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  • Urban Stormwater

    Urban Stormwater

     

    A quick wander around yet another new suburban area in Albany on Aucklands North Shore brought me to an urban stormwater treatment pond. Stormwater, around the world, in ever increasing concrete jungles is a huge polluter to rivers, streams and beaches. Travelling around different areas of Auckland (and I am sure elsewhere), we have seen an increase in these treatment ponds around built up suburban areas. Designed to remove sediments and contaminants, as well as offering flood protection, the resulting outpour of water is much fresher and healthier for local wildlife. Perhaps not from the perspective in todays shot, they can also add a nice green/lake visual environment around the suburban area (whilst still being off limits to people of course).

    Shot on the Ricoh GRD IV, switching back to bleach bipass setting. Slightly cropped in Gimp.

  • Guava Muffins

    Guava

     

    I was pleased to see a small guava tree when we purchased our house. Its a berry I dont see around much, and I have memories of guava jam/jelly around at relatives when I was young.

    Searching around the net, I found this tasty sounding recipe from G&H:

    Ingredients

    • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
    • 3/4 cup C&H® Granulated Sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 eggs
    • 1/2 cup guava nectar, canned
    • 2 kiwifruits, peeled and diced (1 cup)

    Instructions

    Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; reserve. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. On low speed, beat in half the flour mixture and then the guava nectar. Add remaining flour mixture; mix just until blended. Fold in kiwifruit. Divide batter among paper-lined muffin cups filling almost to the top.

    Bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool muffins on wire rack.

    Image shot on the GRD IV and edited in Gimp.

  • From the Dark, Into the light

    Path

     

    Taking a quick walk after work, onto an upper track from a walk I did almost year ago, I set the Ricoh to high contrast B&W – determined to get a few shots I liked using this setting. Its been very overcast these last few days, with bad weather around the country, & the night is beginning to draw in earlier as we approach winter.

    Heading back to the car, exiting a particularly dark patch of the track, I caught todays image. Using Gimp I slightly upped the contrast a little more to reduce the grey, and resized for the net.

  • On Rolls Autumn

    Tree Leaves

     

    Its been a busy few weeks with moving out of the flat and into our first home. Sadly, its been pretty hard to find much time recently to really get out there and take some images. We have moved into an area surrounded by great bush walks, so all going well…sooner rather than later… I will get some more time to get out there.

    Todays image, shot down the road, was from a quick stroll in between sorting out things at home. The heavy rain and thunderstorms seem to have missed Auckland, but have hit south, with flooding and storm damage.

    Shot on the Sony Nex and edited in Gimp.

  • Robot Technology

    Robot

    Todays old school mechanical robot reminds me of old books I used to read, produced in the 1970’s about ‘the future’ – usually referring to the year 2000. Fascinating books, not entirely incorrect in some areas, and very very wrong in others regarding their predictions of the future.

    Robots have featured in books and film for a long time now. Initially often seen as either scary beasts, or there to help humanity as servants (or a mix of the two). Ever so slowly we have seen them depicted as human copies, coming to grips with trying to be human & struggling with the concept of emotion and soul.

    Aside from the paperback and silver screen, technology and science, perhaps replicating these ideas (as often seems to be the case with technology) has come in leaps and bounds in humanoid robot/android experiments. I read an interesting article recently about robots being used in rest homes to help residents. I guess its only time until we have them looking after children, and are already part way to people having them as their companion. Im sure this will scare many, and excite others. The technology side of me is fascinated. How it might fit into my studied field of anthropology one day is also fascinating. Part of me also wonders if movies like Terminator or The Matrix might have an eventual grain of truth…

    Todays image (a very safe and traditional robot) was shot some time ago on the Canon Powershot G12, edited in Gimp.