Family time

 

So last week we had my parents visiting from Northland - we haven't seen them since my son's wedding last November when we were in Auckland so we spent time with them and luckily I was able to take some days off work. They arrived on the Wednesday so we took them firstly to the Hokitika Gorge - I absolutely hate heights and one of the 2 swingbridges there was being repaired so this was the only other one there.

Second place we took them was to the local Brunner mine historical site which is about 10 minutes from my house. This is the memorial statue to all the miners that perished in the 1896 disaster.

This is me with my mother at the end of the bridge, which i did cross with no problem even though it is quite high too. On the Monday morning I drove them back to Hokitika Airport to see them off. It was really nice seeing them and hopefully we will be flying up their way next year when B and I have some annual leave from work.

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

Van murals

 

Quite often in this country painted travel vans are something we see regularly. The first one I think is some sort of Maori design and not sure what the second one is, peraps something outer space-ish?

Linking up with Monday Murals.

No right turn

Taken on the corner of one of the main streets in Greymouth in late Spring 2023.

The construction across the road was when the local museum was being built. In June/July these streets will be foggy and people will be wrapped up in Winter clothes.

Linking up with Weekend Reflections, Shadow Shot Sunday and the Weekend Roundup.

Overcast

Photo taken Autumn 2024 in Westport

We are starting to get a few more overcast days here and there. Earlier this week I noticed a slight chill in the air. The Winters here tend to be dry and cold not damp and I think by April/May we will no doubt we using our fireplace a bit more. But our Autumns and Springs are usually catching up on the rain we don't get over Summer. This week much of the country, not just us is being inundated with rain. We live 5 minutes out of town so semi-rural and there is a portion of road on the way in that seems to lift up with rain and as usual the road contractors just smooth it over and relay it instead of putting drainage under it and fixing it properly. sigh.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday, All Seasons and Tom's signs.

Fishing

My parents flew home yesterday morning after visiting here for the last week so B and I drove them around town and to some other places. We also took them down to the local fishing wharf we we watched this man fishing off the rocks. He caught a baby shark while we were there and we were pleased that he threw it back in the water.

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

Pukeko

I have been meaning to get photos of this mural for ages. It features one of our birds, the Pukeko on the side of a bush shed at the Kumara Junction between Greymouth and Hokitika.

The artist is Rae Eder-Hopkinson. Pukeko is the New Zealand name for the purple Swamphen and it is believed to have come here about a thousand years ago from Australia.

These birds are commonly seen looking for food along the side of ditches, damp areas, creeks etc - they are very pretty in colour. I had to lighten these photos considerably as it was quite overcast.

Linking up with Monday Murals.

Meandering

 

There has been a great deal of tourists in town over Summer, from such countries as the USA, Canada, Netherlands, Germany, Australia, UK and China.

Linking up with Weekend Reflections, Shadow Shot Sunday and the Weekend Roundup.

Liquor free zone

 

Photo taken Summer 2025

One of Greymouth's main streets with a sign that says "liquor free zone" - many towns around the country have signs like this to discourage people getting drunk in town and being a nuisance.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday, All Seasons and Tom's signs.

Auckland's Ferry Building

 

Photo taken November 2024 on a rainy Spring day.

One of my favourite buildings in Auckland City especially also because I use to work on the 3rd floor in the late 1980s. A bit of history about it; 

It was designed by Alexander Wiseman and completed in 1912. It is a category 1 historic place that sits on the edge of Princess Wharf looking over the Hauraki Harbour. Construction began in 1909 and is made out of sandstone, brick and Coromandel Granite. Initially the building was home to the headquarters of the 2 main ferry operators in the harbour; the Devonport Steam Ferry Company and Takapuna Tramways Ferry Company. Later tenants of the building included trade unions and consulate offices. Between 1985 and 1988 (when I worked there) each floor was totally refurbished but still maintains the original features.

Photo taken the year before in Spring 2023

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

Looking

 

Yay the water restrictions are now over. My daughter R and I were in town earlier this week doing some op shopping and we walked past this couple who were waiting for the rain to stop.

Linking up with Weekend Reflections, Shadow Shot Sunday and the Weekend Roundup.

Talking

 

So strange seeing tourists in the middle of Summer wearing puffer jackets and warm clothing in 30 degree temperatures. Photo taken in January this year.

We actually got a good day of rain earlier this week and the temperatures dropped quite considerably. I was at work and wishing I'd worn a long sleeved top underneath my work shirt but I put the heat pump on for a while and that helped. Winter is on it's way...

Linking up with Skywatch Friday, All Seasons and Tom's signs.