Monday, February 29, 2016

Tradescantia fluminensis


The terrarium is low maintenance and only needs watering once every six months. I have a worm farm which amazes the students.

I removed the lift and the Tradescantia plant grew wild. I brought it back during the long summer holiday. I must start it again.






White-Flowered Wandering Jew, Inch Plant, Small-leaf Spiderwort, River Spiderwort
Tradescantia fluminensis

Feed ducks with grass.

ABC Wednesday: H for Harmony




This is a photo of racial Harmony.


This is my very good friend Adele Paris, or that is the name I knew her to be. 
She comes to my church and offered to proof read my World War II  book. It was only much much later that I asked about her that she told me she was one of the Yandall Sisters.

You could say the cat has got my tongue.
Yandall Sister?
You never told?
In a sense, I am glad Adele never told, or one would think I was charmy with her because she was a Yandall Sister.

The Yandall Sisters are a popular New Zealand/Samoan all-female singing group of the 1970s, who have made a major contribution to music in New Zealand.[1] The members of the group were Caroline, Mary and Adele Yandall, and later younger sister Pauline Yandall.

In 1981 an album came out called "Yandall Harmony"
https://youtu.be/tvwG3hNoEUE

Their biggest Hit was Sweet Inspiration.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZ6kMt-E2wo

enjoy this Dedication to Mary Yandall Tagata Pasifika 5 Feb 2012

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFGFjrCv_iY

http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.co.nz/ 

Sunday, February 28, 2016

yellow cage to keep a builder safe.


a yellow cage to keep a builder safe.

http://mondaymellowyellows.blogspot.com.au/


Waikumete Cemetery Open day


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 photo from Radio New Zealand

Words of healing



A mother's account of the death of her newborn son has been turned into a book in the hope it will help other mothers heal. Rebecca Blithe meets the author. "The specialist said, 'You're going to have a normal baby'," says Ann Chin, as she sits with a pile of her recently published book, Diary of a Bereaved Mother.
But the days that followed the birth of her son, Andrew, proved anything but normal.
"Once I had my baby they realised he was dying," she says, of his diagnosis of Campomelic syndrome; a bone and cartilage condition resulting in short limbs and breathing problems because of a small chest capacity.

http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11597016 

Our national paper heads it as

Auckland's 'Day of Death',  would you go to a cemetery's open day?

 I got involved in Waikumete Cemetery, my late baby boy was buried here in 1989

The cemetery is New Zealand's largest, and the final resting place for over 70,000 people. At 108 hectares, it is also one of the region's largest public parks.
On Sunday, it will try to demystify the morbidity of death, displace some of the apprehension around cemeteries and burial practices, explain the historical relevance of cemeteries and explore cultural differences in the treatment of lost loved ones.

 


Friday, February 26, 2016

FSO: Winter






Severe snow, wind and rain is expected to continue to batter parts of the country. MetService said a bitterly cold southwest flow was expected to spread over the lower South Island with snow lowering to near sea level later today.

Southlanders already dealing with the effects of the weekend's storm were being urged to prepare for more snow and rain over the next two days.

My choice for this week:

Winter song
It's a cold, cold feeling
On a real lazy wind
That blows all the way trough you
And the autumn begins

How it cuts like a sabre
How it chills to the bone
You've got cold feet and fingers
And you're thinking of home

If I put my arms around you
Turn you in from the storm
From your autumn through winter
Darling I'll keep you warm

My overcoat's empty
Deep, wide and long
I got room for you darling
till your winter, till your winter has gone

Artist(Band):Chris Rea

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRegIcB6zys

These are archives, as we are having the best month of summer in the southern hemisphere. 


http://mytownshootout.blogspot.co.nz/

Winter So Long [Friday My Town Shoot Out Link-Up]

It's almost March, start of spring, but before Spring truly comes winter lingers a bit longer. Show us (hopefully) the end of the winter season in your parts of the world.

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

ABC Wednesday: Letter G for garbage.

used cooking oil aka garbage.

http://biodiesel-nz.co.nz/used-cooking-oil/

I was very happy to see this tank of used cooking oil during the Lunar New Year lantern celebration. All the kitchen waste oil at the different food stall are collected in this tank. They are then made into diesel vehicle fuel.

