PhotoHunt 186: Veterans/Military

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PhotoHunt 186: Nov 6: Veterans/Military

Happy upcoming Veterans Day to all of our Armed Forces. I picked this theme for today because Wednesday is Veterans Day

In the olden days, men more more patriotic, and even young boys who were not old enough to enlist, forge their papers to fight in the World war 1 and 2. Many of these brave boys didn't make it home to New Zealand.

In New Zealand, we have the RSA, The Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association Inc. It is one of the largest voluntary welfare organisations in New Zealand and one of the longest established ex-service organisations in the world.

In parks, you see statues and plagues. In my school, we also have a memorial plague to remember the students and teachers who went to the war.

You see these gun placements. I was very privileged that my friend Ngarimu showed me this placements that the government built in anticipation of the Russians coming to attack Auckland. These placements were taken from the Maori people of Orakei, Ngarimu's people. The Russians never came, and these placements are the remnants. Ngarimu's people were only compensated recently.

Sunday still:currencies

I am very proud of Kate Sheppard. Her image appears on our ten dollar note. She is mainly responsible for New Zealand to be the first country to give women the vote in modern times.

Katherine Wilson Sheppard (10 March 1847 – 13 July 1934) was the most prominent member of New Zealand's women's suffrage movement, and is the country's most famous suffragette. Because New Zealand was the first country to introduce universal suffrage, Sheppard's work had a considerable impact on women's suffrage movements in other countries. During one of the protest movement, she led a whole group of ladies to lie down on the road and the police couldn't do anything.

Sheppard played a considerable part in getting the women's suffrage bill was successfully passed, granting women full voting rights. Sheppard herself was widely acknowledged as the leader of the women's suffrage movement.

An elderly friend in her 80s told me that when she was growing up, the girls wanted to be like Kate.

Sheppard is considered to be an important figure in New Zealand's history. A memorial to her exists in Christchurch.

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Graffiti Art

There is Graffiti Art and there is Graffiti tagging. There is a great difference between the two.

Graffiti Art is an artform where the artist is a responsible person, often he is commissioned by the wall owner to paint the wall. The way I see it, when a wall has graffiti art on it, it stops irresponsible people from vandalism and tagging senseless and mindless words or slogans.

I was fortunate to meet Josh and Bob who were busy at their work today in Sandringham. Ka Pai and Paki and Paki.

Friday Shootout: Skyline

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November 6 - Skylines by Kate
"My topic is up to bat this week and I picked Skylines. One of my favorite things to see when I go to a new city is the look of their skyline - and for me, skylines can be the look of a small-town Main Street or the giant buildings of a huge city's downtown or a field full of corn. What is the "skyline" that you think of when someone mentions your town?"

Two icons of Auckland stand out, our Harbour Bridge and our sky tower.

The Sky Tower is the highest building in the Southern Hemisphere, and can be seen in all the volcanic cones, and from the sea.

Save the world: Return land to nature

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Tiri Tiri Matangi Island, A Conservation Success Story

Once upon a time, the jungle was a land where animals and birds roamed free. Then man needed agricultural land to satisfy his physical needs. Further down the line, men needed more and more land. Animals and birds were pushed further and further until some became extinct or endangered. The native giant Moa bird is one such example.

Here at Tiri Tiri Matangi island, the farmland's lease wasn't renewed and the island was returned to nature.

Around 15 years ago Tiri Tiri Matangi Island, a 220 hectare island was largely barren farmland. In a unique partnership between the Government and conservationists from Auckland, it was designated an open sanctuary, cleared of predators and planted in over three million native trees.

Tiri provides an opportunity to visit a genuine open wildlife sanctuary featuring many species of endangered New Zealand bird life, including the kiwi and takahe. Guided tours are available to enjoy this very special island, administered by the Department of Conservation.

Even the boat to the island is nicely decorated as a green boat.

Bank Of New Zealand, BNZ giving back to the community

Our ministries pastor Arthur Warner up on top of the mini scaffolding.

Instead of counting money, Raymond is clearing an over grown bush.


Eddy and Nigel becoming arborists for the day.

Busy men and women giving us a new coat of paint.

Today, at the Mt Albert Baptist church, we had some unusual workers. We had some bankers painting, gardening, and weeding. BNZ branches closed around the country as 3500 staff carry out volunteer work for community projects.

The "Closed for Good" initiative meant 177 store closures so bank staff can lend a hand to community groups including the Salvation Army, the Auckland Deaf Society and SPCA.

In my church, 15 men and women worked very hard, and I got to know three handsome men, Eddy, Nigel and Raymond as they cleared our garden. Some of our church people worked along side with them. Our Ministries Pastor Arthur Warner was up a mini scaffolding. I joked with him asking if he now worked in the bank.

This is really great for the bank and their staff. Ka Pai aka great job, and paki-paki (Clap)

Macro Monday: Beach succulent

These lovely flowers cover the slopes of the sandy beach at Muriwai. They start off as a yellow flower, then turn orange and then pink. Someone told me that these beach succulents play a very important role in preventing erosion.

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