Saturday, November 25, 2006
Russian Dolls
The very beginning of Russian matryoshka
The first Russian nesting doll (matryoshka) was born in 1890 in the workshop "Children's Education" situated in Abramtsevo estate new Moscow. The owner of Abramtsevo was Sava Mamontov - industrialist and a patron of the arts.
The end of the 19 century in Russia was a time of great economic and cultural development. Mamontov was one of the first who patronized artist who were possessed by the idea of the creation of a new Russian style. Many famous Russian artists worked along with folk craftsmen in workshops Mamontov.
Why it is called "Matryoshka"
Russian wooden dolls within smaller dolls were called matryoshka. In old Russian among peasants the name Matryona or Matriosha was a very popular female name. Scholars says this name has a Latin root "mater" and means "Mother". This name was associated with the image of of a mother of a big peasant family who was very healthy and had a portly figure.
Subsequently, it became a symbolic name and was used specially to image brightly painted wooden figurines made in a such way that they could taken apart to reveal smaller dolls fitting inside one another.
Japanese High School Students
4 bus loads turned up at the Domain - on Armistice day - All had official photos taken. The man on the left was obviously the Headmaster - in control of all groups.. hovering like a mother hen
Pine Cones on the domain, after the Big Blow
The wind caused the Sky Tower to close on the 10 November 2006
Cricket at the Domain
Auckland Domain
Park Rd, Grafton. Note that there are two sets of pitches on separate levels.The elevated area between the Wintergardens and the museum (Pitches 1 to 6, parking on Football Rd in front of the pitches) and in front of the Grandstand (parking along Grandstand Road North and South but you need to be early).Incidently don't ever,ever park on the grass, the parking wardens are ruthless! Toilets are inside the Grandstand and in the changing room opposite pitch 2
Feijoa blossom - Pretty and colourful
The feijoa is from the Myrtaceae plant family and is native to Brazil and Uruguay. Feijoas can be considered as either warm climate or subtropical. First introduced into New Zealand in the early 1900’s the fruit was small and it was not for another 20 years before new cultivars were imported that were larger with improved flavour.
Crown Lynn
that most collectors are finding it increasingly difficult to find good or distinctive items of Crown Lynn to add to their collections. Where once second-hand stores and antique dealers always had a few items. This is now down to a trickle.
Amethyst
Amethyst: a Royal PurplePurple has long been considered a royal color so it is not surprising that amethyst has been so much in demand during history. Fine amethysts are featured in the British Crown Jewels and were also a favorite of Catherine the Great and Egyptian royalty. Amethyst, transparent purple quartz, is the most important quartz variety used in jewelry.Leonardo Da Vinci wrote that amethyst was able to dissipate evil thoughts and quicken the intelligence.Because amethyst was thought to encourage celibacy and symbolize piety, amethyst was very important in the ornamentation of Catholic and other churches in the Middle Ages. It was, in particular, considered to be the stone of bishops and they still often wear amethyst rings.In Tibet, amethyst is considered to be sacred to Buddha and rosaries are often fashioned from it.The Greek work "amethystos" basically can be translated as "not drunken." Amethyst was considered to be a strong antidote against drunkenness, which is why wine goblets were often carved from it! The gemstone still symbolizes sobriety.The legend of the origin of amethyst comes from Greek myths. Dionysius, the god of intoxication, was angered one day by an insult from a mere mortal and swore revenge on the next mortal that crossed his path, creating fierce tigers to carry out his wish. Along came unsuspecting Amethyst, a beautiful young maiden on her way to pay tribute to the goddess Diana. Diana turned Amethyst into a stature of pure crystalline quartz to protect her from the brutal claws. Dionysus wept tears of wine in remorse for his action at the sight of the beautiful statue. The god's tears stained the quartz purple, creating the gem we know today.Amethyst ranges in color from pale lilac to deep purple. The pale colors are sometimes called "Rose de France" and can be seen set in Victorian jewelry. The deep colors are the most valuable, particularly a rich purple with rose flashes.Amethyst is mined in Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia and Argentina, as well as in Zambia, Namibia and other African countries.
