New work on Carla's marae and other distractions of late.

 This is the other half of Gregg and Carla's home, known as Carla's marae, measuring about 20 by 46 feet, an old portable school chemistry classroom. Gregg and I moved everything, including the walls for three rooms, out of Carla's marae in two days, leaving just enough for a friend who would visit for two days from France, Eric Noel, who is one of the world's top technicians for pyro-techniques. He has been involved with the design and set up of many huge pyro displays for world events and other big celebrations. I was able to start scrapping areas of the floor that were the worst for paint and grime on top of the wood. Some sections need repair, and we traveled around seeking materials and tools for the repairs. Eventually we will sand and urethane the floor. This is a project Gregg and Carla have wanted to do for many years and I am pleased to be able to help make it happen.

 This an example of a section that needs repair.

This is a panorama of Kapiti Island about 3 miles off the coast, set aside primarily as a bird sanctuary.

The tractors here are modified so they can get out deep enough in the surf when launching the sturdy boats. Note the dual rear chain drives that are part of the modifications on the tractor.

The wind in these parts gets strong coming across the Tasman Sea. Here a weather vane is made of rugged rocks, and a smaller version for the lighter winds sits atop, built by G&C's friend Hamish McIntyre.

This is Hebe, part of a hedge at Gregg and Carla's, hosting a honey and bubble bee at this moment. A couple of days ago Allen McShane, a friend of Gregg's, pulled a large lot of honey from the hive he has kept in Gregg's orchard, and he left us a big bucket of this fresh honey.

For the past couple of days Eric Noel has been visiting from France (seated in the light shirt), and here he is visiting at Danny and Sara's home where Gregg and I caught up after a morning of shoveling concrete for a new patio at John Harper's home down the road. Danny and Sara are long time friend's  of G&C's who work in the theater and arts community here, and are very busy getting ready for the New Zealand International Arts Festival that starts in a couple of weeks. Danny and Sara's home is very near the ocean beach, with creative collections and displays of driftwood, seashells, and many other fine details of the ocean shoreline environment. Danny takes care to grow a very versatile group of trees, bushes, flowers and vegetable foods. Like G&C they live paying attention to their impact on the environment and continue to create a simple but very interesting and comfortable home.

Eric and Gregg at the grill, cooking up home grown eggs and bacon for lunch.

These are the seed pods for the flax plant. The seeds are a favorite of the local bird called Tui.

The flax plant in my shadow.

Lavender abounds in G&C's lawn and garden.

A native New Zealand Sulfur variety butterfly on a squash leaf.

Nasturtiums go into our nightly salads, and the flower below is another beautiful variety in the yard. I am making plans to go out on the sea tomorrow morning in a kayak with another friend of G&C's, Nils Melchert.