What a Load of Bull!

Yesterday morning, after a sudden cacophony of gut-wrenching roars, I almost thought that I’d been teleported into the African savannah, and we were being besieged by hungry lions. Our two intrepid hunters/watchdogs Bennie and Sophie, who’d been sunning themselves outside the kitchen door, sprang into life and went tearing off into the undergrowth of the secret garden and then out of sight. The roaring continued.

Went I reached the far fence, half out of breath, there stood Bennie on his hind legs attempting to straddle the fence with the neighbour’s grazing paddocks. Sophie was hopping around excitedly, yelping as only Sophie can.

One the other side of the fence were some forty sheep munching in the long grass. A few of those closer to the fence were standing attentively watching these two black strangers across the fence.

Then further back in the paddock I spotted the “lions”

Some two dozen black bulls. Big bulls. Scary bulls, if you’re not a farmer.

As the bulls came closer to the flimsy fence, I started retreating ever so slowly but surely. They were probably quite tame and friendly, I tried to reassure myself, but I was scared that our two beloved Labradors would come off slightly worse if they managed to accidentally enter the bull ring.

Down on the ground quite near our fence, I spotted this little Mount Kilimanjaro. It didn’t belong to me, nor did it belong to Benny. That left only the two dozen…. yes, what a load of bull!

Today, the bulls appear to have calmed down quite a bit in their new home and Bennie and Sophie, although clearly accepting that they should not try to challenge the presence of this gang of monstrosities, have remained in the general vicinity of the fence and are keeping a close watch on the grazing neighbours.

There will be bull reports if there are any further developments in the ring.

Poo-poo?

Although I had heard of Pupu Springs in New Zealand, I was not really aware of the facts. Now that water has become such an important issue for us, not only in the rural areas but also in the towns where restrictions will probably be put in place unless substantial rainfall is received, I remembered the springs with the strange name. Here are some of the details:

The Te Waikoropupu Springs ('Pupu Springs') are located in Golden Bay, on the South Island.  The springs are known for the clarity of the water, and the volume of water discharged. The springs are spiritually significant to the Maori people.

The springs are notable for the volume of water discharged from the eight main vents. It is estimated that 14,000 litres of water are produced per second, approximately enough to fill 40 bathtubs. In a 1974 television documentary, it was noted that this would be enough water to supply a city the size of Boston Massachusetts. The floor of the lake is covered with white sand. Waters expelled from some of the smaller vents carry the sand upward. These vents are known as the 'dancing sands', which for the few scuba divers who have secured permission to dive in the springs, is one of the highlights of underwater sightseeing.

The Springs have been registered as Whai Tapu with the Maori Heritage Council of the NZ Historic Places Trust. Waikoropupu is the legendary home of the female taniwha, Huriawa, one of the three main taniwha of Aotearoa. She is a diver of land and sea, travelling deep beneath the earth to clear blocked waterways. She is brave and wise and believed to still rest in the waters of Waikoropupu, when she is not away attending to business.

Down the Yarra River…

27 February: “Make way for That Stuff, mate!  Be careful with that red container, Bruce… it’s got bloody important stuff from Seffrika aboard, mate.”

It’s going down the Yarra River and the Maribyrnong from here in Melbourne into the Tesmen. Bruce, are you a Kiwi or an Aussie?

Benny! Grandma’s Back!

I am sitting at the dining-room table tapping away the keyboard, busy with… well, with important stuff. Sort of important, with the dogs lying peacefully asleep at my feet – like an author writing a novel in front of the log fire in the highlands. Sort of.

There is an explosion under the table and two furry black streaks make a bee-line for the door, slipping and sliding as they career uncontrolled, like a bison stampede.

Moments later, I reach the door to see the gate-scene above. Judging by the vigourosity of the tails, it was not hard to fathom who had arrived and parked outside on the verge.

It is quite apparent that, at this moment, Grandma is the most popular person at Chartwell. And, look, Benny… she’s got some yummy stuff for us!

Aussies… No surprises there

A am certainly not one for TV advertising. But then , who is? One that has caught my attention on NZTV is well-worth a watch, but first turn your sound up:

I Have A Rooster!

A recent blog mentioned the 20 January 2014 provincial holiday earthquake, which was centred near Eketahuna. Although this town is not a major centre, its location has always drawn attention – “the middle of nowhere.” 

Eketahuna Hotel in Main Road Eketahuna (GPS: 40º38’37’’ S , 175º42’13’’ E)

Eketahuna is a small rural service town, the most southerly in the Tararua District in the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North island, but is considered to be in northern Wairarapa. It was originally called Mellenskov, but was renamed soon after its founding.

