86: Te Rewa Rewa Bridge

This bridge was opened last year in New Plymouth, and allows walkers, cyclists and runners to travel along the coastal walkway, over the Waiwakaio River and towards Bell Block. Even though it was a bleak day, with threatening black clouds and occasional showers of rain, lots of people were out along the route. 

One person told me I would have to photoshop the mountain in, as you could see it straight along this bridge on a good day, but I told him I had a friend who already had many 'blue sky' photos of this bridge and I had to show the other side of Taranaki weather!

85: Secret garden

I have just spent a few days at my sister's place in New Plymouth. She has a wonderful garden, with little surprises all around it. There were lots of choices for today's photo, but I chose this one as it reminded me of the little surprises in French gardens.

(I will do a Nomad posting about her garden tomorrow!)

82: What tree?

The flower spikelets on this tree had me wondering today. Seemed unusual in various ways. Not sure what the tree is, but they seem to have taken trouble to preserve it outside the council building...

Bridle Track

It was a lovely calm Sunday morning today, just right for venturing out on one of my longer cycle rides since 'the Resumption' two months ago.

It was the Bridle Track that I took- wending its way alongside the Manawatu River as it passes through Palmerston North. (They are talking about extending the track all the way along the river to Ashhurst which would be very grand indeed.)

Here you can see the bridge in the distant background. These photos make the river look awfully 'straight'- but there are actually lots of meandering windy bits. And you can see the renewed stopbanks along this section. The 2004 floods were quite a wake-up call to the city about how vulnerable we would be if the stopbanks failed.

And here is the quirky shot- logs chopped where they have been removing some pine trees:- some were shown to be dangerous in recent storms I know. (Oh and I see that is my bike lying trackside at the top of the photo- careless composition and all- but I was trying to keep my own shadow out of the frame!)

 And here are just a few more.....

monarch-butterfly-on-dahlia shots....

at the Esplanade.

 

Then it was water, apple, and a good ride home along the city streets...

79: Te Matai Rd crops

En route for the Bridle Track this morning on my bicycle, I passed these crops growing on Te Matai Rd. These soils are the most fertile ones there are near Palmerston North, having been gifted the silt on the flood plains many times.
(It's hard to believe there are some who would try and justify using this land for housing, so they can justify building a second bridge near this point. This is flood plains land, peoples.)

It was a beautiful morning, with gentle sunshine and calm: I was so happy to be out cycling.

Manawatu Estuary

Sunday morning was glorious and I drove down to the Manawatu Estuary. (The tsunami warning from the previous day had been lifted.) There are birds that migrate here for our summer all the way from Alaska, and they are nearly ready to head north again. And some birds from further south in New Zealand over-winter here.

 The ranges you can see in the background are the Tararuas.

There is a pathway that skirts the edge of the estuary and passes the nearby houses. I loved this simple bach: an old-time bach of the kind typical in my childhood.

From near where the Manawatu River entered the sea, you could see the island of Kapiti quite clearly today.

And like always here, there was plenty of birdlife to see.

I think this larger bird is an immature black-backed gull, (though it is hard for me to be sure it isn't a brown skua.)

The bird behind in this duo, with the slimmer, taller neck, is probably a young black-backed gull.

Such a precious time, on such a gorgeous day... just slowing noticing the world around...

Postscript: Last July I also visited this estuary on a glorious day. Two days later I broke my arm. Suffice it to say that last Tuesday I was a bit nervous leaving the house....but I am happy to report I am still 'intact'.

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....

74: Cathedral

Christchurch Cathedral being drawn by Russell St School children

All across New Zealand, in communities small and large,

people have been raising funds to help the people of Christchurch

who suffered such devastation in the recent earthquake. 

Today I popped into Russell St School

where they have been having 7 Days of fundraising for Christchurch. 

The children were very busy drawing a large chalk version of the Cathedral on the courts,

and there was a lovely atmosphere of collaborative purpose amongst them.

Our hearts also go to the people of Japan.

72: Gull Trouble!

At Manawatu Estuary

Spent some time this glorious morning at the Manawatu Estuary where it was low tide, and there were lots of birds to see. The smaller red-billed gulls were quite often given their marching orders by these bigger birds. Well, faced down by that big glare, wouldn't you run too?!

(I think I know what the bigger bird is, but am just checking with my ornithologist friend first in case I tell you the wrong thing!)
Final word... probably an immature black-backed gull.... my friend is not sure from the photo.... so maybe it isn't a skua....but it is still very beautiful!!

71: Seed dispersal

When I was a little girl I used to love finding dandelions
and I would blow the 'fairies' to the wind
with no idea that I was an active disperser of seeds
spreading 'weeds' hither and yon.

Now I am more of a passive disperser,
who hasn't pulled the 'weeds' out in time.

But oh, how beautiful the dandelion is
and how glad I am to see this gem in the sunlight.

-Also, you can see 'intact' dandelion on day 67

a Square evening

This evening I took a short walk in the Square just after sunset, as dark was closing in, 

and the light from the Clocktower was just becoming visible.

 The lights from the tower reflected in the duck pond

and the moon was visible in the sky...

  

I have seen a few young people post photos of themselves and friends on Facebook

posing around the clocktower base

but I never realised it was quite a family affair as well. 

As it got darker, more lighting came on in the Square

 

and the bridge over the duckpond drew my eye, all lit up...

 

...lights from this nearby cafe reflected on the pond...

