Well what a wonderful experience it’s been attending a learning and creative intense week on all aspects of landscape photography with such a good tutor as John Doogan and an outstanding group of fellow students. Here are a few of my images: Each afternoon we’d go to a different Wanaka location and spend a...
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![Wanaka Autumn Art School [progress report]](http://www.likeminds.co.nz/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/IMG_69021.jpg)
As mentioned a few days ago, I’d signed up to attend the annual 5 day Autumn Art School at Mt Aspiring College this year. Sort of got into it finally after 24 years of it’s legendary existence partly due to currently being on the committee that underwrites it and organises things. Here a few...
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For many months now I’ve often tended to post in a linear style on my wanderings and follies, whereas a few years ago I made the emphasis landscape photography. So back to the roots, be they a bit broader now, but who knows… I’m attending the annual Wanaka Autumn Art School next week, and...
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Last weekend I was fortunate enough to once again have an amazing trip as tail-end-charlie for the annual 3 day Gold Rush Multisport race across a lot of very isolated country in Central Otago. The race is regarded as the next great challenge for those wanting something longer than the Coast-to-Coast which goes from...
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I had to go up to the Snow Farm yesterday for a meeting or two, a barbecue and a working bee. It was great to be back in my winter wonderland! After the barbecue and meeting I decided I’d enjoy doing some physical work, which I plan to extend over the next...
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I blogged about the Wanaka Show Day this time last year, and there is a link below that describes it in more detail. Suffice to say that once again the weather obliged. Friday was as hot as… and many of the horses headed to the lake… Prime breeding cattle are primped, preened and watered...
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One of my old mates Bruce is shifting house out of a classic historic abode, and moving to town in Ranfurly. So it was a “house cooling” – maybe “warming” is coming. Matakanui is off the beaten track a wee bit, and that’s the way I often prefer to go to and from the...
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Following on from my last post all about travels about Otago, when I got home the skies opened, and so in such events photographic opportunities abound. Lake Wanaka got very high… My good friend Roger and I settle in for some dusk ’till dark time exposures, amid a rather nerve wracking electrical storm When...
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This post was hopefully the first of a few chronicling my mind-set and journeys of late, but having got this far I think I’ll keep it short and just post photos for awhile. To much navel gazing otherwise!. Anyway here goes on a sort of compressed journey touching on and reflecting perhaps a little...
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RIP Hendrika Josephine Couwenbergh 22.10.1935 – 18.12.2007 I posted this after her Wanaka farewell ceremony on 1/2/2008, and here I do it again as she left me with inspiration and much personal work still in progress.. Spreading of ashes ceremony Waterfall Creek, Wanaka [Rika's favourite colour was blue - hence the flags which I...
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We had our annual helicopter familiarisation and training last night in readiness for the summer season. I always hope it’ll be quiet, but it seldom is in these days of increasing use of the outdoors. The base of helicopter operations is the Matukituki Valley… The pilots, a husband and wife...
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It’s been awhile I know, but here we go again posting. I’ve done a web site revamp too so it’s accepting of more content that’s easily navigable. This blog thing did actually start out a work project… like many years ago I was asking myself; “what is a blog?”, little knowing I already knew....
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In 1862 Gold was discovered throughout the Central Otago and 150 years later we are celebrating this milestone. http://gold150.org.nz/ I’ve not had a lot of time off lately and it seems the trend will continue for a week or two yet as I develop software for Skydive Wanaka, so it’s all ready for the...
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Last week one of my readers noted I’d not done a philosophical post for awhile. Well… a few things happened mid week that lend themselves to this topic! Out of the blue I’ve been voted onto the committee of the Upper Clutha Community Arts Council – an elected voluntary organisation to promote and support...
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Why Mt Pisa? Well I’ve been up to it’s gentle summit a few times either walking or by 4wd, but I’ve never skied it before, and now I want to, and do it alone! The landscape is immense, and I want to feel how small I am in it and to be overwhelmed [well...
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I’m just back from a spontaneous trip to Dunedin. One of the reasons for another visit to this always enjoyable city was to attend the Imperial Russian Ballet Company performing Swan Lake… the most loved classical ballet of them all. This phrase succinctly gets to the point: “Swan Lake crosses...
