On to Dunedin

Today we left Te Anau and headed for Dunedin, NZ, where Diane and Bill live.  We stopped along the way to take pictures of the beautiful scenery, sheep, flowers, trees and other things.

Hillside with sheep

Galloway cattle…looks like they wear a white belt!

These look like fans to me…

One of the deer farms, or should I say….venison?

This is how the cut hay is stored.

Next we visited Gary and Caroline, Diane and Bill’s oldest son in Gore.  First we met Caroline at her house, and saw some of the work she does, and for which she recently received an award as being the woman of the year in the City of Gore for her charitable work as The Nattering Knitter.

Caroline’s card

Caroline in one of her crafty Christmas rooms

She receives knitted squares from all over the world and makes them into quilts to give to hospitals, and people in need.  They recently sent hats to children in Africa, and have pictures of many happy faces as they received them.

From there, Caroline, Diane, Nancy and I met Gary and Jessica, their daughter for a picnic lunch at a local park.  We enjoyed meeting and visiting with them..

We stopped in Balclutha to meet Diane’s sister-in-law, Rosemary.  It was a short visit and a delight to meet her.

Diane and Rosemary

Before taking us home, Diane took a little side trip to show us where they had lived for 22 years. It was located in Taieri Mouth, a beautiful site that overlooked the water.  Our first view of the house was from a high spot from the other side.

Looking across to Dore’s Taieri Mouth home

We drove to the end of a small road, and parked in a driveway, and come to find out, she knew the man working on his equipment. He invited us to come on his property for a better view. He showed us his pet sheep, down a STEEP slope,

Now THAT’s a huge, unsheared sheep~

and Diane pointed out the fishing boats and their former home.

Lone fishing boat and can you see the fisherman in lower rt corner?

From there, we went to visit their former home. She has a good relationship with the woman who now lives there, and is welcome to come on the property any time. It was an amazing house with a magnificent view! Diane said if you could see all the way out there, you would see Chili!

The “Beachcomber”

Beautiful view from Diane’s Previous home at Taieri Mouth

Betty and Diane in front of house

We then traveled a BEAUTIFUL  little scenic drive that included Mosgiel (or”Mollywood”,  as it is affectionately called), on the way into Dunedin, and Saddle Hill.  Saddle Hill was named by Capt. James Cook as he circumnavigated New Zealand in 1769! ( Thank you, Diane for that piece of history….yes, you ARE a “young” country!)

“Mollywood “Sign

Saddle Hill…that we will see often when venturing out from the Dore home

 

 We arrived to a warm welcome from Bill and enjoyed visiting with him.  Diane prepared a delicious dinner of lamb chops, potatoes, peas and carrots.  Afterwards we enjoyed homemade chocolate eclairs!

Off to bed for a good night’s sleep, to be ready for a day of sightseeing tomorrow.  Good night and God bless!