sign of the bellbird

Lewis at the Sign of the Bellbird. (Some slightly eccentric settler built houses all over the hills which are all given some bird name such as Sign of the Kiwi, Sign of the Takahe, etc. This one has been allowed to go to ruin, but the other two I mentioned are now tea rooms and a restaurant, respectively.)
Walking through the woods. I didn't like this photo when I first looked at it but then I imagined the little streaks of light were fairies darting around and I quite like it now!
Greg (Viv's husband) + sun, at Victoria Park.
Viv and Lewis inside the Sign of the Bellbird.
Lydia and Lewis at Victoria Park, looking suspiciously like poster children, I think.

My sister Viv and her family, who I stayed with a couple of weeks ago, have just been in Christchurch for a few days (left this morning), so I have been well entertained, what with zoo visits, walks, playgrounds etc. :) On Friday we went up the Port Hills to the Sign of the Bellbird and to Victoria Park and I took these photos there.

The six of us wandered around a track for a while. Despite it being very muddy we were having fun... until... gunshots went off in the distance (probably some DOC ranger). Explosions/bangs are Finlay's pet fear, probably inherited from his big brother Lewis, who is now very scornful of Finlay's fear but about a year ago would have been just as much in hysterics as Finlay, who clapped his hands over his ears, launched into a series of constant screams, and refused to stop until we were well away and ice cream was in hand. It was interesting. He was completely beyond the point of rationality. :)