9/30/14

antique healthcare at pioneer village

The main hospital museum building was an ex-boys borstal (youth detention center) from Levin which was built in the 1940's. The west building (entrance below) was the nurses' recreation room built in 1953.







Sign says: Written on the side of the iron lung: "Do not destroy this or the bellows. It will become in time an item of medical history for a museum. Signed A. Hayton 1979 Hawera Hospital"


Autoclave for sterilizing linen


Top table sign: Instruments set for tonsillectomy  
Table on right: Anaesthesia machine
Table on left: I don't know




This was originally built around 1890 and situated in New Plymouth and moved from Taranaki Base Hospital to Taranaki Pioneer Village on 28.2.86. The display is a memorial to Drs Bill and Doris Gordon, both prominent Stratford physicians. Some of the medical equipment was donated by the Gordon family.




Dentist's office


9/29/14

pale pink beauties


I see this flower  a lot in the public gardens we haunt but have never found a name. I'm hoping my bloggy friends can help with that. :)  I was originally convinced that these are NOT rhodos because they are short and bushy-looking and are in a particular sheltered part of Pukeiti Gardens--compared to the abundance of 'regular' rhodos that we see at this time of year. But with some research and all the great comments, I concede that it is a type of rhodo. Thanks, bloggy friends!





9/22/14

sunday drive

Sunday turned out to be a sunny day so we decided to visit one of our favorite beaches about an hour away. The view from the parking area always amazes me.


But when we walked down to the beach, the river had changed its course to the ocean and it was a bit deeper than I cared to wade through.  The ocean had also taken its toll on the coast and there were many warning signs that the edges of the cliffs were crumbling.

It didn't look very inviting and the tide wasn't out far enough to wander down the beach so Hubby decided to be spontaneous and wander down some of the road that we had never traveled before.

One of our stops was the cemetery at Waverley. There were many old plots and interesting headstones.

I don't know how old 'Little Claudie' was.

We came across a one-lane bridge that crossed the railroad line.

And a Harrier Hawk stopped and posed for me.

Since Taranaki is dairy country, there were lots of calves that were curious about the visitors and, probably, hoping we were there to feed them.


I was disappointed with the condition of the beach, but glad that I have photos of  it in its glorious beauty before the erosion started.  But, all in all, it was a great day to see the sights of Waverley and surrounding area.


9/21/14

9/20/14

one lane tunnel

This is part of the highway system in NZ. Really, it is. It's on State Highway 3. The government talks about changing it somehow but it hasn't happened yet. There are still many one-lane bridges around and it makes me feel very rural and happy when we cross them.


This is how one-lane tunnels and bridges work in NZ. The driver going the direction of the black, bigger arrow has the right of way; the driver going the other way usually has a better view of the bridge/tunnel and oncoming traffic.



9/17/14

pioneer village stores

A few more views from Pioneer Village in Stratford. 

Bank

Butcher


Chemist/Pharmacy




Clark's



sunny and yellow WATW




My world is looking like spring--what does yours look like? Share it with us below. We'd love to see what is going on at your house!





9/15/14

what's in a name?

WEED: a plant considered undesirable in a particular situation. 

I suppose it comes down to a matter of timing whether a bloom is a weed or not. These beauties caught my eye before they met their premature demise.