Places to go to...

Wendy has just been down for four days, so it gave me an excuse to get out with my camera and my new 10-22mm lens, which I am loving.  On Thursday, knowing the weather was going to eventually pack up and rain, which is nearly unheard of down here in summer, I took the opportunity to go up to Lake Rotoiti again....

This is what greeted us when we arrived...

The sky was blue, and the lake was like glass.  Perfect for trying out the new lens.  The lake was like a mirror...

But when I pointed the camera a bit further down, I managed to capture the crystal clear waters and the green plants underneath...

With the lake only an hour away from my place, I tend to take any guests there as it's always a pleasure to walk in the bush and listen to the bellbirds which are abundant.  I have never heard so many all in one place, and it's all thanks to the Department of Conservation for really coming hard down on all the introduced pests such as rats, possums and stoats.  I imagine it is like what New Zealand's forests would have been like before civilisation destroyed them!

This is one of the Bellbirds at the  lake taken back in May when they were actually showing themselves and singing to me on the lower branches where I could actually photograph them.  Unfortunately on Thursday, while we could hear them, they refused to come close.   You can hear what they sound like here.

Both Wendy and I recorded the bellbirds on our phones, but I haven't got a USB cable for my phone so I'm unable to transfer the sound file to my computer, to in turn upload it to the blog.  We tried  to do it via bluetooth to no avail, as my phone is simply too 'basic'.

Wendy loved the lake, and in particular the ducks...

This was after our walk in the bush along the lake edge to the right of this image.  Note the clouds are starting to build up already. 

Here's the lake again from another angle, and I could only get all this in with my new 10-22mm lens - the old 18-55mm just wouldn't get the length of the whole lake....

We took off over to the other side of this bay after this shot, but not only had the clouds built up, but the wind was just starting to get up as well, changing the whole mood and colour of the water..

I took a photo of the actual water patterns made by the wind just for fun..

At the waters edge there was a black swan that came right up close to us and just sat there in the water.  We could have reached out and touched it.  I used the 10-22mm for this shot as well - gives the whole swan a different perspective...  Almost looks like the Lochness Monster!

We left the lakes, and travelled further west to Murchison.  We fossicked in an old bric a brac shop.  I think everyone who ever dies in this region, all their 'treasure' goes to this shop.  Bargains galore can be found if you know your antiques.  Lots of collectibles.  I bought an early 1800's iron made from cast iron - one of those ones that gets heated on a coal range.  I'll use it as a doorstop to stop my doors banging in the nor'westers!

After lunch at the Murchison tearooms - a typical kiwi lunch consisting of a meat pie with tomato sauce - we headed down to the swing bridge on the Buller River.  Just after the turnoff that leads to Westport, we crossed a bridge over the Buller River and it looked so beautiful, I decided to stop to take photos.  Pulled in to a parking bay and by the time I had my camera out, a South Island Weka was making a beeline to us from across the road.   I was terrified that someone would come round the corner and squash it!

 It was almost tame, but wouldn't quite let us touch it, but came close.  A campervan pulled up, and asked what it was.  After I told them, I suggested they give it some bread as that was obviously what it was wanting.  They obliged and the guy pulled out his Nikon DSLR to take photos, but made some rude comment about my image that I had taken of the Weka, was not bad for a Canon.  Typical Nikon user - I've always found Canon users much more polite!!  I made sure I mentioned something about him being Australian to get him back!

The river was beautiful though - and it was so hot I felt like diving in, as the water was crystal clear...

We moved on down the road and arrived at the swingbridge.  Apparently the longest swingbridge in the country and it costs just $5 to walk across.  Wendy bought a ticket and I decided to stay on the 'right' side and just take photos of her as she crossed..

Unfortunately, this is as far as she got before she wimped out.  She couldn't do it as she didn't like the instability.  So...  I took her ticket off her and went over with my camera...

Even with having no balance, I have no qualms about walking over a bridge suspended by wires!  I simply have no fear - at worst I'd fall in the river and go for a cold swim!!  This is halfway over looking to the left...