An environmentally friendly and sustainable lifecycle
By making Biogold™ from used cooking oils, we are able to correctly dispose of the oils, which are a significant waste management issue for our cooking industry, and create an environmentally friendly fuel. We process the oil in New Zealand, a better option than transporting it offshore for processing and use. Our advanced logistics system co-ordinates oil collection locally, consolidates cargo regionally and ships nationally to ensure efficient transport methods.
Recycling and Collecting Used Cooking Oil

Biodiesel New Zealand’s fuel can be run in almost any diesel vehicle.

http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.co.nz/

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Friday, February 19, 2016

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

ABC Wednesday Letter F



 Friends from all over the world in my ESOL Class.
 9 siblings in the family from Mum and Dad.
 Food that keeps the family together. Mum used to make this Har Gow.
I have a special family, I requested Mrs. Chew Tien Kui to be my God Mother, behind us, is Lynn.
http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.co.nz/

Thursday, February 11, 2016

create a Better Brekkie thanks to Celebrity Chef Michael Van de Elzen & Weet-Bix

 

 

Put on your chef’s hat and create a Better Brekkie thanks to Celebrity Chef Michael Van de Elzen & Weet-Bix

By Fleur Revell
03 February 2016
Star chef Michael Van de Elzen is on a mission to make breakfast a more exciting time of day. Co-host of the TVNZ series Kiwi Living, Michael has teamed up with Weet-Bix to inspire Kiwi families to eat a Better Brekkie.

Busy running his Auckland restaurant Boy and Bird, filming TV shows and writing cookbooks, Michael knows how it can often seem as if there isn’t time for breakfast. But he’s learnt the hard way that starting the day on a cup of black coffee doesn’t pay off.

“In my profession I work very long shifts,” he explains. “It takes its toll on you and I notice I do get cranky if I don’t eat breakfast.”

Michael’s secret weapon? “I keep a pack of Weet-Bix at work and my go-to breakfast  (Taken this out as roasting them in the oven for five mins and leaving them overnight is not short on time) is three Weet-Bix with frozen blackberries that have been roasted in the oven for five minutes then left to soak in their juices overnight. It’s absolutely my favourite thing.”

Growing up on a farm in West Auckland, there was always something tasty for Michael’s breakfast. His mother would make pancakes or her special fried eggs with a thin slice of gouda cheese on top. “Breakfast was a big thing in the Van de Elzen family,” he recalls. “We’d sit down together at the table and there would be lots of bread, fruit, cheese and always some Weet-Bix.”

Now a Dad himself, Michael has continued the tradition of an interesting, tasty breakfast for his daughters Hazel (5) and Ivy (3) “They get bored eating the same thig every single morning so the key is to keep changing it. I’m always looking for new ideas to fill the childrens’ breakfast bowls. The girls love Weet-Bix covered in hot milk with just a touch of cocoa powder on it - they think that’s a real treat. In summer we have smoothies made with banana, almond milk, cocoa powder and dates. For an on-the-go breakfast I crumble up some Weet-Bix to put in there too.”

Working with Weet-Bix on fresh ideas for wholesome and nutritious Better Brekkies, even Michael has been surprised at how versatile an ingredient the long-time breakfast favourite can be. “It makes a great, nutritious base and from there it’s so easy to build in the flavour.”

From a breakfast trifle and a wake-up shake, to Weet-Bix bircher muesli, porridge and pancakes, through his Better Brekkie recipes Michael has brought a chef’s flair to the first meal of the day. But his recipes are still quick, simple and family friendly.

“I want Kiwi children to wake up every morning and say, ‘Wow what’s it going to be today’.” says the TV chef.
For more information on the Better Brekkie see www.weetbix.co.nz/the-better-brekkie-programme/

Weet-Bix Wake-Up Shake
(Serves 2)
With all the goodness of bananas, dates and Weet-Bix, the Weet-Bix Wake-Up Shake delivers a source of iron and fibre.
INGREDIENTS
•    2 Weet-Bix wheat biscuits
•    300ml So Good Almond Milk
•    1 banana
•    4 dates
•    1 tsp cocoa powder
•    1 tbsp chia seeds
METHOD
1.    Place the Weet-Bix into a blender with the So Good Almond Milk and let soak for a minute to soften.
2.    Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.

Weet-Bix Breakfast Trifle
(Serves 4)
Try Weet-Bix Breakfast Trifle for a treat that delivers fibre and fruit – while being just a little indulgent
INGREDIENTS
•    1 cup frozen blueberries
•    1 cup unsweetened yogurt
•    4 Gluten Free Weet-Bix wheat biscuits
•    ½ cup toasted pecans
METHOD
3.    Using a small saucepan, heat the blueberries and reduce for a couple minutes until thick.
4.    Take a glass (approximately 270ml) and start to layer your trifle, starting with ½ crushed Weet-Bix followed by a spoonful of yogurt, then the blueberry mix and pecans. Repeating once again.
5.    Finishing with a layer of the crushed pecan nuts. Sit for a few minutes to allow the Weet-Bix to soften before eating.  Written on behalf of Sanitarium by Impact PR
Written on behalf of Sanitarium by Impact PR  

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Deadly Melioidosis Rises


 Dr Elli Luhat visiting a Deadly Melioidosis patient, a confirmed Case of "Deadly Meleoidosis" ( dirty-water disease ) outbreak @ Sg. Asap Bakun Resettlement Scheme (BRS), Belaga in Sarawak.

