Beaches, beaches and more beaches

Over the past week we have done some fun walking along the beaches that are right close by.  If you look at the map you will see that they just do not end.  We have exlored them and can now give a review of them and tell you which one we really like.  There are pictures as well so hope you enjoy the walk.

Last week we walked the bottom ones....Takapuna has been the one that we have strolled along the most since it is right outside our door.  It is a lovely beach and maybe the most popular one.  Certainly it  is more commercial with many many places to walk to to find a bite to eat or to sit and watch.  We have  wondered often what it is going to be like when it is summer and everyone is visiting here.  It could be very busy right after Christmas!  We will see.




From Takapuna we went to Narrow Neck Beach.  It was almost high tide so the beach was limited but it was fun.  We had not seen the water as churned up and white as it was that day.  Pictures to follow.

The water was pretty stirred up and although the waves were not really high the boats etc were bouncing pretty good.  Not sure I would have enjoyed being on the water.  

There were people parasaling as well.  They were having a great time.  In the background is the big island Rangitoto which is the sleeping volcano.

There was this really old tree that was suspended from the land over the beach.  I was fascinated by it and went up close to see what it was.

Over the years the water has eroded the dirt right out from under this tree and you can see the entire root system.

That was all we saw at this beach.  We will have to return when the tide is lower.  It is a lovely area and not very far from home.  You park across the street and behind it is a lovely park.  It should be a fun place to visit again.

From the eye of a bird....

It truly was a bird's eye view from the top of Mt Victoria on Monday.  The skies were blue (storms blow in very fast so they could be blue and then suddenly not!)  and the ferries were running from the outer islands.  I will attach photos.  Each of these islands was at one time an active volcano but now are dorment.  The biggest island, off to the left,  Rangitoto, has been dorment for 600 years but not extinct.  

This is directly across from Mt Victoria, north of Auckland.  The ferry is really big and will carry probably 200 people.  There were actually 5 ferries that we saw while we were up there carrying people back and forth.  

This is looking back to Auckland.  In the foreground is Devonport Beach.  It is about mid way in the tide cycle.  When it is high tide the water will go all the way up and cover the sand completely.

This is looking west back towards where we are from.  Those tall buildings are right by the office in Takapuna.  The one on the left of the three in the center is a hotel.  It is supposed to be very nice and is where anyone coming to visit the church offices will stay.  We understand that all of the rooms have a small kitchenette.  You can see that it is starting to get cloudy as the sky is no longer blue.  Not long after this is started to rainon us.  

So this is the 360 degree from North Head.  It was a nice hour we spent.  

North Head, Devonport, New Zealand

On Monday we took a bit of time and drove over to North Head in Devonport.  We had been told that this was the best place to see a 360 degree view of Auckland and the surrouinding areas.  I will show those pictures later but first, to the fort.  This is on observation booth.  Inside there are windows on three sides.  Above the windows is a hand-painted map of the harbor.  All of the island have been painted in and below them are the degree marks so if invaded the lookout could tell them the exact location.  

1880 the British Royal Engineers reported to house a battery consisting of three 7 inch and three 64-pr guns. The defensive plan continued and North Head was made into a fort with trained soldiers stationed ready for battle. In 1889 Fort Cautley was developing with new guns, an 8 inch disappearing gun, with a 7 inch RML and a 6-pr Nordenfelt on both northern and southern flanks of North Head. (meaning if the enemy got around the north side then the south side would also be able to attack).

During the 1890's Fort Cautley was complete with tunnels, underground storerooms, Barracks, guardrooms, kitchens etc.

Search light emplacements built and now the role of Fort Cautley was to stop any enemy sailing entry to the harbour of Auckland. Interestingly most of the work was done by prisoners with simple pick and shovels digging the tunnels by hand.

In 1896 the minefield was laid extending from North Head across the inner harbour, a generator room can still be found on the south side to provide the power to detonate the mines.

The turn of the century North Head was heavily fortified but the Russian invasion did not eventuate and it was decided to dismantle the guns at that time. Almost all of the guns were sold for scrap metal. Some say that several are still buried into the side of the hill. One gun is known to be at Newmarket in Auckland pointing down the main street.

Then in 1933, the government decided to reconstruct North Head of new batteries. Work began in 1935 with three new search light emplacements and emplacements for 4 inch guns at North Battery.  (Quoting from the government website.)

I will attach a few photos that I took while we were there.  This is where a big gun was. 

This is entrance into the tunnels that connected all the places together.  The soldiers slept in them and had kitchens and everything.  

We were there for about 35 minutes and then it started to rain.  Perfect timing. 

Memories of Home

I have been trying to decide if I want to post pictures of my trip home to the States or just leave this as NZ but since that was part of the time we spent here then I decided that I would.  Here I am just going to include pictures from the short time I was in Provo.  When I got there Nate and his boys, Matt and Julie and their children, David and Sharyn and his family and Carrie and Richard and their children were all there.  The first thing to greet me was a huge water slide!

They had gotten it to the house on Friday (I arrived on Saturday a.m.) and the kids had been playing on it constantly.  There was a hose connected at the top that kept it nice and wet and cool!

That is Michael, Carrie and Richard's youngest, that is smiling at me.  

This is Alex, Nate's middle one, that is concentrating on the trip down.

This is Matthew, Carrie and Richard's oldest that is sliding down.

This is Jacob, David and Sharyn's only son that is flying down...cannot remember if he ended up going face first before he was at the bottom.

Maya, David and Sharyn's youngest had had enough of the slide and was here watching them as the ended up in a puddle at the bottom!