And this is on the other side looking downriver.  Note the jetboat - for $85 you can do a few thrills on this river with an experienced driver.  You can also pan for gold here for $12.50.  Any gold you find you can keep.  Probably with the price of gold these days, it might be worth it - Imagine if you found a sizeable nugget!

We headed back home after this, and it wasn't long until the rain we had been expecting all day started.  We pulled in for one last look at the lake to get a photo of it in the rain...

Quite different in the rain.

All up a great day, which both Wendy and I enjoyed....

 

Battenberg Cake

It all started when Anne's friend Jay came home to Auckland, NZ from the UK. She bought me a small packet which housed a Battenburg Cake. It was divine.

When Anne came home in June, she bought me one as well. I didn't even want to share it, but I managed to - just.

Then Anne posted me out another one this month, which was snaffled up very quickly. If I didn't do something about it, then Battenburg Cake from the UK was going to be the UK's biggest export to New Zealand.

So I went searching on the internet, and found a recipe. And I made one.

It's a bit fiddly, but well worth the time. This is what it looked like, I managed to take a couple of photos before it was all eaten!!

The Recipe:

Battenberg Cake

* 150 grams of butter
* 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
* 3/4 cups of white sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1 1/2 cups of plain white flour
* 3 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/4 cup of milk, approximately
* red food colouring
* 1/4 cup of apricot jam
* 250 grams of almond paste / fondant to cover

1. Pre-heat oven to 175 degC.
2. Line sponge roll or shallow square cake tin with baking paper.
3. Cream the butter, vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
5. Sift the flour, baking powder and fold into the creamed mixture.
6. Add sufficent milk to give a soft dropping consistency.
7. Spoon half the mixture into one half of the prepared tin as neatly as possible. 8. Add a few drops of red food colouring to the remaining mixture to turn it a pink colour, then spoon this into the other half of the tin, try to get the join between the two mixtures as neat as possible.
9. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cake is well risen, springy to the touch and has shrunk slightly from the sides of the tin.
10. Turn out and leave to cool on a wire rack.
11. Trim the edges of the cake and then cut into 4 equal strips down the length of the colours.
12. Gently heat the apricot jam in a small pan and stick the stripes of cake together, one plain piece next to one coloured one, and then vice versa to make a checker board effect.
13. Brush the top of the assembled cake with apricot jam.
14. Roll out the almond paste into a rectangle the length of the cake and sufficiently wide to wrap around the cake.
15. Invert the cake on to the almond paste, then brush the remaining 3 sides with apricot jam.
16. Press the almond paste neatly around the cake, arranging the join in one corner.
17. Serve in slices

This has made me realise I haven't had lunch!

History: (From Wikipaedia)...

Battenberg cake is a light sponge cake. When cut in cross section, displays a distinctive two-by-two check pattern alternately coloured pink and yellow. The cake is covered in marzipan and, when sliced, the characteristic checks are exposed to view. These coloured sections are made by dyeing half of the cake mixture pink, and half yellow, then cutting each resultant sponge into two long, uniform cuboids, and joining them together with apricot jam, to form one cake. Established variations are for coconut flavouring to the sponge cake and lemon curd or raspberry jam in place of apricot jam.

The origin of the name is not clear, but one theory claims that the cake was created in honour of the marriage in 1884 of Queen Victoria's granddaughter to Prince Louis of Battenberg, with the four squares representing the four Battenberg princes: Louis, Alexander, Henry and Francis Joseph.

The name is also used to describe a smaller cake in a similar, but more decadent vein. A small cuboid of sponge (normally about 1 inch square by 3 inches long), usually white, is encased in buttercream and wrapped in marzipan. Visually at this stage, the cake looks like a miniature version of the checkered pattern cake above, but without the two-by-two grid. Each end is then dipped in chocolate up to approximately a third of the length, leaving the central third clear of chocolate. This is allowed to set, before being eaten.

Traditionally in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Battenberg cake is eaten with a cup of tea.

So there you have it - easily made and a lovely taste! I might make some more tomorrow!

