Each day Wanaka Search and Rescue has fielded some teams, and on Friday two car loads of us drove over the Lindis, to add to other volunteers from all surrounding areas, even as far afield as Queenstown.

We were given ground already covered – namely just off to the side of the easy track he probably used.

Gearing up…

Going throughly and slowly gave me time occasionally to look at the beauty around me, especially if I got ahead of my companions…

These trees got this lean on due to snow last winter I suspect…

Lunch with a couple of my good mates: Mike on the left, has spent a life time farming the high country, and has done an amazing amount of SAR, ambulance and fire brigade work in our small communities. Allan, center has done an almost unbelievable number of alpine climbs in the Southern Alps. Being with these two old mates not only engenders great trust in our team, but made my day so enjoyable…

Joined by a Dunedin dog handler…

Moody views more suited to photography than searching…

Back down in the valley floor – tasks completed and heading to Search HQ…

The New Zealand Air Force fielded one helicopter…

And a fuel truck, and that’s some high tech pumping gear that I dare say could easily keep up with an Iroquois’s thirst of a 44 gal drum per 30 mins…

Search Headquarters was the old Birchwood Station homestead. Endless cups of teas and sandwiches abounded, and being a bit damp and tired, this was just the bee’s knees…

The nerve center occupied by the search management team. The dense blue spot on the projected map would have been all the downloads from the GPS units we all carry. The management then look for gaps, and if any are identified put a team into it to check it out. The high probability area seemed to be saturated. This’d make it very hard to decide “what next?”, as clues… well hardly any have apparently turned up…

I presume this is why they “signed up”, but all is after all relative to cultural belief’s at the time. I do suspect many sought adventure.

All around Otago at least by the side of the road, and often under the shade of an oak tree those who never came back are remembered…

And in remote cemeteries I’m reminded too, and there is the occasional headstone of a soldier too among the rock and tussocks they called home, but I presume most were buried near where they fell…

I was in Glenorchy a few weeks ago and took some time to ponder on one of many many memorials in New Zealand, this one right beside the cafe – he looks so young…

I was struck by the attrition rate of what has always been a small community, and the impact at the time and for generations afterwards…

But do we really think enough on the lessons to be learnt, or just crowd the memorial with what we think we need in “our” lives…

We’ve just had the Warbirds Over Wanaka bi-annual airshow – do we think enough about why single engine fighter planes were built? Yes, they did defend us, but they were made to kill people too! Do we think much about the use of the word “Warbirds” or just go along with a good day out in the sun, where fighting is even re-enacted!

At least planes like this have been used for years since on humanitarian work…

My dad Norrie was away for nearly seven years after this photo was taken with his mum Elizabeth. I see an innocence in his eyes here, that I never experienced while being bought up and loved by him…

I think Egypt may have been a lot of fun with his mates, but not Italy and Monte Casino where they all died and he was wounded…

I’d say the physical wound was a mere trifle compared to the emotional and spiritual ones!

Memories become misty, and we all live with them…

In the weeks before his passing in the 80s I witnessed many of his in the most stark fashion: cancer cells were growing in his brain, and as I’d sit by his bedside, he’d often start panicking about machine gun armed Germans dressed in black on the rooftop of the house next door – in Oamaru!

I came to understand that all our realities are true, because I could with my own eyes see how true his were to him!

And as for Norrie in his youth: well his dad Sandy went to the Boer War. He stayed awhile in Africa too, and we don’t know why – a woman maybe.

The Kurow community bought him a horse to take with him. Yes, he did come back; horse, golden watch chain, medals and all, and Kurow celebrated.

But he died when Norrie and his brother Jim were barely teenagers. I’d surmise that war shortened his allotted years, and he too was scarred inwardly.

Did Norrie my dad learn “I don’t want to talk about the war Donald” when I was young, from his dad!?

So granddad Sandy headed to Forbury Park in Dunedin to train prior to going…

We know he’s in one or more of these photos, but we don’t know which soldier he is!

