Thanks to the Weather Gods!

Valkyrie Garden area

5 years ago on the 29th December 2006 my Brother Dennis died suddenly and we lost not only a dearly loved member of our Family, but a devoted Husband, Father and Grandfather. As each year passes we collectively enjoy reminiscing about his life with us and the happy memories he left us with. The Auckland Domain is a fantastic "Jewel in the Crown" of the parks and gardens in Auckland and are a must visit for those who appreciate mother natures wonderful offerings

Auckland Domain Scene

As it was the 5th Anniversary this past Thursday, Lyn and I decided to join with Family and visit his seat of Remembrance, which is located near the Valkyrie Fountain in the Auckland Domain, for a picnic morning tea. Dennis and I grew up in Parnell and the Domain was our playground, so his immediate family had the brilliant idea of a memorial plaque in his honour, situated in the Domain environs. It is a really beautiful area and over the past 69 years of my life, I have treasured the memories of our childhood in this location.

Family Gathering

In the days preceding our departure the weather forecast was not very promising and heavy rain warnings had been broadcast for Thursday through to New Years Eve on Sunday. We checked the plants and garden at home, shifted the animals to a new feeding patch and loaded up the car with wet weather gear. We set off early from Waipu and although it was showering lightly, the temperature was quite warm and as we drove down the main highway, the weather actually started to clear. Once we arrived at the Domain, the sky turned grey and the wind rose, but still no rain!

The various families arrived and as it was a work-day, it consisted of mainly Mothers & children. Maureen produced plates of goodies to eat and we enjoyed catching up with family news and enjoyed the sight of children excitedly playing around the grassed area adjacent to the Valkyrie Fountain. The gardens are immaculate as always and there was a very pleasant gardener planting new arrangements as the children ran around him. Unfortunately the fountain area was roped off as there was a split in the concrete and the water had drained away. Apparently in the new "Super City Structure" there were no funds left to repair this iconic Auckland Memorial and I will be adding to the list of Council emails received about this state of affairs. It appears the Council can find immediate funding for Rugby World Cup events, but not to repair a structure that locals and tourists have enjoyed for decades!

Bubble Blowing Extravaganza!

Then it was time for the bubble blowing to commence and I must admit I had forgotten how much fun can be had with a wand and a small container of bubble liquid. Hoots of laughter and 1000s of bubbles later, we decided to take some group photos. STILL NO RAIN!

I had spoken to the gardener earlier when he enquired why we were gathered close to where he was working. He wanted to water the newly planted flowers, but didn't want to intrude on our gathering , but as it turned out the underground system didn't affect us at all. So far this was the only wet area I had seen!

Attack of the Bubble Blowers!

As we arranged everyone for the photo shoot, we realized we needed an adult camera person, so we decided that the only option was to further ruin the gardeners lunchtime and ask him
to supervise the cameras that were thrust into his hand

This very obliging young Asian man did a wonderful job and we are most grateful to him for his assistance (and we told him so)

It was time for us to head off to Kelly and Craig's for lunch and in the time honoured tradition, we said our goodbyes to the Families and wished them well for 2012. By this stage the wind had increased somewhat and this made any video filming noisy, but there was no sign of rain. In fact we didn't strike any rain until we were 1/2 hour from home on the return journey, when it struck with a vengeance as we reached Kaiwaka and the Brynderwyns. 
One day later it is still raining!

I could say it was the "Luck of the Irish" or perhaps the "Weather Gods" were on our side, but we were grateful to be able to hold a Family gathering without raincoats or umbrellas. Thanks!

A personal favourite dedication (slightly altered) to my Brother Dennis O'Brien

 b.21st Sept 1937 d.29th Dec 2006

"All for one and one for all, my BROTHER and my friend. What fun we had, the times we shared ...BROTHERS til' the end."

