234/366 - Peekaboo!

Our Booster pup loves nothing better than hiding herself under a blanket. . . but this time she left her nose hanging out!!

231/366 - Frodo's habitual sleeping position

230/366 - Who said dogs can't smile?!!

Frodo smiles whilst taking care of post-surgical Sonny Jim :)

223/366 - "I love my dog. . . as much as I love you!"

221/366 - Winner of the Motueka Primary Schools Year 7/8 Speech Competition

Sonny Jim won the Speech Competition despite being one of the youngest competitors in his age group and never having taken part in a speech competition until winning the school comp this year! Go him!!

There were six set topics to choose from, and SJ worked his speech around the title "Pushing the Boundaries." Link to video of speech here.

Text of his speech below:

Pushing the Boundaries

Pushing the boundaries you say... What do you mean by that? Do you mean taking a world record and beating it, or pushing against a wall? I am not doing a speech on how to push walls or even push physical boundaries. No, I will be focusing on boundaries of attitude and how with a few brave people pushing the boundaries, attitudes can be changed and social justices achieved.

“Women getting the vote? Pshaw! Yeah right!” In 1892, that was the attitude of most of the public, even some women. . . In 1893, however, New Zealand became the first country in the world to give women the basic human right of voting in a Parliamentary Election. To all the women in the room . . . how would you feel if you werenʼt allowed to vote in the next General Election simply because you were born female? By pushing social and political boundaries, suffragist Kate Shepherd and her supporters achieved this social justice for the women of New Zealand. Much of the world was soon to follow.

And to think that in New Zealand in1985, you could be put in jail, just for being gay. That seems ridiculous nowadays . . . well to most people, anyway! Thanks to MP Fran Wilde and her supporters, the Homosexual Law Reform Act was passed in 1986 and around 10% of New Zealandʼs population no longer had to live in fear of imprisonment.

Only the following year, in August 1987, did Te Reo Maori finally become an official language of Aotearoa-New Zealand. How can it possibly have taken so long to officially recognise this beautiful language? For so many years it was

the only language spoken in Aotearoa, and yet it nearly died! Isnʼt it a human right to be able to speak your own language in your own country?

Then in 1994 Apartheid (the hateful segregation against black people) ended in South Africa and the world rejoiced! Nelson Mandela pushed this social justice boundary every day of the 27 years he spent in prison. After all his struggles he became President of South Africa and is still an inspiration to millions.
All these things were radical in their time, truly seen as pushing the boundaries of life as we knew it. When we reflect on them now they seem regular and commonplace - but many of our basic human rights didnʼt just happen. . . they were bravely fought for.

There is still a lot of discrimination that exists in our world, and even in our own country.
What issue do YOU feel is worth pushing the boundaries for?
Will YOU be our next civil rights champion?
If you ARE, I truly hope you are successful because pushing the boundaries makes our world a better place.

214/366 - Sonny Jim singing solo at "Rock da House Tasman" concert

199/366 - Cheeky Kea @ Rainbow ski field

144/366 - World Vision "Kids for Kids" concert

With Suzanne Prentice, several school choirs (about 360 children) including 8 soloists: 7 girls and 1 boy. . . We came home with an "extra child", having agreed to sponsor an 11 year old boy from Cambodia through World Vision, as a "World Buddy" for Sonny Jim! Those soloists certainly had guts to stand up in front of approx 800 people and sing their hearts out!

82/366 - One dog and his beach!

A wonderful evening walk at Ruby Bay beach, with distant views of Nelson. I couldn't choose between these two photos, so you get two photos today to make up for none on Monday!

57/366 - Takahē

We visited Zealandia wildlife sanctuary today and I took several photos of these beautiful and very rare Takahē birds. There are only just over 200 left in the country and therefore the world, and for many years they were thought to be entirely extinct. However, in January 2011 two were released at Zealandia and this is one of them! For more about conservation efforts to save the takahē, look here.

Photo taken using Canon EOS 400D camera with 75-300mm lens (no tripod).

48/366 - Friendly furball :)

46/366 - Frodo Yawning - aka Frodo the Wolf Dog!!

Photo by Sonny Jim

I have broken my own rule (about taking each photo myself) today - but SJ's photo was just too good an opportunity to miss! He took the photo on his iPod this morning, and managed to capture Frodo mid-yawn, which makes him look like the world's fiercest dog (instead of the friendly furball that he really is!)

36/366 - First plant your child in a playground, then water well. . .

SJ and K have fun with a water fountain in Stoke

35/366 - "Just out of reach" at the Cancer Society Relay for Life 2012

2 year old "K" tries to catch an elusive balloon

17/366 - Almost ready to fly the nest

Under the eaves at the Mapua "mall"

16/366 - 11 hours old

11/366 - One boy and his dog

10/366 - Frodo, the happy dog

Photo taken on Canon EOS 400D.