Keeping busy is FUN to do!

Keeping busy is FUN to do!

I had two zone conferences this week.

It is always a pleasure to be with the missionaries and to feel of their spirits.  As I have mentioned in previous blogs, I do a presentation each zone conference to help the missionaries stay healthy.  With summer on its way and increased heat and sun, I felt I needed to address issues of sunburn and dehydration along with a couple of little “housekeeping” items.

Here is my presentation:

Sun/UV Protection:

The ozone layer is thinner and there is less pollution in the southern-hemisphere to block the UV rays that cause sunburn and cancer. Earth's orbit takes it closer to the sun during the southern summer than during the northern summer.  For these reasons it is important to wear sun block and to protect yourselves to prevent sunburn and skin damage.  Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes, hats to shade your face, neck and ears, and wear long sleeved shirts and long pants to protect your extremities. 

One of the biggest sun myths is that darker skin tones don't need protection against the sun. It's true that darker-skinned people are less likely to experience sunburn, but the risk is still there. Plus, long-term exposure still increases the risk of skin cancer, regardless of skin tone

Dehydration: 

It is vital to prevent dehydration to prevent serious complications. 

Generally, if you drink enough fluid so that you rarely feel thirsty and your urine is colorless or light yellow, your fluid intake is probably adequate.   

Thirst isn't always a reliable early indicator of the body's need for water. Many people don't feel thirsty until they're already dehydrated. That's why it's important to increase water intake during hot weather or when you're ill. 

To ward off dehydration and make sure your body has the fluids it needs, make water your beverage of choice. It's also a good idea to: 

• Drink a glass of water with each meal and between each meal
• Drink water before, during and after exercise

Good oral and dental hygiene can help prevent bad breath, tooth decay and gum disease—and can help you keep your teeth as you get older. ... A healthy mouth may help you ward off medical disorders. 

Keeping your mouth clean and healthy is an important part of having a healthy body. Over time, your teeth build up plaque and bacteria that cause irritation to the gums. Plaque can cause infection in your gums and the bones that support your teeth. This is called periodontal disease. 

Brush after every meal and at bedtime.  If you can’t brush, rinse your mouth after meals and especially after eating sweets or soda. 

The way you clean your ears can be damaging and may cause loss of hearing. 

Earwax is healthy:  it protects,  lubricates, has antibacterial properties.  

Absence of earwax:  dry, itchy ears.  

Earwax is not formed in the deep part of the ear canal near the eardrum, but in the outer one-third of the ear canal.  

Ear canals are self-cleaning.   

Wax and skin cells work out with chewing and jaw motion from ear canal to opening where is dries, flakes, and falls out. 

Using cotton-tipped applicators, pencils/pens, paper clips or twisted napkin corners, for examples, can push wax in deeper against the ear drum causing a loss of hearing.

At every zone conference, the missionaries who are finishing their missions with the current transfer, bear their testimonies, and after lunch, they are honored with a haka.  In this video, the missionaries leaving have their backs to the camera.  It is an emotional time for them.  I admit it brings tears to my eyes.  When in the room, one can “feel” the spirit and emotion evoked by this performance.

From Wikipedia:  The haka is a ceremonial dance or challenge in Māori culture.  It is a posture dance performed by a group, with vigorous movements and stamping of the feet with rhythmically shouted accompaniment. Although commonly associated with the traditional battle preparations of male warriors, haka have long been performed by both men and women, and several varieties of the dance fulfil social functions within Māori culture.   Haka are performed to welcome distinguished guests, or to acknowledge great achievements, occasions or funerals.

My ward, the Takapuna Ward, had a trunk or treat Halloween evening.  The children (and adults) had a blast!

Lillian, Kevin, and Michael

I even got a FaceTime visit with Santa on the day of Halloween in the States.

Sister Bunker and I went straight from the church to the ballet.  I can’t think of a better way to end the holiday than with Swan Lake performed by The Imperial Russian Ballet Company at the Bruce Mason Centre here in Takapuna.   I loved the music and the dancers were magnificent.

Saturday I felt like an outing, so I invited Sister Bunker to accompany me to Karekare Waterfall which is just under an hour from Takapuna. 

Karekare Falls is located in the western part of Waitakere Ranges Regional Park, near
Karekare village - the filming location for "The Piano". Beautiful scenery and easy access
make this waterfall one of New Zealand Must See Waterfalls.