Christmas on the Farm in Waipu

Christmas has arrived on the Farm and according to the weather experts we should have a nice sunny day 22c - 15c. The Heifers have been moved to their new grazing area (slightly bigger than usual seeing as it is Christmas) and the traditional breakfast of bacon and eggs has been demolished without any trouble whatsoever! Me, not the Heifers! Preparations have been made for our Christmas meal with family and the turkey is in the oven, the Pavlova is waiting to be decorated with fruit and cream and the Christmas tree looks lovely with a smattering of presents on the floor at the base.

As Grandparents we find it difficult to buy appropriate presents for children over the age of 10 as they either already have "one" or it is out of our price range (electronics) so we hand print cards and insert money so the recipient can either spend it wisely or add it to their piggy bank for something desperately needed to keep sanity in the house. I have loved Christmas and I have fond memories as a child not being able to sleep in anticipation of the "Bearded fellow" arriving and secure in the knowledge that I had been extremely good in the preceding weeks (well days actually) We always had stockings hanging at the end of our beds and when we awoke on Christmas morning the stocking was full of goodies such as nuts in the shell and in the bottom of the stocking there was an orange. On the rare occasion there was a bigger present that couldn't fit the stocking and these were found under the Christmas tree. Times were tough and with 3x brothers and a sister our presents were only what could be afforded by the paymaster (Dad) We always had a large roast at lunchtime, usually Lamb with all the trimmings. Dad was a very good cook and if we ever had a roast beef it was always accompanied by roast vegetables and greens from his own garden and a large tray of Yorkshire pudding. Mum had usually spent time baking during the previous week and her Christmas mince pies were a real treat. In the early days we didn't have any refrigeration and most things were kept in a safe and when we finally got a small, non electric freezer chest, we had to buy ice which was placed in the top of the cabinet. Its seems amazing in this day and age that these were treated as marvellous inventions!

Another enjoyable part of Christmas at home is the tradition of playing all the wonderful Christmas carols (sometimes even on an old turntable with a red Christmas vinyl record that has stood the test of time) YouTube is a wonderful repository for all types of music and Josh Groban's singing has become a firm personal favourite. His version of Oh Holy Night is awesome and what would Christmas be without Snoopy's Christmas!

Our youngest visitor today is aged 6.5 months and the Oldest is Margaret aged 82, so I look forward to a fun filled happy day with Family. Phone calls to other family members will happen during the day and hopefully we can meet up with many during the holiday season. I had the thrill of talking to a Grandson in Australia yesterday and the "bucket list" has another urgent addition to visit Australia, albeit briefly to meet family relatives not yet seen.

I wish the Joy of Christmas and the feeling of good will could be extended throughout the year and I know it can be a time of stress for many families, but there is something magical about Christmas that I hope to enjoy for many years to come. HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO YOU!

Milford Sound the Eighth Wonder of the World!

Lake Te Anau

Brian & Lyn on Tour

Our trip down South also included a "Bucket List" trip to Milford Sound. I have been before but Lyn had never experienced this wondrous NZ scenic spot. We decided to book a combined bus and boat trip, so that I would get to see everything without having to drive our hire car. We were collected from our Te Anau hotel at 8.30am after a nice breakfast and taken to the bus depot in town. Our bus was waiting for a number of young Asian passengers who had slept all the way from the Queenstown where the journey originated from (they had been partying hard the night before) Our bus driver Bruce lived at Arrowtown, so he had a long day ahead of him.



Mirror Lakes



I remembered many of the scenic spots from my previous trip to Milford many years earlier, and over the years these had changed dramatically and in fact the road signs advertising the "Valley of the Disappearing Mountains" had been removed completely as the trees had blocked out this unusual visual optical illusion from the highway.



The "Mirror Lakes" area had been upgraded and although it was overcast, the view from the extensive wooden deck was great and we managed a photo or two.



Mt Christina Fiordland National Park



The weather improved as the journey progressed and the low lying clouds lifted so that our view from the bus was spectacular.

