April Holiday: Go Wild With Weaving

A year ago, I was browsing the web, as you do, and randomly bought 50 basket willow cutting from Go Willow!, as you do. Then of course, I said to Mac, I need to go to a willow weaving course so that if when they grow, I can make baskets. As you do. Well, I wasn't really serious, but then we thought about how we'd been talking about visiting Golden Bay for decades, so hey! why not? The two day Go Wild With Weaving workshop was in Collingwood, so it was up early to be there at nine.

So on Saturday morning I walked up the hill to the local school and discovered over the next two days that basket weaving is not my thing. I loved it but it didn't love me - my arthritic hands were feeling very sorry for themselves by the end of the weekend. In addition to being hard work, though, it was fun.

 Day one's basket.

For dinner on Saturday night everyone, plus partners and children, went to a cafe way out in the dark. We were given instructions several times, and everyone made it there fine - unlike the previous year when someone missed the 'turn right' bit but remembered the 'gravel road' bit and ended up driving along the Heaphy Track! Not the done thing at all. Anyway, I can heartily recommend The Naked Possum as a place to eat.

On day two we made a second basket, although a couple of people worked on the same one, adding height and handles. At the end of Sunday, we had a display, which made me want to go back again next year and try one of the other workshops. There are more photos here.

 Go Willow

Go For Flax

Go For Hats

 Go Twining

 Go Paper Weaving

 Go Stitching

 Meanwhile Mac was relaxing and having a look around while the tide was in.

 

April Holiday: Over the Hill

When the boys and I came to Nelson in 1999, I had planned to go over the Takaka Hill to Golden Bay. However there was a bush fire on the hill, and they closed the road. Nearly seventeen years later I finally made it! I think I could have driven over the hill back then, but my vertigo has gotten a lot worse since then, and I felt really ill, even with Mac driving. Me and heights - not a good mix. But, oh, so very beautiful.

And so to the camping ground at Collingwood, which is right on the beach. We had booked a cabin for the weekend, while I was at my workshop, but after out tenting experience in Nelson, decided to spend the extra and stay in cabins for the rest of the holiday - 'warm' and 'dry' aren't adventurous descriptors, but they sure a nice!

April Holiday: Nelson and Surrounding Area

We had been to Nelson a couple of times before, but it was good to have a chance to have a look around the area again.

The first visit was to my friend, Raewyn. I had only met her in person once before, back in 1999, when Steven, Simon, Jeff and I went and stayed on their farm at Port Ligar, but have known her through the internet for far longer than that one visit suggests. Raewyn now lives in Nelson in a gorgeous house built by Italian settlers. Her garden shed is a delight, with it's wonderful mural. It was great to catch up again, and once again, I love how she is in real life exactly how I know her from the online world.

Our next stop was the NZ Classic Motorcycle Museum. We were lucky to see it, as it closed at the end of May. Very sad for Nelson, but the elderly owner needed out. However, I have just googled it and discovered that the magnificent collection has been bought and is being moved  - finally, a reason to visit Invercargill!

 

Such beautiful weather, we couldn't stay inside any more, and so walked to the top of a hill overlooking Nelson. It is 'the center of New Zealand' by one definition, anyway!



The next day we just drove around the extended Nelson area.

 We had lunch at Mapua, a picnic in the sunshine....

 .... and bought ridiculously expensive, locally made gloves, and the yummiest hot chocolate ever.

 We drove a long way round to get back to Nelson, taking in the country side, including the hops growing.

 Friday morning. Time to head off to Golden Bay, but first lunch at Jesters, Tasman. (After being sidetracked at The Bead Shop in Nelson and its half price sale.)