Mt Vernon Station

A couple of months ago, the photography club had a trip to Mt Vernon Station, a private farm that hugs the coast on the eastern side of Blenheim. Four wheel drive only, so I hitched a lift with another member.

We got there quite early, when the sky still had a tinge of pink in it. Jet paths crissed crossed in the sky...

This is looking North East towards Port Underwood.  I love the way the clouds hugged the mountain ranges.

The whole coastline is an important wetland area, and is home to one of the largest spoonbill breeding site in New Zealand. There is a natural boulder bank that runs along the coast, protecting the whole wetland area. This is actually closed to the public as there is many Maori buried or repatriated on the boulder bank, as it is the site of historic land wars in the 1800's. As well as Maori skeletons, there are the skeletons of our extinct Moas, so to protect the area from fossickers, it's closed to the public.

The farmer had his working dogs with him. They whisper sweet nothings in each others ears!

While we stood around and took photographs of the wonderful landscape opening up to us!

The cliffs were majestic...

And this is looking the other way down the boulder bank.

We then drove up to Jamie's Knob, the highest point on the station with 360 degree views of the area. This is looking once again down on the wetland area and boulder bank, and the mouth of the Wairau River. Note the flight paths of the jets in the sky!

Up at the top was the microwave thingy for the area. I hoped that it wouldn't interfere with my implant, and it didn't seem to.

This is looking back towards Blenheim township. You can't see my house from here - it's a bit further down the valley!

Another shot of the boulder bank, mouth of the Wairau River and the wetlands area, for no other reason that I like it!

On the way back down we stopped at the edge of the cliff for another photo session!

I practised my minimalism shots which I have yet to perfect. However, I love the blue tones and the big sky in this shot.

Back down to ground level, where we had a picnic lunch on the beach.

After lunch a walk down the beach to take a closer look of the interesting cliffs, full of cavelike holes. I imagine these rocks are quite soft, and the holes are being formed by the rain running off the hills. Quite a bit of erosion.

I did a short walk, but my foot was still giving me grief. The beach was mainly shingle, so extremely difficult to walk with an injured foot. I can't wait to be given the opportunity to head down that way again when my foot is healthier, and I can manage a bit further! I would really like to get to the end of the beach!

Thoroughly enjoyed being out with my camera, and with the great people in the Marlborough Camera Club.

Ron Mueck Art Exhibition

I haven't updated my blog for a while. A whole six weeks. My excuse is that I've been busy, my laptop died, and I've had lots of visitors!

Anyway - while I was down in Christchurch for my last mapping session for the Cochlear Implant, I called into the Christchurch Art Gallery to see the Ron Mueck Exhibition. I've seen photographs of his work before, and every time I've been overseas, I've checked the galleries hoping I'd get to see him to no avail. So I was thrilled to see his work being shown in Christchurch.

If you get a chance to go, he's on until January, and he's a must see. The Christchurch Art Gallery building is new, and a wonderful photo opportunity as it's architecture is great. It has not suffered any damage in the quake, but the artists must be concerned for their work with all the aftershocks going on.

Ron Mueck specialises in larger than life hyperrealist sculptures. In incredible detail.

Mask II (2001-2), mixed media. Huge head (the face appears to be Mueck's own), lying on its side as if asleep - private collection.

Mueck's sculptures reproduce the minute detail of the human body, but play with scale to produce disconcertingly jarring visual images. When you study the Mask a bit closer, you find you get drawn into the details..

Through a video stream playing at the gallery, you learn that each hair is implanted individually, and real human hair is used. So when you see the individual sculptures and see how much hair is on some of them, you can only imagine how long it would take.

The next sculpture we saw was incredible. Pregnant Woman (2002), fibreglass, resin, silicone - 2.5-metres tall sculpture of a naked pregnant woman clasping her hands above her head.

What really amazed me was the detail in the foot. He has even put the white pressure points in the toes, as it would be there if you were standing in the same position...

Even the toenails aren't cut evenly, as you would expect.

Other attention to details that I noticed were the veins, which apparently are painted on, the moles and the breast. He obviously studied his model well!