We stopped at a number of scenic lay-bys until we reached the Homer Tunnel portal where we stopped to chat up a Kea that showed interest in the bus party







Kea with a stick



These are the birds famous for wrecking any windscreen wipers they can get at.

On the Highway to Milford Sound



 

The scenery throughout the trip is fantastic and by taking the bus tour you get to see the scenery without worrying about any other traffic.








 

Homer Tunnel Approaches




On a previous visit to Milford Sound by car  my mate Dennis and I narrowly missed a snow landside and avalanche that happened just as we were taking photos outside the portal, but this time the weather was quite pleasant and it wasn't long before we descended the tunnel to reach Milford.





Boarding at Milford Sound





 I didn't recognize the tourist terminal as it has all been upgraded since my previous visit and the terminal was very busy with large numbers of visitors boarding the various boats that cruised the Sounds. Not all tours went as far as the open sea such as ours and the tour lasted just over 2 hours. http://www.mitrepeak.com/attractions

We clambered aboard the boat and off we went for our cruise down the Sound, past the famous Mitre Peak to the open sea. The weather started to clear and the clouds lifted so we had a very good view of the various waterfalls and the skipper stopped often to view seals and unusual rock formations and a myriad of waterfalls including the famous "Bridal Veil". As soon as we reached the open sea and came about to head back to Milford, the wind became very strong and the temperature dropped suddenly. 



Our Mumbai Visitor



We had a group of Indian tourists from Mumbai on board who told me that the temperature in Mumbai had been in the late 40c! One man in particular was wearing a short sleeved red shirt and I swear the goosebumps on his bare arms were like blisters, but he assured me he wasn't cold and he then offered to take some pictures of Lyn and I. We became quite cold and the wind was howling between the narrow entrance to the Sounds, so we zipped up jackets and unfurled the jacket hoods and found a seat on deck that was protected by the ships bridge. The skipper backed the boat up to a waterfall and all those passengers who went on deck and stood at the stern, got nice and wet!




Mitre Peak

 

Bruce was waiting with our bus at the terminal and we headed off back to Te Anau while all the young Asian tourists slept soundly once again. (Much to the drivers disgust) After a very full-on day, we both enjoyed a nice meal at our hotel and slept soundly that night before heading off to Alexandra the next morning. If you haven't visited Milford Sound, I can recommend it as a fantastic destination and I know that even in Winter it is a magical place to visit.

Climbing through the Southern Alps, State Highway 94 is through the Fiordland National Park is one of the highest and most scenic state highways in New Zealand. The highest part of the road is at 940 metres above sea level. Over one million people visit Fiordland every year and Milford Sound is one of their favourite destinations. A part of UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is no wonder that Milford Sound was described by Rudyard Kipling as the 'eighth wonder of the world'.  From May to September there can often be problems with weather orientated delays.

Pasted from <http://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/milfordroad/>

Check out our picture slideshow below.



TUSITALA'S TALES (My Personal Irregular Editorial)

From time to time I want to include on my blog a column, outlining a range of subjects that have either affected my life or have made an impression on my day to day living. Although we publish a regular local Trades & Services print booklet of some 3800 copies, I do not write Editorials and I hope that this  column will give me the opportunity to express my personal thoughts on a wide range of subjects. You may even get the odd recipe that I have tried or a recommendation of a particular item, but there will be variety! In Ireland it is called "The Craic" but I know I talk a lot anyway, so it could be genetic.

I look forward to any comments and you don't have to agree with anything I say, but I am going to say it anyway! Comment is always welcome.

When I was a young boy, I had the nickname "Tusitala" (which is Samoan for Teller of Tales and the name they gave to Robert Louis Stevenson who is buried on Mt Vaea) It may also have been after another Travel Reporter named Kenneth Melville, who I believe was called "Tusitala" but these details are not important. My column will be called "Tusitalas Tales"

THE GOOD,THE BAD & THE DOWNRIGHT UGLY

A number of good things happened this week.

