Marlborough Sounds from Picton Lookout.

Sky Watch.
Looking down the Marlborough Sounds from the Picton lookout on the hill, past the wharves and the ships, on a dull overcast day.
Not every day in Paradise is perfect! But its still beautiful in its own way.
The tall flower heads are our native Flax bush flowers so loved by our Bell birds and Tuis for the sweet nectar.

Looking towards Anakiwa Bay from the side of the scenic road around the Queen Charlotte Sounds
My World.
Anakiwa wharf built for the students of the Cobham Outward Bound School to learn sailing and other skills to built confidence and self esteem in the youths of the Nation, they also have plenty of land bound skills to learn.
The day we were there all the student had been out sailing and ended up mooring their boats over near the other boats, then the poor people had to leap over board and swim to the wharf fully clothes and carrying all their own gear! Pretty tough, specially for the poorer swimmers and it was not a very warm day.
Do join in and share your Would with us all, on the My World Meme.

I have placed the Summer Stock Sunday meme from Israel and the Pet Pride Meme from India on my Glennis's Other Blog site. Do check them out and join in the fun.

Old Steam Train

.SKY Watch, an old steam train passed through Grovetown on a cold frosty morning, on way to a enthusiasts meeting. There is quite a lot of snow on the mountains behind, and masses of smoke and steam, issuing from funnel on the engine, fills the sky.
Somehow hearing and seeing an old steam train just makes your heart beat a little faster and lifts your spirits; pity there are so few of them any more.

Our World

My World for this week is really our world.
We had one of our rare spending sprees, bought a slow cooker and a new digital camera, a Canon Powershot one so that we both will now have a camera, to take on our up coming cruise, and paid for our cruise tickets!.
Next day, I came home from working all day to find that Erle had made good use of the new slow cooker, he had created a lovely beef and vegetable casserole, he proudly carried it to the table to present it to me so I grabbed the new camera and took the first photo of him and the cooker full of a yummy casserole. We have since made several different casseroles but that first one was probably the best, though we cannot repeat it exactly because he says he just put a little bit of most of the jars of herbs and spices.

Kayaking for fun.

Summer Stock Sunday, run by Robin from Israel, maybe you might like to join in.
Kayaking at resolution Bay in the Marlborough Sounds, a year round activity, Erle, my Husband took this kayak out and caught a couple of fish for our dinner. He said it was a bit rocky when pulling the fish in but he didn't fall out. Thank goodness.

Rugged interior of Rarotonga

My Sky watch for this week is from Rarotonga, the rugged mountainous interior, in front are the flowers of a rice crop. A storm was moving in to soak the island.

Oyster Gathering

My World for this week.

Oyster Gathering at Moetapu Bay.
On a cold frosty morning we decided to go out oyster gathering, we packed a nice picnic lunch with a big flask of hot coffee, and 2 buckets to put the oysters in.
It was quite a long drive to Moetapu bay, way round the Marlborough Sound, over the hills into the Mahau Sound, the tide was fully out leaving lots of the beach and rocks on show.
By the time we arrived at Moetapu Bay, another rather remote part of the Marlborough Sounds, the sun was well and truly out and shining beautifully on the waters, as is usual in our climate it was quite hot at 10.30am in time to set out down the beach to check out whether there were still plenty of the Pacific Rock Oysters on the rocks within the bay, as it is some years since we last went gathering. Sure enough the rocks were loaded with large wavey shells with nice big oysters inside.
Took us no time to fill the buckets, even though we had to break them off the rocks they were clinging to. I got lucky and a couple of the hard shells broke leaving exposed the soft juicy oyster flesh, which I quickly scooped out and gobbled down, yumm so rich and salty.The lovely view from our picnic chairs, notice that the sky was clouding over and the sun was vanishing fast.

We then set up a wee table and a couple of chairs in the sun and prepared our delicious picnic lunch, while enjoying a sensational view of the Sounds, as seen through the small bushes and reeds in front of us.
After relaxing on the shore for a while exploring the area, we decided to drive right to the end of the road before driving all the way back home again.
Ofcause, only half of the job had been completed, those lovely oysters were not at all keen on being opened and eaten, it was a big long job opening them, we worked together as a team and eventually all those oysters were in the big bowl awaiting being cooked. We had two really good meals of oysters in batter with chips, made oyster chowder of all the broken pieces, and still had enough to freeze enough for another two meals at a later date.
A very satisfying enjoyable day, we shall repeat in a month or two.






Large clumps of Pacific Oysters growing on the rocks within the bay.

Winter red sky

Sky Watch, a winter red sunset with ghostly white branch from a deciduous tree.
Visit other sky watch fans to see wonderful skies from all found the world.
Summer Stock Sunday Post. First week of a new meme from Israel.

Sheep Farm Wairau Valley

My World, This is my latest posting for the My World meme. It is hosted by Klaus, Ivar,Sandy, Wren, Louise and fishing guy. Do join in and show us all your world.

Sheep Farming in the Wairau Valley, there was a time when there were more sheep than people in our country., but not any more, now there is more diversification down on the farms, new crops and new animals are being farmed. In the district the viticulture has taken over much of the sheep farming land. There is greater profit in grape growing and less work year round.

Paddocks full of sheep graze peacefully in their paddocks up the Wairau Valley in Marlborough.
At the shearing shed sheep await their turn to have their fleece removed.