New Zealand part2

Trizzy has kindly sent me some of her photos to use for this post too. I kept forgetting to take photos and Trizzy hijacked my camera for a day and took lots for me as well. So firstly there are a few more class ones. There is Joan the missing photo I had of her doing the class.

and in this one you can see Sharnie at the left...Sharnie was also missing in my first NZ post.

A lovely shot of Mz Jinny who cared for and looked after me so well, pre, during and after the retreat.

Jinny and the ever smiling Trizzy.

Sharon and Trizzy :o)

Trizzy and Kristi.

Jessie LOL. This was at Jinny's after the retreat...there was much laughter, sampling the New Zealand wines a many and lots of lovely food with the most excellent of company.

John is at left, Jessie husband Mark next to him and Jessie at the top....Allen and Jinny have their backs to the camera....wine bottles front and centre *grin*.

Trizzy and me. Who would have thought New Zealanders need a fan LOL.

Jinny's house had all sorts of light and textures. I was fascinated by her chandelier

and closer.

This armoured insect is a New Zealand Weta..... very ancient looking and reminds me of the Ozzie Mole Cricket.

and this is a Leopard slug...kind of cute and slimy LOL.

We had a couple of days to see some shops around Wellington and beyond. Trizzy and I had to stop and take a photo of this sign as Trizzy lives in the Blue Mountains area of NSW Australia!!!

As we had a look see in NZ Bunning's Trizzy befriended the door girl Martha. I'm sure she thinks us Ozzies are crazy.

The World cup was happening in NZ at the same time I was there and the local Bunning's was celebrating with flags of all the countries playing. There is little ole me underneath them all.

and more flags.....the New Zealand flags look like Aussie ones at the left but are red in the stars (thanks Glenda)

A funny sign we passed....I mean are the people or the cars dead or alive??

While out and about the weather became gloomy and very cold...next thing sleet filled the air and covered the cars.

the streets

and the hill tops LOL. So different from my Dry hot humid home!

The cost of petrol was very exy too to home...we pay around $1.50 per litre in the north of Oz and diesel is ten cents more then that here not less.

This is the Rimutaka hills...no kidding the Kiwis call mountains like this hills. We did a lovely day trip over said hills to the arty farty communities at the base of the hills and beyond like Featherston, Greytown and Carterton were Paua World is located. the next few photos show our journey over these mountains hills LOL.

There is a look out you can stop at and this intriguing path thru the bush

Trizzy and Jinny on the path...it went for ages and we gave up wandering along it as time was short.

A survey marker at the look out.

View as we come down the mountain hill.

Driving across the valley you catch glimpses of snow covered mountains in the distance

a closer look

An old building...they fascinate me as Darwin was wipped out by Cyclone Tracy in 1974 and we have just a few old buildings left that were made of stone and even fewer old wooden ones.

An antique shop with an old bike out front.

An old church now used as a shop.

I wonder who's art work is in the old printers tray.

At our lunch stop we spy a moss covered table and chairs and have to have a look.

The sun thru the skylight above us where we had lunch.



Trizzy next to an old yoke that could be seen as an enlarged female body part by some but surely not me LOL.

I was delighted to see this lovely old house nestled in a field...its for sale too!! Well rather I think the land is for sale and house for demolition.

Trizzy snapping herself in the back of the car. A great shot of her!!

Where ever we went the hills had little yellow flowers on them. Jinny says they are weeds but they do look nice.

A stop at Wainuiomata lookout reveals another fun side to the Kiwis on the sign LOL.

Said spot over looking the picture perfect Wellington.

A stop at a shop that is filled with so much stuff like charms, material, beads and coloured wigs. Bought some great tea spoon charms, trims, material etc rtc....the cc is still burning

It's near my time to leave.I sneak out of Jinny's and up her drive to her mail box. I like this photo as I know how to find her in Google Earth with her street number there for me to see. Since I came back to Oz I do google earth her and stand outside and smile.

Jinny's backyard with its remnants of family life...grandkids toys and a summer seat...

overlooking the houses on Jinny's verandah at the back

an antique bolt

gorgeous moss patterns in her driveway.

Milo the Bells' funny and cute cat.

and a glorious sunset to see me off.

I will never forget my trip to New Zealand and the wonderful folks I met. I do hope I get to go another time...in summer of course. I think I may have missed a photo or two still of NZ...I'll check and add anymore in the AM if I need too.

Coming home was a sad event for me with my niece Lisa loosing her fight with Leukaemia a week after I got back. She was only 36 and has left behind three kids. It threw me completely with the death of my sister Robin only being 1 yr past the same month that Lisa died. I think its taken me till now to get to some sort of acceptance of it all again. I tell my kids I love them everyday and hug that starnge creature known as the 16yr old son when he allows (where do they go at that age LOL).

I feel a great need to get making jewellery and art again as it truly calms me and makes me feel happy...but this will not happen for another 3 weeks yet as my art room invasion by relos has continued. Me nephew and his girlfriend have moved on and are on their way to Broome WA to live but then my daughter Carlia and her boyfriend Cory have moved into the room for three weeks before they too move on to Adelaide to live *sigh*...I will miss all my visitors and do not begrudge the room being filled with others since May...I just miss being creative and having my own space to do so.

hugs

Annette In Oz