Conservation Week celebrations this year (6th to 12th August) are focusing on outdoor recreation and the range of things New Zealanders can do to get out and enjoy their beautiful country. You don't have to be a hardened tramper to reap the benefits of the great outdoors. There are heaps of easy tracks and walks and interesting places and sites to visit. And you may be surprised to discover many of them are just down the road.
Get out there and enjoy the following local FREE ACTIVITIES, something for everyone, from a tramp to a gentle ramble or stream study…
FREE GUIDED WALKS to celebrate Conservation week
Mt Auckland/ Atuanui (Kaipara)
Sunday August 12th Meet 9.30am at the Kaipara Hills Rd entrance, 3km up the road from Glorit
Visit this beautiful forest of regenerating kauri forest with the Kaipara Forest and Bird. Great views over the Kaipara and Hoteo estuary. This is also the site of a F&B restoration project. As this is officially a "back country tramp" participants need to bring wet weather gear and warm clothing in case the conditions worsen. Tramping boots or similar waterproof footwear, are essential. Lunch and drinks are also necessary.
The walk will take about 5 hours, returning about 2.30-3pm. For further information contact Chris Bindon 09 833 6363.
August Evening Talks: ANIMAL PESTS
Practical monitoring and control of Animal Pests
Thursday 16th August at 7pm Catholic Church Hall, Warkworth
Plagued by this little fella? This one evening is perfect for you. Don’t miss it! Dave Galloway and Rebecca Kemp form the ARC will be speaking about how to control animal pests on your property - eg stoats, rats, possums and hedgehogs (yes these are pests!). This may be followed by a workshop in September if there is demand to learn some practical skills.
Organised by the Mid North Forest and Bird. For further information contact Warwick Massey 09 425 9246
August Evening Talks: SAVING THE KIWI
How our national icon is being saved from extinction
Thursday 23rd August at 7.30pm Presbyterian Church Hall, Orewa
Michelle Impey from the BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust will be talking about the plight of kiwi and what is being done nationally to save these iconic birds. For further information contact Phillip Wrigley 09 427 8996
However, if the weather gets too bad to go out, you can still plan future adventures by checking out the selection of books on tramping and cycling tracks around New Zealand at your local library. Check our non-fiction shelves under New Zealand travel (919.3) or outdoor sports (796.5). If you can't find what you are looking for, all you have to do is ask and one of the librarians will be happy to help you.
Monday, 6 August 2007
Friday, 3 August 2007
Poetry Fortnight ends
The Poetry fortnight celebrated by Rodney Libraries finishes this weekend, so if you haven't seen the poetry walls at your local library, you still have a couple of days left. We have heard that there are some loaded walls around the district. Wellsford and Mahurangi East both held poetry reading events. Maybe we can get some of the original poems sent through to us to post on the blog next week.
In the meantime, you will just have to be satisfied with an old favourite of mine from my University days.
CONUNDRUMS
Tell me a word that you've often heard,
Yet it makes you squint if you see it in print!
Tell me a thing that you've often seen,
Yet if put in a book, it makes you turn green!
Tell me a thing that you often do,
Which, described in a story shocks you through and through!
Tell me what's wrong with words or with you
That you don't mind the thing
Yet the name is taboo.
D.H. Lawrence.
Which just goes to prove, that some things were retained in my brain from those days of study so long ago. Have a good weekend everyone.
Ka kite ano
In the meantime, you will just have to be satisfied with an old favourite of mine from my University days.
CONUNDRUMS
Tell me a word that you've often heard,
Yet it makes you squint if you see it in print!
Tell me a thing that you've often seen,
Yet if put in a book, it makes you turn green!
Tell me a thing that you often do,
Which, described in a story shocks you through and through!
Tell me what's wrong with words or with you
That you don't mind the thing
Yet the name is taboo.
D.H. Lawrence.
Which just goes to prove, that some things were retained in my brain from those days of study so long ago. Have a good weekend everyone.
