Home and back

Well my time had come and it was time to head back to New Zealand for a holiday and Ruby's Christening and my birthday....I had not seen my wife and daughter in 5 weeks, its too long... yes she is growing fast!!

Finally I get home and see my family...For my birthday I get a tattoo, Samoan design by Steve Ma Chang, well known for his expertise in this area. I tell him that I want Ruby and Leilani incorparated into the design and so the work begins...

And finally after 5 1/2hours his work is done and my arm is mine again....

 

Anyway then it was back to Tauranga for family friends and Ruby's Christening...  A well deserved break and great to see all.

Leilani did a fine job of cutting up her wedding dress and sewing Ruby's Christening dress... don't you think? Right: Scott and Andrea (the Godparents) and the Driessen Clan at Ruby's Christening. So back to the house for a sheep on the spit, beer, wine and more food...

As well as all this I get a helicopter ride for my birthday....yes very spoilt! So dad & I set off for a flight around Mount Mauganui and Te Puna, Omokoroa & Whakamarama where mum and dad live..

Left: Mum & Dads place, Below: Omokoroa point.

And Mount Mauganui.

After that I enjoyed time with family and friends and just chilling out...so thats about it for now, but just one

more photo of Ruby before I go...

Bigriggin and Rathdowney, Queensland Australia

So I go camping with some friends up in Bigriggin, a very little place near Rathdowney in Queensland Australia. I fly to brissie and spend the day taking photos of people and just general people watching. This guy apparently busks on the streets of the CBd and has done for years...

Whilst looking around I saw an Aboriginal man and took this shot.... he looks slightly annoyed but does not question me.... then as I walk towards the south bank I

 see a young fella riding his bike towards me, so I quickly gather my camera and shoot, this one I

feel is my best. Brissie is a busy city and full of all sorts of weird and wonderful things to photograph.

And as much as I would like to show you all my work, I have to pick photos that i hope my readers will enjoy as much as me. Anyway its onwards to another bloke I see checking his map, and as I raise my camera in the distance he looks straight at me so I snap this one... and then its us off driving to Bigriggin..

We arrive at Biggriggin & we are camping, enjoyin the peace and quiet of the woods and river flowing...only the possums come out at night, and of course being a kiwi bloke they are pests and we despise these creatures, but alas they are protected here in Australia, so I am resorted to just scaring these tame and dumb creatures away, much to my disgust! Anyway we pitch tent and settle back with a beer... its cold at night, yes even in Queensland it gets cold so we lit the fire early..

we enjoyed the few nights that we stayed there though paul got a bout of food poisoning (no, not from my cooking), and ended up heading back home early... The next day we chilled out and went for a look around and stopped at the Rathdowney pub, the township was small but a neat place to stop for a beer. There in the pub were a few "cowboys" and locals comin and going. I managed to capture a few shots and here is one of the fellas enjoying a cold brew..There were some great shots to be taken and after we headed back to camp for dinner. The Kookaburrus are an inquisative bird and the one we had just sat there while we took photos, like a model posing for the camera..

 The next mornin we set off, but not before Jacqui stopped to get a few shots of an old horse....

I get on the plane at Brissie airport and head on home, to another day and back to work it is for me... Thanks my friends for a great time!

Its been a while..

Well its been too long, however i'm here now and our little Ruby is growing by the day. I'm doing my Cert IV in training and assessment so thats taking up some time. My work in all their wisdom have decided to put me on a month of nights (partly because of my course) but having a baby in the house it doesn't get much more hectic. My beautiful wife, Leilani is coping well though and we are slowly getting sorted. Below is Ruby (growing at a heck of a pace..) wearing a little outfit my cool nephews bought (or at least picked out and Mum bought) and I thought was just great! Ruby at about four weeks old.

I have also found myself doing other projects in my spare time. (not much of that though) and below you can see my first painting done (in 20 odd years anyway!)

It is aptly named New Zealand Christmas. Ok let me explain for you non kiwis.. Kiwis love going on holiday somewhere near the beach usually and camping or caravaning is ideal... plus you can tell its Christmas time because the plant in the backgroud is a Pohutakawa (or New Zealand Chritmas tree) because it flowers red little fowers that make the tree appear like Christmas bulbs and it only flowers around the Christmas time (nov - feb).

