Sunday Stills: 25 steps and 50 steps

This is like a preposition lesson, look across the road, look to the right and left,




25 steps





50 steps

Sunday Stills-25 and 50 Steps (for October 30th)
Posted in Uncategorized on October 23, 2011 by Linda

The challenge for this week is 25 and 50 steps. Holly suggested this and sent me both the instructions and the photographs.

Choose a starting spot, walk 25 steps in any direction and take 3 photos. The 25 steps can be outside your home, inside your home, in your neighborhood or away from your neighborhood.
Once your steps have been counted out, you must anchor one foot, you can pivot on that foot but your anchor foot may not move.


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FSO : October 28 - Creepy Crawlies!!

October 28 - Creepy Crawlies!!

In my school, caterpillars are not creepy. In New Zealand, people grow swan plants for the Monarch butteries to lay their eggs. The kids handle the caterpillars, and is an excellent lesson for the very hungry caterpillar and the life cycle of the butterfly.

A Mature Swan plant for Monarch butterfly caterpillar. In New Zealand, people grow the swan plants for the Monarch butterflies to lay their eggs. Soon, it is the season (peak of summer) for the caterpillars.

There is even a Monarch Butterfly Trust in New Zealand.


Temperature has an effect on the life-cycle; heat or warmer temps can speed up the life-cycle and cooler temps can pro-long the process. 

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Outdoor bowling

usually played outdoors on a lawn. At outdoor bowling, the players throw a ball, which is sometimes eccentrically weighted, in an attempt to put it closest to a designated point or slot in the bowling arena.

This is very popular with the older sportsperson.
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Save the world:Stop fleas with natural methods

We have an infestation of fleas. All three of us have been bitten by fleas.

The first question friends ask is, " Do you have a cat or a dog?"

We don't have pets, but every so often, we get bitten by fleas. When we get bitten, we get bitten so badly. It is itchy, it is pinful and gives the chills. We don't want to use chemicals or flea bombs as they are toxic.

I googled for a natural herb, and found out about Pennyroyal. I went to my local garden centre and I bought two plants .

It didn't repel the fleas, but they look and smell lovely. Pennyroyal leaves, both fresh and dried, are especially noted for repelling insects.[4] However, when treating infestations such as fleas, using the plant's essential oil should be avoided due to its toxicity to both humans and animals, even at extremely low levels.[6]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennyroyal

Does anyone know a herb that will repel fleas?


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Sunday stills: Rocks and rock formation

Here, Ed are rocks of New Zealand, and some photos of nostalgia taken in 2000 when all my kids are little and living at home. And No rock on my ring because it is so small that the camera can't pick it up. We were both students and couldn't afford a big rock.


The Old Arts Building of the Auckland University from another angle.

This is a monument to Sir Logan Campbell who donated the land for a public park and named it One Tree Hill. This is now dubbed as no tree hill, because protesters chopped the pine tree down in 2000 just before we went there.

Not too far from Auckland at Taupo, there is the Huka falls. The water engineer likes tot go there. These days, you can go in a jet boat.

Because New Zealand comprises of two big islands, it is easy to go to places. We walked to the Glaciers. This one is Frans Josef Glacier. The Franz Josef (Ka Roimata o Hinehukatere in Māori)[1][2] is a 12 km (7.5 mi) long[3] glacier located in Westland Tai Poutini National Park on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. Together with the Fox Glacier 20 km (12 mi) to the south, it is unique in descending from the Southern Alps to less than 300 metres (980 ft) above sea level, amidst the greenery and lushness of a temperate rainforest.

The area surrounding the two glaciers is part of Te Wahipounamu, a World Heritage Site park. The river emerging from the glacier terminal of Franz Josef is known as the Waiho River.

It was raining and cold even though it was December, our summer. We walked and walked and reached the terminus.

We went to Fox Glacier the day before, but didn't go to the terminus.

I was intriqued by these man made shaped rocks. The water engineer says is to put on the coastline to prevent erosion.

Seals and sea lions, can you see them? These were in South island.
There are some in the North Island. Currently where a container ship Rena is aground in Tauranga, birds have died, and it is reported that sea lions and seas are affected. Yesterday, a baby whale beached. The local maori people believe that it is an Omen. A bad one.

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Sunday Stills-Rocks and Rock Formations (October 23rd)
Posted in Sunday Stills on October 16, 2011 by Linda

For this next weeks challenge Shirley over at Ride a Good Horse suggested rocks and rock formations. They can be natural, and man made and can include stone buildings, concrete, stone statues or anything modified from rock or other minerals……..including the stone in your wedding ring;


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FSO: Scavenger Hunt

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October 21 - Scavenger Hunt suggested by Mark, Butler and Bagman - Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. I guess that is four.

Mark, Butler and Bagman, is there a wedding in the air?

http://mitherof3.blogspot.com/2011/10/visit-to-maine-wildlife-park.html

Most of this post is for Cheryl of Life Is What You Make It.... She loves photographing hearts and manages to find hearts in the most unusual places.

I have always looked out for hearts for Cheryl. So here you are Cheryl, a 100 hearts. A family of sleeping dragons at Coyle's park, near the beach of my house.

Something old: the dragon is as old as the beginning of times.
Something new: it has been given a new coat of paint.
Something blue: It don't know if I like the dragon colored, it was just concrete before. I guess it attracts the children.

Something borrowed: Many years ago, my daughter G sprained her ankle, she borrowed the clutches from her friend. G's ankled recovered, G moved out to go flatting. The clutches are still "borrowed" in my house.

