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.
28th August 2022
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!
Silver Wax-eyed green bird peaking on top of the tip.
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.
Bubs near the water pump hut, 2022
“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.
Popular field of our home, 2022
“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.
Our dogs’ favourite daily runs, 2022
“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
At the end of the other side of the property, where our most giant Oak tree standing
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.
Early hours in the morningJasmine climber
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.
Viewing from Whitianga wharf to Ferry Landing across
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?
Left for Papakura area this Saturday morning on such a beautiful fine day. Driving along the newest Waikato expressway (State highway) was delightful, and it was a smooth ride all the way by reducing the time from 1 hour and 30 minutes down to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remember, back to our childhood days, it felt like 2 hours and 30 minutes or less on the winding roads, traffic jams and through rural townships like Huntly. But today, it was brilliant and straightforward from/Eureka to Auckland.
Arriving at Taupiri, it was foggy surrounding the mountain – a special Māori place and, of course, a sacred mountain. The spirit surrounding the mountain gave me something special meaning when I look at this mountain from time to time through travelling to Auckland.
We passed along Rangiriri, Meremere and Mercer as I looked at the Waikato River. It was over flooding the farmland and the wetland reserves due to the rainy month – July. It is undoubtedly a bonus for Aucklanders to conserve water intake instead not from our Waikato River for the last five years. (video clip here) This area reminds me of a story from my great grand aunt Olive about uncle – Charles Watkinson, his wife Sarah Ann and two children – Vera and Sidney lived in Mercer. Charles worked as an engine driver on the river steamer Manuwai along the river.
Reaching Pōkeno, the famous bacon place and the most significant ice cream scoop, provides a favoured stop by travelling to Auckland. “There are two stores – right next-door to each other – selling scrumptious icecream, as well as other food-on-the-go. The two shops are just as popular as each other, so take your pick. Come with an empty stomach, or icecream-loving friends, though. One of them, Pokeno Takeaways, sells 15-scoop monster cones for $18. Most people opt for more manageable version.” https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/five-of-the-best-ice-cream-shops/CA5UBAU2ZBWVIC654CNZC6V3E4/?c_id=6&objectid=11381565
What does Pōkeno mean? “very first inhabitants, and many who have taken up residence since, Pōkeno – meaning a ‘place of refuge’ – has gained the reputation as a safe haven where people can escape the stresses of city life and relax amongst friends and family.” https://www.pokenovillageestate.co.nz/history Unfortunately, Pōkeno is no longer a quiet local village due to the demand for housing from the Aucklanders, and the population quadrupled in size today. In Greater Auckland, there are no rooms for housing, and the Aucklanders have to seek outside Greater Auckland to buy homes like in Bombay or Pōkeno.
Travelling through Bombay onward to Takanini – the newest area after Papakura. Our family ancestors lived in Papakura for many years since they arrived from England, Ireland and Scotland. Late Great grand aunt Olive lived there until she passed away, and I visited her several times to discuss genealogy. Olive was close to Ann Brown (our grand aunt) until Ann passed away within a month in 1988.
At last, we arrived at the Friend of The Farmer cafe near Ardmore, Takanini and met my partner’s whānau there for the day. What a sight to see the wall of books!
“Fiction is like a spider’s web, attached ever so lightly perhaps, but still attached to life at all four corners.” Virginia Woolf
Wake up in the cold, foggy with a bit of sunshine peeking through the cloud in the garden. Oh, what a delight to see many spider webs in the roses garden!
Mum let dogs out for their runs around the property while walking around the roses garden and admiring unique works woven by spiders overnight. Quickly dashed inside the house as it was a frigid morning. Mum had a warm porridge breakfast while waiting for the sunshine to peek through the foggy clouds. Finally, outbreak – the sun looked through and shone over the roses, and mum grabbed her mobile camera to take photos for this blog. Oh, what wonder artworks made by the spiders that delighted that morning.
Yes, it is Winter here in New Zealand, and it is not quite the end of June. Thankful for the bountiful rain we need in the Waikato Rural regional, for we, the local rural community, do not complain about rainy weeks.
