Driving from one side of the North Island of NZ from Hamilton can be done with in hours. That is one of the things that I love about where I live. In under an hour I can be on the West Coast and just over an hour I can be on the East Coast. What is not good about that? Maybe living on the coast would be better. I think I appreciate the Coast more because I am just visiting, I see it with different eyes if you get my drift.
But before I take you coastal, how about Cake!! TOF built a Banana Cake with Lemon icing the other day and it was divine. So handy having a hubby that loves to bake, cook, well generally takes command of the kitchen!!
I happened to find this assortment of lovely old cake plates the other day at one of our Hospice Shops. All less than $5 each. The first three have a new home and the Delft star will make it to the wall of you know what when I re find my nails. The last plate is tiny with green spots, and you know how I love spots!!
See the plates made it to my gorgeous old wooden cake stand, not that is has cakes on it @ the moment. But I am so ready for High Tea!! A couple of lovely little hand embroidered doilies made their way home with me too.
Sheba got a selection of soft toys and cannot decide which one she loves best or which one she should snuggle with.
Friday I drove out to and spent the day @ Raglan. I went to Zinnia one of my fave shops first and found the above goodies!! Next I visited my friend that was working, browsed a few shops in the main street, grabbed a salad sandwich and then stopped in Cliff St to soak up the view. (and use the public toilets, thankfully very clean!)
Then down to Monster, Tony Sly and Soul. With my four favourite shops visited it was time for a wander.
A beautiful sunny Winter day with a breeze, slightly fresh but not cold. How could I not enjoy the activity on the wharf, the gentle hum of life going on in Raglan.
I bought myself a extra hot coffee and drove out to Manu Bay. You should know the drill by now, lunch (coffee and sandwich) in the car up on the hill above the ocean. Share the crusts with the birds then time to descend the stairs to the rocks below.
The tide was low so there were plenty of bare rocks to scramble over and then sit and enjoy the sea breeze, the sound of the waves crashing, and take in the scenery. There was a small crowd of surfers also enjoying the day, they being in the water!
From there I headed back towards town but turn off to go to the part of the beach by the entrance to the harbour, where the kite surfers, and surf casting fisherman go. I almost had this part of the beach to myself. It was nothing short of glorious.
With sand on my feet,
some small pieces of drift wood and one shell,
I departed Raglan,
feeling revived and happy.
Home in my garden I am please to share the colour that is popping through. My garden is thinking SPRING, and it is only August, not that I am complaining about the return of COLOUR!!
This makes me very HAPPY and the girls are back laying eggs so that is double happy for me!!
We awoke on Saturday to another stunning Winter day so TOF and I decided we would go for a drive to the East Coast, Waihi Beach was our destination. We stopped at the shops and got ourselves some lunch and then made our way to the main beach.
We were joined by some local birds eager to share our food as we sat at a picnic table. After our lunch we went for a wander along the sand, where I found some more small bits of drift wood and a few shells.
From there we drove south to Anzac Bay but up the hill to look at the spectacular scenery that there is. High on the hill overlooking all this beauty I remember how we truly do live in a beautiful little country.
With our lungs filled with fresh coastal air we made our way back to the car to head home.
We made a stop in the Karangahake Gorge and walked over the swing bridge above the river. Oh how TOF enjoyed getting it to swing!!
Ever since I conquered the swing bridges on the Tree walk in Rotorua I don't mind these bridges anymore.
There are remnants from the old gold mining days from way back, it must have been an amazing place back in the day, a hive of activity for sure.
We need to go back in appropriate walking gear and actually do the one of the walks on offer as there is so much more to see.
How true is that!!
Seriously,
make the time
and enjoy life.
Especially if the sun is shining!
***Bye for now***
7 comments:
What a truly amazing country you live in, Sue. We too live only an hour's drive (in one direction only, unfortunately) but the coast here is mostly flat and uninspiring. Not like yours at all. Wonderful photography, as always, and isn't it nice to see those fresh Spring flowers, while here, due to the heatwave, everything is looking past its best, and it's only August! xxx
Doilies and tablecloths that have been embroidered with such care, I always wonder how they can get put out there, but am so happy when I find ones as lovely as yours. Vintage is good. Raglan, Waihi, nothing quite like the sand and salt air. Beautiful almost summer day down here yesterday too.
Lovely cake, your so lucky to have a husband to do that, the cake plates are cute to, great days at the beach, my oldest brother lives in Waihi, enjoy your week. Chris xoxoxo.
You live in a gorgeous part of the world and the greatest thing about that is that you really appreciate it,too.
We couldn't live further away from the sea here in the British Midlands, that's why I get wildly excited to go to Goa! xxx
I would have a two day drive to any coast, but that's ok. I love seeing all the beautiful places you show us.
Fab uplifting post .. the pics are like reading a neat book Thanks so much for sharing we do it as a memory lane trip here.. (Smiles)
Time poor atm so catch up soon
Enjoy your weekend
Cheers!!
A glorious post, Sue! Your editing is on a par with your photography: thanks for the gift of what feels like days away from my routine, enjoying coffee and sandwiches on a beach, browsing the shops and braving the swinging bridges (do they creak?).
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