A day in the life of mr T

http://www.create-with-joy.com/2012/10/inspire-me-monday-week-43.html

Trompie is the one who inspires me every day to join him in his activities.

 

Trompie will take a quick nap when I am in the shower before we go on our second morning walk.

He waits and waits and waits on the bed till I am ready.

He’ll go to the door and will wait for me to put on his lead, and off we go.

At about 1 o’clock we will have a nap together on my lazy boy. He sleeps between my legs while I am taking my nap.

The last photo is where the vet put his second micro chip. The council warned us that some of the chips were not working. I took Trompie to the vet and the chip wasn’t there anymore. They put a new one in yesterday.

I hope this one is going to work.

Wordless Wednesday:

Wiki says: “On Wednesdays all over the internet, bloggers post a photograph with no words to explain it on their blog. Hence the ‘wordless’ title. The idea is that the photo itself says so much that it doesn’t need any description.”

Cee’s fun photo challenge: ORANGE

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Orange

How It Works?

1. Most weeks I will come up with a topic and along with a tip on how to take a better photo.  Feel free to write me with things you want to learn about.
2. Go through you photo archives and see what photos you have that fits the current week’s challenge, or better yet grab you camera and take a new photo!
3. Please keep your photos to only three or less per week.
4. ENJOY and have FUN.

Create a Cee’s Fun Photo Challenge post

1. Then add a link to your blog in my comment box.
2. To make it easy for others to check out your photos and post, title your blog post “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” tag.
3. Remember to Follow My Blog to get your weekly reminders.

http://ceeslifephotographyblog.wordpress.com/2012/10/30/cees-fun-foto-challenge-orange/

 

ORANGE

Cars an orange!

Animals and orange

Trompie was looking at this “orange”dog through the orange gate.

Orange storage.

I loved looking for orange objects or things .

Suddenly I saw many when I started to look around!

What fun.

 

Well, well what do we have here?

Yesterday going for my walk I came across something interesting pinned onto a tree. I investigated and saw it was a gypsy moth trap. I looked up Gypsy moth and found the following information!

 

Gypsy Moth

Lymantria dispar

Gypsy Moth

Legal Status: Notifiable Organism

Status in New Zealand: Eradicated

Organism: Insects, worms and other land invertebrates

The gypsy moth is a serious pest causing millions of dollars damage around the world every year

Large numbers of caterpillars infest trees, stripping them clear of leaves and exposing them to diseases. A major outbreak of the pest here could destroy gardens, crops, forests, native bush, and the communities that depend on them.

Egg masses were found on several vessels and shipping containers in the early 1990s. In response MAF studied the moth, planned for an outbreak, and established a network of traps around major ports and airports to act as an early warning system.

In March 2003 a live adult moth was caught in an early warning trap in Hamilton, a major entry point for international air freight. No more moths have since been caught, but experts believe it was unlikely to have been alone.

The excellent condition of the caught moth means it probably hatched in New Zealand. A typical gypsy moth egg mass contains between 500 and 1000 eggs.

In May 2005 MAF concluded an eradication programme to prevent an outbreak of the pest. The programme included aerial treatment, intensive pheromone trapping, and controlling the movement of vegetation out of Hamilton.

Eradication was officially announced on 26 May 2005, two generations after aerial treatment was completed.

 

This morning I took my camera with me to take some photos of this trap.

Sure is very interesting!

This is what I saw at first.

 

Travel Theme: SPOOKY

I am not going to say anything about the following SPOOKY photos taken at Weta World in Wellington New Zealand.

 

So what do you find truly spooky? If you’d like to join in this week’s travel theme, here’s what to do:

• Create your own bone-chilling post and title it Travel Theme: Spooky
• Include a link to this page in your post so others can find it too
• Get your post in by next Thursday, as the new travel theme comes out on Friday
• Don’t forget to subscribe to keep up to date on the latest weekly travel themes

I’m quaking in my boots in anticipation of the chills and frights you have in store for me.

xxx

Ailsa   http://wheresmybackpack.com/2012/10/26/travel-theme-spooky/

Story challenge: letter R = Rural

What is the definition of rural fringe?

