Author Archives: Jemdeafhistory

“Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. It’s what sunflowers do.”

– Helen Keller

I have worked as a teacher aide, health worker and community support worker in the disabled sectors over many years. My childhood memory saw many sunflowers everywhere. I travelled through many rural areas where the sunflowers were in the maize fields. Then I travelled to many countries, especially in Europe, Canada and the United States and saw many sunflowers through the autumn seasons. I did not realise the importance of sunflowers, the benefit of sunflower seeds for health, and parishioners use sunflowers for their religion. Of course, children/people with learning disabilities and older adults love bright colours and bought delight in seeing the sunflower for their childhood memory or to love it. 

My close friend Sonya of Switzerland, the late Rev. Edna Garner of New Zealand and two professors of the University of Waikato explained the sunflowers through my studying at the University of Waikato, during my stay with Edna and my stay in Switzerland several times between 1983 and 2006. 

Not just a sunflower in the garden, many birds and bees love eating sunflower seeds once the seeds ripen and pollen/nectar for bees from the top daily. The sources are nutritious foods for birds and bees throughout winter. 

People like me eat a quarter cup full of sunflower seeds from time to time as snacks. It is the same with pumpkin seeds because they benefit health, such as nutrients. 

“Sunflower seeds are excellent sources of several nutrients — including vitamin E and selenium — and beneficial plant compounds that can help prevent chronic diseases.” https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sunflower-seeds#benefits

Did you notice or know that Ukrainian people display sunflowers or post them on social media? What does sunflower relate to Ukrainian and its history?

Sunyashniki goes by sunflower, which is Ukraina a national flower in the country for many years. They have been growing and using sunflowers for snacks, oils, other products, and religious symbols, such as women dropping seeds in the pockets of the soldiers’ jackets who went to war until they died. Still, the seeds have grown in the fields since mid 18th century. A recent video showed a Ukrainian woman in Henychesk giving sunflower seeds to Russian soldiers, with the special instruction to put the seeds in their pockets so the flowers will grow where they die. https://twitter.com/ukraine_world/status/1496866811110834176

In June 1996, the Ukrainians gave up nuclear weapons as the symbol of peace when Russians, US and Ukrainian defence ministers planted sunflowers in a ceremony at southern Ukraine’s Pervomaysk missile base.

I recently read a post from Joanne about the logo/lanyard and the Hidden Disabilities in New Zealand/Australia. I am glad this organisation opened up in Australia and New Zealand last year. Yes, there is a catch to joining and becoming a member or partner. Here is the link to the history of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Lanyard in 2016 at Gatwick Airport. https://hiddendisabilitiesstore.com/insights/post/the-sunflower-is-for-people-with-non-visible-disabilities

The ever-bright nature sunflowers serve as sources of inspiration. Sunflowers remind us of what it means to look at the positive side of things. Even in dark or challenging situations, exploring what lessons are lurking in the corner is possible.

The photo I posted at the top of this blog, on February 1st 2022, was a severe fateful afternoon that killed a mother and a two-month-old baby daughter in the car and left a partner alive with injuries upper half of his body and badly shaking and shocked. Three vehicles were involved in a severe accident – a multiple car pile-up, near our property. My local neighbours, including my ‘new found’ cousin/neighbour and I, assisted and supported the injured people and maintained road safety until the emergency services came. We will never forget that day because of the scar of the vehicles’ accidents left on the road marking the brunt and bearing signs of melting asphalt road – small dried flowers left on the road signs – one of the third Curve bend/slow down signages before our private road. The day after the accident, three of our neighbours and I placed flowers and gave blessing on the site. I managed to contact the local Māori hapu so they will do a proper blessing and next month.

The last time I received a short note from the family member of the late mother, it said the partner was not the same person anymore, and he suffered severely, anger, grieving, having trouble sleeping and taking medicines for his pain. The person who caused the accident was charged guilty of reckless driving due to falling asleep while driving – two charges of careless driving causing death and two of careless driving causing injury, disqualified driving, losing his job and home detention. He had to pay the damage to the victims over $20,000 but had no money left to pay another injured person from the second vehicle but to use the insurance to pay. 

