Kawhia Solo Trip.

 Hi folks ...again.

Back into blogging mode heading north to a 4 string festival in Kawhia!

But first some recent news and an update of activities in the last few months.

I have been incredibly busy running a jewellery box making workshop down at the Mens shed which has been running for several wednesday nights.

I have been making all the parts and setting up machines for the guys to make the cuts (safely we hope)

Each bloke gets 5 boxes (of three different styles) to give away for Christmas to family

(I’m holding one in the photo)

I also decided to get back into doing some woodwork again and am setting up a small workshop in the garage at home! Because of this I also took a class up at the Centre for Fine Furniture out at Whakapuaka in Nelson on making Japanese kumiko, which is the wooden infills in shioji doors.

We are increasingly lucky in New Zealand with our reaction and current situation with Covid 19 in comparison to many other parts of the world. We had a short quick and very successfull lockdown and now are mindfully living a near normal existence.

Here are some pics of the Kumiko workshop and some tools seen and lusted after...!

This workshop was attended by only 6 others...two of which had been in NZ’s managed quarantine.

Yes we do live in interesting times????? 

I left most of my tools and larger machines behind at Rosedale (and a lot of lovely wood) when I retired. Now I slowly start to amass a smaller more detailed kit to explore the re-introduction into woodwork again.

This is a Japanese Dozuki pull saw (they are .3mm thick and cut on the pull...obviously) 

This is a Canadian made low angle hand plane with a thicker than normal blade.

Lou the english teacher...did not teach any english, but loved talking about tools (and everything else)

This was our starting kit including jig blocks for the Kumiko panel

It’s as simple as that.....!

It took two full days of detailed accurate quiet work to make this little Kumiko panel.

I did also take my Japanese Obi material collection to show them and three people took up my offer to have a small piece to use in their next kumiko project.

This was a band called Hopetown Broun who were on tour throughout both islands. I saw them when they had played 14 nights straight in different locations.

Superb playing, slick, funky and totally on top of their game! Loved the base Clarinet.

We recently got an  5.2 meter awning fitted to the bus as below 

We also got Peter from Just Sails to fit a skirt along the length of the bus to keep the wind out.

We jointly figured out how to make a good fit around the doorway.

Another event I attended was the local vintage and classic cars display and a Rally, which I checked out some fine cars as below....

Nice number plate mate!

Just another New Zealand Richmond Sunset.

 So I take off for the North Island, gratefull to be living in NZ with freedom to travel and ability to go where ever I want to.......true freedom!

Along Rocks Road 

Onwards to Picton  .... hop on the Bluebridge Ferry

And along the Marlborough Sounds

And out onto the Cook Straight...heading for the North Island 

This was the first time I’ve seen sheep going across, usually its cattle!

Coming into Wellington Harbour is always an impressive sight! 

 Rush hour traffic in the Capital.

That’s enough for this starting blog....plenty happening and therefore more to follow.

 Kia kaha...stay safe and be creative.....your health depends on it!

Cheers Jimu

Re-connecting with New Zealand

After spending nearly 6 months in Queensland Australia I was keen to get home.

I had booked to go to a 4 string music festival months ago up at Kawhia in the North Island and  therefore spent some time getting Clowning Around #2 out of mothballs and ready to go.

But first the Waimea Menz Shed were showing how to make boxes and other knick knacks at the Mitre 10 garden event.

These three women had no trouble knocking up their boxes without men’s help.

Very good with hammer marks, but I don’t think they even noticed.

Another Menz Shed event. Helping provide food for 160 KTM riders who were on a off road and on road rally around the top of the South Island

We couldn’t get the borrowed barbeques to work so we rushed to get our own home barbies which did the trick.

Now fresh off the Ferry and intending to parkup where we usually do, at the Evans Bay free parkup, but unfortunately the WCC has made the area smaller and therefore it was full, so I headed out towards Miramar and found a much better secluded spot in Shelly Bay.





Part of this area had been gifted to the local Maori Iwi tribe as a Treaty of Waitangi settlement, and is still awaiting development.

The city art galley (with the big hand on top) and the city library to its left is under refurbishment. The artificial grass, that you see in the lower corner, is a lunchtime soccer pitch which is a terrific idea. And yes I did feel like joining in!

Another of our favourite spots is Ngatitoa domain in Paremata, which is an easy drive north from Wellington City

Onwards North to park at the mouth of the Patea River, which as you can see, is a black sand beach.

These murals are in Whanganui, I think they are all new since our last visit a few years ago.

Murals give a vibe to a place and add art and colour...I do my best in that department!

That’s all for this NZ Blog, 

Next, Dawson Falls, Hollard and Pukeiti Gardens, and New Plymouth.

Till then.

Stay safe, have fun, and be creative.

Jimu & Christine.

OZ Blog #22 The return to the Motherland, New Zealand!

The last two days in Cairns just to show the transition back to New Zealand, I walk past the Wicked Campers Yard and am happy I don’t fit that demographic anymore!

Although even in my flaky youth I wouldn’t have done it this way because I was a backpacker with a huge backpack.

Down on the waterfront I was impressed by this sculpture.



No idea what fruit this is called, its not being eaten by anything so probably not of commercial value.

Brisbane airport shuttle from the Domestic terminal to the international has 100% electric buses, this must be a thing of the future.

Today international flights have wi-fi available on the plane and I was therefore able to post one of my OZ blogs from 30,000 feet, which is quite a feat!

The North Island comes into view...doesn’t it look green.

North towards 90 Mile Beach.

The Auckland Harbour Bridge.

We did a large loop to the south east taking in Rangitoto Island.

Obviously at low tide!

Yup New Zealand comes into touchdown...isn’t that green so peaceful.

While waiting in the queue for Customs, I spotted this notification of New Zealand’s dangerous and exotic pests, somewhat different from where I’ve been.

The very next day I was doing some clowning at our local RDA where Christine volunteers, which brings my OZ blogs to a natural end.

Here is Christine on duty leading the way with the pony rides, a very popular event on the day.

The timed wooden horse event was fun



Gymnastics on a horse, this team came all the way from Golden Bay



A special equestrian trained horse from Motueka did everything but talk.

Here is Spice...it was his job to mark one of the squares to seal the raffle winner...it was number 5.

So that is the end of another successful adventure in Australia, all in Queensland.

We are all set up to continue next year...hopefully we’ll get out of Queensland, but meantime New Zealand is wide open for more adventures.

Many thanks for viewing our OZ blogs.

Till then stay safe, be creative and have fun!

Jimu