Tuesday, November 29

Spinning Spinning Spinning


The Simple Image were cool - Simple Image also moved to Sydney and broke up in 1971.Barry Leef from the Simple Image had his own bands in Sydney for three decades often with former Highway guitarist Phil Pritchard. Leef married singer Erana Clark who is sought after in her own right as a recording artist and session singer – she sang the theme song for TV series Home and Away

Wednesday, November 16

Open Air Service - Sunday


Where is everyone? Plenty of Churches - St Johns Presbyterian, St Marys Anglican, Methodist, St Joseph's Catholic... you choose

Sunday, November 13

Gardening at home was a wee bit Different


from the market garden. There everything is bigger - acres of veges to crop, and send to the markets. beans, caulis, lettuce - with fresh cut smell... tomatoes, ripened on the vine - none of the green ones that are picked today and ripened in the shop.

Tailors Dummy


Pins in mouth as you take up the hem; tape measure around your neck, tailors chalk and scissors - and a wooden ruler that stands on the floor - any you're ready for action

Saturday, November 12

Dominion Hotel Hawera - Demolished 2005


Thanks for the photo Jan - Accommodation two double, two twin and 10 single units.Capacity: 18 (14 rooms)

For other Hawera History check out
http://www.stdc.co.nz/hawera.pdf

Thursday, November 10

The Corner Dairy


Soldier loaves, baracutta - No sliced bread ... ice cream in a cone - all flavours and chocolate dipped for an extra price. Luxury as we never had a freezer at home. Miss Brown had her store in Glover Road; Milners were opposite St Marys Church

Then the Busy Years Went Rushing By Us


We lost our starry notions on the way If by chance I'd see you in the tavern We'd smile at one another and we'd say ...


Just tonight I stood before the tavern Nothing seemed the way it used to be In the glass I saw a strange reflection Was that lonely woman really me

See No Evil - Speak No Evil


Whimsical - cute - or just plain and simple

Surprise


Elves, pixies and goblins... Brownies comes to mind - toadstool, putting a coin on it, working for badges. Still have the Girl Guide campfire blanket - lots of scout, cub, brownie and guide badges and other swaps from Camp and Jamborees

Rose By Any Name


The simple, single, sweetly-scented rose is the essence of the rose – a thing of beauty – a joy forever.

Toys Galore


No choices for us - just bows and arrows, indian feather headwear made from corrugated card boad and chicken feathers, may be a teddy bear or a doll

Daisy Chains and Summer days


Daisies are generally well known to everybody, and many people have made daisy chains as kids. They mainly cause problems in lawns, where the very noticeable white flowers with yellow centres can be considered an eye-sore or charming depending on your point of view.

1984 - Who would Have Thought


George Orwell wrote about it - he also wrote Animal Farm, that book we all studied at school. Nineteen Eighty-Four was written "to alter other people's idea of the kind of society they should strive after."

And a Pukeko in a Punga Tree


Never saw one til I left ... Maybe they lived in rural NZ.. Pukeko chicks are remarkably odd looking things. They make the most dreadful screeching noise when small. Blue bodies on long dangly legs.. striding away when you approach

Green Green Grass of Home


What more can I say... brown cows, box thorn hedges- that smell when it's being burnt ... Try driving round the mountain - different view at every turn. But keep your eyes on the road.... (All together now, one, two, three) (Keep you mind on your drivin') (Keep you hands on the wheel) (Keep your snoopy eyes on the road ahead) (We're havin' fun sittin' in the back seat) (Kissin' and a'huggin with Fred) (Dee doody doom doom, dee doody doom doom) (Dee doody doom doom, DOOM) .. courtesy www.hi.school.nz

HIS

MrTunnicliffe was our leader - George Hill, Mrs Canavan, Mr Mills, Mrs Leamont, Mrs Langton, Mr Elgar - Oh so many .. Fairly new school by the time I got there. Cooking, sewing, science, folk dancing, no pool - big fields.

photo courtesy www.hi.school.nz

Flea Markets or Garage Sales Weren't Invented


Just the school gala - with donkey rides, fire engine ride from Miss Sue Mathews, toffee apples, seedlings and jars of home made preserves and jam. Not forgetting the White Elephant.

