ABC Wednesday: P is for Puppy

This is mum's new puppy Holly. She is 11 weeks old and a Labrador Hunterway cross.

She follows you everywhere and is quite the character, always exploring her surroundings and trying to get the other dogs to play with her. 

Grrrr I can be scary too.

One day I'm going to be big like you.

ABC Wednesday
Outdoor Wednesday
Nature Notes

ANZAC Day

Today is ANZAC Day. 

On the 25 April around the world Australians and New Zealanders gather to remember those who fell during battle and sacrificed for their country. At dawn thousands gather to remember those brave soldiers in Dawn parades, laying wreaths at memorials and for the sounding of The Last Post. The date and time of dawn reflects the landing of ANZAC soldiers in Gallipoli 99 years ago.

At conclusion of every Dawn Parade the Ode of Remembrance is said with those listening repeating the last line in response.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will Remember them.

Lest We Forget

Skywatch Friday

Our World Tuesday

ABC Wednesday: O is for Opera

The Sydney Opera House seemed like the perfect option for O.

As dawn rose a ferry cruised past the Opera House.

Now a view from the water. 

ABC Wednesday
Water World Wednesday

Talk to The Hand

This teenage Hamadryas Baboon reminded me just how closely related humans are to Old World monkeys.

I Heart Macro
Macro Monday 2
Macro Monday

The Girls

Even the puppy was able to make the shadow.

Shadow Shot Sunday

Back when there was sun...

Skywatch Friday

Sailing Away

Skywatch Friday

ABC Wednesday: Monkeying Around

These are some of the Wellington Zoo chimpanzee's. Over the past few visits of the zoo I have amassed a collection of them mucking around with each other.

Brotherly kisses.

This is Beni with his little brother. Beni stole him from his mother and hid him from the rain.

This is one of the male chimps. There is 13 monkeys in the troop and multiple males. They are a hierarchical society with a dominant female and male. I believe this might be Sam the dominant male but it is hard to tell.

This is Beni showing off his acrobatic skills. Truly monkeying around.

This is Malika, she is the middle child so to speak. You can tell the young apart by the white tuft above their bums. This indicates to the other chimps that they are juvenile and allows them to get away with a lot. The white tuft starts to disappear at around 4-5 years, at this point they are treated like naughty teenagers. Beni is finding this out the hard way as now when he annoys one of the older monkeys they will give him a short sharp reminder who is boss.

ABC Wednesday

Berry Berry Nice

As the first Autumn storm hits I thought I would reminisce over the great summer we have had.

I Heart Macro

Macro Monday 2

Wild Child Blooms

Floral Friday
Today's Flowers

ABC Wednesday - L is for Lyttelton

Lyttelton is a small port town located over the Port Hills from Christchurch. It was one of the first areas settled in the Canterbury region and currently home to approx. 3000 residents.

The area was discovered by Europeans in 1770, and had been home to Maori for around 700 years. It was colonised and proclaimed a port in 1849 with settlers arriving shortly there after. In 1908 the Nimrod Expedition, led by Ernest Shackleton, left from the harbour to explore Antarctica.

 

The port was used as the 'Gateway to Canterbury' during settler times and is still an active port today, handling 34% of exports and 61% of imports.  It is the primary port for energy shipments in the South Island with both coal and LP gas and petrol shipped from here. It is also a regular stop for curise ships.

The Royal Hotel was built during Lyttelton's establishment and one of the many historic buildings in the town.  In 2009 the New Zealand Historic Places Trust named Lyttelton a Catergory 1 historic area. This means the area was deemed one of special or outstanding historical or cutural heritage with significants or value. Unfortunately in the 2010 and 2011 earthquake many of the historical buildings were damaged, some, including the Royal Hotel, beyond repair. 

ABC Wednesday

A Big White...

Recently Wellington was visited by the Russian Super Yacht A.

The yacht has been in New Zealand since the end of last year being repainted just north of Auckland.

 A is one of the largest motor yachts in the world and cost approx. $300 million (US) to build.

While watching in the yacht in the harbour we could see people cleaning the windows. 

This guy also came from a bike past, which shows just how big the yacht is compared to a man.

Water World Wednesday