We are lucky to have a few routes to choose from if there are no time constraints when travelling home from town. (Have I told you how I love being retired?) This week I chose the highway west out of town, out past the hospital and through the pleasant suburb of Maunu. I chose a side street at random, parked and went for a short walk to check out the fences.
Two took my eye. This first rather old and very ordinary fence, brightened by a cottage garden.
In the case of the second it was the old gum tree that beckoned me. I was delighted to find a fence beneath it.
Out this way, a lot of the farm fences are made from the stones picked up in the surrounding area. This is fence at the entrance to the Maungatapere Bowling Club.
Some have been there since 1846 when a pioneer of the district paid soldiers to erect them after the Flagstaff War. Most were put up between 1850 and 1930. Around Maungatapere the stone is a blue-grey coloured basalt. There are a few closer to home which are a red and brown scoria.
Maungatapere has been lengthened from what it was first called - "Tapere". It means meeting place near the mountain. Next week there will be lots of shots of the mountains that I took after I turned off and headed for home.
I will be linking to Good Fences.
