Reefton Girls

These are sisters, Trish & Mary Roughan who were born & bred in Reefton. I was delighted to have them visit today. I used to work with Trish, 25 years ago! (good grief).

The blue building in front of them is the Bank of New Zealand. Mary used to live up the top floor.

Trish was probably the last girl ever to work in the Reefton railway station.

The guy with them is Chris Cowan. He married the Stationmaster from Reefton - but that's okay because it was Trish.

Great to see you Guys.

Not Sure About This

New entrance to the village. Think i like the way it was. Still, it's done now. Maybe it'll look better when we put some punga walls on it and make it look "maori".

Yesterday we discovered that the bike & trailer can't go up the track anymore - won't fit through the new entrance. Bugger!

Had a Few People Come to Dinner

About 200 people actually. The end-of-year celebration for those who've attended this year's Nuturing the Future, parenting courses.

They came from all directions, all over the Coast, to On Yer Bike/Little Earth Model Village to see the village and have a barbeque meal. Most of the food was donated, by New World Supermarket and other anons.

The weather, for a largely outdoor event, was nothing short of miraculous. After 2 days of heavy, steady rain - including when Warren and his crew were all day cooking the pig on a spit over a wood-fire, it stopped raining about 1/2 an hour before they were due to arrive. The sun even broke through.

It was a great event and a huge success, thanks to everyone who helped. I didn't get any dinner though! The queues were too long.





Everyone there got a trip on the Haglund. Thanks Michael!



There was even a bus-load came down from Westport, thanks to a cheap deal by Cunningham's Coaches.



Each family was supposed to bring a Gnome for Gnomeland. Not everyone did, but the ones we got were great. Gnomeland's population has grown.

Reefton People!

These are George, Haidee & Bayley Smith-Murcott, who came to see us today.
George works at Reefton Motors and used to be Treasurer of Friends of Waiuta.

cheers

The Other Model Village

Before and after shots of Bushy Steve's Model Village - Gnomeland's first model village - with and without weeds.

We called it that because it was set up in the first place by Steve, who used to work here - he died. Steve had bushy hair & a big beard, hence Bushy Steve (there was also Little Steve, on the bikes).

It gets very weedy because the water-spout over top of the walking track up the hill gets directed across it by the blessed winds! It will have to be moved - one day.