Occasionally Auckland Sketchbook escapes the city to somewhere interesting — and close. This time the sketchbook got a workout in The Bay of Islands . Only 3.5 hours by car and a world away from work. The sketch above was made in down-town Paihia, it doesn't look it, but it is literally behind the main street. The view is the back of an old homestead called Williams House . I was attracted by the orchard of very old fig trees on the left that had me imagining eating juicy ripe figs. Sadly they weren't in season but it must be a fun place at harvest time. Right over the other side of the bay you will find his falling down old house on Matauwhi Bay. For a while there the water had a turquoise glow until the sun went into hiding. This is Pompallier House and Clendon Cottage in Russell sketched with my back to the sea. I may have used a little too much artistic licence in moving them close enough together to fit on my page so don't look too closely. Anyway, I have sketched Po...
Our 5 year old is currently fixated on volcanoes (dinosaurs too!). He gets me to read passages out of a reference book before bed every night. The book is full of terrifying facts about the things but he laps it all up. As Auckland is built on a dormant volcanic field of 50+ volcanoes, it's all a bit unsettling really especially in light of recent eruptions in Chile and on-going earthquakes in Christchurch. Experts say we are due to erupt again in the next "hundreds to thousands of years".
In the weekend we took the kids up a few for a look at the real thing. Once on top they were amazed to be able to walk inside the craters and imagine what they must look like when they erupted. Long may they sleep I say!
Rosa and I get busy sketching while the other 2 explore Mt St John...
Mt Wellington and One Tree Hill (Mangakiekie)...
Mt Eden viewed across the crater of Mt St John...
In the weekend we took the kids up a few for a look at the real thing. Once on top they were amazed to be able to walk inside the craters and imagine what they must look like when they erupted. Long may they sleep I say!
Rosa and I get busy sketching while the other 2 explore Mt St John...
Mt Wellington and One Tree Hill (Mangakiekie)...
Mt Eden viewed across the crater of Mt St John...
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