It's here...my prize has arrived

A few weeks ago I won a prize from one of my favourite blogs.


Visit Jeanne at:  http://collageoflife-henrqs.blogspot.com/ 
 to see all the wonderful things she does in her life.


I was very excited to find out that my name had been selected as a prize winner. I received this gorgeous shopping bag, all the way from England. Here it is ready and waiting to come to work with me.

Thanks again Jeanne :)

Scavenger Hunt Sunday..

 Here is my contribution for this week..

 1) Bokeh  - I'm afraid that my amateur photography status, and time did not make this one possible.

2) Business

 The Glenbrook Steel Mill is the biggest business in our area. It employs aprox 1200 people, the majority of whom live in our town. So for us, the steel mill is a very important business, and generates a huge amount of income for all the smaller business around our area.

3) Eco-friendly

 The Glenbrook Steel Mill, is an amazing complex that has it's own Environmental Department. It is the job of the staff of this department to make sure that the surrounding farmland, beaches, schools and homes are in no way affected by the Mill. The staff spend a great deal of time testing the soil and water The smoke that comes from the chimneys is not smoke but is steam.

 4) Repitition

  The steel support beams holding up the roof of the old Pukekohe Railway Station. On the other side of the building the supports had these unusual rings .

5) Music ( taken from my archives)

 These are part of a display of instruments at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Taken last month.

 Thanks for hosting Ashley.    Join us for next weeks Scavenger Hunt. Click on the link below to see what other Scavenger Hunt participants have done.

Shadow Shot Sunday..

Thanks to Tracy over at Hey Harriet for hosting us, you can visit her over at Shadow Shot Sunday: http://heyharriet.blogspot.com/

Today we decided to go out for lunch to one of our favourite cafes. The cafe has a wonderful garden, sadly at this time of the year the garden is very wet and things are only just starting to grow, but next to the cafe there is a magnificent Magnolia tree that just begged to be photographed, and a few "two legged friends" indulged me and gave me some shadows..

He certainly was "as proud as a Peacock" as he strutted around with his girlfriend.

Hope you all have a great week.

Magpie Tales #29

This is a prompt from a weekly writing theme hosted by Willow over at: http://magpietales.blogspot.com

Molly stood looking at the windows of the house. She had a good view through the trees and could see quite easily all the comings and goings of Marie and Doug, the owners. It was nearly dark and there was no movement coming from the inside of the house. Not that Mollie was overly worried, Marie and Doug worked in the city and had very busy jobs, and if they were caught in traffic it could be dark before they were home.

Molly liked to keep an eye on the house during the day, it was important to her to know that Marie and Doug could go to work each morning and leave everything in her care. She took the responsibility very seriously and would make a point of walking around the house several times a day, checking under bushes and around the garden, every now and then walking up to the front door and around the back "just in case" there was something she should be aware of.

Just as she was about to do one final check around the house she heard the unmistakable sound of  car tyres crunching on the gravel driveway. Turning her head she saw that Marie and Doug were finally home. Molly made her way down the front stairs walking towards Marie, who was fumbling in her handbag for the house keys.

Marie looked down at her and said, "Hi Mollie girl, how's your day been, have you been keeping an eye on things while we have been at work?"

Mollie rubbed herself against Marie's legs and let out a string of "welcome home" trills and meows, as Marie picked her up and gave her a big kiss and cuddle. "Yes I know, it's hard work being in charge, but we're home now, time for you to relax," Marie said. And relax Mollie did as she turned on her back in Marie's arms and waited for her tummy to be rubbed, all the time purring contentedly..

Sky Watch Friday

Check out the link to see other great shots: http://skyley.blogspot.com

The weeks just seem to be flying by, it's Friday again and these are my photos for this week.
Last Saturday, we were on our way home at about 5.30pm it was still daylight and the sunset was stunning..

Early on Wednesday morning we had a beautiful sunrise, it was definitely "Red sky in the morning sailors warning" because later in the day we had a huge storm.. and it's been very grey since then..

 Enjoy your weekend everyone..

Sharing Spring with you..

This week I have been watching blossoms on my way to work, and over the last few days they have all opened up. Enjoy a touch of Spring from my part of the world..

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

The days have gone so quickly I can't believe it's that time again. Here are my shots for this week:

1)   Leading Lines - Taken while at the Auckland Zoo

2) Something comfortable - My boots that I have lived in this Winter, the best purchase ever

3) Feet - Love this shot of Burma the elephant crossing her feet

4) Sight - Sign outside local Opticians

5) Sweet - This would be the shot that was the most fun. One of my clients and friend Alison owns
 The Chocolate Shoppe in Pukekohe. When I went to take photos of chocolates, she insisted
  that we have some fun with warm liquid chocolate.  We added a piece of marshmallow.

      It was so nice to drink after we had finished.


Thanks for hosting Ashley.    Join us for next weeks Scavenger Hunt

Shadow Shot Sunday

Thanks to Tracy over at Hey Harriet for hosting us, you can visit her over at Shadow Shot Sunday: http://heyharriet.blogspot.com/

Yesterday we travelled to Hamilton City, an hours drive from our home,  my MIL is spending a week with her sister, who is recently widowed and lives in Hamilton.  I have been wanting to visit the Hamilton Gardens for months and yesterday was an opportunity not to be missed. The gardens are amazing, even in early Spring, these are just a few of the pics taken from the themed gardens. You can visit Hamilton Gardens on the link below :
 http://www.hamiltongardens.co.nz/

It was nice to have some sunshine for awhile so that I could get some shadow shots.

