Everyday beauty
On Sunday morning I wake up to a heavy frost covering Napier. The sun is peeking out over the horizon, protruding beautiful orangey-amber rays out into the brisk morning.
As I wake from the cold in my room, I breathe a breath of fresh air. Actually quite a few, I jump out of bed to be in the thick of it. Attracted to the calming music I plug in my earphones.
The fresh air wisps at my face, the rest of me warm wrapped up. I walk down the quiet street taking in the morning glory.
I walk over the Knightsbridge feeling elated. Each new song that comes on reminds me of the beauty of the world that we live in.
Making my way to Knightsbridge with the crisp frost crunching under my feet, birds are chirping happily finding grubs with their partners.
I get a bit of a march on up the sun-baked hill. Puffing and panting it feels good, passers-by could feel the feeling. The early birds are catching the worms.
Reaching the peak I look out to see ranges covered in prickly white snow. Standing in front of me are two paradise ducks that have had the idea, both preening themselves in the sunlight. For a few short minutes I enjoy the beautiful company of these two lover birds. Two runners peer over the top.
I start to descend the loaf to give these men the same satisfaction of looking over Napier undisturbed by noise. I walk down the hill warm still listening to the light fall of rain and the pan flutes.
As I walk home I realise blossoms have bloomed either side of the road and I take the time to realise the beauty of such a flowering tree and the gorgeous day planned ahead of me.
Andrew Hyde, Napier
Bathgate mourned
It is worth recording with much nostalgia the passing on of Shirley-Hunt Bathgate. No more challenging Letters To The Editor in Hawke's Bay Today urging readers to look after the planet that sustains us, to cease from cutting down more native forests, and to plant more native trees.
Shirley was a "chip off the old block".
Her late father, Dr David Bathgate, for many years was chairman of the Hastings Branch of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society and along with the Napier Forest and Bird chairman, a priest in Father CJ Callaghan, the Bathgate family was mainly responsible for the preservation of the only small remnants of native bush that remain around Napier and Hastings
Hawke's Bay has 20,000 fewer acres of native bush left standing than any other province in Aotearoa NZ.
(Native bush was cut from the sea to the mountains.)
Rest well Shirley. You have sown your seeds of concern, with many others now around, and educated enough to follow your Letters To The Editor.
Pat Magill, Napier
Check inspections
Your article "Step up checks, landlords warned" in Saturday's paper is a timely article especially for private landlords.
The article however was railroaded by Jim Brown having a dig at very successful owner-operator property management companies.
I have been an owner of a large residential property management company and it was quite often the large companies employing lowly-paid over-worked property managers who did not attend to property inspections! They expect their staff to look after millions of dollars of property so they can make more money and wonder why their staff drop the ball.
Property owners using a property manager should check if they are getting regular detailed property inspection reports and if they are not they should ask the question.
David Pearse, Hastings