I note this year three New Zealand soldiers have died in Afghanistan along with countless other young men. To what avail! Things are still the same – war is crazy!

We have to raise consciousness… stop accepting programmes in TV that glorify the negativity, death and suffering.

We have to keep on remembering what ANZAC day is all about, and become stronger at this – not fighting!

Many thanks to my lovely cousin Deirdre Lousley/Sisson for sharing the hours of research behind finding the above photos.

Maybe one of you, dear readers could hazard a guess as to which soldier is our grandfather!

My good friend Bob McKerrow has also done a done a great ANZAC Day post

It all started at Alexandra where 90 + souls paddled down to Lake Roxburgh in very strong winds…

It carried on over the Knobbly Range to Manorburn on mountain bikes, where we camped out, then a road bike section from Poolburn to the Rail Trail, then a run on that to Lauder, and again onto mountain bikes and through Thompson’s Gorge to the second night at Tarras.

The last day was a road bike to Albert Town, a kayak down the Clutha to near Lake Dunstan, then a run etc. I think it finished at Alexandra – at the end of the kayaking my tasks were done so I headed home to catch up with work.

Funny to see this… possible pot of gold out there somewhere on a modern day gold rush…

An intense looking college group ready for the starting hooter on day two at Poolburn…

They’re off at Poolburn – my good friend Simone on the pink bike, on her way to overall female winner. Yes she did the whole thing!..

Simone is all smiles…

On the last morning a jet ski is launched for kayak support down the Clutha river from Albert Town…

I was really impressed over the three days with the fun attitudes of the athletes and their comprehensive support crews.

The official web site is here

The first meeting with the Court was what’s known as a Mediation Conference. There I was sitting in a court room setting in Alexandra. Lawyers were there, but not allowed to speak. It’s all about a Judge and the parents and any children.

The setting was mightily formal, but yet in these initial stages nothing is binding. It’s a great concept as the atmosphere encourages the idea that it might be a good idea to start thinking about why you’re there, and that if agreement is not reached on effective parenting, that parenting “control” may be lost!

When the elderly Judge walked in complete in his garb of a Court, a little voice in my brain said “Donald, this guy in grey has the look of a very wise and advanced human being – sit up and you may learn much of great value”. In response I uncrossed my legs, one calf having been resting on a shin, and I took my hands clasped resting on my lap, to my sides. The idea was to be “open”.

He immediately looked at my soon-to-be-ex, and said, “K…. I can see you’re very distraught”. His gaze then settled on myself and he said: “Donald I can’t read your demeanour at all”.

I was dumbstruck, and if my brain had been faster I might have replied: “your Honour it maybe because I just became a sponge when you walked in”.

However he quickly returned to K…. and ignored me for ages. I was fine with this as I was witnessing the unfolding of my first real lesson in life about compassion.

And yes I did learn something that changed my life. Being “open” in the mind had a lot to do with it. Interestingly too in this shady room with so many energies you’d not want to dwell on, that the only autumn light coming through a small skylight, beamed on me!

So now lets jump ahead a few years…

Something led me to trying yoga – on reflection I think it was my soul seeking it and what the work could potentially bring…

I justified the choice simply by saying I’m trying this for my body. And on that account I was to experience very early on a tightness in my throat and neck, and realising that this might have something to do, as to why I’d been challenged to speak my truth for lots of my life.

Yoga turned out to be very good for my body and was mostly fun, so I continued, but only to find almost to my consternation that it was a “mind” thing as well – I’d not wanted the incense and eastern music accompaniment, not that I got much of this. It’s just that I’d wanted “mainstream” exercise. Instead in practising it I took the first of many steps in learning to observe myself.

And it did effect changes in my mind! I even had to quit for awhile as somehow I knew I was going to be challenged emotionally, and I was not ready. I was to learn too that from an early age we store emotions we can’t process in our bodies. But yoga “opens” us, and one way or another they release – it makes us let them go. And “letting go” in this sense means letting go of control!