I must go back another night.... and maybe even an old fuddy duddy like me can pose with friends in front of the clocktower base on my birthday!!

70: Clocktower at night

Clocktower in Palmerston North lit up early evening

67: Dandelion

dandelion in the garden caught in the late afternoon light

65: Home Kritters

Arohanui, Jane Rag Doll, and Sydney Bridge Bear

It's a bit of a drizzly/rainy indoors today, so it's time to introduce you to the Home Kritters. Mostly they live together on the couch. Firstborn was Jane, who came to me as part of a 'baby goods' raffle prize at a St Mary's School gala day quite some years ago. I gave the rest of the prize away, but I had wanted a rag doll forever, since I was a little girl, and Jane became a much loved part of the household. 

Next to arrive in the family was Sydney Bridge Bear. He came after I spent a huge amount of money as a Proper Tourist in Sydney, and went on the Harbour Bridge Climb, which fortunately wasn't as hard or scary as you might expect. We had to wear these grey bodysuits so as not to distract the traffic, and you see that Sydney wears his own one. 

Last one to join the family was Arohanui. She was knitted and made with love by an elderly lady, raising funds on a market stall for the local Arohanui Hospice. Hence her name. She sometimes goes with me on expeditions out walking or cycling or even driving. So look out for her again!

64: variety

Posters on an alley wall in Palmerston North

Punk, classical and cultural all-sorts.

63: Light in the darkness

Windows in St Pat's, Palmerston North

Thinking of all those in Christchurch

Backcountry Taihape

Yesterday I took off on a roadtrip day. I had never been on the "Gentle Annie" road from Taihape across to Hawke's Bay and wanted to try it.

My first visit was an early one to a friend who lives near Hunterville with a baby: she was certain to be up already! Next I took a wander down the main street of Taihape, full of interesting old buildings and wonderfully local, non-mall-ified shops. Then I swung into the local Tourist Office to check out some details about the route ahead. They were really very helpful- thanks guys!

I left town on the route for Napier- wee bit scary in the first few kilometres, as there were places where the road seemed to be ready to slip away down to the river! Soon I took the turn-off for 'River Valley', as the Tourist Office had directed, so I could swing by Pukeokahu School, where I know the principal.

This is a little rural school about half an hour's drive east of Taihape. They were in town for swimming sports, so the place was eerily quiet! But what an amazing view they have across the hill country.

It was leaving Pukeokahu that my plans took an unintended longer turn. The Tourist Office people had carefully highlighted the route on the map for me, showing a slight retracing of steps back onto the road for Moawhango, the quickest way to the "Gentle Annie" route, mostly sealed now. But I never re-checked my map, and was 'fooled' by this sign near the school, into thinking that I was already on the quickest route to Napier...

And thus the day's adventures really began- as I headed out onto unsealed roads for many more kilometres than I had intended, past some really isolated farm stations... And I was really glad now to have the map they had given me at the Tourist Office. Even though I had got more than a tiny bit 'lost' off my originally intended route, at least I was able to work out where I sort of was out in the wopwops- and I could tell I would eventually rejoin the Gentle Annie route further east.

This is a bridge crossing the Rangitikei River. It is always surprising when you discover how far back-country some of these rivers arise, far from where they reach the sea.  (The road was sealed over the bridge- which gives a misleading view really- as I had travelled for many kilometres on an unsealed road to get here!)

The road name changes here, which my GPS had no knowledge of. In fact my GPS kept trying to direct me to Hawkes Bay via a V-shaped route back home via the Manawatu region.... I managed to totally confuse the poor GPS, until I was back on the Gentle Annie route itself, when it finally let me head for Hastings without telling me to 'turn around when possible'.

I had travelled so far at this point, that I almost expected the river to be heading east, but it was clearly flowing westward. This view is looking back into the hill country upstream. You can see a support from a former bridge still in the river bed.

And still my back-country route continued. I came to what almost looked like a farm entry, across a cattle stop, and I was a bit concerned I had somehow missed my road connection for the Gentle Annie route.

But all was in fact well, and soon enough I was passing through Otupae Station, on a road that I imagine gets very little use by anyone other than shepherds...

Just a few  kilometres past the station, I finally emerged onto the main Taihape-Napier road, and could even see a glimpse of Mt Ruapehu in the distance.

I felt like my adventure was 'over' once I regained the main route, but interesting surprises still remained. I could see the 'remnants' of the Ruahine Range to the south.

And very soon I was passing through the southern end of the Kaweka Range, which was very rugged, full of that moody atmosphere that only such country can have.

Finally, and quite suddenly, I emerged onto the 'other side', into the more gently rolling back-country hills of Hawkes Bay... my adventure over for the day... But I will be back- as there is still a section of the Gentle Annie route I haven't been over!

62: Pukeokahu

Today I went on a 'road trip' and passed by Pukeokahu School, a small rural school east of Taihape. (But the children were all away swimming in Taihape at the time!)

This has to be another 'double-banger'. First photo shows the school.

And the second photo shows a small part of the magnificent hill country view that they get from the front gate of the school...

60: Two minutes Silence

Madonna holding the hand of the infant Jesus

close-up of part of statue at St Pat's, Palmerston North

Today we fell silent for two minutes

to think about the dead, and those who survived,

in the Christchurch earthquake exactly a week ago.

At the school I was at, everyone stood silent

in front of the flag at half-mast

from the smallest five year old up.

Two minutes silence

offered quietly by all.