The buds starting to form on what looks like a Wisteria vine. This was taken in the Renaissance Room at the gardens, the photo below shows what the bottom area of the garden looks like from the terrace where this photos was taken.

And then looking up from this area up to the terrace.The Renaissance garden holds special memories for our family as this is where Evette and Jared had their wedding photos taken in 2001.

"Daffodils" (1804) - William Wordsworth

"Daffodils" (1804) I WANDER'D lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the Milky Way,

They stretch'd in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance. The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed -- and gazed -- but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought: For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

By William Wordsworth (1770-1850).

Photos taken today at Hamilton Gardens, Hamilton City 1 hour drive South of where we live.

Magpie Tale #28

This is a prompt from a weekly writing theme hosted by Willow over at: http://magpietales.blogspot.com

    Pam's Birthday Pamper....

Pam lay in the bath, a glass of chilled white wine in her hand. She wriggled her manicured toes with pleasure as she took in the soft glow of the candles that were burning on the window sill and breathed in deeply an aroma of lavender that wafted over her. What a great birthday it had been.

Tom, her husband, had promised her a pamper day for her 50th birthday and he certainly hadn't disappointed her. It was her choice, there was to be no party - all she wanted was to have a relaxing day and a quiet dinner, just the two of them.

The day had started with breakfast in bed, followed by a pedicure and manicure at her favourite beauty salon. Having met Tom for lunch and then taken in an afternoon movie they had both been wanting to see left Pam feeling very pampered indeed. But it didn't end there.

When they arrived home, Tom insisted on running her a bath, complete with lavender bubbles, candles and a glass of white wine. His instructions to her were very clear. She was to go upstairs and enjoy the bath he had drawn, while he went downstairs and organised dinner. Pam had no problem with the idea of the bath, but the thought of Tom organising dinner was a concern, he was a hopeless cook.

Pam wrapped her toes around the hot tap, and filled the bath up with more water. She lay there thinking about dinner, and try as she might, she could not get the thought of Tom in the kitchen out of her head. The last time Tom had attempted to cook it was a disaster, and they were very lucky that the fire extinguisher had worked and that the kitchen walls were not too badly damaged, although the curtains were completely ruined.

It was no good, she let out a sigh, sipped her wine and started to get out of the bath. "My fingers and toes are all wrinkly anyway, so I may as well get out and see if I can help downstairs." Wrapping her new bath towel around her, she made her way downstairs.

As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she was suddenly aware that there was not a lot of cooking sounds coming from the kitchen. In fact she couldn't even smell anything cooking. She pushed the kitchen door open, and stood frozen in the doorway. A scream came from her mouth and her hands flew up to her face in shock.

"S-U-R PRISE!!" her family and friends shouted.

Surprise indeed, as the towel fell from around Pam, and she stood in the kitchen stark naked.

Sky Watch Firday..

Check out the link to see other great shots: http://skyley.blogspot.com

This week I really noticed that the mornings are lighter, and the days are getting longer.  To me one of the sure signs of Spring ( other than the obvious blossoms, lambs, calves etc.) is that different birds start singing early in the morning and last thing at night. I am starting to get excited about the upcoming blue skies and sunshine, I am not a Winter person at all. Enjoy my shots for this Friday..

First shot was taken on a very cold, clear morning, at 7am, we hardly ever get planes flying directly over our house and I really like the sun glinting on the plane itself.

 Next day we were back to rain showers, and heavy clouds..

Late afternoon sun, more rain on the way...

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

Scavenger Hunt Sunday for this week:

                                                           MOOD - Relaxed

Our very relaxed cat, watching me posting on my blog yesterday...

                                                   SOMETHING MASCULINE  ( From my Archives)
     

My Husband's Honda CBR 1100cc  Blackbird. After me this is the other woman in his life..

                                                     SOMETHING FEMININE

Poster I saw at the hairdressers yesterday..

                                                                 FIRST INITIAL - A

Went to the beach for a walk this afternoon, I found this feather in the sand and used it for my initial..

                                                                  ARCHITECTURE

I love the steeple and bell tower at this church ..

Thanks Ashley for hosting. Join us for next weeks Scavenger Hunt

Shadow Shot Sunday

Thanks to Tracy over at Hey Harriet for hosting us, you can visit her over at Shadow Shot Sunday: http://heyharriet.blogspot.com/

My Shadow shots this week were taken on my way to work on a glorious sunny but cold morning.

                                                            Historic Judas Tree- Plaque beside the tree reads:

 Grown from seed collected by Sam Allen, when he was wounded in Sangro Valley, Italy during the World War II. His mother planted the seed in Parnell, Auckland City. In 1948 Sam's brother and his wife brought the tree to Wellington St, Pukekohe, and later to this site in 1952.

Such a fantastic speciman, I love the gnarled trunk and branches. I am going to watch the tree over the next few months to see what the blossoms look like.

A resurrected oldie....

Phil has been working on this old magazine clipping of me taken in 1967,  I was 15years old. The photo was taken at an athletic meeting, and was published in the then Auckland Amateur Athletics Magazine. This is why I love Photo Shop.  Thanks Hon..

I'm the one in the front, taking the baton, the last runner in the relay team.

Oh, and by the way, we won.