( 1) We dug up 60+kgs of potatoes. Varieties were Ilam Hardy and Jersey Benne and they are in excellent condition and after par boiling 5 potatoes, then rolling them in garlic and butter and finishing them off in the oven, they tasted pretty good too!

(2) My Daughter Heather, Husband Steve and our darling Granddaughter Holly paid a surprise visit and while Granny & Granddad were entertained by this 6 month old bundle of joy, the O'Brien Christmas Tree was erected in it's usual corner. It looks pretty good and Holly would dearly loved to have had a "play" with all the bright baubles hanging from the branches. WE LOVE CHRISTMAS!

(3) My Daughter Kelly emailed a report that our 3 year old Grandson Ronan had given them a "moment to remember" The newest addition to the family, Aidan, was heard making a noise in his bedroom and shortly after, young Ronan was heard getting out of his bed and disappearing into Aidans room and then shutting the door. Craig (aka Dad,) quietly approached the room and then burst into the bedroom to see what was happening. Ronan had climbed into the baby's cot and was busy reading him a story! What a boy!

THE BAD

We read in the newspaper that a 5 year old girl had been sent to school regularly with scabies, open sores, nits and all sorts of other creepy crawlies. The so called "Mother" ( a bad choice of words in my opinion) has been ordered by a judge to take Community work and attend some sort of family training. Her other children have been given to CYPS for care and the daughter is living with the family Grandmother. The Mother is pregnant with her 4th child and her Partner is in goal for recidivist drink driving. Words fail me (and that doesn't happen often)

A couple of pearls of wisdom from her Bookface page: “life is to short, so live it up, drink it down, party hard, smoke a lot, break the rules, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh loudly, have fun, make memories, and never forget or regret anything that once made you smile.

And last but not least " I like to take long romantic walks to the Liquor Store"

Pasted from <http://childabuseinnz.wordpress.com/2011/12/06/neglected-5-year-old-sent-to-school-smelly-hungry-and-riddled-with-head-lice-and-scabies/>

Another appalling piece of News regarding children:

New Zealand’s poor child abuse record has been laid bare in a major international study. It has been named as one of six countries and states where there is no clear evidence of a decrease in child maltreatment over the past two decades.

Pasted from <http://childabuseinnz.wordpress.com/2011/12/09/study-shows-child-abuse-not-decreasing-in-nz/>

When I was a child, New Zealand led the world in child care and was always No1 in the statistics. We had a good welfare system that gave folk a hand up when needed and Plunket was our main carer for children's well-being after the local GP. Their motto was "To Help the Mothers and Save the Babies" and I am sure that the regular visits by a Plunket Nurse, who kept a close eye on the Family, were the key for maintaining our proud record of child care. Something has gone terribly wrong over the past two decades and we should hang our heads in shame that this situation has come to pass. There are no easy answers, but we need to take a stand as a nation and say "NO MORE" Isn't it crazy that we have a "Minister for Racing" but no "Minister for Children". It doesn't  take much to write to your local Govt Minister, but I do believe that now is the time to do it. I have.

THE DOWNRIGHT UGLY

An Invercargill rape victim is living in fear after her attacker moved into a house next door, and police say there is nothing they can do. The convicted rapist, Craig James Crofts, 48, was sentenced to four years jail in 2004 after admitting raping the woman.

She has since moved on with her life, but the ordeal came flooding back about a month ago when she found her attacker had moved into a property next to her flat.

The two residences are so close that when Crofts is in one part of his unit block he can see directly into the front window of the woman's flat, which she shares with her partner.

Pasted from <http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/6106383/Rapist-moves-next-door-to-victim>

I just cannot believe that this situation can be allowed to happen in MY NEW ZEALAND! This nightmare needs to be rectified immediately and we should insist on more protection and assistance to any victim of crime, no matter the circumstances. We have been celebrating the 70th Anniversary of major World War 2 events that gave us many decades of peace and prosperity and the men, women and children who put themselves in harms way to make this happen would be appalled if they knew what had happened to their legacy.

