Tag Archives: Wellington

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Winter arrives 3 days early

Yesterday the first cold southerly blast of winter arrived. The temperature dropped from around 15 degrees to 7 degrees. Snow fell in the Southern Alps and on the volcanic plateau in the North Island closing roads and causing general chaos.

And snow fell on the hills around Wellington. When we woke this morning and looked out the window, the view across the harbour included an early season dusting of snow.

Today is a beautiful sunny day but the temperature is hovering under 10 degrees in the shade. Thankfully the wind has gone and things will continue to improve towards the weekend – when winter officially starts.

Snow across the harbour

Snow across the harbour

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Bella Day 7

Bella disgusted

After a week we are starting to get a routine going. The routine is Bella chewing everything while we spend huge amounts of time outside trying to get her to “go toilet”.

Already the mats are looking a little ragged around the edges and feet – any feet – are fair game for chewing and chasing.

Our slightly chewed Poppie – ears and tail mainly –  has worked out that height is the answer. Bella can’t jump up on to couches or beds yet so Poppie spends a lot of time on the bed or the couch – much to Bella’s disgust.

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Welcome Bella

We have a new member of the family. An 8 week old puppy called Bella. She is a Bichon Frise cross Poodle and is, according to Jean, as cute as a button.

Bella has spent two days settling into home and already our routine has been turned upside down.

Poppie the dog doesn’t quite know what to make of her but is certainly making sure Bella knows she’s second in line.

Rosie the cat has spent a lot of time outside – voluntarily – but I suspect their showdown will come soon. Curious Bella with all the innocence in the world versus smart Rosie with claws.

And, of course, Bella is already the most photographed dog in Wellington.

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A great vintage

Grapes 2013

One of the advantages of a long, hot and dry summer is that the country has many happy vintners. The 2013 vintage is shaping up as a cracker right across the country so if you’re a fan of New Zealand wine keep an eye out for some fabulous treats.

At our place we share a very old vine with our neighbours. Over the years it has spread it’s way down the boundary fence and now covers about half the length bringing that Italian feel from our back yard right down to the front door.

Every year it produces eating grapes and usually they are, how would you put it – sour, really sour. This year the long dry spell has been their saviour. Rich and sweet they have been a hit with our friends and rellies – so much so that friends planned  a pick and run mission last weekend to clean out the last remaining bunches.

As a result, our grapes may not be up for grabs this year but any bottle of wine from New Zealand with 2013 on the label will be worth grabbing – believe me.

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Only 20 days of water left

Dry Lake Bed of Mojave Desert

Wellington has been experiencing a drought. It has been a dry summer and with no rain in the last 6 weeks all outdoor garden watering was banned a few days ago.

By  Sunday we were down to 20 days of water left in the reservoirs around the city.

Presumably once that’s gone we will be forced to drink wine and bathe in champagne. And friends, any spare bottles of Perrier you have sitting in the cupboards, please send it this way urgently.

If you sense a little cynicism in this post it is only because I am a Wellingtonian and I just knew that the good weather couldn’t hold out forever. Yesterday and today the rains arrived.

Good news for the garden but bad news for the Wellington water supply – apparently. Because the catchment area streams and rivers have been so low and full of dust and dirt, the recent rain washed all this muck with it and became too dirty to be purified by the Wellington water system.

So the irony is that after 2 days of solid rain we have 2 less days of water available. Now, where’s that champagne?

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Windy Art – where else but Wellington

One of the things I enjoy about Wellington is the amount of public art around the city. I’ve already blogged about the writers walk along the waterfront – the snippets of kiwi writers works carved in stone scattered here and there for people to discover. But there is so much more.

On the way to Wellington airport are a series of wind inspired works, each one making a unique statement about Wellington’s defining climatic condition and each animated by the wind in a unique way.

Here is the first in a series of shots of the various Meridian Wind Sculptures stretching between Evans Bay and the airport. Zephyrometer is a work by Phil Price erected in 2003. It is a giant “windometer” which often reaches close to horizontal in strong southerly winds. Something every Wellingtonian will have seen over the last 10 years.

The second sculpture is Andrew Drummond’s Tower of Light. The stronger the wind blows the faster the rotor on top revolves and the more neon tubes light up powered by a generator in the rotor. If you are driving into the city from the airport and see all the rings illuminated be prepared for a rough time.

