BE  STRONG

Purveyors of fine oddities live on after the New Zealand Christchurch 22nd February Earthquake.

407 Selwyn Street Addington Christchurch the old Church Hall comes alive with an eclectic array

of rescued grandmas’ materials, “antique” cloth, cushions lovingly recovered, hand stitched restoration by Caren Butler.

Not Forgotten

Creative ideas person and associate Brigid Ryan continues on with eighteen years of knowledge under the belt , despite the devastating earthquakes, rescuing oddities to the interesting exercise of sourcing old wooden beer crates ( boxes) for the use of the local parish priest to pack Christmas goodies in as a gift to members of the parish community.

Stencilled on the side using black paint a touch of artistic flair Caren Butler added Latin quotes, for example Memorabilia : Latin : meaning ” Things to be remembered ” Matters deserving record.

Veritas vincit : Latin : meaning “Truth conquers”

Recovery by restoration.

Lighting up the gloom of the building is a magnificence display of restored/rescued antique chandeliers, by Era Antiques owned by Julian Hobday . Chandeliers of all shape and sizes suspended from the ceiling, as one walks around gazing upwards: it is a study of a glistening cave of crystals, casting light and a rainbow of colour that lifts the spirit.

An eclectic partnership reflecting the hard work, dedication, against all odds soaring above the destructive rubble,dust, liquid faction of the Christchurch City 22nd February 2011 earthquake.

A Stich in time ... Caren Butler

Light reflection

Leaving the City Behind

In the NZ Bush

Leaving the city behind to indulge in off grid living in the dense New Zealand bush presents new challenges.  www.offgridecostay.com

“Going with the Flow” article, in the magazine New Zealand Lifestyle Block the February 20011 issue, describes the building process of the off grid eco stay, challenges and establishment of the small lodge running entirely off grid.

You become part of the environment, the environment is not part of you,one soon becomes acutely aware  of weather, for example when the sun is out, rainfall and being in harmony with the land.

Living alongside other residents of the bush, hares, quails,native birds whose raucous singing, a cacophony of song, dominates the early morning silence.

Honey bees, butterflies, a living poetic existence overlooking the Koromiko Valley in the Marlborough Sounds.

The living in the ‘gone bush life-style’ challenges for example in the culinary part of life is learning to cook using a 1 kw hot plate on top of the wood burning fire-place. Going back to basics and producing fine fare of healthy food. Additionally for convienence using the gas hob.

Using an axe to split the pine wood to fit in the fire-box. Gathering pine cones being escorted through the bush by NZ bird the  fan tail. The fan tail not shy, flits from branch to branch catching any insects disturbed by human foraging. The fan tail constantly chattering: one never feels alone.

NZ Fan Tail

The biggest challenge in a well run off grid lodge is what is for dinner? Maybe some wild goat, or wild pig that roam the land, self farming and self  sustaining,very healthy live style for animals.

Wild quail or rabbit, accompanied with home grown greens and herbs.

A demonstration of the food bowl from mother nature, freely given mixed with  an offerring of warmth/cooking abilty from the sustainable pine trees or gorse, plus fresh unpolluted air, bathed in sunshine.

As winter approaches the rolling early morning fog settles over the valley and the lodge sits high above  the view is like looking out onto a white sea.

No city lights at night: the nights a velvet soft black, clear nights the worlds ceiling above is a packed studded array of heavenly bodies the twinkling stars.

Off grid-gone bush- no city lights , cappuccino cafe with interested bumble bees. Simple living with a first class attitude, provided by renewable, sustainable resources, a perfect  balance in harmony with mother earth.

Sustainable living, sustainable design, architecture,agriculture, technological development the answer lies in the land and what ‘Mother Nature’ freely offers.

Harnessing the elements of the land, sun, wind, water, a constant source, only changing with the seasons, adaptation for sustainable living takes the will and a real desire to achieve.

Drop of Water in the Ocean

New Zealand is quipped ‘ a drop of water in the ocean’  ( Land of the Long White Cloud) Aotearoa  the Maori name, rich in offerings of all the elements for sustainable living.

In the hills of Koromiko South Island: with sweeping views of stunning landscape basking in the sun undisturbed by the urban beat, nestles a cabin operating by a solar system backed up with hydro, an enclosed fireplace not only for warmth or cooking ( although LPG gas hob is also installed) that wonderful winter stew,but a back up for hot water heating if required. Internal, external  walls encapsulated with New Zealand wool is a natural cosy answer for insulation.

Ample water supply from a stream falling through the hills pure and clean. Stored in a 2000 litre tank,  filtered to the house,  nicknamed the best drink “Adams Ale” found anywhere in the world.

A Biolytix System which is manufactured in Australia that would handle both sewage and grey water with ease and had a very low power consumption due to the method of processing the waste – Worms!  Eco friendly at its’ best.