KUCHING: Bakun Community Safety Committee (BCSC) chairman Dr Elli Luhat said yesterday the deaths reported in Bakun were caused by angry spirits in the area although State Health Department director Dr Zulkifli Jantan had confirmed on Tuesday that the fatalities were caused by melioidosis and leptospirosis.

http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/08/04/wrath-of-the-gods/


This Rejang river is home to many river taxis. Look at the murky water. People who are not from the Rejang area are weary of going in these boats.

Married to a water and environmental engineer for more than 35 years, it is inevitable that part of his water knowledge is passed on to me.

The river traffic  has increased, and the banks get eroded. I used to swim in the river, and also drink from it. My cousin tells me, nobody does that now. They dammed the upper tributary. 




http://www.voanews.com/content/risk-of-deadly-melioidosis-rises-study-finds/3139817.html


Melioidosis, a deadly bacterial disease most frequently found in Asia, is more widespread than previously believed and resists a wide range of antibiotic treatments, a just-issued study reports.
The new journal Nature Microbiology on Monday published findings that the little-known disease likely is present in 79 countries, including 34 that have never reported it. Research was conducted at the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU) here and the University of Washington in the northwestern U.S. city of Seattle, among other institutions.
The study estimates the disease kills nearly as many people as measles, which the World Health Organization cited as responsible for almost 115,000 fatalities in 2014. Melioidosis causes more deaths annually than dengue or leptospirosis, both of which are health priorities for numerous international health organizations.
It’s caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, a highly pathogenic bacterium commonly found in soil and water. It is contracted through the skin, lungs or by drinking infected water.
Symptoms can include fever, weight loss, body aches, coughing and headaches, among other signs, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Patients are frequently misdiagnosed as having pneumonia or suffering from sepsis, a potentially life-threatening complication of an infection.
"Doctors will try to rule out whether [patients] have malaria or dengue infection by rapid diagnostic tests," MORU’s Dr. Direk Limmathurotsakul told VOA. If neither is confirmed, "doctors will suspect that any bacterial infection is the cause of the pneumonia and sepsis" and will prescribe antibiotics, he said.
Disease resists many drugs
But this particular bacterium is resistant to a wide range of antimicrobials, including penicillin. Treatment with ineffective antimicrobials can result in fatality rates exceeding 70 percent, according to specialists.
"If they die, they die. If they survive, they survive" without the actual ailment being known, said Direk, one of the world's most prominent specialists on melioidosis.
The bacterium is especially common in Asia. The study predicts high infections rates throughout Southeast Asia, notably in Vietnam and India, where there is especially low awareness about it among medical practitioners. The tropical zones of Australia are also considered at high risk for melioidosis, as are East Asia and the Pacific, sub-Saharan Africa and South America.
Some areas in Central America, southern Africa and the Middle East are also at risk, according to researchers.
Diabetes, kidney disease raise risks
The number of cases is expected to rise amid an increase in diabetes in the tropics, especially among the poor. Those with chronic kidney disease also are considered at higher risk to contract melioidosis.
Melioidosis "can survive well within your white blood cells or macrophage. This bacteria will spread much faster and kill you easier if you have those kinds of diseases," said Direk, who is also an assistant professor on Mahidol University’s tropical medicine faculty.
People who excessively drink alcohol are at higher risk for the same reason. International travelers, too, could have higher rates of the disease; mobility increases the risk of the pathogen being introduced to new areas.
The study recommends health workers, international organizations and policy makers give melioidosis a higher priority.

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Saturday, February 6, 2016

ABC WEdnesday letter D








The sign says DO NOT Drink, DO NOT swim and DO NOT collect shells fish.


http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.co.nz/

Friday, February 5, 2016

http://teacher.worthytoknow.net/my-teacher-shamed-me-when-i-couldnt-read#


ANTHONY HAMILTON

Anthony Hamilton is a writer who lives in Hayward, California. He is the author of several books, including The Autobiography of Strong Child and Shattered Lives.
when I was 10 or 11, a teacher humiliated me. We were to tell what our father's occupation was. My dad was a group supervisor of schools, (technically her boss.) I perhaps didn't say it properly as it was a mouth ful, and she didn't expect what I was saying. She was very rude and said back mumbling what I was trying to say. I was humiliated. Like Anthomy Hamilton, I am a writer of 7 books, a public speaker. Three years ago, I was celebrated in my home town. I wonder if she read the newspapers, I wonder if she read about me. Recently, I saw a photo of her with a junior class.
The moral of the story is never humiliate your students.

Thursday, February 4, 2016

One roof, two lives



http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BGRESX0/ref=rdr_kindle_ext_tmb


My 7th book, 3rd eBook, 

Traces the lives of 2 girls. The poor girl is sold to the rich girl as a slave aka mui zai to serve her for ever. Different Chinese Tradition are explained, and tragedy brings them to the South Seas. The Japanese invasion, the slave protects her mistress and is sent to a brothel as a comfort women. After the war, the slave is released but to another horrific life. She is sold again. To end the sadness, she goes to New Zealand.