The Changing Seasons: January 2019

Stihl more to do. Image: Su Leslie 2019

There are worse metaphors for my month than the Big T’s chainsaw.

There have been days when I’ve effortlessly cut through “the big stuff”, and others when it’s felt like my plans and good intentions have been chopped off at the knees.

But overall, we managed to tackle some jobs that have been over-long in the “too hard” basket, and reward ourselves with a few escapes from our normal landscape.

I’ve already posted shots from most of these trips, (very poor planning) so here are a some from a long-delayed visit to The Lighthouse (see below), an exploration of the walk and cycleway under Mangere Bridge (we weren’t even sure it existed), a visit to the beautiful Northland beach at Whananaki where T and I once camped, and a few days in Rotorua.

A highlight of that trip was the Redwoods Tree Walk; 28 connected suspension bridges, up to 20 metres off the ground in the midst of the redwood forest. I hate heights — but it was fabulous. It is open until 11pm, and the forest is lit up at night, but there were massive queues the evening we considered it, while we had the daytime walk almost to ourselves.

The Lighthouse, and The Cloud; downtown Auckland. Image: Su Leslie 2019

The Lighthouse, public sculpture on Queens Wharf, Auckland. Artist: Michael Parakowhai. Image: Su Leslie 2019

The Lighthouse, a sculpture by Michael Parakowhai. Image: Su Leslie 2019

The chainsaw maestro. Image: Su Leslie 2019

Image; Su Leslie 2019

Walkway, Mangere Bridge, Auckland. Image: Su Leslie 2019

Walkway, Mangere Bridge, Auckland. Image: Su Leslie 2019

Manukau Harbour, from the walkway on Mangere Bridge, Auckland. Image: Su Leslie 2019

Redwoods Tree Walk, Rotorua — with the Big T. Image: Su Leslie 2019

Redwoods Tree Walk, Rotorua. Image; Su Leslie 2019

Redwoods Tree Walk, Rotorua. Image; Su Leslie 2019

Redwoods Tree Walk, Rotorua. Image; Su Leslie 2019

Redwoods Tree Walk, Rotorua. Image; Su Leslie 2019

Whananaki footbridge. Image: Su Leslie 2019

Whananaki Beach, Northland. Image: Su Leslie 2019

Before …. Image: Su Leslie 2019

Experimenting with a new tote design. Holds two bottles of wine (just not for long). Image: Su Leslie 2019

… and after. Image: Su Leslie 2019

It hasn’t felt like a particularly creative month. I messed around with a design for a tote to hold a couple of bottles of wine, on the basis that this (suitably filled) would make a good gift. The design is good, but I’m struggling with execution.

In the kitchen, my sourdough obsession has produced a few attempts at pizza / pizza bread. I’m definitely getting there, and T is happy for me to keep experimenting!!

About The Changing Seasons

The Changing Seasons is a monthly challenge where bloggers around the world share what’s been happening in their month.

If you would like to join in, here are the guidelines:

The Changing Seasons Version One (photographic):

• Each month, post 5-20 photos in a gallery that you feel represent your month
  
• Don’t use photos from your archive. Only new shots.
• Tag your posts with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so that others can find them

The Changing Seasons Version Two (you choose the format):

• Each month, post a photo, recipe, painting, drawing, video, whatever that you feel says something about your month
• Don’t use archive stuff. Only new material!
• Tag your posts with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so others can find them.

If you do a ping-back to this post, I can update it with links to all of yours.

Update

Ladyleemanila

Tracy at Reflections of an Untidy Mind

Marilyn at Serendipity — Seeking Intelligent Life on Earth

Tish at Writer on the Edge

The Covert Novelist

Joanne at My Life Lived Full

Deb at The Widow Badass

Ju-Lyn at All Things Bright and Beautiful

Jude at Living on the Edge

Little Pieces of Me

Pauline at Living in Paradise

Ruth at Ruth’s Arc

Sarah at Art Expedition

Yvette at Priorhouse blog

 

 

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The Lighthouse is a work of public art by NZ sculptor Michael Parakowhai. It’s sited at the very end of Queen’s Wharf in the CBD and from the outside, is a 1:1 scale replica of a New Zealand “state house” of the 1950s. The interior is completely open and contains clustered neon lights and a large scale statue of Captain Cook (there is an identical sculpture in the New South Wales Art Gallery).

It’s an interesting work — with the interior defying expectations. I didn’t manage to capture any particularly good interior shots, but there is one in this article. And uou can read more about it here.