Garden Discovery, Waipu Pipe Band Competitions and Sculpture Symposium

Last weekend (15/2/2014) we went on the Whangarei Garden Discovery trails.  On Friday we went out to Ngunguru and Tutukaka and on Sunday we looked at gardens around Whangarei itself and the Whangarei Botanic Gardens.  Saturday, however, we went south to One Tree Point, Ruakaka and Waipu.  While at Waipu we had a look at the preparations for the Pipe Band competitions and then in the evening we attended the auction of the pieces made at the Sculpture Symposium.

No wonder I get tired as on each day, before we set off, we took Sophie on an hour's walk.

Anyway, here are some photos from the Saturday.

The "fire pit" won the people's choice award and sold on the night

The sculpture below was bought by the council.

MANDELA: A Long Walk to Freedom

A couple of weeks ago I read an article on this film in which it stated that it should be compulsory viewing for everybody.

There was also the chance to win tickets to the film.  I entered and, on Monday, received news that I had won tickets for two.

We went today and , even though it is a long film (147 minutes) and I am overtired at present it held our attention from start to finish and I thoroughly recommend it.

It went through his life until he became president.  10/10


Apart from that we had a busy weekend with the Whangarei Garden Discovery and the end of the Sculpture Symposium.  Photos to be posted later.

Not Enough Hours

It has been another busy week.  There were all the usual things to keep us busy such as walking Sophie and visiting Max as well as the usual household and garden chores for both my property and Dougs.

Among other things, on Tuesday we tried to go to the Summer Show put on by the Northland Youth Theatre group although all tickets were sold, there was a possibility of getting in.  Unfortunately, we just missed out and put our names down for the following and final night when we were successful.

It was based on the fact that the young people of Whangarei (and many other towns worldwide) leave home to go to uni or obtain work entwined with  the story of the Pied Piper.

The young people had done everything from writing the story, acting etc., etc.  We will definitely be going to any of their future productions - it was thoroughly enjoyable.

On Friday we went to a lunch for members of the local Parkinson society and enjoyed an exhibition of Scottish Country Dancing.  Yesterday, Saturday, after walking Sophie along the usual Hatea River walk Doug suggested it would do me good to walk up Parahiki so after taking Sophie home and having a cuppa we went back and walked the same river track and then walked up Parihaka.  We think we walked about 10 kms with a part of it very steep.  Although I was quite tired afterwards I feel surprisingly good today.

Today we walked Sophie down at the Town Basin and looked at the sculptures in the third Whangarei Sculpture Symposium.  It started on Tuesday and finishes with an auction next Saturday.

On one of our walks this week I spied another Giant Dragonfly which seemed to be caught on something up a bank.  They are beautiful.

No photos of the Northland Youth Theatre play as I was too engrossed in it.

We walked up the Ponga track which is quite narrow in parts.

The following is a selection of the early stages of the sculptures - there are 30 in all.  We hope to get back later in the week to see how they turn out.

JOUSTING

As we had the gym in the morning we didn't get to see the first Jousting Session.  Unfortunately, in this one of the men had a hit to a tender spot and, although he took part in another part of the action, he wasn't able to get his armour on so the jousting we saw was between a man and a woman.