Lest We Forget

On the anniversary of the battle at Passchendaele in 1917, I thought it was appropriate to share this image. The historic, bloody disaster from the First World War cost the lives of 450,000 men from both sides - all for just an 8 kilometre ( 5 mile) stretch of soil in Belgium. What the Allies took was all recaptured within weeks by the Germans, all for so little. It doesnt matter what side you were on back then, the message today remains clear - so many died in vain.

In New Zealand, one person in 1000 of the total country's population was committed and lost in this campaign far away in Belgium- and their names appear in every small community war memorial, like this one. To put that in perspective in todays terms, it would mean the loss of 250,000 Americans in one battle ( 1 in a 1000), for a battle lasting just several months. Lest we forget...

They went with songs to the battle, they were young.

Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,

They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.

The Great Thing about Weddings

The great thing about photographing weddings is... the quiet special moments when the formal people let down their guard just a little. This wee flower girl was absorbed in the process of signing the marriage register, and it gave her a far-away look. Of the hundreds of images taken by me at the weekend this is a personal favourite. Kim and wish Mike and Sue all the best for their life together.....

Mt Ruapehu Eruption

Some of you may have heard about Mt Ruapehu "erupting" on Tuesday night. Sure there was some smoke and a little ash, but the truth is we never knew anything about it at the time.

Ruapehu has erupted several times in living history, including the mud lahars last year. Because this mountain is just 60 odd miles (120 kilometres) north of where we live, there is always the thought in the back of our mind that this active volcano will lose its temper in our lifetime.

This picture is from Google Earth,and shows how barren the ash and some of the desert surrounding the mountain. In the 1800's, this was forest before the big one that killed everything for hundreds of miles around.

Sun Spirits and Moon Spirits

In my opinion there are Two kinds of people out there - Sun spirits and Moon spirits.
There is a question at the end of this rant for you , so keep reading!

Moon spirits are cold and dark, and have no inner warmth of their own. They have no life or colour. All in their life comes from others. They are the takers with small compassion for others. They are the needy friends, the dejected who will not help themselves, the victims who will not become survivors.

Sun spirits warm those around them with their energy, they give and radiate. No matter how much they give, there is still more.They burn with a fire inside that you can't help but see, and the energy is all around. They give life, they provide hope and colour. They do not seek reward.



The two work together in the heavens and on this Earth. Suns can make moons radiate and glow for awhile, but moons will never have a life or light of their own. They need Suns to brighten their life, or all turns to darkness, and hope is lost.

Suns will brighten Moons, not because they have to, but because they cannot help but radiate for themselves. Suns can live without moons, their spirit is undeniable.

So which are you today - a sun or a moon? Even a small amount of sunshine can take away someone's darkness, even for a little while.

Our Babies

Kim and I went to 'Te Rimu' farm where our sheep went after we sold our small farmlet. These three sheep were our very first, and always stick together like a rat-pack.
Heavily pregnant right now, they tuck into several loaves of bread and lemons - some of their favourite food! This was a special afternoon for us, and many thanks to Mike and Jan Holdaway - 'Te Rimu's' owners who put on a much belated farewell community tea.

In such small, remote places like Umutoi, everyone looks after their neighbour. We are each others firemen, ambulance drivers and helping hands in times of good and bad. We will always remember this community no matter where we go.

Consequences

I visited the Blog of Katie Azar recently , who was commenting on the price of coffee. It got me thinking about what has value in our lives. Im a caffeine fiend ( a caffeind?) and would pay any price for a good coffee that brings my DT's to bay.
You should visit Katies site (listed on my Blogroll) - she and her husband have a healthy perspective.

But everything we do in our lives carries a price, everything we do not do; say and do not say. A recovering alcoholic pays the price daily trying to hold on to the 12 steps. A mother pays the price in sorrow and joy for having kids . Having a job to pay the bills means a sacrifice in free time. Saying harsh words we later regret but do not retract, carries a price. Faith has a price...

Sometimes the price is one we can afford,sometimes it's not. When I was 18 I had a son who died sadly three months later. He would have been 28 this year ! I thought I had reconciled my sorrow, yet all these years later the price still weighs with me in those quiet moments. The debt though old, is unpaid on some level, unreconciled. No regrets or guilt, just loss.

The point I'm making is - be sure the price of your actions, the value of your words, are affordable. Be honest in dealings with people, stand by your word, say what you truly feel and live without regrets. Now in my mid 40's, I am at my most happy and content in the whole of my life.