Bellview Wetlands and a memorial

About a month ago my GKB and I went for a trip through to the Fruitlands area to buy stone fruit from the orchards. We thought we'd arranged to meet our eldest daughter's partner for lunch at his place but he never arrived. Someone had their wires crossed, not sure who, but never mind. We had drinks and snacks in the car. 

We thought while we waited for him we'd carry on down the road towards Gabriel's Gully and have a look at the memorial to Gabriel Read, the first man to find gold in the region and who consequently started the Otago Gold Rush. Unfortunately Mr Read died penniless even as others made their fortunes. It's a very simple monument but befitting. A miners pick and shovel on a stone cairn with a brass plaque.

We were away for about quarter of an hour then headed  back to Steve's place and I took a few pictures of the wetlands. I was watched very closely by a neighbour as I went up the drive to the house to a higher vantage point. The house is up on a rise and overlooks the wetlands. They're  not open to the public yet so I didnt want to actually venture further on to the property, especially as I was being watched :)

Steve (daughter Jacqui's partner) has developed the wetlands over the past 20 years including  building the structures on it, (bridges, tracks, waterwheels, ponds etc). Every now and then he has school groups come in and they help with the planting out of natives plants and learn a little about conservation - plants, animal life and such. I think they all enjoy that. 

I know I enjoy walking around there but haven't been for a while and it's been developed further since I was there. I'm looking forward to having another look around sometime.

 Steve never did turn up so after half an hour or so we went on our merry way and left Bellview Wetlands for another day.

Bellview? Because you have a good view of the church bell from the property.

That's it from me for now. 

Enjoy your week and the upcoming weekend.

Diana

 

A hot summer day.

Yesterday was a beautiful summer's day and so we decided we'd go over to the Party in the Park. We took the car even though it was within easy walking distance. It was soooo hot. 🔥 

There were lots of families there, that's who it's aimed at, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves :)

We just strolled around enjoying the atmosphere but not the heat, it was 29°C and just a tad too hot for me. I was pleased I'd put on a hat and sunscreen.

The small amount of shade provided by trees, shade sails and umbrellas was already taken by others who'd arrived earlier and were settling in to enjoy the music. Next time I must remember to take an umbrella, I saw one or two with them and remembered we always took one when we wandered around in Japan in the sun.

 There were the usual food trucks and craft stalls and bouncy castles for the kids to play on. And the miniature train was running giving rides to any who wanted one.

But as much as we enjoyed being out and about we were both pleased to get home and have a nice bowl of ice cream and peaches while sitting in our air conditioned lounge :)

Take care, keep well until next time,

Diana

 

Valentine's greetings

 

A month early

We thought we might go in to the city to the inaugural George Street market today but then we saw photo's on fb and saw the size of the crowds we decided not to. We'd go to the one out at South D instead. Though why they were both happening on the same day baffled us a bit, but we checked the times and yes it was Saturday 8th starting at 10am.

We got there and found a handy park and walked out to the main street where the market happens. Nothing. Not a stall or entertainer in sight and only one or two people about. Looked around one or two shops and asked one of the assistants about it and he didn't know what I was talking about. So we decided to go to the cafe at the salt water pool and have a bite of lunch.

We drove to Esplanade which was really crowded and it didn't look like we would get a carpark anywhere but eventually we found one. We were in the right place at the right time, retracing our steps so to speak and a car pulled out just in front of us. Great :)

I love the Esplanade, traffic on the housing side of the street and foot traffic along the seafront. And lots of little cafes and bars. 

We walked along to the saltwater pool but the cafe was full and with no umbrellas at the outside tables I wasn't sitting there. It was a beautiful day so we strolled back to the corner and found a nice wee cafe, Starfish, and went in for lunch. Youngest granddaughter says she used to go there a lot.

A good food selection including "old fashioned" food that we prefer to eat. And there was a nice small table by a big window so we could watch the passing traffic :)

I did think it was a trifle breezy where I was sitting but couldn't see an air con unit nearby so thought it was because we were close to the door. We'd almost finished lunch when I realised that the big window I was sitting in was actually a sliding door and it was wide open! Oh dear. Time for new specs I think :)

The skies were blue, the sea was perfect for surfing and just enough of a breeze to take the edge off the heat of the sun - I have ended up with a sunburnt face though.

Why do people stand and gaze at the sea I wonder? Today it was just rolling in nicely, the breakers weren't too big and it was nice to feel a little bit of sea spray every so often.

There were no surfers along this end of the beach today, the tide was too high and coming up to the seawall. It's sandy down the other end and we could see surfers in the water down there.

And this is a short video of the beaches (and sea) looking first along St Clair beach to the salt water pool and finishing in the opposite direction looking north to St Kilda beach and Lawyers Head.

We had a really nice day out in the end even if it wasn't what we'd planned and discovered when we arrived home and checked that yes the market day was on the 8th at 10am - of March not February :) We were a month early!

I hope you all have a relaxing and enjoyable weekend.

Diana

Fifty four and counting.

Last week we celebrated fifty four years of married life. We like to mark the occasion with a celebratory meal out if we're home or else go away for a few days.

This year we couldn't go out on our anniversary so we decided to go today and have lunch at Kades Restaurant at the local tavern. It's nice there, not too noisy and the meals are always delicious. We both had fish but I had the veges and my GKB had chips and salad with his.

Afterwards we decided to have a small dessert, which it was :) I think it must have come from the children's menu, we didn't really need the hundreds and thousands on top 😄 But ice cream is always good on a hot day.

This is a photo from our wedding day. Left to right my grandfather, Bob's parents, Bob and me and then Mum and Dad and my grandmother. In front are my youngest brothers who are both grandparebts themselves now. My grandparents are well gone and so are both sets of our parents. It's lovely to have a photo of them all together.

My middle sister was my bridesmaid and Bob's best friend his best man. Youngest sister couldn't make it as she was in Wellington due to have her first baby and my eldest brother was serving in the navy and in Scotland at the time. Bob's family all made it :)

Hiccups? One or two. I wasn't living in the town we were married in and I thought I had everything arranged. Church and date tick. Hairdresser tick. Flowers tick. Venue for reception tick.

But the vicar was going to be on holiday when we wanted to get married so a later date was decided on.

The hairdresser sold her business and didn't inform the new owners there was a wedding booked in. We had to, and did, find another one at very short notice. Phew.

The florist couldn't get the flowers I wanted for my bouquet so we decided on others. I wasn't happy with my bouquet but at least I had one.

Sis got badly sunburnt the day before the wedding and she was padded up with cotton wool wherever anything was going to rest closely on her skin (like her underwear). So sore, and because I know I can see it in the photo's. Other people just think she has a lovely glow about her.

When Bob's suit arrived it was too big and no hope of getting another as he'd hired it and we were a couple of hundred miles away from where he'd got it.

But we did end up getting married and when all's said and done all these things are not what's important. It's about the promises made on the day. And the people who come to celebrate with you.

(Although I didn't necessarily see it that way when everything was going wrong).

I hope I haven't rattled on too long.

Until next time

God bless, 

Diana