Ease of living with constant water, a solar/hydro supply of power source, satellite for internet, as the urban beat thumps or is disconnected by power cuts, earthquakes, floods an unfortunate risk in any country.

For example of Christchurch earthquake. Recovery for the city reliant on non sustainable methods creating angst, technical problems leaving many citizens in disarray for basic living, cooking, grey water matter, laundry and many other factors that are  taken for granted in a modern city.

http://offgridecostay.com/  A project worthy of capture and extended development. Either for living or education.

Last load keep the home fires burning

Global Connection

The essential responsive man decades ago was the mail man who despite conditions ‘the mail must get through’

Today’s world the electronic mail is just as critical ‘ the mail must get through’ the invisible mail man delivers despite conditions, however when it fails and the electronic medium being the computer and the technology collapses in an invisible heap who is the responsive man?

Living in a rural district in isolated parts of New Zealand being disconnected for today’s expectation for banking, business, writing for a living, and other essentials an IT ( Internet Technician ) man becomes the essential responsive man.

Like diamonds in the sand dune these men seem rare. Even rarer is the man who enters into ones rural framework that brings the consumer S.P.I.C.E. Simplicity, progress, Information/integrity, connection, explanation plus excellence in service.

Responds to the consumers requirements and like the trusty mail man of decades ago will turn up when expected and not forget you. The responsive man for the IT world with hands on approach, who pauses at the gate way of the global world, irrespective of rural or city, belaying the myths and mystery of the electronic world is not only the diamond in the sand dune: but the true essence of the essential responsive man.

One such hero or essential responsive man, armed with a bag of tools, as the mail man carried his bag of mail is mike@computerman.co.nz who took time to stop at this gate.

Old Faithful

Over time since the early 1900s’ the industrial surge saw the development of machinery demonstrating artistic flair, craftsmanship and above all engineering skills of solid design.

Industrialization and the surge for development to today of modern technology, mass production, cheap short cuts, planned failure for the consumer to encourage re-purchasing for what one has already bought there is no doubt the dedicated restoration of old machinery that had been previously cast aside is Mechanical Sustainability.

Any machine well oiled, serviced and respected is the true meaning “guaranteed for a lifetime”

Understanding the importance of the restoration dedicated people like Darryl Hudson: found on the following link

http://www.hudsonscustommachining.com/

Being green is not just the land and solar, but surely the integration of recognizing the value of past craftsmanship in the mechanical sense that has served mankind well in many industries.

Like the line in an old song says “ You don’t know what you have got till it’s gone.

100 years old and still going for a spin everyday

Photographs from the site of Darryl Hudson…………..  Sustainable Mechanical Living Craftsmanship

http://offgridecostay.com/ so this is where you are!!!!

The opportunity to reside in New Zealand hill country in an established ‘off the grid’ home sustainable, self sufficient environment is a unique offer.

The choices are wide and varied. For example a growing wine industry in New Zealand the land offers a visionary the scope for the development of a grape from vines sturdy and rugged on the hills of the Marlborough landscape. Producing a wine not seen any where in the world.

Backed by Department of Conservation land the property as it stands is heavily laden with natural New Zealand natives and wild life. A canopy under which for the bush explorer or naturalist could enjoy.

The house on the land offers a retreat to the writer/artist ,or those inspired to work the land, one of comfort, warmth and self sufficiency with ease using all the modern technology one desires.

Choice of being connected with Picton on one side and Blenheim the other the Koromiko ( Marlborough) area potential for ease of living: with innovative green techniques demonstrates harmony and balances for integration of work life balance or endless other choices that one desires to choose.

Stunning place for the ‘students’ or those educating to develop green solutions. The land offers huge potential for the pioneers in this field. The challenges harnessing the sun, wind, water, the elements of the land, its contours rise and fall, soil type,vegetation an exciting opportunity not to be missed.

Take a look at the following links;

http://www.harveys.co.nz/ property ID RH427 Marlborough

http://trademe.co.nz/

As does one who lives ‘off the grid’ is concious of the types of food bought as part of the values of enviromental care in support of the producers of organic foods.

One outstanding product is Clearwaters Cream Top Yoghurt. ( Certified Organic ) handmade on the farm loaded with live cultures.

Clearwater is based at the foot of Mount Peel South Canterbury New Zealand. www.clearwaterorganic.co.nz

Tucked away with stunning vistas on the hills in Malborough offgridecostay.com/ there can be found buckets of the Clearwater Yoghurt . One of the finest quality natural yoghurts made from organic milk, rich and creamy with the most exquiste taste. Beautiful in the fruit smoothie, by itself or with the favourite ceral.

The relationship bewteen the consumer and the farmers standing on the box of same values for the enviroment , the health and well being of the animals and quality of their lives, is the quality of the food one consumes that can only be beneficial to the human health.

