Waitangi Day 2016

Waitangi Day (named after Waitangi, where the Treaty of Waitangi was first signed) commemorates a significant day in the history of New Zealand. It is observed as a public holiday each year on 6 February to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand’s founding document, on that date in 1840. In recent legislation, if 6 February falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the Monday that immediately follows becomes a public holiday.^[1]

Waitangi Day

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One Word Photo Challenge: Distortion

Good morning from a cool sunny day here in Hastings.

Firstly I  must apologise for not being around much.  But there is a good reason. For the past 2 1/2 years, since splitting from my ex-husband, I have been living on an assisted living benefit.  I suffer from long term chronic fatigue syndrome, which comes and goes.  So it is hard for me to go back to my original career which was nursing.  So it was a change of direction for where to go from here to actively work and earn a decent living.  Age is definitely a factor too. Selling my knitwear at the market was never going to earn me a living.   So for the past few years I have been toying with the idea of being a nail technician.

Why that, you may well ask?

Well it is an extension of my artwork.  I have always loved nail polish and beautiful nails, but was never able to wear it for my nursing career. Now with all the nail art around, I thought it was a way for me to work, in miniture, so to speak, without it being too strenuous.  My ex-husband wouldn’t let me do a course.  But I got a lovely tax return and was able to afford to do a 5 day introductory course which was last week.  I loved it.

I got a buzz out of making beautiful nails for those who despaired of having lovely long nails.  When I was low with my condition, having nice nails always made me feel better.  So, if I am not around much, it means I am working. Which is always good.

I have a long term plan.  I want to be fully independent by the end of next year.  I do not want to end up on a small pension, living in a small council flat with little money to live on. This career means I can continue doing it long after I am supposed to be on a pension.

So wish me luck.  I already have some clients lined up next week, which is nice.

So onto Jennifer’s great challenge this week, which is all about distortion.  While in Wellington last month I took a lot of photos of distorted reflections.  I love the crazy patterns that the reflections make.

By the way, thank you for supporting my Monochrome of the Day images.  They were all taken from a moving car on the day I went down to Fielding a few weeks ago.

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One Word Photo Challenge: Distortion

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Manuwatu Gorge Railway

Good morning from a cool and windy Hastings day.

Firstly an update on our earthquake news.  Over the week, with more building inspections, more Wellingtonians are being evacuated.  It is hard to keep up with all the latest developments.  Plus there are predictions of more quakes to come and there is a high risk of landslides around Kaikoura in the South Island.  I am ok here in Hastings.

Our landscape has changed too –

Changing landscape

So speaking of landscapes.  My two images for Cee’s black and white challenge were taken from the car driving through the Manuwatu Gorge last Saturday.  On one side of the river the railroad follows the hillside, while the road is on the other side.

As you can see.

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Railways

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Friday’s Florals: New Zealand Kakabeak

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Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Roofs

 

Good morning from a cloudy Hastings day.

I have been reading all the updates from our earthquake and it is rather scary all the buildings that have been damaged in Wellington.  Wellington has been hard hit with the shaking as well as the weather.  And yet another storm is brewing.

In the South Island the evacuations are going on thanks to all the warships, which also brought much needed supplies, especially water.

The earthquake has been upgraded to a 7.8 which is huge really.

Last night I had a break and went to see The Nutcracker with the Russian Imperial Ballet Company.  I took an elderly lady with me who had taken ballet in London many years ago.  She was so worried that she couldn’t go as she had broken her toe during the earthquake on Monday morning.  But we managed it.  I just want to say that the staff at the theatre were wonderful.  I was able to park close by and they provided us with a wheelchair so that this lady didn’t have to walk.  Then they wheeled her right down to our seats.  At the intermission they came and asked her if she needed the bathroom, which she didn’t.  Then at the end of the performance they wheeled her to the bathroom and then outside and helped her in the car.

The ballet was brilliant, but it was made even nicer with all this help.  It certainly cheered us up.  I just wanted to add a good feel story today after all the disasters that have been happening.

Anyway onto my image of this bright yellow roof which I found in Wellington a month ago.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Roofs

 

WPC: Small Things Around Us

Good morning from a cloudy and somewhat damp day here in Hastings.

Cheri Lucas Rowlands from The Daily Post has gone small today.

In this week’s challenge, show us tiny. Capture something at a smaller scale. Create your own miniature scene. Or experiment with the tilt-shift technique — Instagram and other apps have this built-in tool.

You can also interpret the theme in other ways by capturing your favorite tiny things — from your baby’s hands to belongings that are special to you — or documenting a small, quiet moment in your day. Have fun!

So first up is some tiny blue bells nestled among larger leaves.

While at a stopover in Palmerston North I found these tiny ducklings wandering around the town square.  My son was panicking as he thought I would be too engrossed in taking photos that I would miss the bush.  I didn’t of course.

Finally this helicopter looks tiny in the photo.

Sorry that I haven’t been around to all your blogs but have been busy.  Today I am taking a road trip to scout out another market, and then of course I am at Otane tomorrow.  So will catch up with everyone next week.

Have a great weekend and thanks for visiting.

Monochrome of the Day: Out and About in Wellington 15

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Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: This Way to the Cable Car

Good morning from a cool and cloudy Hastings day.

Thanks so much to Cee for highlighting my entry last week with my cotton reel and thermometer.

For this week I have realised that I really don’t have many photos of signs. Maybe here in New Zealand we just don’t have much imagination when it comes to our signs.  The only one I could come up with today is this sign showing the cable car which runs from Lambton Quay up to the Botanical Gardens.  I didn’t manage to get up there this year, but will next time I am down in Wellington.

Cee’s Black & White Challenge: Signs

Friday’s Florals: Armistice Day: Drowning in Poppies

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Monochrome of the Day: Out and About in Wellington 14

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