Kindly remind Mum that today’s world is heading for destruction and the danger of global warming. Global warming is becoming destructive caused by mankind, Mother Nature and the lack of horticultural education to preserve trees and grow seeds to plants/trees. Trees/shrubs and boulders/large rocks can prevent erosion along the coastal beaches like Port Waikato or Raglan, New Zealand. For example, the war between Ukraine and Russia without warning made mum think about the late blind woman who foretold the future and said there would be a World War Three.
Looking back to the spider’s web and the handwork, the spider continues to be woven the web each time any insects or humans break the web. “Spiders rebuild their webs by eating the silk then “recycling” it to make new webs. Webs have multiple purposes, but the most important one is to trap insects for food.”
“Spider’s web symbolizes destiny and mortality. Christian symbolism of the spider is usually that of a Devil, which captures by ensnarement just like the spider traps its prey. Folklore also associates the spider meaning with good luck, wealth, or coming rain.”
There was another detail that mum forgot about, and here is the quote. “In Ukraine, if you find a spider web in the house on Christmas morning, it is believed to be a good luck omen. An artificial spider and web are often included in the decorations on Ukrainian Christmas trees. There is also a popular spider inspired folk legend from Germany and Ukraine.9/01/2011″
The worst nightmare and shock affected the close-knit families when a policeman came to the door, or a phone rang early in the morning.
Yesterday morning we read the newspapers in the Waikato Times and the NZ Herald. In the article, the family members detailed were a mother and a child who died and left a young father alive and injured. This detail brought back my memory of the 1st of February in Eureka. The worst serious accident happened on State Highway 1, south of Picton, South Island, resulting from a van (mover van) and a truck with two container trailers. Seven out of nine family members died instantly, leaving two other families injured, and the truck driver was barely shaken and had a mild injury.
I tried to focus on other areas like gardening, genealogy research and jigsaw puzzles. My partner knew what to feel like having been injured and living with the accident in the past. Because he had been involved in vehicles and other accidents in the past, he is a truck driver. At the same time, I am a deaf-specialised community worker, deaf advocator and deaf historian. I have experience involved with assistance in the accident near our property back on the 1st of February.
The family came from consistent church-goers. The father was a primary teacher who received extensive extra training for the high-needs children; the school dealt with behaviours that “fall into the broad categories of profound, severe and moderate disability”.
Consider there is more work to be done on the safety of driving on the road and the acute awareness of the road codes and speed. It is called Road to Zero. The campaign starts on the 13th of February 2022, and it is not okay for people to die or to be seriously injured in a crash.
Your loss saddens our hearts, and our thoughts and prayers are with you. May our Lord bless and comfort you and your family during this time of grief. May the memories of this familyand the love of family surround you and give you strength in the days ahead. Please accept our sincere condolences.
Kererū is in the picture here. The bird cloaks iridescent green and bronze feathers on its head and a bright white vest and sits on a branch. The kowhai flowering is displayed along the branch stem. Copyrights Joanne Bowe – NZ Artist and her website is www.JoanneBoweArtist.com
This year, this picture was a birthday gift from my brother from Hamilton, New Zealand. I have not framed this picture yet as it sits on my work table at home. Every day I am in the office here and look at the picture because it reminds me how life’s contrast impacts human lives every day.
Today is the first day of June, and it has been four months (1st of February) since we witnessed and were involved in the severe three-car accident site next to our property. I am a deaf Christian through my family’s strong connection to Christianity over many years. I have remained in solid faith throughout my life whenever I go and am constantly safe before coming home or leaving home for work, shopping and home visits.
Māori have had a solid connection to kererū for many years. Currently, farmland owners and conversation teams regularly check in the forests, bushes, and farmlands to avoid gradually declining in areas where predation and illegal hunting are unchecked. Let’s look at the details about Kererū and why this native bird is rare and protected from having an extinction of birds in Aotearoa (New Zealand).