The day after the accident, I took time to leave work. I was grateful to chat with our colleague, a Church Minister at our workplace. A couple of days later, I posted a couple of short videos of the healing path if anyone witnessed an accident and to explain if you are a Christian samaritan and you would be willing to assist in helping or walking away. I am a deaf Christian through my strong tie family over many years, and I can not leave or to ignored this accident. Luckily, I have the skills over many years, so I went to assist them. 

I posted the bible verse last year – “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.” . Isaiah 58:9b-10, NIV”

 Unfortunately, a couple of Christian Deaf people posted a comment to my page saying to go to a counsellor for the misunderstanding of my sign language and stop being a drama queen, which I have no idea why the female Deaf Christian person wrote down. It appeared she misunderstood, and I think she had not understood the life of being involved in an accident

“2 Corinthians 9:6-8 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

One young girl from my neighbour asked me if I could plant sunflowers in our large fields before I plan to plant sunflower seeds one day. Her wish came true, and the sunflowers displayed in the fields facing the State Highway Road between Hamilton City and Morrinsville, Waikato, New Zealand.

The Bible says:” The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, justice and truth” (Ephesians 5: 9 ). Just as sunflower flowers produce oil, the believer who sets his sights on God shows his characters of goodness, righteousness and truth.

https://christiantoday.com.au/news/story-of-the-sunflower.html

“Wherever life plants you, bloom with grace.”

– Old French Proverb

Note: I am doing well when travelling on this road to Hamilton City and coming home each day since the fateful accident. I am doing the blogs and chatting with someone I trust and know the person well. I know that God is always with me and my partner with three dogs is always there for me. I found a solution where I can meditate quietly in the garden or read an excellent book.

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” – William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

Yesterday we were busy doing the garden jobs at our property as we prepared before the thunderstorm. Who knows when or where? 

I was sitting down under the cherry tree near the house’s side door and delighted my hard work in the rose garden paid off. The roses displayed beautifully and showed many colours; oh ahh, how sweet the smell floating in the air!

“Come out here where the roses have opened. Let soul and world meet.” – Rumi.

This is the only rose garden that won’t prick my partner when he does lawn mowing anywhere. He loathes the thorns of the rose shrub, but he does like the rose displayed. This is why I planted box hedges around the rose garden but leaving two gaps by the rabbits love sunbathing inside and allowing our dogs to run through box hedges. Yes, dogs wreak these gaps but the only way I can walk inside the rose garden and do light weeding or pruning the hedges around on both sides through the gaps.

“Life is like a rose garden — watch for the thorns and keep the pest dust handy” – Anonymous.

I may get one more rose – seeking the rose called ‘Blue Moon.’

Sadly our nearest Rose nursery centre, I have known them for many years and bought several climber roses for the field, is closing after more than 90 years. It was called Roach’s Nursery. Mike is the third generation to own and run Roach’s Nursery after his father – Lon retired. This family has exciting tales to share here. Mike’s grandfather, Thomas Bartholomew’s parents, emigrated from Ireland in 1847 to Hamilton East. The family had eleven children, and the late Thomas established Claudelands nursery in the back of their family house in 1921. After the war, Mike’s father and two uncles took over the ownership of the nursery, which moved to Clarkin Road, Hamilton, Matangi Road, and Newell Road in Tamahere. The final place was Schollum Road, Eureka.

“Smell the roses. Smell the coffee. Whatever it is that makes you happy.”

Rita Moreno

Yesterday late morning, I went out to do a quick shopping for one Deaf elderly chap who is 90 years old.

By the shrove, see a beautiful rose shrub showing the display of white-yellowish roses out in the bleak, cloudy morning. A rose shrub is a perfect place by the ramp of the house in the long driveway, bringing a welcome greeting to anyone to visit him.

