Its been a while... This new computer is awesome, but its taken me a while to figure out how to get everything on again... Happy is, having a big hard drive for lots of photos...
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| Sumner Main Street |
So... lets see some... We took family for a break out to Sumner, I have to say, it is beautiful out there, even in its delicate state. It was a central part of the earthquake, and I was astounded to see the damage, and yet delighted to see the heart of Sumners shops still buzzing, slowly maybe, but steadily all the same.
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| Road to Sumner, paved by Road Cones! |
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| Shipping Containers edge the road below the cliffs |
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| Underfoot, the scars remain |
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| The Beach Footie Must Go on! |
The shops that remain open are well patronized, and Sumner still has such unique places to go and find all manner of things you dont find any where else...
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| Cute Kiwiana! |
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| Idyllic Buildings especially this one! |
Im eternally grateful I dont live on a hill overlooking the sea.
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| You can see the gashes where the rocks have fallen |
Looking up at them always did make me nervous, the pigeon filled cliffs have fascinated me, the birds fly out now and again en masse, and now, looking at the piles of rubble along the base of the cliffs, and the shipping containers placed there to make the roads safe... the mind boggles.
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| Cave Rock - the Cave is now filled with boulders |
The iconic landmark as you go through Sumner on the beach, is Shag Rock. Of course, the one photo that *didnt turn out* was the one of the new and changed Shag Rock. It doesnt even look like the same place... The funny thing was, we were travelling through and when I saw it, I took a photo, but there was a sign nearby that I caught right in front of the Rock, so here ya go
... needless to say, Shag Rock is now small. Very odd... but still has the Shags...
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| Life Goes On, so glad to see theyre open and Ok |
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| Little Lady Goes Shopping With Daddy |
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| Doesnt matter the age, the hands both went out automatically to run along the top of the rock walls :) |
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| Spa Pool Anyone? |
What a gorgeous day for having a stretch of the legs, and a small road trip from the suburbs. Well, Sumner is still a part of the city, but so different from our part of things...
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| Eww Ahh, a Tractor... We saw two actually! |
Theres still a dearth of Diggers and Council vehicles... If youre missing a digger or two... I know where they are! Oh and Road Cones. Christchurch has a million... or two.
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| The Substation next to the RSA in Sumner |
We made a big batch of cupcakes this week.
Our first ever try. Miss A was suitably impressed, and we packed them up and took them around to our neighbours. Blue and Pink icing too... yum. Just what you need :)
Actually Daddy was very impressed with them... We have promised to make them again. Four dozen small cupcakes, it was fun! Weve made a couple of our Fruit Loaves too. Theyre yummy! I think Im channelling my inner Domestic Goddess at the moment, its so much fun to bake esp when its cold outside... and Miss 4 has been learning about mixing and stirring... she loves sitting up there chatting as we bake.
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| Pumpkin |
Another week of school and theyre off again for Easter break. Two weeks of changing weather - lets just say, its usually crappy weather this break, hopefully this year will give us a couple of good solid weather days so we can get out and about... before Autumn cracks and lets Winter in.
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| Bergamot |
The Easter bunny better pop in too, Ive heard Creme eggs are on The Easter List this year, as well as Golden Bunnies from Lindt. Expensive tastes, my children!!
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| Look Mummy, Im a bwide! |
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| Autumn Colours |
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| Beautiful Lillies |
And after all that, May will slide in quietly...
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| Signs of Winter approaching - Our Empty Swimming Pool... |
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| Our weekly scoop from the garden... Seed Pods and Veggies |
My bull-headed Taurean turns 11 on the 8th of May. He is my Mothers Day present, bless him.
This year I want to make him something special, hes had a whacky kind of year - two earthquakes, lots of responsibility and not as much schooling as usual. He is holding it together, but the cracks are showing... I think we all could do with a holiday, but where to go? Hes asked for books... so easy to buy for :)
The new Echinacea I bought has flowered, three tall (majus var) flower heads which I watched over as they died and dried... I bought them inside and shook them tentatively... Yes!! We have seeds. Im so pleased. I hope they are viable and easy enough for this amateur to grow from... Excited? Well yes! I am! :)
My pumpkin is still growing ... Im cautious, as I know the first frost will kill it, but even to get one small pumpkin would be so cool. Its so shiny and green, its very pretty...
Our bergamot has flowered beautifully (photo above), the flowers dont seem to have seeds which concerns me. I dont know what Im looking for however, so maybe I have just missed them this year... I must remember to *google* them...
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| Mr Winks |
Not a lot more to report. Ive just put some boxes and old towels/sheets out for the cats. It is getting colder at night and now that we have two extras, they seem to fight over the old dry haunts... so theres a new box in the garage, and another under the table out the back in the porch... I have to growl at them for fighting, and they adore me seriously... no, honest, its true. They hang on my every bowl of food.
Heres hoping your week is a happy one,
Wishing you Sunshine and Light,
From My Hearth to Yours,
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| Winter Colour amongst Liquefaction |
Earth Butterfly
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