an open letter

drastic steps

attacking nature

very risky

Almost a year ago Jill and I wandered through the beautiful Wellington Botanic Gardens in New Zealand appreciating unusual plants and incredible views when  suddenly this sign confronted us. We were aware that whoever introduced Australian Brushtail Possums to New Zealand did not do their homework about the predator food chain  and as for rats !! However poison baits in suburbia has dangerous potential. In our journey across the North Island we looked for but rarely saw dogs, certainly not  running free but not on leads or in front yards . I hope  this sign does not explain darker repercussions.

This is my contribution to the one a week Photo Challenge and this week for number  46 the challenge is LETTER. As the title suggests, I see this sign as an open letter of warning rather than a simple message . For this years 52 weekly challenges planned by Cathy and Sandra visit Cathy’s blog at  https://nanacathydotcom.wordpress.com/one-a-week-photo-challenge-2017/

Travelling trees

living trees

stripped of dignity

what future

This was the scene looking down at the harbour of Napier on the central East coast of New Zealand’s North Island. Plantation timber is a big export market in New Zealand. These harvested trees came from what was once naturally vegetated landscape, now much of it gone and replaced by monocultures. These milled trees were waiting in orderly piles for a one way trip to some distant Asian processing plant some of them probably returning as paper or cardboard packaging in the future. The same cycle occurs in our South eastern state of Victoria in Australia, the big difference being some of our trees are indigenous. There is a certain stupidity existing in so many elements of todays economically rationalised global economy.

These  images are for the one a week Photo Challenge and this week for number  38 the challenge is ORDERLY . For this years 52 weekly challenges planned by Cathy and Sandra visit Cathy’s blog at  https://nanacathydotcom.wordpress.com/one-a-week-photo-challenge-2017/

fact or fiction

epitaph

warning or welcome

sad farewell

 

from the grave

darkness of despair

deep message

Jill and I were tracking the call of a Tui in The Napier Botanic Gardens in New Zealand when we chanced upon the historical nineteenth century section of the Napier  cemetery .Time stood still for us as we slowly wandered amongst the graves beautifully adorned with semi wild flowers and creepers. Reading the headstones in old graveyards is always fascinating and ones imagination can wander with some of the more detailed ones.  What tragedy lay behind Caroline’s death? was it an accident? Who wrote this first person epitaph? I took the photo and have re visited the image several times to ponder. There is almost a touch of fictional writing within these words of the last line. And we missed the Tui that time.

Just the image for the one a week Photo Challenge word challenge and this week it is FICTION.  This is my contribution . For this years 52 weekly challenges planned by Cathy and Sandra visit Cathy’s blog at  https://nanacathydotcom.wordpress.com/one-a-week-photo-challenge-2017/

The second haiku has been added later  for Ronovan Writes Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt Challenge 154 Darkness & Deep. To see many other haiku poems using these challenge words hit this link  https://ronovanwrites.com/2017/06/19/ronovanwrites-weekly-haiku-poetry-prompt-challenge-154-darknessdeep/

 

cross story

 prayer wins

amidst destruction

survivor 

On February 3rd 1931 at 10.47 am a violent earthquake struck the east coast Hawkes Bay region on New Zealand’s North Island. There was enormous destruction in the Town of Napier especially throughout the business district. Many buildings were severely damaged or destroyed in the quake however fires that broke out in chemist shops quickly added to the devastation burning through the damaged  structures and scorching any standing  wooden ones.

The trinity Methodist Church pictured here survived the earthquake and fires and was surrounded by desolation. Some say a miracle occurred that day.

The one a week Photo Challenge word challenge this week is CROSS.  This is my contribution . For this years 52 weekly challenges planned by Cathy and Sandra visit Cathy’s blog at  https://nanacathydotcom.wordpress.com/one-a-week-photo-challenge-2017/

 

a muddy pond

enticing 

rotorua mud

treat with care

Rotorua in the central North Island of New Zealand is known world-wide for its mud. The healing qualities of this mud were discovered long ago by the original settlers the Maori. When the British began settling across the North Island in the first half of the C19th acquiring land either by treaty or theft they came to Rotorua and also discovered the thermal ponds, the mud ponds and the geysers. Quickly they established health centres using the ponds and mud.  However the Maori knew the dangers of these ponds and it took time as Europeans found out  tragically one could not simply enter many ponds, they were either too hot or swallowed up people like quicksand. Today the ponds are fenced off or the thermal waters are tapped and bathing is guided. The mud is sold  world wide packaged as Rotorua Mud. Jill and I brought some home and as yet I have to try it out, maybe its the miracle I need!

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

spiral trio

lighthouse dance

spiral up twist down

shout success

seagull shouts

cloud spirals and twists

twilight act

maori art

twist and spiral form

colour shouts

The first Haibun is the Port fairy Lighthouse, unfortunately locked up to prevent the latest dance craze.

Secondly another beautiful sunset over Port Phillip Bay from Ricketts Point with a lone seagull adding its voice to natures art.

Third is the Maori art work and totem at the entrance to the Polynesian Spa in Rotorua New Zealand. We were a bit disappointed by the commercialisation and overcrowding inside the spa. We were in and out as quickly as if visiting a casino and opted for a wander along the foreshore of Lake Rotorua.

Three contributions to, firstly the one a week Photo Challenge. The challenge this week is SPIRAL . For this years challenge planned by Cathy and Sandra visit Cathy’s blog at  https://nanacathydotcom.wordpress.com/one-a-week-photo-challenge-2017/     and secondly RonovanWrites Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt Challenge 140 Twist&Shout where this posts joins lots of others at https://ronovanwrites.wordpress.com/2017/03/13/ronovanwrites-weekly-haiku-poetry-prompt-challenge-140-twistshout/

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.

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.