Seen around Hastings

We are currently staying at a CAP (cost applicable parking) at an apple orchard, where we were lucky to find a space as apple picking is still in full swing.    Most of the sites  are taken with people staying here in their caravans and motor-homes who have seasonal work at the nearby packing houses.  Boxes of apples are waiting to be collected and taken to the processing centre.

We are tucked away in front of the managers Ross and Rose’s site, making sure they still had a good line of sight over the grounds to look out for any visitors or new arrivals.  They have a playful new puppy now, so that makes two fluffy white Bichons and a big grey and white cat to keep them company.  The grounds are still rather wet after a lot of rain.

Staying at the apple orchard

It seems that no matter how often you visit a region, there is always something new to see.   Such as the interesting range of sculpture we spotted as we were driving out to Havelock North.  What was that we just passed, we wondered, so quickly turned the car around to have another look.  The little house had been made out of concrete blocks placed one on top of another, and various bits of rusty metal sculptures were dotted around the paddock.

 

Sculptures in the country

We were on our way to Birdwoods Sweet Shop, and what a lovely little place it was.  Robin had been lamenting to a couple of campers about how hard to was to buy blackball sweets these days.  You must go to Birdwoods, he was told, must admit that we had never heard of this establishment before.  Just look at all those temptations in the glass jars.  We purchased blackballs, acid drops and raspberry drops.

Birdwoods Sweet Shop

Birdwoods is a whole lot more than the sweet shop, we soon discovered.  There is a gallery and café housed  in the relocated  church hall from St Peter's in Waipawa built in 1894. The café was buzzing with customers and the food looked delicious so we will be returning to try it out on our next visit up this way.  And out the back was an amazing sculpture garden which we were invited to wander around at our leisure.  Many of the pieces had an African flavour.

Giraffe, herons and crocodile

The white ducks at the far end of the pond were keeping well away from the hippo lurking in the water.

Ducks and the lonely hippo

It wasn’t all African art, these colourful birds were made by a local potter and looked so pretty sitting there in a row.

Birds in a row

This is such a lovely establishment, and there is no doubt we will be returning.  After all, and we will need some more blackballs and acid drops next time we visit Hastings.  Plus a visit to the café too, I’m sure.