Book Loving Kiwis discussion
note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
Archives
>
Chit Chat Board
Mod
How close to being self sufficient are you, pdr?
Our view looks amazing! Tree guys back today to lope some of the "smaller" trees today.
We are off to Heineken Open tomorrow. Having a couple of days with my sister to plan Mum's memorial service. Possibly Pt Wells after that, if my husband can sort a few things out.
Mod
Enjoy the tennis!"
We let our trees get completely out of hand! We do fight a constant battle with privet - it is just about out of control in our part of the Coromandel.
I will enjoy the tennis - in spite of the fact that in a fit of absent mindedness I managed to book seats that will be in the direct sun & 2 of the 3 players I wanted to see pulled out! :D
***Carol*** wrote: "& I forgot to post what I came into this thread for! :DThe tree guys are here, the tree guys are here!
We are going to get our view back!"
WOOHOO!!!
hmm. entertaining nz books..I read to be edified..and if it's entertaining, all the better. I always loved My cat likes to hide in boxes.
oh, lost the thread..I don't really know what to do with this christmas tree. It's in a pot. So not sure whether to keep it, plant it out, or let it die and use it for firewood and the pine needles for mulch.
Hate privet, makes me sneeze, yet the neighbours not going to do anything bout their tree.
I'm sure there's good books on nz trees ....someone ought to write a story about that. One tree Hill would be a good topic.
Or no tree hill.
We should have a poll for the best nz tree and one that you most like in your backyard. Also if any is to be planted on One tree Hill which one would it be.
I'm kinda into fruit trees. Good for shelter, shade, tree houses, food, healing, flowers in the spring..can put a hammock in it and read a book...
Mod
Fifty year old sewer and stormwater drains are having to be replaced where I work. When the school was built the grounds were planted with an assortment of native specimen trees, flax and a few silver birch. To make way for the machinery needed to do the work, the trees that can be removed without consent (silver birch, ornamental cherry) have been cut down altogether, but the others are just being 'trimmed' to allow the machinery access. Staff are really upset at the way this has been done to some very beautifully shaped trees. Today they cut down a cherry and butchered a kowhai and kamahi. The kamahi particularly was a lovely shape and now all branches on one side have been cut back to the trunk. Tomorrow it is the turn of the Kawakawa outside by window. We understand the drains are necessary, but it seems almost criminal to be doing to these trees what they are.
I have to say that one of my favourite trees is the Pohutukawa - especially at this time of year. I love the red of the flowers. They are a chiefly tree!
Selina wrote: "nz authors for a literary festival...Maurice Gee
Eve Sutton
Lynley Dodd
Alison Holst (and simon)
Lynda Hallinan
Steve Braunias
Paul Moon
I suppose some of them aren't very 'literary', they just ..."
What an interesting list...I really like that you have included Lynley Dodd, and I do enjoy Steve Braunias, too. I wonder if people are sometimes put off, or distracted, by the word 'literary'. In my family there are four of us - Me, who will read anything from the Marmite jar to Ulysses, my husband - who will read anything about WW2, fiction or non-fiction and has a passion for cook books (Yay!), my older son - who reads Tom Clancy - in the main, and my younger son, who reads NZ Rugby and Rugby World avidly, but doesn't love to read much else - although recently became very taken with Catch 22. I don't believe there is one right set of books to read, or one purpose for reading. I just celebrate great sites like this that mean I am presented with a whole great variety of other things I can read!
The tree outside my window is still whole and Treescape haven't been on site today so here's hoping!Up until yesterday a flowering cherry and prostrate/weeping kowhai stood here.
Kathleen wrote: "I hope they're at least planting something new to replace their destruction!"When asked that question their response is somewhat vague at the moment. Ironically the organisation has a very staunch 'green' policy which was put in place 4 years ago. No desks have wastepaper bins; each block has plastics, glass, paper recycling bins; there are compost bins fed by staff and the cafeteria. There is a vege garden that staff tend with produce going to the local food banks in turn. The only 'rubbish' is that which can't be recycled which is so small in quantity now that our rubbish bag is put out monthly to be collected with the local domestic refuse.
So given this culture in the organisation that has been totally embraced by the staff, we are all being very vocal at how this has been managed. We do understand that the drains have to be upgraded, but hacking off one side of a tree to get the branches out of the road of the diggers could have been done better with a little planning and thought ahead of time - lifting the canopy was all that was needed for most of the trees that have been butchered, and trenching around the roots.
But I musn't complain too much because there have been times in the last year where I've had to walk a half kilometer to go to the loo because our block was out of action again due to drainage probs. I don't think the 'they' will get away with not replacing the trees with new native specimens - I hope.
Correction to message #70 - There is a vege garden that staff tend... should read There was a vege garden ...Just arrived at work to find the vege garden and the 50 year old rose garden have disappeared. Hopefully the roses have been properly removed and put into temporary beds somewhere.