Earlier late winter season this year, he asked me to prune the rose because his late, Deaf elderly brother was no longer there to do the pruning. I pruned, removed the old, worn branches and finally trimmed to tidy up the space for the air circulating inside the rose shrub.

Voila, he was delighted to see blooming now while his sister travelled to see him over the weekend. She was pleased with the fabulous display and took rose cutting home, where she placed it in the vase.

Last weekend I visited another Deaf CP elderly man, 71 years old, and he told me that he was busy doing a weeding in the front side long strip garden under the window the day before I saw him. He was pleased to see his flower shrubs starting to display under the window where he could look out from the room. Oh, what a fantastic result to show off with his proud work!

I recalled several years back when he asked me to get flower shrubs for the bare garden so that nothing would grow there. I bought several iris bulbs, a violet creeper carpet from our garden, and two more shrubs from the plant centre.

“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” Desmond Tutu

Looking at them, I meet weekly routines, and they often throw their requests at me for their needs or to ask for something they saw on the news from the television news programme. It is about bringing together and having conversations in sign language so they feel included on cold dark days. It is the essential key goal for our lives to ensure everyone is okay, the need of daily basic necessary things around home and garden.

Today is a rainy day, and I have two jobs to do and face the wet weather I loathe. There is nothing I can do, and I will continue to outshine the dark, gloomy day for one person and possibly teach a small ‘turn up’ audience for the class at the library.

This photo below is a perfect reflecting to look out from the kitchen window each day, but not today.

“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” Helen Keller

Five Cherry trees have been blossoming since last week, bringing a late display of cherry blossoms due to unpredicted weather. Oh, what a delight to see out from our kitchen window early evening today after yesterday’s pouring rain out in Te Kowhai.

I love looking out through our kitchen window daily and watching wild rabbits out in the fields, our dogs running around and chasing wild rabbits and children walking up to the bus stop for their schools or coming home from school. Many birds fly in the air or creep on the ground for their yummy meals.

“The flower that smells the sweetest is shy and lowly. ” William Wordsworth

Azalea shrub is full of fiery red colours and displays where the old house was; at the time, we moved to our home here, and yes, there were two houses here, but not anymore. What an angelic display of this shrub each year!

“My extravagance is my garden – it’s the first thing I look at every morning when I wake up. It gives me so much pleasure.” Ina Garten

When I was a young girl, my mother asked me to do a weeding or something in the garden. I said I don’t want to get my hands dirty, but I rather wait until I had a home with a bare or partially unfinished garden.

“God Almighty first planted a garden. And indeed, it is the purest of human pleasures. ” Francis Bacon

Then, the garden is still processing with new plant cuttings, filling more seedlings in the gardens, and planting new trees to replace the old trees for firewood.

“In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams. The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful. ”  Abram L. Urban

This is me as a deaf gardener/historian, researcher/blogger/community support worker/advocator, Christian and other roles. Note this photo was taken one long hot summer day in 2016.

 “The purpose of our lives is to be happy.”- Dalai Lama

I woke up in the morning and read a book while my partner was asleep, as he had been working the night shift this week. Our dogs revving to go out in the field for their daily runs. I stepped in my gumboots and put on my dressing gown, then to let the dogs out by went bang and boom out through the door hasting for chasing rabbits.

 “Do all the good you can, for all the people you can, in all the ways you can, as long as you can.” — Hillary Clinton (inspired by John Wesley quote)

I wonder what God has bought something for us each day – delighted to see daffodils out blooming in the centre garden. Oh sigh! There are more holes in the grass section and in the fields by the rabbits nesting their body at night. I nearly tripped over when walking around as I watched my left ankle because the last time I sprained my lelf ankle badly a few days before my 50th birthday, I was looking forward to a Hot Air Balloon ride. I will not be defeated by these rabbits and the holes they made a mess around.

 “Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.”— Lao-Tze

School children walked past us as they caught their school bus across the road. One of the children asked me if I knew the story about the posh snob people across the road, as their house was still on the market for a long time. My reply was no one wants to buy their home because it is too expensive for their decision of house worth than the valuation. The place their choice was $1.5 million than $1.2 million of dollars.

