MGMT and the Trippy Tree

Sorry I keep forgetting to give you an idea of what my living space actually looks like, much nicer and more likable than where I started out, plus I have a beautiful view into our private little back garden.  A garden also perfect for hanging laundry because people here don't believe in dryers.

 So the past week has been pretty glorious, sadly though there was supposed to be sailing on Sunday but that was not doable due to weather but on Saturday we headed out to Matiu/Somes Island to do a day of volunteer work.  We were helping to clear back the brush on either side of the trail, and well we did a fabulously thorough job (I had to throw some evidence of over enthusiastic hacking over the mountain side).  We stopped for a nice big picnic lunch and were supposed to spend the afternoon walking around and doing some leisurely trimming, but Hope and I were feeling under the weather still so we laid out in the sun and appreciated the amazing views afforded by living in a harbor city.

Sea!

 I did not yet mention, but the island is smack in the middle of Wellington Harbour so you can see the whole city and all the way around and even out to sea.  So it wasn't too bad to lie about on the old armory shelters on top of the island and look out at water, city, and mountains all around us, boats and birds in the harbor.  Oh and speaking of the old embattlements and such the island has had a pretty interesting and diverse to say the least first it was a Maori fortress for when their homes on the mainland were attached, then the white people showed up and made it an animal quarantine for all livestock coming into the country, then it was a prison for enemies of the state, then an internment camp for people unlucky enough to be from Germany or Japan and living in New Zealand during the 2nd world war, and now it is a nature conservation and place for visiting college students to spend the day in the sun hacking down the bush.

 Fast forward to Sunday night where we went to a glorious MGMT concert where I took this picture.  And no that is no trick of the lens, I actually couldn't have been more front row center unless I wanted to be in his lap.  And to the older generation who do not recognize the name MGMT I don't mean the management I mean the band, and this is kind of a big deal.  I couldn't get the camera out of my back pocket without violating at least three of my fellow concert goers and possibly elbowing an eye or two.  Even so, squished against the front railing until it was hard to breath, not even needing to lift my feet to jump with the crowd, it was a glorious night and a fabulous concert.  And could only logically be followed by a trip to the trippy tree.  The view was amazing, but not really something that can be caught on camera, hopefully I'll be able to climb again sometime during sunset because it's a glorious view of the city.  I don't have any good pictures in the trippy tree but to give you an idea here is one of Mikayla during out late night foray into the botanic gardens