RECIPES

Friday 9 June 2023

Visiting Maketu

 

Three of us headed off together yesterday and visited Maketu in the Bay of Plenty (about two hours from here).  

The weather was gorgeously sunny and we had great fun exploring the area.

Our first stop was the Kaituna River Mouth.  




The tide was full, and the fishermen were out in force (it is a very popular fishing place).




Nearer its source, the Kaituna River is much loved for whitewater rafting and kayaking.  It looks a bit more serene at this end!




This view is looking down the coastline towards Maketu village.  




Our next stop was beside the Waihi Estuary, a shallow intertidal body of water that provides many diverse habitats for wildlife.



There is a holiday park / camping ground here, as well as several holiday homes.




On the other side of the Estuary we could see the beachside village of Pukehina.




Back over the hill to Maketu village next, and we simply had to stop and enjoy the view below us.




Maketu beach, beside the Surf Club, was not busy although there were several surfers out enjoying the waves.




We visited the local café here and had an appetising lunch while enjoying the sunshine and stunning views out over the water.




At the Maketu Reserve there is an area set aside for Freedom Camping, and beside it there is an Outdoor Gym.  

All three of us decided exercise was not needed after our delicious meal – we all felt more inclined to have a short nap!




All in all, it was a most enjoyable day out.

Cheers,

Margaret 😊

 

  


Thursday 1 June 2023

Ten Years Old

 

Sometimes the years seem to roll by so quickly and other times they don’t.  Yesterday my youngest granddaughter turned ten years old, and it doesn’t seem that long ago since she was just a babe in arms.

Her hair is the same colour that mine used to be, and we had a fascinating conversation about old people having grey or white hair.  I figure she thinks I am really ancient!

Last year I experimented with cutting back the strawberry plants to help them fruit better a second year and it seemed to work quite well, so I have done the same again this year.




This coming weekend will be a holiday one (no work on Monday) as it will be Kings Birthday Weekend.  It is taking a bit of getting used to calling it a different name after calling it Queens Birthday all my life.

We have no plans for going away – over the years, I have discovered it is best to stay off the roads on public holidays if I can possibly help it.

If the weather is nice, there are things I can do in the garden.  If it isn’t nice, I might just curl up with a book!

Have an awesome happy day 😊

Margaret.

 


HEADER PHOTO FOR JUNE 2023

This photo was taken in Autumn 2019 when I travelled over Arthurs Pass in the Southern Alps.  There are several places showing these rocky limestone outcrops, the most famous being Castle Hill (a place much loved by rock climbers but also fascinating to walk amongst the rocks).