Remembering . .

The Wall of Remembrance for all of the soldiers killed in every war since the Boer war in South Africa - New Zealanders always went to war if the British Empire were involved - not now thank goodness. We have no fighting forces overseas, only peace-keeping companies - we are nucleur free as well - this little country down here at the end of the world has mighty principles and sticks by them !!

Ellena and I always place a poppy at the cenetaph on ANZAC day in remembrance of my Grandfather who fought in WW1. He was only 19yrs old, had never been out of NZ and went off on a great adventure ! He was part of the mounted rifles, landing in Egypt, was wounded and sent home quite early on, thank goodness.

Easter Sunset at Papamoa.

Norfolk Island Pine trees, always such sentinals on the coast line - many were planted over a hundred years ago as a sign of land for the early ships, before radar etc. I like their symetrical shapes.

The breakers were rolling in gently . .

Sunset looking down the beach towards Mt Manganui, one or two fishermen and groups of people walking were the only signs of life, even the seagulls had gone to roost where ever they roost - or do they sleep bobbing about on the waves ?

Papamoa is a seaside resort town on the East coast of NZ, much tamer then the West coast where I go often. I now have 2 families living here, so will be spending more time over this way.

Headstones and Epitaphs .

Afew weeks ago I joined a group of people here in Hamilton on an interesting and informative stroll through our cities`s oldest cemetary - Hamilton East. I love history and I believe a town`s cemetary is a very good barometer of it`s history. I really liked this headstone above, the hands clasped together was such a loving gesture, the grave itself had a small pot of rosemary ( for remembrance) left on it . .

The picture above is of quite a wealthy looking grave site, the family being one of the forefathers of the town - being able to afford this sort of memorial was not common back then. Hamilton or Kirikiriroa as it was known before the English arrived in 1864, was a Maori kianga (village) with a number of different pa sites along the river bank, the English arrived and built a redoubt for the millitary.

Linda, the historian who guided our tour, standing beside the earliest grave found and on record, it is of a young man who drowned in the Waikato river 1864 - it is very hard to read and the fact that it is still standing upright astounded me, stronger looking headstones had collapsed over time. Reading many of the headstones I discovered that many people had died of drowning before the first bridge was built to unify the east and west sides of the town.

I spent 2 hours just wandering around after the tour had finished, it is a peaceful place with very few visitors now - just me and the birds and the odd rabbit or 2 .