The beat goes on...

We are finally moved in and are gradually unpacking in bits and pieces, no point stressing. Now that we are at the new property we are basically staying put until the other half starts work next week and I have a job interview at my old workplace. We've had no internet for the last 2 days but it's been quite nice not having the distraction of it other than that  we can't go for nature walks, can't go sight seeing, can't explore new places, can't do much at all but it's for the best really.

Our Coronavirus count has gone up to 451 as of today and mostly spready by kiwis coming back from overseas and a few tourists here and there but I suspect there will be more of people who weren't tested who were no doubt self isolating at home. Sadly there are still some other people though who are out and about, swimming at beaches, going for unimportant walks and drives - these people concern me as we are all meant to be in lockdown only going out if it's absolutely necessary.

Anyway hope you are all ok, I will go blog visiting later today until then I'll get back to opening a few more boxes...

Whangarei District War Memorial

With the Corona Virus still doing the rounds it looks like our annual ANZAC day has been cancelled. Today we heard that in total we now have 28 cases and mostly from people who have travelled back here from other countries, one person was tested in Australia and still chose to come here without waiting for the results - the way people think boggles my mind.

This District War Memorial in Whangarei was opened in 2015, pretty recent I know. It was relocated from another place in town and now incorporates 1st world war and 2nd world war veterans.  The wall is made of black marble inscribed with names of an additional 470 men who also died in the South African, Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan wars.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday.

It's allergy season

This week I am down with the usual Autumn hayfever allergies, probably just as well I'm not working right now. In the weekend we caught up with an old friend of the other half's from school days, he had his wife and friends with him who were all travelling north on holiday. We met them at Langs Beach, about 15 minutes north of here and pretty much baked in the sun but this morning we had a good downpour of rain that was well needed. Still managed to get this photo of a Black Shag showing off in the sun along with the obligatory seagulls and godwits on the other side of the sand.

Here we have been hearing 24/7 of the spread of the Corona Virus around the world - are you worried about it or do you think not alot of it. I can't believe in other countries people have been stockpiling in supermarkets and shops - here we manufacture toilet paper and our own produce, meat here so people haven't really been going too nuts. Here people who come into the country are meant to be self isolating for 2 weeks but when we watched the news last night there were some people who had a blase attitude about it as they commented they couldn't be bothered doing that - it just amazed us really. This morning apparently a tourist got sent back home after arriving last night and going to a backpackers instead of self isolating.  Thoughts?

Linking up with Our World Tuesday and My Corner of the World.

Back to Te Arai surf beach

Last weekend the other half and I drove out to our local Te Arai surf beach. We've been here many times over the years but this was for something to do - since I'm not working at the moment it's easy to get a bit of cabin fever sometimes.

The waves weren't really very surfy but it was good to see on most of the sand dunes near the carpark signs saying no dogs allowed (due to endangered bird nesting areas) and other signs warning people not to step on the vegetation which is currently being re-planted, unfortunately I did see people walking all over them which dismayed me somewhat.

For a long time local activists have been protesting the council developing the land which edges onto this coastline, somewhat for the endangered birds and for fear that public access to the beach will be closed off.

A billionaire from the USA was allowed to build a luxury golf course which covers 600 ha and also will eventually include 40 house sites and an airstrip. People such as Barack Obama and John Key have stayed here. The development has been a bone of contention in our town for the last few years. If you want to know more check out this link.

Some of the birds that nest along this shoreline include Oyster Catchers, Dotterils, Fairy Terns and Godwits.  Although in Summer this is a popular surfing spot most visitors here are pretty clued up about what not to do but when the area starts to quieten down it goes back to being a very restful spot.

Last of the Summer rays

Yesterday we had an agent showing people through our house so I took my daughter out for an appointment anyway, while we were out we stopped off at the local surf beach to catch the last of the Summer rays before we move, looks like other people had the same idea as us, was a perfect day for it.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi

Today for us is national Waitangi Day which remembers the day the treaty was signed between the Europeans and the Maoris.

This marae located in Paihia was opened in 1922 replacing the original 1881 building, I'm not sure what happened to the earlier one. The land next to it was where the Declaration of Independence of New Zealand (treaty) was signed on 28 October 1835. 5 years later 300 more chiefs sat on the same spot to debate the treaty and signed it on 6 February 1840 at the home of British immigrant James Busby now known as the Waitangi Trust including the museum.

When I was going through the public school system in the 1970s and 1980s I remember being taught the basics of the treaty but when we visited this spot and the museum last Spring it was a truly eye opening experience. We walked out of there feeling quite humble - if you haven't visited the museum I urge you to as it really is well worth it. This year we are very thankful that NZ is the country it is today, we still have many improvements to make in the process of being more accepting of each other but it's good to be a Kiwi.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday.

