Thursday Challenge: Beverage

The current theme is "Beverage - 2 week theme" (Coffee Maker, Cafe, Tea, Water, Glass, Wine Glass, Cup,... ). The next Thursday Challenge theme is:  Favourite  Photo - 2 week theme (Your favorite photo of the year or past years).

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Photohunt: weave 2

a giant sculpture of a spider web, newly displayed at the Auckland Botanical Gardens.

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Photohunt: weave

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weave, baskets for gifts.

Finders not keepers.

Despite a custody battle over the cat, between Quah and an Auckland social media doyen, has involved public posts, police, demands for DNA tests, visitation rights and finally went to court with the Disputes Tribunal ordering Chloe be returned to Quah.
Quah writes on her facebook, " Davidsons, if you are reading this. Thank you for taking care of my baby for 9 months. She has been on a long holiday but thank you for returning her to me unharmed and in one piece. Merry Christmas to you."
I like this, such graciousness. Paki Paki.


Christmas could not be better for Auckland woman Joyce Quah who was reunited with her beloved cat Chloe after a year-long tussle for ownership.
Quah picked up her pedigree chinchilla persian cat on Wednesday evening at the Point Chevalier Veterinary Clinic after she went missing from her home almost a year ago.
Quah was overwhelmed to be reunited with her "baby".

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Joyce Quah owner of Chloe, a chinchilla persian cat, says she is happy to have her baby back.

"I'm so overwhelmed, this is really good," Quah said.
She said Chloe seemed to recognise her, and although her coat had a few knots, she seemed alright.
"I've booked a visit to the vets for her to be checked over tomorrow."

JOYCE QUAH

Chloe, a full grown chinchilla persian cat was spotted on the social posts made by Catilin Davidson.

A custody battle over the cat, between Quah and an Auckland social media doyen, has involved public posts, police, demands for DNA tests, visitation rights and finally went to court with the Disputes Tribunal ordering Chloe be returned to Quah.
Quah, 25, was ecstatic to learn the tribunal ruled in her favour on Wednesday morning.
"I'm so happy! I'm shouting and crying and hugging my other cat, I'm getting my baby back!" Quah said.
READ MORE:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/75409086/legal-battle-for-catnapped-feline-ends-in-christmas-miracle-for-auckland-owner

This scenario actually happened to me when I was in high school. My big sister and her then boyfriend went for a long walk. At about 2 kilometers from home, a dog followed them home.

We fed the dog together with our own dogs. When mother drove the car, it would follow her until she reached the main road. It returned to our house. It was this ritual for a few months.

One evening, Margaret and I cycled to town, some 3 kilometers away. It followed us even to the main road. On our way back along Queensway, a blue car started stopped, the dog bolted to the car. The occupants threw darts with their eyes. They insinuated that we had stolen their dog.

We cried, we had hoped they would have come and asked us our side of the story.

photohunt: Foot

19th ~ Foot  This young girl's dance routine shows her foot.

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self made sports car? Bugatti????

One of the thrilling things I do is chase up to special cars and take their photo. This one is one of the most thrilling one. 

As we were in the car, and with me looking out for new subjects to photograph, the water engineer asked if I wanted to photograph this.
The beauty has just overtaken us, and she was like something out of the early 1900s. The driver and the passenger dressed like that too, with their goggles, caps and scarfs.
We debated if this was a restored Bugatti or if it was a product of Kiwi ingenuity, a New Zealand bloke working in his garage likeMacGyver. The water engineer thought it was the latter because the back was shiny aluminium.

natural and safe body care products, coconut oil for oil pulling.

Two of my sisters Eliza and Grace are very health conscious. They make their own cold pressed virgin coconut oil. They say the end product is very good. They gave me some of their hard work oil. During the weekends, when I am at home, I smear a little oil instead of putting on lipsticks. It soothes my lips.

Eliza even grow her own coconuts.  

