Sunday 4 December 2016

Barns on the Far Side

While I was in Taranaki, one day my daughter kindly offered me her car to go adventuring.  I'd told her I wanted to go to the other side of Mt Taranaki, to the coast side, to Stent Road to visit a garden I'd read about.  

Stent Road beach is one of New Zealand's top surfing spots, so I thought I might also get some nice beach photos.  I'd heard it can get really crowded.   The crowds were definitely missing mid week in November and I found the beach a big disappointment.  Admittedly the tide was out but I couldn't imagine the walk from the surf to the land over those rocks.


The best part was the driftwood.  Maybe there's something I don't know.


My luck was out when it came to the garden, too.  I should have made more enquiries and made a phone call before trekking out to the end of Stent Road.  


I know the garden would not have disappointed.  It's right beside the beach, extremely exposed to the west coast weather.  The road appears to go right through the property as the sea front opposite the house is also grassed and gardened by the owners.  How they maintain such a lush garden on that wild and windy salt laden site is beyond me.


Looking at my photos now I think I should have knocked louder or wandered around and called out before deciding no-one was home.  Now I notice there is a window open.  



Of course, I stopped often that day to take photos of the mountain and sheds.  It's a bonus for me when I can get both in the same photo.


 I found this one quite attractive with its multi coloured patches.



I had a lovely day, wandering up side roads when the mood took me and taking a long way home around the southern side of the mountain, a happy accident as I thought it was going to be a shorter route.


Linking to the Barn Collective.

10 comments:

  1. a little road trip gives great photos and a good story.

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  2. Sometimes a day of wandering can be very restorative. Lovely photos.

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  3. From your photos, you had a great adventure with your trip to the west coast. Beautiful mountain shots and great looking sheds.

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  4. I do like the multi-colored barn. My kind of rusty style!

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  5. What a beach, it reminds me of those on the Big Island of Hawaii. Pauline, your patchwork barn is great, boy I sure like this kind of stuff! With that mountain, you live in a magical place and thanks for sharing it with us. Borrow your daughter's car again and go exploring! To hope that you visit again when you can.

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  6. That IS a nice colorful barn. : )

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  7. oh I just love quirky season gardens. There's a few up north, especially in pahi :-)

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  8. Hello Pauline,

    Well you certainly wouldn't be using that beach for sun bathing! Great shots of the patchwork barn. Makes me think of that saying "make do and mend." Visiting a garden in that sort of situation with the weather conditions makes you realise that they are the best tough plants.

    Happy days.
    Bev.

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  9. Wonderful photos as usual, Pauline.

    I can't imagine tackling those rocks, either...particularly these days!

    Beautiful garden and location.

    In my response to you in my blog, I commented that I used to work close to where you did back in the days of yore...I was in Heindorff House, in Queen Street, practically next door to where you were!! :)

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  10. It sure is a colourful barn. The mountain looks beautiful. Shame about the garden.

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