FNWF

I am late getting this post done, too busy being a tourist! 😁

I have been doing  some stitching on the cropped diamonds

On the plane over here I got up to 20 rows and now I have 26  slow but steady progress.

Thank you Cheryll for hosting us this night.

up to the top

Yesterday we drove to Cape Reinga up the very top of the North Island of NZ. The road was narrow and windy with lots of pot holes, the rain they have had here has done lots of damage. After parking in the car park we flowed the track down to the Lighthouse.

The sand hills on the distance, I think, are called Te Paki and there you can hire a board and slide down. I used to do that as a kid, Dad made us boards from plywood with a lump of firewood on rhe front, we would wax them up and go down the sand hills at Papamoa Beach, sadly that is banned now.

The meeting is where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean, you can see them crashing in to each other.

A fine photo of my finger!! 🤣

And again!!

A couple of tourists in the wind!

After looking around we headed back up the path

back at Cable Bay I sat down the beach and watched the sun go down, for a while I thought I might miss it as  huge cloud came over, but all was good.

This box is downstairs,  great idea I thought

that is all  me  today, blogger is starting to play up on me, I don't think it likes long posts on the phone! We are heading back to Whangarei today for a catch up with Raewyn and the MOHL.

Happy stitching.

Todays travels (photo heavy)

 Today we drove from Whangarei to Cable Bay via a few Adventure Labs and geocaches.

Our first stop was Kawakawa where there was an Adventure Lab, based around the art and architecture of Hundertwasser. He built the public toilets here and they have become a tourist attraction.

I took a wrong turn so we got to get this photo before going back to the town

one of the buildings in the main street

a mural where the first Ad Lab question was

down the main street

one of the ladies loos

still in the ladies

next to the public toilets is a park and then the library. this tree is at the main door of the library

mosaic tiles on the walk way around the library

part of the wall

part of the library near the main street, Hundertwasser's signature 5 columns at the street side of the building (one is not able to be seen on the right) the photographer failed to take a proper photo 😀

the library building

front of the toilet block

I think this is a Hundertwasser designed street light

with amazing feet

and feet

Our second stop was Paihia

we saw the wharf

I forgot this last photo from Kawakawa!

The propeller from a retired NZ Navy ship, the ship has been sunk as a dive site

Looking out to the islands

The marlin are caught in the sea out from here, the plaque mentions Zane Grey, he apparently was here for a while.

Views out in to the Bay

Our next stop was the Haruru Falls, the water was thundering over here

after the falls I had a wander through the bush to find a cache

was quiet and beautiful through here

I spied a tui bird, not a clear photo sadly, but I could hear the tui singing in the trees all around

and then on to Kerikeri

part of an old pa

the Stone store, this is one of NZ's oldest surviving buildings established in 1819

and this is Kemp house another of NZ's oldest buildings, the garden here has been established for 200 years.

this is the window in the old church here

another window in the church

and finally we reached our place to stay for the next three nights, Cable Bay. A very heavy rain shower went over just as we arrived. Hopefully the weather will be better tomorrow.

I am told you can often see dolphins and whales just out front here - my eyes will be peeled tomorrow!

Happy stitching.

 

Special happenings

 One of the reasons for us coming to NZ was to celebrate Raewyn's special birthday. We met at an events centre just out of Whangarei last night. The theme was 60's.

Raewyn's beautiful cake, love the chooks tucked under the quilt!

How cute is that?

Raewyn and her sister

Raewyn and daughter, watching the grand children

Raewyn and the MOHL

Cake cutting, much excitement as to who was getting a chook from the cake

Ganma was very popular!

Off to cut and share, I must say it was a beautiful cake, it was taste tested!

the selfie queens trying again!! 😀 It was so nice to see Raewyn surrounded by her friends and family and everyone having such a good time.

Hubby and in our improvised costumes

I found a pair of jeans in Geelong, great flares and peace signs, but sadly couldn't do them up over my larger body!! Hubby suggested I cut the legs off and sew them onto another pair of jeans that did fit, so that was what I did. I haven't

 worn flares like that for a very long time!

We had to leave before the festivities finished, although we did get to listen to the band who were amazing .

I had better go and check on the dinner.

Happy stitching.