Old photos

Feeling cranky about still suffering the ill effects of a cold virus, and only slightly better today. Ne'er mind. Here's a shot of my brother and I that I found, taken in our teens and attempting to look 'old fashioned'. It seems only yesterday, but hey, it's about 30 years ago. Gulp.Onwards and upwards. I'll give you updates on the toadstool progress (see previous blog). And hopefully by the time the toadstool is dying off, so will my cold.

Toadstool time

It's toadstool time out there at the moment. Lots of rain, growing cold weather, and Magda found this on our lawn. Now she's out checking for fairies. Cute.
She took these shots, and I've borrowed them for my blog. The toadstool must have taken the photo of her.

Visitors to our meeting

Wow, we just had the most amazing meeting! The visitors exceeded the normal number in the church here. Lovely group of people - about 6 adults, 5 children, 2 late teens, all Maori bar 2, came and fellowshipped with us this afternoon. They sang us a few songs in Maori, on the theme we had been talking about 'THE RIVER'!!! And the well. This photo is of Ra talking to his children.
We three sisters having to sit against the window because we were all stuffed up with colds, but that didn't stop US from talking, oh no.
Soaking it all up
This is Ra, and Mark, and Jan, and one of Ra's sisters, after the meeting when we shared where we'd all been coming from. They've been reading some of Gene's books and its shaken them up. We're just thrilled that some MAORI have taken an interest, and we all enjoyed today, sharing Christ together. It was just glorious.
This is Granny, who has had 14 children, and was so sweet, sitting next to brother Steve. And Wayne, just beyond him, who has been in prison etc, but now just wants so much of the Lord.

And this soft focus shot is of the four children (there's another one somewhere) who came in during a cup of tea, and their father calmed them down a bit. How the Boyd girls enjoyed their company!!

We've just finished having an excited natter about what a meeting it was, and how encouraging for us all, to have shared so much of Christ. AND WE DID. Hallelujah.

Just in case you think I haven't been working

I have!! I've been practicing illustrations on my new drawing board. In case you were'nt aware, I have ANOTHER blog site in which I put only my artwork, so please feel free to check it out. When I work out how to add a link to the present site, I'll put it on there.
Enjoy: http://inkyblogger.blogspot.com/

Looking a little better today

Okay, feeling a tad better today despite having spent some of last night on some street with the traffic rushing by and a cold wind blowing down my neck, enjoying a meal with friend Meg, up from Christchurch.
Tongue at least is active, which is a great relief.
That's bed in the background which is where I've spent every OTHER waking hour.
Just watched Napoleon Dynamite on DVD, lent to me by aforementioned friend Meg, who loves it. I have been told by so many to see this movie, including SARAH, that I at last have seen it. Funny. . . could obviously do with a few viewings.
Back to some more docile activity I think.

Ah, sniff, the first winter cold

AND the last we hope. Yes, revenge of the sugar rush!! Perhaps it was overloading my fragile system with all that chocolate. . . too late I threw the last crumpled foil into the bin to join the rapidly growing pile of tissues.
Anyway, Autumn's ode for me is no longer:

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness
Close bosom friend of the setting sun

but

Season of sniffs and hollow coughfulness
Close bosom friend of the windy gale

Don't know why I bothered with the photo - I'm sure you'd have got the picture anyway. Perhaps in a few days when the next photo is up there, it'll look so much the better for the contrast. I live in hope.
Until then, sniff, I'm off to sneeze again.

Easter Sunday

Okay, these photos are all in the wrong order. But - here is the day so far. It's late afternoon, I'm swamped in a sugar buzz so high that I even resorted to taking my own photo - Helen couldn't hold the camera still enough. That's her in the next shot. Those eggs no longer exist.






































And then there's the one of my mother arriving from the hallway with her cluster of packages bright with cellophane and Easter eggs for the family. How our eyes LIT UP.
ANd finally there's the photo of the meeting of the church this morning. We've already devoured the hot cross buns, sung some songs, had some coffee, shared some pretty meaningful things, and now we're working our way through a bowl of small chocolate eggs, and Jan is checking her daugher's hair for lice!! Ha ha. Church life, aye? Oh, and catch the single brother doing the dishes, bless him. We're in Tracey's house.
HAPPY EASTER

Good Friday

Into THIS dark
THIS sightless void
THIS formless cavern
Bereft and bare
Through crusted layers
of self-made shields
heartless ambitions
driven by greed

Into THIS space
His broken body was placed

A sigh
A word
A soft light glowing
A gentle whispering breeze is flowing
stirring, crumbling
rocks are tumbling
the entrance cracks from side to side
and through the fissure
rides the tide

LOVE
JOY
PEACE
RIGHTEOUSNESS
HOLINESS
LONG SUFFERING
GRACE
MERCY
FORGIVENESS

Latest project

Just for a change from the old blog, here's my magazine cover for a recent assignment. I called my magazine WEST, after the district in Auckland I live, and my articles are all about wine, the train trip, orchards, the Lopdell House art gallery, and coffee. Hence the silver tray and articles on it.
That, of course, is Jemma my niece on the front. Whew, the assignment is in.

This is the latest one of the church

It's a bit scary because of the large green creature taking up the main centre of the shot, but not a bad one of us all anyway.
Yep, we're down to eight, but what an enthusiastic eight we are! We're going to take another photo, and align folks in it better, but in the meantime here's what we look like now.
Enjoy, and I'll blog again soon.
J

Churning through the interviews. . .

