Monday, March 5, 2012

Ruby red/rednesday: important words.






The weather is Auckland is warm, and when it rains, it pours. People joke that you can hear the lawn growing. Many people mow their own lawn, and some employ men to mow their lawn. Besides the grass clippings, there are hedges and trees to be trimmed.

What do you do with your green rubbish/ organic waste?

The organic waste stream is a mix of garden or green waste and food waste (putrescibles) that can be composted and used as a soil conditioner.

Compost is the end result of controlled aerobic decomposition or a mix of green waste (rich in nitrogen) and brown waste (rich in carbon).

A number of private companies provide a garden bag and bin collection service. All bags and bins vary in size and you can choose how often they are collected.

I was walking along Pt Chevalier Road when I saw this truck. I looked around and saw no one around so I whipped out my camera. But I was spotted by two friendly and good looking guys. One of them asked me why I was talking photos of his truck. I told him, I was blogging, and he said don't take the name of his truck. I am sure his employer won't sack him.

In fact, they were very good PR person for this company which is doing a great job for the environment. They collect our green waste and recycle and reuse to help grow healthy plants in our city. Ka Pai and Paki Paki.

For today's Red theme, The Garden Bag Company is very responsible to have the words, CAUTION, WE STOP OFTEN. printed in RED.

If you are in Auckland, you can find them at 0800 307346 mobile: (027) 478 9420



http://rubytuesday2.blogspot.co.nz





http://www.suelovescherries.blogspot.com/




http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/

Sunday, March 4, 2012

sunday bridge in Mulu in Borneo




In Borneo, the heavy monsoon rain swells the river, and Rejang River, where my grandparents lived, motor launches ply along and pick up passengers who board from jetties similar to these. I saw this when I was up in the Mulu mountians.







http://bayphoto.blogspot.com/

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Scenic Sunday: Henderson









Last Sunday, we went out West to Henderson. In the Mall, I saw a big crowd outside a T-shirt printing store. There were security guards, and load of self appointed paparazzi. I was out of place as most of them were young people. I thought they were giving out freebies. LOL.

I asked some young men, and they told me it was Rapper House visiting. I said thanks. I asked my student Dawit if he knew a rapper House, and he said yes.

This blog is for my current students that rapping is their scene. For janeva, Aom, Oam and Army.
http://scenicsunday.blogspot.chttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifom/

Friday, March 2, 2012

Sunflower



I grew a big patch of sunflowers and I was very proud. But I as disappointed I didn't grow a big flower. In Singapore, I grew some. My friend B commented that she didn't have go to Japan to see Sunflowers. She only had to look out of her kitchen window to my garden.

Now in Auckland, a stroll in the suburban will sho you 10 inch wide sunflowers.





Sunflowers in Aotea Square, Auckland Town Hall.

I placed my hand to show how big the flowers were.


http://wildflowers.colormagicphotography.com/

Macro Flower Saturday
Macro Flower Saturday Macro Flower Saturday ">
http://blueberrycraftandhobbytime.blogspot.com/p/join-my-photo-challenge-flowers-on.html


http://floralfridayfoto.blogspot.com/

Skywatch Friday: Weather Bomb







http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10789384


Looks like it is a weekend of indoor sitting at the computer for me.

Civil defence authorities are warning North Islanders to brace themselves for a storm which could wreak havoc overnight.

Power outages, airport closures and wave surges could be expected when gale-force winds and heavy rain start showing their teeth around midnight, the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management said in a statement.

"The only good thing about the forecasted front is that it is expected to pass through quickly. But we can expect it to pack a punch,'' said the ministry's civil defence director John Hamilton.

People in the whole of the North Island - especially the central and southern parts - were advised to plan for power outages, affected water supplies and broken windows.

Wind damage and wave surges were also likely to affect roads.

Interislander ferry sailings scheduled for after 6.25pm today have been cancelled as a result of the anticipated storm.

Acting general manager Ross Allen said that, weather permitting, they would resume sailings on Sunday morning.

Weatherwatch analyst Philip Duncan said winds were now predicted to be stronger than initially forecast for much of the country, with gusts of up to 150km/h predicted for many rural and coastal areas.

"We had initially thought the wind and rain would be about equal. Now with the wind forecast picking up it looks as though it'll be this jetstream that will just zip past very quickly and some places may only end up with showers.''

The fast and furious storm should last less than 24 hours across the country, with some places in the clear after just six hours of rough weather.

Preparations are also being made in case the severe weather stirs things up around the wreck of the stricken cargo ship Rena off Tauranga.

Winds gusting up to 50 knots and swells of over 5m are forecast for tomorrow.

