Dried out seaweed root

Drove over the Weka Pass and past the frog rock, through cow country and then to Woodend Beach. It was misty but there were horses, motor bikes, surfers and gulls to watch as well as lots of red with white spots toadstools in the needles under the pines lining the beach. Then to Brighton Beach and pier where a man had drawn a fantastic bit of artwork in the sand with a rake and a stick. People watched from above on the pier and threw or attempted to throw coins into his hat below and they had to shout at a grandfather with 3 unruly children who wanted to run into the artwork. They were totally out of control and it was really frustrating to watch. Crabs were being caught from the pier and a man leapt into my view waving his hand and shouting 'do you want to photograph a native' and stuck out his tongue as they do in the Haka. (I did!). The to Littleton (Christchurch) where we watched a ship being loaded with wood logs to go to China to be made into chipboard and other stuff to be reimported later! Fishing boats were being unloaded and we looked around to see how houses and shops had been faring since the earthquake. A few shipping containers had been made into shops and restaurants but it still retains a quaint old fashioned atmosphere. Further on into the city we found a bus that was on a derelict lot that had been made into a coffee shop. Entrepreneurs have sprung up everywhere but the city is 3 years down the road from the devastating earthquake and there is so much more to do. Opposite Hagley Park on the Old Sale yards we photographed the piles of stones that at one stage had been a well known place for graffiti. Alice recognised several pieces from previous blips. Behind it were a few tents in the field and a couple of horses who greeted me over a sofa that had been placed beside their fence and a rather poignant swivel chair with a red pot and empty picture frame hanging on a bush. Dups has a beautiful picture from the misty beach at Woodend, do look