I have also painted this one of a kiwi bloke on a tractor on the beach after he has just put his boat in the water. In the bottom right corner is a koru (A koru is the Maori name for a unfurling fern frond) and symbolises new life, strength and peace. In the distance of course are sheep. This one was named by Leilani and is called "Massy" after the massy ferguson tractors. I have done a few others of which I will post at some time..

I have managed to travel around the area a bit to look around just before Ruby was born and captured A giant fig tree, or at least the roots from it...What do you think of this one??In this area where the fig trees grow are flying foxes. These small bat like creatures are everywhere!! (about 40 000 of them). I will also post a pic of these at some point. Anyway I have fitted this blog posting in on my night shift so should get back to work... I will endeavour to update again soon.. oh and I have also managed to 'publish' a book, entitled "A taste of Australia" however can only be ordered through momento. And now working on a book about New Zealand, Catch ya soon!!

And along comes Ruby

Last week on the 4th february 2010 my wife and I after a long labor and an emergency C section finally had our little girl whom we named Ruby Roberta (after her late Nana on Leilani's side).

She was 8lb 1 1/2oz (3670gm) and 52cm tall and born at 1833hrs. We are delighted...of course! My wife and Ruby are now settled in at home and both doing well.
Left: Birthing room.
Below: Ruby with a little smile on her face....apparently this occurs when she is farting or pooing.

Here she is sleeping on me (her papa) and has that cute little open mouth thing that I do. And below she styles a punk rocker mohawk...

Little Ruby was just with Mama and first time having a feed when she popped her little hand out, I grabbed my camera and snapped this shot... then had a look and her foot was curled up whilst feeding so snapped another...

Above: Leilani and I giving Ruby a bath... It is truelly mind blowing to have a child and something so small and precious. Also it is true what other parents say..you just don't understand until you have your own..sometimes it feels so surreal but it is a truelly magical experience and even though she is only several days old she is changing and growing all the time. If you have children please take the time to take photos and enjoy them for the special littele characters that they are. So to you Ruby I dedicate this piece of blog...I LOVE you!

Hey hey Happy New year...2010

I know its a bit late to wish a happy news years.. however I have been muckin about with my macro lens... here are some pics from around the house to start the year out...

A lady bug sitting on my corn plants..

And then there was a cricket on the corn that I killed after taking a few shots... then fed to the ants which quickly devoured him leaving nothin to find.. awesome creatures... I couldn't help myself when I was headin home after a night shift and saw the sun coming through the trees on my road.. I just love the sun streamin through...                                           

This little spider (smaller than a M&M) was spinning itself a web when I found it by the pond. I was intrigued by the proteinaceous spider silk coming from its spinneret as it was busy makin its web...

Christmas day and other photos..

Well its been a few weeks so I thought it time to post some more photos.. so not to much writing. Well this is Leilani (at 36 weeks pregnant) and I having a late (after work) Christmas dinner on the back balcony. Yes I refused to wear my "cool" party hat!

We also have some frangipani's growing out side.. as seen below using the macro lens..

Here is another flower that Leilani has been growing... it makes for a great shot as the sun blasts through it!

And since we are living in Australia I thought we haven't even seen a wallabi yet, (on the blog) as drivin down the road to work each mornin there are always some lingering about. I stopped and took a shot or 2. I will attempt to get better shots in the future...but for now I thought this one will be suffice!

So we get the odd frog, now you must remember that the frogs are only about 2 cm long..
also note that you can generally click on these photos to enlarge them to look at the detail..

Well thats it for this year... have a happy new years and catch ya soon with my excitin new update in the beginning of the new year..

A Quick Trip back to New Zealand..

So my wife's pregnant, we head home for an early Christmas with the family and catch up with friends.. A few of Leilani's side of the family. Brunch celebrating Aunties side of the family. Then there is my brother and his family keen to catch up..... of course the dog doesn't like to be left out...

Above Left, Nikolai, above centre from left, Paula, Leilani + bump and pippy the dog and right Marcel and below Andrei. After a few days in Auckland adjusting to cooler weather and climate we head down to Tauranga to see family and friends..

Its great to be in the Bay of Plenty. My parents have some Alpacas the little one appopriately named Latte (left in the front).


Anyway onto fish & chips by the beach with a stroll around Mt Maunganui to watch the ships come into harbour...

With a sunset from Te Puna (Minden lookout) and a little of the Maori culture it was a quick 12 days in NZ....but thats how it rolls sometimes..