June
6th June 2005
Ahh, a public holiday, one of the many birthdays for Queen Elizabeth. We went up to the mountains for a quick look at the snow fall to date. We found no snow in Porter's Pass and very little at Craigieburn. We had a short walk along the stream at Cragieburn and then drove up to the car park below Broken River ski field and admired the view. This is a favourite spot for a walk and a picnic.
There is some debate about the Queen's Birthday in New Zealand at the moment. This time of the year is also the Māori New Year, which occurs when Matariki is visible in the pre-dawn sky. Matariki is the Māori name for the Pleiades star cluster, visible over New Zealand in mid-June. It is important in Māori culture because of the navigational role it played in the migration of Māori, probably from Hawaii, around 1000 years ago. In Māori legend Matariki and her six daughters assisted Ra,the sun. Many people would like to see Matariki celebrated instead of the Queen's Brithday.
26th June 2005
We're still determined to find a decent amount of snow. It has been a disappointing season for the fluffy white stuff. Still, it has given us ample opportunity to go walking and that is what we have been doing.
Back at the bottom of the Lyndon Saddle walk we have found evidence of the cold. Ice has formed over the grass at the edge of the stream and clings to the small branches that lie across the water.
Marisa took some time to get these photos while trying to avoid sliding into the numbing water. Coming from Perth I still find ice out of doors to be fascinating.
Because of our unnatural fascination with ice we have enjoy a game that many New Zealanders find a little strange. We like to go to Lake Matilda, where the edge of the lake is frequently frozen even in this unseasonal warm and see how far we can walk on the thin ice without falling through.
Being the heaviest in the family I am usually the loser, much to the delight of Marisa and Gabriel.
I should point out that the water is only ankle deep where we do this so we are not risking life and limb. It is often quiet on the ice until you hear the ominous cracking as you begin to walk on it.
Usually the ice cracks in a web spreading out from the bottom of your boot. Ocassionally however you get a loud report and a crack suddenly running out fifteen feet or more from you. These are our favourites.
We spent about an hour playing this odd game today. We even scraped up enough snow to have a snowball fight. After that it was home for hot soup.
--Brook
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