Kathleen wrote: "Ella's Gran wrote: "Correction to message #70 - There is a vege garden that staff tend... should read There was a vege garden ...Just arrived at work to find the vege garden and the 50 year old r..."
There's only 'grown up' children here, but even they're revolting just now! (lol) But yes, policy is ignored on a whim in certain sections of the organisation I have to admit. Our buildings have brick veneer on each end which were deemed during earthquake assessment to be unsafe so have been cordoned off for some months. This meant we had to take Cook's route to go anywhere as we weren't allowed to walk on pathways near the ends of buildings. Suddenly, with areas now blocked off for this current 'project', we are allowed to walk in those previously cordoned areas, and NO, the brickwork hasn't been removed. Such as suits the moment, the power and control!!
Gary wrote: "Hi. Not sure if it is allowed, but I'd like to give my "Kiwi" book a plug. One Man's Dream. It is fiction but set in a real place not far from where I used to live. It is here on G R and had a coup..."Welcome Gary. We have an "Author's Corner" where you can tell us about your books, so I've moved your message there.
Perhaps you would like to point us to where we can download it from.
Hi, Ella. Thanks. I'll try to find my way there. One Man's Dream is set in Manawatu. On all sites including Amazon. Dusty Miller is also set there. Both free.
Self sufficient? Mostly in the fruit, veg and meat line. Hard to be fully when's there's only me.Tell me where they are, Lesley and I will go and kick your vandals. I do understand that roots block drains but the work coul dbe done with some empathy for the trees.
What are they doing about your veg garden which has vanished. Can you blackmail them into digging it over and adding any surplus top soil or are they destroying the whole structure!
KILL the blaggards!
On that thought soemone please kill my mad neighbour. He kidnapped my little jersey heifers last Weds! He is completely barmy. He hid them in his barn, but I heard them bawling for me when I was out on the tractor near his place on Friday night.Tried to get the police but it was not a 111 call so I had to go through this ridiculous phone system where you listen to instructions about what a 111 call is and how to make it and then all about how to contact the prisons for visits and then a bit about 111 calls and A&E and then told to hold and someone one answer. BUT they did not.
Anyway on Saturday the cows are back in my paddock. He sneaked them in knowing if the police come it won't be until Monday and so he can 'clean up.'
The littlest heifer could hardly walk. She had rope burns on her back left leg, a rope cut up on her front right, a scrapped and bleeding shin on her back right leg and her horns and head were covered in that stretchy netting used to wrap large round bales of hay. The other heifer only had a scrape on her right hip bone. If they have lost their calves I will be planning on camping out at the police station until they do something!
P.d.r. wrote: "On that thought soemone please kill my mad neighbour. He kidnapped my little jersey heifers last Weds! He is completely barmy. He hid them in his barn, but I heard them bawling for me when I was ou..."Hoping the heifers are recovering from their ordeal okay. Shame the police have to have a major crime before they take action. Although having said that someone in the neighbourhood complained to the police about some boys climbing in the council berm tree (large size prunus just begging for action!), and they chose to call on the owners of the boys to reprimand them!! I ask you. Oh, the boys? - well they're still climbing in the tree, not damaging it, and the tree is loving the attention.
P.d.r. wrote: "Self sufficient? Mostly in the fruit, veg and meat line. Hard to be fully when's there's only me.Tell me where they are, Lesley and I will go and kick your vandals. I do understand that roots blo..."
Them what's done this deed have been roundly condemned by staff here and are feeling suitable humble - or at least giving that impression. As to restoring after the drainage work is completed - well they are promising similar replacement where possible so we all know what that means. Methinks they are hoping we'll forget and it will all go away with time. NOT SO.
Mod
Tell me where they are, Lesley and I will go and kick your vandals. I do understand..."
I arrived back late yesterday & I have had a very refreshing break. My b-i-l & s-i-l were wonderfully hospitable & PT Wells is still picture postcard beautiful. I did have some internet access but too intermittent & too frustrating to do anything but read here.
A tip for us readers - outside Matekana's Playcentre there were covered stalls with lots of free stuff - mostly books! I wouldn't go for a while though as I snagged most of the good ones! :D
Lesley, I'm appalled at the thoughtless damage at your workplace.
pdr, I hope you can bring your rat bag neighbour to book. Animal cruelty is never acceptable.
Mod
You know when you've reached that point when, whilst reading a 'real' print & ink book, you press on the word you want a definition for (kindle ipad fashion)then become flummoxed when you don't get the dictionary definition box pop up. Worse still YOU TRY AGAIN before realising ...(sigh) ☺
Mod
*grin*
Darned things those print books, they won't change!!!!
Mod
Haha that's hilarious. I don't have an e-book myself but I can imagine it must be funny going between them and print books.
