Spring by the River

A stiff breeze sends flurries of blossom to the ground and ripples chasing one another along the river, boats gently rock from side to side and flags flutter in the wind. The river is running high due to rain on the West Coast.

Across the river is the nearly completed Blackwell's store. It looks so fresh and modern but still retaining the shape of the previous building. The Blackwell store was first established in 1871. In the early days the general goods store also included a grocery department, bake-house and stables. In 1902 the shop was rebuilt, the drapery and millinery part of the business was expanded and gas lighting was installed. The department store was one of the oldest in NZ and is still run by the fifth generation of the family.

Blackwell's sold good quality goods at reasonable prices, things you couldn't get elsewhere and were always quite special. The shop had that old fashioned feel with wooden floors and big heavy wooden doors with glass in them that you had to push with all your might to open. The service was special to - they looked after you.

Unfortunately the building was damaged during the September 2010 earthquake and the Blackwell family were hoping to restore the building but the February 2011 earthquake had the final say - down it came and the rebuild commenced, its a good feeling to see progress.

We are moving on after the storm which seemed to go on and on and on. There are still many without power, farmers without irrigation and power, trees and fences down, rivers running high but slowly things are coming back to normality. Thank you for your kind thoughts, they've been greatly appreciated - what a week its been.

And I'm running late with blip.......I'll be back later today, all going well.

Happy Thursday blippers :)