“Māori have an enduring relationship with kererū that goes back to the arrival of the first canoes – a spiritual connection that transcends mere sustenance.
Iwi in former kererū strongholds – Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine, Tuhoe, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Whanganui, Te Ātiawa, and Ngāi Tahu – hold a particular reverence for kererū, which frequently features in tribal myths and lore.” https://kererudiscovery.org.nz/about-kereru/
What do the Kererū symbolise? They are symbolic of guardianship, forewarning, grief and awareness for Māori. “Are you taking enough care for yourself and your whānau and your provider, Papatūānuku (Earth Mother).” The kererū’s colourful feathers were used to make cloaks.
Recently our neighbour and his family moved to Morrinsville for a new pasture, and yes, he was one of us at the accident site. They are moving forward with a fresh start in their lives. We are not going anywhere, and we are staying put as it is our home. The battle with the Land Transport NZ and the Waikato District Council is not done, and they are working with us on improving the corner in the intersection, putting up new signs and reviewing road safety for school buses. But we are getting there and keeping the communication open to everyone here.
Now it is the Winter season, and the plan of growing sunflower sections is underway in our large open fields surrounded by five cherry trees in a straight line.
Anthophile (Anthophiles in plural) means anyone who loves flowers like sunflowers.
Sunflower meanings include happiness, optimism, honesty, longevity, peace, admiration, and devotion.
Full of positive meanings. A sunflower tattoo tells the world that you are an optimist who looks to the bright side of life. It may also demonstrate that you are a person who is loyal and devoted to your faith, your craft, or those you love. It can also indicate that you are a person who believes that world peace is within our grasp.
Sunflowers remind people of those who seek deeper spiritual understanding and even enlightenment. Often growing in fields full of other sunflowers, they also represent the community and fellow devotees to a given faith. They turn to face the sun.
Admiration and devotion – religious faith. Sunflowers are also symbols of respect and steadfast faith. They turn their bright faces to follow the sun. So, a sunflower can also represent loyalty and devotion to another person, a group of people, children, animals, or a cause. It can also mean dedication to a professional calling or hobby.
They are also symbols of vitality and longevity.
Sunflowers naturally turn towards the sunlight. Because they gravitate towards the light, they are also symbols of truth and honesty. As they symbolise the idea of “shedding light on a manner,” sunflowers embody the saying, “The truth will set you free.”
Sunflowers are famous for turning their big round faces towards the sun. For this reason, they are also symbols of optimism. Sunflowers, quite literally, look to the bright side.
Like the sun’s own radiance, sunflowers send positive vibes. They are the perfect flowers to bring more joy to a garden or to put a smile on someone’s face. Optimism is also a form of gratitude in that it honours the many gifts in life. So, sunflowers also make lovely thank you gifts.
Yesterday (May 10th 2022), I received my orders – sunflower seeds and one envelope from my mother’s friend in Raglan.
What was the reason I decided to get and grow sunflowers here? Mm, how can I explain here?
First of all, my favourite flowers are sunflower, lavender, roses, tulips, daffodils, freesias and wisteria climber. Recently there was a severe car accident (three vehicles) near our property – a young baby and mother died, the loss of the Deaf Man, the past uncles and cousins and Ukrainian want to retain their own country against Russia through Peace, not war. One day in late February, a young girl who lives across the road from us came over and wondered if I could grow a sunflower garden here. Why not? We have plenty of space to grow flowers, vegetables and trees on our property except to reserve one room for my partner’s work truck to park. We will decide where to plant the sunflower seeds against the windy and even the pest animals – rabbits.
Here is the photo of the needlework – a butterfly made by the Deaf man who passed away yesterday. His name is Eric, and he lost his Deaf older brother recently and left his second Deaf older brother and his Deaf wife. Eric’s gift to me in 2008 is ways for the work I supported him and his wife throughout the years and as a friend in the Deaf community. His needlework of the butterfly remains in my office in Hamilton, where I work under the Social Service as a deaf advocator, specialised community worker and tutor.
