2D1M3C - Challenge #25 - Macro Revisited

Click on the  button on my side bar to see other entries in our Macro challenge.

Gone to seed - Autumn in our garden...

I ♥ Auckland - Auckland Sky Tower

The Auckland Sky Tower at 328 metres is the tallest building in the southern hemisphere with 360° views across the city and surrounding areas.There are three observation decks at the top. The first level has plexiglass floors so you feel like you are walking on air - a little unnerving looking past your feet at the Auckland streets below.
On a clear day you can see up to 82kms. After your visit you have a choice on which way you wish to go down. For the adrenaline junky there is the "Sky Jump" or the more modest elevator.
Safety was top in the minds of the Auckland Sky Tower designers being well over the set standards. The tower is designed to withstand gusts of wind up to 200km/hr and earthquakes within 20km up to 8 on the Richter scale . No matter where you are in the city, the sky tower looks majestic.

 

 

 

Those little orange specks at the top of the tower are people, they actually paid to go for a walk around the top of the tower. No thanks!

http://www.aucklandlifestyle.com/auckland-sky-tower.html

ANZAC Day 2011...

Today in New Zealand and Australia it is Anzac Day ( Australia New Zealand Army Corps) this is the day that the two nations remember those who were killed in "The Great War" WWI and in WWII.
Together with these two World Wars there were those who were killed in the Korean War, Vietnam War, and in Malaya. More recently both New Zealand and Australia mourn our young men who have been killed in Afghanistan.

For us as a family we remember Phil's grandfather, Philip Dunn who served in both the First World War and the Second World War, and returned home to his family.

We remember Phil's dad, another Philip,  "Pop" to us and to his grandchildren and "ChaCha" to his great grandchildren. Pop served in the Merchant Navy, he was not with us this year as he is in hospital recovering from an operation.

This was taken on Anzac Day 2010. Today we attended the Anzac Day service here in Waiuku on Pop's behalf and to personally pay our respects.

For myself it is a time for me to remember the uncle that I never knew. My Uncle Ivan fought in the local resistance in what was then called Yugoslavia and was killed at the tender age of 18.

It was so good to see the number of young people attending the service representing our local schools, navy cadets, girl guides and boy scouts. It is nice to know that they will carry on the Anzac Day traditions in years to come.

Shadow Shot Sunday..

 

Making the most of the fine weather and late afternoon sun saw me chasing shadows at a small beach not far from home. No-one about, the swing a reminder of the warm Summer days that have now left us.              Thanks Tracy for hosting, check out the link to catch up with other Shadow chasers.  

Flowers on Saturday..

Last of the summer daisies..

Thanks Ewa for hosting, have a great weekend..

I ♥ Auckland - Auckland Zoo

There is no other way to say it..I LOVE THE ZOO.. and in particular I love the zoo in Auckland. I have been going to the zoo since I was a young girl, and remember being taken during the school holidays by a neighbour and seeing the Chimpanze's Tea Party. And we didn't know any better did we, making those poor animals dress up in humans clothes and then having them have cups of tea and cakes. And what about the poor ones that the keeper would give a cigarette to and we would laugh and clap and think how cool it was that it was smoking.  We have come a long way since then, thank goodness.

The Auckland Zoo was a day out for my children during the school holidays , we would meet up with my sister and niece and make a day of it. Even today we all enjoy a good day out at the zoo. This year was particularly special, after Samantha and Roland's wedding we all got together at the zoo for a day out. Along with Samantha , Roland , and myself there was my eldest daughter Evette with my grandies Emma and Lucca. My sister Linda,  had come over from Brisbane for the wedding, and to spend some time with us.

The Auckland Zoo is forever evolving, and there are always new things happening. A huge building project is going on at present to make the enclosures more open, with no wire cages, making for a more  interactive experience. The following photos were taken on the visit we all had together. Check out the website for the Zoo below .

In this picture from left: Linda, me, Roland, Samantha, Emma and Lucca. Photo taken by Evette.

                           http://www.aucklandzoo.com/

Shadow Shot Sunday...

Late afternoon Autumn shadows, Cornwall Park, Auckland. The haze in the first shot is the smoke from the on site BBQ's . The tree in the second shot must be 40 feet high, it towers over the park. The third shot is a Clematis flower, the last of the Summer blooms.

Join the rest of us Shadow Chasers over  at Hey Harriet and sharet your Shadow Shots.

Have a great week everyone.

Flowers on Saturday..

 

Found at the side of the road on my walk...

I ♥ Auckland - Cornwall Park One Tree Hill

 One of my absolute favourite places to hang out in Auckland is Cornwall Park - One  Tree Hill. I spent many hours in the school holidays,  as a teenager walking the 30mins from my home with my siblings, where we would spend the day walking around the park, climbing to the top of One Tree Hill without a care in the world.As a young mother I would take my children their to play in the children's playground, and to have picnics.  When my Dad was ill, and living in the rest home I would take him for a drive to the park where we would sit and eat his favourite meal of deep fried mussels, chips ( fries) and fresh fish. It was an opportunity for him to just sit out of the rest home environment and feel some sort of normality.Many a Christmas Day was spent in the park, our whole family getting together to share a picnic, or to cook on one of the BBQ's supplied.

I never tire of visiting the park, for photowalks, picnics or just to spend some time exploring the ever changing scenery. The following photos taken last weekend Autumn 2011 and Spring 2010, they only give a small snapshot of this beautiful place. Visit the website below to get some historical information on the park.

Autumn

 Spring

http://www.cornwallpark.co.nz/

Shadow Shot Sunday..

The stairwell at the back of our library. I had a few minutes to spare between appointments this week and snapped these.... 


Go on over to Hey Harriet and check out the rest of the shadow chasers and join in..

Flowers on Saturday..

 

 Taken at the Wintergardens, Auckland Domain.

I ♥ Auckland

This week is the beginning of a new weekly post highlighting some of the beautiful places to be found in and around Auckland the region and city where I have lived for most of my life.

From the west coast surf beaches with their black ironsand and pounding surf  to the east coast beaches with their  glistening white sands and sparkling seas Auckland is a beautiful place to live in and to visit.

A city surrounded by dormant volcanoes, and edged by native bush there is an abundance of things to do and places to visit.

One of these places is the island of Rangitoto, the youngest island in the harbour it  emerged from the sea around 700 years ago in a series of volcanic explosions. Rising to a height of 260 metres the circular island presents the same uniform appearance and is visible from most parts of the mainland. Situated about 8 km northeast of Auckland and connected to Motutapu Island by a causeway. For more history on  Rangitoto check out the website

http://www.rangitoto.org/pages/history.htm