What the camera did not see!!

I have been told by a very reputable source that last Saturday at the
Cateye Moonride,  … WAIT FOR IT…  BREAKING, AND BREATHTAKING, NEWS !!!
There was one bike rider, a man, naked .!!! Yes, truly. I missed  him. Maybe just as well,  this is a public blog and not  censored for younger readers.
The Abutilon, almost transparent, bloomed in the afternoon sun.  This was in  Gloria’s garden

Down the street, I stood in the road, and looked at these beautiful colours. They deepened so quickly, and here the reflection is on the wet road,after overnight rain.


























On the way back to our family's home, a lady was out walking.
I could not miss her in the brightest PINK Nike shoes.

Mother’s Day started with a phone call from the far south. I think they will have snow to 300m tomorrow.
Then after I came back from town, this was waiting, a total surprise. Everyone knew, all day Saturday.
“How did you keep this a secret” “ Easy Nanny, we were out all day at the Cateye, and you were  somewhere else all the  time taking photos!!” Well, not all the time as I missed the naked man!!!
I hope they travel home well on Thursday.

Quotation of the day, author unknown

“ Graduation to the status of grandparenthood is the best degree of all”

Cheers from Jean

Poppy’s Update

Somehow I put in a post, then deleted it.While I am away, the cat has played. Poppy came in late one evening with skin hanging off a back leg
Phone call by Hugh to the after-hours Vet’s number, talked to the vet, up to the clinic,  full anaesthetic and stitches and a bright fluoro bandage, and 3 hours later, they were home.
The on-going visits have shown all is well, the skin is healing as expected, and with the after hours op,  dressing changes three times a week, the DOLLARS creep up !!!
However  she is now free from the wire walls,  which has been her home for over a week, confined to the house inside only,
PANIC !!! One morning Hugh did not shut the large cage door properly, Poppy managed to get it open and was in the lounge, but Hugh didn’t see her.
'” Shut all the doors!! Has she got outside??? Where is she???”  A very descriptive email  from Janet told me the whole story.
So when I go home on Thursday all should be well, hope the dressing changes are over, and she doesn’t do anything like this again.
The vet thought she had scraped her leg on corrugated iron, or wire netting, not a cat fight.

 

In my travels there have been cats.dogs, and bike riders.
Here is Bobby, the Manx cat at Gloria’s home. He is so friendly,and sat so quietly.

Here is Bonny , a darling soft fluffy grey boy, at another home, his lovely Mum and I shared a Mother’s Day Hug together, 2 total strangers joined  by the day and our love of cats.

At Gloria’s home I met the dogs. they were so happy to play together and show off their
tricks with the agility course  on the front lawn.
Ted, the 10 week old working Bearded Collie, was full of mischief, and joined in with
Doogal and Bear. He will go a pale grey as he gets older.

Doogal, is an Irish Wolf Hound, he was found abandoned in a quarry when he was a pup and the vet’s words, “ I don’t think he will  pull through,
You could play the fiddle on his ribs” Lots of TLC that  worked a miracle, and here he is at 9 years old. A very gentle boy.


Bear is a 16th month old working Bearded Collie, and does both Agility courses and dog  training.
He is full of life, and wanted to be part of the action all afternoon.

Here are the older dogs, with a saddle and jockey strapped on, Little Ted waiting for more fun.

Bear came through the tunnel at great speed, and Ted just sat, glad to have a rest.

Quotation of the day, author unknown

“ Animals steal a part of your heart,

 but leave a  part of themselves in your own heart forever”

Cheers from Jean

Cateye Moonride Race Day

The morning opened its window to clear skies, a cool temperature and the wonderful promise of sunshine, and no rain.
The bike was so clean, all brakes,tyres and spare parts checked, food loaded and Josh was on his way,
to meet the other members of the team. They were riding in the 12 hour event, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. tonight.
Lights are necessary, as is warm clothing,  with change of clothing ready.
The street was quiet, and sunshine on the trees at the edge of the redwoods was so good to see.


Tui Ridge Park is located within 170 hectares of beautiful bush, with vies over Rotorua and to distant Mount Tarawera.There are accommodation facilities, conference, rooms, and many outdoor activities available.
This shows part of the track, the finish line and some of the car park and warm up areas.
The area was very well signposted, with different areas for team, and solo riders, and many were in tents overnight, motorhomes, one vehicle looked as though it had a mobile workshop set up at the back, a bit like an altered horse float, very spacious, and maybe the riders slept inside. Tents were small, very small, spacious, large, and gave a quiet space for the riders between laps.
I understand some of the 24 hour riders came in for a hot shower early this morning before continuing on the rest of the race.
It was a cold night, and many in their tents were barely warm enough to get a good night’s sleep. What a price  they  pay to enjoy ( is that the right word) a sport so much that they almost freeze during the sleepless night !!!

