoka . The town now would have an approximate population of over 20,000 people and has a long history of settlement dating back to 1000 BCE when indigenous tribal chiefs occupied the area. Linking up with  Weekend Reflections  and  The Weekend Roundup .

  Still waiting for Summer here....hopefully it's not too far away but we are starting to get the odd sunny warm day so that's a start. This was taken last year around this time when we had plenty of sunshine in Hokitika one day we were there.  Summer is a good time for bikers to be going on journeys and for having lunch outside cafes. Linking up with  Skywatch Friday  and  Tom's Signs .

  Photo taken outside my work around 8pm so not many people around So at last we are having warmer weather, just slightly. The weekend came and went very quickly, we ended up with sun and spent the day outside in the vege garden, doing more work to the chicken coops and enjoying drinks on the deck. My son and his family live in Auckland and according to him they have had 35 degree temperatures. Ours is on average 15 degrees during the day -_- But...we have come to a definite decision. We have decided that within the next 3-4 years we will be moving back to the North Island mostly because both B and I have family up there and being in the South Island is just too far away especially when my only grandchild lives in Auckland which is like 2 planes trips away. We aren't exactly sure where to look as it depends on what we sell this property for once the renovations are complete and what we can buy with it but we are hoping to be mortgage free. So far we are eyeing up towns such as Whan...

  It's that time of year again. I waited at our local VTNZ (Vehicle Testing New Zealand) to get a fresh warrant of fitness for my car which is a 2012 Mazda Demio. It's one of those good reliable cars that is very economical petrol wise. A warrant of fitness is something that every car in the country has to get yearly so I go to this one in town to get them to check mine over and they put a sticker on the front right side of the windscreen saying all is safe with an expiry date on it. It's a very popular place and had people constantly coming and going while I was waiting.

  Photo taken in Auckland City - November 2024 I think every person in New Zealand is looking forward to Summer. Last year over Spring it rained just about every day. This year we've had big dumps of rain at least once a week. Roll on warmer weather. Halloween has come and gone here, we usually don't have trick or treaters as we live just out of town so it was a very quiet night. Linking up with  Weekend Reflections , Shadow Shot Sunday  and  The Weekend Roundup .