Petrol Was Never This Expensive


No self service -Plenty of brands to choose from - Atlanta, Europa, Shell, Caltex, Mobile - and the guy who filled it up also checked the oil and water... no need to ask

No White Geese In Naumai Park


Well, not that I remember. Naumai Park is noted as an Ark of native fauna.Naumai Park is the realisation of some of Hawera's forefathers. It is close to High Street, and the water tower- easy walking distance, and a collection of mature native trees and seedlings, and fish? . We went past it every Sunday on the way to the Cemetery. Bread was taken - if we had any to spare..

Trams - None In The Old Home Town


No public transport in Hawera - Just the train in and out - North to Auckland and South to Wellington - and anywhere in between. Taumaranui and the stop off for a cup of tea and a pie. The overnight 14-hour trip between Auckland and Wellington, on that winding, narrow-gauge, mountain railway line. No dining car, no beds, poor heating, endless swaying.

Nearly November 11 - Armistice Day

It’s hard to imagine that World War I involved 35 countries. It lasted five years, from 1914 to 1918. The United States only fought from 1917 to 1918. A year was more than enough time, however, to claim too many lives, and people held tight to the notion that this was the very last war. When the fighting stopped, leaders of several countries signed an Armistice on the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month. An Armistice is an agreement to stop all fighting, in other words a truce. This truce was signed on November 11th, 1918 at 11 A.M.

Tuesday, November 8

Home Sweet Home


Nothing like it ... After months away in the Big Smoke - so nice to be Home among Family... So soon to leave again

There was Life Before


McDonalds - In fact before 1970 - But Wellington..The Capital City was the first to offer such American Food...And there was the queue to contend with for days and days.

The Sunset Show 1ZB Wellington

Hi there, this is Pete Sinclair! Once again I'm saying, let's go... with The Librettos!" and the band would launch into the familiar hand clapping and twangy guitar of the show theme tune.

So You Want To be A Hero


Comic collections - Do you still have yours? Beano - Phantom - Ritchie Rich and Casper the Friendly Ghost

Black Grace


Dancing in the Street - what was that song? Calling out around the world Are you ready for a brand new beat Summer's here and the time is right For dancing in the streets They're dancing in ChicagoDown in New Orleans In New York City All we need is music, sweet music There'll be music everywhere They'll be swinging, swaying, records playing, Dancing in the street, oh..It doesn't matter what you wear, just as long as you are thereSo come on, every guy, grab a girl, everywhere, around the worldThey'll be dancing, dancing in the street

Monday, November 7

The Dental Nurse needs to see you....


Miss Evans - The Dental Nurse - in her little house across the field.. Some thing to make your day. And if you were good - she made you a bumble bee out of those cotton pad things .... I can just hear it now bzzzzzzzzzzzz

Sunday, November 6

Afternoon Shadows


Trees - tall and imposing surrounded by blue sky- There for ever it seems.

Nursery Spiders


Spiders were never my forte - but nursery spider webs look great. Used to see the little spiders on the way to school - they look gorgeous all in their bridal veil

Bird of Paradise



So serene and elegant.. Never had any in my garden.. Look like the real deal

Jingle Bells and All That

Near enough to it now - the long summer days - beach and picnic - ham, turkey and lamb, roasted with potatoes and kumara; and peas and mint sauce. Lets not forget the pav and cream, and trifle with custard and jelly, fruit salad - strawberries dipped in chocolate.. Hanging out already

So this is Christmas...