Answer:

The rural-urban fringe, also known as the outskirts or the urban hinterland, can be described as the “landscape interfacebetween town and country”, or also as the transition zone where urban and rural uses mix and often clash. Alternatively, it can be viewed as a landscape type in its own right, one forged from an interaction of urban and rural land uses.

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_definition_of_rural_fringe#ixzz2Ak6ur8bV

 

This morning I took a photo of a clear RURAL fringe.

  When I walk up the hill where I live there is a road that takes me to the end of our urban part of Upper Hutt, New Zealand. When you look at the next hill you can see some new dwellings. These house were not there 2 years back when I started walking up the hill and around the grove. The best is it is not going to be long before the whole hill is part of urban Upper Hutt.

 

 

In the front are the old houses and at the back new ones

Closer look at the same area!

Upper Hutt is 30 km north-east of Wellington. While the main areas of development lie along the Hutt River valley floor, the city extends to the top of the Rimutaka saddle to the north-east and into the Akatarawa Valley and rough hill-country of the Akatarawa ranges to the north and north-west, almost reaching the Kapiti Coast close to Paekakariki. Centred on the upper (northern) valley of the Hutt River, which flows north-east to south-west on its way to Wellington harbour, it widens briefly into a 2500-m-wide floodplain between the Rimutaka and Akatarawa Ranges before constricting nine kilometres further downstream at the Taita Gorge, which separates Upper Hutt from its neighbour, Lower Hutt. The city’s main urban area is on this plain. A smaller flood plain lies upstream, above the Kaitoke Gorge, but there is little development on it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper_Hutt

Story Challenge: Letter “R”

Hi Bloggers! Do you have to share a story or a short reflection tagged with the letter “R”? For example I’ve written about some RIVER memories (read below), about Russia or Rome, Robin Hood or Robinson Crusoe, about how to resist or how to retreat, how to roar and how to rest, about Rio de Janeiro or Rembrandt, about rainy days or rough racism, Route 66 and the Rolling Stones, James Rizzi or Renzo Piano, religion and rust, Condoleezza Rice or Rocky Raccoon, about revolvers and restaurants, riots and revolutions etc. – I’m sure you’ll find an own story or a short reflection tagged with “R”! Feel free to add in the comments the link to your personal interpretation of the letter “R”!!!

http://flickrcomments.wordpress.com/

 

Music in pictures: Dare to live

“Dare To Live”

There’s a big old world outside of my door
Ain’t gonna sit and watch it spin by no more
‘Cuz it ain’t slowing down or waiting on me
I’m gonna grab what I can while it’s within my reach

I’m gonna dare to live
I’m gonna live to learn
I’m gonna learn to dream
And I’m gonna dream big

I’m gonna take a risk
And risk it all
‘Til my all is all I have to give
I’m gonna dare to live

You know the past can steal your joy away
We’re not promised tomorrow all we got is today
With each sunrise there’s a brand new start
So take a deep breath and go and follow your heart

And dare to live
Live to learn
Learn to dream
And you gotta dream big

You gotta take a risk
And risk it all

‘Til your all is all you have to give
You gotta dare to live

So take the chance
Make the choice
Start writing your own story

I’m gonna dare to live
I’m gonna live to learn
I’m gonna learn to dream
And I’m gonna dream big

Take the risk
And risk it all
‘Til my all is all I have to give
I’m gonna dare to live

Yeah oh yeah

I’m gonna dare to live

Yeah

I’m gonna dare to live

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/paytonrae/daretolive.html

This is one of the best photos I have taken of a Callas Lily

They are just across the road from me

This morning I decided to take my camera and photograph them.

DARE TO LIVE

There’s a big old world outside of my door
Ain’t gonna sit and watch it spin by no more
‘Cuz it ain’t slowing down or waiting on me
I’m gonna grab what I can while it’s within my reach

I took this one with the bumble bee also this morning.

Join in the fun and have a look at http://autumninbruges.wordpress.com/2012/10/29/music-in-pictures-contest-dare-to-live/

for inspiration on Music in pictures.

