weekend in beavertown

We went to Blenheim last weekend, for Miss L's dancing competition. It's the nearest town/city to our area, and is a 2.5 hr drive over some very windy and hilly roads. We stopped off for an early dinner in Havelock at our favourite cafe overlooking the marina (as seen here). I had mussel fritters, as one must in the Green-lipped Mussel Capital of the World.

Both Saturday and Sunday were early starts as we had to be at the theatre at 8am, ready for dancing to kick off at 8.30! Saturday was a long day with a break in the afternoon then back to do 3 team dances in the evening - we left the boys watching the All Blacks punish the Irish on the rugby field. Sunday morning the weather had improved and we went out to find a cafe open - not an easy feat at 9.30 on a Sunday morning in this town! Thankfully kind locals sent us in the right direction and we went to a lovely place on the banks of the Taylor River, which flows through the town.

 Yes we found some beavers too! These ones were released into the wild in 2005. Blenheim's nickname is Beavertown, as when it was colonised it was very damp and swampy!

Miss L with her ballet bun! As a friend whose daughter also dances says; we've got degrees but now spend our time trying to be beauty therapists!! For the record she danced really well, got 3 seconds and 2 thirds out of large classes of 12-18 dancers, so proud parents. It makes all the nagging over practice worth it.

And totally unrelated are these birdie photos I took.

 There were two budgies hanging around in our trees for a couple of days. I think they must have escaped from an aviary, as we don't have a tropical climate! Unfortunately we have had some very cold weather, so I'm hoping they went back to their home.

 Now this big guy is a native wood pigeon or kereru. I think he was puzzled as to why some strange woman was wandering around under the tree pointing a black box-thing at him.