Mud clings to the rubber, and I saw many riders hosing down their bikes to get rid of surplus weight.

Team riders have one  timing transponder, and this has to be changed over to the next rider  before he can start.  Then the rider goes past the building where the finish line is, there is a loud screaming noise, that tells the rider has been recorded as he/she went past. These cards with the built in transponder go into a plastic holder and must be vertical!!! If not, the rider going past does not get recorded.

Some riders, a tent with an extra roof, and one bike resting.
This is Josh’s bike, in between laps, each lap was 7 km long, with many deep muddy patches,
steepish hills, gentle slopes and some flat places where extra speed could make up for the slower places. Some riders had to walk, after broken chains, gears, or flat tyres.

One brave young lady had  little aerials on her helmet , and a small tutu,
one of many colourful outfits.

Each rider does a warm up before they do the change over, here is Josh turning another sharp corner. before his turn on the track.

This is the changeover, when the timing card is placed into the plastic holder, then the next rider can take off. So  fast, I didn’t get turned around in time.

Josh, nearing the end of his 7 km ride, time was 22 minutes, to 26 minutes, throughout the day and into the dark night.

The team was given an interview, and this should be on the Cat Eye Moonride website when it is edited.Connor,Lewis (hidden),Josh,Nathan, Henry was riding his lap,
and Toby, from another team.

Would this be so welcome after 6 hours, 12 hours or the 24 hour ride???

I came home a little earlier, and the night sky showed these stunning colours.
The perfect ending to a truly wonderful day.

.

Quotation of the day from Albert Einstein

“ Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.”

Cheers from   Jean

Saturday Sunshine on order

We have had all of the above in one day, with the sun getting to shine after 10 a.m. Forecast was for torrential rain, and it did rain, but not what I had expected.

The two swan plants have lots of leaves, lovely seed pods, small,medium and large caterpillars,
one has looped itself into a “J”, and there are 3 chrysalis, with me hoping at least one will
show what is hidden inside, and the Monarch Butterfly will flex its wings, wait for them to dry,
and fly away to begin a new life.




This weekend  the “ Cateye Moonride” will take place at Tui Ridge Park, Hamurana, on private land for the first time in the race’s 16 year history. Over 2000 riders will take part in this event, which is raced,solo, or as a team, in  laps around a 7km track. The record set last year was for 42 laps, in the 24 hour time. This is the only 24 hour night ride in New Zealand, and “GUESS WHAT”
I will be there with camera, warm hat, and hope for some great photos. Our grandson will be a team member in the 12 hour event.
Cross country bikes are used,various models and makes, prices for these range from $1000, to $ 10,000 plus.
The photo below, courtesy of the internet,of a previous year’s race.

Morning sky views from the deck

                     Quotation of the day, unknown,

“ Face each day with a brave heart, who  knows what is ahead”

Cheers  from Jean.

Autumn Leaves

The leaves have those stunning autumn colours, and the golden and scarlet colours last such a little while.Soon the leaves all fall to the ground and fade to a dull fawn, then wither and crumble to nothing.
Next year we will see this all over again, nature is truly wonderful.
Last night there was a Perigee Full Moon, (  the  point where the moon is closest to the earth) and I thought that I had a good photo.HOWEVER, when I looked on the net today, I can see what I should have been taking, not just the moon, but  something in the foreground as well. I have so much to learn with this camera and also composition of the  photos.



Shadows on the grass at the park, where the Constables and Dog Handlers take their dogs for training., Under the tree was a magpie, the bird had found someone’s  left-over lunch and was busy having a feed. It flew off when I approached, and I didn’t see it again.

I have some sewing to do, and YES, more muffins to bake. Emails from home tell me Hugh is having a great time,  he has taken Janet on some adventure trips, a day 
on the beach from Himitangi to Foxton and back,  and today will be in the Ruahines, if the huge washouts are filled in, up to the Red A Frame DOC hut.
Part of the road on the way to the A Frame.

Maybe tonight the moon will be as bright, and now I have better ideas for the photos, will be able to brave the cold night air and focus on another shot.

Quotation of the day, from W Clement Stone

“Aim for the moon.If you miss, you may hit  a star”

Cheers from Jean