Remembering

It is ANZAC day here in New Zealand. Today we remember all the members of the Australian and New Zealand Defence Forces who have served in wars.

Today I am remembering the following members of my family who served in the two world wars and who, remarkably and thankfully all returned home.

Harry Morrison, Army Sapper, Tunnelling Company of NZ Engineers. WW1

Tunnellers at Arras, WW1

Reginald Morrison, Wellington Infantry Battalion, WW1 and Home Guard WW11

Raymond Morrison, 33rd Reinforcements, E company, WW1

Alexander Grey, Medical Corps, Egypt, WW1

Albert Edward Simmons, Rifleman, Western Front, Europe, WW1

Alexander(Lex) Grey, RNZAF, Seconded to Fleet Air Arm, WW11

It has been my interest in family history and the research that I have done that has bought this aspect history alive for me. I have a much greater appreciation of their contributions, sacrifices and the long term effects on them all now.

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Friday Flowers

It is the end of the week. Here are some flowers to enjoy to acknowledge all the hard work we do, each and every day.

These flowers were in beds at the Aotea Lagoon, Porirua, earlier this week.

Isra, the hedgehog on video.

Regular readers will remember that I blogged about a sick hedgehog here. She was named Isra and is being cared for by Jacqui in a Hedgehog Rescue haven. Jacqui has several “hogs” in her care, returning them to good health so that they can be released to a rural property far from roads and relatively free of predators once winter is over.

Earlier this week Jacqui updated Isra’s progress. Isra now weighs a kilo and her new quills are growing now that the mange has been cured. Naturally Isra would like to hibernate but that would stop her quill regrowth and delay her release in spring. In order to prevent hibernation she is being kept very warm on her heating disc again.

Jacqui also posted this video on the Hedgehog Rescue (NZ) Facebook page. If you turn the sound up on your computer you can hear Jacqui talking to Isra and describing her as friendly and inquisitive.

Thanks again Jacqui for the treatment and care you have given to Isra and the other hedgehogs in your care :-))

The big dry.

The whole country is very, very dry with drought conditions in many places. Rain is desperately needed by people who farm the land and who grow plants. I am watering my vegies and plants on a daily basis and further water restrictions are on the horizon.

It is hot and it is dry.

Some refreshment would be welcome and would provide balance.

I went in search of some cooler conditions this morning and enjoyed the green of the regenerating bush area nearby.

Something has been enjoying some refreshment eating this green leaved Kawakawa plant.

And a blackbird was eating these juicy berries.

Despite the lack of rain there is still green, juiciness to be found in my backyard thank goodness.

In the dark of the night

Some time earlier this week, in the dark of the night my 10,000 visitor turned a page on my blog.

While WordPress offers a range of statistics it is impossible for me to know who the visitor was.

So thank you all for visiting and reading my blog. Here is a bouquet of roses for you all as a small token of my gratitude.

Tipping point

I see on my blog stats that over 1000 comments have been made on my blog.

Thank you to all the people who follow my blog and to those who have left comments over time.

I read this comment by another blogger recently and it really tickled my sense of humour.

It went something like this: “Thanks for reading my blog and leaving a comment. At least I know that I am not constantly talking to myself.”

I appreciate hearing from you. Take care out there.

Who would you miss?

Who would you miss if they left your life? I know you would miss your loved ones and friends.

But my question today relates to people who provide you with services that you value highly and which you might struggle to replace. In my case they would include my hairdresser, my dentist, and my mechanic.

These three people offer immeasurable value to me because I know and trust them and they know and understand my particular needs. They are totally reliable and are only too happy to go the extra mile to offer me brilliant service. In turn, I recommend them to others as a small way of acknowledging their businesses and services they provide.

Earlier this week I found another person who I have added to my list. She is a local dressmaker who has been able to alter some clothes to fit me and who will draft a pattern off some trousers that I have loved wearing but are no longer made. I can then chose fabric for new trousers and she will be able to make them for me and for a very reasonable price. It feels such a relief to have found someone who can help me feel comfortable in the clothes I wear or chose to buy.

Thank goodness for personal service given generously.

Thank you!

The tally of hits on my blog has just gone over 4000. So a big thank you to all the people who pop in to read posts, who have clicked “follow”, who link from Facebook and Linkedin or via search engines.

I’m glad you are out there and give my blog your attention. It spurs me on to keep writing and taking photos.

Flowers are often given as thank you gifts so here is a photo, taken today, of my Aladdin patio rose, flowering abundantly for the second time this season. Enjoy and thank you!

Head space

I’ve had a “thank you” card to write for over a month now.

A month ago busy, distracting life events stopped me attending to the card and the special thought I wanted to put into the words I would write.

Since then I have procrastinated and allowed a holiday mind-set to stop this very small but important task to be done.

Of course all this has nudged around in my head and how much better is it to get some words written down or the thank you card finally written?

Jotting down such things on a list, drafting out the words on paper can really clear considerable space in our minds. And this happened yesterday when I drafted out my words to include in the card.

The card has now been purchased so writing and posting the card will open up even more space!

Global readers

Early this year WordPress.com sent me a report on my blog for 2011. I was really interested to learn that I had had at least one person in the following countries read my blog.

New Zealand, Australia, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Israel, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, Romania, Russia, Sweden, Italy, United States of America, Canada, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Columbia, Ecuador and Brazil.

So welcome to my blog and thank you very much for reading it. I will be very interested to see whether I have reached people in different countries at the end of 2012.