Category Archives: Photography

The beauty around us

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I don’t know the name of these

These past months have seen me with numerous dental and periodontist visits and quite frankly I’ve not felt great – hence the lack of scintillating posts. However, Kerry and I recently visited a nearby community garden at Forrest Hill (Grow Forrest Hill), to see how differently other gardens are run, compared with our Devonport community garden (Ngataringa Organic Garden). While he chatted to members, I took photos of some beautiful flowering plants. I love nature and colour, and focussing on beautiful colourful subjects is a good way to avoid ruminating on one’s troubles I’ve found. I do hope you enjoy the images I’ve selected.

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The best laid plans for a short southern sojourn

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The delightful town of Kaikoura

Kerry and I booked a short but interesting trip to Kaikōura, as part of a Great Journeys NZ trip. This included: a train ride, an overnight stay in a nice hotel, a dolphin excursion (or whale, or albatross watching), and a return train ride from Christchurch. We flew from Auckland to Christchurch, stayed overnight in an hotel, and with some excitement grabbed a taxi early next morning and headed to the station to catch a north-bound train, as Kaikōura is in the North Canterbury region in the South Island. We lugged our bags into the crowded station, went over to the ticket office, and after a quick exchange with the staff, found that our train had departed … Let me gloss over that part and leave you to fill in the dots any way you wish.

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Cruising along and visiting windmills

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Amsterdam to Basel

After joining the ship, we spent the first afternoon settling in to our cabins (named staterooms on board), and prepared to meet staff and other passengers whose company we’d be among as we made our way from Amsterdam towards Basel, the culmination of our river cruise. As we imagined, the food and wine was of a high standard and helped us enjoy the eight days on board very well. Added to this was a crew member, who doubled as a great pianist and singer, whom we listened to throughout the evenings pre and post dinner. There was a rundown by the Programme Director on the following days’ events each day, with guided walks included in overall cost of cruise, and other excursions which cost more. But, if you have trouble sleeping, I suggest you do such a cruise as I, an erratic sleeper, cannot recall such a sound sleep as we moved through the night, and docked without my hearing a thing.

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The new year is shaping up well

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Sculpture park 14 Dec

Yep, that’s me on my birthday (Covid positive day) looking every bit the rag doll I felt. I love this photo my daughter took, which resembles a still for a film I think. See, Kerry is there reading the script and feeding me cues! Fortunately I have come out the other side, and most pleased with myself. The main reason being is that I received the first proofs from the printers for my novel Mrs Forsythe not long after this photo was taken!

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This, it seems, is what sailors like.

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December 2023

Just two nights back, this was the view from our windows which look onto the sea, Auckland’s CBD and further west, where sunsets like to glow and sink into night. But before they do, they offer some stunning colour arrays, which have me squealing to Kerry, ‘Look at the sky, look at the sky!’ And he often follows me onto the patio to take photos. But this one, on the 28 December – WOW!

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Port Douglas: Part 2

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The second week in Port Douglas passed in a similar pleasant style to the previous one, seeing us mingling with our friends at the beach, or over drinks in the evening. The weather was warm and skies calm until the end of the week, when strong wind ruffled the sea and waves rolled onto Four Mile Beach. Kerry was undeterred by the strong wind as he loves nothing better than body surfing the waves. I was happier either walking or sketching. But this week had a different focus, because we decided to visit a wildlife habitat a short distance from the town. Never before, I must add, had I ever posed for a touristy photo like the one you see here. I only agreed as I love owls. What a hoot!

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Living with drama.

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I mentioned in my last post that my daughter Lara was staying with me, as she is directing a show for the Auckland Theatre Company – opening night this coming Thursday. That is … if the shocking weather we are currently experiencing here doesn’t put pay to that. I could say, well it won’t be the first time a show has been cancelled, and some of you may even think, so what? I’ll give you some facts here: personal ones. My daughter is an actress and director of stage; whether it be a drama, comedy, or a play with music, as is the current show.

All people associated with theatre in New Zealand have had it exceptionally hard since Covid slipped through our borders. Every show starts way before the curtain goes up, with the programme planned, often years in advance, before the call goes out for auditions. With other careers, during Covid restrictions, many people were able to work from home, thus keeping some consistency of work flowing. For the performing arts sector; face to face auditions could not be held, which meant actors had to video their own audition pieces and send to the director or directors involved. And even if they were accepted for a role, there were no guarantees that the show would go ahead.

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On the road again

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I’ve been biking in Central Otago again, undoubtably one of the most picturesque areas in New Zealand. It has a multitude of walking and biking tracks, if that’s your thing. And biking is a thing for my in-laws and me (to a lesser extent). Or, maybe I should rephrase that to the less brave. I was down here almost two years back with Kerry, to ride part of three tracks: the Rail Trail, The Roxburgh Gorge and The Dunstan Track, some of which we were about to repeat, but rather differently as it turned out. That’s me above, on the Roxburgh Gorge Trail last week.

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Meanderings and accidental photos

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Morning view from The Terrace, Wellington

Last week I took a short break to Wellington, New Zealand’s capital, and my old home town. I went specifically to stay with a friend I’ve known most of my life, and now that she lives alone, I try and visit often. Jayne is Wellington-born like me and lives in an apartment high up on The Terrace which affords marvellous views out over the harbour. It’s a great place to see the breadth of changing cloud with each shift of the weather, and I could spend hours watching its passing moods.

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It won’t be long before the book comes out but…

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Promo photo of me at home with books, of course.

I’m really happy to report that my book is now at the printers; I have managed a couple of days doing absolutely nothing except walking and being a slothful version of myself. Oh yes, there was the slightly stressful ‘having my photo taken’ exercise for publicity purposes. I had an idea of how I’d like the scene to be, but do not like having my picture taken. Thanks to my photographer daughter, who knows just what to say to relax the shoulders and get that grim mouth show a slight smile, worked her magic. I really do like the end result. Thank you Lara.

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