The town is located at the foot of the Tararua Ranges which lie to the west. It is 35 kilometres north of Masterton and a similar distance south of Palmerston North. It is situated on SH2 and the eastern bank of the Makakahi River.

Eketahuna is considered by some to be the stereotypical rural New Zealand town, and is occasionally used in conversation to represent "the real New Zealand". The 2013 census recorded Eketahuna's population at 441; down from 456 in 2006.

New Zealanders colloquially refer to the town of Eketahuna the way other English speakers refer to Timbuktu, i.e., the middle of nowhere, "the sticks", the end of the world. Likewise, Eketahuna is a booming metropolis compared to the mythical town of Waikikamukau (pronounced "Why-kick-a-moo-cow").

The name of the town, when spoken, sounds like a sentence in Afrikaans (“Ek het ‘n hoender”) which translates to "I have a rooster". This is a source of amusement to immigrant Afrikaans-speaking South Africans in New Zealand.

Glorious Glory

Having confirmed that Our (Actual) Ship, the MSC Geneva has docked in Melbourne, I am reasonably certain that Our Stuff is being off-loaded, and standing at the ready to be trans-shipped onto another vessel, the Glory:

Vessel: Glory
Type: Container Ship
IMO: 9124378
Callsign: V2NA5
Flag: Antigua & Barbuda
Destination: Melbourne
Lat/Lon: 37.46182S/ 150.21192E

Our shipping agents in Wellington have confirmed that our delivery will be made by this vessel, with an ETA Wellington approximately 9 March.

Our Second Mensiversary

MEN-SI-VER-SA-RY (mèn´se-vûr´se-rê) noun
1. The monthly recurring date of a past event, especially one of historical, national, or personal importance: a first date mensiversary;
2. A celebration commemorating such a date. From Latin: mensis, month + versus, past participle of vertere, to turn.

Two months ago to the day, we arrived in New Zealand from Cape Town on an Air New Zealand flight just on midnight Christmas 2013. That’s still a point of contention, as I believe that we officially touched New Zealand, so to speak, just after 00:00 on 26th December, yet the passport control officers had not yet changed their date stamp from 25th to the 26th. Today is therefore our second mensiversary of our arrival here. How time flies.

Before someone starts pointing out the discrepancy of my statements versus the posting dates of my blogs: please note that I registered this blog in its old format in Cape Town (SAST = UTC+2 hours), and have continued with the same page in Reikorangi (NZDT = UTC+13 hrs – summer daylight-saving time). Therefore the orange-gold date (which is automatically generated) which you see at the top of the post (see example below) refers to Cape Town time and is generally a day behind the actual post date.

NZST (the standard time UTC+12 hours) starts at 3:00am  on Sunday 6 April 2014 and lasts until 3:00am on Sunday 28 September 2014.

Some highlights during the two months include the following (hyperlinks to the specific blogs are indicated in the orange-gold colour.

2nd January 2014: Visited Otaki Forks park.

7th January 2014: Visited St Andrew’s in Reikorangi. (must still go inside as well)

12th January 2014: Visited the Lavender Farm at Te Horo, near Otaki

19th January 2014: Attended the A.P. & I. show at Levin.

20th January 2014: As a taste of her hospitality, Mother Earth sampled us with a short Magnitude 6.2 earthquake centred at nearby Eketahuna at 3:50pm on Monday 20 January (Wellington provincial holiday).

25th January 2014: Visit the Waikanae home gardens show, hosted by Waikanae Lions.

20th February 2014: A pleasant walk in the Kaitawa Scenic Reserve

Next Harvest

In Edward Lear’s The Owl and The Pussy-Cat, we read in the third verse:

Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling
   Your ring?" Said the Piggy, "I will."
So they took it away, and were married next day
   By the Turkey who lives on the hill.
They dined on mince, and slices of quince,
   Which they ate with a runcible*¹ spoon;  
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
   They danced by the light of the moon,

runcible*1 = today we would probably call it a SPORK, a spoon with three prongs of a fork.

What a scientist would call Cydonia oblonga, and what we generally call “Quince” are starting to loose their pubescence (soft fine hairs) and develop into ripe quinces, ready for the harvest at Chartwell. They are starting to look (almost) quite ready for the pot, but we will be patient with them for a week or two. I understand that quinces require a lot of patience, in ripening and cooking.

Quince has a relatively limited appeal and use – there is a single quince tree and it seems to have at least 30 fruit, at a rough head count.

