gates

messages

open closed missing

gates can talk

This is my contribution to the one a week week Photo Challenge  and the challenge is is Gate . For this years challenge planned by Cathy and Sandra visit Cathy’s blog at  https://nanacathydotcom.wordpress.com/one-a-week-photo-challenge-2017/

These three gates tell different stories. The first entices one into a Japanese garden in Brisbane of all places. The second is our old gate at home with Kara letting passing people and dogs know they need to beware. The third is a missing gate at the Griffith Island Lighthouse near Port Fairy. In fact the gate is not all that is missing from the old Keepers cottage, this fence and  a few bluestones is all that shows where the settlement stood.

changing landscape

winter storms

smash break and flow

natures tears

This is a view of The Twelve Apostles, a collection of limestone stacks off the shore of The Port Campbell National Park in Western Victoria. This is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Australia and is often visited by mini bus loads of international travellers on one day trips from Melbourne. There were originally only nine stacks when the name was given and one has been totally eroded, the rest will follow over time. Good news for a long term tourist industry is that further coastal erosion will see new stacks created , who knows, for a while there may be 12.

To learn more visit http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/port-campbell-national-park

This haiku is my contribution to RonovanWrites Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt Challenge 133 Flow&Tear. To see many other haiku inspiring flowing tears visit https://ronovanwrites.wordpress.com/2017/01/23/ronovanwrites-weekly-haiku-poetry-prompt-challenge-133-flowtear/

take care

winter prune

looks awkward yet safe

care taken

This is my contribution to the one a week week Photo Challenge my second one for 2017 and the challenge is is Awkward . For this years challenge planned by Cathy and Sandra visit Cathy’s blog at  https://nanacathydotcom.wordpress.com/one-a-week-photo-challenge-2017/

These arborists were carefully doctoring our 90 year old North American Liquid Amber. This tree was planted when the house was built. A common practice in our immediate suburbs with Californian Bungalow houses, many of which remain, and also usually so do the trees. Sadly however there is a gradual replacement over time as developers  or the nouveau rich ( the only difference being whose money!) buy a bungalow  outbidding genuine house savers and then demolish the house and garden and replace  them with fence to fence Mc Mansions and hard surfaces. Occasionally they grab two together and put a tennis court on the other block. Artificial environments for artificial people?

farewell again

suns last flame

a watery kiss

disappears

There is always something about a Summer sunset  across Port Phillip Bay as the last burning rays drop into the water, flicker across the sand and then all is gone for another day.

This is my contribution to RonovanWrites Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt Challenge 132 Flame & Kiss. To see the heated passion generated by these challenge words in  other haiku poets contributions visit https://ronovanwrites.wordpress.com/2017/01/16/ronovanwrites-weekly-haiku-poetry-prompt-challenge-132-flamekiss/

car pose

new car then

remembering now

past coast trips

This is my contribution to RonovanWrites Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt Challenge 131 Car & Coast. To see how many other haiku poets reflected on past coastal car trips visit https://ronovanwrites.wordpress.com/2017/01/09/ronovanwrites-weekly-haiku-poetry-prompt-challenge-131-carcoast/

Eleven years ago Jill and I took our new Renault Scenic  for some coastal holidays . In the first image the car is posing on the breakwater at Portland in Victoria. I still have memories of  the bay in the background. When I was a young teenager my parents took me fishing one day in my uncle’s little 14 foot dinghy with an outboard motor on the back. We were drifting along when my father began to hurriedly try and start the motor and flooded it.  There was a shark circling the boat and it was bigger than it. Suddenly the engine came to life and we were away. Never again did we go out in that bay. This is a summary of all else that took place in that incident. A short story maybe!

The second shot is a couple of months later at Bermagui in New South Wales. WE were on our way to Canberra and dawdling along the beautiful Sapphire Coast .

Both images were taken with our trusty little Fuji Digital, before the DSLR days.

night lights

lit water

negates the darkness

then and now

This beautiful fountain on Marine Parade in Napier New Zealand was donated by a local businessman Tom Parker. He provided the funds for it to be completed by Christmas 1936 as part of the re-developed park along the foreshore. Tom Parker believed the nightly display of this gushing multi-coloured lit fountain would  be a positive experience for the people of Napier as they recovered from the devastating 1931 earthquake. Jill and I visited the gardens and fountain each night we were in Napier and joined so many  locals and tourists especially children, who continue to enjoy Tom Parkers gift.

look above

earths ceiling

clouds spin above water

as night looms

Taken at Ricketts Point a sunset over Port Phillip Bay from my archives.

 This is my double challenge this week for RonovanWrites Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt Challenge 130 Spin & Water. To see what other poets have written go to https://ronovanwrites.wordpress.com/2017/01/02/ronovanwrites-weekly-haiku-poetry-prompt-challenge-130-spinwater/

This is my contribution to the one a week week Photo Challenge my first one for 2017 and the challenge is is CEILING . For this years challenge planned by Cathy and Sandra visit Cathy’s blog at  https://nanacathydotcom.wordpress.com/one-a-week-photo-challenge-2017/

Krafty Kea

sweet kea

plays tricks on people

naughty bird

Kea are the pranksters of new Zealand’s bird world. They are notorious amongst trampers, (in Australia we say bushwalkers) for the tricks they get up to,  getting into huts and tents and re-arranging items, stealing things or undoing bootlaces etc etc. We saw two of these lovely birds in the Rainbow Springs sanctuary. As we walked through their enclosure one slowly made its way down to Jill’s eye level with intent to do mischief, peering at her shoes.  The other one hopped onto the ground and began creeping up behind us.

Have a look at this brief video captured on security camera at the entrance / exit of a road tunnel. The witches hats are for controlling cars, the Kea has kindly helped out because there were no humans to do the work.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/news/87004637/kea-direct-traffic-after-shifting-road-cones-at-homer-tunnel

 

act now

its too late

when I am gone

you miss me

Jill took this photo of a mural on the side wall of a gym beside our hotel in Napier, New Zealand. The repeating line says it all with regard to the madness that is economic growth, (the obsession of politicians and multi nationals) around the world today. Time is running out for so many species of birds and other natural life forms but people can still act in many legitimate ways beginning with their vote.

Why is compulsory voting so rare around the world? because it does  hold politicians accountable ( what would the recent presidential election results have been in the USA with compulsory voting?) So push for compulsory voting if  you don’t have it and then push for sustainable economic growth from your governments or better still just a balanced economy .

Meanwhile back in our yard we continue to plant local indigenous vegetation to lure back our little birds that still hang on as they look for their natural foods. And in Australia we have compulsory voting  and that means our current federal government will be accountable for their attacks on our environment.

rare beauty

so peaceful

gliding on water

rare white swan

Most of New Zealand’s rare birds are included in the conservation programme at Rainbow Springs in Rotorua. Because we were not going to the South Island and mainly planning to experience culture in 4 cities the Rainbow Springs  programme appealed to us and also was a chance to look close up at Kakapo, Kea, Kaka and Weka. Luckily we saw all of these mainly in walk through enclosures as well as  Kiwi in their special light controlled breeding area.  There are many  water areas in this park and trout are bred here as well. As we wandered along beside a waterway this White Swan gracefully glided past. There was no mention of White Swans in the brochure material and park notices. Black Swans are a common Australian Bird have been introduced quite successfully into New Zealand but Northern Hemisphere White Swans are almost non existent in both countries. This is the only example of the bird either of us has ever seen. Whilst Black Swans are beautiful and graceful there is something exceptional to suddenly come upon a white one in Australia or New Zealand.