From the producers to the consumers the interrgration of respect of the world around us on a closer study, to change practices irrespective if it is farming, living off the grid, or living in the city the change can be one of ease and support for all pursuing a balanced life with the accesibilty to modern technology , the road to a sustainable healthy alternative for the human race and mother earth herself.

Clearwater’s Cream Top Yoghurt is a first class representation of the producers farming practices that many could well follow .

Found in New Zealand a pocket watch with an extraordinary history and links to a remarkable family  and time of the British Empire.  Captain James Cook and his wife Elizabeth Cook (Batts)

Signed by John Cragg.  Engraved Northhampton Sq London. Full History and enquiries on the following link.

http://hazledinebarber.com/time-links-found-in-new-zealand/125/

Being connected globally today is as important as breakfast living in the rural lands or bush of New Zealand.  Transmission by satellite for internet, uninterrupted, no matter the density of the bush or the hill one is sitting on. Or how rugged the country, as many parts of New Zealand are.

Armed with the laptop the connection to world is one of ease, i.e. the connection is reliable, no underground cables, no mega multi- corporation control mixed with regular events of failures: or consult with  technicians of the national tele-communications taking days, then engaged conversation does not make sense.

Promises of  ‘fixing the problem’  from the latter, ( multi-corporations) last effort (intermittent  connection) for smooth running took over 14 days, all down the East coast  South Island  New Zealand.

Rural districts struggle with limited and reliable internet connection, poor phone reception, reliability and cell phone reception if any at all.

Satellite Broadband, surfing the net in seconds at a constant, reliable broadband speed faster than the mosquito surfing the bush in the Koromiko hills, sits a satellite dish surrounded by indigenous bush, some buttered blooming broom serviced by http://www.inzonecorp.com/Ruralinzone.htm from Taupo (North Island New Zealand).

Many busy rural folk farming the land, developing eco-environmentally friendly accommodation, for example www.offgridecostay.com ,   Department of Conversation staff collecting data, caring for the wild life sometimes in very wild rugged parts of New Zealand, today reliable internet is essential. Service or technical problems the staff of the service provider solving ability have responses within a matter of minutes or advice is invaluable.

Tuaropaki Communications (izonecorp.) has a broad range of interest in agriculture, geothermal, and horticulture industry in New Zealand raising their awareness the struggle rural folk’s frustrations for a service of sustainable interaction for internet that supported the selected rural business many the back-bone of the country.

Connectivity to this back-bone so valuable to the veins of goods and services to the cities and exports, Tuaropaki Communications is like the shining light warm and welcoming from the bush mans hut in the hills on the winter nights.

Export Logging Koromiko.

Jason McElwain the Enviromental Logger

Pine plantations scattered throughout the Marlborough Sound  hills reaching maturity the loggers, unlike Jason, contracted to fell the plantations, leave behind a scarred landscape of clearfelled land.

Clay ribbon tracks like veins criss-cross the landscape. Laid naked to the wind, rain, sun the exposed landscape provokes thought of the indigenous plants, creatures that have scurried away or died in the process of the felling.

Sitting on a felled pine log a Weta “God of Ugly Things” (Translation from the Maori name wetapunga) appearing alone and lost.

So bare are the hills a rabbit would have to take a cut lunch. A saying taken from the local farmers leaning on the fence feet squarely planted in the lush paddock of green grass sporting the latest in gumboots.

Chips of wood go flying from his chain-saw, logger, Jason McElwain works an environmental approach, choosing only the best matured trees, cuts so the angle is such that the tree falls with little impact on the bush. Care taken to ensure young indigenous trees had no impact in the felling.

The road into the bush that was graded by the  Jason serves as a road and possible link to Department of Conservation walking tracks.  Well graded with gentle curves it meanders through a heavily laden pine tree hill: a mix of indigenous growth and wild life.

The hauling out the logs are chained together pulled to the new road then to a clearing for stripping the bark and cutting to size then stacked.

Being aware of the environment the art form of an environmentally caring logger preserving as much of the bushland without clearfelling, seems to give strength to the land and promotes the possible seeding of natives that would have a chance to take hold and grow.

As many parts of New Zealand rural land for cattle or sheep are bare of a tree it is thought provoking as all animals like shade or shelter more trees should be planted. New Zealand natives.

Buttered coloured hills of broom on some previously clearfelled areas undergrowth compete to take hold, perhaps taking into account the bare hills, the environmental caring loggers the bush land and the logging for timber could co-exist.

The rural districts benefit from trees planted in the paddocks offering shelter or shade. So does the Nation and those that care for the land or promote the growth of indigenous species require a louder voice hand in hand with funding/investment?

For the future maybe the rabbit will not need to pack a cut lunch.