belated Feb 3rd wknd!

Up early for Mart's service-it was lovely, and my siblings Pete and Monica, and my nephew Tone had such beautiful, touching, and funny eulogies. And big thanks for kiks and al for being our videographers!

Library visits are always a good time...

and an afternoon at the pool-the girls will be starting swim lessons this week-with hearty protests. 'You didn't ask us!'

Rainbows with rainbow pjs, match made in rainbow heaven.

Fox River Market. I love markets! This one even had some live music that the girls quite enjoyed.

The old Fox River Bridge (the newer one is just to the right of this picture)--there is a group working on restoring the bridge, which would be awesome to see this complete.

On the other side of the bridge-more great beaches.

Tauranga Bay-gorgeous spot!

Short boardwalk to see the seal colony. Hey, where's Magda??

Hi Magda!

Fur seals! There were even cute little babies to see-nursing included.

Ice cream and wekas.

The next day we went up to the Denniston Mine Trails

Denniston was a a mine first, with a town that developed around the coal mining. Families lived in extreme conditions, and it was a difficult and dangerous way to make a living.

Here we are looking down on the Karamea plains and the mouth of the Waimangaroa River.

More googling about the mine: 'It was a technical triumph. The incline plunged precipitously, 548 m in a distance of just 1670 m, with some grades as steep as 1 in 1.25 (80%). Two water-operated brakes, Upper Brake and Middle Brake, slowed the progress of the counter-balancing wagons (i.e., descending full wagons pulled up empty ones) down the two inclines to the railhead at Conns Creek.'

Between 1879 and 1967, 13 million tons of coal was sent down the incline.

Frank selfies.

Trail pics. Ferns galore.

Van on top of the world!

Mossy steps-watch your step!

View between the trees.

More mining artifacts.

One last pretty trail photo. It is so lush!