Castle Point and Waiokino Gorge

 

Thursday 21st December 2023

We went to Waiokino Gorge this morning for a look. There is a very high swing bridge that we walked out on to. We both felt most uncomfortable when we were taking a picture. We got off as quick as we could. We went down to the edge of the river and felt much better. Looking at the bridge from below, it looked an awfully long way up.

From there we went to Castle Point. Eddie took his fishing equipment, but it was a bit windy and he didn't think he would be able to caste out far enough, Castle Point is a lovely beach with a lighthouse at the point. It seemed to be a nice safe beach. Unfortunately it is about 100 ks away, so we won't be able to go there too often. It was a nice day out.

 

Castlepoint Lighthouse

Waiokino Gorge Swing bridge

Waiokino Gorge from the bridge

Friday 22nd December 2023.

The weather continues to be summery, which is nice, if rather hot. We mustn't grumble.

It was 34 degrees between Masterton and Greytown. when we came home yesterday. 

I got a good bit of  gardening done this morning. The front garden, where Eddie has sprayed, has lots of dead grass in it. I pulled it up and found quite a bit of fresh yarrow growing up underneath. I will have to keep on top of it before it takes over again. 

We are getting more customers in now that it is summer time and everyone is on holiday. Soon we will be busy bees. 

rambling rose

Friday 15th December 2023

The day started off nice, but the clouds and the wind came up this afternoon, so not so pleasant as the morning.

We had a lot of rain one night earlier in the week. The wind blew the rain under the iron on the roof of the stables where we store things and made a bit of  a mess. Eddie got some wooden pellets that are around the place and put them on the floor to stack things on.  Everything is off the ground now, so if it floods again, they should stay dry. The toilet rolls we use for the toilets got soaked. Luckily there was only 1 left. Eddie went to get some more and there none there. Matt had to go and get some from Masterton ( I think). He dropped them off this morning. They look nice and tidy now, so I will have to not make them untidy, otherwise  I will be in big trouble.

Saturday 16th December 2023

It was cloudy today and I thought it was going to rain at lunch time, so I brought the washing in and hung it on the clothes horse. It didn't rain, so I put the hose onto the garden this evening. The silver beet looked a bit droopy. 

Sunday 17th December 2023

The weather has been quite odd today. We have had wind, some rain, some sun but not cold. I went for a bike ride this morning for half an hour. I had to put my rain coat on, on the way home, but it had almost stopped by the time I got back.

The wild flowers are looking very pretty and the bees are enjoying them. I shall try and remember to take a picture for next week's blog.

Tuesday 19th December 2023

We had a proper summer's day today. We got to the high 20s. 

Yesterday we did a bit of weed whacking near the gate. The committee was supposed to have done it, but a typical committee and nothing has happened. It will be a fire hazard if it is allowed to dry out too much. Eddie used the whacker and I raked it out of way with the leaf rake. We did an hour and we had had enough. It wasn't very sunny, but it was warm. We were going to do some more first thing this morning, before it got hot, but we decided to give it a miss today and got the shopping instead.

Wednesday 20th December 2023.

Another hot day today, but a bit windy. We went and got Eddie a couple of high vis singlets and a new aerial for the CB. We think it is the aerial that is faulty and not the CB. He thought he didn't need a bit to attach it and now finds that he does, so we are going to Masterton tomorrow to get it.

We have a couple of vans in for the weekend. They are here for a wedding tomorrow

Some poppies have popped out today. Red ones. I think they are the ones that grew on Flanders Fields.

Below are a couple of pictures I have taken this week. The roses are on a fence that I walk past on my walks and smell really nice. The bees like them too. The other one is a spider web that I thought looked rather cool with the sun shinning on it.

Jet Sprints

 

Friday 1st December 2023

It was showery today. It was supposed to come out fine this afternoon, but no such luck. Eddie got the lawns finished and did some weed whacking. I got some of the gardens done. The wild flowers we planted in the garden by us are starting to flower. It is easier to see what are weeds and what are the flowers now.

Saturday 2nd December 2023

It's been a summery day today, which has been rather nice. Eddie picked up all the bits of trees that he had cut off yesterday. He used the side by side and the trailer. When he had finished, he washed the side by side. Goodness knows when that was last done. I joked that it would probably break down now.

We have a few people in this weekend to watch the jet sprints tomorrow. The weather is a bit doubtful, so it maybe postponed. There is water in the middle of the track all ready to go. 

3rd December 2023

It was quite a different day from yesterday. Not sunny and a bit of rain that barely laid the dust. I ended up watering my little vege garden, as the rain wasn't any use.

We had the jet sprints on today. We went and stood at the fence and had a bit of a look. We were at the fence of the race track, so the photos are a bit small. They just about empty the water from the track when they zoom around the corners. They must have to keep filling up the track as they spill out so much as they go around the corners really fast. There is a "track" in the centre of  the the race track, which they fill with water from the river. Some years the event has to be canceled as the river is too low for them to take out any. They are flat out of the gates until they get back to them. Sometimes the time keeper got showered with water as they went by. We didn't go in, but stood at the fence to watch some of the heats. Someone described it as the Scotsman's grandstand. 

The boat isn't that easy to see, but you can see the spray they create. When they are going around a corner, they disappear completely from view, because of the spray.

The top of the fence post I was leaning on at the jet sprints was covered in yellow lichen, so I took a picture.