A Moving farewell to Three of our Soldiers killed in Afghanistan

Changing mats

 These are baby changing mats - a pink of course if the new arrival is a girl and a blue one just in case.

I made one for my d.i.l. when their baby daughter was born a year ago and she has used it often.

 They are a  handy size to just keep in the backpack she takes when they go out - you know the one - as well as spare nappies (NZ for diapers), there are spare bibs (feeders) creams, sun screen lotion, wipes, and all manner of amazing things etc etc.

It opens out like this with two pockets that just fit a nappy on each side.

The lining is a waterproof pre quilted sheet that I can buy by the metre from Spotlight..

They are very easy to make.

A Burst of Creativity!

There is nothing like the occasion of a new Grandchild expected to cause the knitting needles to fly and the sewing machine to work overtime!

 The little booties are special as the soles are sheepskin making the inside very very soft and warm. The upper is knitted first then crocheted onto the soles.

Volcano update

Just a quick update on the volcano situation.

Mt Tongariro seems to have quietened down but people in the lower half of the North Island are complaining of a sulphur smell which can be irritating to the eyes and respiratory system. People are advised to stay indoors if they are having any problems.

 GNS vulcanologist Brad Scott said the volcano was degassing, producing a lot of gas and steam.

"It's putting out about 2000 tonnes of sulphur dioxide and 4000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per day. That's what people are detecting and smelling."

And White Island just off the coast near us, is just steaming away steadily with no more signs of anything further happening.

And yet another Volcano!

25,000 sq km pumice raft floats in sea

Last updated 13:31 10/08/2012

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Navy officers with a piece of the pumice.

A navy ship heading to the Kermadec Islands has sailed into a huge 25,000 square kilometre raft of pumice north of Auckland.
It is believed to be from New Zealand's third erupting volcano – the undersea mount Monowai.
The navy said the raft – 463 kilometres by 55 kilometres – was spotted by an RNZAF Orion returning on patrol from Samoa.
Canterbury, which left Auckland on Wednesday, sailed to the raft to pick up a sample.

Read more here at Stuff.co.nz

And our very own Bay of Plenty Volcano flexes its muscles

Ash from White Island volcano sprinkles     

Papamoa

New Zealand Herald

10:29 PM Thursday Aug 9, 2012

EXPAND

White Island. File photo / supplied

Orange flashes are lighting up Bay of Plenty skies tonight as White Island continues to erupt.

Ash from the volcano has drifted as far as Tauranga's coastline, and has coated homes and cars along Papamoa beach.

GNS Science volcanologist Mike Rosenberg told the Herald the crater lake on White Island was drying out, which was causing less water to be pulled into the ash cloud. That was creating static which was being discharged as lightening.

"We're getting reports of big orange plumes and all sorts. It's a natural, typical phenomenon in ash cloud. It is not a sign of increasing activity, it doesn't mean there's been a big eruption ... it's blowing at the same intensity as it has been over the last few days.''

Authorities had been monitoring the volcano, which is about 51km north of Opotiki, since a series of eruptions began this week.

Scientists flew over the island for the first time today and confirmed it was erupting.

Black ash was rising up to 3000m above the active vent on the southwest corner of the crater.

It was the first ash emission from White Island since February 2001 and represented the start of a new phase of volcanic activity at White Island, GNS said.

Volcanologist Brad Scott said visitors to the uninhabited island were now at the highest level of risk since the end of the 2001 eruptions. Explosive eruptions could happen at any time with little or no warning.

White Island is the little dot on the map north of Whakatane.

 Papamoa (mentioned above) is on the coast at Tauranga.

Latest creations

 We have another grand child arriving in the New Year! But the down side is that our daughter and her husband live in Bahrain.


These are two cot sized quilts I have just finished for them. They will be suitable for cot quilts or perhaps floor covers, they have tiles through out the house so if they want to put baby down to play they will need to put him/her on something soft.

These are just preprinted panels, borders have been added, backing, and a hi loft batting then quilted. It is good for me to practice my free motion quilting.

More volcano news.

There have been several small earthquakes in the area overnight.

'Gas and sulphur smells from the Mt Tongariro eruption have travelled as far as Wellington this morning.

The crater spewed rocks and ash when it came to life for the first time in more than 100 years at 11.50pm on Monday night.

Many people have reported a smell of sulphur in the air in the capital.

GNS Science duty vulcanologist Craig Miller said it was most likely the smells were caused by the eruption and there had been quite a few reports from the lower North Island of a sulphur smell.' (stuff.co.nz)

Boulders gouged out metre sized 'impact' craters along the Tongariro Alpine Crossing track.

Tongariro National Park

An interesting video to watch here.

I should explain further about the location of the volcano.

South of where we live in the Bay of Plenty, about four hours drive away is the area of New Zealand called the volcanic plateau. A large part of this area is the Tongariro National Park, an area of great beauty. It is a popular area for outdoor recreational sports - there are two major ski fields, and numerous tramping tracks.

 It contains three active volcanoes - Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe, and Tongariro. Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe have erupted a few times in my lifetime, and now Tongariro is having her outburst. When there is an eruption the ash drifts around the country causing major disruption to road and air travel. It is a health hazard also as it consists of fine metallic shards and is dangerous to inhale. When it lands on cars it has to be very carefully washed off to prevent damaging the paintwork.  Thankfully we live too far away to experience boulders etc landing around us!

The photo shows Tongariro on the left and Ngauruhoe on the right. Ngauruhoe is a cone shape and Tongariro is lower but with several 'hot spots' and small cones.

We are on the coast in Tauranga (Bay of Plenty). At the moment the prevailing winds are taking the ash over to Napier and the Hawkes Bay region.

Mount Tongariro erupts

One of our volcanoes in the Central North Island is erupting. Mount Tongariro sent out rocks and an ash plume overnight. It has been dormant for 100 years.

Full report here and here.

"The mountain erupted at 11.50pm, sending ash across roads and prompting a potential threat warning for central North Island regions.

The eruption threw rocks and spewed ash from the Te Mari craters, near Ketetahi hot springs, on the northern side of the mountain"  (Stuff.co.nz)

Steam Train outing.

Last weekend we went on a steam train excursion down the middle of the North Island, from Hamilton to National Park.

At National Park we went off to the Chateau for lunch then back to the train for the return journey.

These are some photos of the countryside.

 




Our engine.

Mount Tongariro and Mt Ngauruhoe, both active volcanoes. In fact Tongariro has been raised to Alert Level 1 recently which means signs of volcanic activity, the mountain is stirring.

This is taken from the verandah at the Chateau. The Chateau is a wonderful grand old building - it's a very large hotel at the base of Mount Ruapehu.

 The Chateau, National Park











Mount Ruapehu - I climbed this mountain way back when I was younger and fitter! It is a popular ski resort.

Ruapehu has a steaming hot crater lake at its summit.

More countryside. Very typical farmland of the interior of the North Island. Mostly sheep country.

Rain

Yes its raining! To whoever controls these things - we have had enough thank you very much.
We often get the comment that our country is very green. Well tourists - now you know why.

Rain Rain Rain

 It rained and rained and rained and rained,
The average fall was well maintained;
And when our fields were simply bogs,
It started raining cats and dogs.

After a drought of half an hour,
There came a most refreshing shower;
And then the queerest thing of all,
A gentle rain began to fall.

Next day 'twas pretty fairly dry,
Save for a deluge from the sky.
This wetted people to the skin,
But after that the rain set in.

We wondered what's the next we'd get,
As sure as fate we got more wet.
But soon we'll have a change again,
And we shall have......... A drop of rain