To my dear friends in the blog-
Firstly an apology, as I have not responded to some of the questions directed to me in your comments recently, and I have not responded to some of your emails -
I hope you will all forgive me - it has been, and is, a dizzying time and I am totally overwhelmed !
However, you are the gifts I have received with no Xmas trees, tinsel, wrappings or ribbons ! which I have greatly appreciated through the years.
In alphabetical order! - “Anonymous”!, Cyril, Indra, Kumar, Lucky Weerasooriya, Mahen, Manel, Nihal, Razaque, Sanath, Srianee, Sriani, Sumathi, Zita - I have thoroughly enjoyed your “chat” and learned much from you all. Your friendship has been a great gift to me.
Lucky Abey , thank you for being the “Post Master Extraordinaire ” ! without whom most of these gifts would not have been received .
It has been wonderful coming to know you all even in small measure, and
thank you very much for being in my life-
I wish you all, and the rest of my batchmates a wonderful festive season and a glorious New Year .
Rohini Ana
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| Pohutukawa - New Zealand Christmas tree (Metrosideros excelsa) which flowers during the Christmas season coloring the coastline a brilliant red. |
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| Close up of Pohutukawa flower |
This is Zita and I am privileged to have seen your lovely message above, first thing in the morning! We so appreciate your posts and comments on the Blog and over the years they have been ones I have been looking forward to and I know I speak for many other batch mates. I love the picture of the New Zealand Christmas tree and the Pohutukawa flower is, I am sure, your way of spreading good will and good wishes at this Season, just like the radiating petals indicate. Let us all radiate good will and good wishes to every one. Thanks again, Rohini! from Zita
ReplyDeleteThanks very much for your lovely message and vibrant pictures. The blog has been enormously enhanced by your thoughtful and delightful contributions.Your amazing range of interests and knowledge comes through to all of us. You are what I call a truly well educated person and it is indeed a pleasure to call you my friend and batchmate. I look forward to your continued active participation in the coming years.I also wish to say to my active Bloggers, please keep blogging and to my non-active Boggers, please consider being active, we miss you!And of course to Lucky, "Thank you for the Music, for giving it to us"
ReplyDeleteZita and Mahen, thank you both for your very generous comments-
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed your contributions to the blog enormously - you both are able to pull any trick out of your large repertoire !
Mahen, you have put me in a ‘spot’ !
I can’t quite say I am “uneducated”, and can’t say Iam “well educated” without seeming conceited! I hope Iam “reasonably educated”!!
Enjoy your days !
Lucky , I noticed the clarification re the second photo- you are so kind -
ReplyDeleteThank you
Hi:Rohini,
ReplyDeleteI was mesmerized by the beauty&its radiance of the Pohutukawa(Christmas tree,Fire Tree)I wonder,where this plant is indigenous to New Zealand?The fully blossomed POHUTUKAWA,certainly carries, the goodwill message,to all living creature,during the festive season:I,too,will take this opportunity to wish all our bloggers&non bloggers,a VERY HAPPY FESTIVE SEASON
Sumathi,
ReplyDeleteNice to see you- It is a native of New Zealand - a coastal evergreen in the family Myrtaceae which is protected by law. It has found a prominent place in New Zealand culture and Maori mythology.
There are some lovely pictures ( better than my photos!), as well as the history and other accounts of these trees available online.
Thank you,Rohini;I had a view of the plants,online yesterday.
ReplyDeletePity,wife and myself haven't done a tour in New Zealand.Some years back,we were in AUCKLAND,during our transit from Fiji
to Melbourne.We saw a lot of citrus plants.The beaches were very dirty during that time.
Our son,was attached to Wellington Medical School,during his elective year,in early nineties.His Mentor was Dr.Bandaranayake,elder brother of our Anatomy Banda.My son told me,Dr Bandaranayake was a very kind person.He enjoyed his elective period in Wellington.I,wonder whether you have met Dr Bandaranayake.
Christmas period is going to be grey&dull in UK,but no snow.Australasians are lucky to enjoy their festive season,during the summer.
Sadly,we never hear anything from our friends in Australia.
Enjoy your Christmas&the New Year.
Sumathi
Sumathi, Iam sorry Iam late replying- I didn't get to meet Dr. Bandaranayake and wasn't aware he was in NZ.
DeleteI noted your comment about the NZ beaches !
I think you might have got the impression they were dirty as I did when I first arrived in NZ ,as the sand is black due to its Iron content!
Some of the beaches on the West coast of NZ have black iron sand which contains titanomagnetite Which also makes it magnetic as the name indicates. It is derived from volcanic lava and is being exported as well. On the East Coast the beaches are mainly golden as in SL, and all beaches here are well cared for and kept clean!!
Thanks; Rohini,for giving me an insight into the geology of that beautiful NZ.Do not take my previous remarks as a sarcasm.Hope do an accompanying tour in a few years time.
DeleteSumathi
Rohini,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for introducing us to the beautiful Pohutukawa flower.
As for Sumathi,make it a point to travel in summer to New Zealand, it truly is a beautiful country, especially south island. Whats so special about south island? Plenty of rivers and ravines- that was where bungee jumping originated, pastures with thousands of white sheep and several black sheep, Milford sound with its fiords, giant ferns - remember lord of the rings ,that movie was filmed here. But make sure you go in summer and give yourself time to get around.
ia
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DeleteThis is Zita again and I can't seem to get away from this colourful flower and your lovely message, Rohini! It is now the 29th and we are facing a New Year! Aren't we lucky to have the fellowship of our batch mates at this time of the year after about 55 years or more of knowing one another? So I want to take the chance during this comment to wish you all a really Happy and Peaceful 2018 and may you and your families have Good Health above all other things! Zita
ReplyDeleteHi Rohini,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your message and the photo of that lovely Pohutukawa flower. Please keep writing to our blog, for people like me read it daily, even though we contribute very little. I am most thankful to Lucky and the blog for having discovered you after all these years. Now I can communicate with you "outside" of the blog, as I have been doing this last year.I must come to Auckland, considering that I visit my sister in Australia every year. Let me wish you and all our batch mates good health, and a blessed and peaceful New Year.
Sriani Basnayake
Sriani, I shall eagerly await your visit to NZ .
ReplyDeleteAs per Indra's advice to Sumathi, make sure you allow sufficient time- 2-3 weeks,to look around and visit the South Island too as it is absolutely beautiful.
See you soon!