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The fleet is now complete

356 Outside Gate

A week ago I picked the 356 up from the Powerhaus with refurbished brakes, a tuned engine, new battery and new “stop it leaking oil onto the road” thingies.

The last time I drove it was onto a transporter heading to the Powerhaus before Christmas. All four brake drums had seized so it was more dragged than driven. It was a sad sight.

But now it’s back and better than ever. All it needs now is a wash and wax and it’s back to showroom condition.

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February is birthday month

Birthday Cake 1

At our place birthdays happen in February.

Both Jean and I celebrate the passing of another year in February with birthdays just 4 days apart. Both our mothers celebrate birthdays in February as does an assortment of rellies scattered throughout the month.

Last night we celebrated Jean’s birthday with candles, cake, flowers, champagne and balloons – and a visit from the “Louis V” fairy with a new handbag-matching wallet.

What more could a girl want?

The year that was

Everywhere I look the last 12 months are being reviewed – news, sports, politics – the best of, the worst of – clearly this is the time of year for reflection. Never being one to miss a trend, here’s our year in review.

It started in a cold UK and ended in a warm and sunny New Zealand. Along the way there has been travel, adventure, triumphs and sadness. Going back through the photo album, a few images leapt out.

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Home again

Poppie asleep on Minnie

After just over a week on the road we arrived home last Thursday. It had been a great break but we were all exhausted.

A huge thank you to the whole Pohara team who are now, once again, spread all around the globe.

Pohara panorama - 5 shots stitched together using Photoshop

Pohara panorama – 5 shots stitched together using Photoshop

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Council workman humour

Road Builder Humor

This photo was not a set-up. I was driving into town today and around 200 metres from home I passed some road works. When the lovely men from the city council do this type of work they forewarn the residents and ask them to park their cars outside the work zone. In almost all cases the residents comply. When they don’t …

It’s Hobbit premiere time

Today Wellington will come to a standstill for the world premiere of Peter Jackson’s movie The Hobbit. There will be stars, screaming fans, air kisses and autograph signings by the thousand.

This morning I had a meeting in that part of town, just across the road from the Embassy Theatre, and afterwards I had the chance to wander around and take some photos of the preparations. The amount of equipment being set up was amazing and it seemed like every Outside Broadcast van in the country was parked in and around the theatre.

Already security was in place and great swathes of the street was cordoned off with the impressive red carpet running right to the door of the theatre.

And even 6 hours before the start of the event spectators were waiting. By late afternoon the streets will be packed.

They say that the best camera you own is the one you have with you – and these shots were taken on my pocket Sony T500 camera. It did a great job.

Wellington’s wonderful waterfront

One afternoon last week I took a walk along Wellington’s waterfront. It was a glorious day and it seemed like most of Wellington was out to enjoy it.

When I say I walked along the waterfront, in actual fact, I only walked a short stretch from the Lagoon at the southern end of Frank Kitts Park to Max Patte’s striking sculpture “Solace” near Te Papa.

I walked past some of the Catherine Griffiths sculptures that make up the Wellington Writers Walk, spent time at the sculpture of Kupe, watched children jumping off the wharf by the lagoon entrance and had the chance to observe Wellingtonians doing what Wellingtonians do on a sunny day.

The development of the waterfront area has transformed what was a working wharf 30 years ago into a real asset for the city. It is accessible, well laid out and, with the number of people that use it on a daily basis, incredibly successful.

And it’s still a work in progress. If you get the chance to visit Wellington, or if you’re a Wellingtonian who hasn’t spent any time there recently, check it out. You won’t be disappointed.

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Tui on a wire

Five years ago we had never seen a Tui in our back yard. We thought of them as birds of the bush or forest, certainly not visitors to our suburban home.

These New Zealand native birds have a distinctive white ruffle under their chin and a call which is a mix of ringing bells, clicks, whirrs and buzzes – with the sound of someone gargling mixed in for good measure.

About 3 years ago Tui just started to appear around the house and now their annual arrival is a mark of spring and the arrival of the warmer weather.

Their resurgence in numbers has been quite significant and is due, in no small part, to a successful breeding programme at our local wildlife reserve.

Nice.