However topics such as control can be a subject of another post another time. I’m writing here about “being open”.

Up until about a year ago I mindlessly increased my going to yoga classes, and I was doing yoga “mindfully”, mostly disciplined 3 classes a week; pushing, pushing, with the mind!

This did get results: I eventually had an emotional release. Fortunately I knew these could happen, but was bereft of knowledge and mentors of how to handle same. Still I muddled through the equivalent of an earthquake that demolished my defences accompanied by many tears, and then aftershocks with amazing memory recall of childhood traumas. All-in-all a gift that took some unwrapping!

Some months afterwards I had the insight that if yoga makes me more open, that there maybe times of high risk of being open to more than may be healthy! For example it can pay to be around people emanating egoless love rather than negativity.

The Triangle pose opens us in many areas. I was taught to imagine I was between two sheets of glass, but although it looks simple there is more to it than that…

When things settled in a “no yoga for Donald” period of time, it seemed my soul went searching again. Nothing mindful for sure and I eventually gravitated to a new teacher Jen, and I did so with an unhurried mind. She knows all about emotional releases and meltdowns, and a lot more besides about how to open up the joints in other ways that take us further, and faster at that. I encountered how to make our hearts open and shine!

Breathing techniques have a lot to do with it [I posted an article here about how it relates to asthma], and I discovered how to open up my heart/chest area by the likes of raising the shoulder blades and dropping them back down my back, and puffing out my kidneys to engage my core in poses. And I touch on just a few of the necessaries here!

Recently in my yoga it all went “clunk” and I discovered a place of peace in poses – the most difficult became effortless, as strength and endurance took on new profound meanings. And what a beautiful feeling it is to let our hearts shine outwards, which it seems they have no trouble doing once they open! Being “open” took on a whole new meaning.

My first real feeling of my heart “shining came in this side plank pose – a quietness came over my mind a bit like the constant flow of thoughts that come unbidden stopped, and to my joy and amazement I realised that in this state I could hold this position for 5 mins. or more, and even totally enjoy it, and it seemed even that indefinitely would be possible…

Back tracking: post separation [a profound word this which I'll come back to below] and then divorce I found myself interested in how others handled it all. It became clear that many turn to religion for the “fix”. This really fascinated me, as my path took me inwards, where the challenge was to not only face the tigers, but to see them in the dark! It seemed a faster road.

The Family Court experience gifted me new friends one being my lovely lawyer, and I asked her one day if looking outwards to God in a wobbly marriage or divorce was as prevalent as I thought, and if so, did her office note at all if it worked. The answers were Yes to the prevalence, and No to it working.

Hmm… I thought: If God is everywhere and omnipresent, why do so many go outwards in their dialogue and vision, when it maybe better to go inwards where the dialogue can be more like “pillow talk” with one’s love?

This maybe one answer:

Much has been written on egos by the likes of Eckhart Tolle, and in his excellent and inspirational writings I’ve noticed he talks of a separateness that comes about from having a dominant ego, and in such cases how the real person is not only hidden from us, but from the host of the ego, which can even take on a karma he calls a pain body.

What spelt the lingering end of religions has been Darwin’s theory of evolution, but inversely it seems to be increasingly opening up the possibilities for redefining God and more embracing of that hard to define state called spirituality [a throughly abused word]. Trouble is, it seems to me, that we now have islands of religious beliefs. OK some are quite large, but as the numbers of believers dwindle it leaves a hard core who try to increasingly cling to beliefs that have become outdated [we are it's thought increasingly evolving faster than ever before], more extreme and less tolerant. In other words living in such insular ways provides fertile ground for more separateness from all of us flowers in the same garden [of humanity].

I think then that looking outwards to God seems to engender that separateness which becomes increasingly ingrained! It wrecks relationships, marriages, families and leads to abuses and wars. But, ahh.. go inwards to the soul and let it shine and it all comes out as compassion and love!