“When we do the best we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life or the life of another.” — Helen Keller

I checked the sunrooms’ seedlings and was pleased to see sunflower seeds producing upward along with other vegetables and flower seedlings. I prepared the list of garden jobs for this Spring and the coming Summer seasons. “I don’t have to know why everything is happening since I know God is good, He loves me, and life on earth is not the whole story.” This God quote is about life and always reminds me every day.

Mum! my partner, came to rescue me and called me while I was in the courtyard having late breakfast. “Are you going to Hamilton City today or not?” Said my partner. I replied yes as it was one job for the Deaf elderly chap – Gordon. My partner asked me about Gordon’s coming birthday and when. I said not until next month and hoping for a fine afternoon when I plan to take Gordon for a ride along Waikato Expressway and the expanding growth of construction and super construction and new roads on the eastern side of Hamilton City.

Let another day come by and see what God has planned for us tomorrow!

I batted with chronic sinus and mucus vs stomach acid. I determined whether I got COVID-19 or not. The answer was no. Having chronic sinusitis during the Spring Season often brings the worst or evident. 

The passing of Queen Elizabeth II’s death was ineffectual as I saw the news about the new Prime Minister – Liz Truss replaced Boris Johnson met the Queen. I recognised the purple colour sign resembled bruised signs or peripheral cyanosis – the lack of oxygen to the heart. But I might be wrong, which can be similar to heart condition problems. As she met Queen Elizabeth II, PM Truss shook Queen Elizabeth II’s hands. 

My first-noon outing was just a quick one to see the Deaf elderly chap who will be 90 years old next month for his grocery. I wore a mask and greeted him as he was well and delighted to see me. Mr G Wood played Solitaires on his computer while the tv was on. On TV, the new screen was showing breaking news about Queen Elizabeth II’s passing death all day last Friday. 

Mr Wood asked me about the royal lineage to the new King Charles III. I explained to him through sign language then I decided to draw the line along with many names linking to King George VI’s ancestors.

See the photo here. 

G. Wood said Prince Harry is finished and gone to the USA with a bad wife. No King for Harry. What about the titles – Duke and Duchess? I told G Wood that it was up to the new King Charles III if Queen Elizabeth II had already made the plan. Harry’s children won’t have the titles but remain as Master and Miss. If Harry’s wife complains, she should keep her mouth shut and move on. For example, living oversea, like in the USA and no longer in England, they will pay their income, not the British Tax. If Harry and his family do not want to live in England anymore, then it is their problem, not the Royal Families. Yes, U.S./U.K. dual citizens have to file U.S. taxes. Wood said Harry’s wife is the lousy troublemaker, not the boss and lacks respect for the Royal Families. Mm, that was an interesting comment from him. Then Wood asked me how the name “Charles” traced back to the first Charles. I decided to draw the line along with many family names linking to Queen Victoria’s ancestors. 

Let’s recap the line linking to the names. 

King Charles 1 (born 1600 and died 1649) was known as King of Scotland and England) and his sister – Elizabeth Stuart, married Frederick V. 

King Charles I’s wife, was Henrietta Maria (1609 – 1669) of France, and they had nine children. Four sons – Charles (died stillborn), Charles II, James II and Henry (died two months later), and five daughters – Mary Stuart, Henrietta, Anne (died young), Elizabeth (died young) and Catherine (stillborn). 

Mary Stuart married William II of Orange and had one son – William III. 

Charles II married Catherine and had no children at all. 

James II married twice and had a daughter – Mary II. 

More complex – 

William III married his cousin – Mary II (her father was James II)

Elizabeth and Frederick had one daughter – Sophia Hanover, and married Ernest A.

Sophia and Ernest had one son – George I, and married Sophia Dorothea of Celle. George I, became a King and had two children – George II and Sophia. 

George II married Caroline of Ansbach and had four children – Frederick, Anne, Mary and Louisa. 

Frederick married and had a son George III. 

