bLoG
The ups and downs
Rā 332 Rātapu 27 o Whiringa-ā-rangi
Unsettled weather…sunny and bright to start but the wind brings heavy showers with it. They blow in quickly and violently and blow out again just the same.
This is the view from the end of Victoria Street as we sheltered..
Day 184 July 2nd 2016
This is a sneaky one… Friday evening in the Craft Bar turned into Saturday morning. Where did the time go? Chiefs v Crusaders rugby (good result for the home team) interesting conversation and a decent selection of beer.
Day 149 May 28th 2016
Educampthetron was today. It was great to share a day of learning and practice with colleagues in the Waikato. Later on we went into town. The new sculpture is now unveiled. Not sure entirely what I think of it. Quite impressive, definitely stands out. I have a feeling that it could become an iconic symbol of the Tron.
Day 123 May 2nd 2016
Hockey season has started which means morning walks around the lake. It is dark when I set off and the birds are just waking up. By the time I got round the pigeons which had been gently cooing were flitting around, I had heard the geese fly over honking loudly and land in the middle of the lake before floating serenely to the bank. Today, as well as the usual pukeko, ducks and moorhens I saw a solitary grey heron and a couple of white spoonbills. Difficult to get in-focus shots of moving birds in the mist but I like this one of the heron. Interesting any which way round.
Day 75 March 15th 2016
For some reason this post remained as a draft way back on day 75! Just found it so have published but way out of synch!
Autumn is definitely in the air but summer is still hanging in there. I quite like the comfort of autumnal evening darkness yet still wrapped in the warm air of lingering summer. Anyway, the onset of Autumn means the start of the hockey season and a return to walking round the lake.
While waiting for Gus to finish training I decided to try out a Surround Shot. Uploaded to Street View for all to see. The image is below but go to the link to see it in 360 surround view, or even better, view through Google Cardboard to see in VR.
Check out Gallagher Hockey Centre
Day 83 March 23rd 2016
I just can’t resist taking photos of lily pads. Just one photo today walking round the lake whilst Gus was at hockey. It was warm and threatening to rain so the light wasn’t good for photos.
Posted from WordPress for Android
Day 56 February 25th 2016
A bittersweet day. Yesterday my Mum would have celebrated her 87th birthday, Today is the 33rd anniversary of her death. It’s been a long time and while the hurt fades the memories never do. Today as part of my training for the Oxfam 100km Trailwalk I walked along the river through Hamilton. The Potter Children’s Garden is now complete and what a beautiful place to take children it is. There were a few families taking advantage of splashing and cooling down in the cool, flowing water in the early evening when it was still quite warm, playing on the swings, slides and seesaws and marvelling at the birds in the aviary. For me, this Whakatauki etched in the steps said it all. I think my Mum would have related to the sentiments it evokes.
“Whakarongo ake a ki te tangi a te maru e rere runga rawa ra e, tui tui tui tuia, tuia i runga, tuia i raro, tuia a roti, tuia i rato, tuia a waho, tui tui tui tuia ka rongo te po, ka ringo te ao, tui tui tui tuia.”
” I listen, I listen where up high a bird flies. It’s cry rings out “Sew and stitch and bind it together. From above, from below, from within, from outside. Sew and bind it together. During the day and during the night. Sew and stitch and bind it together.”
Day 53 February 22nd 2016
A busy work day today but I made time to go out and smell the roses in the garden. Ok, this is not a rose and it has no scent but it is stunning!
Day 52 February 21st 2016
The day started with bathing alternately in the hot water stream at Spa Park and the cold water of the river. Great for our tired muscles. But today’s photo is at one of our regular haunts in the Tron. Lake Rotoroa is home to plenty of very well fed ducks! I spotted these as Nigel and I walked twice round the lake. Our boys have outgrown taking bread to ducks but there is no shortage of donors on a sunny Sunday afternoon. The funniest thing happened a couple of minutes after this shot when one duck snatched a whole piece of bread and broke away from the group waddling rapidly with two more ducks in hot pursuit quacking loudly!
Rā 236, Rātū 23 o Here-turi-kōkā
The New Zealand International Film Festival has come to The Tron. We started on Saturday by watching High Rise which was a stark commentary on how Thatcherite values undermined the social idealism of the 60s. Humorous, brutal and satirical, it contrasted with this evening’s film. I, Daniel Blake is a bleak, at times funny but tragic film. The sort of funny that comes from the desperation of the social condition. But the relentless warmth of human nature comes through in spite of the cold, almost robotic rigidity of a post-Thatcherite Britain.
How do I find a photo to reflect all that? I don’t. This is Tuesday night in The Tron, a quiet beer in the next bar along from our regular place.
Thanks to Prisma for the editing.