They taught me to use the oil for oil pulling. On an empty stomach, you swish one table spoon of oil in your mouth for twenty minutes. Spit out the oil in a bag before throwing out. Do not spit it in the sink, the oil must solidify and block your sink.


http://annlouise.com/2014/03/28/oil-pulling-the-ancient-ritual-that-transforms-your-health.
Oil pulling, a time-honored Ayurvedic technique, works wonders for deep pockets in the gums that harbor bacteria and inflammation-causing plaque. Used for years by those who have embraced an Ayurvedic healing

According to Dr. Bruce Fife in his book Oil Pulling Therapy, “When you put oil in your mouth, the fatty membranes of the microorganisms are attracted to it. As you swish the oil around your teeth and gums, microbes are picked up as though they are being drawn to a powerful magnet. Bacteria hiding under crevices in the gums and in pores and tubules within the teeth are sucked out of their hiding places and held firmly in the solution. The longer you push and pull the oil through your mouth, the more microbes are pulled free. After twenty minutes, the solution is filled with bacteria, viruses, and other organisms.”

Another advantage is when you slosh the oil in your mouth, you exercise your mouth muscles.

car racing

I am the super dude,
See me go,
Vroom Vroom Vroom.

When I see girls,
I say, come-on in,
There is plenty of room.

When I see boys,
I say want to race,
I am the King of the road,

Lights flashing.
Sirens go, weeeooo weeeooo
It's the boys in blue, in hot pursuit.

Hold tight,girls.
I can beat them.
I am the super dude,

Crash!!!!!!
Out of no where,
The light pole comes to the middle of the road.

PhotoHunt for today is Omit . . .

The PhotoHunt for today is Omit . . .There are many obstacles in this forest trail. But to get full satisfaction, it is best not to omit any.

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neti pot

A neti pot is a container designed to rinse debris or mucus from your nasal cavity. You might use a neti pot to treat symptoms of nasal allergies, sinus problems or colds.

Watched Oprah and Dr oz demonstrated this in their shows.

queensland fruit fly

http://www.mpi.govt.nz/news-and-resources/media-releases/fruit-fly-eradicated-from-auckland-and-restrictions-lifted/
 My friend's house is fruit fly free. Pity, it past the mandarin season. “This makes the eradication cost of $13.6 million (as at the end of October) a very justifiable investment to make,” Mr Dunne says.. One million for each of the 14 flies caught.

Photohunt: market

Market

I bought this glass piano from a glass blower in a market in The Surfers Paradise in Australia.







I was walking along the beach when I saw the Surfers Paradise Beachside Markets, at the Esplanade, at Surfers Paradise.

What had attracted me to this stall was many many years ago, when I was a student at Auckland University, I sometimes went to this International market in an arcade at Queen Street, an artist was using his mouth and blew into a tiny knob of soft glass into a burner, and slowly his magic turned to be a beautiful vase. I was fascinated and used to stand for hours looking at him, and never buying as I was a poor student.

Forward to 2010, This artist was using a gas torch, but he still fascinated me. I decided to buy some as gifts. I bought a glass kangaroo for the water engineer, an echidna for G and D. When I saw another customer buy a piano, I changed my mind and bought a grand piano for D.


As I paid for my gift, we chatted. The woman told me she was from Christchurch New Zealand. Her name is Karin, the artist is Graham. They have been established since 1987.

The market operates every Wednesday and Friday night from 5.30 pm to 10 pm if you like to view and buy his craft.


 

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Photo hunt: Pets

The PhotoHunt for today is Pets.

My daughter dogsits this dog, now she is in the Solomon Islands, she wonders if the dog misses her.


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Thursday Challenge theme :WARM

a summer outing.

"Warm" (Weather, Sunlight, Colors, Clothing, Smile,...)

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Decorating Christmas trees is a nostalgic thing for my family. Dad started the tradition with streamers and baubles. As I accumulate more and more ornaments, I decided I would buy one ornament a year. What is more meaningful than buying an ornament that has a good cause. This is why I am all for the Farmers Hospice Bauble.

Designed by Kiwi artists Michel Tuffery and Letitia Lam, the limited edition glass baubles are delicately handpainted and feature two unique designs that showcase native New Zealand flowers.

Paki Paki to Farmers:
“We are proud to tell our customers that when they purchase Hospice Baubles, the full amount is donated to Hospice New Zealand, to support their services to remain free of charge in our community.”

Exclusive to Farmers, Hospice Baubles are sold in-store only (RRP $10) and are available from now until December 24, 2015.