We say "We Shall Remember Them" on Anzac Day, but we don't appear to sincerely mean this, or else why would we let this happen? The ball is in our court.

Here Endeth the Lesson.

A Visit to Stewart Island and the Phone Tree

Foveaux Strait & Titi Islands

On our trip to the South Island earlier this year we managed to tick off another "Bucket List item" with a visit to Stewart Island. Fortunately the weather brightened up after early morning rain and we made our way to the Bluff Harbour terminal. The island is serviced by boat and air and helicopter flights are available. We had made a commitment before leaving home that we would not only cross over Foveaux Strait by boat, even if it was rough (and it can get ROUGH!) but we would also do the bus trip around the island (that only has about 20kms of road)and we would enjoy a lunch of the celebrated blue cod & chips at Oban.

Oban in Half Moon Bay

We boarded the catamaran and once we had cleared the harbour, the weather lifted and the sea became quite calm. The boat was very powerful and because it was off peak, there weren't many passengers. We passed the famous Tititi Islands where they collect the Mutton Birds (Sooty Shearwaters) and we were told by the Skipper that 14 great white sharks also lived in this area. When we arrived at Oban (Celtic for Many Coves) there was a small passenger bus waiting with a very genial driver who gave us a very informative tour of the Island. We visited Mason Bay and viewed Paterson Inlet from a hilly vantage point and also saw Ulva Island which is a famous bird sanctuary.

They call Stewart Island the 'Island of Tranquility" and it definitely lives up to 

Stewart Island Phone Tree

this name. 

You can get out of the bus at different scenic spots and all you can hear is the sound of Tuis and if you are close to the sea the sound of lapping water. It really is a beautiful island and we enjoyed our trip immensely. One of the unusual sights was the public phone tree, where instead of a phone box, the phone and phone book are fixed to a large tree.  There are 280 people living on the Island, 140 are holiday home owners!

                   Lyn at Oban

The view from the end of the sealed road looks out over Paterson Inlet and you can look down on a small harbour named Thule (sounds like Tullay), named after the Alaskan Thule and we were taken to view a house that was imported in the early 1900s from Norway in what our guide said was the first type of kitset house in New Zealand. The only thing missing was the snow and in fact any snow would not last long on the very steep roof.

At long last we returned to Oban and the South Sea hotel where we ordered a cold beer and a meal of Blue Cod & Chips. The lunch was fantastic and we both had plates covered in three large pieces of delectable Cod, ample chips and a nice salad. WOW!

leaving Stewart Island

We strolled around the waterfront and when the catamaran arrived for the trip back to the mainland, we were both very relaxed and ready to enjoy the 1 hour trip back to Bluff. All in all a very pleasant day that we will remember for many years. If you haven't been to Stewart Island yet, I don't know what you are waiting for! 

            (View more photos on my Web album) 

Here are a number of photos taken at Pukeiti Gardens in New Plymouth. Some varieties had not started flowering while others had almost finished and as they had heavy rain in the previous weeks some bushes had lost some flowers. The Gardens are a "must see" during late October and November and you will find plenty of volunteers to provide maps and local knowledge of the area. You can also purchase plants to take home, however we apparently have a major problem with aphids in Northland

More Haymaking Pictures from Waipu

Here are a few more photos from our recent Haymaking episode. Today it has started raining, so hopefully the grass will grow enough if we have a drought! Click photos to enlarge.

Big Boys Toys & 27 tonnes of grass

A very LARGE mower

Wellwe finally got approximately 27 tonnes grass off the paddocks, all cut, giftwrapped and taken away this week. Now we are desperate for rain to get the newgrowth cracking, but the weather is getting warmer and sunnier which is not agood sign. The wind has been atrocious these past few weeks and I despair ofgetting much fruit from the orchard.

There is supposedly a Lite version of

A mowing we will go!

