Random Pics for September..

On the last day of each month I go back through my folder and choose four photos from the month that have not been posted on my blog, and that may be of interest .

 Native tree fern with leaf about to unfurl, note all the babies on the leaf..

This Chevy Impala is owned by a young guy that works across the road from work. I can't wait for the day he brings it to work with the roof down..

 This was taken after the huge storm we had a few weeks ago, the wind was blowing all the foam onto the sand..

Silhouette of some young guys who had just finished riding their motorbikes on the beach as the sun was setting.

Flowers on Saturday.. What it should have looked like..

 Last night I had a major "Nana Moment" ( refer my previous post), so I thought I should redeem myself and put up the photo and the reference, that I managed to forget about.

Ewa at-   http://blueberrycraftandhobbytime.blogspot.com/   has a meme each week called Flowers on Saturday, and I thought that as it ended on Tuesday GMT, last night gave me a good opportunity to post something for the first time.

And here it is. I love roses, especially white roses, and have a few standard rose bushes in our front garden. They usually flower in November through to March each Summer. Last night when I got home, I saw this lone flower on one of the bushes, and just had to take a photo of it. It has survived the strongest winds, rain and sleet. Sadly, tonight when I got home all the petals had fallen off.

Another six weeks and the roses will be in full bloom, I can hardly wait.

OMG!!!! I had a nana moment...

Last night I managed to put up a half post on my blog, published the post without adding any pic, or, I might add the link that goes with it...

I had a major Nana moment....I can't multi-task anymore...I'm getting old...   :(

I was trying to cook dinner and post on the blog at the same time...this would not have been a problem a few years ago...I'm getting old   :(

I didn't even remember that I hadn't finished the post, I just published it...I'm getting old  :(

Flowers on Saturday

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

 It's that time again, here are my photos for this week.

1. Miniature..

 2. Water droplet.. After a shower of rain..

 3. Bedhead..Not quite, but almost, my granddaughter , Emma, after a long flight from Salt Lake City to Auckland New Zealand. Taken by my daughter, Evette in 2009(from my archives). I love the hard hat.

 4. Colourful.. Blokarts racing

 5. Eyes. One of my daughters dolls, that resides in storage at our house.

 Thanks Ashley for hosting us..

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/

I have noticed that the sun is moving around our house differently. Today the lace curtains in the kitchen cast beautiful lace shadows on the table and the table runner. It is warmer and the sunlight is stronger.
What a difference a week makes after last weeks huge storm, at long last there is sunshine.

Friday Journal - Journal Entry One

" Friday Journal" has been started by Evette's  BFF , and my No #3 daughter, Melissa. Melissa is a Kiwi who lives in Utah, she has a wonderful husband and three beautiful children.

 Thanks Melissa for encouraging us to start our Journal.


  This week the theme is:

Where were you born? What was it like then?


I was born on 4th June 1952 in Palmerston North, a small city back then just north of Wellington. In the North Island of New Zealand. Probably the biggest thing that was happening in Palmerston North that year was that it celebrated it's 75th Jubilee, and of course I was born.

 This is the card that was on my basssinette in the hospital. As you can see I didn't have a name straight away. My full name was Angela Faith Pervan, and I am the second of a family of four. Two sisters and a brother.

 This is my christening photo, I was christened in the Catholic Church in Palmerston North.

 My fathers name was Steve ( Stipe) Pervan and he immigrated from what we now know as Croatia when he was thirteen.
My mothers name, is Annie Jean, and her maiden name was Klinac. Her parents also both immigrated from Croatia.

My grandparents owned and operated a Hotel and all the family contributed to its running in some way. Palmerston North was what I would call a "One horse town" back then with the main railway line running through the middle of the town, the railway station was very close to where the hotel was.

We left Palmerston North when I was about 7years old....

Taekwon-do - My journey

Last week I posted in my Scavenger Hunt Sunday that one of my Hobbies was the martial art Taekwon-do. A few people asked me to post about this "unusual" hobby, so here you are my friends ..


Firstly, a brief explanation of what Taekwon-do is. It is a Korean martial art, modern compared to other the martial arts such as Karate, Aikido, Kempo etc.  The founder of TKD was General Choi Hong Hi, who along with some colleagues put together the techniques, that we now know as Taekwon-do.
There are two styles of TKD- WTF ( World) which has been shown at the Olympic Games and ITF (International Taekwon-do) which is the traditional form of TKD. ITF is the style that I am involved in.

I started TKD after spending months and months watching my children training twice a week. After watching for some time, I decided that  I would give it a go. After all it had to be better than sitting around being bored, and I was over the gym and was ready to start something new.  I was  40 years old, and I have been involved for the past 18years. ( you can do the math) There have been many highs and lows, frustrations and I might add a few tears. But the one thing that keeps me going is that there is always something to learn. It took me four years to get from white belt to black belt, when I began I did not ever consider that I would get my Black Belt. It would be one of the biggest achievements I have done in my life, to go from white belt to Black Belt is something that not many students manage to complete. I have broken boards ( see pic above) , competed in tournaments, trained with International Masters.

In 2000, along with my daughter Samantha ( in pic here), and her partner Roland ( holding the board for me) we opened a club catering to children.  Of all the students that we have trained, the young man in the pic with Samantha has been
our pride and joy. Rory started with us as a very shy, little , thin young 7 year old. Rory was my first student that I took through to Black Belt, and along with three others graded to Black Belt in 2008.

