Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Summer at Petone Foreshore

We've been walking as often as possible at Petone Foreshore.

There's always interesting things to look at, and especially at this time of year, the view from the beach-side walkway is truly lovely.

In many ways, it encapsulates and "New Zealand summer", even when there is a southerly blowing, or the clouds have rolled in.

Summer at Petone Foreshore

Featherston Camp Memorial

We have driven through the Wairarapa countless times, and always straight past the memorial to Featherston Camp.

It is located a few kilometres outside Featherston on State Highway 2.

 

It marks the location of a Military Camp which was built for service during World War 1, as one of the places new recruits received their first military training.

During World War 2, it also served as an internment camp for Japanese troops captured during various battles in the Pacific.

It also commemorates the deaths of 48 Japanese Prisoners, killed during an incident in which armed guards opened fire on prisoners who were refusing to work.

The deaths the result of ethnic misunderstandings.










It is also graced by a beautiful 17th century Haiku:

Behold the summer grass
All that remains
Of the dreams of warriors

The wisdom of youth

It's always interesting when one's children return home and help in the kitchen.

Especially when they tell you that they're a little concerned about the cleanliness of the chopping boards, and so give them a scrub and put them outside to dry in the sunlight and fresh air.

Saturday, December 19, 2015

A wake-up call

We came home the other evening to find our bed taken over by cats. Peonie was at the foot of the bed, while Edo was tucked up against Desiree's pillow:

And Peaches was pleased that we were home again, so she came in to say hello, and hooped up beside the bed, as she does.

Which woke Edo up, and put her on the alert, as she's still not entirely at ease with the other two cats.

So she was cautious, as she watched Peaches get turned around so she could see what was going on.

She was somewhat startled, and so hissed at Peaches, to which Peaches responded in kind, so Peonie leapt across the bed in fright, and Peaches decided she'd go elsewhere.

Saturday, November 28, 2015

You know summer has started

You know summer has started when there are seed-heads and flowers on Petone foreshore almost a month earlier than last year.

The seeds of summer

A new hoops fan in the house!

I was watching basketball the other evening, as is my want. When I was joined by another viewer, who decided she wanted to get up close to the action!




Monday, November 23, 2015

Edo comes to stay

And makes herself at home, on high!




Saturday, October 10, 2015

Whitianga in the sunshine

We've had a fairly rough month or 6-weeks - pneumonia, a brutal cold, and the long drag from Queen's Birthday weekend holiday to Labour Weekend, so we needed a break away.

And so we did - to Whitianga in the Coromandel. An area of New Zealand we've never visited before. So an intriguing prospect.

The weather was great - it was warm & sunny, in marked contrast to the week before. And we enjoyed the sights and vistas of the Coromandel.

See what I mean:













But wait - there's more! (photos, that is)

Sunday, August 30, 2015

Turning 24

Our Jayne turned 24 recently. So we had a family get together - well, almost! we also marked another milestone as well.

So it wasn't just about Jayne.

Charlotte also had a birthday recently (actually back in June!) but she had been wandering Europe at the time so we couldn't mark it with a gathering.

And sarah-Rose & Pip are in London, so attending a family get together is problematic for them.

But we did what we could - even arranged lovely weather! Hired a bach at Hokio Beach. Laid in supplies. Co-ordinated menus. Travelled in convoy.

And had a really nice weekend with some wandering on the beach thrown in for good measure!





An, No, I didn't write on the cake! (Although it is spidery enough to be my writing!)






We were missing somebody/somebodies.


You meet all sorts on the streets of Hokio, nowadays

...including Baaby, the pet lamb who was being taken for a walk

But wait - there's more! (photos, that is)