Himatangi Beach

Ahhh summertime- when there is time for a different little wander every day. Thursday evening I enjoyed a slow dawdle along Himatangi Beach and stayed to watch the sunset.

 I've lived in the Manawatu area for many years now- and still find it hard to believe it's possible to have so much beach to walk along, with very little company!

One of the reasons for the slow wandering today is that I had to watch out for jellyfish as I paddled in the shallow water. There weren't a lot- but there were some large ones!

We had some wild winds at the start of the week, and there was quite a bit of this 'spongey' seaweed on the beach, with whatever it was attached to- quite often the flat part of a clam shell.

There were two bits of detritus I picked up and carried to a rubbish bin at the end. There was a broken glass bottle with jagged edges that I was glad I never stood on. And I saw a young seagull curiously playing with this balloon. I was glad to retrieve it so it wouldn't be swallowed.

Then it was time to wait for sunset. These gulls seemed to be waiting too.

It was just a gentle setting of the sun this evening. The ash in the sky from the Australian bushfires, that caused so many vivid recent sunsets, has gone from our skies for now- and hopefully for those in Australia, there will not be much more of it.

Peace!

Easter Sunday

What a stunning day today for Easter Sunday- almost makes up for the many grey days of summer. There were crowds of people out on Foxton Beach enjoying the sunshine and the waves.

And for me, it was another 'farewell' for a few months. Strange to think that this time next week I will be in Paris.... It's forecast to be raining there when I arrive so don't be too jealous!

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!

361: wind turbines

Whenever I do the Manawatu Gorge walk, I always feel like I am walking in forest that is quite wide, and I feel a long way away from the everyday world. But such is not quite the case. There's an extra lookout since I was last at the Woodville end of the Manawatu Gorge walk- that gives you a view over these wind turbines. And there is a very short walk off the track to reach the viewpoint. Things are not always what they seem!

360: swimming time!

Another lovely summer's day. I've already been to the Lido for some lane swimming. Now my togs are drying off outside in the sunshine, and maybe there will be another swim later...

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.

342: peace in the courtyard

At the end of the school day, when the sun is shining, the courtyard outside some of our classrooms is a lovely peaceful spot to walk through...

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.

331: Himatangi Beach

This was the first really fine day we have had for ages and the beach was calling. The tide was really high, and I ended up with really wet trousers, but the water was surprisingly warm. Loved the walk. And it was especially good to have a day that provided an inkling that summer might truly be just around the corner- because most of November the weather has not been so good...

328: river high

The rain stopped and the sunshine finally returned this afternoon- but the river is running fast and high...
and hrmmmmphhh the forecast is for gale force winds tomorrow.

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...

284: afternoon tree shadows

Afternoon tree shadows fall on the side of St Peter's Church, Terrace End.

278: St Peter's Spring

Just over two weeks ago I posted a photo of St Peter's Church and how the springtime has advanced already. The smaller tree was still bare of leaves, and the larger one only had a thin flush of light green. The season moves on towards summer...

277: kowhai

The kowhai tree outside the classroom is coming into bloom...

268: cherry blossom

Cherry blossoms at the Esplanade- another of Palmy's secret treasures...

265: beautiful afternoon

This afternoon we had the best spring weather yet. I took this photo down by the riverside on my way home.  I was just wishing I had my new walking sandles with me to take a walk along there...

257: magnolia

I know I said I was going to try and take photos with some different themes in the remaining part of the year, but when you walk into school in the morning, and the morning sunlight is on the magnolia like this.... there isn't really any option but to take a photo!

238: Square Sunset

The sun was setting when I arrived at the Square, camera-in-hand, to look for today's 365 shot. It was a lucky coincidence that, for a few minutes, the colours of the clocktower lights matched the sunset colours in the sky. A few minutes to enjoy an unexpected bit of beauty.

201: Mt Ngauruhoe

Today I traveled north on the Desert Rd, and the volcanoes of the Volcanic Plateau were looking resplendent in their winter snow-cover. Here is a photo of one of those volcanoes, Mt Ngauruhoe.
Later I visited the thermal park of Orakei Korako- and there's a Nomad post coming about the treasures there!

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.)