What Katy Did and Secret 7 were favourite books
The first Three, What Katy Did, What Katy Did At School & What Katy Did Next were very definatly set to try to encompass any One of several age groups from Katy's very obvious little brother & sisters to her sister Clover who I am afraid seemed a bit to good for my taste & seemed very much Katy's shadow..In What katy did we read of Katy, who is the oldest daughter having to learn some deep lessons about life & it's ups & downs.What Katy did at school is hers & her sister Clover's chance to learn to live with others & to make life long friendships.In What Katy did next, Katy gets what for those times is every girls desire, a chance to go abroad to Europe & other countries & see the world.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Family Connection
Parents to get portal on pupils 19 November 2006
By RACHEL GRUNWELLParents across the country will be able to go online to check on their children's test results and behaviour at school in the future.
The Education Ministry has confirmed it is looking at the website idea initiated by Auckland's Avondale College, which is to be copied by Australia in a $60 million project announced last week.
The ministry's manager of e-learning, Murray Brown, said it was developing the technical infrastructure to link all New Zealand schools so they could share data and access curriculum information online. Video conferencing between schools would also be possible.
Brown said parents could access their children's test results, truancy and detention statistics online.
"The challenge is the security side of it," said Brown. "There are some things that need to be kept private. How we manage that side of things will be a big question."
He could not put a timeframe or cost on the project.
Avondale College principal Brent Lewis said it was a "good thing" that the ministry was following in his school's footsteps and adopting The Family Connection scheme, in which parents could log on to a secure website and check their children's progress.
He said The Family Connection made the school accountable and kept parents more informed than receiving mid-year and end-of-year reports.
About 40% of parents at his school had been using the site since it started early this year and Lewis predicted that figure would rise to 75% next year. There had been 3300 hits.
"Many parents are using it to help them have meaningful conversations with their children," said Lewis.
He did not know whether truancy had dropped as a result of the website, as he had not yet compared figures.
In Australia, Victorian Premier Steve Bracks has revealed plans for an Australian-first - a school computer system that could allow parents to monitor their children's classrooms live online under a $60m initiative.
Bracks said the government was bringing in the system to every Victoria primary and secondary school. Parents would be able to check on what homework had been done, test results, attendance rates and could receive an automatic text, email or telephone notification if their child was absent without explanation.
The project was expected to be completed in three years.
Lewis said he was "astonished" at the cost of the Australian model. His school spent only $165 on The Family Connection. It has a piece of software that automatically updates the site every 24 hours.
By RACHEL GRUNWELLParents across the country will be able to go online to check on their children's test results and behaviour at school in the future.
The Education Ministry has confirmed it is looking at the website idea initiated by Auckland's Avondale College, which is to be copied by Australia in a $60 million project announced last week.
The ministry's manager of e-learning, Murray Brown, said it was developing the technical infrastructure to link all New Zealand schools so they could share data and access curriculum information online. Video conferencing between schools would also be possible.
Brown said parents could access their children's test results, truancy and detention statistics online.
"The challenge is the security side of it," said Brown. "There are some things that need to be kept private. How we manage that side of things will be a big question."
He could not put a timeframe or cost on the project.
Avondale College principal Brent Lewis said it was a "good thing" that the ministry was following in his school's footsteps and adopting The Family Connection scheme, in which parents could log on to a secure website and check their children's progress.
He said The Family Connection made the school accountable and kept parents more informed than receiving mid-year and end-of-year reports.
About 40% of parents at his school had been using the site since it started early this year and Lewis predicted that figure would rise to 75% next year. There had been 3300 hits.
"Many parents are using it to help them have meaningful conversations with their children," said Lewis.
He did not know whether truancy had dropped as a result of the website, as he had not yet compared figures.
In Australia, Victorian Premier Steve Bracks has revealed plans for an Australian-first - a school computer system that could allow parents to monitor their children's classrooms live online under a $60m initiative.
Bracks said the government was bringing in the system to every Victoria primary and secondary school. Parents would be able to check on what homework had been done, test results, attendance rates and could receive an automatic text, email or telephone notification if their child was absent without explanation.
The project was expected to be completed in three years.
Lewis said he was "astonished" at the cost of the Australian model. His school spent only $165 on The Family Connection. It has a piece of software that automatically updates the site every 24 hours.
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