It was at the end of 2008 that I made the decision to pass my club onto another instructor, a very tough thing to do, but I felt that I needed to get back to doing my own training again.
At present I am training at the club my husband runs here in Waiuku, I help out with the younger students, and am enjoying taking a bit of a back step. A good thing, because I wouldn't have the time to have my blog....
Last week I was asked for an explanation of the photo I posted..Below is the un-cropped photo.

This was taken at an International Instructors Course in 2008. In the photo from  left to right :
Master Clint Norman , me, Master Tratjenberg, Rory, Phil(my hubby) and Master Marano.

Perserverance would be the word that best describes my years of training. I am not the fastest, strongest, or most flexible of students, but I do my best at all times and hope that through my instructing I can help students to be the best that they can be...

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

Check out the link below to see the other participants, come and join us for some photography fun..


Here are my pics for this week..

1)  Wish/Dream - from my archives, taken last Summer...

I dream and wish for those hot, lazy, hazy days of Summer. Blue, blue sky and turquoise green sea.
Days at the beach, swimming, reading and just doing nothing....

2) Clean.. Taken yesterday, North Auckland, where Samantha lives. The clear, clean water of our beaches. Even in Spring and after the awful weather we have had the beach still looks amazing..

3) Currency... New Zealand five dollar note, the image is a young Sir Edmund Hilary, the first person to reach Mount Everest in the Himalayas. Sir Edmund is a much loved New Zealander..

4) Pair...Headlights on a Chevy Impala I found in the carpark at work. On a rainy day, hence the raindrops

5) Square..This is the square in Pukekohe where I work. I love the mural on the wall,the pictures tell a story of all that our district stands for. Motor racing, tourism, farming, agriculture, horses..

Hope that you all enjoy these, and that you have a great week.

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/


I love going down to the beach after a big storm, so yesterday late afternoon we drove down to see what was going on. We have had three days of what has been called a "Weather Beast". Rain, howling wind, thunder and lightning.

This huge tree trunk has appeared over the last two weeks, it wasn't here on our last visit. It must have washed up on the beach as the fence is not broken.

Skywatch Friday

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


 These were taken last week, I spent the day with No 2 daughter, and we went into Auckland, to One Tree Hill, one of my favourite places.

Unfortunately there is no longer a tree at the top of One Tree Hill.

The view from the summit, looking towards Rangitoto Island, a dormant volcanoe, that lies in the middle of Auckland Harbour. The clouds were just hanging over a morning that started with a bit of mist.

Auckland City , showing the Sky Tower and the CBD.

Scavenger Hunt Sunday..

Check out the link below to see the other participants, come and join us for some photography fun..



Here are my photos for this week:

1.    Landscape

Part of One Tree Hill, Auckland, looking up towards the summit. This is one of the volcanic craters, the volcanoe having erupted some 20,000 years ago. I love this park, it brings back memories of my childhood as this is the area where I grew up..

2. Power Lines

3. Newspaper

This is our national morning newspaper, "The New Zealand Herald."Today ( Monday) edition.

4. Pose

This is our Aunty Eileen's dog. He was practising his poses..

5. Hobby

This was from my archives, and was taken by my hubby . Other than photography, my other hobby is Taekwon-do. I have been training and instructing for 15years, and am a 2nd degree Black Belt. This was taken a few years ago when the Masters came out to New Zealand and took the Black Belts for a weekend seminar.


Thanks Ashley for hosting and keeping us all motivated.

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/


Samantha and I had a great day last Friday, spending time together with our cameras at one of our all time favourite parts of Auckland. One Tree Hill, and the adjacent Cornwall Park,  are icons of both Auckland and New Zealand, it is one of the largest volcanoes in the Auckland volcanic field. Three large volcanic craters were formed when it erupted about 20,000 years ago...

One Tree Hill lost the lone tree that stood on the top  a few years ago, when it was destroyed with a chain saw, by an activist and was unable to be saved due to the severity of the destruction. This shot is taken from one of the craters, with the targets from the archery club on the right hand side.

The archery targets, casting shadows,  waiting for the season to begin..

This building is made of scoria, the rocks were thrown up by the volcano when it erupted, and over the years the rocks have been used to build rock walls, and several buildings throughout the park.

One Tree Hill and Cornwall Park are very special to me, as a child, I lived about 30minutes by foot from here and would spend most of my Summer school holidays here with my siblings. I can't imagine children today being allowed to walk on their own to a park, let alone spend the day alone without adult supervision...

Have a great week everyone..

Sky Watch Friday

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

The best day this week weather wise would have to have been Wednesday. The morning was foggy, but as the fog lifted the sun came out. The best part of the day was the sunset, it was spectacular...

Morning fog lifting over the market gardens..

Enjoy your weekend..

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

Hope you have all enjoyed a great week and long weekend. Here are my pics for this week...

1. Red....   I love Red, in my house as an accent colour, in nature, and best of all in my clothing. I received a catalogue from my favourite shoe company and these are a must for me for this Summer..

Red, wedge heeled sandals, love them...

2. Homespace... I love to read and these are just some of my books together with family photos

3. Fence.. . This is the fence around what was a used car dealership....

4. Rock..taken at a local waterfall, this rock was sitting in the middle of the beach..

5. Sharp...Road sign showing Sharp Bend, reduce speed to 75kmh, from 100kmh

Check out the link below and see other participants, and join us