A visit to Toitu

Earlier in the week my GKB suggested we go into town for lunch.

Okay, I said, but I don't want to go to the Warehouse,

I'd like to go to Toitu and have a look around 

now that they have finished the renovations.

Toitu was, until quite recently, 

known as the Early Settlers Museum. 

So in we went, had lunch in the cafe there and went exploring.

The building above houses the transport 

 part of the museum - and where else would you put it 

but in the old New Zealand Railway Road Services bus depot?

Very appropriate. 

Some of the exhibits were behind glass for obvious reasons,

some roped off and others you could try out if you wanted.

my GKB on a tram he used to ride occasionally 

trying out a penny farthing for size

Have I just dated us? never mind, onward and upward!

Some gorgeous cars were on display,

 I think I've said before that have a bit of a thaang for classic cars. 

Along with some old trams, trolleys and buses.

As well as horseless carriages,

 trucks of different types and petrol pumps.

But, the best thing of all (for me anyway) was...

...this beautiful Buick Eight towing 

this...

tiny caravan.

looking in through the back window of the caravan

Isn't it fantastic?

Sorry about the last photo, it was so hard to get a good photo through the glass. I had my flash turned off but because it was so dim in the museum it came on automatically.

If you'd like to take a look at more of the museum you can go to a link here.

Of course the museum doesn't just house transport, it is a wonderful visual history of Otago from Maori times through the arrival of the sailing ships and early European settlement and on up to the present day. I think it is great and shall go back one day without my GKB as he doesn't enjoy these things quite as much as I do :) That way I will be able to dawdle where I wish!

joining in with:

roses of inspiration

Well that's it for another week.

Look after yourselves and I will

see you again in a few days.

Diana

Beating the blues...

This winter has been a tad cold for me,

 I'm not a native to the south.

Where I grew up it was wet in winter 

but a lot warmer than it is here.

After 40 plus years you'd think I'd be used to it, but no.

Taramakau river, West Coast, New Zealand

And I have to admit that occasionally 

I have a felt a little down in the dumps this winter.

We haven't had one this cold for several years.

And that is when I want to up sticks, 

cross the ditch, and join my sisters in Queensland...

...where I can sit in the carport 

and have a long leisurely breakfast.

my Good Kiwi Bloke

Or meet up with our nephew 

and have lunch in the gardens.

my GKB, moi, nephew and sis

Or go bush (a link to our bush visit post) 

with my niece 

and her family for a day or two.

the dining room :)

Or maybe meet up with my other sis 

and spend a day at the beach.

my GKB, sis, me

Or take a day trip to Eungella National Park 

with ex pat friends...

...and gaze in wonder at the strange creatures 

running around the bush.

Or watch glorious sunsets at the end of the day, 

which is very early in northern Queensland.

Or just plain play silly buggers with the toy dog.

Or even all of the above.

And now I have got that off my chest I feel much better.

And summer is coming, yeeha!

joining in with:
roses of inspiration

Thanks for listening to me 

(if you're still with me).

If you're not I understand :)

Have a nice day and we'll

meet up again next week.

Diana

Moeraki

When we head north for a break we occasionally

 take a coffee break at the tearooms at Moeraki.

There is a small township here,

very small, more of a village really.

Sitting out on the deck you look out over the Pacific Ocean.

Looking to your right is the beach around to Moeraki,

a small fishing village with a small commercial fleet.

And looking over to the left is Koekohe beach

 and the reason people come and visit.

The Moeraki boulders, which are scattered along the seafront

 are natural formations that come up from 

the ground or out of those cliffs on the left.

 

Although they don't look very large here some of them are very big.

Some are splitting and you can climb inside them,

 and try them for size if you are so inclined :)

The picture above will give you a bit of  perspective,  I'm 5ft 6in.

And below is one of the older boulders that is just beginning to split.

If you're interested in reading about the boulders

you can go here for a link which also tells 

the Maori legend connected with them.

Needless to say, if you visit the cafe you will be able to buy 

a very nice meal, snack and drinks, hot or cold,

that's after a visit to the gift shop of course :)

joining in with:

WATW  (Wednesday around the world)

Roses of Inspiration

Well I hope you enjoyed 

our visit to the beach.

Until next time keep well,

Diana.

Coming up roses

I have been really busy the past week

so tonight I am doing a lazy post.

Short but sweet :)

I want to join Martha's teacup party 

and here is a cup which used to belong to my little mother

but now belongs to my grandson.

He will treasure it.

It really is quite beautiful I think.

It is a Royal Albert, Old English Rose.

I have seen another  version of it 

but personally I like this one.

I think it was part of a wedding gift teaset

and this is all that is left. 

My little mother is doing well after her op 

and back to normal. Maybe just a little tired. 

Thanks for asking.

joining in with Martha at:
Martha's favoutites
roses of inspiration

A grey day or two...

This week my little mother had to be at in the hospital 

for a minor outpatients op at 7:30am.

I could pick her up at 9:30am and take her home again.

My GKB came in with us, we thought we could wander the shops while we waited.

But here's nothing much open that early,

so we went down to the hospital coffee shop 

and had a cuppa while we people watched.

There's a choice of two places and we picked this one.

Very nice it is too. At the other one we had to balance on high stools

 and it was just too early in the morning for that, haha.

