Snow at MotunaU Beach

Yep the forecast was right - we did get snow to sea level.  This is what I woke up to this morning

As I write this it is snowing a blizzard again and it is 1.5 deg C outside.  Time to put another log on the fire!

photos from the red zone

these are not my photos but those taken by Ross Becker Photography
Hereford Street

 

 Worcester Street and demolition dust

 Christchurch Cathedral

 

Looking south down Manchester Street

 

Cathedral Square

Finally - a background

Yes I finally came across a background for my blog that depicts where I live!

On a different note, the weather is absolutely freezing here today and I heard on the radio that they have had sleet in Christchurch and believe me, it looks like it do something like that here.  I just read in the paper where snow can be expected to sea level brr

Weka Pass Field Trip

Yesterday I joined members of the Rangiora Photographic Society on a field trip to the Weka Pass via steam train.  This steam train is 102 years old!  We travelled in an open carriage with an abundance of photo opportunities.

We left Glenmark Railway Station at 11.30pm and travelled inland through the Weka Pass to Waikari.  This took about 45 minutes but along the way the train stopped and we could get off to claim a vantage point whilst the train backed up and steamed up towards us giving an excellent photo opportunity.
Some photos along the way:

 

 

When it reaches Waikari it has to turn around so it backs up, changes track and moves forward onto this turntable.  This was then turned around and then it was able to back up to rejoin onto the carriages.  

 After a break for lunch we left Waikari at 1pm and it was full steam ahead back to Glenmark

A well known rock formation commonly known as Frog Rock

 A lovely day out

In the Blog World again

Hi, here I am again! I haven't vanished off the face of the earth.

I came across a blog by Aussie Scrap Girls which laid down a challenge using the template they posted on their blog. It certainly inspired me and I decided to do the layout digitally of my niece's wedding last December as I had just finished working on an album for her.

A long time missing!

Yep, it's been a long time since I was in blog world but I think I can manage to participate again. I kind of went down hill in a big way when I fractured my heel last September!

I went crafting yesterday and below are a few of the things that I made. It was really enjoyable to get together in a group and share a few laughs.

What I like the best about the day was the faux metal effect using the cuttlebug

This was a photo frame that was covered with cuttlebugged silver card

This was a cuttlebugged silver card frame around the picture

This is a cuttlebugged faux metal sampler card

This a gate fold card and the black and white image has been divided into three

This is a tri fold card and the image has been stamped with versamark and black embossed and the poppy has been coloured with a tombow pen

New Bird on the block

We have been seeing a large bird hanging around and one day I was able to get some close up photos. Having searched our bird books it appears that this could be a white faced heron and possibly looking for a mate.