Snowie

This big fellow belongs to our younger son Rob who lives in an alpine region in the South Island. Once when Rob was tramping in the snow-covered mountains with Snowie he became disorientated in a sudden whiteout. He was able to phone his wife on his cell phone but it took a long while till searchers could find him. He and Snowie cuddled up together and the dog kept him warm, thus avoiding hypothermia, saving his life. Though Rob has a wife, Snowie is his best friend and companion.

Sky Tower, Auckland, reflection

While being driven through the streets of Auckland by our son, I took this view of Auckland's main landmark, the Sky Tower.

Fordson Tractor

Here is an old Fordson tractor at the vintage Farm Machinery show held in Hamilton last summer. A great old machine, and still in working order. Local farmers had restored the many machines here to near-new condition. Click to enlarge photo.

Satsuma Mandarins

Last year the Satsuma Mandarin tree that I planted a few years ago finally had a bumper crop and the size were nearer to what they should be. Satsuma mandarins are larger than the original small ones, and mine have been about the size of a smallish orange. Somehow though the traditional mandarin flavour wasn't quite there, though the fruit was nice and juicy.

A place for everything... ....and everything in its place. My gardening tools, all hanging in labelled spaces.

Sunset from our window

Looking west at sunset can often give a wonderful view and is sometimes magical. Like this one. Click to enlarge the photo.

An old record player

Those of us who may be over the hill and gaining speed on the other side should remember these machines.

They played fragile records made of some type of breakable plastic and were about 2 mm thick (nearly 3/16 inch), required winding up by hand to make them go, and the needles that picked up the music or sound track from the record grove had to be replaced with a new one at frequent intervals as they became blunt and spoiled the sound. There was only one groove that ran from the outside beginning of the track to the end near the record's centre.

By today's sound quality standards the reproduction left much to be desired, but we had good imagination in those days and were interested in the music, not the scratches or wows.

To me, those were the days!

Putaruru 'Memory Wall'

This is a part of a greater wall containing many tiles made by children and others with their various names or comments. I thought it was a grand idea, a place where the children can hopefully return to at a much later time in their lives and see their tile and recall memories. I hope that Putaruru will preserve this wall for many, many years to come. Click on the photo to enlarge the picture.

Patchwork Quilts (Click on picture to enlarge)

Colourful patchwork quilts hanging in a shop in Tokoroa. I couldn't resist photographing such bright hangings.

Maori Carving at Tokoroa.

One of the many Maori carvings and poles at Tokoroa.

Cow

A milking cow photographed near the water reservoirs and lookout in Tokoroa, Waikato, NZ. (Click photo to enlarge)

Water Tank

While driving to another town recently I spotted this water tower by the road in the country. I have no information about it but thought it would make a good photographic subject. Perhaps the railway line ran nearby and this might have been to hold water for the steam engines that used to use the track. Now of course most engines are diesel, though over on our main North/South line the system is electrified and handles large electrically operated and often double-engines which pull long trains with lots of freight wagons.

Mural picture at Putaruru

This mural depicts a railway engine exiting a tunnel, and is painted on an old railway building in Putaruru.

Row, row, row your boat.... A Maori family out for a row on the Hamilton Lake - Lake Rotoroa. Click to enlarge picture.

Through the Hole

A picture of Waikato Hospital across the Hamilton Lake, framed by a hole in a brick wall nearby. Click to enlarge photo.

New Zealand Pukeko This bird is a New Zealand native wading bird called the pukeko (pronounced poo-kek-oh). These birds are quite plentiful around the Hamilton Lake where they wade in the mud and also compete with the ducks for food when being fed by the public. In Hamilton I don't recall seeing them fly, but having travelled to other towns I have seen them fly and have even seen them roosting in trees. They appear to be a strange bird but I like them, with their red 'caps' and big brown eyes. They are non-aggressive and can even be friendly if you have a morsell of food to offer them. Click the picture to enlarge. They make nests in the lake reeds and raise their young there.

First season's roses

As we head into summer here in New Zealand this flower display on our dining room table consists of our first roses of the season. The white rose is the highly perfumed Margaret Merrill, and the pink rose is a locally-bred one called Maggie Barrie, the name taken from a local TV and radio personality who used to specialise in gardening shows.

Both are from our garden.

An Aquilegia flower from our garden

Aqualegias are also commonly known as the poor-man's orchid. It is a beautifully shaped flower and comes in a large variety of colour combinations. They are also perenial and take two seasons from planting to flower. (Click on photo to enlarge)

Red bush I admired the attractiveness of these bright red flowers of this bush at the Auckland Zoo. Click to enlarge.

A mother Coot (duck) feeding its baby

Spring time

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Spring is a happy time of the year when new baby creatures are born.

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Coots would be one of the best parenting birds around. They really care for their young by protecting them and feeding them. This photo was taken at the Hamilton lake last weekend.