Issue February 2015

It is dark. Your clothes are saturated from the waist down, becoming soaked as the water rises. You should be cold but your body is warm with anticipation and the fear of what’s next.

Tuesday 3rd to Thursday 5th.

Like every year the College is now very busy as staff are back in working hard to get ready for 2015 which promises to be another exciting year. It is a year where there are some changes to our staff and I would like to warmly welcome the following staff members to Ōtaki and to the College;

…oh yes you can! The answer is Rugosa roses. These have thick leaves that protect them from the wind and salt spray. Originally found on the coastal margins of Japan and China they are very hardy and will grow in poor soil.

We gardeners are a demanding breed, wanting our plants to thrive and flourish come storm or drought. A little bit of forward planning can help bring that ideal closer.

Flower garden, fruit and vegetable garden, lawns and second thoughts.

Apparently the four most stressful events in your life are death, divorce, moving home or building a new house. After restoring four houses, the last a listed Heritage building, we were ready for a change.

Bougainvilleas, with their dazzling display of vivid summer colour, are possibly the showiest and most popular tropical vine in cultivation. The actual flowers are tiny and insignificant - it is the brilliant bracts surrounding the flower which provide the flamboyant spectacle.

Last month, the Ōtaki Playcentre whanau held a pōwhiri to welcome friends from Waikanae Playcentre.

Hadley Gardner and Kylie Marino were 3 years apart at Otaki College. Hadley didn’t stay on for the seventh form at school, but went to England for some OE. The first six months he worked in a pub, then came under the wing of Otaki man Hamish Scott, ending up living with the Scotts and working for Hamish. Hadley, a decent front row forward managed to play some rugby in England, and show the poms some kiwi style.

Anyone affected by cancer, whether they are the patient or support person is welcome to come to our Support Group Meeting, held on 3rd Monday of the month 2pm, Gertrude Atmore Supper Rooms, Memorial Hall, Aotaki Street.

We all love summer – lazy days in the sunshine, at the beach, swimming in our rivers, leisurely gin and tonics on the patio. It’s bliss for all of us except our farmers. Spare a thought for the impact on them, their business and their animals while we enjoy endless days with no rain.

Observant travellers may have noticed, stacked in farmer’s fields up and down the country, piles of pink hay bales! Paddocks of pink bales are there for a cause – getting in behind women and their families who have secondary breast cancer.

The property market in 2014 was characterised by a strong first 4 months, a large gaping hole in activity leading up to and around Election time, and a withering burst of activity through from late October to New Year.