Man-made walking sights

Today I headed out on the Turitea Walkway again- this time 'backwards' from the Old West Rd carpark, then uphill through the Massey campus back to my car. On the way I took a few photos of things that were 'man-made'...

This decaying old fence-post always seems to catch my eye.

 I realised that I seldom see the 'beauty' in power pylons- but with sunshine and blue skies behind it, this small pylon also caught my eye today.

 I always enjoy noticing how shadows fall, and how they change through the day. I loved the way the shadow from these fence posts enlivened the path this morning!

 Then there was this woman-made shadow as I crossed one of the pedestrian bridges over the Turitea Stream. It reminded me of some of the obligatory 'shadow photos' I took on the Camino in 2008!

 It's very pleasant walking up through the Massey campus. You can make a toilet stop or sit or have a snack-break on a seat. There are not many students back for the year yet so it is almost too peaceful on the concourse.

There are lots of buildings to walk past of course, some a bit ugly. But even this ugly one surprised me with the wonderful reflection in its windows!

Ten Week Countdown

Today most people I know are back into the teaching year -whether for a Teacher Only Day or the New Class- while I still have lots of time to 'please myself'. Regardless, the start of the school year has really galvanised my thinking, as it makes my departure date very concrete! It's just over 10 weeks before I leave for Paris and my walk from Cluny, and the school term of 10 weeks seems to provide the perfect 'number' for a countdown.

I've already walked many of the nearby hills, so I keep trying to find ways to put variety into my training. Today I decided I'd walk the Turitea Walkway uphill from Massey, but as a variant I would start near the bridge and cross the river first. Then, instead of my usual combo of city walkways from Old West Rd, I decided I'd turn right along the road until I reached the Massey entrance, and come back downhill that way.

There was a spot of 'variety' right where I parked my car, as work is being done on the stopbanks near the bridge.

 I love the flat beginning of the track on the edge of the Massey campus, as there are bridges that cross the Turitea Stream several times. Today with the sunshine, there were some lovely reflections on the water.

Once I was out onto the more rural part of the track, I passed some of these berries. They looked quite yummy, but I had no idea what they might be, and whether or not they might be poisonous- so I had to leave them alone. They were another reminder that the season is progressing, even though we are all moaning about the mostly lousy summer so far.

When I reached Old West Rd, I had my last view of the stream as it passed under the bridge, before I headed up the road for my return journey via the Massey campus.

It was quite warm by then, so I was glad to find some sheltered seating under trees near the Massey library, and gulped down plenty of my water. It was an easy descent, and return to my car. Week 10, Walk 1, done.

335: Night time in the Square

This is now the last month of my 365 project, so a 'reflection' seems appropriate. On my way home this evening, I saw these reflections in one side of the 'butterfly' lakes in the Square.

And in case anyone is wondering, December 31st will indeed bring the end of this blog. Next year I will be walking in France, probably without too much e-mail access. But there will be a different blog for recounting it all...

325: garden ornament

reflection in a garden ornament

320: washing line

This morning the rain was absolutely hosing down. This afternoon I arrived home to see a pond of water in the backyard, and the clothesline was reflected in it...

184: Turitea Walkway

By the time I woke this morning the frost had mostly disappeared, and the sunshine and blue skies enticed me out along the Turitea Walkway. What a glorious midwinter day! 

(Some  more photos from this walk here.)

175: rain puddle

Yesterday morning it was dark and raining hard. This morning was much more pleasant, with reflections in yesterday's puddles...

170: reflections

I was downtown today in a street I am not often in, and noticed the reflection of a building on these windows.

76: Skyscraper

This skyscraper on the edge of the Square here in Palmerston North usually seems way too large and out of proportion with the surrounding buildings. But taken from this angle in the Square with trees 'beneath' it, it looks a bit softer and more human-friendly....

1: NYD-Kaikoura

 

Seagull drinking from puddle in carpark at Seal Colony, Kaikoura

I started the New Year morning by spending a couple of hours dawdling around the rock pools by the Seal Colony in Kaikoura. The tide was out and the rock pools were exposed, though only a few seals were around. I took many photographs of algae such as Neptune's Necklace, Hormosira banksii. But in the end I chose to put up this photo of a seagull. At Kaikoura, these seemed to be easy to photograph as they were so tame, very used to humans, who no doubt provided easy pickings for their daily diet.

Taken 9:08am 1.01.2011;     Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

Shutter: 1/500      Aperture: f/5.7      Focal length: 100mm      ISO: 200