Church Cat

I have recently joined a group called :Friday Shoot out:
Here's one of my post. http://annkschin.blogspot.com/2009/04/our-town-shoot-out-my-choice.html
It is very flexible, and you post a photo/photos of your town. Perhaps you like to join up and meet some fantastic friends.

This was the invitation from Barry;
http://anexplorers.blogspot.com/2009/04/our-town-shoot-out-my-choice.html

I've accepted a challenge from Patty to post photos of our local community every Friday. This week's theme challenge is to post photos of my choice in my town.

There are links to all the Friday Shoot Out participants from around the world at the bottom of my left panel. Maybe you'd like to join us as well and post photos of your community?


This is a photo of a cat that is frequently in my church. We hear of "as poor as a church mouse." I wonder if there is a saying," Poor as a church cat." This cat certainly isn't thin, and the kids love him when he comes.

scenicsunday

http://scenicsunday.blogspot.com/

Seen in North Western Auckland of New Zealand, along the fence of a kindy were these colourful wooden cuts of children and birds. The children must be very proud of their fence.

Church Picnic

Sharing a basketful of goodies.

Heart shaped bio degradeable balloons for the children. I like this kind of balloons. No killing of birds and fish. Ka pai to the organiser.

"Bokko" the clown show. He was really very very good.

"Bokko" with a Korean student, Celine.
My church is very fortunate to be near an International school ACIS. We always have International Students from all over the world. I often invite them home for a home cook meal because I remember what it was like when I was an International Student.
Today, my church Mt Albert Baptist Church had our church picnic at Rocket Park. The weather turned out beautiful and sunny for all the children's groups and grown ups. Yesterday, was wet, cold and miserable. Today, we couldn't ask for more.
"Bokko" the clown came all the way from Brazil to entertain us.  The children shouted "Eu te amo." It was sad that "Bokko"aka Marcelo will be returning home, but I am sure the children will remember him for a long time.

Sunday Stills,Flowers and Plants

http://sundaystills.wordpress.com/
These bushy plants attracted my attention. It has yellow flowers like an Okra or when I was growng up in Borneo, ladies finger. However, the fruits looks like Roselle. But it is not a pretty red fruit. I don't know if they are edible like the okra and the roselle.
It appears to be a wild plant, but is is grown at the entrance of the Western Springs Garden which houses the Auckland Horticulture Society. So it may well be planted.
I was there only last Wednesday, which means it flowers in late Summer and early Autumn. When I find out more, I will let you know.

A Sweet in trouble?

Pascall Eskimos are an iconic New Zealand lolly. NewZealanders by the millions have been eating this marshmarrow sweet since1955.

A Canadian tourist says the lollies are offensive to Inuit people.

Canadian tourist Seeka Lee Veevee Parsons, 21, an Inuit of the Nunavut Territory in Canada, was shocked when she found the lollies for sale last week, saying they are an insult to her people.

The word Eskimo was unacceptable in her country and carried with it negative racial connotations, she told the Taranaki Daily News.

The correct term was Inuit, Ms Parsons said.

"I was taken aback. When I was a little girl white kids in the community used to tease me about it in a bad way. It's just not the correct term."

She intends sending packets of the iconic confectionary to the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and her grandfather, a Inuit tribal elder in the Nunavut Territory.

Not only has the name of the lolly aroused painful memories, she believes the shape is an unfair stereotype of her people.

A spokesman for Cadbury/Pascall, which makes the sweets, said the product had been in the market for many years and it was never their intention to offend anyone.

The lolly shape and name would not be changed now even though they had been made aware it had caused offence. There is a lot of discussion. I do not particularly like sweets, and I bought this packet to take this photos.

What do my fellow bloggers from Canada think? 

wheels: Coffee van

Up upon the top of Mt Eden, the wind can be blustery cold. What is better than sipping a cup of hot Latte or cappuccino?

This vender certainly found his niche.

Gift from Canada

When you visit Rotorua, the land of volcanoes and geothermal activities, do pay a visit to the Botanical gardens.

I was very happy to see a Totem pole given by the People of Canada. Canada has a very special place in my heart. I lived in Canada in the mid 1970s as a student of Windsor University.