Prime Minister, and Boyd's Beach

Anneke and Quinn were very excited after school.  Anneke told me that she saw the Prime Minister today.  I wasn't quite sure whether to believe her.  Then Quinn said that on the way to his Business Studies class, he got to talk to the NZ Prime Minister, John Key.  The PM was in town, he visited the School for Young Parents, opened the Health Centre at the Polytechnic, and visited JPC, to talk to the Business Studies students.

Esplanade Reserve, Steep Street Reserve, and Boyd's Beach

The Summer weather has turned the temperature up, and most afternoons we have been going to the lake fo a swim.  Even though the clouds threatened rain and thunderstorms, we decided to have a BBQ dinner at Lake Okereka.  I surprised myself by swimming all the way to Boyd's beach, following the 6 bouys from Steep Street Reserve.  Erik kept me company, for which I was grateful.  Previously, the furthest I had swum was to the 4th bouy, so a major achievement for me.

Esplanade Reserve

Later, Tighe and Quinn dragged me along to the Esplanade Reserve, which is where Gina likes to take them.  The drop-off is very close to the shore, and Tighe loves to see how deep he can go.
Erik and Oscar played cricket, and Anneke swam with another girl her age, that she just met in the Lake.

It didn't rain, and and it stayed hot.  Anneke cooked the sausages on the BBQ provided, and they were perfect with bread and tomato sauce.  Next time, the urchins suggested we make pikelets on the hot plate. 

Watermelon for dessert, and we watch the sun show off the curious domes and crevices on Mt Tararewa.

First day of JPC

 

Quinn and Anneke start Intermediate School today. 

 Both are excited to be going to Gina's old school, John Paul College.

New Job - Bird Masseuse

Tighe's bird "Total"

Quinn's bird "Kenway"

Total and Kenway are now 12 weeks old.  They eat silverbeet and kale like good birds.

They also make tiny "peep peep" chirps when they want their head rubbed.  It is itchy where the new feathers are growing, so I get to massause their tiny heads. 

 It is a real privilege to be able to touch their heads.  They bow in front of me, and wait so trustingly, and make wonderful chirping noises when I find the right spot.  I am now a crazy bird lady.

Another space

New Developments

A long time ago, (2011), a space was made for parking at the top of the drive.  My van spent a year parked there, waiting for space in the garage.

2011

Over the past few mornings, before it has got too hot, Erik has started on the wall, and then a pathway will form along the boundary for bikes, urchins, (and lawn mowers).

 Progess has been swift, Erik has been able to achieve lots of rock wall building in the cool morning air.

 

Sacrificial Crop

The plumcot had glorious blossoms, and now is fruiting.  Every year I watch the fruit ripening, and then I think, I will pick them tomorrow.  The next day the birds have eaten them all!  This year, I picked them early, and let them ripen inside.

Even the urchins got to taste them this year.  I am sure next year, there will be a larger crop.

Taupo in the evening

 Fastastic sunset to complete the last few days.

The Journey - Kim Thittichai

Fruits of our work today

I picked this class as it didn't need a sewing machine.  Plus, I wanted to stretch my brain a little, and get back into printing fabric. Kim is from England, a textile artist, and is fabulous.  http://www.kimthittichai.com

The morning was spent getting into the groove, and creating a journey that will provide a base for our print blocks.  Lots of fun, creating shapes with black paint.

 Once completed, we hung our work in the corridor.  Reminds me of Tapa cloth.

Another exercise, but for the other side of the brain.  Creating "doors" and flipping the black paper, for positive and negative spaces.

Glue-ing down the black cut-outs took time, and need concentration.  I managed to glue some of the reverse sides down, so it's a little different from the rest.

Hanging them on the wall allowed us all to get another perspective, and view everyone's work as a collective.

 I just love the shapes and patterns created by my class mates.

Focusing on small windows, we used the free form painting, and the geometric "door",  as our primary source for design elements that appealed, and made blocks for printing onto fabric.

A fascinating day, with lots of learning.  Some of the completed printing blocks, using "funky foam" from class mates.

Catherine's block

Madeline's block

Sophia's block

The turning with the Wind

 One thing I have noticed in Palmerston North, is the breeze in the late afternoon.  The Manawatu makes the most of this breeze, and turns it into energy.

Shari wanted a closer look at the Wind Turbines, so after class, we ventured up the hill near Ashurst, along the old Saddle Road.  The viewing area was CLOSED!  Shut after 5.30pm!

 Luckily we were both former farm girls and could climb over a locked gate. 

The breeze at the top of the hill was formidable, and I was glad we brought along the extra polar fleece.

Living Colour Exhibition - Palmerston North

 

Breathtaking colour today at the Living Colour Exhibition.  Floor talk with Brenda Gael Smith at Te Manawa Museum.  http://livingcolourtextiles.com

Masters of Camouflage (detail) Lois Parish-Evans

The insects were my favourite.

Yum Yum (detail) Kay Haerland

Summer Dragonfly, Charlotte Scott

Beauty in the man-made

Walking back from the Quilt Exhibition "Growing the Passion", the sun was setting, and created vivid colours on the Kmart fence, and the windows of the FMG building.

I took these series of photos while walking up 6 flights of stairs at the hotel.

First Floor

2nd Floor

3rd floor

4th floor

5th floor