StorybundleSome of you may have already come across this interesting website, but for those who haven't have a peek here -
https://storybundle.com/faq
Thank you for that.Oh and not old age, Lesley. My choir colleague who is in her thirties was busy tapping her hymn book page this last Sunday. The vicar was not impressed by our supressed giggles!
May I ask cheekily, and in some trepidation, if those who have read Tizzie might like to to vote for the book as the best historical on Bookbzz.com? There is a lovely money prize I do so need and I haven't got hoards of friends and rellies to do this for me. The other books all seem good and they all seem to have 100s of pals voting. I would like to gather some votes!!!http://bookbzz.com/prize-writer-favou...
I found this cool book at the book exchange calledAuckland is a garden
also...
one called
'pohutakawa Tree of Aoteoroa' by Linda Bercusson and Jacinda Torrance
I gave my christmas tree to Operation Christmas Child. The manager there said we should name it...what? Do people name their trees? So I called it 'Mr Tree'.
I've been picking sweet peas and pressing them in books. They will make your pages smell divine. Bibles are good for that too.
I tried to start a leafy book club on neighbourly, the online site but it's not really working! We need a tree house for our headquarters.
Woohoo!! I've won not one, but TWO First Read books on Goodreads giveaways in two weeks. How cool is that?! Just had to express my excitement to those who can appreciate it. My hubby just gave me a bored, 'that's nice, dear.' :)
WELL DONE LaVerne!!:):)What are the books?
Brilliant isn't it, Ella's Gran! :) The books are:
and
It is brilliant LaVerne. To win one is lucky; to get two at once is nothing short of a miracle!The Secret Life... looks interesting. Not so sure about Close Quarters - for me anyway. I'll look forward to reading your reviews. :)
LOL! Yeah, I didn't think that one would be your kind of book :) The Secret Life - interesting is a good word for it, I think! I'm looking forward to it.
All I get are deadly serious books like 'The Power of Uncertainty'. Mind you the one novel I got was unreadable, desperately needed a good story edit then a copy edit!
Still laughing, Lesley. Thank God! The bad neighbour sets the council onto me and they are threatening to remove my bushes and shrubs he doesn't like.
The cows are still nervous and only just healing over.
The bad neighbour attacked me yesterday poking his warratah through the car window aiming for my eyes.
The police do nothing as it's my word against his.
It's more the police are bored with neighbour disputes and aren't supposed to bring them to court. The judges always regarded such things as trivial that should be settled elsewhere.Nice for them but I've had seven years of it.
Got the council sorted anyway because they turned out to be reasonable for once and agreed to my friendly solicitor's plan of actoin re the trees.
For those who may have missed the announcement on the moderator's threadBLK's HAVE MADE IT TO THE GOODREADS FEATURED GROUP!!!
Not easy to do so it's worth a WOO HOO!!!
Mod
And while you are deciding what to nominate for the April BOTM group read, and to celebrate World Book Day (23 April), have a go at this quiz.http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/20...
Mod
Olive Schreiner"Looks like no one else on GR has heard of her either!
***Carol*** wrote: "Ella's Gran wrote: "I have to confess I got a book/author I've never heard of! Olive Schreiner"Looks like no one else on GR has..."
It sure looked like that but I selected the edition I actually bought (.90) and it and another hadn't been combined with other editions in GR. I did that when I got home so now it looks like it is known.
Still alive all you kind people. Just a quarter through the preparations for court and it takes so much checking everything needs a day, a date, a time, and witnesses, plus police incident number. Then it has to written sans emotions. That is hard.
Book quiz thingie gave me Virginia Woolf.But I only like one of her books!!!
Mod
But I only like one of her books!!!"
I've never read any Virginia Woolf. I have so many literary gaps! :/
Someone is trying to build a crematorium in the centre of our town. That will give a whole new meaning to "the dead centre"
& just a mention for the new folks - GR seems to have some minor bugs this weekend - both with the top/best lists & comments & likes on reviews. People have mentioned it in the feedback group but I imagine nothing will be fixed till it's Monday in the States.
GR is caught up in a cyber war. Rumoured to be US and China trying to crash each other's sites and protecting them. Several of my favourite research sites were affected.
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
Book Loving Kiwis
Books mentioned in this topic
Six Minutes In May (other topics)Night and Day (other topics)
The Penguin History of New Zealand (other topics)
The Jacqueline Wilson Collection: "The Story of Tracy Beaker", and "The Bed and Breakfast Star" (other topics)
Fifteen Postcards (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Rumer Godden (other topics)Georgette Heyer (other topics)
Tamora Pierce (other topics)
Alix Bosco (other topics)
Olive Schreiner (other topics)
More...
Also this bloomin' court case with unmentionable neighbour.
Robbed of any time to do anything and it's summer so all food for winter has to be stored, dried, frozen or preserved.
Will try to fly through and wave 'cos I will miss you all!