My world Tuesday: Winter soccer

http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/

Boys are resilient. Even in the cold winter, they play soccer in the Auckland Domain.

save the world:every bit counts New Zealand Endemic Bird.

http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/

New Zealand is home to several highly peculiar endemic parrots, with three similar-looking species being of particular interest: the Kakapo Strigops habroptila, KeaNestor notabilis, and Kaka N. meridionalis.

The kakapo is the rarest parrot in the world. It’s flightless, it’s the world’s heaviest parrot, it's possibly the oldest living bird and it has a subsonic mating boom that can travel several kilometres.

By the middle of the 20th century the kakapo was a lost species, Because of Polynesian and European colonisation and the introduction of predators such as cats, rats, and stoats,the Kakapo was almost wiped out. The Kakapo is critically endangered; as of February 2010, there are 122 of them.

Hello,
VERY exciting news...we are just one of 2 schools in Auckland who have been invited to take part in the DOC Words on a Wing event.
2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity.
Last Thursday 5th August a giant Kakapo arrived at our school and will live in the school office for 2 weeks.
During that time we want as many children and parents and members of our school community to write a small message about Biodiversity onto a feather and attach it to the bird.
Our Year 5+ 6 children have done tons of learning around Biodiversity last term and for the other classes it can be a simple message along the lines of...

* I have a waste free lunch
* I walk/bike/scooter to school
* I recycle my paper
* I turn off the light when I leave the room
* I turn off the tap when I brush my teeth
Words on a Wing enables young people throughout New Zealand to write messages about biodiversity and attach them to a giant kākāpō, and is an opportunity to tell world leaders why biodiversity matters to them, what they want leaders to do about its loss, and what they are doing to enhance biodiversity.”

Sundaystills: Clouds

http://sundaystills.wordpress.com/

Ed chose an easy challenge this week. Auckland city has incredible clouds. if I remember to bring my camera. As the sky changes so quickly. On day, I was driving, and my camera was home. When I came home ten minutes later. The beautiful sky and golden clouds were gone.

All these photos are from my dining room and deck and the one with the helicopter, in my garden.

Please do go on my other site's link. I had cotton wool clouds, which is most unusual.
http://ann-mythoughtsandphotos.blogspot.com/2010/07/skywatchfriday.html

Friday Shootout: Smells

It was twenty three years ago when I had Christmas with my parents and brothers and their families in Australia. This year, I made an impromptu trip to Australia and celebrated Christmas with them at Joseph's house.

What is Christmas like Down under without the snow?

Joseph roasted/smoked his turkeys in an American Weber BBQ, and Charles did his yummy ham. We had a great time despite the hot Australian summer. There were prawn platter, chicken, salad, salami, beef jerky, fruit platter and the fiercely claimed by Australia and New Zealand Pavlova. And plenty of champagne and vodka to wash down the food.

All my three brothers are great cooks. Cooking is not their career. Charles and Joseph are lawyers, and Henry is an anthropologist.http://annkschin.blogspot.com/2008/12/begger-chicken.html

Michelia Alba or Michelia champaca is a flower of my childhood. My grand ma, Great grand ma and all the women of that era wore their hair in a bun. They stuck a magnolia champaca bud in their bun. Their hair always smelt heavenly. My Great grand ma had a big tree. They collected the buds and soak it in alcohol to make their own perfume.
This native of southern China has a large delicate white flower. The scent is used extensively in aroma therapy products as well as Joy perfumery. This perfume is the world's most expensive perfume and I think my own female ancestors were making them decades ago.

It is an esteemed tree of Hindus and Buddhists, and it is often planted on temple grounds. Trees begin to bloom at 1-2years of age. This is also known as white sandalwood, BAI YULAN. This photo was taken at a Johore Buddhist temple.

http://annkschin.blogspot.com/2009/01/magnolia-2.html

The name is Lantana and is originally from Mexico. In Malaysia and Singapore, the common name is Bunga Tahi Ayam or in Cantonese, KAI SEE FA, both meaning Chicken Shit Flower.
http://annkschin.blogspot.com/2008/12/lantana.html




This fruit has a reputation because of it's good smell or terrible odor depending who is describing it. It is spoken with such a passion that many people are curious.

It is used in the Fear factor series and some contestants say it is the worst things they have tasted. My European Sis in law's dad pinched his nose as he briskly walked along a road selling durians and likened it to walking past a row of out house where there were lots of drunken puke.

Yet, My American teacher Miss. F after some years in Sarawak got to like the fruit, and so does my UK friend A.

Hating the fruits are also the newly arrived Chinese camp. The Chinese name for durian is LU LIAN. There is a saying, once you learn to like the durian, you will either settle or come back to the country.
http://annkschin.blogspot.com/2009/09/durians.html



http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/

Most tourists to New Zealand are taken to Rotorua. Their first impression is the sulphur smell. "Whangapipiro (Rachel Pool) - Rotorua, New Zealand"
Rachel Pool is a historic alkaline hot spring located in Government Gardens. Signage at the springs reads: "Water from this boiling cauldron is alkaline and reaches 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Silica-laden water from here was originally piped to the Pavillion Bath, later to the Bath House, and is still reticulated to the modern Polynesian Spa. Whangapipiro was renamed Rachel Pool after Madam Rachel, a notorious English cosmetician who promised youthful complexions because of the softening effect of silica water on the skin."