Make a Difference this Christmas at Farmers for Hospice NZ By Fleur Revell 18 November 2015 Twinkling fairy lights, lush wreaths placed at the front door and a beautifully dressed Christmas tree – the festive season is the prettiest time of year, so deck the halls with good vibes and decorate for a cause this Christmas with Farmers Hospice Baubles. A charitable initiative from leading department store Farmers, all proceeds raised from the sale of Hospice Baubles are donated to Hospice New Zealand. Designed by Kiwi artists Michel Tuffery and Letitia Lam, the limited edition glass baubles are delicately handpainted and feature two unique designs that showcase native New Zealand flowers. Pohutukawa by Michel Tuffery symbolises the quintessential Kiwi Christmas. Inspired by the iconic Pohutukawa tree, Tuffery’s design features traditional Christmas colours and an abundance of holly. Tivaevae – a vibrant design renowned throughout the Pacific – is also reflected in Tuffery’s artwork. Kowhai by Letitia Lam features the official flower of Hospice New Zealand and embodies the concept of being looked after – the essence of the service Hospice New Zealand provides and illustrated by the iconic beauty of the yellow Kowhai flower. Farmers CEO and managing director Rod McDermott says the company is delighted to be partnering with Hospice on such a worthy initiative for Christmas shoppers. “Farmers immediately sought out two talented and unique Kiwi artists to work with in developing an authentic design for the Hospice Baubles initiative,” he says. “It was really important to us that the artists we worked with reflected our community – and the community within which Hospice works,” says Mc Dermott. “We are proud to tell our customers that when they purchase Hospice Baubles, the full amount is donated to Hospice New Zealand, to support their services to remain free of charge in our community.” Exclusive to Farmers, Hospice Baubles are sold in-store only (RRP $10) and are available from now until December 24, 2015.

Download Media Files For more information contact: Mark Devlin mark@impactpr.co.nz +64 21 509 060 Fleur Revell fleur@impactpr.co.nz +64 21 509 600

Written on behalf of Farmers by Impact PR

By Fleur Revell
18 November 2015

photohunt: Feline

14th ~ Feline

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Alphabe-Thursday letter Z

This photo was taken in the Singapore Zoo. 

Yesterday, our Auckland orangeutan was sent to USA for breeding.
Auckland zoo is sending three Bornean orangutans to the United States to take part in an international breeding programme for the endangered ape.



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Thursday Challenge Treats

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"TREATS" (Candy, Chocolate Bar, Cake, Pie, Ice Cream, Comfort Food,...)

yellow sky diving

You may say New Zealand has a lot of dare devils. My daughter G who bungy jumped at sixteen went sky diving in Taupo two weeks ago.
I wonder why they painted the plane like a wide mouth shark? Was it to make the divers feel more invinsible? That they entered the belly of the yellow shark and jumped out alive.

http://mondaymellowyellows.blogspot.com.au/


  
Stay mellow with yellow!

Alphabe-Thursday letter Y for young

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Photohunt: Obscure

An obscure Chinese woman researcher finds a cure for Malaria from an obscure herb,
 sweet wormwood (Artemisia annua) – or in Chinese qinghao – being used to treat malaria.

Amid all the madness Tu Youyou, then a researcher at the Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Beijing, was handed a daunting mission: to find a drug that would cure malaria.

William C Campbell, Satoshi Ōmura and Tu Youyou win Nobel prize in medicine

 

The 84-year-old pharmacologist was awarded half of the prestigious 8m Swedish kronor (£631,000) prize for her discovery of artemisinin, a drug that proved to be an improvement on chloroquine, which had become far less effective as the malaria parasites developed resistance.

Read more

“The work was the top priority so I was certainly willing to sacrifice my personal life,” the famously understated scientist later recalled.
On Monday, nearly half a century after her life-changing quest began, Tu was awarded the Nobel prize in medicine for her role in creating a drug that helped slash malaria mortality rates in Africa and Asia, saving millions of lives.

Yet for all her achievements, Tu, who is now 84, remains a little known figure, even in her native China where she had drifted into obscurity despite the magnitude of her discovery.

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Alphabe-Thursday letter X for xylogenous

This is a tree that is dead, and is host to a fungi, the wood fungus.

xylogenous means growing on wood, so I take it that the Chinese Ear Fungi is xylogenous.

I went for a walk to a park next to Mt Albert Grammar school. I came across this tree stump which has some Chinese Ear Fungi growing. I have never been here, so I walked rather slowly and clicked as I went along.