Yoga is after all an ancient system known to work [the word in sanskrit means yoke], of breathing practices, physical exercises and poses that encourage integration of the body, mind, and spirit. But there must be faster ways to get there?

It’s maybe a question of balance and how quickly we can not only realise this, but act it: if we have, as I’ve experienced, stored emotional hurt in our bodies, and then a minority of us learn of this and empty our buckets daily, then maybe in time we’ll have mostly empty buckets, but it’s more likely that some events some days will fill it up again. Actually right now a reason I’m writing this is to counteract my own one filling too much due to recent events unfolding the history of which I tend to dwell on too much!

This balance pose becomes much easier when we quieten the mind, and stability increases if we reach higher [to God or the heaven the sky symbolises?] from the hip bone to the arm pit. Also bringing the raised knee back opens the pelvis nicely, and raises awareness away from the groin area and upwards towards the heart…

Hence life is perceived as being incredibly dynamic, in contrast to those whose buckets overflow eventually leading to disease, depression and negativity. Eventually even to the point where they turn off to God never realising that he/she [being both inwards and outwards] has the answers, but we simply don’t know how to be “open” to them because we’ve been conditioned to look for the body with the mind, rather than opening our hearts to the possibilities of peace, strength and endurance, and/or to the universe that is God, [you may not want to use that word, but that's OK - it's all about gentleness and non violence to self and others].

There is in my mind an infinity that we cannot grasp that has an intent of consciousness.

We often do yoga [or it does us!] with eyes closed or open depending on a number of factors. In this pose near the end of a session, I’m about to open them [until I go to sleep], I’ve found it very insightful to bring what I see inwards, whereas my old tendency was to let them go outwards to gather information. It’s not lost on me that this sort of relates to going outwards to look for the God within…

On closing I have noticed that if we go into yoga poses from a basis of ego and separateness we will not only fail, but we’ll be damaged, literally. Whenever we try with our minds to go beyond “the edge” felt in yoga poses we risk self damage.

Yes, yoga has an ethos of non violence to self, but there is more to it than pulling a muscle, it’s more about “self talk” reinforcing low self esteem. The emotional damage we can do to ourselves can be a habit we don’t even know we have!

With the heart, which does not chatter about the talk of the mind, we can go much deeper to safe empowering places we cannot imagine!

Opening comes from surrender and it does not come from the mind…

We protect our hearts with rounded shoulders and pot tummies, and our throats, our most vulnerable areas, by jutting our heads forwards to the future [thus not being present].

In this pose which opens the pelvis I’ve forgotten to adjust my shoulders…

We become more open when we know death is near, but never forget that satanic forces look for this opportunity, but can gain no traction when “shining” prevails coupled with transparency, or do we call it light [of the soul]!

A great word we don’t hear often is “selflessness”.

My point being if you’re not getting replies form “upstairs” then change the channel! I’ve talked of my way, my journey – there are others.

On ending a yoga session we say Namaste. This is more than thank you – more like my soul honours yours and that they’re one and the same, or acknowledgment of the soul in one by the soul in another.

Namaste

We’ve just had the 75th Show near the beautiful shores of Lake Wanaka, which is one of the most stunning settings in the country for an A&P Show. About 20 years ago a real local [you're only one if you have an ancestor in the local cemetery], told me it’d not rained on the two days it’s held for about 30 years. So add 20 + 30!

The horses came early as usual, and the sun shone…

The kids had a great time…

Not many locals were as stuffy as this pair…

A long view of the Show…

A scary encounter…

So much fun took it’s toll…

Two bothers nurse a family rabbit…

Serious business…

A winner a few times over…

Walking the bull…

Music Vanuatu style…

The above are the shots taken that I now enjoy the most – you can see about 60 more and the New Zealand slant on an A&P Show on the new site at iDiscover >>

I also caught up with my friend Shirley, who lives in Invercargill, and you can see more photos on her blog here>>

And as for the weather: Today, the day after… overcast skies this morning and heavy rain, and at first this afternoon occasional showers, some of which are heavy. And it’s chilly!