As for Mark, Butler and Bagman, I am afraid there will be no wedding in my household for a long time. LOL

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Readers' Digest Contest

When I was young, I always read the Readers' Digest and marvel at the bravery of the mothers who struggled with sick children. When I had Andrew in the hospital, and accepted the doctors' advice that the kindest option was to let nature take it's course. When Andrew didn't die when the doctor predicted, I struggled with myself and spoke to the doctor about those mothers I read in the Readers' Digest, and I wanted to be these mothers, Dr James said that Andrew was different.

Today, I found out that Readers' Digest was inviting people to submit their stories. I am submitting mine for media exposure. But if you like to vote for me, it is appreciated.


"Diary of a bereaved mother"
My journey of having a baby who died and now I am the self appointed spokes-person for bereaved parents. My story is from my heart and will resonate with anyone who has had the misfortune to give birth to a child who has struggled to live. Synopsis: Your baby is dying. Andrew did not die that night as predicted by the doctor, he didn't die after 3 days, 10 days and finally he died at 55 days. Friends did not know whether to congratulate or commiserate us. He was declared dead after his first at 40 days, but he bounced back. That was more excruciating than his actual death. After Andrew, what have I done? Have I become a better person? There are many of the things I am most proud of. I spearheaded raising funds to separate a pair of Siamese twins from Nepal in Singapore. For 16 years, I raised funds for the Deaf Children in Kenya. I did the publicity, marketing, cooking and selling. I volunteer at teaching new immigrants.
http://www.youtube.com/asiadownunder#p/c/C9FEF73B56807B22/3/IZk9w-uywAs
Vote up!

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Surf Boards

This photo is taken at Pt Chevalier Sailing Club. This is taken for J Barr. He posted his photo of a flag staff the same day I saw mine. I went back yesterday to take a better photo. The sailing club was closed and there was no flags.
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http://www.3news.co.nz/Surf-designer-looking-to-win-accolades/tabid/412/articleID/206331/Default.aspx
A Kiwi student's in with a shout of grabbing what's known as an Oscar of design in New York.

New Zealand AUT Student Mike Grobelny is a finalist in the post-grad section of the international design excellence awards, with an eco-friendly surfboard hewn from locally-sourced sustainable wood. Paulownia is a fast growing, locally available wood.

Mike Grobelny's twin passions for surfing and sustainability pushed him to design his eco-conscious board from paulonia wood and bamboo. It eliminates the use of polyurethane foam, fibre glass and polyester resin.

“Surfers are conscious of the fact that what we ride or the materials we use to make products do affect the environment that we are in, and you know surfers are in touch with the environment a whole lot more obviously, being in the water a lot,” he says.

Veering away from the traditional materials of foam and fibreglass is all very well, but it still has to carve through waves.

So 3 News handed Mike's board to one of New Zealand's hottest surfers, winner of the Raglan super 16, Luke Hughes.

“You've got to fine tune your equipment before it gets out there, but I think no, definitely there's a place in the marketplace for this type of product, good mate,” he says.

Luke's dad Craig has seen it all before - he's been making boards for more than 40 years - but even he sees potential.

“I'm intrigued by the weight, but certainly the durability you know, we make a lot of very light high-performance surfboards but they wouldn't have the longevity that this board obviously has,” he says.

In recent years thousands of cheap Chinese plastic boards have flooded the market, but there could be potential for beautiful wooden boards that are both durable and ecologically sustainable.

The design innovation is the honeycombed interior. And it's easily copied because it's cut by computer, pointing the way for New Zealand to rule the waves in sustainable surfboards.

Win or lose at the design Oscars, Grobelny wants to develop his board and make one for Hughes too.

http://youtu.be/iq3Bww1w_ms

Warmer weather is coming up, it will be great if more surfers will use surf boards that are not made in a toxic environment.

Sunday Stills:Focusing on the Foreground

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Sunday Stills-Focusing on the Foreground
Posted in Sunday Stills Challenge of the Week on October 9, 2011 by Linda

This next challenge for October 16th is to focus on the foreground in your pictures. This is a way of composing a photograph with a strong visual in the bottom section of your picture. It’s a great way to create a dynamic landscape (IMHO). Try and get a fairly wide angled shot and maximize the depth of field so that everything is in focus. The foreground can be something small or something as large as a boulder but it should fit with the landscape your shooting.

Sorry Ed, this is another exercise which is very difficult. I took this landscape photos today.

FSO: Sweets

Chocolates, any kind, except white chocolate. There is never enough for me.







Some strawberries are very sweet like this one.

These yummy desserts, the reversed is spelled stressed. When you are faced with a wonderful buffet like this, you feel stressed. Should I or should I not? My uncle David hosted us and my sister Margaret at the Sky Tower.


Pavlovas are a national icon, there is a ongoing war with Australia as to who invented the pavlova.


These are very good for you.

Some Manuka honey has an antimicrobial property not shared by other honeys. This property is called the Unique Manuka Factor (UMF®) antibacterial property.

The little jar is UMF 25+. and is worthed it weight in gold. It is good as a balm, when you are on the onset of a flu, it will help to check it in time. Though, I find it too sweet.

Every morning I take a teaspoon of the UMF 10 or 15 in a warm lemon or cider apple vinegar.

October 14 - Sweet. Show us sweets in your town. I love chocolate, just the milk chocolate with nuts, any kind of nuts.





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