Well, here is Napoleon and the Chicken Farmer, a great book illustrated by Graeme Gash, who I interviewed a week ago. See below. Nice man.
Since then, I have been down to Katikati and interviewed Trevor Pye, who is also a great illustrator, keen to have an exhibition in Wellington soon. So I now have three interviews transcribed, about 12 pages of typing each!! AND lucky me, some other artists in other parts of the country sending me their responses by email. I should be an expert on Illustration in NZ in a month or so. Watch this space.

Whew, slow down I want to get offfffff. . .

Life has become pretty fast, with studies swallowing up my weekends as well as some evening hours. Today was a case in point. It is SUNDAY!! I did an interview with an illustrator who is well known here for his Glengarry Wine Newsletter artwork at 11am. That was great, and I have 11 pages of tape transcription of interview to work on tomorrow. Then I got home to do a photoshoot for a magazine assignment I'm doing - using my niece Jem as the model. Then we had a meeting at 2pm at my place, and I had a slight connuption because I wasn't ready for it. Straight after that, we (flatmate and I) headed off an picked up from the other side of Auckland, a large china cabinet I won on TradeMe (our EBay). Whew. I've spent the rest of the evening loading it. What do you think?

Little brother arrives for 2 weeks from States

I know, his eyes are still half open, but he's HERE in person, and that's his delightful daughter beside him, thrilled to have him here for a while. We all are.
This was a curry, cooked by Phil, on the verandah at Helen's place. Balmy evening, lots of laughs and you can never tell I've just moved house, and started my studies again. Can you?

My two beloved nieces

Aren't they cute?!! Oh to be 18 again. That's Magda on the left and Jemma on the right, two cousins who live across the street from each other now, about to head into Auckland University and organise their ID cards and check out the bus route etc. I am SO enjoying the lingo, the style, the sheer sweetness of these two charmers. They are darlings, but I'm biased!!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

Okay, I admit it - I LOVE Valentine's Day. Not because I am used to getting a lot of Valentines, but hey, ANY day that we are reminded to let people know that we love them has got to be good. It's a shame it is only one day a year. . . but then, occasionally I remember to tell folks they are right here in my heart, and I'm going to do it TODAY! YOU know who you are!! So there. . .have a Valentine from me. LOVE JEN

Back from an idyll of serenity

Oh my, I'm going to have to refer back to this blog page myself in the next few months to remind myself that I was actually HERE. This is at Peter's place in Te Awamutu, where I spent a wonderful three days, just lounging around, swimming, walking, sipping, and reading. Sigh. The calm before the storm! HOW I LOVE THE COUNTRY!! I really didn't want to come back and face my life again, but I'm here.
This was the evening view from the house. With Mt Pirongia in the distance. The colours are not as intense as they were in real life. Ah me.
This was my favourite spot for the weekend. AFTER a number of swims in the pool, I would end up here with a drink and a book. Envy me? I do. It was wonderful.
AND here I will be in two weeks. At no. 58 Yeovil Rd, Te Atatu. Don't miss the seal on the porch. My room is the one with curtains, and the huge lounge is the one on the right without. Looking forward to finally being here, but hey, I'd better start packing!

My, but my wheels are turning!

This is just a word blog, no pics, for those of you who know me and check it out sometimes.
I found out a week ago that the landlord is putting house on the market. Deep breath. I'm doing an intensive one year course in COmputer Publishing and Design, and it is about to start again on Feb 20 until May. No time for part-time work or anything. Gulp. Then this weekend we found out that the nice brick house on the corner of the street is up for rent, and yes, they said we could have it. So in two weeks we are moving in there!! Considering there aren't that many houses on the street, it is a miracle! Steve Sing and I will be moving into 58 Yeovil Rd, Te Atatu Peninsula on the 19th Feb. Make a note.
Thank the LORD.

Brown paper pictures

Don't you love brown paper? I do! And I came across a great kid's book the other day which used solely brown paper for illustrations. So I've tried my hand at it over a cup of tea and this is the result. More practice needed, but oh what fun. So, reach out, tip the pot. . .
Choose your mug/cup. . . add your sugar. . . and join me in a cuppa.

More pics from the holiday

This is the first night at Lake Rotoiti, with just five of us, and oh joy, FISH and CHIPS for dinner. We got these from the local dairy, where two older ladies served and made the chips - it took ages, because she did each order separately, but hey, they were delish.
When I finally got to Te Awamutu and Peter's place, I plunged headlong into this pool which I believe was rarely used despite it's alluring appearance.
A view from the top paddock about the Graydon homestead. Mt Pirongia in the distance. The horizon line was pretty much like this all the way around. Amazing. Not a highrise in sight.
And here is the new owner/manager of Ngaroto Nurseries, looking like he'd rather be elbow deep in the dirt. He was soon enough but it's proof I was there.

Back from holiday!

All the photos are out of order, going from last activity to first, but here is Ngaroto Nurseries, where Peter now lives, and which he owns. I stayed the night, had two swims in the pool, and enjoyed the beautiful rural setting of this lovely place.
Here's Lake Rotoiti, which Helen, Cath and I swam in even if the boys didn't. It is a fresh water lake, by Rotorua, and this is pretty much at the door of the bach.
This is the six of us, and what a great bunch we were too. On a bush walk that went from the end of the beach into the bush. Lovely.
Our only night out to dinner at Rotorua, and only moments before Gene was too sick to stay at the table any longer poor man. Check out that expression.
Helen and I had two days at the family bach in Waihi before meeting the others at Rotoiti. This is our breakfast. Aint my sister sweet? Pippi Longstocking.