Bridge - Mitai River

This one on the Mitai River is for the pedestrian only.

Calling a Spade a Spade

Abel Tasman

He is standing lonely in the dark.

Bag Lady

For Twilight Market, in which I'm participating this summer, artists are responsible for all aspects of the stall and sale, including packaging. So I've been looking for inexpensive options.

I've been sticking things on all sides of the sample bags I bought or found at home. Two of these have Organdy bows threaded through holes and tied in bows on the other side, two which Ben reacted with "too girly!!" look, but I still think it's kind of cute. The gold bag is nice and costs the same as the brown, but its paint surface requires extra glue for the stickers.

There's a souvenir/gift shop in town where the owner writes the name of the shop with a fat, black magic marker on brown bags and I've always loved her bags, but I don't have nice handwriting so that's out of the picture at the moment. And I've run out of bags to try out my rubber stamps. At any rate, the most I'll need is a few of the smallest and a few of the mid-sized one, so I should get back to weaving...

Flax flower

This is a small variety of a flax flower. Another one.

New Car, Anyone?

That's NZ$; comes with sheep skin seat covers.

Industrial Area

The big orange warehouse like building is a hardware store.

Better Late than Never

Sometimes good news travel slowly; this is the latest news item on the bulletin board at my gym.

Fresh Mexican Food

There is a new restaurant in the town.

NMIT

NMIT, Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, formerly known as Nelson Polytechnic, is where Ben works, and where I worked last century. It's the end of the academic year, so students must be rushing around studying, finishing projects, and looking for summer jobs as well. Ben being an admin staff, he is required to work until the 21st and take annual leave on the 24th, (IT people like to work when there aren't many others around), but that's ok, he's taking some time off in Jan and we'll have a real break this year.

This was taken during the October break. Straight ahead is the Student Center; the spire belongs to Trinity Church across Nile Street, (quite a way away, in fact.) To your right is the newly refurbished Te Tari Maori/Maori studies building; behind the tree is what I called the Nursing block, but I think it might be called Health Studies now.

The Huangshi Chinese Garden

It's officially opened last week (14/Nov/2007). We featured a construction scene before.
Here is a wider view with slightly different B&W treatment.

Apple

One of two apple trees at the back yard.

Bottle Brush & Bee

A bumble bee at a bottle brush flower at the outside house.

Da Vinci in Nelson

Here in little old Nelson, an exhibition of machines created recently based on Da Vinci's drawings opens today. Last night at 5PM, when I went to shoot this, a whole bunch of nicely dressed local dignataries were arriving for an by-invite-only opening. Nobody I know, unfortunately, and I doubt I could have snook in in my gym clothes.

So Nelson is experiencing a Renaissance, people!

The same museum has been posted here and here, oh, and this rant. I'm surprised at the semi-big-city look in this shot, but it's a two-story provincial museum.

Mind Your Step

Chances are, if you come home with us, you'll be coming through the garage, through this door, up a few steps, then up proper steps to the left of the picture. (You can just see the corner of the doorway.)

Mind your step, because I have new cotton yarns sitting there. These are in colors so different to what I've been using, and I've been admiring them while working in my studio, which is the carpetted area to the right. Oh, and I haven't the room in the upstairs stash room, so I'm not quite sure where else to put them. I suppose I can get rid of the box, eh.

Door

Yesterday was my third Wednesday at Sue's Gallery, and I sold one of my favorite jacket of hers, (far left in Friday's pick; only one sleeve is shown.) Like many, I worked in retail when I was younger, but I swear, I never, ever experienced a buzz like yesterday. It might have been because it was a handwoven garment; it might have been because the two women were so enthusiastic about Sue's work, (I lost count as to how many they tried on); it was most probably because the woman who bought it in the end looked so good in the jacket she bought.

Last Evening at Tahunanui Beach

Tui 2

Bye for now. It's the end of a concert. This video comes and goes at Google's pleasure, but Meg caught him singing a week ago.

This is just a second later.

Tui 1

Our old friend once told us this is also known as a bell bird, because of those white feathers at their thought. We know this is not "The New Zealand Bell Bird", but it's just the another name many people identified (IMHO) this beautiful bird called Tui. He's singing for us.

Shhhhhhhhhh,,,,

I have a hard time clearing my head and being calm sometimes; I always have lists of things I must be doing, or should have finished by now. I even bought a book called "The Quiet" this weekend, so hopefully that'll help.

Here's wishing all of you a nice, quiet, satisfying weekend.

Graffiti or Art?

What do you think?

Weaver's Gallery

Sue Bateup is that rare thing, a weaver who makes a living from the craft. Sue's also been studying, so her gallery has been often closed. I have been envious of the luxury of a financially viable weaving, though I still don't really comprehend how hard she's worked to build it up over the years.

A couple of months ago, I learned she's been sick and that's why the gallery hours have been cut. So, over the summer, I'm "manning" the gallery on Wednesdays, from late morning or early afternoon until dinner time. For all she's done to promote handweaving in Nelson and beyond, she deserves a break.

I'm supposed to be studying her colors and browsing through her many books, but the two Wednesdays I've been there, I pranced around the shop trying out her jackets and vests, (I'm studying the products, you see,) or else fringed furiously my own stuff at the back of the back room.

It's going to be a great summer because of this opportunity.

The gallery is a wee white house at 15B Ajax Ave, 10 giant steps away from the Visitor Information Centre along the river.

Sign

It's not saying you must jump off from your bike.

White Flame

This is a close up of "Peace Lily" in our living room. I think it's a quite popular indoor plant.

Colours

At the front of a souvenir shop.

No Exit

The "No Exit" sign to the river side. There is a walkway to enjoy.

Construction

This little bridge on the Maitai River has taken down and will be replaced with new one. At the front, there is a damaged art work. It's most unfortunate but I think it was the very strong wind we experienced. (Here is the previous shot.)

Fifeshire Rock

I was amazed by the cloud.

Green (Koru)

Well, I had to take this and post at least once and possibly many to follow. It's a kind of symbol of NZ in my opinion; a stylized version is used in the Air New Zealand logo.

Blue

Gee, Theme Day already? I post this not for a particular patriotic reason today; rather I was saving this for a post on Dominion Day, which in New Zealand goes largely unnoticed, after I've done some research, but it's so blue!

The New Zealand flag has four red with white rims starts to signify the Southern Cross; the Australian flag has six white starts. On the sports field, the New Zealand flag is black with a silver fern. There have been some discussions on changing the flag, in particular that of taking out the Union Jack, along with some talk of becoming a republic, but I suspect neither will happen in the next decade or so.

Today is theme day. Please click on the following links to see other "Blue" posts around the world.

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