Ron Mueck's latest work was on display - A Girl...

A Girl is constructed from a variety of media including fibreglass, polyester resin, silicone and natural hair.

To give an idea of size, that's Liz, looking down at the baby with a look of relief on her face, that her daughter wasn't this big when she was born!

Youth (2009), mixed media. Diminutive figure (65 cm high) of African or African-American youth, holding up his T-shirt to examine a wound in his belly...

I was quite fascinated in this one because of what the youth was wearing. Not only had Ron Mueck had the details of the body to the nth degree, but even the way he had dressed the youth, with the jeans, and the underwear showing, just as the youth like to wear them today.


Man in a Boat (2002), mixed media - 1/3 scale naked man seated toward the prow of a 4-metre-long rowing boat..

The degree of detail in the collar bones around the neck is wonderful. You didn't expect me to comment on anything else did you? !!

In Bed (2005). Huge (3 x scale?) woman lying in bed, hand raised to her face in a contemplative pose.

Liz and I decided that this woman must sick due to the yellow hue and red eyes. A massive sculpture though, and I desperately wanted to peek under the blankets to see what it looked like!

Woman with Sticks (2008), mixed media. 180 cm-high model of naked woman, bent backwards, carrying huge bundle of sticks.

I had difficulty with this one. My question was, why would you even attempt to carry sticks if you were naked. Liz pointed out to me that the artist had done his job, by evoking the feeling of sticks against a naked body. True. But I still can't understand why anyone would in the first place!

Two Women (2005), mixed media. Two diminutive, clothed, elderly women, standing as though gossiping.

This one was quite something. Again the attention to detail was amazing, right down to the creases in the pantihose (saggy stockings). The expression in the faces were downright suspicious...

Still Life (2009), mixed media. Slaughtered and plucked chicken, same size as a human being, hung from hook by its feet.

While I took this photo of Liz standing next to this one, someone mentioned that I should title it 'Two Old Chooks!'. Excellent title!

Old Woman in Bed (2000), mixed media - 1/2 scale - very elderly or dying woman lying in bed, draped in blankets, asleep.

Again, this one had me curious, wanting to lift the blankets to see if the sculpture was whole under the blankets, or ended at the face. I restrained myself, but was so glad I went.

If you are in Christchurch before the 23rd January 2011, don't miss it! It was one of the most interesting art exhibitions I have been to.

Cochlear Implant - 18 Months Review

Just had my 18 months mapping with this new implant. For those that have forgotten, this is my third implant, after the first one failed. Reimplanted in same ear. Electrodes migrated, so reimplanted again in the same ear.. I feel I'm not doing tooooooo badly...


HINT (open set) Sentences at 3 months: 100%
HINT (open set) Sentences at 6 months: 98%
HINT (open set) Sentences at 9 months: 100%
HINT (open set) Sentences at 18 months: 98% (Grrr)!

In background noise +10db SNR at 3 months: 92%
In Background noise +10db SNR at 6 months: 96%
In Background noise +10db SNR at 9 months: 83% (gone down!)
In Background noise +10db SNR at 18 months: 90% (back up a bit)

In background noise +5db SNR at 3 months: 24%
In background noise +5db SNR at 6 months: 47%
In background noise +5db SNR at 9 months: not tested
IN background noise +5db SNR at 18 months: 38%

CNC Words Alone at 3 months: 63%
CNC Words Alone at 6 months: 65%
CNC Words Alone at 9 months: 68% (Slowly improving)
CNC Words Alone at 18 months 60% (gone down)

CNC Words Alone Phonemes at 3 months: 82%
CNC Words Alone Phonemes at 6 months: 83%
CNC Words Alone Phonemes at 9 months: 87%
CNC Words Alone Phonemes at 18 months: 75% (Gone down)

So no real improvement still in my opinion! I still struggle enormously in background noise, and still did much better with my original implant the N22 before it failed. I also feel that the sound quality of the Freedom has never been as good as the N22. It's much harsher.

But this is still miles better than being totally deaf, so in those terms, I'm happy to be implanted and hearing!