LaNina this Summer, but the ground is very dry and is starting to crack badly.The contractor who cleared the grass arrived on Saturday with a huge tractorand mowing equipment, talk about Big Boys Toys! We even had to cut a couple offences so he could turn around and some tree pruning made it easier to get downthe drive. The other gear that arrived to finish the job, was also huge and itmade my own tractor look like a Tonka toy!

Once we had the bales tied and wrapped we waited a day for the bales to be taken off the farm. Our curious herd of heifers decided they would investigate further and while I was out of site, they managed to chew the plastic wrap to see what was hidden inside. Fortunately I saw them in time and put a temporary fence around the bale until it was collected. Worse than 2 year old children!

Laying Hay Bales

Not for easy lifting

A 27 tonne tight squeeze!

Gift Wrapped goodness

A buzz in Invercargill and the Worlds Fastest Indian

Waipu from the Air

Earlier this year, Lyn and I managed another annual quick trip away and returned once again to the South Island and in particular, Invercargill, where we had a couple of items on our "Bucket List" to tick off. As we can only be absent between print editions of our publication, it means we have often have to return to a venue to settle unfinished business.

We had a difficult flight down, as there had been delays in other districts owing to fog and we were late getting away from Whangarei. It was rather galling to sit atChristchurch airport for 2 1/2 hours, looking out on our original flight which was parked on the runway. They couldn't get us aboard, as it would have muckedup other arrangements, so we arrived in Invercargill late afternoon. We had booked at the Tayester Motor Inn and after checking in, we grabbed a couple of delightful, prepacked roast dinners from a supermarket,that had been discounted owing to the apparently overstocked delicatessen. We were quite hungry and the meal was eaten without further ado! As we were preparing to wash our dishes we suddenly heard a loud buzzing noise coming from the bathroom, so we rushed in to see what was happening. My electric toothbrush was buzzing merrily away on the vanity and no amount of switching it off made one iota of difference. I banged it, squeezed it, threatened it, but to no avail. Then suddenly it stopped! I placed it back in it's charger and left it charging. 5 minutes later it started buzzing again and then it fell on the floor and was pulsating around all over the place like a demented robot. 2 minutes later I had it under control and put it back on charge but it suddenly started buzzing twice more before it suddenly stopped and it has been ok ever since! Must have been the weather, (BTW. If you stay at the Tayester, Unit 7 has the lazy boy chair!)

Queens Garden Invercargill

There are some lovely scenic spots in Invercargill and the next day saw us leave theMotel early (mainly to collect some fresh Bluff oysters from the wholesaler) and we visited a number of popular tourist spots including the Queens Gardens and the Museum. The Autumn colours were delightful and while the air was cool,it was a very pleasant morning. I know that the fairy story about kissing frogs to find your true love is a well known fable, so I wondered why Lyn thought that a Tuatara might be the modern way to achieve this status, but obviously it didn't work!

The King Family Grave. St Johns Cemetery

A"Bucket List" item that was a South island "must do" involved searching local graveyards for my Paternal relatives who had emigrated from Kent in the 1880s. Obed King arrived on the William Davies and there is an item about him in the book "The Furtherest Promised Land" by Rollo Arnold. He purchased 200 acres in Beach Rd Invercargill and began farming there and I have a photo taken from the 1903 NZ Omnibus with him standing next to his wife Eliza and looking very grand. I believe they had to pay to have their photo in this very large book. His wife and daughter are buried with him in the same plot in the St Johns Church cemetery and unfortunately the headstone has been badly damaged. His daughter is also buried under her Maiden name Mercy King aged 69 years, so we guess there is a story yet to be told about her life. I have more details on these Kentish Immigrants on my old 1990s genealogy website(which I am trying to update) HERE

The Fastest Indian bike

Another highlight was visiting the Invercargill Museum, which was quite small but is famous for showing the bikes of Bert Munro renowned for setting an under-1,000 cc world record, at Bonneville in the USA, 26 August 1967 . The Movie "The Worlds Fastest Indian" featuring Anthony Hopkins gave a good outline of what he achieved, but you have to see the bike to get some idea of what an amazing feat it was. We also visited Oreti beach where he used to practice and I have reminisced in the past about how cold I was on Oreti beach as a child. When we got there, it was 18c, the same as in Whangarei!

