I know what's good for me, what I should do to nourish my spirit. Why I don't do it more often is the question I ask myself. After a day out just going for a drive, no hurry, no set destination I feel so good.
Yesterday started with a plan but the plan was scuttled by the ill health of the friend Chris and I were to visit so we decided to go somewhere anyway. We picked the right day for it, the weather was glorious. Although by the time we returned home it had turned rather nasty.
We hugged the coast heading south, took a side road or two for no particular reason, just to see what had changed since we were last there. Along the coast between Ruakaka and Mangawhai the change has been constant, the rate of development is astounding.
The bright sunshine was a little too bright for photos and I wasn't in the mood to fiddle with my camera settings so didn't take many photos.
The surrounding area might have changed but the nearby cemetery and the Waipu river mouth are constants.
On what was once farmland situated where we used to think was a long way from the beach at Mangawhai, the hillsides are slowly being covered. Here we are parked on a new development with already one completed house and another being built, looking across at a development that has been there for quite a while and was slow to take off.
While we were in the area we called in to visit Sharon, one of my nieces, in her new family home. Luckily her husband and daughter (who has returned from university in the states because of the virus) were also home. Her other daughter will be out of quarantine next week after finally getting back home from Edinburgh. What a troubling time for parents with children overseas.
I certainly know about that but I can't allow myself to dwell on my son, his partner and little baby in Brasil. I give thanks that Bernie is a besotted father and loves to share frequent photos of his little princess.
A day with a good friend, family and familiar beauty spots - what more could anyone ask.
Adrian, I give up, still can't find how to enlarge the photos. I don't want to ruin my day by the frustration of trying any longer.
What a wonderful mental health break for you. We all need those frequently and consistently.
ReplyDeleteI agree, messymimi. Don't know why I forget that from time to time.
DeleteThat is such a good idea just get in the car a drive. Sorry to hear you have family in Brazil. hope all ends well. Can't you click on your photo in the editing page and choose small large or extra large.
ReplyDeleteHi Diane, I've never had a problem with photos before but they don't like me in the new Blogger interface.
DeleteI read this on the day you posted it. I wondered what the problem could be resizing the photos assuming that that was not their original size because when you upload the photo it gives you the option to set the size. Then I decided that if Adrian was looking at it there must be something amiss. I then left without commenting. Silly me.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that had struck me was your sentence which included "took a side road or two for no particular reason" 'Twas ever thus. How many roads have we gone down for no particular reason? And sometimes we have discovered real gems.
I've always loved those side-roads, Graham, especially the ones that take you to a beach.
ReplyDeleteI know which cemetery you are talking about, I visited there a few months ago and was amazed by the lookout over the water, it's such a historical spot.
ReplyDelete