Ka kite ano
Looking behind the News
The stories and pictures we see, read about and hear about every day on television, radio and in newspapers are often just the tip of the iceberg. In order to better understand the world we live in, libraries can provide background and interesting facts about events.
The subject of disasters is something that is often sought in the library for both study and recreational reading. Information on bridges (and other man made miracles) can also be supplied from both books and via the internet. New Zealand has had it's share of bridge failures from those farm and army built to the Tangiwai rail bridge.
For more information look at these resources.
The creation of bridges : from vision to reality -- the ultimate challenge of architecture, design and distance / David Bennett.
Bridging the gap : early bridges in New Zealand 1830-1939 / Geoffrey Thornton.
Seven Wonders of the Industrial World - DVD produced by the BBC
and check out some of these internet sites:
The Department of Conservation website
http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/page.aspx?id=34006
How Stuff Works homepage on bridges
http://www.howstuffworks.com/bridge.htm
And for a website on Bridge collapses around the world (including the incredible footage of a bridge known as "Galloping Gertie") check out this site
www.ketchum.org/bridgecollapse.html
The tragedy in Minneapolis yesterday with the collapse of the bridge, injury and loss of life will be devastating to many and our thoughts go out to those involved.
The subject of disasters is something that is often sought in the library for both study and recreational reading. Information on bridges (and other man made miracles) can also be supplied from both books and via the internet. New Zealand has had it's share of bridge failures from those farm and army built to the Tangiwai rail bridge.
For more information look at these resources.
The creation of bridges : from vision to reality -- the ultimate challenge of architecture, design and distance / David Bennett.
Bridging the gap : early bridges in New Zealand 1830-1939 / Geoffrey Thornton.
Seven Wonders of the Industrial World - DVD produced by the BBC
and check out some of these internet sites:
The Department of Conservation website
http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/page.aspx?id=34006
How Stuff Works homepage on bridges
http://www.howstuffworks.com/bridge.htm
And for a website on Bridge collapses around the world (including the incredible footage of a bridge known as "Galloping Gertie") check out this site
www.ketchum.org/bridgecollapse.html
The tragedy in Minneapolis yesterday with the collapse of the bridge, injury and loss of life will be devastating to many and our thoughts go out to those involved.
Thursday, 2 August 2007
Rodney Libraries has a new Star
There is a new star in the Rodney Libraries team. A bright yellow smiley one!
The Rodney Storytime Star character made it's first appearance at Warkworth storytime this morning to an excited reaction from it's young audience. The Star stayed long enough to enjoy a couple of dances and songs with the children, and shake a few hands before waving goodbye.
Rodney Libraries run storytime and rhymetime sessions around the district for pre-schoolers. They are a popular meeting place for children and their caregivers with the combination of stories, rhymes, fingerplays and action songs. We have several aims in running these sessions.
They are designed to support the development of language skills in the very young, provide a model for parents in how to engage their child in reading and literacy, and to instil a love of reading, books and libraries in those who attend.
You can find these storytimes around the district at these times:
Helensville
Storytime Mondays 10.30 am
Kumeu
Storytime Mondays 10.30 am
Mahurangi East
Storytime Tuesdays 10.30 am
Orewa
Rhymetime Tuesdays 11.o0 am
Storytime Thursdays 11.00 am
Warkworth
Storytimes Mondays and Thursdays 10.30 am
Wellsford
Storytime Wednesdays 10.30 am
Whangaparaoa
Storytimes Tuesdays and Wednesdays 11.00 am
Rhymetime Thursdays 11.00 am
Whangaparaoa also host a special Japanese storytime on Mondays at 10.30 am
Check them out soon, as our new Star will be travellilng around and visiting all the libraries some times soon.
The Rodney Storytime Star character made it's first appearance at Warkworth storytime this morning to an excited reaction from it's young audience. The Star stayed long enough to enjoy a couple of dances and songs with the children, and shake a few hands before waving goodbye.