Then it was away to wander the shops!

Little mother had to go back this morning by 8am for a checkup.

But it snowed over night. 

Not that a lot fell here but quite a bit fell on the hill suburbs

and we had to get over two of the hills to get to the hospital.

So we rang and and said we'd be late and went in when it was daylight.

8am is in the dark, well 7:30 is when we would have been leaving.

I had hoped to go into The Octagon in the centre of town while we were there 

and get a photo of the Tardis which has landed and

 cleverly disguised it self as a police phone box.

But it was not to be, it was straight there and straight back

 because we didn't want to get stuck in town.

More snow is forecast over the next couple of days, 

so we are just going to hunker down and stay warm,

when we don't have to be out and about ;)

And for those of you who wondered about the Tardis,

it was advertising for the Gang Show by local Scouts.

And that's it from me. 
Enjoy your week, 
see you next time, 
Diana

A Daybook entry...

Not a lot has been happening this week, it's just been one of those ho hum weeks. 

Not that I want a lot of drama, ho hum is good occasionally.

So this week I thought I might join in with 

The Simple Woman's Daybook.

So let's get going.

For Today - 30th June, 2015

 Outside my window... the sun has just set, it is dark and cloudy
 with a tinge of red across the top of the hills
and a cool breeze is blowing. The street lights are on.

I am thinking... it's time I went out to the kitchen
and dried the tea dishes and put them away in the cupboards.

I am thankful... my house is warm, dry and mostly weather proof.
I'm pleased we got the insulation in before the cold of this winter arrived.

I am wearing... blue jeans, blue long sleeved tee shirt,
 bright red socks and white sneakers.

I am creating... I'm not creating anything as such
but I am trying to put together a jigsaw belonging to my daughter.
It is a snow scene and apart from sunlight on a misty mountain
 it is shades of blue, white and grey.

 I think it will take me the rest of the winter!

I am going... to take a break and make a hot ginger drink.

I am wondering... whether writing this piece on Tuesday evening
 is okay because even though it is Monday in the US
it is Tuesday evening in my neck of the woods?

I am reading... Unafraid by Francine Rivers. 
I have only just begun it and so far am enjoying it.
It is one of five novellas telling the story of five women from the bible.
This one is about Mary the mother of Jesus.
I have already read one of the others and found it quite intriguing
 even though it was a fictional account based on the bible telling of the story.

I am hoping... the next few days stay nice and sunny
and we have a little bit of warmth in the sun.
And that the wind stops blowing up from the Antarctic. Please.

I am learning... to live a contented life post retirement :)

In my garden...The jonquils are through the ground
 and beginning to make a bright show along the front of the house.

Otherwise it is in its dormant state as it is winter 'down under'.

In my kitchen... I have a bench covered in feijoas ready to bag up
 and take down to the church for whoever wants them.
I'm the only one here who eats them and
there are far too many for me. All windfalls.

A favourite quote for today... a hand up is better than a handout.
I have no idea who said it originally but I think it is a good philosophy.

A peek into one of my days... What did I do today?
It was sunny skies and a good wind so the beds were
changed and washing all hung on the line to dry.
I picked up my friend and we went around to my mother's
 house for lunch and to watch a devotional video with her.
Then everyone piled into the car and away we headed to do the weekly grocery shop.
Back to my friends for a hot cuppa, dropped Mum off
with her shopping and then home again by about 4.00pm.
Cooked tea and cleaned up, husband is away out, I'm bathed and relaxing.
All is well.

One of my favourite things... a lovely hot bath on a cold winter's evening.

*************

I'm also joining Stephanie over at 

The Enchanting Rose for her weekly gathering:

Roses of Inspiration

That's it for this week folks.

Keep well 'til we meet again.

Diana

Blob in a bottle

It's a bit nippy outside at the moment. 

Just on freezing point so good soup weather.

Usually I make homemade vegetable soup

from whatever veges I have on hand and a bought base.

But sometimes we have it out of a packet

especially if it is at lunch time.

And depending on what's at hand

 we have toast or cheese rolls or scones to go with it.

These scones were made by my GKB and they were delicious.

This was my lunch today, yum.

As I was cooking tea tonight I had a text from youngest daughter. 

"The boards are on display between 5:30 and 6:30 tonight".

The 'boards' referred to the science fair competition at our grandsons school

and I had a grandson with a board on show. 

So of course I had to go to have a look.

Tea was quickly cooked, eaten and cleared up 

and I was on the road just after 5:30pm

leaving my GKB to get ready for his night out at darts.
I can't believe how dark it was, so early,
 but of course we have just passed the shortest day and
so it was to be expected really. It's a long time since I've driven at night,
not since I finished work when I drove home in the dark regularly. 

I pulled up outside the school at the same time as daughter and the kids.

We were quite early but one or two people were there ahead of us. 

More arrived as the hour passed.

It was all set up in the hall  and there were

 some quite impressive experiments on display.

Some of the kids had interactive displays but most were 

boards like Jack's with photo's and explanations of what they had done.

Very impressive for years 7 & 8 I thought.

Jack's experiment didn't go through for the big inter-school 

competition but I thought he did very well and am a proud Granma.

Keep well until next week,

Diana