A walk on a wintery day ...

I told you I'd get to the beach soon. It was lovely to walk along by myself. It was quiet and barely a soul there. I meandered with my camera (and knitting?) but today my eye's were up because it really was a beautiful day. Crisp wintery day with that clean salty smell and nobody but me. Sigh. I love these moments. My new friend - the sky. Isn't she beautiful?

That's right, this is my turangawaewae having moved here nearly five years ago. It's miles away from Ahipara but it's still coastal, so I'm a happy girl.

Seems my colours were all around today. Loving that beautiful rust-coloured seaweed.

New Zealand is really green especially in winter. A botanical photo for tree huggers cause I know your out there lurking!

Old boatsheds way off in the distance. Worn out, tired looking and well used. Imagine owning one of these beauties. Such fun. BBQ's in the summer, a few drinks after a long hot day, the kids swimming and playing, fishing, sleeping with sound of the waves lapping metres away, crafty circles of creative souls. O my. Lucky buggers.

A darning stone for India.

Cool chick surfer. I tried surfing once. I got concussion when the board smacked me in the head. Some idiot thought it would be a good idea to learn on an ocean beach. I so wanted to look cool like this. O well.

Sky on the sand.

And then this happened.

Check out the guys fishing off the rocks by those boatsheds. I love fish. I'm hungry.

Sigh.

And some more big beautiful wintery sky above Mana Island. Mana by the way is the Maori word for 'strength'.

Gnarled roots on the beach.

See, my colours. Love that spiney looking weed.

Sunset behind Mana Island.

Some treasure. I found this bird on the beach. Tui beer bottle cap.

And it's a sign, surely it is, when the beach access and Aunt Daisy's are both located on a street named "Richard"!

So this helps because I live in a cold, overcast city for nearly two thirds of the year. I always start pondering moving to a warmer climate about every winter. But seeing it through my camera lens helps. It's just beautiful isn't it?

I hope your warm, inspired and creating beauty where you are too.