Trip to the SNOW

Okay, we needed to take beloved nephew Ashley and his friend Guy to the snow - Ruapehu in the central North Island, for much needed respite and fun!

Got to stay at this delightful very olde worlde villa in Raetihi, facing the distant mountain.

The approach to the other skifield (for a looksee, was very exciting!

and we both hung out for a day watching the boys and wishing we were on skis. Helen succumbed the next day and put a pair beneath her feet.

I did, however, enjoy some pretty spectacular views from the chairlift!

and these were the assorted adults amongst MILES of teenagers, who shared the house with us. We didn't know them before we arrived - friends of a friend. Lovely folks.

Trip to Ruapehu to see some snow

Well, I don't know why this BLOG will only let me put two of HUNDREDS of GREAT PHOTOS up, but it's late, and I want to go to bed, and so these will have to do. Helen and I took Ashley and his friend Guy down to ski for a couple of days, taking a day to go down to Ruapehu and a day to come back. GREAT skiing and lovely time. The first pic is of Guy, and the second of nephew Ashley, both about to head up the mountain. More when I can coerce this blog to allowing it. . .

Be Your Own Boss Course 2006

Just returned from our last 'class' in BYOB for this course, with my certificate and portfolio having presented 'Wild Line Design' to my classmates and tutor, and now we are all ready to go out and do business. . .

This is the remnant who remained after eating lunch. . .there were 13 of us in all and each one doing something unique and doggone interesting. Great course to be on. Fred, the tattoo artist on the far right, and Tamara the jewellery girl in the back, and Marion Grace the Stations of the Soul counsellor in the front, but the rest follow on after this pic, except for the two courier guys and the marine electrician. (See - interesting!!)

An, now this is Karen, who is opening an antique store and cafe sometime soon, and she did a great display and got us all very keen to come and have a coffee and a stooge around real soon. (Sarah - I'm sure you and your Mum would love it). She's calling herself 'the Blue Dragonfly'.

This is Fiona who can make designs and templates for almost anything made in fabric. Fabulous costumes for filmsets, through to clothes and then upholstery. She is a perfectionist and it shows.

This pretty lady did the makeup on one side of Karen's face for us. She is heading out to be a makeup artist for weddings, and virtually anything.

And finally, and by no means least, here is Francis, who was elected King by his band of Norsemen who meet every weekend to re-enact battles by Vikings. He is a jeweller who is getting into the make Nordic jewellery for the growing trade needed to support re-enactment groups rising throughout the country and the world. He made everything from the sword to the the two helmets, as well as some mighty fine jewellery and the chain mail. WOW. He's off to the museum to support the Viking exhibition there.

Art Gallery wander

It was a wet and windy Spring day on Saturday, the perfect day to wander around the galleries and catch up on what's happening in fine art in NZ. I must have slogged it through about ten galleries, and was almost the ONLY person in each gallery to my surprise. Still, it meant I had the place to myself, and the undivided attention of the attendant who was only too happy to point out features in the various works. My favourite first:
These are lovely layered paintings by Peter James Smith, who is a mathematician and artist, and happy combination of both. Featuring calculations and or maps of the places featured, or poetry. It was lovely to sit and gaze at them.

You can check out the website at: http://www.peterjamessmith.com/Auckland%202005.html

Another artist I really liked was more of a 'texture' kind of guy, but these grew on me, and they were huge. Bulging with material and a luminating glow. Really got better the longer you looked.


Enjoy.
Jen

Kite Day at Muriwai with Church

Today we decided to meet at Muriwai Beach as a church, to send up the kite the brothers had made and add some words from Ephesians to the tail of it. WHAT A GREAT DAY. This is Mark getting the box kite off the ground.

The kids all took part, either by writing some words on balloon and then Rawiri attached them to the kite, or just hanging on to their balloons. They also brought their own kites.

It was the first weekend of Spring, and a lot of folks were on the beach. Great weather, and freak waves coming in to sweep us away.

Tracey and Jan helped the girls with the balloons and writing, and a few new folks who were friend of Kohe and Rawiri came with their kids as well.

Rawiri attaching balloons to the string

Along the length of the kite. WHAT a miracle it went up in the first place. Up on the bank in the distance, Nana Moko and Kohe sat to watch and they were singing as well. Left two of the babies in the car sleeping.

Liam Morrison enjoyed getting his kite up.

Helen and Tracey having a go at keeping it up there.

. . . then it was Lauren and my turn.

Helen clambered up the iron sand bank and joined all the kids at the top. Mark Boyd raced up here a few times too.
At the end when we were all up in the carpark again, we all joined in a circle and sang a couple of songs.

Yesterday evening was Dad's birthday AND Fathers Day. So we all went out to enjoy 'The World's Fastest Indian' which he received as a gift, and had a pleasant evening for his 79th birthday.

Another walk on the FIRST OF SPRING!

I'm taking longer over this walk. It's the FIRST day of Spring here, and I am heading out of the house and along Yeovil Road.

. . .past the magnificent Magnolia tree on the corner. . .

. . . and at the end of the road there's the main road to the motorway, which I manage to cross. Look over my shoulder and I see my sister on her way back from the walk, just under the lawyer sign. . .

I carry on. . . seeing the endless line of cars going on to the motor way and town. . .

and finally into the lovely neighbourhood of newish homes, and along past the tiny ornate gardens. . .

the bottom of the hill and we turn toward the sea at last. . .you can see the glint of the sun on all the windscreens on the motorway

. . . the sun at last. . .

. . . and the first sight of Auckland in the distance over the inner harbour. Shall I go down the path or along it?

. . . along it I think. It meanders with breathtaking views to the right. . .

. . . past the lovely European style villas. . .

. . . and a flowering gum. . . you can hear the birds singing in the bushes all around. . .

. . . finally have to start on up toward the town again, but last view of the water. . .

. . . and over the shoulder there it is still. . .

. . . and here are the shops and the road again. . .

Down Yeovil Road and nearing home again, there's a lovely little English villa with lavendar hedge. . .

. . . and just beyond the bird of paradise bush, you can see our house. . .

HOME