At the parking lot where we walked to the falls, we saw this Pou, sign, and beautiful pond and flower covered hillside. 

 Pouwhenua or pou whenua (land post), are carved wooden posts used by Māori,
the indigenous peoples of New Zealand to mark territorial boundaries or places of significance.
They are generally artistically and elaborately carved and can be found throughout New Zealand.

Much like totem poles, pou whenua tell a story. They are significant to the Māori people, representing their contributions to the cultural heritage of New Zealand. They acknowledge the association between the people (tāngata) and the land (whenua). Specifically, they reflect the relationship between the ancestors, environment, and the reputation or standing of the tangata whenua.

 

Walking to the falls led us through a forest.  The branches and trunks of the trees are amazing.

Before arriving at Karekare Falls, we passed this smaller falls.

The trees and leaves are spectacular!

Even the grasses are beautiful.

From the falls we drove to nearby Piha Beach.  It was a little overcast but warm with no rain.  The scenery and flowers were gorgeous. 

Piha is New Zealand’s most famous surf beach. Situated on the west coast of the North Island, 40 kms
from the city of Auckland, this black iron-sand beach has a reputation for awesome surf which
rolls in over the Tasman Sea. When Uncle Toby’s Iron Man contest was held at Piha in 1997,
canoes were snapped in two and they've never come back.

It can be moody, misty and mysterious, wild, wet and wind-swept. The power goes off, the phone lines come down, sometimes the road in (and out) gets blocked. Living here is not for the faint-hearted.

Piha was the birthplace of malibu board riding in New Zealand, introduced by two Californian lifeguards in 1956. The first surf boat race held in New Zealand was at Piha in the 1930s.

Piha has rips and currents and is very unforgiving of the foolhardy so it’s important to only swim in areas patrolled by surf clubs. Fisherman regularly die off the rocks, so check with the clubs before you venture out.

Piha is not just surf and sand. With rugged cliffs and the majestic Lion Rock standing guard over the beach, the scenery is dramatic and inspiring. The beach is backed by the Waitakere Ranges, a protected parkland of sub-tropical forest, accessible through numerous bush tracks.

Lion Rock is Piha’s most iconic landmark, its profile from all angles, known nation-wide. Lion Rock
sits between Piha and North Piha beaches, offering people who climb it, spectacular views in
all directions.  If you would like to see a picture where you can better see the “Lion” and read
more about this rock.

Piha is more covered with yellow flowers than you can imagine.  Pictures do not do it justice.

I cannot thank the Lord enough for this world in which I live.  I have traveled to many places that I have loved and found beautiful.  People have asked me where my favorite place is to be.  Other than being with my family, I have no favorites as there is beauty everywhere!  I do want to assure you, however, that there are NO ugly places in New Zealand!!!

I love my Savior.  I love you my family and friends.

Misc. pictures:

Geranium plant.  This on was the size of a lilac bush.  Should have taken a pic of the
entire plant so you could see how large it was.

A carpet of flowers

Bottle brush bush

Look at the various shades of green in this photo.

I stopped in a produce market near my flat.  Found this Real Salt from Redmond, Utah. 
My husband’s ancestors settled Redmond and this was his favorite salt to have on our table.

Saturday, we ate lunch at a little bistro type café along the road home from Piha Beach. 
Sister Bunker had a salad with roasted grapes on it.  I tried one and found it to be about the best
thing going!  Sweet!!!  When I got back to Takapuna, I went straight to the store to get some grapes
to try my hand at roasting them.  They tasted sweet and delicious but I must have over-cooked
them as they were not as “solid” as the one I ate at the café.  I’m going to keep trying though. 
If you want to give it a try, here is the recipe.  I would reduce the temp and time. 
I’m sure the size of the grape is a factor as well.

Roast Grapes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 –2 pounds seedless grapes, any variety
• 1 tablespoon canola oil

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Spread grapes out on a baking sheet (you can keep the stems on as long as all the grapes are touching the parchment individually.)
• Brush with oil.
• Bake/roast for 20-25 minutes or until grapes start to look shrunken.
• Remove and cool baking sheet on a wire rack.
• Remove stems, if necessary. Eat as is or use to top salads, grain dishes, oatmeal, chicken, pork or desserts.
• Store remaining roasted grapes in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week.