The slide and bouncy house were up until 10 p.m. on Saturday.  We certainly got our money's worth from this.  What great ideas the kids had in arranging to get this set up!

The wood carver from Bethlehem

On Monday we took a few minutes and we went to see a wood carver.  He and his wife came to New Zealand over 25 years ago.  They have a large piece of property, probably 3 or 4 acres.  They have citrus trees, olive trees, figs and others.  It was fun to hear them talk about their life.  He was born in Bethlehem, Palestine is 1945.  She was born in Bethlehem, Jordan in 1949.  Their daughter was born in the 70's in Bethlehem, Israel.  One city but three different countries.  They are Christians and love what they are doing.  He was brothers that are in Bethlehem still and they are all wood carvers.  He said that they export things from Bethlehen to Utah so probably some of the olive wood nativities might be from his Brothers.  Anyway, they were lovely people.  They showed us their shop and then we browsed for a long time.  We told then that we will get to know them and become their good friends and then when we go to the Holy Land his family will host us there and show us what Bethlehem is really like!  He has made carvings for so many missionaries that he has a Christmas ornament that has the temple in Hamilton on it.  He has one of Angel Moroni and also one of Tom Jones from the picture in Preach My Gospel.  What fun it was.  His wife is lovely.

He uses all recycled wood and only wood that is native to NZ.  The only non-recycled wood is tree roots.  He said that those are the hardest to work on but they are often the prettiest.  He will also use branches that are cut by tree trimmers or that fall in storms.  His shop is a mess but you can tell that he is  really into high prodution mode right now.  He makes thousands of Christmas ornaments for souvenior shops in NZ.  What a nice break for us.

Oh,  she has calla lilies in her yard.  I have NEVER seen a lily that was as big.  Some of them were as big as your head.  I wish I had been able to get close enough to them to snap a spot!

Every Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. we have a staff communications and leadership meeting.  Everyone in the building in encouraged to be there.  In reality it is a devotional. Announcements are made.  Birthdays are recognized.  New people are introduced and those leaving are invited to bear their testimony.   Sometimes a member of the area presidency will preside and/or speak for just a few minutes.  Each department is in charge for a month.  They are responsible for conducting the meeting, prayers, music and speaker.  We are considered part of the area presidency department which has 11 or 12 people in it so we end up with double duty during our month.  The lady that gave the message this week is someone that I do not really know.  I knew she worked in some sort of finance capacity but I had never really met her.  She had a great message.  She told about watching a TV documentary last week that was on brain injury.  She talked about that for a minute and then she told about her own brain injury.  She has been in an auto accident when she was 17.  She was in a  coma for a pretty long time and when she woke up she had to re-learn all sorts of things.  She said that she had a form of amnesia.  She could remember all about herself as a young child and she remembered the accident and her family and friends  but she could not remember things that happened immediately.  If her sister came to her room and told her that dinner was ready, by the time her sister walked out of the room she did not remember being called to the table.  She did not know what she was like...was she shy or outgoing?  Did she like to play games or sing?  Did she have a special talent?  She said that she had to learn all over again who she was.  Then she drew the analogy to us....we go around all day doing all those things that we think we are required to do...we care for our families and we run around and try to do our church callings but through it all, we sometimes seem to forget who we really are.  We are sons and daughters of good parents.  We are moms and dads who have special callings and responsibilities to care for our children  and love them and help them to be successful. We are brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles and have responsibilities because of that.  Most importantly,  we are the literal spirit sons and daughters of a Father and Mother in Heaven...we are uniquely different.  We are never alone because we have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.  

I appreciated her message.  I am grateful to be reminded each day, that when we come to the office and do the work that is before us,  the reason we are all there is because of just that.  We are the literal spirit children of loving parents who have a plan for us!  What a choice blessing it is to work and serve with these people each day!

Sorry

Well, I did not do a very good job at adding the link for the rosella parrot so I will have to try again after I study some.  It is so hard for me to do this.  I'll work on it.

Today, being 1 September here is the first day of spring!  It doesn't look like it but I am hoping for a bright sunny afternoon.  We will keep you updated on that.

This is a weekend of many celebrations here as well as in the US.  Last night (Thursday) in the US was the start of college football season.  We caught the last half of the BYU/Washington game.  I assume the first half was much better than the second half.  Stadium looked great all in white.  I kept looking for Nate but did not see him.  Sorry son.

Yesterday, Friday, in New Zealand was daffodil day.  It is the day they have set aside to support breat cancer research and they sell artificial daffodils in front of stores etc.  Dad's comment was:  so much better than pink!  It was nice to see EVERYONE walking around with a daffodil pinned to their shirt or jacket.  Mine is right here on my bulletin board.

Tomorrow, Sunday, is Father's Day in New Zealand.  The TV is full of ads for what to get dad for his special day.  It will be interesting to see what they do at church.  Mother's Day is celebrated the same as in the US.

Monday, in the US is labor day.  Just in case you are not aware of what Labor Day is, here is your history lesson for the day.  Labor day is an Americabn Federal holiday observed on the first Monday of September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.  It was first suggested that they be honored in 1882.  It also symbolizes the end of summer for many Americans and is celebrated with parties, parades and sports events.  It became a national holiday in 1894.  Because it is usually a big sale day, and weekend, many of the very workers that we celebrate and "honor" as the ones that end up working longer and harder than they usually have to.

Labour Day here is 22 October and has been celebrated since 1890. It started here because workers were demanding an 8-hour work day.  Guess they won because the work days are certainly short!

Enjoy the weekend!