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CoffeeWaffle
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Tuesday, 31 January 2006
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I've had a busy few days, gardening, kayaking, kite buggying, and bike riding. I've been getting behind on the blogging... still taking a lot of photos though. Here are some shots from Monday, which was Nelson Aniversary Day. I spent the public holiday at Rabbit Isalnd beach, kayaking and kite flying. Mark got in the buggy to for only the second time ever, and flew a four-line kite for the first time ever. The buggy shots below were taken by Devon. Afterwards we had a bar-b-cue alongside the big purple housebus. A top day.
(click to enlarge)
10:49:55 PM 
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Thursday, 26 January 2006
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Monday, 23 January 2006
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"Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back; a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country."
Anais Nin
10:27:26 PM
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I made one resolution this new year. Clear all debt. Pay off personal loan, and cut up the credit card.
Today my van died.... As in "you need a new motor mate" died. "That'll come to about 5 grand mate." S**t. I won't go into the gory mechanical details but lets just say I was driving along and the engine got a "death rattle", very loudly and suddenly.
Ah well. I guess I'll be getting in a lot more training on the bike now... so that's good.
(ps. Anyone got a good low mileage 2.8L Toyota diesel engine for sale?)
6:24:15 PM
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Sunday, 22 January 2006
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Day two of the Nelson Summer Kite Festival had more steady northerlies. Perfect conditions (as always) for the two days of the festival. I showed up at Neale park in the early afternoon and it was all happening. Lots of huge kites shadowing the park, buggies and boards zipping around below them. I spent the next couple of hours thrashing both of my buggies using my 3.0m Flexifoil Blade II for power. By the time I stopped, because of thirst, many of the bigger kites were already being packed away. I got a few photos around the park anyway... here's a taste.
Ted has 'Hootie' the blowfish (pictured top) by the tail in an order to defalte him. I just had to snap this shot before giving him a hand.
Ted being the announcer guy while sitting in a bright orange KiteCat.
7:47:21 PM
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Saturday, 21 January 2006
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It's that time of year again. The annual Nelson Summer Kite Festival is on for the weekend. I've been to day one for a buggy this afternoon. Got heaps of photos, I'm still downloading them hours later. I'll be publishing a full album after the festival but for now heres some of today's highlights...
I am a very tired boy now. Tomorrow is going to be a big day too. Tune in for more pictures of the kite festival.
(oh and BTW if you are local, I made the paper tonight. Page 15 of Nelson Evening Mail (front page of weekend section) theres an article about kite flyers that they interviewed me and a few others for. My mug shot is featured. )
11:14:44 PM
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Friday, 20 January 2006
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"We must learn not to disassociate the airy flower from the earthy root, for the flower that is cut off from its root fades, and its seeds are barren, whereas the root, secure in mother earth, can produce flower after flower and bring their fruit to maturity."
Kabbalah
8:03:44 PM
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Wednesday, 18 January 2006
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Saturday, 14 January 2006
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... sorted.
I'd like to thank Mark and his chainsaw, Devon, my neighbour Dave and his chainsaw, my new $20 axe, and the owner of the orchard we got the apple wood from (he's planting grapes instead).
5:55:46 PM
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Friday, 13 January 2006
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I didn't take any photos today. I intended to but leaving my cameras battery sitting in the charger when I left the house this morning kind of limited my photographic opportunities. Instead I thought today would be a good day to review the year that was 2005 by picking my top ten CoffeeWaffle photos from the year...
in reverse order they are... (drum roll):
No. 10
This shot was me playing around with night photography under a full moon. I think it was a shutter speed of about 20 seconds. If you look closely you can see me standing in front of the tree to in the left foreground. I like this shot because it was an experiment that worked.
No. 9
Every time I look at this shot driftwood on Rabbit Island Beach, I can't figure out how these two logs 'grew' like this.
No.8
This was the most stunning light show I saw all year. Kaikoura Coast, late summer. The rays are caused by the shadows of the Alps in the setting sun. Of all the shots I took that night (hundreds) this one caught almost the whole spectrum in one frame.
