Easter Sunday morning walk

I woke early enough for a walk just as the sun was rising this morning.

 It meant that there was that special early light on some of the buildings I passed. Usually there are lots of cars in the carpark in front of the supermarket, but this morning there was nothing to distract from the building frontage.

This unpretentious looking building in Palmy has been important as a 'nesting' place for many developing young band musicians. The Council cut its funding which was most unfortunate- but I think some of it has been reinstated recently.

 When you head out for a slow morning walk, camera in hand, you tend to notice interesting bits and pieces that usually you would just pass on by. I took lots of photos of signs when I was overseas- but actually, some of the signs close to home are interesting as well!

 

There were all sorts of things to notice downtown, that I probably just walk past normally. The artwork is a small section of what is painted on the YouthSpace wall. The various pipes were on a building at the end of Lombard St. And though this bike stands have been here for a while, I don't think I have seen a bike attached before- though I am certain one must have been!

 

Most places were closed- but as I reached the downtown area, lots of cafes were opening up. It reminded me of mornings in France....

 ...which was appropriate given the nature of this cafe.

The seats at this cafe closer to home were inviting- but I hadn't brought any cash with me.

 As I passed by the closed store frontages, I was reminded that this time last year I was packing, ready to leave for Paris right after Easter. And when I arrived I took a few photos of store windows with spring/summer fashions. Here at home of course it is autumn/winter clothes that decorate the windows.

And the last photo reminds me that I am home for all of 2013, that I will see autumn pass by into the fullness of winter. It seems hard to imagine after the long warm summer we have had- but inevitably, it will come to pass!

TP 237: Grey

Carmi's theme this week is grey and I am offering two photos from a walk earlier this morning.

The sun had only just risen at the start of my walk. There were grey clouds in the sky, and grey road in front of my feet- and sandwiched in between were these white buildings.

Downtown in the Square there are these grey seats for resting your weary feet...

Free concert in Palmy sunshine

 There was a free concert in the Square in Palmy this afternoon, and everyone had to slip slop slap...

 First up was a local band Tom, that did covers, and seemed to enjoy the chance to perform for the crowd.

 Next up was 1814 band who came all the way down from Kaeo, and who played Reggae.

And the feature act was Avalanche City, who were very talented musicians, who each seemed to play a variety of instruments, and their music covered a wide range of genre, surprises with every tune.

Thanks to Destination Manawatu and all those who organised this concert- great music in the sunshine in the Square- free admission...

Autumn hues

My Saturday morning walk had an 'autumn tinge' to it if I looked hard enough!

I loved the look of the light through these large leaves on one tree- just a few leaves of autumn while all the rest of the tree was decidedly green.

There is a garden area at the Esplanade that the gardeners plant especially for the butterflies, and it was full of monarchs. Some of them had rather ragged, faded wings though, as the season changes and their lives come to an end.

In the Peter Black Conservatory- always a place for some surprising flowers- I saw these healthy looking pitcher plants. Just a week or so ago I saw David Attenborough describe how these capture their insect prey, on 'Plants'.

The intricacy of fennel flowers always fascinates me- a mathematical pattern that goes on and on...

This fennel plant was by the riverside- and despite a bit of rain a week ago, the river is still quite low. We await the proper breaking of our drought.

TP236: White

Carmi's photo theme this week is White. His theme photo has a bicycle half buried in white snow- but in this part of the world we are just starting to move from a hot, dry summer into autumn. I took a walk by the Lagoon and in the Esplanade here in Palmerston North today, and collected up a few random 'white' pieces to share from the outdoors.

 When I arrived at the Lagoon there was an instant vista of white- as this over-large house was reflected in the water. I was glad its hard lines were softened by puffy clouds.

Walking along the edge of the Lagoon there were wisps of another kind- little downy feathers.

 

 Before I left I spent some time cloud-gazing. It reminded me of the idle hours I had spent doing this as a child, when imaginary creatures seemed to jump forward in the sky so very easily.

 I was nearly ready to leave the Lagoon when I spied a flash of white on a small island, some distance away. This photo was on zoom and isn't very clear, but it was a shag drying its wings.

 Next I went to the Esplanade. The 'butterfly' beds were full of apricot-hued dahlias, and the monarch butterflies were there in profusion. But amongst all the fiery hues was this icy white dahlia, playing host to bees.

 The conservatory as always had some surprising blooms- an in keeping with the white theme I took a photo of this one.

I finished walking beside the river, enjoying the sight of these fine weather cumulus clouds that still seem to say 'summer'. It's nice to know there will be another fine day for the weekend tomorrow- though I know we are desperate for rain...

Summer's End

On a walk downtown this morning, I saw some of the dryness of recent months, then also some early signs that autumn is arriving, and that this golden summer won't last forever...

 

These two photos are from the school near my place. 

Not much 'green' on this playground for the children at present.

And though there is cloud around this morning, the sky still has a deep summer blue.

The forecast was actually for 'showers' this morning- such a novelty- but they never arrived. The closest we got was some grey cloud that came and went as I walked. Here it looks a little 'threatening' behind St Pat's Cathedral- but it never led to any rain.

I took this photo 'just because' I loved the formations of these bushes.

And here are the signs of autumn arriving....

 some acorns in a gutter 

 some leaves starting to change colour on a tree

and a leaf already fallen...

TP 235: Letters and Numbers

I haven't done one of Carmi's themes for a while, but here is one for the most recent one, which is letters and numbers.

All of these photos were taken on a walk downtown this morning here in Palmy. First one was in the playground at Terrace End School- from the four square squares.

I surprised myself a little with what I took photos of next, as I am not a huge graffiti fan- but both the next sets of lettering amused me. Firstly there is the 'dentist' pair. The 'pain free' sign is part of the signage outside a dentist's place. Just outside the dentist's wall is this public seat, with its very own related graffiti.

Next three signs - it would usually annoy me that someone had defaced trees like this. (I guess this is down to it being Students' Orientation Week.) But this does have humour and a certain flair to it, though I hope the paint washes off with the rain. (Vain hope?) 

Of course, I saw lots of numbering for letterboxes and houses, but somehow it was this 'oldy but goody' example I wanted to photograph. The rust has more character and history than modern, pristine versions.

And just to finish, a sign with lettering that always seems quite 'out of place'. Most New Zealanders would have no idea this was a sign for an agency for rental properties...