Cool Spring Day



Teddy Bears Picnic was never this good ... Lovely walk in the forest. Who know who you might see there

Mt Egmont Blows You Away

Its always there and you see it every day - But when you've moved away - it becomes more precious . Coming down the West Coast down Mokau way - you see it in front of you. You know that you are coming home - That feeling over comes you as you glance out the window - that cool blue sea - waves - black sand ... An image that you can see when you close your eyes ... But you had better not be driving at the time!

Once Was Egmont - Now Taranaki

The Bank Was Right Next Door - High Street

The Sewer

Mum made all our clothes - the skirts and dresses.. when we moved up here there were bags of material that she hadn't got round to making garments.. I still have the bags now and every so often my girls will get a bolt out... who's hanging out for materials from the 60s...lovely psycadelic (sp) purples and pastels - flowers even. Some denim - And the patchwork quilt we started with Mrs Langdon in 1964 - a reflection of all the material we had over the years .. well that quilt still remains uncompleted today.. sorry Miss - I was never a sewer.

Singer Machine - Yes we had a Treadle

Mt Egmont - Who Needs To Go Bush...

Green Grocer

Is there any such thing today? That was what Dad was - his occupation - a green grocer. Firstly in High Street then Union Street. Holidays saw us down at Webster Brothers - watching the auctioneer in action.. Mr Taylor - All the buyers from around the province getting their stock - vegetables, fruit ..and loading up their trucks to take the wares home.

Those were the days where you had to wash your own carrots - ripen the green bananas in the banana room -

We even had tins of mutton birds - Mum used to hold her nose as the smell was so strong.

And the internet says:

Call it what you will, it is one of Maoridom's most favoured foods.

Muttonbirders say that on the 25th November, all adult females with only a very few exceptions lay an egg. Only one egg is laid by each bird and both the male and female incubate it. A few eggs are laid on the 26th November and an even smaller number are laid on the 27th November, but after the 27th egg laying ceases entirely.

The eggs laid on the 25th November are said to hatch on Christmas Day and those laid on the 26th and 27th November are hatched on the 26th and 27th December.

Eat Your Veges

Oranges And Lemons - The Bells of St Clements

Those Were The Days - AMP Shows

AMP shows were the high light of the year. Hicks Park.. horses - candyfloss and waffles - hot dogs on sticks with runny tomato sauce - and of course the clowns - the guns - shooting for prizes. photo competions - cake competitions - and jam.. biggest pumpkin.. and who could forget thos little kewpie dolls dressed in net skirt with gold glitter - on a wooden cane

Ping Pong Clown

Art - For Arts Sake

Railway Station - Auckland

Britomart has been given all sorts of names - but if you take the time to wander in, it's a lovely place. Long - not busy and trains pulling in from all over. Even the train trip is great - Used it during the bus strike earlier this year.

Rain ...On The Roof

Stairway up To...

Flowers From The Garden

They are so much better where they are -No flower shop ones for me!! Even the Dandelions grow well in my garden. There are all sorts of excuses not to be out there weeding... but I'll be there... maybe next weekend

A Rose By Any Name

Blowing In The Wind

What happens to the sign in page

Well who knows - Things never seem to go according to plan. Like the broadband - never connects first time up - have to pick up the phone and dial out before it registered... no dial tone.. um - isn't broadband wireless?

taranakiexpat

Bother Lost it again

Saturday, November 5

On the Research

Have interviewed many of the Clan - lots of information that now needs clarity - some real work now in deciding what to put in the chapter. Have met lots of nice people - all keen to help - and all positive people who have overcome adversity in their lives. One does not know the hardships that they and their forebears had before us.. The years 1900s were fraught with danger, hard times.. but the desecendants can do them proud.

Lost in Space

Well its been a while - November 5th Guy Fawkes. Seems strange that there are no fireworks in this houshold - first time in 26 years. The days of penny for the guy and tom thumbs have long gone - Hawera 1950s!! The guy stuffed with straw - in a trolley - hanging about outside the White Hart. Sparklers and Mt Egmonts, Mt Vesuvius, double happys, sky rockets... now they have fantastic names and cost an arm and a leg