Whimsical Houses. Delightful Art...

I'm really happy that I met
the very talented Rob Carey recently.
He lives and works in Kandern, Germany.
Rob has a wonderful sketchblog,
you'll find it here.
His works of art are just so delightful. A style that refreshes the soul.
He posts a new sketch most days, sometimes with a video of the actual subject matter and showing him applying his beautiful sensitive pen strokes.
Do visit him. I do. Often...

Antique Roadhome Show...

Here's a couple of vintage houses on wheels from way back when.
When times were simpler I guess but people had the same dreams as we do today...

Tiny Teardrop Travellers...

You'll find them in the most lovely places.
Tiny touring takeaways.
Trailers to go.
Small enough to be transported,
like your dreams. Anywhere.
Anytime you have a moment...

The Little Penguins Go Home...

The cargo ship Rena ran aground on the coast of Tauranga some time ago.
Among the victims of the worst environmental disaster in New Zealand's history were forty nine very cute but very sick little penguins who washed ashore, blackened by oil and very near death.
Wildlife rescuers were on hand to meticulously scrub clean their feathery coats and nurse them back to robust health.
A couple of days ago, after nearly two months, those little penguins happily made their way, in front of hundreds of delighted onlookers, back to sea...

It's All Over Bar The Shouting...

New Zealanders voted and the old/new centrist right National led government will continue to take the country further down the road to economic disaster.
The rich will however get richer and the poor will keep getting poorer.
The divide between them will get bigger.
Labour, the main opposition party, will, when Phil Goff resigns, choose relative newcomer David Shearer as its new leader.
The Greens got their best vote ever.
I hope they stay green.
Good on you Hone. Keep stirring!
The miracle maverick, the self styled man of the people, the veteran of 28 years in parliament, who's spent the last three in the political wilderness, the prodigal son, shall I go on, the one that rises from the ashes, the one they thought was dead and buried but keeps coming back to haunt them, Winston Peters, has returned triumphant with hopefully, a merry band.
And I'm glad he's back.
We need his style, his wit, his personality and his eloquent patriotism if nothing else...

The Pukeko Is Voted Bird Of The Year!

The Pukeko has been voted 'Bird of the Year' by New Zealanders.
The wetland bird that's thought to have landed on New Zealand shores around a thousand years ago from Australia is also known as a Purple Swamphen or a Purple Gallinule.
Whatever name it's called, you'll find it in the US, Africa, parts of Europe, Asia and Melanesia.
It's now won New Zealand Forest and Bird's Annual election and should be, in my opinion, sworn in as the country's new prime minister and invited to form a government.
Perhaps we could all really fly...

No Matter Who You Vote For, The Government Always Wins!

Tomorrow, New Zealanders go to the polls to decide who they'd prefer to shit on them for the next three years.
Their choices are really very limited by the crappy calibre of the candidates.
The three main parties are very middle of the road, the Red one slightly leftest and the Blue a rabid rightist. The Greens have a tinge of blue about them which is disquieting.
We have a Yellow party that appears to have the plague, an Ethnic party or two and then there's the Black and White Party led by a person with style. But substance? This maverick keeps rising like the Phoenix every few years.
It's very hard to find just one of the political pretenders worthy of any respect.
I don't think there's a party that I want to be invited to.
I hope the voters lock the door on the current government and throw the key away...

On The Way Home From The Circus...

I wandered over to The Hermitage the other day.
Another of my favourite places.
It's easy to find and what you'll find there is truly beautiful...
intothehermitage.blogspot.com
Rima is a wonderful artist.
More about her later.
She and Tom had been to Giffords Circus, an old style circus who do things in the traditional manner. Then they camped out overnight and shared the delight of fried eggs on toast over the fire at breakfast.
Such simple pleasures...

Is This What Happens Next America?

Is this the next step America?
Nguyen Ngoc Loan, South Vietnam's National police chief in 1968, executes a man thought to be a Viet Cong captain.
Associated Press photographer Eddie Adams took this horrific photo that shook the world.
Is some other photographer going to shoot a similar image somewhere in the US sometime soon?
Is some police chief in New York or Los Angeles going to shoot a young innocent protester for standing up or sitting down for what he or she believes in?
For believing in democracy?
It's not a very big step from pepper spray to a pistol.
I'm sorry for posting this horrific photo image.
It makes me sick in my heart and soul to see it and it always has.
But we need the shocking reminder that these things can happen even without a war.
I feel compelled to do something.
Presenting this is what I can do.
Doing nothing is not an option for me...

Images To Start A Real Revolution...

These images could change the world.
I hope they do.
Others have. Remember the one in Saigon. Or the one at Kent State in 1970 when American troops killed some of their own children.
These photos by Wayne Tilcock and Louise Macabitas show UC Davis Police Lt John Pike as he arrogantly, nonchalantly, uses a can of pepper spray on a group of young people as they, seated and offering no resistance, are engaged in an act of non violent, non aggressive civil disobedience as is their right.
These images disgust me...

Where Is Everybody?

This man had his own Wall Street to occupy.
All by himself...

Kombi Fans Rejoice...

The Kombi makes a comeback.
New models of the iconic VW Kombi camper van will be available exclusively in the Netherlands from next year and other European countries at a later date.
The 2012 model will be built in Brazil.
Waxing's an optional extra...

Click Clack Gorilla...

Click Clack Gorilla, also known as Nicolette Stewart, escaped her 9 to 5 office job in the US by digging a tunnel behind the water cooler with a paper clip, or was it a stapler, and is now happily pregnant, travelling with a band in between dumpster diving and living in a funky caravan in a Wagenpiatz in Germany.
She's many like minded souls and her partner for company.
Nicolette writes about her life on clickclackgorilla.com and lives it with a freedom known only by those with few possessions.
She doesn't want for anything more...

Hanging Out...

Portaledges were invented for rock climbers doing multi-day climbs.
They're not for people who toss and turn
in their sleep.
Or those who sleepwalk.
They don't have a bathroom either.
They're offered as 'close to nature' hotel rooms at Waldseilgarten in Bavaria where the tents are either suspended over the edge of a cliff or, if you're not too keen on a mile of air under you, from strong tree branches.
You can only ascend or descend by using ropes.
A stay there does include rope climbing lessons so you can get to your room.
Oh yes, there's no room service...

Thankyou...

Thankyou for taking a moment or two out of your day to visit here.
I appreciate your comments and your company.
I hope you continue to enjoy...

Rolling Homes Keep On Rolling...

Just as long as there's dreamers like you and me in this world, these wonderful old 'road roamers' will keep on trucking.
Here's a few more images from Jane Lidz's book on Rolling Homes.
So many folk these days are becoming committed to owning their own lives, ridding themselves of debt, reducing their outgoings and going someplace where life can be simpler and freer.
All this, much to the annoyance of local bureaucrats, suburban homeowners and ratepayers everywhere who continue to feel threatened by someone living outside the square.
They all live in little boxes and have to spend their precious lives going to work to earn money to pay ever more expensive utility bills and so why shouldn't everybody else.
Each year more and more of these wonderful vehicles fall by the wayside, unable to reach the new road 'standards' set by officialdom.
But here in New Zealand at least, there are still many of these old 'rolling homes' still on the roads.
People living alternative and fulfilling lives.
And having fun.
Keep the dream alive and let's keep rolling my friends...