Rodney Libraries run storytime and rhymetime sessions around the district for pre-schoolers. They are a popular meeting place for children and their caregivers with the combination of stories, rhymes, fingerplays and action songs. We have several aims in running these sessions.
They are designed to support the development of language skills in the very young, provide a model for parents in how to engage their child in reading and literacy, and to instil a love of reading, books and libraries in those who attend.
You can find these storytimes around the district at these times:
Helensville
Storytime Mondays 10.30 am
Kumeu
Storytime Mondays 10.30 am
Mahurangi East
Storytime Tuesdays 10.30 am
Orewa
Rhymetime Tuesdays 11.o0 am
Storytime Thursdays 11.00 am
Warkworth
Storytimes Mondays and Thursdays 10.30 am
Wellsford
Storytime Wednesdays 10.30 am
Whangaparaoa
Storytimes Tuesdays and Wednesdays 11.00 am
Rhymetime Thursdays 11.00 am
Whangaparaoa also host a special Japanese storytime on Mondays at 10.30 am
Check them out soon, as our new Star will be travellilng around and visiting all the libraries some times soon.
Wednesday, 1 August 2007
Mister Pip
Having already won the Commonwealth Writers Prize 2007 and the Montana Medal for Fiction or Poetry at the Montana Book Awards, word on the street is that it could be up for the Man Booker. The longlist will be announced in August with the shortlist finalised in September.
"Mister Pip" by Lloyd Jones.
Mister Pip is a love story, a story about the meaning of names and the power of words. It is about growing up, survival and the search for clues to make sense of life. Thirteen year old Matilda lives with her mother on the Pacific island of Bougainville, which suddenly becomes a violent place: Rebels want the copper mine, which is poisoning their island, to close. They are trying to drive the redskin army, enemies from neighbouring Papua New Guinea, into the sea. The abandoned schoolhouse is overgrown with jungle. In this troubled world, Mr Watts decides he will open the school once more, and read 'Great Expectations' by Charles Dickens aloud to his students, a chapter a day. Stories flourish on the island. While the lives of Pip and Magwitch and other characters from 'Great Expectations' are transformed in their new tropical setting, the locals come to the schoolhouse to tell their own tales, about the meaning of the colour blue, about broken dreams, black birds, devil women and a dozen other subjects. In Matilda's eyes, Pip is as real as any living person. He has become her friend. She writes his name in the sand and decorates it with shells. That's where the redskin soldiers see it, and decide they must track this stranger down. Who is this Mr Pip? The search to find him will have devastating consequences for Matilda, Mr Watts and the entire village. Matilda may never stop looking for him.
"Mister Pip" by Lloyd Jones.Mister Pip is a love story, a story about the meaning of names and the power of words. It is about growing up, survival and the search for clues to make sense of life. Thirteen year old Matilda lives with her mother on the Pacific island of Bougainville, which suddenly becomes a violent place: Rebels want the copper mine, which is poisoning their island, to close. They are trying to drive the redskin army, enemies from neighbouring Papua New Guinea, into the sea. The abandoned schoolhouse is overgrown with jungle. In this troubled world, Mr Watts decides he will open the school once more, and read 'Great Expectations' by Charles Dickens aloud to his students, a chapter a day. Stories flourish on the island. While the lives of Pip and Magwitch and other characters from 'Great Expectations' are transformed in their new tropical setting, the locals come to the schoolhouse to tell their own tales, about the meaning of the colour blue, about broken dreams, black birds, devil women and a dozen other subjects. In Matilda's eyes, Pip is as real as any living person. He has become her friend. She writes his name in the sand and decorates it with shells. That's where the redskin soldiers see it, and decide they must track this stranger down. Who is this Mr Pip? The search to find him will have devastating consequences for Matilda, Mr Watts and the entire village. Matilda may never stop looking for him.
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