Views from my Window

I think I've told you already, but just in case I haven't, did you know I'm blessed with some beautiful views out my lounge window?

Every morning during winter, I would open my curtains, and this is what I would see.. Mt Fishtail....

Apparently the shape of it's peak is like an inverted fishtail. The image was taken out of my lounge window as it was too cold to go out onto the deck that morning. Minus 3, and you stay inside! But note the blue sky. By 11am, the inside temperature of my house would be 22C simply because the sun warms it up!

Looking slightly to the left of Fishtail, and you go right down the Wairau Valley to St Arnaud. There's a skifield up there. This image makes it look like I could walk there, but believe me, it's about an hours drive to get there. I was just using a long telephoto lens to bring it closer to you.

The view makes me catch my breath every morning!

This one shows you what it's really like without the telephoto lens. I enjoy these views, but only get them in the winter once the vineyard has been pruned. During spring and summer, the leaves of the vineyard block it out. I still see Mt Fishtail though.

Back when I first moved in, I showed you one of my amazing sunsets that I'm spoilt with. Just in case you forgot, here it is again...

The sunsets continue to amaze me, each one is so different. From reds, oranges, to golden sunbursts. I often look forward to that time of the day, just to see what mother nature is going to throw up at me!

Here's one of the many golden sunbursts..

This one is on a slightly wider angle, but if you look closely to the left of it, you can see the St Arnaud range in the background.

The last two images I took tonight. I couldn't decide which one was the better image, so I put them both up. You can decide for me!

I don't think I'll move out of this house for a while. I'm enjoying the views from my window too much!

Telecom - Bad Business

If you are thinking of going with Telecom for anything. My advice to you is ... Don't! I've had nothing but trouble for the last 7 months.

It started when I moved to the South Island 7 months ago. Moved into my brand new home. At the time I had only had a cellphone with them on a $30 a month plan for the last 6 months, as I had been housesitting since my home and telephone account had been closed when my house was sold.

When I moved into my new house, I contacted them about telephone and broadband. I took out a 20gb plan which enabled me free toll calls. I also cancelled my cellphone plan, and asked to go back to $10 for 500 free texts charged to my phone bill each month. So this should be approximately $140 to $150 each month.

My first phone bill I got was closer to $200. I looked only to find that they were charging me for toll calls around the country. A phone call and they credited me with the toll calls and told me they had adjusted my phone bill.

Never believe anything they say.

The following month the phone bill I got was again $200. Yes - they had put the credit through, but had forgotten to adjust the bill to the correct plan AGAIN. Another phone call, and another credit. They actually fixed that part.

Still my bill came up expensive. More phone calls but nothing was resolved. Finally I sat down with it and realised that I was still paying $30 for my cellphone plan, and they were charging me for all my texts when they should have been part of the $10.

Another phone call - they agreed to credit me $160, and adjusted my payment for that month to $18. My $18 payment duly went through. I got my next phone bill to find my $18 payment had gone through, but the $160 credit hadn't. Adding on yet another $191 bill meant my new amount to pay was $351.00.

Yes - you guessed it, not only thad they NOT put the $160 credit through, but they had ALSO NOT adjusted the cellphone plan back to $10, and I was still paying for all the texts.

I rang themn AGAIN. They ASSURED me that the $160 was going to go through, that they will change the bill, and I would be credited another $30, and I would pay on $170 when the money goes out of my account.

WRONG. The full $351.84 went out of my account which made me go overdrawn this time, which incurred a further $6 of bank charges.

WTF? I gather that this bill probably hasn't been adjusted either. I've sent an onine complaint and I have no idea when it will be seen to. I am absolutely sick of the inconvenience and the run around. I'm seriously thinking of changing providers.

So - DON'T USE TELECOM - they're are nothing but inconvenience and trouble, and are continually overcharging me. They need to get it right, and get it right the first time.

Any suggestions would be gratefully received as to how I can make them stand up and fix my problems!! It's bad enough having to ring them, but when your hearing isn't that good anyway - it's even worse.