(I will post more photos of our trip later)

A recovering Pirate and cut grass

Tall grass indeed.

This grass is ready to bale!

Woopee! Yesterday we had the grass cut and hopefully it will be baled later today and transported to it's new owner. The contractor arrived and although his gear was large, we managed to get it through the gates. I can't believe how thick the grass was and it will be interesting to see how many bales we get off the farm.Silage making has become quite an art in recent years and as we couldn't make convential bales owing to the cooler weather, this has been a new experience for us. The hardest part has been tring to find enough space to leave for the 11 heifers, who although still small, can consume quite a bit of grass in a day. Setting up a portable water trough is also difficult, but thanks to the bathroom renovation last year, we have a good size, c1947 bath, complete with plug, that suits the purpose. Lyn and can manhandle it on the tractor and we can fill it from a number of taps around the property.

A tight squeeze

Our "Pirate"

#43 AKA The Pirate has recovered well  and her wounds are healing nicely. Her eye socket has sunken, but she is adapting well and looks healthy and we don't appear to have any more symptoms of "pink eye" in any of the other animals.Thank goodness!

          

Now that Spring is nearly finished  and we head into    Summer, the blossoms are nearly finished and the fruit is all set to grow and ripen in the sun.We are still enduring very strong winds and some showers, but the outlook for Northern New Zealand is for a return to quite dry conditions and much calmer weather. let's hope so!

Our flowering cherry.

Duck Tales and Gates Galore

We have enjoyed watching a family of Paradise ducks who have been living on our dam during the Spring. Mum & Dad are regulars and have been living here for a number of years and although they are usually quite wary if we get too close, they will let you drive past on the tractor without too much drama. This year they had 8 ducklings and they seem to have all survived until now, unlike the poor old Mallard ducks who are continually harassed by the resident "Darth Vader" a large Hawk who also resides close by. The Hawk swoops down on the little ducklings and seems to ignore the racket that the adult birds make when in any danger.

Beware, Ducks on the move!

The Paradise ducks are quite large and they make a huge noise if they are in danger and they are extremely protective of their ducklings throughout their family life. The poor old Mallards also have to contend with eels and other dangerous critters such as rats and possums and even Pukekos, who terrorise these birds any chance they get. I have seen adult Pukekos grab a duckling and rip it apart in a very short space of time. The Hawks also love pukeko chicks, so the dam can be quite a dangerous place for little birds. The ducks might have up to 10 ducklings and yet after a week, there might only be two left and sometimes none. Once I was watching the little "speed boats" zipping around the dam, when all of a sudden there was a splash and the duckling just disappeared under the water. One hungry eel was probably the reason. A Maori chap used to have a licence to catch the eels in our river, but I haven't seen him for a few years.

The Duck Water Trough

Now that we have had the Contractor in to do some grading and filling holes in the driveway etc, we asked if he could fill in front of the concrete cattle water troughs, where the cattle over the years have pugged out the area and made it difficult for calves to get water easily. He did a great job and the new herd enjoy climbing the new gravel slope and drinking water without any height problems. The Ducks enjoy the new facility too! Once they have finished lazing around the dam all day, they head for their night quarters (an old hay barn) and after a rest in the orchard on the way home, they now head straight for the trough. Mum or Dad take turns to watch over them and it is hilarious watching the ducklings line the trough edge and merrily drink away. 

Talk about mod cons!

Our new head bail

The proposed renovation of the kitchen has taken a step backward as we have had another local fencing contractor in to install our new cattle race and head bail in the yards. The recent drama with the heifers and their eye injections became quite a trial and we decided to install these extras to make it easier in the future when handling cattle of any size. It is all finished now, has been christened and will add value to our homestead.

Kelly "Our Vet"