Hot spring is open to view 24 hours per day but it is not for using because of its high temperatures and no cold water to moderate the temperatures. The temperature (F): 212 or
(C): 100. So be careful not to put your fingers into the water to see how hot it is.
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM412V_Whangapipiro_Rachel_Pool_Rotorua_New_Zealand





http://mytownshootout.blogspot.com/
http://mytownmrlinky.blogspot.com/

On to the "Member Voice" for August 6 - Smells by NanU.
In her words:

For the Taste and Smells theme, I was originally thinking just Smells. Food smells like barbeque and the bakery down the street bring in the Taste aspect, but also other smells: fresh-cut grass, asphalt being laid down, low tide, dumpsters, clean laundry, a loved one's perfume. There are so many things that make up part of our environment and add their particular scent to it without our really noticing. What makes your town smell like home?

(the theme was originally posted as taste and smells, now changed to just smells as suggested)

Outdoor Wednesday: Ngarimu Blair

This is my friend Ngarimu Blair. He is the Heritage & Resource Manager of NGATI WHATUA O ORAKEI CORPORATE LTD. Ngarimu has received a Sir Peter Blake Emerging Leaders award for his work, which includes advocating for better care of Maungawhau Mt Eden and Auckland’s other volcanic cones and he did his work on behalf of Ngati Whatua o Orakei.

Our paths crossed when I responded to his invitation to join him in his Zero waste project on Waitangi Day last year. I seized the opportunity to sleep in his Marae ( a very rare privilege and opportunity) and to help spread the message of re-cycle, re-use and reduce.


This is for Ginny, she asked me what a Marae is. It has a triangle shape and is a Maori sacred meeting house for religious and social purposes.

When my Kelabit Brother in Law Kallang from Borneo came to visit New Zealand, he wanted to get to know the Maori culture which is very much like his, I asked Ngarimu if they could visit his land at the Bastion Point. It was like a lost cousin for the return home. Ngarimu extended his Maori welcome, and Kallang went home very happy to report to his people in the Bario Mountains of this new found cousin and his way of life.

Ngarimu further extended his hospitality by taking us to these gun placement. Only privileged guests get invited there.

On 350 Day, International Day of Climate Action. I climbed up the Big King Volcano, Ngarimu was there.



http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com


COMBINING a love of culture, heritage and nature has seen Ngarimu Blair named as one of the country's up and coming leaders.

The Mt Eden resident recently received a Sir Peter Blake Emerging Leaders award for his work on behalf of Ngati Whatua o Orakei.

Ngarimu says he was surprised to receive the award, which he says is not just recognition for him but also for his people and the work they do in the Auckland community.

Ka Pai, paki paki and great job, Ngarimu. I salute you.

Save the world:Save our women

Last Sunday, when I was at the Mangere Bridge opening, among the many groups working for charity and others causes, I was most interested in and impressed by the girls guides with their banner. They were publicizing their campaign to collect bras and to raise breast cancer awareness. It was freezing cold, but the girls walked anyway. Good job, paki paki and ka pai to these girls.

This is indeed a good cause. Fifty per cent of the world's population are women, and not many have access to breast screening or education to have monthly self examination.

http://www.girlguidingnz.org.nz/what-we-do/worlds-longest-bra-chain-a-girlguiding-nz-record-attempt
GirlGuiding NZ is really excited to be supporting Dargaville Guides in their Bra Chain campaign. This campaign aims to raise the awareness of breast cancer, achieve a world record in November 2010 – and help our overseas sisters in Africa, Haiti, the Pacific Islands and other countries.

Most New Zealanders have been affected by breast cancer in one way or another. As a girl only organisation, our girls and leaders in New Zealand want to add their voice and raise awareness of breast cancer and also focus on prevention and detection.
Bras are being collected in all shapes and sizes, and in any condition, to break the Guinness world record by November currently held by Australia (166,000 bras).

“The highest quality bras will be sent to women in Africa, Haiti, the Pacific Islands or other countries as a way of giving back to women and girls overseas,” says Ruth Teasdale.

Facts about Breast Cancer

* 1 in 3 cancers occurring in New Zealand women is breast cancer
* About 2500 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year
* Over six women are diagnosed with breast cancer each day
* Over 600 women die from breast cancer each year
* 1 in 9 women in New Zealand will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime
* The incidence of breast cancer is highest in women aged 50-54 years
* Maori women have a 40% higher mortality rate than non-Maori
* 1 in 10 men in New Zealand will lose a sister, mother, daughter or wife to breast cancer
* Close to 85% of women diagnosed with breast cancer will survive

From the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation website.

New Zealand is a very small country, but she does a lot for breast cancer awareness. It is the ordinary people, male and female adults and children who are doing this. We have an on-going television ad to advise women to have their screening done. In most cases, it is free of charge. Talking about the women's breast is taboo is some cultures, and it is difficult to persuade some women to go for checks. Breast screening is no fun, but is a painful necessity.

Recently I spoke with a radiographer, and we had a good talk. I will not be candid here.

http://annkschin.blogspot.com/2009/10/breast-cancer-awareness-collection.html
http://annkschin.blogspot.com/2009/10/breast-cancer-action-month.html
http://annkschin.blogspot.com/2009/10/cure-for-breast-cancer-within-next.html

http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/

My world Tuesday: Silo

http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/

In Auckland, I don't see any grain silo. But there are many concrete silos. Talk of the concrete jungle. I used to drive past on the bridge to the airport and tried to take photos, but the photos were not good.

Last Sunday, when I walked across the new bridge, I made good use of the opportunity to snap photos when I stood still on the bridge. The silos are on the other side of the old bridge which is still in used.