Springtime

Cindy continues to go on weekly tramping outings with a tramping club.  Last week they went to Halswell Quarry Park and hiked the Rim Track.  The quarry was first worked in the 1860’s and ran until 1990.  The blue-grey stone was used in many historic Christchurch buildings.  After 1990 the quarry was restored as a wildlife and recreation area.

Halswell Quarry Basalt

Hiking through gorse - a colorful but invasive plant

Belted Galloway cow and calf

Halswell Quarry Park viewed from the track

 

Paul was able to join in the tramping this week when we went to Taylor’s Mistake and hiked on past Boulder Bay to Godley Head.  We walked to the edge of the Godley Battery Compound, an area that was used by the military in World War II when they thought Japan might invade New Zealand.  The compound is closed for renovation due to earthquake damage.  We hiked back on the Lyttelton side, getting fine views of the hills and the harbor.

Taylor's Mistake

On the way home from one of the hikes, we stopped to view a garden and folly at the home of Lynda and Phil D.  And like us, if you aren’t sure of the definition of folly here it is:  "Folly: a costly ornamental building with no practical purpose, especially a tower built in a large garden or park."  Phil has made concrete decorative pieces which will go on the top of his folly.

Seven acres of gardens and nature near Halswell

Lynda and Phil

Phil's folly

Plants grow very well here as you can see in this photo of our friend Dot with a huge kale plant – Dot is about 5 feet tall for comparison.

The gardens around campus are bursting with color this spring.  We’ve included a slide show.  To replay the slide show, press the Refresh button on your browser - if you press the arrow shown at the end of the slide show it takes you out of the blog.  Cheers!