This fungi is eaten by the Chinese and has a rubbery texture. You can buy them in dry form, soak it to reconstitute and it expands about 5 times its size. Not many people like it as it feels slimy and rubbery. I used to pick them when I was a child in Borneo.

I remember reading how this Chinese man made his fortune in New Zealand by shipping them to China. The Kiwis, Pakehas and Maoris laughed at this China man, but he had the last laugh. He laughed all the way to the bank.

So now, I will be keenly looking at tree stumps and hope to make my millions.

Wood ear fungus

The first commercial sale of edible fungi in New Zealand was in the 1870s, when Taranaki merchant Chew Chong sent bags of dried wood-ear fungus (Auricularia cornea) to his homeland, China. The fungus was in demand for the crunchy, chewy texture it added to food.



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yellow/red and Eerie'

The original dragon lookalike creature was an Eerie story. The Nian came to eat children and animals on the dark on the eve of the first day of the spring festival.

The PhotoHunt for today is 'Eerie'

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http://rubytuesdaytoo.blogspot.co.nz/

http://mondaymellowyellows.blogspot.com.au/


  
Stay mellow with yellow!

PhotoHunt for today is Volumes ~

PhotoHunt for today is Volumes ~

This Library Bar has volumes and volumes of books.


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Scandinavian Christmas Markets 1st November 2015

 Embrace the Beauty of a Nordic Christmas at the Scandinavian Christmas Market: an authentic array of ginger breads,pastries,  Christmas  cookies  and  chocolates,  alongside  vintage  collectables,  candles, homewares,  handcrafted  and  imported  decorations  and  more, 
1^st November in Penrose, Auckland.

DANISH HOUSE 6 Rockridge Road.

Penrose, New Zealand

10am-4pm. Free entry  

 free parking

  

 

The event is a collaboration between the Scandinavian community, hosting Danish, Swedish and Finnish stalls each offering an authentic array of gingerbreads, pastries, Christmas cookies and chocolates, alongside vintage collectables, candles, homewares, handcrafted and imported decorations and more, this gorgeous Christmas market offers a festive experience to treasure. 

All stalls are chosen for their Scandinavian style and quality products and offer Kiwis a chance to embrace the unique Nordic style. 

 

 Twinkling fairy lights, ornate Christmas baubles, freshly baked gingerbread biscuits – the festive atmosphere of a traditional northern hemisphere Christmas market is set to descend on Auckland, full of all the delectable treats and beautiful traditions of a Nordic Christmas!

The Scandinavian Christmas Market, now into its fifth year, is a collaboration between theScandinavian community and the NZ Scandinavia Business Association.

 Each year,  stallholders are exclusively selected for their variety, Scandinavian style and quality of products. With Danish, Swedish and Finnish stallholders offering an authentic array of gingerbreads,pastries,  Christmas  cookies  and  chocolates,  alongside  vintage  collectables,  candles,homewares,  handcrafted  and  imported  decorations  and  more,  this  gorgeous  Christmasmarket offers a festive experience to treasure. Organiser of the Scandinavian Christmas Market,  Kirsten Jensen, says the Scandinaviancommunity host the popular Christmas market in their own unique  Nordic style.

“The Scandinavian Christmas Market celebrates the Nordic countries, culture, food, crafts,design and most of all  Christmas, which the Scandinavians do in such an authentic and beautiful way,” she says.“For people who love Christmas, or have experienced the Christmas markets in Europe, they won’t want to miss this one,” she says.

For people who love Christmas, or have experienced the Christmas markets in Europe, they won’t want to miss this one,” she says.Volvo Cars New Zealand is one of two major sponsors for the 2015 Scandinavian Christmas Market, along with LEGO NZ. General Manager, Steve Kenchington, says Volvo is a Scandinavian icon, so it is a natural fitfor the car company to lend its support to the event.   “We are proud to have a long association with the Scandinavian Christmas Market which brings to life the very best the region has to offer. We know Kiwis will be excited to come along with their families and embrace the Nordic festive fun,” he says. 


Written on behalf of Volvo Cars New Zealand by Impact PR. For further information or images, please contact Fleur Revell-Devlin fleur@impactpr.co.nz (ph.021509600)

www.facebook.com/scandixmasmarket