George III married Charlotte Mecklenburgh and had three children – Edward, George IV and William IV (who became a King but died). George IV became a king, married Caroline of Brunswick, and had one daughter.  

Edward (Duke of Kent) married Victoria of Saxe Coburg and had a daughter – Victoria, later Queen Victoria. 

Queen Victoria married Albert and had children. Their eldest son Edward married and had a son George V who married Mary. 

King George V and Queen Mary had two sons – King Edward later, but his abdication as he wished to marry the twice-divorced American woman. He abdicated the throne to marry twice- divorcee Wallis Simpson, became known as the Duke of Windsor and handed it over to George VI to become a King. 

So King VI was Queen Elizabeth II’s father. Note the Royal Families lineage I wrote down was just roughly outline, if you note any errors or no errors.

Wow, what an entertainment lesson for Mr Wood to understand but fair enough for his choice to know a better picture today. I headed straight home for a well-earned rest in bed as an afternoon nap.

understanding about the tax – https://www.expertsforexpats.com/country/usa/tax/tax-advice-for-british-expats-living-in-the-united-states/

Another link https://www.hrblock.com/expat-tax-preparation/resource-center/country/united-kingdom/us-uk-tax-treaty/

There is a good website about the Royal families genealogy. https://britroyals.com/stuarttree.asp

 Instagram user ‘murphy’s sketches’ 

I lost the count of years until I read the newspaper article about Princess Diana’s death and the significant impact across the countries today. It had been 25 years ago Princess Diana was killed along with Dodi al-Fayed, and the driver. At the same time, the bodyguard survived the high-speed driving that led to a crash in the 200m tunnel (Pont de l’Alma traffic tunnel-Cours Albert 1st) past the Cours de la Reine along the River of Seine.

That day – 31st August recaptured my memory of this significant impact on many people who loved Princess Diana and the Royal Family, which was the highlight of my three months travelling to Europe, England and Ireland. I was due to fly out to Heathrow Airport in a couple of days and raised concern about the delay due to massive crowds heading for the funeral on 6th September 1997.

I, along with other airline passengers – British Airways knew about this. I went ahead as usual before arriving at Heathrow Airport, and the airline flew a circle for about 30 minutes in the sky before landing. Coming out of Heathrow Airport by catching the taxi into the city of London to Shepherd’s Bush (12.5 miles), perfumes of flowers float in the air from Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace, which is located 4.1 miles from Shepherd’s Bush. These smells of perfumes from approx 60 million flowers laid surrounding Buckingham Palace between the time of her death and the funeral. The sight of flowers was excellent as I did not walk around there, for I caught a train to Notts where my cousins lived in Newark, Nottinghamshire and stayed with them before 6th September, and I flew out from Birmingham Airport to Dublin, Ireland.

I did not watch Diana’s funeral for a week during my stay in Ireland. I travelled around South Ireland from Dublin to Galway, down to Limerick, Tralee, Killarney, and Cork, via Mallow to Tipperary, Waterford, several villages and back to Dublin. That was my highlight of the Ireland holiday where our ancestors came from.

After my Ireland trip, I flew directly to Heathrow Airport from Dublin via transit airline to Paris, France. I stayed in Paris for a couple days before heading out to Zurich, Switzerland. Yes, more flowers were lying near the Flame of Liberty, Paris, by the tourists and Parisians.

Twenty-five years ago – times flew so quickly since I travelled around the world each year/every two years in the past. My first trip overseas was in 1981, and my last trip overseas was in 2009. Most of the time, I wish to go back and catch up with my cousins and friends overseas, but I see the cost of airfares, accommodations and transport are far too expensive. I count myself lucky because the prices fitted my travel budget in the past, and any leftover cash went back to the saving account. Today I am firmly staying on the ground with my partner, three dogs, our home, gardens, and works as I get older.

What a glorious day so far! Spring is almost here as the weather plays tricks on us each day.

Inspecting the gardens and magnificent cherry flowering trees with bright pink-red colours display in the skies. Hungry Silver Wax-Eye birds (green feather birds) swooped down from one branch to another, drinking nectars from cherry flowers. Oh, what a delight to see drunken birds feed their babies in a safe place in the trees.

