Today is the 80th anniversary of the huge 7.8 magnitude Hawke’s Bay Earthquake.
At 10.47 a.m. on 3 February 1931 the ground suddenly moved.
Today is a good day to talk to your family about your household emergency plan (unless you live in Canterbury and have already done so!)
We have a plan. We also have a Civil Defence wheelie bin out by the woodshed away from the house. This has torches, radio, batteries, first aid kit, food, water… etc
As my old Guide leader used to say – Be Prepared!
Posted in Family | Tags: earthquake, Hawke's Bay
Time is against me to tell more about my love of Kinloch, at the head of Lake Wakatipu, and the Routeburn.
I could wax lyrical about these two places for years given the space and a benefit paypacket of some sort.
To cut a long story short (and if you’re a regular to rivettingkatetaylor or have known me for more than five minutes then you’ve heard it all before so flip to the photo link at the bottom 🙂 ), my great great grandfather settled Kinloch and my grandfather, Harry Bryant, used to run tourists (who would travel from Queenstown on the TSS Earnslaw) up to the Routeburn Valley in open-top buses.
(A friend who visited Kinloch with me when we were 15 facebooked me the other day to say she had seen one of Grandad’s buses on the road -one of them now belongs to his nephew, Neville.)
Neville and Margaret Bryant's website
Forever and unashamedly proud – the best way to describe how I feel about one of Central Otago’s early tourism pioneers (that’s grandad, not Neville lol). And so, I love walking part of the Routeburn any chance I get, which isn’t very often now I live in the wrong island.
Please have a look at my photos from our latest sojourn to the Routeburn, my second favourite place (Kinloch wins), with mother and mother-in-law in tow. We walked up to Routeburn Flats Hut in the afternoon and the next day walked up to Harris Saddle and right back out to the carpark (nine hours).Â
Feel free to have a look at the Kinloch photos while you’re there 🙂
Posted in Family | Tags: Earnslaw, kinloch, Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown, Routeburn, tourism
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You are the storyteller of your own life and you can create the legend or not.
~author Isabel Allende
Posted in Family | Tags: my thought for the day
Most of my travelling around Europe and the UK was done with a friend.
The day she flew out back to NZ, I turned in the airport and said to thin air… well, thought to myself…Â “well, mmmm, yes, well, um, I guess I’d better go somewhere then”.
It felt weird. Weird to be alone… weird to not have anyone to talk to and weird to make my own decisions on my own.
But good to be alone… good to not have anyone to talk to and good to make my own decisions on my own.
When my husband and I were on the Sunshine Coast and he was getting in a spot of golf (before I started playing) I would sit at cafes and watch people go past, watch the cafe staff at work, watch the other patrons. When I had enough of that scene, I would read my book a little then move to another cafe and order another coffee! Good way to spend four hours enjoying your own company (and good coffee with one smoothie in between to slow the heartbeat from too much caffeine!) and soaking in the atmosphere around you.
I have just read this column on the stuff website called travelling solo and happy.
I recommend it. It made me smile and it made me what to do my OE all over again. Well, maybe just a walk down the road for now 🙂
Posted in general | Tags: OE, travelling solo
It makes a change, but I enjoyed seeing a Government press release this morning! Not strictly farming, in the grass-growing sense, but still helping the primary sector.
The headline: Primary sector innovation fund tops $475 million
The Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries have announced another $107 million of government-industry funding of Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) proposals (aquaculture, wildfish harvesting and timber).
According to the press release, the three proposals approved will:Â
 This is great news for the future of primary industry in our country.
But sadly it comes with today’s other headlines about the reduction in funding for early childhood centres. I was president of Hunter Park Kindergarten in Waipukurau for a few years and I know how hard these centres fight for every dollar. I know how important they are in the worlds of our young people. Putting costs up is only going to reduce the likelihood of attendance for those children who need the helping hand the most.
My argument is not for or against paying for qualified teachers. I know so many people who are wonderful in these centres and have been for many years (one lady springs to mind at HPK in recent years) without formal qualifications. Everyone at Playcentre starts without formal qualifications but works their way through the system.
Early childhood education should just have more money. Fullstop. So should schools. And health. And our police force.
Where the money comes from is a whole other argument that I simply do not have time to get into today! (will never have. too big. too political. and I have way too much fun just bagging politicians without having to offer alternatives…. 🙂 )
There is also another argument here for people staying at home to look after their own children. I did just that, but used kindergarten two days a week for my children to spend time with other children and other role models or figures of authority, for routine and for school preparation. We went to playcentre once or twice a week to do cool stuff together.
Being a preschooler is just such an important time in a person’s life. Every activity is learning a new skills – using scissors is something adults take for granted but is a major mission for a preschooler…  all that sort of thing. Now, really must get some work done!