2020 Paparoa Show

Yesterday was going to be another boring day at home for me until I read online that the Paparoa A & P Show (Agricultural and Pastoral) was on, I had forgotten about it.  I probably wouldn't have gone until I asked my other half if he was working over there, luckily he was so I got him to drop me off and pick me up later. Moving along...this is one of the food trucks they have there - now if you haven't tried a bacon butty or a seafood fritter you're not living. Bacon Butties - bacon sandwiches. Seafood fritters - a type of fritter that is full of seafood, like oysters, mussels, fish etc.

This is an event that attracts people from all of the surrounding areas. Paparoa for us is a very small country town about 35 minutes away - it's very much a farming region so local farmers will bring their stock to show. This family bought pigs, lambs and goats so people could experience like a petting zoo.

Unfortunately we are still in the midst of a drought here, we haven't had rain since last November and with it being Summer here the temperatures have been in the late 20s early 30s - there has been word from the weather forecasters that we are due for 40 degrees celsius next week.  This area is for the horses and rodeo - I'm not a fan of roping and catching cows but that's just me.  These were some of the riders warming up for the event.

This guy was more than happy to pose for my camera shot - he was part of the rodeo too.  A bit of info about Paparoa: there is a population there of about 270 people. It has a hugely rich history of Maori tribal warfare and settlement in Colonial times. In the 19th century it became a major shipping and boat-building centre when Kauri milling was an industry.

As I was here in the first couple of hours this photo was taken looking out over the horse trailers that were being set up - more would've been here as the day progressed. I did end up seeing one of my best friends there though so it was good to catch up with her.

Another event was calf showing. 2 of my children when they were growing up took part in calf club, where they were given a calf by a local farmer, they met up once a week to get to know the calf, train it and then the calves were taken to school for their calf club day - if their calf behaved and they lead it around the ring well they were given ribbons for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.

This was the senior calf showing event, they would've had junior later on. As you can see in the background the land looks quite dry. They must've had a bit of rain here as the grass in this picture is still green. Where we live everything is brown, we haven't had rain since last November so we are desperate for some moisture. We have had temperatures going into the 20s, 30s  but next week 40 degrees celsius has been predicted.

I love these guys. Can't ever beat a Scottish Highland Band - the sound of the bagpipes is just awesome. After spending a couple of hours here my other half picked me up so thankfully I was back in the air-conditioning of his work truck.

Just to be clear there would've been way more events happening after I left such as wood chopping, equestrian and sheep shearing, I just couldn't stay any longer.

Kakaraea Methodist Church

This is a place I've been wanting to photograph for a long time. Located about 20 minutes or so out of Maungaturoto in the Kaipara along gravel roads the Kakaraea Methodist Church was first opened on Sunday March 29th 1874 and built under the direction of missionary Rev. William Gittos for the purpose of being the central church for his mission to the Maori in this region.

Unfortunately the entry door was locked so I couldn't take decent photos of the interior, so this one I had to make do with through one of the windows.  Apparently the church has special significance as the land it stands on was deliberately picked because of it's tapu (sacred) status in connection with the death of Hautatu (Chief Arama Karaka) and others at the battle of Ranganui (part of the musket wars). Otamatea Marae which is nearby and is the meeting place for the local Ngati Whatua tribe - it is still used today for events and tangis (burials).

Linking up with My Corner of the World and Skywatch Friday.

At a crossroads...

Yesterday we were back in my home town of Mangawhai. We are standing at a crossroads seeing which way life is going to take us. We missed out on a rental property we applied for up here so the other half had a chat to his boss who said there is much more work for him in Mangawhai so we then applied for a property there which we looked at today. Hopefully we will hear back today or tomorrow.

We drove around a few places, visited my parents and stopped at one of the boat ramps where this pontoon is. The area has changed a lot. There are way more houses and subdivisions and more businesses since I left there 4 years ago when I moved to Tauranga and if our move goes ahead I possibly have a job to go to thanks to me walking into one of the local shops. Will keep you posted...

Linking up with Our World Tuesday and My Corner of the World.

Little old house in Whangaroa

"Absence is a house so vast that inside you will pass through it's walls and hang pictures on the air" - Pablo Neruda.

I have a thing about abandoned houses and sheds. They speak volumes to me about being unloved and unused. I imagine who lived there and what memories they left behind.

I have been reading a book by Barbara Brookes called "Women in History - an essay on European women in NZ". Quite academic about some of the first females to our country to those who are currently living. The early settlers must've had quite a hard time when they came here, struggling on land in farms and houses learning how to become self sufficient through growing their own vegetables and fruits, making their own clothing etc. We are quite blessed these days to the point where practically everything is done for us.

Linking up with Our World Tuesday and My Corner of the World.

Autumn in Kaeo

Although it doesn't get too cold up here in the far north we still have a few Autumn colours here and there. At Whangaroa Golf Club there are plenty of trees changing colour and dropping leaves.