Salvage company Svitzer has brought the barge Smit Borneo and other support vessels into port as a precaution.





http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Purple Cake day: Kids helping Kids all over the World.









Today is Purple Cake Day.

For our school, Pt chevalier School, Phil Spriggs, the Deputy Principal was in charge of this special event. The teachers and some parents took part. Some children brought purple cakes for the staff. I know, in one class, a mum made cupcakes for all the children. Some of the classes had a shared breakfast of purple cup cakes, some of them made purple cup cakes. Most of them wore purple and donated a gold coin for the children in Nepal.


We raised more $660. A fantastic effort for a primary school.

Nepal has a special place in my heart, About 12 years ago, I spearheaded a fundraising exercise in the Nanyang Technological University to help separate a pair of Siamese/Con-jointed twins from Nepal in Singapore.

What is purple Cake Day?


Purple Cake Day is about connecting children around the world.

Children in Nelson, New Zealand and New Jersey, USA were skyping to learn more about each other's Purple Cake Day. We now have over 1000 people in 28 countries who have downloaded our Resource Kit to learn about Purple Cake Day and the projects we support. 



On 1 st March – there were sporting events and bake sales to purple dress and wearable art, from small to big events, from classrooms to whole schools and communities.

There is tremendous support and recognition. There is real benefit in making these global connections, helping children understand their role in the global community and empowering them to take part in change. 




Children in orphanages in the Congo and Burundi will be celebrating and having purple parties.

At an International School in Bordeaux, France, children will wear purple, make flags of hope, draw and give their thumbs up to Purple Cake Day.

At the Children of Haiti Project in Haiti – one of our project partners - older kids will wear purple ribbons and help clean up rubbish in the tent camp they live in. The little ones will sing, draw, read and play games.

In Hong Kong, at the 10 Woodland Pre-schools, it's going to be a purple day, with purple decorations and purple clothing. And at Citykids Preschool, children are making and selling bead necklaces, butterfly pencils, ladybug fridge magnets and bumblebee bookmarks

In Nepal, our project partners First Steps Himalaya have organised a Mad Hatters Tea Party. Its going to be a fun filled family friendly event - yummy food, purple cakes & drinks, kids art exhibition, competition and prizes, stalls, music and kids corner. They're also running an art competition and lots of rural Nepalese children are competing. There'll be a special purple party, as well as an environmental clean-up. Also in Nepal, our project partners In Time Trust are organising a rubbish collection day at the Kailash Bodhi School.

In the United Kingdom, a school in Portsmouth is planning a purple day. And One World Nannies will be celebrating too.

And moving to the US, we have a preschool and church in Bozeman, Montana turning purple. In San Luis Obispo, California, 10 schools with YMCA afterschool programs have all sorts of purple activities planned, from studying Nepal and eating Nepalese food through to a "who can wear the most purple?" competition. We have wonderful ambassadors in SLO, who have lots of businesses on board for support as well. And at Brigantine Elementary, New Jersey they've been turning purple all week, with "thumbs up", the toy box, bake sale combined with exercise class and studying Nepal.

In New Zealand, lots of schools and groups are getting involved, turning purple, selling cakes and donating. There are also sponsored sports activities, purple yoga and purple icecreams and in Nelson the businesses and Saturday market have already turned purple.

We have New Zealand TV personalities giving us the thumbs up .

Countries involved: Angola, Australia, Belgium, Cambodia, Canada, Dubai, France, Germany, Haiti, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States.

What a wonderful day it was. If those students were like me, they would remember the day even when they are 50 years old and blog about it.

It's a small world after all
It's a world of laughter
A world of tears
It's a world of hopes
And a world of fears
There's so much that we share
That it's time we're aware
It's a small world after all

It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small, small world

There is just one moon
And one golden sun
And a smile means
Friendship to every one
Though the mountains divide
And the oceans are wide
It's a small world after all

It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small world after all
It's a small, small world

Thursday Theme Song.
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http://youtu.be/IqhlPxR9nHY





http://hootin--anni.blogspot.com/




http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/

watery wed: making pizza in school 4


http://waterywednesday.blogspot.com/
How do you make an outdoor pizza oven in school?

Ingredients:
Clay from a farm, be careful if you dig your garden, the clay is not too sandy.
Washed sand
Wooden chips
Water to mix
Bricks

Very important extras:

Helping hands and legs from students of Diocesan school for girls http://www.diocesan.school.nz"

Your own senior students, hhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifttp:http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif//www.ptchev.school.nz/Home/

An expert Ron Sperber of http://earthwhile.co.nz/composting_kids-dvd/

A paparazzi to record all the buzzing excitement.