Posted in general, school | Tags: early childhood education, politicians, Primary Growth Partnership
Good news for Young Farmers at the start of another year of membership growth.
Daniel Joho, an engineer in the Graduate Programme at Fonterra, along with a group of around 10 friends, are the driving forces behind a new South Taranaki club. Daniel’s motivation behind starting  the Alton Club is to make it a little easier to get meetings.
“Basically we were talking about Young Farmers at the Alton Tavern one night and the boys were all keen to join so we thought why not start one up right here instead of heading to another Club,” says Daniel in a Young Farmers press release today. The closest club was previously about a half hour/hour drive away for most of them.
The meeting will be held at the Alton Tavern on February 15. You have to be aged between 15 and 31 and don’t need a farming background. No obligation to join on the night.
But as a 23 year veteran of all things Young Farmers (please don’t do the maths! they kicked me out a few years ago 🙂 ) I tell you there will be no regrets!
Posted in Rural | Tags: club, young farmers
Hopefully some of the people who knock farming’s contribution to the NZ economy are reading the latest press release from Federated Farmers…
Overseas trade boost continues thanks to farmers
Despite one of the toughest seasons in memory, the agricultural sector’s contribution to the export economy has maintained its high, according to the latest Statistics New Zealand Overseas Merchandise Trade statistics. Â
 “Every New Zealander can be happy with this result, which follows December’s positive figures,” says Philip York, Federated Farmers economics and commerce spokesperson. “Merchandise exports for the year to December 2010 were up 9.6 percent to $43.5 billion overall. This boost was led by dairy and forestry which were up 29 percent and 27 percent respectively, great numbers in these tough economic times.
“As we saw in Federated Farmers Farm Confidence Survey, farmers are considerably more positive about the profitability of their own farms over the next 12 months. This is great for our economy as a whole.
“More than half of the total exports for the year came from agricultural exports. Out of the top ten exports, agriculture accounts for an astonishing 74 percent, or $20.9 billion out of $28.1 billion, underlining the sectors importance to the national economy.
“2010 will be remembered as a tough, La Nina stricken season that saw some brutal weather conditions for our farmers to deal with on top of tough economic conditions worldwide. These Overseas Merchandise Trade statistics show how robust the sector is, but more importantly just how important it is to the country’s well-being in general,” Mr York concluded.
Agreed. And long may it continue.
Posted in Rural | Tags: Federated Farmers
It is raining in Hawke’s Bay.
An easterly is blowing the rain right in my office windows (well, it would be if they were open!) and I am loving it!
Usually I would have been very grumpy when the rain clouds threatened at 6pm on a Thursday night as that’s tennis night and you know, tennis is definitely a hot, sunny, summer sport!
But with the landscape starting to turn a deathly shade of grey, it’s divine to see rain.
Of course, we need a tad more, but every journey starts with the first step (or drop). The MetService is predicting unsettled weather this weekend as the tail end of a tropical cyclone comes south, with some rain likely (up to 50 mm from Friday to Tuesday).
Some decent rain is expected over the weekend and Monday, which will provide temporary relief to Hawke’s Bay farmers and irrigators who have been dealing with very dry soil conditions and irrigation bans recently, says a Regional Council press release that arrived in my inbox this morning.
“Up to now, some parts of the Heretaunga and Ruataniwha Plains have had up to 94 consecutive days (approx 3 months) with less than 10 mm of rain. So this rain might provide temporary relief but the forecasts are not very certain and it will take much more rain to give farmers what they really need,” said Rob Christie, Team Leader Hydrology. Most of the region’s rivers have had lower than normal flows for the last 3 months. Tukituki catchment and southern Hawke’s Bay are experiencing flows that are 70% below normal.”
The Regional Council soil moisture monitors show that levels are lower than normal for January at around 10% on average – ranging from a very dry 2% at Bridge Pa to 17% at Taharua. Soil temperatures range from 19-24 deg celsius.
Rainfall has been exceptionally low for the year. Hawke’s Bay has had only 14% of normal January rainfall, ranging from 33% in northern Hawke’s Bay to only 8% on the Ruataniwha Plains. This follows lower than normal rainfall at the beginning of summer – 40% of normal November rainfall and 58% of December rain. Some parts of the Heretaunga and Ruataniwha Plains have had up to 94 consecutive days (approx 3 months) with less than 10 mm of rain.  Â
Making the situation worse is that neighbouring regions – Manawatu, Rangitikei and Wairarapa – are also dry and facing severe feed shortages, creating further pressure on stock feed demands. Â
There a concern that if the currently forecasted rain does not significantly replenish soil moisture the establishment of winter feed crops and the ability to finish this season’s young stock will be at risk. Continuing dry conditions could lead to a severe autumn feed deficit and potentially a prolonged feed shortage into winter.
