Terraces

The Manawatu Gorge road has been blocked by a huge slip for months now, and it will be months before it re-opens. You can catch a glimpse of the slip-face from the first lookout when you climb up on the Gorge walking track.

Contractors have been cutting a series of terraces into the hillside to improve its stability, but today was the first time I have been able to see signs of that from the lookout. They are now down to bench 4 or 5...

Akitio Beach Road Trip

Today I decided to take a little 'road trip' over to Akitio beach on the east coast. Though I've explored some of the other beaches and settlements in this area-  eg Porangahau, Herbertville, Pongaroa- I have never before made it down to Akitio.

I fell in love with Akitio Beach as soon as I arrived there. The pohutukawa were in the early stages of flowering right on the beach front- the flowers seem late this year after a grey November. I don't think anything shouts out 'summer' quite so loudly as pohutukawa by the sea.

It was a lovely beach to visit, with a peaceful, relaxed 'feel' to the settlement, and I must go back there sometime soon with my tent and stay a night. It is quite 'far away', and you have to travel on narrow, windy, hilly roads to get there, so even though it is peak holiday season, it wasn't too busy. There were quite a few people fishing, and boats were being taken in and out of the surf by tractors, (including some very ancient ones.) As I walked along the beach, I kept meeting friendly, relaxed people, keen for a chat. All very pleasant and low key.

The whole journey there and back was through a part of rural New Zealand we tend to call the 'heartland', and several times I met up with a 'traffic jam' along the road. It seems that this is a busy time of year for sheep farmers, getting their sheep into the shed for shearing etc.

I came home via the rural town of Eketahuna- and this lovingly knitted nativity scene was in the information centre.

And outside the information centre, was quite the largest Kiwi I have ever seen. Remarkable!

359: Summer Christmas

 

For all my northern hemisphere friends, here is a little taste of a summertime Christmas :-)

358: Christmas Eve

 

Waiting for the arrival of the Christ Child at Midnight Mass

St Pat's, Palmerston North

356: Santa & Rudolph

 

While out driving in rural Manawatu this morning I spied Santa out gallivanting with Rudolph. I suppose they were checking out which houses had chimneys or not, ready for the Great Delivery in a couple of nights time.

344: Pipe bands

Each year in December there is a Pipe Band contest in the Square. I always like wandering through when it's on, and listening to all the goings-on. This is a local group of mainly young ones, getting ready for their performance.

And just because I am getting to the end of Project365- a bonus shot- this time of an older band preparing their way...

340: Art Expo

There's a wonderful event at school this week: the Art Expo. All our parents, grandparents, locals and anyone at all who is interested can come along to see it in the Hall. Floor to ceiling art. Magnificent. Here's a peak at our little New Entrant corner.

337: Christmas in the Square

It's Christmas in the Square here in Palmy today. The Red Cross Fair was on this morning, and later on will be the Santa Parade and Carols. Then they will light up the tree for the season.

332: for paper chains

Even when you have been teaching as long as I have, you still get ideas from all over the place. Another teacher's four year old daughter at day care brought home a poem with 25 paper chains attached, made out of Christmas gift wrap paper, to count down the December days until Christmas. Soooo, today we have been learning all kinds of things about 25, to help us count the 25 paper chains we will make tomorrow. And here is the Christmas gift wrap paper we will make them with...

329: celebration

There was a celebration this evening- for some young teachers and some retiring teachers. 

323: something's coming...

I wandered downtown for a walk at lunchtime today, and saw the local MP, Iain Lees-Galloway, electioneering in the Square. Not long to go now. This time next Saturday I will probably already have voted...

Wellington Adventure

In the recent school holidays I had a little adventure with my two young nieces. Here are just a few tidbits from the waterfront- such a great asset to be enjoyed by everyone these days.

 There are many and varied sculptures to see as you walk by.

 This was a view from Te Papa over part of the harbour and a nearby marina.

The girls were especially fascinated by the way this artist was making a sand sculpture for Diwali, in a tent next to Te Papa. We watched for ages, and they probably would have gladly stayed a lot longer watching him.

I know when a friend from Vancouver went walking in the city with me a while back,
she was fascinated by the buildings.

