The Odd One Out
Of all the witches’ hats by the Sturges Road bridge, this was the witchiest one.
Auckland - West
Mainly West of Queen Street - seen through my lens
Month: February 2010 (page 1 of 3)
Cross-hatched (Lower Nihotupu Dam)
From one of my outings to Lower Nihotupu Dam. The ripples on the water were caused by a row of ducks swimming past in the distance. I like the pattern formed by the reeds and waves.
Criss-Cross
A temporary pedestrian bridge at Sturges Road, Henderson.
Spoonbill, Wood Bay
Following on from yesterday’s spoonbill theme, here is an image of a spoonbill in flight, taken in Wood Bay in June 2006. This was a chance encounter rather late in the afternoon in difficult light.
Royal Spoonbills (Dan Mills)
This painted utility box is the work of artist Dan Mills. It is on railway land on the northern exit of Henderson station, between the staff car park of Waitakere Central and the western branch of Railside Avenue (map) – not all that easy to spot. Looking over from Railside Avenue we see a pair of Royal Spoonbills, pictured above. Royal spoonbills (Platalea regia, Kotuku Ngutu Papa) come to the Auckland region during the winter months, at which time I have seen them in various places around the Manukau Harbour or the Firth of Thames, but also at Western Springs, which is almost in the city. They breed mainly in the South Island, notably at Okarito.
The other sides of the box show a Japanese-inspired garden theme, no doubt echoing the Japanese Garden adjacent to the Waitakere Central administration building. This garden was a gift of Waitakere City’s sister city Kakogawa (1997). Originally the garden was established at the old Council premises in Waipareira Avenue, but when Waitakere City Council moved in 2006, the garden moved with it, a peaceful place beside the council building, with formal gardens, seating, and water features.
Japanese Inspired Scene (Dan Mills)
Visit Dan Mills’ website. He has done more murals and painted boxes in Auckland and other places.
Read more about the Japanese garden.
I have started ‘collecting’ corner shops. Shortly after I had taken a picture of this, the Croydon Dairy, the painters appeared, decking it out in a new livery, promoting mathematics big time. Had to do a re-shoot, of course (and change the title).
Cabbages - Avondale Markets
As Lewis Carroll said (in the poem “The Walrus and the Carpenter”):
“The time has come,” the Walrus said,
“To talk of many things:
Of shoes–and ships–and sealing-wax–
Of cabbages–and kings–
Maybe no kings at the Avondale markets, but plenty of buyers and sellers.
Morning Sun
I liked the lines and colours when I was walking past this building. It is a newish apartment block “The Aston” on the corner of Bond Street and Great North Road (map).
Autumn Already?
A period of hot and humid days is now followed by strong sou’westerly winds. Up the road from us, the wind has brought down a fair bit of debris from the kauri trees (Agathis australis, New Zealand’s signature tree). The colour of the leaves in the sunshine is irresistible — I like random art of nature.
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