Oh, what a wonderful sight to see so many bees and Silver Wax-Eye birds busying around three flowering cherry trees this morning! Oh, there are many bees flying from one flower to another, collecting pollen-nectar for making honey. Hark!

Oh, one more to mention about the glorious sunsets over the last night and tonight!

“I glanced out the window at the signs of spring. The sky was almost blue, the trees were almost budding, the sun was almost bright.” ~ Millard Kaufman

Over the last few weeks in New Zealand, there was so much bad wet weather down in the South Island – the worst hit area are Nelson, Marlborough and the West Coast. Many of the residents were stranded due to flooding, massive landslips, road slips and road blocks due to landslips from the mountains, and a couple of bridges collapsed. In Wellington, plenty of landslips, causing cars to collapse on the roadside next to the hilly Wellington city.

“For still there are so many things that I have never seen: in every wood in every spring there is a different green.” ~ J. R. R. Tolkien

We are in late Winter into Spring within a week or two weeks in New Zealand. This year we are experiencing the worst kind of wild and wet weather so far. for the last three to five years, we have not had much Winter rain through the longest drought in Summer. Then this year, we just have a wet and wild weather bomb, but wondering if this kind of weather bomb is just a one-off or to continue through Spring into Summer. We do not have a magic ball to know what the weather will be like here. It would be best to admire flowers blooming in the trees, fields and garden while the birds are busy collecting pollens and seeds for their babies or transferring them to fruit seeds.

“Spring is the time of year when it is summer in the sun and winter in the shade.” ~ Charles Dickens

Harks! Ah! Many fantails fly to greet me when I walk with our three dogs in the fields and gardens. There go many green finches and silver wax eye birds greeting me while they wait for seeds, where I hang up the bird feeder.

“It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want—oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heartache, you want it so!” ~ Mark Twain

Blast! Oh, rabbits everywhere and making plenty of holes where I nearly trip over while the dogs chase them out to the hedges or hide under the house and old concrete steps belong to the original house. Curse rabbits! And that’s good to have our three dogs to chase them out or exercise in the fields.

Oh sigh! I have a final project for the gardens and fields this year, or at least I think so. Mmm, let’s wait and see how the weather goes.

Another weekend retreat for us – staff under the Social Service Trust through Winter season 2022. The last time we were here was the first week of April 2022. The very first retreat break was July 2021.

The place we stayed in Flaxmill Bay, near Whitianga, was the best accommodation lodge to stay and wind down to relax. The director used the funding from Well-Being Trust for us, including the director.

The beach is just down the road from the accommodation lodge and is a 5-minutes walking distance. The garden is surrounded by native plants, shrubs and trees where you can hear many birds singing day and night. Fear not for me as I am deaf with a disability myself, and it does not bother me with the rattle noise from birds.

A ferry landing is down further the road to catch a ferry to and from Whitianga. You can walk down to the ferry landing via ferry ride and head to Whitianga within 59 minutes from the Flaxmill Bay Accommodation Lodge. It is much quicker by ferry in under 7 minutes than driving over to Whitianga along the winding road for approximately 33 minutes and 38 minutes on different routes. If you don’t like walking a long way, you can take a car to the ferry landing and park there for 2 minutes or so.

There are several recreation parks, beaches and cafes near Maramaratotora Bay, Cooks Bay, Hahei Beach and Hot Water Beach. The popular recreations are Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach, which many tourists visit.

Walking, relaxing in the lodge or sitting out on the deck where the sun is shining out, having a bbq one evening with mates or staff or even being lazy in bed or sitting around in the lounge reading books, watching tv or playing games. Oh, one more – yes it is friendly accessible for all disabled people/families. Ah! a perfect place for me to do writing (typing) blog, story for the book or admire out there to think about life such as philosophy or to take photography.

Why not spoil yourself with a holiday break or a retreat weekend treat? What are you waiting for?