February 2011, part 3

Sun rise from our deck - again! But they are so beautiful!

I was trying to get a clear shot of the moon - what size lens do you need for that?

Another sunset from Point View Reserve.

Our shadows were about 10m long!

The view from Point View Reserve to the Central Business District, aka downtown, Auckland. The Sky Tower is the tallest building in the southern hemisphere.

Sunset from our deck. Again. I know - but they are so amazing!



Playing while helping Lydia with her photography final project.

February 2011, part 2

Summer sunrise.




and here is the other end of the day.


In the middle of the month we took a trip to one of our favorite beaches, Mount Maunganui. As with most North Island mountains, Mt. Maunganui is an extinct volcano. It is 232m high and Volodya loves to run up it! Walking it is good enough for me.

While setting up our campsite, We saw a lot of kids, in their lifesaving gear, going down to the beach. We had arrived just in time to watch a lifesaving meet! Really cool!



After watching the kids for a while, our own surfers (boogie boarders) took to the waves!

A true kiwi girl!

and the proud papa!

Meanwhile, back at the campsite... a guest. An imported bird - the sparrow.

Home-sweet-tent. Lydia and Ethan had their own small pup tent, while the kiddos and V and I had the big one.

When we got home Volodya removed the flower from one of our banana trees. Once the flower is removed the rest of the bananas grow bigger.

S & J's school - all the year 5's (equivalent to 3rd grade) went on a field trip to a local outdoor education camp. S & J's classes went on the same day, so I saw both kids, but spent the day with J's class. They rode horses, did a water/rope course and went on a gi-normous flying fox (zip line?) As you can see, J was very enthusiastic! There was no way he was getting on that horse's back! So eventually I just picked him up and put him on!!! He lived!

and got back on a horse to do acrobatics!!!

The water course. They loved to fall in!

There was no way I was going on it! Way to big, the ground was way to far away!!!!!

The first week of February 2011

School started on February 1st. The weather is still lovely then, so dinner on the deck.

The many faces of the Osipov children...










Swimming, swimming, and more swimming!

S in the surf - oh... this is a non-wavy beach - Maraetai. It is located about 20 minutes from our home, so a good place to go after school or a short weekend dip.


J without his water squirter, no long distance splashing.




Then, back at home, where Lydia and Ethan were waiting to be entertained!

"Don't get me wet", says Lydia!!!


Oh, never mind...


Everyone was in on the trick! The screeching was amazing and then the revenge was sweet!

14 January 2011

Our summer routine is that Volodya returns from work and off we go to the nearby reserve (read "park") to enjoy the sunset.

Off we go on a trek though the reserve. No one has any energy!




Please click on this photo to zoom in to see the Silvereye. They are so sweet! Unfortunately I see a lot of these at the Wild Bird Care center where I volunteer.


The view out to the south west.


Om. The perfect place to meditate.

S agrees, but that pesty big sister...!

The light makes the hair look so vibrant!

Definitely not om!



Still no energy. So sad!





Rangitoto.

January 2011

Our friends, the Ring-Necked Or Barbary Dove (Scientific name: Streptopelia). We have a flock of these and more images to come!


This is the typical early morning in the summer. Most days the fog burns off. Summer days warm up to 23C (73F), though it can get into the high 20's (mid-80's).

And here is a typical summer evening. The average summer night gets down to 15C (57F), so sleeping is lovely.

To start the new year in New Zealand, we went to Te Aroha for a tramp. I did not go, as my knee has decided to not like working! (working on getting it back into shape - for future tramps)

The name Te Aroha comes from the Māori name of Mount Te Aroha. In one version, Rāhiri, the mythical ancestor of Ngāti Rāhiri Tumutumu, climbed the mountain and saw his homeland in the distance and felt a sense of love (aroha) for it. The name is often rendered in English as "place of love".

Sonic boy!

Lydia and Ethan. Is he trying to look like..?

The fearless leader.

The track from Te Aroha Domain to the summit is 3.9k (2.4 miles). It took them 6+ hours, round trip, and is extremely steep! I had hoped to meet them at the top, there is a auto road to the top, but it was closed for repairs.

One of many rest stops.





Are we there yet? We're dying!

We made it!!!

The actual top.

The intrepid crew!

Going down!!!

A well deserve rest back at the campsite.

Happy New Year!