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This winter has been, and currently still is, an amazing one for me. So many exciting changes: “full on” yoga of a style known as Anusara , fitter than I’ve been for years, and my love of cross country skiing blossoming, especially thanks to some new gear that allows me to...
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Recently I’ve been posting a few photos of the odd nocturnal visit to Bob Lee hut on the Pisa Range near Wanaka, and part of The Snow Farm’s cross country ski area. The down side of this is that I’m never there for the breaking of dawn! And it’s a spot that photographically has...
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Apart from a recent posting of favourite images my last post was about the onset of spring. Well New Zealand’s climate is ever changing and we’ve had a dramatic change back to winter… Conditions were obviously 1st class on arrival at the Snow Farm car-park last Sunday… More snow than I’ve seen for sometime…...
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First day of spring today and it’s for real as a Nor west weather pattern is now established. A bit early, but he’s hoping the wind won’t drive us nuts! So out with the camera to celebrate… Also sad to report the passing last week of two truly awesome woman here in Wanaka: Frances...
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Following on from the popularity of last week’s post here are a few words on the underlying thoughts and emotions on such a trip: Heading off on these solo jaunts I always remind myself that “familiarity breeds contempt”. Although trails on the Snow Farm are fairly well frequented going out on dusk as I...
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It was back in the late 60′s I started skiing, and at a club field complete with rope tow, walk in/up to the snow, dig the rope out after storms and crank up the tractor. We’d often ski so late we’d walk down in the dark to the accommodation hut. That’s when my love...
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Dear Readers You may have noted I don’t post here as often these days. Well, it’s because I’ve stopped thinking in terms of trying to make sense of a few things – so there is less intellectualising, and framing everything in my mind. I’ve been learning to shut the dialogue up, and yoga is...
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Yesterday was seemingly just another “Sunday”. It was a “time out” day, which is kind of how I like it. And as I have an old friend Francois from Switzerland staying, and visiting after a 20 year absence, we did one of my usual walks, after days of being everywhere especially in relation to...
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As many of you know, my main primary interest in the Central Otago winter is cross country skiing, and I’m fortunate enough to have the managements blessing at the Snow Farm ski area to be a nocturnal wanderer. It does avoid sun burn, and oh goodness too many trips in our Southern Alps years...
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Since my last posting way back in autumn much has been happening, not to mention some sort of profound spiritual sort of growth. I’m hesitant to use this much over-used, even abused word “spiritual”, but how else to explain a letting go of things that no longer serve, a lightness of spirit and changes...
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Given the interest a few weeks back on my post “An outing in the Ahuriri Valley on Search and Rescue work“, I thought I’d post a few images of the larger area. These maybe of interest to Dave Palmer’s friends, and given the tributes left on that post, even though I never knew him...
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“Sorry mate, I didn’t see you”. Is a catchphrase used by drivers up and down the country. Is this...
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Ralph Hotere has had a considerable influence on us New Zealanders in many ways, and although I’m far from...
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I was pretty amazed this week to learn that my friend Simon Spencer-Bower has just logged 20,000 hours as...
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Some years ago Wanaka local identity and business man Sir Tim Wallis commissioned a huge barge to be built...
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New Zealand tourism I read is currently getting a big boost with flight bookings as fans flock here for...
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This article has some of the best advice I’ve read about publishing… The personal computer — and the dynamic...
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A great post by my Snow Farm friend Andy Pohl.. Dec 13th 2012: Nor-am 2 and World Cup 15km...
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New Zealand has some stunning coastal areas and wild-life, but there seems little “official” appreciation of this treasure. A...
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One of my Snow Farm nordic skiing friends is off to a good start this nth. hemisphere winter. That’s...
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A small but significant ceremony took place at 5000 feet above sea level today to mark the handing over...
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A recommended read from my Dr: Kylie over at the Token Skeptic is poking fun at the Anti-Vax. Her...
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For the first time… The 2013 Winter Games NZ are set to achieve an unprecedented level of international television...
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The entire Nevis Valley will be classified an outstanding natural landscape in the Central Otago district plan, under an...
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While out walking tonight, I saw the start of a fire – a farmer’s burn-off going a bit wrong....
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In my last two posts I’ve written about the threat of four new dams, and published landscape photos of...
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