It’s the long shadows…

I uploaded a similar shot to FaceBook midweek – this one has a greater sense of energy in the clouds about it I reckon…

It got “liked” by quite a lot of people, and this did not surprise me.

But a few days later I uploaded this one…

… and it in turn got “liked” a lot too.

This really did surprise me, as I don’t particularly like it that much. It was even a bit of an accident while attempting to do something a bit less radical with a time exposure.

But there you go – beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

I’ve heard of folk who get good images by putting their camera’s shutter on auto delay and throwing it in the air.

Work week wise I’ve been posting some new articles into iDiscover, and in the course of writing them using Google’s Keyword resources.

What’s amazed me using this awesome facility whereby you type in what you might think is a commonly used phrase that searchers type into Google’s search page, is that phrases it turns up can be really left field., e.g. I typed in “New Zealand landscape photography” and in a 100 results I see that in the last month 83,100,000 people typed in “image for photo”. I ask you what were they looking for!

One that makes even stranger sense though is 30,400,000 folk typed in “pics of photography”. But to be serious though lots enter “baby photography”

What these sort of fascinating results bring to mind in my brain is that in bulk we humans behave like a single organism!

Anyway to close I’ve done three postings on the following topics that you may find interesting:

Limited Perspectives ? A post on Quartz and Crystal Blessing Bowls >>

Money and Me, by site contributor Jen >>

How to drive through a mob of sheep on a New Zealand road >>

At a point a few months after blogging in the new sense I was going to abandon the project, but family were enjoying my experiments as I used relevant news of myself, and then when other bloggers started leaving comments I realised the virtual world was giving me messages to continue.

Apart from this blog being an incomplete weekly log of my life, often I’ve deliberately published content here relating to landscape photography.

This was a continuation of a work experiment, now refined, for watching how the site would perform in Google rankings in response to varying combinations of phrases and words on this topic and others.

And I’ve kept the theme eclectic even after positive results in the rankings because it’s fun!

The point of all this textual noise is to say I’ve started another blog – one with a purpose this time.

… but I plan to continue this one.

The unexpected delight of blogging is I’ve found a great way to make new friends, [even meeting some of you] and consolidating old friendships, and as a means to spread news very quickly.

… and then there is family. Thank you for dropping in regularly.

The new blog is called iDiscover.co.nz and is all about New Zealand Perspectives and Places, as seen/experienced by myself and contributing editors [one so far]. This is the title tag line:

“Down to earth musings and good practical Kiwi advice on the nature of living as a local or tourist in New Zealand, abroad, or on how to be present”

Visit the new site >>

I’m not sure how you did it, but I sensed a great peacefulness the times we had coffee together recently. Not that we’d ever known turmoil before making sure we connected before you had to go.

I’d hoped initially it might have been indicative that you were winning your 2nd fight to beat disease, but after I’d got home the thought struck me that you were more likely preparing to leave us with inspiration, and an on-going sense of that peace. My take is you succeeded!

So as you know I fronted up to your farewell at Hawea Flat Hall two Saturday’s ago…

Your brother Andrew filled in many gaps eh, as he told the big crowd many stories! I liked the emphasis on the Matukituki Valley, and how much it and Mt Aspiring means you…

Those stories sure went back aways and covered some awesome adventures you two had.

And up to the present too, inc. your bucket list, which I became aware of last summer via these FaceBook photos on End Peak overlooking Lake Hawea…

I was aware of the big transalpine trip that you and Andrew had over Arawhata Saddle to those far away mountains some years back, but the 13 day one following your uncle’s exploring footsteps and 1st ascents from Makarora to Aspiring was news to me!

