Thinking about it

This blog is a bit of a sojourn from the norm as it is not about photography at all!

I feel I need to  write this and put it out into the world for reasons that hopefully become apparent.

I’m 44 years old and I think about living my life every day.

I’m pretty good at thinking about it.  I think about things I would like to do.  I think about how it would be nice to look after myself.  I think about plans I can make for tomorrow.  I think about living my life a lot.

I am now thinking about how much I think about it.  I think I think too much and I think I am wasting my life – my beautiful, cherished, fortunate life.

I think it is time to stop thinking and start doing.  (Just a thought).

I am 44 years old and although I have good health, I am not healthy.  I am overweight by a good 10 -15 kgs.  (I’m not too sure as standing on the scales is not a nice thought).

I know all about how to be healthy.  I know that to cut sugar, wheat, processed and refined foods from the diet is good.  I know exercising, drinking water, sleep and laughter is good too.

I know this.

I do this – Drink copious amounts of wine, eat chippies and fast food regularly, sit at home and work on the computer, sleep poorly and frown about it all.

If only I could bring my knowledge into being!

Well I thought about it and I’m the type of girl who loves a challenge and I finally figured out that I need to challenge myself.  I’m writing this blog as part of that challenge to myself so that you out there in blog land can be my witness. – it’s easy to pass/give up a challenge nobody else knows about.

I seem to have had this epiphany at Easter which is apt for new beginnings – I’m also a girl who likes to see inspirational signs when a decision is being made. 🙂

As it turns out I am having a temporary change in my work schedule for a period of 6 – 8 weeks, or perhaps more.  During this time I will be coming off shift work and be in a steady 8 -4 Monday – Friday role.

Ah!  Routine!  Surely with this I can make some headway into taking care of myself.  Evening walks, regular meals and sleep.  It almost sounds mystical to me!

However this is not solely a “weight loss” challenge, this is about being active in my well-being.  This is about getting out of my head, off my butt and being more present in the world and my life.

I believe that when one takes a step in the right direction things move, happen and change in ways unthought of.

Wish me luck – Lets see what I can do!

A rose is a rose is a rose?

These photo’s were taken when a picked Papa Meilland red rose finally and abruptly came to an end.  The petals fell as one piece ………… and voila, an upside down rose!

I did not want to clear it away as the pattern and geometry was fascinating to me.

Thanks for coming by to see.

 

The magic of night

I am a shift worker.

The beauty of being a shift worker is that I get to experience the environment I work in at all hours of day and night……I find night time the most magical!

Here’s why.

On a warm mid-summers night, this amazing place is peaceful and serene.

 

This is Otago University and on nights like this I am swept up in its magical nature.

Thanks for coming to see.  🙂

 

Serenity

A corner in my mother’s courtyard.

Pauline’s Courtyard

All is well!

 

Kiwi birds… but not the Kiwi.

A while ago I went to Lake Te Anau the largest lake of the South Island, New Zealand.

Just outside of the township is the Department of Conservation Te Anau Bird Sanctuary.

A major part of their work is in protecting our endangered birds as well as taking in injured native birds and nursing them back to health. A major reason for some of our native birds being endangered is due to them being flightless, which means they cannot escape the predators that have been introduced such as opossums and stoats.

New Zealand has some quirky native birds, the most famous of which is the Kiwi, a flightless, nocturnal bird with hair like feathers, whiskers and nostrils at the end of its long beak.

There are others that are also odd and just a little quirky – the weka, takehe, and kakapo for instance.

AND… They have character and we all know that can go a long way!!

Ladies and Gentlemen may I present the characterful Kaka, Kakapo and Takehe who were in residence on my visit to the Sanctuary

KAKA

The Kaka is a cheeky and chatty parrot who is notorious for these qualities and when you meet one is it obvious to see why.  This fellow did not stop talking the entire time and I have to say he was well aware I wanted to take his photo and made it difficult for me by  walking around his bowl keeping his back to me.  After I pleaded with him to stay still and have his picture taken he became quiet amenable … I think he is smiling at me here! 

 

KAKAPO

The Kakapo is large, clumsy and a bit of a clown, another nocturnal and flightless bird.  Here the highly respected bird man Benedict Cumberbatch talks about the kakapo as a misfit!

This awesome bird has always been a bit of a favorite of mine ever since I saw a documentary on them and found out that the males mating call is a boom!  Yes… A BOOM!  They puff themselves up and boom away for ages… waiting for a female to respond.  

Sadly there are not many of these beauties left but there is a concerted effort in the preservation of this bird which is having some success.

TAKAHE -and his mate.

The Takahe is a rather large and portly flightless bird.  They have midnight blue feathers with bright red beak and legs.  

Takahes are another endangered bird so seeing these two get together and canoodle was quite the treat! 

The sanctuary where these delights were seen, is a low key affair, it is a gold coin donation on entry and you can wander around the grounds taking in the beautiful scenery and checking out at the local residents for as long as you like.  Worth a trip!

All the shots were taken through wire fencing which interfered with the quality but the subject is just too special not to share.

Thanks for coming by to see…. 😉

 

Stan

Stan came into my life via the SPCA Animal Rescue Centre ten years ago.

I went there to find a dog to adopt.  Instead I found Stan.  A huge grey and white cat of indeterminate age and a whole lot of attitude.   He pretty much was a dog.

Through ten tumultuous years, Stan has been a constant for me, always there, always loyal, always bolshie as all heck and always a roaring purr at cuddle time.

He was an outside boy until recent times, he would roam and hunt or just lie in the sun – wherever it happened to be that we called home.

But he adored his creature comforts.

Stan was big, bold and beautiful

This is my small tribute to a magnificent friend, for today I said goodbye to him ……..

RIP Stanley King – AKA Quite Possibly the Best Cat in the Entire World.

An Earnest Discussion

Sometimes an expression is perfectly captured.

This is Siddy.

I’m thinking of having him renamed ‘Earnest’.

Meditation

My elderly cat Stan getting himself some good vibes……

A Sunny Winter Day in Dunedin, New Zealand

Winter is here!

In Dunedin we are experiencing a rather cold one.  We have had sleet, snow, ice, rain and wind. It has been bitterly cold with temperatures of minus ten degrees and we are just not used to that.  But it does make for excellent phatic communion with everyone I meet in my day!

In among all the terrible and gloomy cold days, there have been some absolute gifts of days where the sun has given some warmth and the world has seemed golden in its rays.

On one such day I was able to enjoy being out and about with my camera and ventured to the Dunedin Botanic Garden and Signal Hill where I happily captured these moments of winter.

These twisted branches are the original Rhododendrons planted in the Botanic Garden

 

The Boardwalk in the Native Collection

 

From Signal Hill looking over the Inner Harbour to the Southern Pacific Ocean  My mother’s house is down there!

Thanks for coming by I hope you saw the magic too!