Day 90 Autumn Maples

I was at Willowbank school today and in the area in front of the first few classrooms are several Maple trees. This particular tree caught my eye with the spectacular change of colour of the leaves.

Day 89 'Autumn is on its way'

I am looking forward to photographing some of the amazing trees that we have in our local area as they change leaf colour over the next couple of months. This is our 'Snowball' bush which has made a start!

Day 88 Tukutuku panels

These 'Tukutuku' panels were first gifted to Kohia Education Centre when it was housed in Kohia Terrace just over 20 years ago.

Day 87 Butterfly on flower

We were in Garden Centre when we spotted this lone butterfly flitting about. I took about 20 shots before I managed to catch it perfectly!

Day 86 Choccy Hot Cross Buns

It's getting closer to Easter and my family love Hot Cross Buns, especially 'Choccy' Hot Cross Buns!

Day 85 'Hear the Bell ring'

There is an interesting story behind this rather large school bell at New Lynn School.

The Headmaster 'Fred Breach' in 1948 realised that he had a problem. The playing fields were so large at New Lynn Primary that the children could not hear the school bell. So he wrote to the British Navy and asked for a bell from a dismantled warship.

Two years later the HMS Mameluke was installed.
It is not used as a school bell anymore but hangs in the staffroom at the school.

Day 84 'Tools of the Trade

I love to cook and here are the 'tools of the trade'

Day 83 Kids as Photographers

Some of the students at 'The Gardens' have been learning how to become photographers with stunning results. They have also started their own 365 challenge where students take a photo each day and post it on their school website.
Here is just one portfolio!

Day 82 Patterns of Nature

When I am planning units of work for students I am always thinking of how students learn and the multiple intelligences they present. The Naturalistic intelligence (Nature Smart) can be a difficult one to plan for but Nature offers us so much in patterns (Maths, Art, Writing). When I saw this plant at Favona School I was captivated by the 'Patterns of Nature'.

Day 81 Lattice on the Cottage

This classroom at Willowbank school is called 'The Cottage' and has a deck with ornamental lattice all around it.

Day 80 Duck in Water

Love the orange of the duck's feet!

Day 79 Still hanging on...

We went for a walk in the Auckland Botanic Gardens today. There was one lone butterfly fluttering around. I managed to get this photo when it stopped moving.

Day 78 Hanging onto Summer

Several times a year I run courses at Kohia Education Centre. This sunflower was in the garden outside the Kohanga.

Day 77 Light on Foliage

I noticed the light on these leaves as I was walking in a school playground today. Stunning!

Day 76 Early Morning Sun

This shot was taken through the bars of a school gate looking back at Mangere Mountain. The early morning sun was shining and the mountain lit up!

Day 75 Seen Better Days

A little worn...but still doing its job!

Day 74 Watchful Seagulls

Particularly after lunchtimes in schools you will always see lots of seagulls. They know where to get a free lunch!

This is the same seagull in 2 photos grouped together. I cropped the photo in PowerPoint and used one of the effects to 'cartoonise' the photos. 

Ferns, Ferns, Ferns

Love Ponga Ferns, such interesting shapes! So Kiwi!!!

Day 72 Last Light

I was wandering through the garden looking for inspiration on a very dull light evening, when suddenly the setting sun shone through the clouds and I was able to get this shot.

Day 71 Friendship Seat

I saw this at Willowbank School today and asked what it was.


It is a friendship seat.

If you are feeling lonely or would like to make a new friend, sit on this seat and somebody will come and sit with you.

Day 70 Ugly but interesting

Saw this in the garden, thought it was ugly but took a photo anyway...now I find it interesting!

Day 69 Millennium Maze

Mountain View School is well known for it's picturesque gardens. Every corner you walk around, there is another stunning garden. This is one of my favourites...'The Millennium Maze'.
This is a Koru shaped maze planted by students with native Corokia. The totem poles have patterns designed by the children of the school.

Day 68 Topiary and Grass

Here is another part of the garden at Chapel Downs School that I really like!

Day 67 Mosaics in Wall

 I had a wonderful day working with the teachers at Somerville Intermediate in Howick today.
The mosaics in this wall caught my eye!

Day 66 Sheep in the Grass and Gone Potty

We went to King's Plant Barn to stock up on some herbs and vegetable plants. They always do great displays and these two characters caught my eye!

Sheep in the Grass

Gone Potty

Day 65 Fruit of the late summer harvest

Every year we grow beetroot, harvest it and then preserve it!

Day 64 Dry Land

I took this photo a couple of minutes down the road from where we live. Auckland has had the driest February on record with a paltry rainfall of 5mm. We are on tank water, and have had to buy in water twice so far this year, another week of this weather and we will need another tanker load!

Day 63 Ripening tomatoes

We have to ripen the tomatoes on the windowsill because the birds are getting to them first!

Day 62 Shady and Restful

I see many interesting things on my visits to school. This caught my eye straight away at Hay Park School in Mt Roskill. It was shady and restful, apparently the children love just 'chilling out' there.

Day 61 Succulents

Chapel Downs is a school I have been working at for about 13 years. I have seen a lot of changes, their gardens are wonderful, particularly the roses in spring. A lot of their gardens feature succulents.

Day 60 The Old and the New

Whenever I go out to visit my schools in the country, I pass this little church on a hill.

Today I stopped and had a look.

I couldn't find any information about it unfortunately, but I think it has been around a long time.

This photo shows the old and the new...

Can you spot the new?