 A yacht in the harbour- and there were kayaks not far away from it.

Part of the mooring for a historic vessel being restored.

287: Sculptured All Black

This statue - Solace in the Wind- by the sea near Te Papa in Wellington is usually naked- but he seems to have acquired some All Blacks clothes ahead of the RWC semi-finals...

RWC in Palmy

We have just a few days to revel in the excitement of local games for the Rugby World Cup here in Palmy- but we have made the most of them!

On Wednesday before the Georgia-Romania game, there was a roadshow in the Square, with lots of "bouncy castles' for people to have fun doing their rugby thing on. 

Plus there was a concert, and The Nerines were one of the bands on stage-

 with my godson on lead guitar

 

and his bro on the drums...

Yesterday afternoon there was another free concert in the Square. A local group did the warm-up honours at the start, and these local kids were having fun jiving in the aisles.

Then Hollie Smith performed with her own special sound...

 and Dave Dobbyn came last, a superb performer, much beloved by the crowd.

This morning I woke to hear heavy rain on the roof for the day of the Argentina/Georgia game.  But by the time I emerged from swimming lengths at the Lido it was warm and sunny, and hopefully the showers will hold off for the game...

 

I was struck by the contrast of posters as I headed towards the Square. I would have used this as my 365 photo for today, except that the Argentinians were all so lively in the Square!

 Some Argentinian supporters- I've got their photo and they've got mine!

 

And many thanks to this young lad who was kind enough to pose for me...

 I presume this group were being interviewed for Argentinian TV...

 These guys didn't exactly bring along a diminutive version of their flag!

 This guy was wearing a Brazilian flag, but he was made welcome by the blue&white flag bearers!

Just missed the posed shot here- local police were kind enough to pose with some Argentian supporters beside an Argentinian bus...

275: Argentinian Fans

Loud and Proud! Here are some Argentinian fans in the Square this morning, en route for the game that has now started at Arena Manawatu against Georgia :-) We were consigned to have only two minor games in Palmy for the RWC- but that hasn't stopped us having a party for a few days!

274: Dave Dobbyn

 

Lovely spring day for a wonderful free concert in the Square here in Palmy today. Headline act was Dave Dobbyn whose music was superlative. First time I have heard him live.

Just as well I got this photo when I did. People at the front in the part of the crowd I was in stood up- no more view. Creeps.

197: Downtown

There was all sorts of excitement downtown today. There was even a Flash Mob in the Plaza. Yeeeeehhhaaaaah. Manawatu Community Choir. And then outside the Downtown Complex, there were Japanese drummers from IPC doing their thing as I walked past... After a very frosty start to the day, everyone was just hanging around, enjoying the sunshine, and the entertainment.

155: Posters

It is quite dreary outside this morning- no sun- bare trees- looks like winter. So it was good to see this cheerful lot of posters that promise some varied winter entertainment.

Wellington Zoo

I had a visit to Wellington recently- to go and see the touring Andrew Lloyd Webber show- which was just superb. I am still singing Love Changes Everything...

 

I took the opportunity to do a few other things- eg visit the Wellington Zoo, and be a 'big kid' for a couple of hours. 

These monkeys were very entertaining to watch. One had obviously found a 'food tube' that the keepers must have hidden, and the others were trying their polite best to get some of the contents...

 This pelican seemed completely used to visitors snapping its portrait.

 This lion had been roaring loudly just before I reached its enclosure- then all went quiet and it appeared to be doing what lions do best- sleeping.

The giraffe was hanging about outside its night-cage while the keeper cleaned things out.

 It seemed to be awfully slobbery when its head came close...

At The Nest they operate behind glass and  you can ask questions of the assistant. Here they were putting a pin in the leg of a pukeko whose leg was broken.

 The most worrying adventure of the day was having to get from the Zoo to the waterfront area, find a park, and not be late for the Show at 1.30pm. I thought I had it all sussed with my GPS unit, but I must check its settings before I return to Wellington: it said it couldn't design me any route as it said there were carpooling lanes... However, I made it anyhow, and had time to visit my male friend overlooking the harbour.

There is always so much to see on the Wellington waterfront- I love the poetry in various spots. So long as it's a nice day, you could spend hours exploring here. I'll be back...