oddshapedhouse

Another time and place...

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Been a little while...

You know when it's been so long you have no idea how to start again? Well that's kind of where I've been with my blog. First going back to the UK I had zero grace for spending time in the ether and then I tried facebook for photos... Well I'm back - this time at least anyways, so please do enjoy some photos of my autumn escapades...

OK, so 2 days ago Fran and I went for a mini-adventure - up Ben Lomond for sunrise. Now a lot of Otago was populated by homesick Scots so there are heaps of Scottish placenames and this is a prime example, although at 1248m this Ben Lomond is 274m taller than the original. We decided to hike up the the saddle the night before and then get up early for the final ascent for sunrise.

Gondola ride to 450m - a fair start seeing we haven't been backpacking since.....

Camping spot - literally one piece of ground big enough for a tent clear of tussocks. Handy.

Behind you can see the Remarkables and dropzone!

Sunset.

Opposet - sunset colours in the East, often more impressive if there are no clouds around.

Rather a chilly night - that's our breath clouding the lens!

Sunrise.

Opporise.

Taken by the 2 aussies who had started walking up from town at 2am!

Ice grass, melting very quickly.

At the end of March it was my friend Tammy's 30th birthday and we went for a magical mystery tour to find this crazy teapot lady who we were told makes the coolest teapots. They're really fun & playful, kind of like our journey there. It took us a while as our only directions were 'just outside of Roxburgh' which turned out to be go through Roxburgh, and the next town, over the one lane brige, left onto the lane which turns into a gravel track and keep going til you're sure you must have missed it'!

I would love a studio like this!

Partner in crime - Miss Tammy Schultz

Inspiring, joyful, and obviously not bothered by dusting!

And just a little bit of Autumn bliss...

Is anything better than the smell of leaves in Autumn?

My Sunday coffee spot. Happily my cappucino comes drenched in chocolate.

lone star state

and now, time for a highly varied photo marathon of all the things we did in texas!

arrival in dallas: 5 x big hold bags, 2 x hand luggage rucksacks, 1 x laptop bag, 1 x handbag - 1 overloaded trolley!

our first excursion - a real american meal at 'fran's hamburgers'.

love-hate relationship - beautiful colours of prickly pears (this one hand-finished into a heart) but barbed spikes that linger for weeks in your clothing!

teresa & jen and a doggy competition for the best sofa spot

we cycled everywhere in austin, often past this interactive artpiece

dusk on a trip to the hill county with paul

checking out those cowboy boots at 'the boot whisperer's' shop

beautiful wild horses grafitti - only in a town like austin

spring cherry blossom

titus, house cat & general soft touch

escape to the country - visiting enchanted rock, a 400m high exposed rock dome

big climb but well worth it for the views, bizarre land forms and boulder fields to explore

big boulders...

...and beautiful bare trees

american diner - austin style

chuy's - free tortilla bar with a variety of salsas!

day escape to the lady byrd johnson wildflower centre - lots of inspiringgardens and stonework

prickly pear in flower

checking out art spaces

a trip to the 'enchanted forest' - a woodland full of art although most not a light spirited and fun as this giant rocking unicorn!

and we thought being blunt was a kiwi gifting

easter sunday - american pancake breakfast in the front yard

a kite festival in austin - perfect conditions, mild and VERY windy!

this city knows how to have fun :)

more art - the red balloons that went everywhere with me, and got me onto rollingstone.com (click the link & play the video)

might could have done with a bigger car

the end of an evening in costume at SXSW music festival

last day - a natural spring in limestone country. beautiful, but absolutely freezing, we saw snakes, fish and terrapins! a perfect finish to a lovely trip.

final farewell

I couldn't post our last pictures of NZ without a quick flashback to Christmas Day frisbee golf in the park, led of course by Mr Stephen Ward. The boys were totally into the 18 hole course, but as I could only get my frisbee half as far as them I got fed up quite quickly!