gore [shucks]

after five delightful days teaching in the Nelson region i hop on another magic broomstick and fly to Invercargill via Christchurch

the ground below looks as though someone has casually flung a velvet quilt in a crumpled heap and sprinkled it with icing sugar

at Invercargill i am met and driven to Gore

there are wild animals on the outskirts of Edendale 

at Gore evening falls shortly after i find my digs. nonetheless i wander out to explore

 i discover that i've just missed the Golden Guitar Festival

luckily some of the stars are frozen in time

i take close-ups as well, but will spare you

down by the railway track there is treasure. had i the farm ute i would fill it with these brilliant fish plates.  ah well

in the morning i walk to my next workshop, marvelling at the vernacular architecture.

here Cape Cod meets arts-and-crafts

reminding me of a limerick

there was a young lass from Cape God

who thought babies were fashioned by God

twas not the Almighty

who hiked up her nightie

but Roger the lodger, the sod!

oh. alright. enough. 

Gore is an interesting place. they grow swedes [vegetables not people] the size of houses. everybody eats them....cows, sheep, people and even a dog i met. the animals eat them raw but some folks turn them into soup. the recipe includes peanut butter.

despite having lots of lovely rain the town water supply is pumped from a bore. something special in this water gives us the best and most beautiful green dye from a cocktail of Choisya ternata, ragwort and bronze fennel [incidentally the bulb of the latter is also tasty when steamed with mussels, tomatoes, chili and garlic....an excellent all purpose weed!]

the town also has a brilliant art gallery which boasts an extraordinary art collection

i am riveted by the work of Ralph Hotere 

more about him later