A Short Sojourn in New Zealand part 2

 On the weekend Bev shouted me a painting workshop - Poppies. I have never done anything like this before so it was a bit of a different experience. Everyone else else other than me attends these classes with Vonnie Sterritt on a regular basis so I certainly was a newbie. Bev was quite determined about her colour choice and is far more of a perfectionist than i will ever be. 

Her finished painting was great.

This is mine - it was interesting to see so many different ending ups. The guy next to me was almost surreal in his work. It was a great experience. Quite different from my watercolour work.

On Monday we visited Ian's newly found 3rd cousin and her husband - Dawn and Patrick - had a great lunch and checked out their world.

 Patrick was a beefeater - the only kiwi one and maybe the only non Brit one. Such an interesting life living in the tower of London.

 I also visited Aunty Ivy to see how she is getting on. Full of beans as always.

 On the way down to Wellington on Tuesday I came across some interesting folk who followed me around as I was checking out the Foxton cemetery as you do

Here they are some more - they must wait for people to visit the cemetery for their daily entertainment.

In the evening I enjoyed the weather - the long hours of light (daylight saving eat your heart out Perth) and wandered around the Wellington foreshore.

A short sojourn in New Zealand part 1

In March I flew to NZ for my week of soul catching. (this photo I got from the Manawatu Estuary Trust - Bird Sanctuary facebook page and was taken by Terry Oliver-Ward who posts wonderful photos of Foxton Beach bird life) - of Godwits and I spent my arrival day at Foxton Beach checking out the bird life. Sadly it was raining - a lot - and I couldn't meander as much as I would have liked. on the Sunday they had a day of farewelling the Godwits when they set off on their marathon flight to Alaska to breed. Amazing.

There is a viewing platform and since it was raining and I only had sandals I stayed there and just got wet. The Estuary is always interesting and somewhere I roamed a lot when I was young, biking to Foxton Beach - you could go anywhere so long as you were back before dark and for tea.

 

My view of the birds and other wild life was a little limited 

 The Pukeho - I saw a few running around

On Day 2 Bev and I went on the river road trip up the Wanganui River - I did a wee bit last year and it was on my bucket list. 

I had actually done some preparation which is unusual for me and I took lots of photos and printed then our on my sprocket - love this little photo printer - so easy to use. 

The countryside is lovely and  - the river winds its way up

We drove through to Jerusalem  this letterbox was made for us - The Sisters

Here is  Bev in front of the church - Jerusalem is famous for James K Baxter and the church which is in pristine condition with seats to sit on and things to do for religious people. We enjoyed the gardens.

Drove through to Raetihi for coffee and a bite to eat and then drove back to Palmerston North via brilliant countryside

This is such a beautiful photo of the country side on the way back to Wanganui

And the back of my zig zag book