FSO:March 2 -Paths, Steps and Walkways

March 2 -Paths, Steps and Walkways around your town.

Photographed in Singapore.










link to Mr Linky at the Friday shoot out link below.
http://mytownshootout.blogspot.com

Fluffy: Guria, PNG bird

My friend living in Papua New Guinea posted on Facebook this Guria, a bird hunted by villages.

Pidgin for: "shaking". Can be used for shivering, twitching or earthquakes. The guria bird is the largest species of pigeon in the world (I think) and shakes it's tail back and forwards: hence its name.

The Victoria Crowned Pigeon, Goura victoria, is a large, bluish-grey pigeon with elegant blue lace-like crests, maroon breast and red iris. The bird may be easily recognized by the unique white tips on its crests. Both sexes are similar. It is on average 74 cm (29 in) long and weighs 2,384 grams (5.3 lbs). It is marginally larger than the other crowned pigeons on average and likely the largest species of pigeon of earth. Due to continuing habitat loss, being tame and easily hunted for its plumes and meat, the Victoria Crowned Pigeon is evaluated as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed in Appendix II of CITES.


The crown fluffs out and hence, I am using this for my theme, fluffy.

"When I fluff my hat, I will have tea with the queen."

Their appetites are voracious. They’ll eat fruit, berries and nuts,

Here's my exchange of posts with Moh.

Moh Mee Sui This bird is called "Guria" in PNG, Have you seen it before?

It looks like an "ANGRY BIRD"!

Moh Mee Sui It looks angry because it was unlucky and caught by the hunter.

Ann Chin tell me more, as it killed? do people eat it?

Moh Mee Sui Ya, the villagers hunt them for food too, and many other animals.

Ann Chin Moh, is the guria endangered, how big? how heavy?


Moh Mee Sui As big as chicken about 3 or 4 kg maybe? Not sure, I never want to harm these poor birds and animals.

Ann Chin Can fly?

Moh Mee Sui Can fly but not far and high, only short distance. You are right, it looks very much like pigeon.


For more photos, go to Wiki.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Crowned_Pigeon


http://gattina-keyholepictures.blogspot.co.nz/2011/11/list-of-photo-hunting-themes.html

March 3: Fluffy

Save the world: Toy Library: Serving the Community

Marion in red top.


Every Wednesday, I take time off from school and volunteer teaching adults English as a second language. Another group of ladies are volunteering their time to serve the wider community.

I see mums lugging big toys with their toddlers in toll. Toys that my children never played with because I could never afford them or want to spend my money buying them, even though my husband was an engineer.

What lucky women, what lucky kids. I thought to myself.

Then I was told, they didn't buy them. They were utilizing the services of the Toy Library operated on the premises of the Mt Albert Baptist Church Office Building.

The library is supervised by Marion Bain and her band of merry ladies. Say, there are very friendly, I can vouch for that because I saw them. I asked Marion about the funding, and she told me the Toy Library we hire the building off the church.

What about the funding? As I look around the well equipped library. Marion says: Donations are always welcome, and as the Toy Library is a charity, they get funding from various sources.

Ka Pai Marion, and all her helpers.

The Toy Library is at 732 New North Road, in Mt Albert, Auckland, New Zealand. Remember, it is at the older officer building, go up the ramp and towards the back.

It is opened on Tuesday and Wednesday, 9.15 -11.15am, and during the school terms only.

There is a small charge: $40 per family a year, if you have a community service card, $20.

Borrowing: Toys range from 50c to $3 per issue (2 weeks borrowing time)

Duties: 2 per year (2x2hr blocks)

I must say, this small amount is nothing, considering the quality of toys available. Besides, children get tired of their toys very quickly. I must say this is a very good idea. Even if you can afford lots of toys, you won't end up with your house all cluttered up with toys your children no longer want to play with.

And on the plus side if the social aspect, I am sure you will make friends you meet in the library, especially on the day you do your duties. This might even be a good item on your CV, when your kids are grown, and have no experience. You have customer contact. This is my own opinion.


I wonder if there are similar Toy Libraries in other places of the world. I like to hear about it.

Contact Marion:627 0083, you could call by for a visit.


http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/

Pizza making in school 3.

We are very lucky to have the students from Diocesan school for girls to help us build our pizza oven. Under the instruction of Ron Sperber of earthwhile.co.nz, they and our senior students built what I dub as a traditional oven using traditional material and traditional method.

I will post more on this. I spoke with Ron briefly and he told me he is involved with http://earthwhile.co.nz/composting_kids-dvd/
which falls nicely with my Save the world theme. They used wood chip, dirt and sand, PLUS a lot of elbow/ankle grease.

Some of my students said they would not do the mixing. Another said, he would wear his shoes.

http://ann-mythoughtsandphotos.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/making-your-pizza-in-school.html

http://annsnowchin.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/ruby-redrednesday-making-pizza-in.html
What a great experience our students had.

http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/



http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com




http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/

Photohunt: Old

We have a Motat, Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT). MOTAT opened in 1964 and is the largest museum of transport, technology and social history in New Zealand, housing a number of outstanding collections. Encompassing 40 acres, on two sites, it presents a fascinating and informative record of many of the technological developments that have helped shape New Zealand. Major collections include Road Transport, Early Auckland, Primary Industries, Medical and Dental and Pioneers of Aviation. MOTAT is also proud to have a working Tram Section, and a large aviation collection including a Lancaster bomber and a Solent flying boat.

The museum is built on the site that once pumped water drawn from Western Springs Lake to early Auckland homes and businesses. The Pumphouse, with its magnificent Beam Engine, is now a focal point ­ it is one of only three working Beam Engines in the world.

The Pumphouse is one of two original buildings on the site, the other being the Engineer's Cottage in the Victorian Village.




http://gattina-keyholepictures.blogspot.com/2011/11/list-of-photo-hunting-themes.htm display old things.

Sunday stills: Trees

Hi Linda,

Random trees are easy here, but following a tree for one year may be hard, perhaps we can follow it every season, and then have a great finale.


Sunday Stills-Trees
Posted in Uncategorized on February 19, 2012 by Linda

Sara from Punkin’s Patch suggested this weeks challenge……great minds think alike because I was out on a little photo trip and thought the same thing. Trees…….naked in this part of the world yet. I think a four seasons challenge with the same tree would be great too in the future.

http://sundaystills.wordpress.com/

Plunket and me.

I’ve signed up as an online collector for Plunket's 2012 Appeal.

Plunket’s Appeal raises vital funds for a wide variety of services , such as parenting education courses, car seat safety schemes, education in schools, toy libraries and many other valuable resources and programmes.

In the 80s, I was a young mum 3 times. I had no family in New Zealand. Plunket was family to me. Plunket's care was epitomised when I was sick when I was pregnant with Andrew and after he had died. I could never repay what Plunket did for me. I tried by collecting door to door, I tried by writing about Plunket. I wrote in detail about Plunket's help in my book and in my other posts.

Diary of a bereaved Mother http://annkitsuetchin.blogspot.co.nz/

http://ann-mythoughtsandphotos.blogspot.co.nz/2010/11/christmas-in-rocket-park-2010-and.html

http://annkschin.blogspot.co.nz/2009/06/plunket-society.html
These services rely on community support to keep going. Your support will assist Plunket to give every New Zealand child the best start in life.

Please consider making a small donation, every dollar counts. Thank you for your support!


This year they're trying something a bit different: an online version of the traditional street collection. Please click on this link:



http://appealcollector.plunket.org.nz/collect/annchinplunketappeal

ann Chin