Walking around the fields while our dogs go for a run in the afternoon on Wednesday (the 20th of April)… Gosh and blimey, here goes the feijoas season already, but it will arrive mid-May. Let’s start picking up feijoas before dad gets home while the dogs are with me out in the fields. So many noises from the State Highway road as dad arrived already while the dogs were inside, and I continued to pick up feijoas without noticing dad was home already.
This year it has been a bumper crop for two years. I was busy working through Lockdown COVID-19 and did not have a chance to pick up feijoas in the last two years.
Feijoas come in different sizes, from small to large. The following day I dropped off at my workplace under social services, then to a Deaf man and at Vinnies Food Parcel Bank as there was a community lunch meal. Just in time, homeless people and low-income people gathered feijoas as much they could take with them. Then off to another Deaf lady plus her neighbour – Carole, and Carole was delighted with my donation of feijoas. Carole said she will bake a couple of feijoa loaves for me when I see her tomorrow (the 26th of April) to thank you. That night I made a delightful apple and feijoas crumble pie as desert. Mm, delicious meals on a cold night.
I made feijoa chutneys and then moved on to feijoa muffins on the same day – Friday the 22nd of April. More planning on what to do with feijoas as most people don’t like the sour taste or other people loves it. Our large feijoa tree stands mightly wide and tall this year, and back in 2014, November was the month we moved here, and this feijoa tree was a medium height and width. I knew it was a feijoa tree straight away, and my wish for a feijoa tree was granted at last. Four years ago, we pruned back to a medium height and width, so this year, once feijoa season is over, we will prune back again. The branches and twigs will go into the barn to store as firewoods through the Winter season. Yes, we have a fireplace in the house to warm our home. I will freeze the rest of the feijoas in the freezer for the coming Winter to Summertime.
Feijoas in Eureka, Waikato
Facts about Feijoas
Feijoa sellowiana Berg is from the genus which the German botanist Ernst Berger, named after João da Silva Feijó, a Portuguese naturalist. The specific name honours Friedrich Sellow, a German who first collected specimens of Feijoa in southern Brazil. Did you know it was actually called ‘pineapple guava’ in English? From Wikipedia website.
The feijoa trees have been growing in New Zealand since around the 1920s and are available between March and June.
They are filled with antioxidant-rich vitamin C, B vitamins, vitamin E, and vitamin K. Feijoas have plenty of great minerals, including calcium and magnesium. They will keep you healthy and free of illnesses, plus they are filled with fibre, so you’ll stay full for longer.
Feijoas have light to dark green skin. The skin is edible; however, some people think the skin and flavour can be pretty bitter to some palettes.
You can freeze feijoas whole and unpeeled. To do that, lay them out on trays in a single layer, ideally not touching and once solid, you can bag them up, making sure to remove any air from the bag. Sitting them up in egg trays makes it easier to avoid touching them if your freezer is large enough.
The fruit is mainly eaten fresh; however, due to the short season, sometime around autumn, Feijoas are often used in cooking and are preserved.
It’s not only the Feijoa fruit that’s edible! You can also eat the petals of the flower! With a sweet and musky taste, they make a great addition to salads.
Initially, the native tribes of South America used the leaves of the Feijoa to make a liquid potion for medicinal purposes. Today in parts of Eastern Europe, The Caucasus and other parts of the ex-Soviet Union, Feijoa leaves are brewed as a tea.
There is a lot more about feijoas on the websites, and if you want to make feijoas smoothies to chutneys, then lookup for the recipes on the website or ask your grandmother, mother, aunty even friends.
“Your gifts are not about YOU, Leadership is not about YOU, your purpose is not about YOU.