Oops! (Blush): 17,000 km Out…

Look! Our Ship, the Hyundai Singapore, which I have been tracking over the past three weeks or so from Cape Town to Las Palmas, to Rotterdam, to Hamburg, to the Thames, to Antwerp and on to Le Havre, appears not to be Our Ship, after all! Gulp! (blush slightly)

Mind you, I do not have official confirmation of this allegation, merely the word of a shipping clerk in Wellington – and I must believe her, ‘cos she seems pretty positive about her facts: Our Stuff has changed ships twice, and has come via Port Louis in Mauritius. I ask the question: Did any of my readers doubt that Our Stuff was on the Hyundai Singapore? (up until now, anyway).

Dum…dum…dum… Here is Our Real Ship:

Please meet Our Real Ship:  MSC Geneva hails from Germany with call-sign DDJH2, currently travelling south (193º ) along the East Coast of Australia from Sydney down to Melbourne at 16 knots, expected ETA 23:00 UTC on 24 February.

We shall wait to see the next port of call after Melbourne. Hopefully, MSC Geneva will set sail Eastwards in our direction on a trip of approximately 2,600 km as the crow seagull flies.

The next day or two will tell. Unless they go sail-about to other Australian and New Zealand ports before pitching up in Wellington next to the Cake Tin.

Over and Out. Roger.

A Cargo of Mongoose

Bianca has concluded a marathon paintjob using Resene Spacecote lowsheen paint in the lounge and bathroom. After meticulous preparation, taping of edges and removal of cover plates to electrical fittings, she carefully cut in along all the cornices, skirtings and window- and door-frames, and finally applying the two topcoats with expert precision.

After completion of the work, everyone inspected her handiwork and passed comment and opinion. Only one person could find fault with the paintjob. Yes, you’ve guessed, Bianca was the only one to find fault, and freely criticised the finish in a number of places!

(Above) The bathroom walls were painted in Resene lowsheen paint in a colour name “Cargo” The artificial lighting does not reflect the more olive undertone, contrasting white frames.

The lounge colour in Resene lowsheen paint is called “Mongoose” and blends in perfectly with the drapes.

Well done, and thank you, Bianca.

Christchurch 12:51

Today we sadly remember the 185 New Zealanders and other nationals who tragically lost their lives three years ago at 12:51 in the Canterbury disaster.

Preparations for today's Christchurch earthquake memorial service are complete, with the remembrance being moved to a new home in the city's Botanic Gardens. International visitors have been arriving in the city ahead of today's third anniversary.

Symbolic 185 Empty Chairs

Families of the quake's Japanese victims yesterday afternoon laid stones and flowers at the CTV site in memory of their lost loved ones.

Among them was survivor Mayumi Asakawa. She says it is important to come back to where so many of her friends and teachers perished.

"I want to pray for Christchurch and just, I say I never forget you and I'm fine," she said.

The families will be at the CTV site again today. Elsewhere, a public remembrance for all 185 quake victims begins at midday. The memorial service takes place in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens in a move away from the CBD. Mayor Lianne Dalziel says the new venue is more appropriate.

Le Havre

Our Ship is being attended to in Antwerp Belgium and will shortly be heading out the river mouth and southwards to Le Havre France.

The Thames to Antwerpen/Anvers

According to my (free) “locate my ship” website, Our Ship the Hyundai Singapore was supposed to be bound from Hamburg to Felixstowe. Either they made an error or the ship’s captain changed his mind and docked in the Thames instead (below is a screenshot taken 5 minutes ago, showing her having completed the task and departing towards the channel bound for the next port of call.)

Antwerp is located on the right (eastern) bank of the River Scheldt in Belgium, linked to the North Sea by the Westerschelde Estuary. Antwerp is the capital of the Antwerp Province, and is written “Antwerpen” in Dutch and “Anvers” in French on the signposts in Belgium.

(Above) The relative positions of the four ports of call in Europe so far: (1) Rotterdam,     (2)Hamburg, (3)Thames, and (4)Antwerp

Sunday Afternoon Walk

One of the very picturesque valleys in the area includes the Mangaone South Road off Ngatiawa Road. The end of this road and the associated walk through the river valley was our destination a couple of weeks ago. Two walks start here: the shorter one, the Mangaone Walkway to Mangaone North Road off to the left and the longer more strenuous Pukeatua Track. In New Zealand, these country walks (hiking?), including at least one overnight stay, are known as “tramping”.

Being fairly late in the day, and with the idea of a “test” walk in mind, we chose the shorter Mangaone Walkway, which was previously known as the Reikorangi Track. What a pleasant walk, mostly along cool pathways in dappled shade. The pathway follows the western course of the Waikanae River.

