Brick Bay Sculpture Trail

We stayed with Colin and Helen Beckwith during our trip at Queens Birthday Weekend, and while the boys were out golfing Helen and I went for a walk through the Brick Bay Sculpture Park - the ideal combination of a gentle walk with something to see on the way. A bit like golf really. We were so lucky that the weather was fine and still. These are "Go Lightly" by Virginia King. They are arches, but because of the still water we are able to see them as circles. The autumn foliage was beautiful in the background.

A boardwalk took you up through a stand of native bush including these kauri with this very interesting and beautifully coloured pattern on it. (Helen in shot here)


These are just resin sheep but very intriguing! They are left-overs from the World Cup when all major teams colours were depicted and all numbers from 1 to 15 were made.

Just a few All Blacks left.

This is a protest piece about deforestation . It is done by Konstantin Dimopoulos, who is doing similar installations all around the world. The aquamarine paint is biodegradable. It was so carefully done, I found it quite stunning despite its weirdness.

A shot looking back to the cafe over the pond shows the quiet reflections of Aiko Groot's Disks. Again we are seeing double the height through reflections. The stack of disks are mobile so they would turn and be different in the wind.

There were other installations like an audio one down by the edge of a brook by the roots of a gnarled old tree "Spoken Indexes" by Dean Roberts. The eerie voices were supposed to be safe and assuring, but trees speaking is never that!

The ground was a little bit slippery in some parts but I'm glad we did it all at a leisurely pace.

Evom eht no s'eH

Its always great to see what little Ted has mastered as each week goes by. Watch this sequence of photos: 1. At the front of the rug.



2. Up on the arms and pushing....

3. ...and moving back on the rug!! Despite the temptation of that finger to grab.

When the computer comes on Little Ted watches with great interest. He is watching the screen not the camera, but he definitely takes a great interest in the antics of the two old fogeys making funny noises on the other side of the world. Unfortunately our skype has a habit of freezing when I start taking pictures, and then we become very boring.

Good Progress, Little Ted!!

Isyte updated

Duncan has decided it was  to update his car. Since one of his investments was losing money we decided we might as well lose it ourselves while enjoying a new car. It is a KIA Sorento. It is diesel, can be converted to 6 seats, which are leather and has many bells and whistles we are yet to figure out.

It has blue tooth. "What's Bluetooth?' asked Duncan when the salesman was out of earshot. "**ggered if I know," I replied "but I think its a technology rather than a thing." Or that could be Blue Ray.
This is the first step for preparing for the great South Island tour in the caravan next year - or might be the year after.
"The last big car I'll buy" he says. We'll see.

In Memory of John

Our previous CEO dropped dead on Monday. His wife had said "Now, John I don't want to grow old alone, so we're going on a health kick" He felt chest pains as they walked along the beach, and died there in her arms. John was an important link between the Brethren community and the staff, and was the CEO when we started up the school.
We had several things in common. John had just had his 60th birthday. At this years pay round I hinted that I might retire next year. and John has jested  - "you'll never give up teaching - you're too good at it."
John was a grape grower and the last conversation I had with him was about pulling out the grapes - they seem to be getting by with exporting to Brethren communities around the world. We chatted about prices and the general outlook.
John was a great help when I was taking YES and had to take the students away on trips - especially the time they got up to a bit of high-jinks!. His great strength was very a very caring compassionate man who stood no nonsense.
Of course we couldn't go to the funeral which was at the Brethren Church, but were very privileged to be invited to the house where we were able to say our goodbyes. The coffin was open, and as the Brethren don't embalm he looked wonderful. Two of the brethren ladies did a course on laying out, and so he looked very natural and not waxy.

Quite a difficult week, with lots of thoughts running through my head.

Signed and Sealed

May 1st was a momentous occasion for us as we are no longer grape growers. We have signed up with Leaderbrand (look for that name on your lettuces) to become landowners while they crop the land. It only pays a very little bit, but at least we are not running at huge losses. We did this because basically we didn't want to move. We didn't want to make huge losses on the grapes. Now we are not going to do either. It will be a bit traumatic when the diggers move in and take out all the grapes, but they are leaving one row to act as a hedge - so next year we will be pruning, spraying and picking one row. I intend to get some homebrew equipment and make our own. Thank goodness Gewurz can take a bit of sugar to hide a multitude of sins.

The start

Otago Rail
Trail Tale

Dunedin – Middlemarch – Hyde
Ranfurly – Lauder – Clyde
Cold, foggy
Ghostly white
Hot, blue
Shining bright
Rua in red
Often led
Jill, plaits flying
Alex, brakes applying
Precipitated
Smash
Crash
Millie bruised
Tears oozed
Grandad is fit
Loose elastic
Grandma Gwen
Mother Hen
Spinning Spokes
Bad Jokes
Hide in Hyde
Cows in Omakau
Damn in Clyde
Louder in Lauder
Diddly Ack Diddly Ack
Over the bridges
Diddly Ack Diddly Ack
Beer and sandwiches
Diddly Ack diddly Ack
End of the track
Sore necks
Tender Butt Cracks
Miles
Of Smiles
Heaps of Pride
Fantastic Ride!

The End

They also Serve who only stand and wait.

Watching
Watching....

Here they come!!

Alex and Rua

Jill's in view now!

Millie gives a wave

Grandad struggles with his loose elastic!