Posted in Environmental, general | Tags: drought, Hawke's Bay, Hawke's Bay Regional Council, rain
Let’s get deep. How many times in life do we face a fork in the road and have to make serious decisions about our futures?
Okay, not quite that deep, but just as important if it’s the difference between returning to civilisation and being stuck in the wopwops. Actually, I seriously don’t mind the wopwops. Having just spent two weeks up at Kinloch, which is still remote by modern standards but is a million times more accessible than it was to my ancestors.
When driving around the countryside, whether it be on a trip down the road or a massive road trip like a summer holiday, we always like to try different routes or different ways of getting to places.
So when Thomas spotted a another way out of the Mackenzie Basin, we thought we’d give it a go.
I love travelling where the end destination is known but not the timing, estimated time of arrival or the route!
I wrote this while we were driving down the road (there’s only so much view you can take it at once…. and sorry about the quality of the pictures – the camera decided to babysit some wayward hairs….)
“We’re taking a different road. It’s on the map. Mckenzie’s Pass – parallel to Bourke’s Pass. Our motelier in Twizel had never heard of it, but hey, it’s on the map. And we’re in a four-wheel drive. What can go wrong? LOL sounds like something Marc Ellis would say before filming started on an Intrepid Journey….. This road is tarseal with a white line and marker pegs but there is not another vehicle to be seen. Just the vast Mackenzie Basin around us with mountains on every horizon.
I spoke too soon. “It’s metal.” (Thomas). “It’s gravel.” (me). “
looking west
looking east
But the road was great. It was a good gravel road with the occasional station mailbox pointing the way to the odd Merino standing next to a tussock. And a monument – where the famed Mckenzie was caught but escaped the same night (and no that is not a spelling mistake, if you believe Wikipedia and my atlas. James Mckenzie had no a. The Mackenzie Basin does. But that means I have to go and change all the mentions of the pass!)
Thomas with Mackenzie's monument on the Mckenzie Pass
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nearing the top of Mckenzie Pass - say goodbye to crystal clear skies and hello to clouds
We also saw more of the farming country on the other side as we followed more tiny lines on the map to get back to the highway! This included spending a good five minutes deciding whether to go left or right only to go over a bridge and meet up with the “other road” which had a ford. The real intersection we were waiting for was another half a km up the road. Laugh! Luckily the next few roads turned up when the lines on the map said they should and within a “wee while” the State Highway was beckoning us once more (as was an icecream in Fairlie!)
And there ends today’s blog. It doesn’t matter which road you take. It’s the destination and the mood with which you travel that are important 🙂
here are two other blogs of mine about going off the beaten track and going to the end of the road
Posted in Family | Tags: Fairlie, highway, holiday, Mackenzie, Mackenzie Basin, travelling
It’s it funny how a week after a great holiday, it feels like you’ve never been away?
People stop asking about your holiday and start talking about work. Except for when you’re a former Southlander who ventures south for the holidays and comes back with a rolling r big enough to fill the Oxford dictionary.
When you’ve holidayed with three sisters the word (worrrrrrrrrd) girls (girrrrrrrrrrrls) tends to come up a bit in the conversation.
Highlights from down south?
Christmas in Tapanui with a police callout for poachers on the neighbours place (“we thought we were still on another property” – Yeah Right – wouldn’t you gut a deer where it fell if you were allowed to be shooting it instead of lugging it onto the back of your ute?)
Sister’s wedding in Mosgiel in the rain – honestly never seen the woman smile so much 🙂
Seeing Ranfurly as a bustling busy town with lots of tourists – honestly never seen so much lycra in the Maniototo before! I had a reason for going to that area once upon a time…. it was away away away out of the way back then! Now I feel old. That’s about 1992. The Central Otago Rail Trail is now on the to-do list…. next trip south.
And Kinloch. Ah Kinloch. Home to my great great grandparents, great grandparents, grandparents, mum and now holiday destination to hundreds of Bryant whanau. Awesome.
Campfire on the beach at Kinloch with a great sunset over the Humbolts
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And as with any family holiday, the best bit was actually spending time with family.
Playing Life or Monopoly with the kids, Skip-Bo (card game), sitting on the deck reading (Thomas with a sneaky eye on the Ashes tests on the TV), playing car cricket or Eye Spy, trips on the boat either with biscuit in full flight or lures trailing lazily away behind, walks down the lake… or sitting watching the sunset with a fishing rod in one hand and a glass of wine in the other. Perfect.
rivettingKateTaylor 