Maori Potatoes

Since having an International student living with me I also get the opportunity to see, do and cook new things. I came across Maori Potatoes on Monday and decided to try it. I first had to look up what it was and how to cook it.

It really surprised me.

I forgot to take a photo before cooking it.

Here is the cooked end product.

Tastes very good!

It has a dark purple skin.

You may or may not peel it.

Boiled like potatoes.

It is a firm potato which can also be used to fry or bake.

Delicious!

History

Māori have grown taewa in New Zealand for over 200 years. Taewa are a tāonga, or treasure, and have significant cultural and historical value in New Zealand. Taewa originated in South America over 2,000 years ago and were first brought to New Zealand by European explorers in the late 18th century. Māori gave the traditional cultivars Māori names and have continued to grow them ever since.

http://www.5aday.co.nz/facts-and-tips/fruit-vegetable-info/taewa-maori-potatoes.aspx

More information can be found at:

http://nzgardener.co.nz/growing-kumara-maori-potatoes/

In the open. : The weekend in black and white

http://blackandwhiteweekend.blogspot.co.nz/

The back garden at our Public Library

Upper Hutt, New Zealand

Threshold : Weekly photo challenge

Weekly Photo Challenge: Threshold

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2014/04/04/photo-challenge-threshold/

 

My threshold at home

Lake Taupo threshold

Lake Taupo is a lake situated in the North Island of New Zealand. With a surface area of 616 square kilometres (238 sq mi), it is the largest lake by surface area in New Zealand, and the second largest freshwater lake by surface area in geopolitical Oceania after Lake Murray (Papua New Guinea).

Lake Taupo has a perimeter of approximately 193 kilometres, a deepest point of 186 metres. It is drained by theWaikato River (New Zealand’s longest river), while its main tributaries are the Waitahanui River, the Tongariro River, and the Tauranga Taupo River. It is a noted trout fishery with stocks of introduced brown trout and rainbow trout.

 

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

Pukaha Mt Bruce N W C : Part 3 Eels & Takahe & Rifleman

EELS(Tuna) – threatened

The long finned eel is New Zealand’s biggest endemic fish.

They are under threat from commercial fishing,

habitat loss and pollution.

They are HUGE .

TAKAHE

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• Takahē

  Bird

• The Takahē, Notornis, or South Island Takahē is a flightless bird indigenous to New Zealand and belonging to the rail family. It was thought to be extinct after the last four known specimens were taken in 1898.Wikipedia

• Scientific name: Porphyrio hochstetteri

• Rank: Species

• Higher classification: Swamphen

  

  https://www.google.com/search?q=takahe%20facts

  Rifleman

  The rifleman is generally considered to be New Zealand’s smallest bird (the equally light-weight grey warbler has a longer tail). It is one of only two surviving species within the ancient endemic New Zealand wren family. Riflemen are small forest-dwelling insectivores, and are constantly on the move, producing a characteristic ‘wing-flicking’ while moving through the canopy and foraging up and down tree trunks.

  http://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/rifleman

  

  We could see them up in the trees.

  There was a man-made box nest

  

With the following sign under it!

We could hear chicks in the box!

 

Pukaha Mt Bruce N W C: Part 2 : TUATARA

The Tuatara is an ancient creature that is now only found on predator free islands around 

New Zealand.

 

This one is the older or parent of the above one.

 

He/she is in a bigger area.

Facts about tuatara

Tuatara once lived throughout the mainland of New Zealand but have survived in the wild only on 32 offshore islands.

These islands are characteristically free of rodents and other introduced mammalian predators which are known to prey on eggs and young as well as compete for invertebrate food. The islands are usually occupied by colonies of breeding seabirds that contribute to the fertility and hence the richness of invertebrate and lizard fauna needed by tuatara.

Read more here : http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/native-animals/reptiles-and-frogs/tuatara/facts/

 

Buildings: Cee’s Black& White Challenge

http://ceenphotography.com/2013/12/04/cees-black-white-challenge-buildings/

BUILDINGS

Council building Upper Hutt NZ

 

First leg of Shop hop.

I did not have time to take photos yesterday because ….

My friend first had to visit her GP and

it took 45 minutes of our precious travel time!

We started the journey to Palmerston North at about 10:50am

We made a pit stop at my friends new house!

The view from the deck is just awesome!

To the left

To the right

We enjoyed our trip and are doing the next shops on Thursday.

 

Outdoor’s adventure : Belmont Regional Park.

Today is/was a lovely warm and sunny day in the Hutt Valley.

My son and his partner  + Molly and Luigi

invited Trompie and me to

go tramping  in Belmont Regional Park.

We had a wonderful time.

copper fern

Trompie enjoying himself

Visiting the toilet afterwards.

In the stream

Looking for Molly!

There you are!

There you go Molly

Stream and waterfall

Looking up!

Helping hand!

Crossing the river several times

Trompie sniffing

Ready for the walk

Come on let’s go!

Belmont Regional Park

Map Data

Terms of Use

282 Stratton Street, Maungaraki, Lower Hutt

Turn off State Highway 2 onto Dowse Drive and drive 3km. Turn onto Miromiro Road and then Stratton Street and drive 3km to the entrance of Belmont Regional Park.

For more information about other entrances check the Getting there tab in left hand menu.

 

Klip – Stone

http://blogs.litnet.co.za/tina/2013/10/07/uitdaging-klip-zephur/

(Challenge from South Africa)

KLIP

(STONE?)

Vandag was n heerlike dag in Upper Hutt.

Ons het gaan plantjies koop vir groentetuin.

Op pad terug kom ons by

KLIPPE
verby waarop boksers

uitgebeitel en geverf is.

Die middelpunt en beste uitbeelding was die volgende

Die klippe is by n boks gimnasium en ook n klein kerkie op dieselfde perseel.

 

Creepy things : Sunday Stills

 

http://sundaystills.wordpress.com/2013/09/22/shunday-stills-the-next-challenge-creepy-things/

 

CREEPY THINGS

Visiting Staglands Wildlife Reserve two weeks back

I came across this creepy  thing in the loo.

Someone must have crushed it in fright and left it behind the door!

Weta

Weta (plural wetas or weta) is the common name for a group of about 70 insect species in the families Anostostomatidae andRhaphidophoridae, endemic to New Zealand. The English word is borrowed from the Māori language, where singular and plural have the same form. The Maori-derived plural weta is standard in New Zealand,^{[citation needed]} while the anglicized plural wetas is generally used elsewhere.^[1][2]

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