We had a week in Dunedin last month – and managed to find all the ingredients of a fine holiday: catching up with family and friends, lesbian company, cultural activities, conservation projects, and a political visit. We stayed the first night with former Aucklander, Pleasance, in her hilltop villa, and joined a monthly dinner group of Dunedin lesbians. Ann Charlotte, whom we met there, […]
Celebrating Spring: sites and sights
October 19, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Sites… Heirloom Organics is a wonderful seedling nursery at 951 Coatesville Road, just north of Riverhead Village, open on Fridays and Saturdays. We are especially enjoying our spring visits to choose from their very wide range of herb, flower and vegetable seedlings (including the healthiest tomato plants we’ve ever seen), all sturdy and happy, and at very reasonable prices. The […]
Invisible disability..
October 19, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Aio Wira held another community dinner on Sunday 11 October to raise funds for the training of deaf interpreters to complement the work of hearing signers. There are some situations which require deaf people who understand deaf culture to interpret for hearing people who, while skilled in NZ sign language, cannot always fully understand the nuances of deaf culture. […]
Celebrating Women’s Suffrage – September 19th each year
September 18, 2015 by Leave a Comment
New Zealand was the first self-governing nation to grant all women the vote, when a bill was passed in Parliament on 19 September 1893. Each year Women’s Suffrage Day is celebrated throughout Aotearoa (although largely ignored by mainstream media, of course…). There’s an excellent web page about women winning the vote at http://www.christchurch.org.nz/women/ We went to […]
W.H.O. with Wheels
September 18, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Driving lessons are underway for the local refugee women from W.H.O. (Women of Hope: Wakeup and Help Ourselves). Already Odetta Ntezicimpa (left) , formerly from Burundi, who runs her own mobile driving school, has taken 8 lessons; two of the women are now ready to take their Restricted Licence tests. Our warm thanks to Odetta for her skilled teaching, affirmation […]
The Spring has Sprung
September 18, 2015 by Leave a Comment
We love the kaka beak, kowhai and crimson manuka around Earthsong… Peach, anemone and plum are in full bloom too…
Samoa scenes…
August 19, 2015 by 4 Comments
We’ve just returned from the winter warmth of Samoa and Tanya’s 70th birthday. Here’s a few glimpses of our week… Flowers… Fale… Poutasi Village Developments : Crafts, Education and Gardens… Church on Sunday, of course: the Methodist Church in Siumu Tanya’s 70th birthday surprise from Sinalei Staff… accompanied by “Manuia lou […]
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