(Above) The initial roadway to the first pedestrian bridge is also used for access to their homes by some nearby residents. It gets steeper as the path progresses.

 
(Above) The pedestrian suspension bridge means that you don’t have to walk across some private residential land down near the river below. The bridge must have been some six, seven, or maybe more storeys above the river bed.

(Above) The track is situated on private land. I guess that this fence ladder is over a boundary fence between properties owned by different owners.

(Above) A number of these little timber bridges span gulleys which would doubtlessly be brim-full during the wet seasons.

 
(Above) We stopped for a short sit-down in this cool peaceful environment, with the babbling stream gurgling past over the well-worn rocks, before heading back to the car-park.

(Above) The remains of an early days boiler contraption, which I would guess, was somehow part of a lumber milling operation, now lies abandoned on the verge.

Five species of tree fern line the track: Katote, Wheki, Wheki-ponga, Ponga and Mamaku. Ground ferns and delicate filmy ferns on tree trunks are also prominent along the track. Perhaps we can research these species, and then identify them on our next walk.

What A Load of Rubbish!

Like so many other countries throughout the Western World, New Zealanders are striving to be as “green” a community as possible. As the country has very little space to allocate to wasteful matters such as landfill waste disposal dumps, we make every effort at Chartwell to reduce the amount of waste which ends up in the landfills. It may represent a very small fraction of the effort, but, like they say, every little bit counts.

As part of our effort, we are aware of not only what we throw “away”, but also how we do it. We prepare glass, metal, plastic, cardboard and paper items separately and have three bins which we can dispose of without charge, if we take it to the Otaihanga depot. This is done as a group activity every second Sunday, followed by a walk along the beach, or a swim (if the weather plays along), or whatever else. Kitchen waste such as veggie peelings, fruit, and so on, is collected separately and treated in the composter – to eventually do duty for free in the garden once more. Polystyrene and general “wet” rubbish is collected by the contractor once a week in the regular wheelie bin, which we try to keep to a minimum.

By world standards, we’re probably “pale-greenies”, but, hey, we’re trying… A few pictures taken at the Otaihanga depot recently:

 
The Rubbish Guys finishing off the feeding the mouths of the hungry recycle monster, being careful to keep the brown, green and clear glass separate as well.

Tyler almost seems disappointed that the last bin has been emptied. He was just starting to enjoy throwing stiff into the chutes! Nevermind, lad, there’s always another Sunday!

What a lot of wheelies…

Rather than dumping unwanted goods on the pavement, you can drop it off at the depot – perhaps someone else wants to buy a bargain for spares, or whatever?

Shipping Report

The latest on the current position of the Hyundai Singapore reads much like a shipping weather report – rather dull and dreary. She left Hamburg (on the extreme right of the picture below) and is headed for Felixstowe in England. Current speed is 16.9 knots direction 228º

The dashed line through the North Sea shows her path, and her ETA Felixstowe is  07:00 UTC 20 February.

Ex-Weta

Brynn stepped out of the dining-room onto the outside paving, and immediately let out a shrill shriek:

“Weta!”

The dogs, who were in close pursuit, immediately investigated the source of her concern, gave the ground a quick sniff, and then proceeded with their doggy business. The creature was quite evidently slightly squished, and quite evidently deceased. An ex-weta, if you will.

Brynn’s Ex-Weta: A Wellington Tree Weta.

Weta are from the families Anostostomatidae and Rhaphidophoridae, endemic to New Zealand. The English word is borrowed from the Maori language, where singular and plural have the same form. Weta are nocturnal and live in a variety of habitats including: pasture, shrub, forests, and caves. Weta excavate holes under stones, rotting logs, or in trees. They sometimes occupy pre-formed burrows. Many of the giant species now only survive on protected land, and many are endangered. The Giant Weta is the heaviest insect on earth.

Weta can bite with powerful mandibles. Tree weta bites are painful but not particularly common. Weta can inflict painful scratches, with the potential of infection, but their defence displays consist of looking large and spiky, and they will retreat if given a chance. Tree Weta arc their hind legs into the air in warning to foes, and then strike downwards, so the spines could scratch the eyes of a predator. Pegs or ridges at the base of the abdomen are struck by a patch of fine pegs at the base (inner surface) of the legs and this action makes a distinctive sound. These actions are also used in defence of a gallery by competing males.

Above: © Dr Paddy Ryan – Mahoenui Giant Weta

The Mahoenui Giant Weta, long considered extinct on the mainland, was rediscovered in a patch of King Country gorse in 1962. The Department of Conservation staff have established a new population of these on Mahurangi Island, off the Coromandel coast. Two hundred have been transferred there, and after four years they are showing signs of breeding.