These ones on the side of the highway between Kaeo and Whangaroa are shades of yellow, orange and red.

These ones are the same on the other side of the highway, around the corner is the town of Kaeo which has a very small population of approx 495 people. There are shops there, a school, a tavern etc but it's very much a farming rural town.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday.

Russell's wharf gets help

Over Summer we visited Russell (I had never been there before) and witnessed what a busy hive of activity it is. I read last week that apparently the wharf is in an urgent state of repair and submissions are being made as to what people think should be done to it.

After the closing date for the submissions on May 16th the mayor and councillors will go over what they've received and a new plan will be formed by June 21st. One of the ideas is to add a cafe or a restaurant and a boat terminal, this region is extremely popular with tourists so I think those additions will be a good idea.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday.

Russell's Custom House 1870

Russell, one of the oldest historical places in NZ, full of old buildings and houses. This one was once the first customs house built in 1870 from an original design by W.H. Clayton, the first colonial architect to our country.

Over the years the eventual drop off in shipping to this area meant the house was no longer needed and the Police department agreed to take it over. There is a huge Moreton Bay Fig tree next to it that was also planted the same year by Mr E.B. Laing who was the first collector of customs from 1870 to 1886. What a view they would've had from here though!

Memories of an old shack

We have all been part of a brief flu that's gone through most people I work with and my family. Nothing major - just something I think that's part of the changes in temperature during the Summer/Autumn changeover. Today the other half and I decided that we hadn't gone on a road-trip for quite some time so we ventured out to the Mahinepua Peninsula which is about 40 minutes from where we live and about 10 minutes from Matauri Bay.

There aren't many houses out there, maybe 1 that's being lived in and 3 that are closed after Summer. This little shack caught my eye though. Part of the back roof of the shed alongside the main dwelling has fallen down and the rest of it looks boarded up and unused. Maybe something dating back to before the 1950s? Not sure...but I wonder what memories it holds within, who were the people that use to enjoy this spectacular beach? hmm...

Linking up with Our World Tuesday.

Cape Reinga's lighthouse

This iconic lighthouse was built in 1941 and first lit in May that same year. It was the last manned lighthouse in NZ and it replaced the Cape Maria Van Diemen lighthouse located on nearby Motuopao Island which had been built in 1879. Accessing that lighthouse had been difficult due to rough seas so in 1938 it was decided to move it to Cape Reinga for safety reason.

The complete lantern fittings were reused though the new lighthouse was fitted with a 1000 watt electrical lamp instead that could be seen for 26 nautical miles and the lamp was powered with a diesel generator.

In 1987 the lighthouse was fully automated and keepers were no longer needed. It is now monitored remotely from Wellington. To get here from where we live it is about 3 hours drive north through a long isolated main state highway where there is the occasional farm and shop but it s a very popular tourist attraction.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday.

Tropical Cyclone Oma

This is where we take our boat, out at Opito Bay a favourite place of ours. This is the other half's work ute launching it off the boat ramp. This week we have rain which is sorely needed here, so many people who live rural and have huge 10,000 litre tanks for rain are starting to nearly run out and farmers need their grass to grow for cattle. We have a cyclone forecast for this weekend but at this stage we don't know whether it's heading for us or Australia. Either way I"m sure it'll bring some much needed relief.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday.

Kerikeri River Falls

Another local waterfall (I think there are 8 in total) we've discovered on our treks around this area is this one - the Kerikeri River Falls Track.  This one is near the Stone Store and took us about 20 minutes in total to walk there, very pretty and quiet considering it's so close to town.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday.

Let's sit at Wainui Bay

Along the Matauri Bay coastline is this gem of a beach....Wainui Bay which is a tiny beach surrounded by a handful of holiday homes and baches. So quiet and peaceful - I can understand why someone would want to be here.

Linking up with Skywatch Friday.

St Paul's Anglican Church - Whangaroa

If this photo looks a little bit lop-sided it's because this little old church in Whangaroa was up the top of a very steep driveway near the top of a hill. I struggled to walk up the path and when I did I had to steady myself with a small tree nearby.

St Paul's Anglican Church has been in this spot for approx 125 years and when it was opened in 1883 people came by boat or walked for miles to get to the services. St Paul's has quite a history; it's witnessed the slow decline of the timber industry, a fire that burned the school that was originally in front of it and the building of the Whangaroa big gamefish club rooms and marina.

Unfortunately the doors were locked but services are still held today on the first Sunday of each month.

An Oyster Farm in Whangaroa

This morning we drove out to Whangaroa and enjoyed another nice lunch with the other half's cousin at the Marlin Hotel. On the way out we stopped on the side of the road so I could take this photo of an oyster farm out in the harbour.

Do you like Oysters? I love them, in fact I'm a huge seafood fan I prefer them raw but the other half likes them battered and fried but to me that takes the natural ocean taste out of them.