For my "foster" dad

David Ives Ertel passed away today in 2013 aged 83. 

2007

Past President, Director (seven shows), actor (25+ productions) , backstage worker and tireless committee member of the  Cue Theatre in Inglewood Taranaki.

2007 with Jim

Indian Motorcycles and Kiwi's

I'm not sure what it is with Indian Motorcycles and Kiwis but I saw these out at Shelly Beach a week back and I have to say that's a LOT of motorcycle. There must have been about ten all up.

By the look of them the owners must clean them with a toothbrush, immaculate!!!

My dad said he rode an Indian bike in the army (back in the 1940's) although I've yet to find a picture however it must have been like this one owned by his best buddy Len Drake.

(Len Drake) 

New Zealand is of course home to the "Worlds Fastest Indian" Burt Munro (Wikipedia) and Burt Munro (nzedge.com)

"Volume" part 3

Split Enz - saw them live in the 1970's awesome energetic stage presence

Student radio - spawned so many great presenters some of whom went mainstream and can now be found many years later on National radio. 

I listened to a solid diet of 95BFM for years (and years) I liked the freshness of student radio .

and finally a pretty hip little merchandise shop 

Volume - Part 2

OMC - I recently saw a Youtube clip describing Pauly Fuemana as a "one hit wonder" which was pretty unfair and of course their ignorance was shown in their inability to even spell his name correctly. Four million copies world wide from this tiny island - get real. I've got the CD and have played it endlessly.

Topp Twins

Salmonella Dub - one of my personal favourite groups 

Auckland War Memorial Museum exhibition "Volume" - A history of kiwi music (part one)

I've always been an avid follower of local music (66 CD's in my collection and many LP's) which is a lot of music for a country of 4 million people and my collection only scratches the surface.
It was with great interest then that I went along (twice) to what turned out to be an excellent exhibition at the Auckland Museum on that subject.

Don't take my word for it if you are in Auckland get a long and have a look yourself.

Of note for me is the attention to detail in this, the 1950's floral wool carpet found in so many kiwi homes, the old power points, the china cabinet, the ducks on the wall, the black and white TV and of course Peter Sinclair hosting our very own rock and pop show "C'mon in the late 1960's. Slightly disturbing when ones teenage youth becomes a museum piece.

The multi talented Bic Runga and her hand written words for "Sway".

Dave Dobbyn

Fat Freddy's Drop

Blerta 

Old amps 

Live music 29 Jan one man and a whole slot of sampling

Auckland from Mt Victoria

Ghosts of fishermen past - Shelly Beach Wharf Kaipara Harbour

Sea formed cave at Muriwai

Only accessible at low tide on the southern surf beach

Eight years on ......

Eight years ago my school friend and photography buddy of 42 years died in a car accident. In our teens we made 8mm movies with his dads clockwork movie camera. From there we moved to video, many 35mm cameras and finally digital SLR's in 2005 when we ditched the "other halves" for five weeks and did a photo tour of western Canada and Alaska.

These ones are for you buddy - Mt Taranaki - we spent many happy hours photographing this from every possible angle.

Gardens part 3 - Mums garden

Mums garden in Christchurch around 1956 - they sold in 1967 and the garden was good up until the property was sold for the first time in many years in 2010. (That would be my first car and very probably if I still had it today in that condition if would be worth as a 1950's toy as much as some of my real cars)

The current Google street view - standards are slipping !!

Nothing like a bit of fishing over the holidays

Te Kuiti Departmental Buildings

Found in Te Kuiti looking very shabby.....if walls could talk. How can we let our history slip away like this ?

Below article from Wailato Times dated 20/6/2012

RUN-DOWN: Bruce Fuller is offering $10,000 to save this 104-year-old Te Kuiti building, but the community must raise a further $20,000 to qualify.

A part of Te Kuiti's past has found a champion, reports Chris Gardner. 

A Te Kuiti historian is offering $10,000 towards the restoration of a 104-year-old Government-built office building in the town which once featured on the cover of the AA Book of New Zealand Historic Places.

To qualify for the grant, from Bruce Fuller, owner Waitomo District Council mustcontribute a further $10,000 to restore the rimu and kauri-framed building, which stands on Ministry of Justice land opposite Te Kuiti District Court in Queen St, housing a genealogical society on the top storey.

It is also used as a store by Te Kuiti and District Historical Society which runs a museum at a railway cottage in Rora St.

And Mr Fulller, a member of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust who has lived in Te Kuiti seven years, also wants the community to raise a further $10,000.

Mr Fuller complained in a submission to the council that the town was not interested in restoring the partially rotten, two-storey office building because it was not in Rora St.

"I believe this historic building should be saved at any reasonable cost," Mr Fuller said. "Te Kuiti is much more than just Rora St. It has treasures that are not given much emphasis."

The building was used as office space by Government departments until 1987 when it was gifted to the council which has allowed community groups to use it since.

Mr Fuller said it was protected by the Historic Places Trust schedule but became descheduled when the trust believed it had been demolished.

The trust did not return a call from the Waikato Times.

"We will hand over $5000 initially," Mr Fuller said. "The council will be required to match that and the community will be required to raise $10,000. We will then donate a further $5000."

Mr Fuller said the offer would be withdrawn on December 31 if the historical society had not moved out and the the council had not taken it up by then.

"The purpose of upgrading the building would be twofold.

"Firstly, who wants a a crumbling mess in their community? It is common knowledge that buildings which deteriorate become the target of vandals.

"Secondly, we believe that the lower area of the building has great potential," Mr Fuller said.

"We have heard of a number of smaller clubs who would be interested in a small meeting place."

Waitomo Mayor Brian Hanna said the council could not afford to launch a restoration bid and it would like to hand ownership of the building back to the Government.

"At this stage restoration is not a high priority," Mr Hanna said.

He suggested a public meeting to see what the community wanted.

Jim O'Halloran, chairman of the historical society, said Mr Fuller's offer was generous but he expected restoration to cost much more.

The society planned to move its artefacts out of the building sometime in the next decade once it had purpose built a store behind the Rora St museum.

- Waikato Times

Near Lake Ohau

I have  a feeling this yellow flowering plant is a pest plant a bit like those lupins in the same area.

Never the less lovely for tourists.

Note that clear air.

New Zealand Native Mistletoe

New Zealand native Mistletoe at Lake Ohau in November 2016
Info here : Mistletoe

Auckland west coast beach