So I dug out a few photos of my ramblings on this country – maybe I covered the same footsteps in places, or my friend and I were parallel at times, but it too was a tough trip…

And like you we made it, but only to the East Matuki. You went on around to the right of Aspiring onto the Volta and Therma etc…

Yes, you loved Aspiring from every approach and angle…

And that was what I thought was so special about your bucket list – Aspiring was on it! It was a thrill to see these photos too on FaceBook…

Pretty special people made up the party eh…

My sympathies go out to your mum and dad and Andrew, Scott too holding your little Nova to his chest as he said his fine words of farewell.

I don’t think I’m the only one who had some sort of special connection with you – one that’ll be with me all the way to my own send-off, and then some!

Your final words relayed to us will always inspire me – just like your way of living has [I figured you'd have been about 14 yrs when I first met you and yours]. I can’t quote them with accuracy here – it’s hard to do justice to their clarity – the vision you had to be with The Lord, and to let us know it so succinctly.

Yours

Donald

Margie Gillam [Wells] 1971 – 2012

PS love the photo shoot on the lower half of this page >>

All I can comment on is I’m witnessing an accumulation of worldly possessions, and this is handy as I’m at a stage of wishing to have less, so he’s taken on a few items; to my delight one being a mahogany dresser ex my mum and dad. We managed to pack all in the camper ‘tho…

Usually the camper’s backdrop is a less urban scene, but good access to his flat [back on the left] was appreciated…

His potted plants were about the first items to be positioned in his new room. I admire his priorities…

I know the weather is a challenge, but I like the Dunedin epitomised by this parkland…

Following on my trend of getting to know this area better, on the way home it was side-track time in the Silverpeaks for a little exploring.

Allegedly there was a track here once, but on this descent to one Possum Hut, apparently no longer useable, it seems the track has been neglected…

There was a lot ambiguity re the area’s signage – maybe because, as witnessed by the below, three organisations seem to have had input…

I’m sure Green Hill was traversed there and back, but I’m still a bit confused as to which one it was…

However top marks to the Dept of Conservation for the best composition of objects relating to guidance…

The weather reality did not live up to the forecast through and somewhere near Swampy Summit there was little creative impulse in the descending mist, so it was “back on the road again” heading home to some evening sun leaving behind the north easterly driving the mist…

There is an interesting article in the Otago Daily Times which sums up the area’s known potential to bring tears to the eyes of many trampers before bedtime. I for one have been embarrassingly be-nighted in the Silverpeaks many years ago, but a bivy bag, stove/food/water and good enough weather made for a comfortable night out, and enabled clear decision making the next morning. So the status of “lost” on dusk, turned to confusion, then to a style of enlightenment as a fine day dawned.

Trampers read up on not getting lost then . . . get lost

I’d heard of it years ago, but left it un-tramped. This was my loss as it’s a stunning 6 hour loop track – I’d say even magical. So below please find a “virtual” trip starting from the Greenstone Valley end, then across the Caples river, up the Greenstone, then crossing same, [all major river crossings are bridged] and following a stock route on the true right, back down the valley, and then veering off east and up to this surprisingly large gem of a lake. Then out to Elfin Bay, where there is an old building and wharf – both no doubt a legacy of when New Zealand Railways ran a service using the now iconic steamer, The Earnslaw…

Greenstone Valley waterfall…

Greenstone Valley waterfall…

Greenstone Valley after having crossed to the true right…

Greenstone Valley red beech trees…

Looking down the Greenstone Valley…

Greenstone Valley flowering manuka as you veer up to Lake Rere…

First glimpse of Lake Rere…

Spotted this near the lake – more likely a moth than a butterfly. PS Shirley commented as below, that it’s a Red Admiral butterfly…

Lake Rere shoreline…

More amazing stands of Red Beech…

Red Beech leaves in a creek…

Elfin Bay, Lake Wakatipu…

Finally, after some pleasant walking on farmland adjacent to Lake Wakatipu, ending up back at the mouth of the Greenstone just as rain sets in too…

I’m not sure what to make of the translation of the Maori “Rere” to English, but you can check it out here >>