Weta are mainly herbivorous in the wild, but are also known to eat insects. There are more than 70 species of Weta in New Zealand, 16 of which are at risk. They are one of the oldest species with fossils dating back to the Triassic period.

© Steve Reekie.

Tom Report

As we pass the middle of February, the days will now start shortening and the hours of valuable sunlight diminish. With this in mind, I conducted a quick inspection of the green tomatoes in the veggie patch.

XII, as he was named last time, is now a fully fledged “Red”. Perhaps there will be a little picking ceremony and (perhaps?) a few kind words to the rest of the gathered throng…

In the row just north of XII is a promising-looking plant, called, sequentially “V” not for Victory, but for numero cinque – as in what I would call “5.”  So-called “V” has a few fruits which seem to be on the verge of ripening:

Back at the greenhouse, things are warm and swinging, with the three hanging baskets bearing the small decorative jobs, being the most productive at this stage. Bianca sorted the fruits by size and set aside a bowl of smaller ones for use in salads, and prepared and cooked the rest in an onion/tomato/spice relish preserve base.

1,100 grams of Organic product with onions and other “secret” herbs and spices went into the pot, and out came…. a large jar and two smaller jars of yum! – Pure home-grown organic stuff with no artificial colourants or sugar added:

A Day-Trip to Hamburg

Today sees me watching Our Ship (with Our Stuff), the Hyundai Singapore as she leaves  Rotterdam-Maasvlakte  in The Netherlands and heads for Hamburg in Germany at a speed of 17.7 knots direction 76°. How much further North can she go?

About Hamburg? Interesting (not confirmed by me) stuff includes:

(1) "“Hummel, Hummel” greeting was originated from a Hamburger water carrier, Georg Daniel Christian Hummel, who during delivery always been accompanied by a bunch of children shouting his name. His successor Johann Wilhelm Benz has been treated in the same manner even so his last name was different. He is upset because of this and angrily answered “Mors, Mors” a short way from saying “Klei mi an’ Mors” which translated as “kiss my ass.” (Mors (North German slang) = ass). If you are in Hamburg and someone greets you with “Hummel Hummel”, you reply with “Mors Mors!”."

(2) John Lennon: “I was born in Liverpool but raised in Hamburg.”;  (3) Hamburg's official name is the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (German: Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg);   (4) It has become a media and industrial centre, with factories such as Airbus, Blohm & Voss and Aurubis;  (5) The city takes its name from the first permanent building on the site, a castle ordered built by Emperor Charlemagne in 808 AD;            (6) Hamburg had several great fires, the most notable ones in 1284 and 1842; (7) During World War II Hamburg suffered a series of air raids, which killed 42,000 civilians;           (8) Hamburg surrendered without a fight to British Forces on May 3, 1945;  (9) On February 16, 1962 the North Sea flood of that year caused the Elbe to rise to an all-time high, inundating one-fifth of Hamburg and killing more than 300 people; (10) With an area of 755 sq km (292 sq mi), Hamburg's area is seven times that of Paris and twice that of London. The living space per person in Hamburg is an average of 30 square meters per person, thereby making Hamburg the city with the largest average living space in the world;  (11) A large number of rivers and canals are found meandering Hamburg, christening it with the name 'city of rivers'. Small adorable canals are found running all along the city like veins in a human body. Moreover, with over 2500 bridges, Hamburg is also known to have more bridges than Venice or Amsterdam.

Spur-winged Plovers

On a walk along Ngatiawa Road recently, the incessant chorus of ever-present Cicadas was suddenly interrupted by shrill shrieks. Two birds circled the adjacent field and landed in the goat grazing paddock. They were standing at quite a distance, but luckily, I was able to snap this picture, so as to be able to identify the creature in the bird book.

Considering the distinct facial appearance, we were able to make a positive ID. A Spur-winged Plover (Vanellus miles) of the Order Charadriiformes and Family Charadriidae 

The description of the bird reads: The spur-winged plover is a large stocky wader with pronounced yellow bill and wattles, and yellow eye ring. Black on the crown and hind neck becomes a black collar extending to sides of the breast. The rest of the head, neck and under parts are white, the mantle, back and coverts are uniform light grey-brown contrasting with a white rump. The black tail has a white base and thin white tip. The long legs are reddish brown. A long yellow spur protruding from the carpal area of each wing gives the species its name. The flight pattern of the spur-winged plover - shallow beats of broad rounded wings - is unlike any other New Zealand wader.

Voice: a shrill staccato rattle – often heard at night.