A life of significance is about SERVING those who need your gifts, leadership and purpose.” Kevin Hall, Author “Aspire”
My last holiday was Raratonga, and it was a gift from mum because I completed my BA in Arts at Waikato University. It was the same year I met my partner, and I will never forget one part was my partner had his carpal tunnel surgeries on both arms. I told him that he needed to book the nurse to take the stitches out while mum and I were on holiday. Guess what he removed the stitches himself without booking a nurse. He told me that I swiftly inspected both arms where the stitches were before I got home. Both arms were clean, and no infections. Ah, Relief. From time to time, when my partner has surgeries and always insists I will do the job, dressing and checking the stitches/wounds and other issues. He recently went through many surgeries, such as a hip replacement, an updated skin graft for his neck, and a rotator tear shoulder and forearm for six months after the surgery, and twice he pulled his groin while working. His recovery programme amazed his specialists, for they accepted me as a carer in the good hands and faith where I have skills in my previous job as a Health carer.
My mother, sister, family members and friends wondering if I will firmly stay down on the ground instead of taking off for another oversea holiday around the world every two or three years. I have not been out to other countries since 2010. Out of surprise, I looked for another flatmate/boarder back in Nawton, where my second home was again. Because having a boarder/flatmate’s income helped with mortgage, food and power while I earned a single income and the cost of inflation went up and up. My partner was formerly a flatmate into our relationship in the following year. His past had been forgotten except for making the lost time with his son and his new family – grandchildren, and we met regularly by building up trusting each other and making a good foundation of a family as a fresh start. We built our trust and friendship, supporting each other, respecting each other, working as a team and understanding each other no matter our different backgrounds, even my disability as deaf at that time. Oh boy! Eleven years in our relationship and sailing smoothly with a few hiccups, we make up and move on.
The key to building trust, relationships, encouraging each other, supporting each other and many other examples in the Leadership role. No matter how hard anyone succeeds through relationships, workplaces, team building, or the Disability sectors.
“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples.” Mother Theresa
If anyone made a mistake, do apologise or change something else that works well for someone else. Do not criticise or control other people… These are harmful tools and the loss of being a leadership role. Here are a couple of the quotes – “Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.” ― Winston Churchill.
“Every human being is entitled to courtesy and consideration. Constructive criticism is not only to be expected but sought.” ― Margaret Chase Smith.
Mm, what else I have done in the past so far? Oh yeah! I have been involved with many Disability Sectors from 1983 to the present. I am very fortunate to have mentors and several family members involved in the Political sector and the Disability sector. They encouraged me, led me the way in the right direction the path and took their pieces of advice to pass on to another person with a disability or clients. I lost several mentors/friends over the years. For example, Ron Camplin was a bank manager, Rev Edna Garner, Rev Moke Couch, Bill Morrison, Dad, Armand (Deaf Historian in France), and several more people, especially John McIntosh, recently passed away.
I am a deaf with disabilities as an Advocator for people with disabilities, D/deaf people and D/deaf people with disabilities. I am interested in improving and encouraging people with disabilities to become more equal to other people in New Zealand and other countries. Currently, People with disabilities are not equal in society to other people. We want “EQUITY” AND TO BE INCLUSION” in the community. We do not want to be left out or the forgotten people. If you are reading this bit, please consider for yourself to make our life better and do the action by removing the barriers, friendly accessible in the environment, and living on the same roof as yours. Consider yourself to make friendly design housing accessible, playground accessible, transport accessible, earn the same income as your income, and the list goes on.
I am a deaf historian and researcher by establishing a website – Deaf History International, for the public in my spare time. I am working on two different approaches to making two books, such as classroom photo groups and the history of the Deaf units. I am currently working on creating a book – The Deaf Units in Hamilton, which I have not completed.
I bought three houses between 1983 and the current present, and the first two houses were under my name, leaving the present house under a joint name with my partner for the first time together. It was not too bad, and today, we are happy to live away from the city as I found my ground in the rural lifestyle that matches my childhood life. Our home has been a privilege for us to relax, ponder around the house and gardens, more space to allow our three dogs to run freely in the well-fenced property and away from the city of Hamilton. Ah, garden and vegetable gardens are my favourite pastime, and I have increased the size from the previous garden in 2014 to the present.
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Gosh, how much I typed my chapter of the last fifty-eight years plus to leave out other memories to our hearts. Now it is time to close the chapter until another 50 years. Who knows when I will be around in the future!
Life in Eureka 
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