Friday, August 13, 2010

Friday shoot out: Roads

The photos I have chosen are for this theme: Uses of roads.

This is a hearing truck, the technician has a Ear clinic inside and visits schools. It was parked on the road, and I went to check it out and spoke with the technician.

In New Zealand, there are a lot of trailers. All you need is a tow bar at the back of your car, and you can tow them.

You can protest at road junctions for maximum effect, if you stand near to a school. This father led his kids to protest a cell phone tower from being built near his house and Pt Chevalier school where I work.

Kudos to these young mums, in the middle of winter, they push their pushchairs with their young ones.


Because Auckland is an earthquake area, before you build houses, you need to drill the ground to check the soil condition.

I love big trucks. This truck delivered brand new furniture to our new school buildings.

Roads are good advertising medium. You don't have to pay anything. Just employ someone willing to stand in the freezing cold and heavy traffic.

Inner city Auckland has no place for the horse. We don't have the Royal Canadian Mounties. You have to go to the outskirts to ride you horse on the road. This poor horse just looks pretty advertising for Chevalier Company which makes all the paraphernalia for the horse. My school Pt Chevalier school is in Pt Chevalier Suburb. Pt Chevalier or Pt Chev comes from Captain G.R. Chevalier, a musketry instructor during the New Zealand Wars of the 1860s.



http://mytownshootout.blogspot.com/
http://mytownmrlinky.blogspot.com/
"Member Voice" for August 13th - Roads and Pathways
Our theme for August 13th is "Roads and Pathways" by Lena aka SOL. And I just realized it is Friday the 13th! That only counts if you are superstitious I guess.....

In Lena's words:

"Roads and pathways can vary greatly from place to place. They are a great way to really highlight one's town or city. Also, roads and pathways have metaphorical value. So much of life is a journey and we are always "on the road" to something. Additionally, there is the mystery of what is at the end of that road or pathway; what is next. Also, I Iove perspective shots and have seen some amazing ones from FSO members, so I look forward to seeing more!!"

In my last year of high school, I did Robert Frost's poems. I like "Two Roads meet", and it is also the only poem I remembered in that book. In my interview for FSO, I quoted this poem. As I reflect my life, I have traveled to many parts of the world, and done many things. This poem just seems to describe my life almost to a T.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.


Thank you to all of you who read and left cool comments on my FSO interview.

17 comments:

Miss Footloose said...

Your photos give a great visual impression of some of New Zealand's culture. So often what we know about NZ is how beautiful the natural landscape is, and it is, fo course, it's fun to see the street scenes.

What I love to do when I first arrive in a foreign country is to walk the streets of a town and see what the grocery stores look like and sell, and visit the street markets. That's where real life is, not in the tourist spots.

Kim, USA said...

Love your photos Ann, it give me a little idea of NZ, some of my friends are migrating there already. Thanks for sharing! Happy weekend!

Roads & Pathways

Ginny Hartzler said...

Yes, that is a very good poem. Interesting what you are saying about roads, so they can be used for so much more than just travel! My favorite if the really cool and colorful hearing truck!

Kerry said...

This is an interesting take on the theme, Ann, and definitely gives me a little peek at everyday life in Auckland. Thanks!

spiritsoflena said...

I enjoyed your post and love that classic poem from Frost.

Sherri said...

Lovely post. I tend to forget that you have winter when we are having summer. :)

Bagman and Butler said...

I did love your interview and was glad to get to know you better. I also liked your shoot -- particularly the protesters. Use of roads to be avenues of information is a great touch!

GingerV said...

I wonder if any of those protesters own a cell phone, I wonder if any of them have ever complained about lack of coverage - dead zones. It is always better of course to have towers and such in other peoples back yards.
- boy did I go off.
great commentary as usual.

Anonymous said...

Hi Ann, Always fun to see your part of the world and I love that poem by Frost.

SandyCarlson said...

You live in a fascinating place, Ann. Thanks for the tour! God bless, friend.

Pauline said...

Ann, I feel you really captured Auckland this week! Thanks for your imaginative take on the topic. Loved the little hearing van.
Oh, and I really enjoyed your interview, too!

Dave said...

I enjoyed your "Roads" blog Ann. Very interesting. Also enjoyed the poem. - Dave

Jama said...

Protesters....that's something we don't have here, need a valid police permit to do this and usually any requests are turn down.

Malyss said...

Really a great way to illustrate the theme! so many ways to use it!that's funny and interesting!

BTW,I think the flowers you saw on my picture are pink laurel (but i'm not sure, I'm not very strong with botanic!:)
i wish you a nice weeke-nd , at the other end of the world!

Pblacksaw said...

another great post! I was singing on a road bound for no where as I did mine.. I see you were on a road bound for everywhere!
Patsy

wenn said...

love the colorful truck! Btw, I hv a new blog.

Unknown said...

great post Ann! nice look around your town. somehow your pic of the man standing in the freezing weather does not look very cold to me. here we have below zero temps and ice and snow for winter. great shoot out!!

and thanks for doing the interview. nice getting to know you better. (should put a link to it from here?)