Weekend in Whanganui

Whanganui is about a two and half hour drive north of here, on the west coast. We drove up Saturday and went to an art opening - one of Mischa's pals from her studio space - spent the night in a motel. And, during the night (11pm Sydney time) Mish became a great aunt! She is pretty chuffed with niece and great niece and was up at 1 am NZ time to celebrate on the phone with grandma Janey.

Next day we had a walk in an old forest on Sunday before a rainy drive home.

Lots of blossoms and lambs and calves and green paddocks. And rhododendron! On a back road, had to pull over for this one.




Mish with Ratanui, a big rata tree that is hundreds of years old - and so it gets its own name.



With lots of life in it. Epiphytes and other trees sitting in its branches, and vines and ferns and all sorts of blow-ins, and god only knows how many creepy crawlies.

Nice to wander round. Just us and a bit of drizzling rain and a couple of fast walking talking German gals.






Grey evening. Hand held shot out the bedroom window.