Clocktower Sunset

 

On the way home from work (I finish at 8pm) last week I stopped to take some photos of the sunset and walked up the steps to the lookout next to the town clocktower and Grey River. This is looking the opposite way over the town square which is only one side of town.

This lady looked like she was trying to set up her drone next to the clock tower.

And this lady also stood next to me taking some photos of the sunset too. 

I have been having issues with sciatic pain this week in my lower back. It started 25 years ago when I was pregnant with my youngest, she use to sit on my tail bone. Ever since then once in a while the nerve twinges. Painkillers don't work, Voltaren emulgel isn't working, neither is deep heat, I've tried yoga stretches - the only thing I've found that relieves it is a hot water bottle on my back. If you have any suggestions please leave a comment.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday and Tom's Signs.

Autumn skies

 

Sunset over the Grey River

Photo taken by me on the way home one night around 8pm after work - Autumn sunset over the Grey River. We've had to order our first load of firewood today, luckily we have loads of kindling in storage next to the garage so if we run short we can just order another load.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday and All Seasons.

Gold rush

Right smack bang in the middle of town is this small monument dedicated to Greymouth's gold rush history. 

In 1854 gold was discovered here in the Grey district which bought 29,000 diggers by ship and across mountain passes to Te Wai Pounamu (the place of Greenstone). Many never made it as floods and shipwrecks were frequent. Bodies washed up on the beach and in most cases many were recorded as unidentifiable. At that time the area was known as Mawhera Pa which was accepted by Maori who arrived here 1000 approx years ago. Storekeeper Reuben Waite sailed up the Grey River in 1864 with 70 gold prospectors and a contract to precure 40 tons of coal from further upstream. 3 million ounces of gold was extracted during the gold rush. Greymouth was one of the busiest ports in the country with the gold financing alot of the growth. Westland's coal fire the furnaces that industrialized New Zealand.

Linking up with Through my lens, Tuesday Treasures, My corner of the world and Wordless Wednesday.

The Barber

I've been finding a selection of murals around town that have been painted on Chorus utility boxes. This one is along one of the side roads off the main road along Greymouth. Painted by artist Ivory Racho it depicts the barber winds that add texture to the hills and mountains along with natural wind formations that occur and flow down the Grey River.

Linking up with Mural Monday. 

The Grey River

B and I went for a short drive last week down our road and discovered the Grey River is about a 4 minute drive. This spectacular scenery is what we have virtually in our own backyard. Although poor Auckland has been under water with some serious flooding we've had 30 degree temperatures and the town is on water restrictions for those using the main water supply. Fortunately we are able to use this or stick to our water tank which we've done successfully so far, we haven't had to fill it up at all from the main town supply. It's strange that the north island and south islands seem to have swapped climates - you would expect we would be getting the opposite events that we've been having.

I remember when I was a child growing up in Auckland, many summers were spent at many of the beaches up there and we would have endless hot sunny days but now they just don't seem to have them.

Linking up with Through my lens, Ruby Tuesday, Tuesday Treasures, My corner of the world and Wordless Wednesday.

Greymouth Cycle Trail

 

Next to Greymouth's Grey River (the main river running through town) is this cycleway which was opened in 2013 by the mayor at that time Tony Kokshoorn which ends up at Ross (about an hour away).

With the light shining through this porch area which looks over the river, each window shows either a fact about Greymouth or a photo with some history about different historical places. We've had such perfect Winter sunny days lately with a daily high of about 10 degrees celsius dropping to about 1 degree celsius.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday and Tom's Signs.