Welcome to Honey_3's Home Page
Hello visitors. Welcome to my small piece of the world wide web. As this is a new endeavour for me I shall ask your tolerance in cruising around my site.
The reason I became interested in having a homepage was not to talk about myself, as such, but to tell my online friends more about my homeland, New Zealand. Since I began chatting on the Net it has been delightful to meet many who are interested in what this country is like to live in. Some had heard it was a beautiful place, some had never given this country a second thought, and others have been quite intrigued by chatting with someone from such a little land "down under"
Aoteora has a rich and powerful history which has made us into the nation that we are today. So, I would like to share some of our beauty, history and culture with those who visit my site.
New Zealand lies in the south-west Pacific Ocean, separated from Australia by the Tasman Sea. It consists of two main islands and a number of smaller islands, making this combined area similar in size to Japan or the British Isles.
Our land is more than 1,600 kilometres long and 450 kilometres wide at its widest part, and has coastline all the way around it. Never a problem finding a nice beach or surf in this part of the world!
In the North Island mountain ranges run through the centre, almost parallel to the coast. The South Island is much more mountainous though. A massive mountain chain, the Southern Alps, runs almost the length of the island.
Many rivers flow through both main islands, and these are quite often swift and difficult to navigate. They are important as sources of hydro-electric power and artificial lakes have been created as part of the major hydro-electric schemes, which provide venues for many summer sports and family recreations.
I live in Okato, a small rural township in the Taranaki region of the North Island. A major feature of our area is Mount Taranaki, formerly known as Mount Egmont, which encompasses our lives with it's beauty. This dormant mountain has a personality much like Mount St. Helens, and it is expected that it will come to life sometime in the future, which is rather frightening, but for now we love and respect our "sleeping giant". Perhaps you may like to visit some of the sites listed below, where you will see for yourself how our mountain is very much part of our lives here in Taranaki.
So, I see this as a wonderful opportunity to let you into my little world. I do hope you enjoy the journey.
Well, we here in New Zealand have quite the advantage as Santa visits us first. By the time the rest of the world is celebrating that special day, we here are either well into it, or recovering from it.
As summer is generally well on the way, Christmas here in the Southern Hemisphere is a hot, dry one. Often families head to a beach or pool in the afternoon to enjoy a lazy cooling off period. Quite a contrast to the kind of Christmas many of my online friends experience. A white Christmas has always seemed like something out of a story book ... magical. But since having the opportunity to chat with people from other countries, I have been made very much aware that such a beautiful way to experience Christmas is very real. How lucky you are, but then I guess many long for a warm, dry Christmas.
As for the table fare, Kiwis seem to be moving away from the traditional roast turkey and baked vegies to a spread more appropriate to the hot climate. Cold meats - turkey, chicken, ham, beef, pork, etc - and elaborate salads to complement them. There are many who even venture further into exotic foods, and spend many happy hours preparing their delights.
Dessert is an occasion in itself. Christmas pudding, brandy sauce, pavlova, custard, cheesecakes, fresh fruit salads, meringues. You name it .... we do it!!
And of course, liquid refreshments. Aaah yes .. the fun part. Fresh fruit, wines, sparkling grape or apple juice and fizzy drinks for the kiddies.
And to finish off the meal, coffee or tea, with perhaps an After-Dinner Mint.
- A poem by Elizabeth Smither
The heart will dip down and come up Not too far in either depression The straight road can never replace This lesson in equilibrium. Whole lands can be ridden through In a gentle motion Whole worlds the heart guesses at Seek and lose their centre. This is where we find flux And outride it, stay anchored Where the country road Creates its own miles.
In this section I shall post little snippets of information that have featured in newspapers, magazines, radio or television, that you may find interesting and/or amusing.
A spokesman from the local art gallery explained: “we received an email from a man in Maine, USA. He needed to get in touch with the sculptor because the artist’s house had been damanged in the recent ice storms in Maine”.
“Not knowing the address, the friend called up web sites with a reference to New Plymouth and randomly emailed us and several other New Plymouth email addresses, giving his friend’s description in the hope that someone would have an idea where the American artist might be”.
“Within half an hour of receiving the message we were able to tell the Maine man that the artist had been found and that we were able to pass on the message”.
The said sculptor appreciated getting the news, even though it was bad, but commented that the house was built in 1820 and he was sure it had seen worse damage, so he was not going to let the news drag him away from the symposium.
It was reported in the newspaper that six art works from Taranaki’s Virtual TART site have been included in the recently-established Renaissance 2001 Gallery, which has been set up by a small group of artists who live in various parts of the world.
The aim is to link the best artists’ sites from around the world as a project to mark the millennium.
It has been announced that Joe Cocker will be holding a concert in New Plymouth at the Bowl of Brooklands in March this year. Kiwis ... start saving your dollars!! This will be a great one.
Cliff Richard and Olivia Newton-John performed at the Bowl of Brooklands. Tickets were limited to 15,000 and the crowd certainly got value for money!
Statutory holiday to recognise the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi document in 1840. An important event in the history of New Zealand and a controversial topic in recent times.
Last week a Tauranga fisherman hit the high seas with borrowed tackle and hooked a rod and reel he had lost overboard a year ago. "I couldn't believe it, you hear of other people fishing up strange things but for me to pull up my own rod after a year is an absolute classic" he said.
Now, at the risk of getting 'mushy' I would like to acknowledge some of my online friends. Please excuse me for this, but there are so many who have influenced me in some way or another, that I feel a tribute to those is an important part of my Web Page.
Names are listed alphabetically, in order not to offend.
There are so many names, it is difficult to mention everyone. You all have had some effect on my online life and the real world. Many of you I think of daily and give thanks for having made your acquaintance.
And now, I really must attribute a special thanks to two people from my real world:-
Andrew
Andrew sweetie, buddy, workmate, comrade, how could I have got this far without your ?patience?, ?tolerance? and wisdom. Thank you for all the time you've put in - and for not telling the boss I'm not always doing what I should be on the computers!!!
Mike
Now what can I say? Without the use of your um ... equipment ... I could not have shared so much of our country with all those people out there.
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