 

Weekly Photo Challenge: FOREIGN

Share a picture which means FOREIGN to you! 

Bonus: Interested in a life that’s foreign? Make sure you check out the Focus on Expat Life Blogs right here on the Daily Post.

—-

New to The Daily Post? Whether you’re a beginner or a professional, you’re invited to get involved in our Weekly Photo Challenge to help you meet your blogging goals and give you another way to take part in Post a Day / Post a Week. Everyone is welcome to participate, even if your blog isn’t about photography.

Here’s how it works:

1. Each week, we’ll provide a theme for creative inspiration. You take photographs based on your interpretation of the theme, and post them on your blog (a new post!) anytime before the following Friday when the next photo theme will be announced.

2. To make it easy for others to check out your photos, title your blog post “Weekly Photo Challenge: (theme of the week)” and be sure to use the “postaday″ tag.

3. Subscribe to The Daily Post so that you don’t miss out on weekly challenge announcements. Sign up via the email subscription link in the sidebar or RSS.

FOREIGN

Arriving in New Zealand for a visit at my son I had a FOREIGN experience.

We traveled  in 2006 from Wellington to Cambridge.

On the way we came across this interesting sight.

I took the photos in 2006.

DE MOLEN

Our Dutch name “De Molen” translates to “the Mill”.  In the Netherlands, the country of windmills, a molen is, by default, a windmill with its type only specified if it is not wind driven.

De Molen was built, and is run, by volunteers under the management of The Foxton Windmill Trust Inc., a charitable society.

Plans and specifications were obtained from the Netherlands and de Molen is, apart from alterations made to conform with New Zealand building codes, an exact replica of a 17th century Dutch flourmill.

Equipped with the latest design composite millstones, de Molen produces a range  of milled products for human consumption from NZ grown grains – all whole grain and stone ground – including:-.

• Maize (corn) meal;
• Rye meal;
• Kibbled rye;
• Wheat flour;
• Kibbled wheat.

In addition to our range of flour, our ground floor retail shop offers imported Dutch cakes, biscuits  and sweets as well as NZ and Dutch souvenirs. Informational videos on the ground floor and on Level 1 (our display/information level) show the history of our mill & mills in general.

de Molen also serves as Foxton’s Tourist Information Centre.

http://demolenfoxton.org.nz/

I am sitting on the original grind stone of the mill.

 

Perfect Orchids : Follow up.

This gallery contains 13 photos.

The Orchidaceae are a diverse and widespread family of flowering plants with colorful and fragrant blooms, commonly known as theorchid family. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species, found in … Continue reading →

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New Zealand bird of the year:

 

NZ’s fastest bird – the Karearea – has been crowned Bird of the Year.

As well as being a top predator that can reach speeds of up to 230km/hr and catch prey mid-flight, it’s a hopeless romantic. During courtship, couples will perform an aerial ballet, swapping food mid-flight, performing mock attack dives or spiralling gracefully landward. It’s a bird most worthy of the title‘Bird of the Year’.

Despite its aerial prowess, it nests on rocky ledges or on the ground making its chicks particularly vulnerable to predation by cats, stoats, weasels and possums. Each year, our volunteers put in thousands of pest-busting hours to keep threatened birds such as the NZ falcon safe.

This year, the competition was particularly fierce and we were astounded by the dedication of our endlessly creative and passionate birdy campaigners. Congratulations – Jackson James Wood, Rachel Anderson-Smith, David Slack, Raybon Kan and The Co-operative Bank. Good luck next year!

http://www.birdoftheyear.org.nz/

October 2012

NZ Falcon, or karearea. Photo: Craig McKenzie

Karearea snatches Bird of the Year title NZ’s fastest native bird – the karearea – has been crowned Bird of the Year in our 8th annual popularity poll. Several threatened, endemic birds filled the top 5 spots, such as the kokako (2nd), kaka (4th) and the kakapo (5th). In this year’s hotly contested poll, campaign managers fought hard to raise the profile of their bird – performing stunts including colouring competitions and sonnet performances.  One even got a tattoo of his bird on his bicep! Thank you to everyone who donated to Forest & Bird when they voted.

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