No.7
This portrait was a chance encounter. The bird just swooped down out of nowhere, and landed just a few feet from where I was standing, camera in hand. The timing and lighting couldn't have been arranged better, and such a colourful bird.
No.6
I spotted this spider but it was so small this was as close as I could get and still focus. The white flower made an ideal backdrop to give a sense of scale.
No.5
Of all the photos I have of my dog, this is my favourite.
No.4
this sums up the enjoyment I've had out of my garden this season.
No.3
This shot has got me sooooo much traffic from google images this year! Plus I like it's classic composition.
No.2
Colour and texture. This was a very very close runner up. Almost made it number one.....
No.1
Driving through the central North Island at dusk. Someone pointed out when I first posted this that it was full of Kiwi icons. The Silver Fern 'Black Cap', the bone carving on the mirror, the view of the famous Desert Road. I like it because it reminds me of my excellent holiday.
8:35:57 PM
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Thursday, 12 January 2006
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Wednesday, 11 January 2006
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Tuesday, 10 January 2006
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Monday, 9 January 2006
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I realised today that I haven't been taking as many photos as I'd like to lately. I used to take a dozen pictures a day but for the last month or two I've only been getting the camera out once or twice a week. I have resolved to change this. For the next week I will make a point of photographing and posting something every day.
Today it is "One man and his dog". ....and no, i wasn't driving while I took it.
9:09:25 PM
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Saturday, 7 January 2006
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Well... DUH!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4585920.stm
I read this article on BBC News this morning. Is it just me, or does the global population explosion of the last few generations seem to be the most obvious threat our environment has ever faced (at least in the last few billion years)? Everything in this report seems glaringly obvious to me. Do people really not get this? I mean look at all the environmental problems we face... pollution, starvation, die-off of species after species, air quality, water quality, land quality, etc etc etc. It doesn't take a scientific genius to tie them all back to the fact that there are too many of us here, and our growth is accelerating exponentially, year after year, with no (voluntary) end in sight.
Then again I shouldn't be surprised that this is not so obvious to most people. We are a society addicted to growth. Our measure of success is growth. Grow your bank account, grow your business, grow your family, get a bigger house, a bigger car. Just try questioning someones decision to have children and you'll see what I mean. Its a guaranteed recipe for a heated argument about our 'right to have children'. Just because we have a 'right' to do something doesn't make it a good idea.
On a personal note I think I'd make a great Dad, but I know I never will be.
The problem with addressing population control though, is how do you bring a reduction in population about. A license to breed? Eugenics? I think the only humane way is through education. Until we (the global 'we') truly understand the problem and fully acknowledge it there is no way we can bring it under control. Unfortunately I think nature will take care of it for us, long before we get a grip on it. Either that or our powerful elite will think of some way to cull the useless eaters (maybe they are already?) OK, I'll going to stop writing now... before I dive headlong into a 'conspiracy theory'.
10:53:24 AM
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Thursday, 5 January 2006
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You know you've made it when there's a trivial pursuit question about you...
Well done Peter! The answer is, of course, the kite buggy.
11:16:59 AM
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Sunday, 1 January 2006
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Kaycee cooling off in the Motueka River this morning.
I hope you all had a nice New Years celebration. I spent mine camped in the van alongside the Motueka River, at a little spot called Mcleans Reserve. Mark, Pamela, Devon, Kaycee and I called cirlced the wagons to keep the very blustery southwest wind out and enjoyed a barbque, beers, and a noisy game of 'pass-the-pigs' to see in the New Year.
Today the wind died down and we enjoyed a long paddle from the campsite down the river all the way to the historic Ngatimoti bridge.
Mark's new green/yellow kayak, Pamela's red/orange kayak, and my blue/white kayak alongside the big pink purple 1948 Mack bus that Mark and Pam live in.
Our 'wagon circle' did a great job of keeping the horrendus wind out while we enjoyed our bar-b-que dinner.
Pamela spotted this beast lurking in the rocks of the riverbed this morning. We were all scared to take our shoes of after that...
10:37:46 PM
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© Copyright
2009
Murray Neill
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Last update:
17/02/2009; 9:21:18 p.m.
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