Matariki Weekend Rally – Part 1

With Friday being a public holiday to celebrate Matariki, we left for the Paekakariki Holiday Park late on Thursday morning with entry after 1.00pm.  Robin and I were the rally family, so had been working on a couple of ideas to keep our caravan buddies entertained for the weekend.  Calling into the office to pay our fees we were then directed onto the sites allocated for our caravan club.  A couple of early birds had arrived and were already set up.

By the end of the day we were all on site, except for one van who arrived the following day, a total of ten vans for the weekend.

Paekakariki Holiday Park

On Thursday night we met in the kitchen, all gathered around the long table.  We talked about Matariki which is the Māori name for the cluster of stars also known as the Pleiades. It rises in midwinter and for many Māori, it heralds the start of a new year. Matariki is a time to reflect on the past and those who have passed on, to celebrate the present with our friends and family and kai (food), and to look ahead and plan for the future.  Everyone had been asked to bring along a can of soup wrapped in newspaper, and we asked our club members to share about any future trips they were planning, caravan or otherwise,  as they selected one of the mystery soup cans to take home. 

Choose your mystery can of soup

As far as the weather was concerned, Friday was by far the nicest day of the weekend.  We sat outside in the sunshine for a couple of hours, enjoying our al fresco lunches.  In fact it was so warm that several of us divested ourselves of our winter woolies, that’s rather unusual on a winter’s day. The weather stayed fine so we were still outside for afternoon tea.  Vice President Eileen presented Owen and Helen with their 100 rally bars, congratulations to them both.

 

There was a rather large cake to share, banana cake with chocolate icing, and layered with cream.  (In fact, this cake lasted us all for the next two days, mornings teas and suppers, till it was finally finished.)  Robin then presented the centurions with a big bobbing helium balloon, tying it onto the back of the chair so it didn't blow away. 

Congratulations to Owen and Helen

Friday night was a Talent Night – members had been asked to talk about their hobbies, what they make with their hands, and bring some examples to show.  I wasn't sure how this idea would be received, but we were thrilled with the enthusiastic response.  Maureen was first, and she showed us examples of her lovely hand work, cross stich, longstitch  and tapestries.  Unfortunately my photo of Maureen’s work seems to have disappeared.  Owen followed and related his passion and the work involved when  restoring his 1935 three window Chev Sports Coup.    There was difficulty in sourcing the parts required, but he completed the job in two years.  He has a real love of cars.

Restoration Maestro

Stuart related quite a different tale, telling us about his and Helen’s passion for biking on trails across New Zealand.  They started with mountain bikes and then later on joined the e-bike revolution.  They also went biking across the world, hiring bikes while on overseas holidays.  Biking in places like Shanghai, France, Alaska and San Francisco.  Helen had produced a slide show of pictures of their many biking adventures.

Stuart and Helen’s  biking adventures

Don then had the floor and talked about his enjoyable time as part of the Amateur Radio group.  He set up the  Amateur Emergency Radio Service, which provides dedicated communication coverage during emergencies when cell phone coverage could be compromised,  with the Esk Valley flooding being a recent example.  The small hand held radios he had on show have good coverage, and members can be in communication  high on a ridge with one, and down in a deep valley with another and able to communicate and guide other agencies as required.

Don and his radios

We all knew Sue was an artist and she spoke about how a friend got her started in painting ten years ago.  She prefers to paint in oils but sometimes uses acrylic on the base and oils for the subject.  Sue showed us several examples of her lovely paintings, still life, birds, and portraits.  She is very talented indeed, and two of our members have already commissioned her work.

Sue with her ballerina painting

Bread is the staff of life, and Geoff has enjoyed cooking up loaves in his bread maker for quite some time now.  He likes to experiment with different recipes and brought two loaves in for a taste test.  Geoff sliced the bread and I spread the butter on and passed the plates around.  We tried a rolled oats loaf, followed by mixed fruit and cinnamon, very tasty indeed.

Thanks Geoff for the taste test

Murray was up next and spoke about his interest in woodwork at the local Menz Shed.  Many of the members there make toys for under priviledged children, often such a toy is the only gift they receive, and had a young boy’s truck he had designed and made to show us.    Murray brought along a couple of bowls he had made on the woodturning lathe, these wooden  bowls had such a lovely tactile feel to them.  

Murray with his woodwork

Helen likes trying new things, she told us, as diverse as glass blowing, flax weaving, mosaics, painting bottles and cross stitch.  Knitting is very much part of her life and she enjoys baby knitting and making socks.

Helen and her socks

Dot was up next to talk about her hobby of card making.  It all started when she moved to Levin and attended card making classes with her new neighbours. She told us about embossing, and upcycling used cards to make interesting new creations.  She really enjoys her hobby and often donates a collection of cards to the Op Shop to sell for their funds.

Dot, card maker

Although Russell spend his working life as an engineer, in retirement he has been busy assembling wooden kit sets.  He brought along a wooden jeep, a tall house with built in  furniture and an impressive looking three mast ship.  Then he moved on to working with matchstick kits.  His American wagon made from so many tiny matchsticks was certainly a work of art.

Russell and his models

I was the lucky last one to speak, and took along a selection of children’s quilts to talk about.  Some had embroidery, one was a panel, others were pieced, and all had been made in anticipation of the arrival of great grand children in the future.  The horse panel quilt, made because my two granddaughters are keen horse women, was voted the favourite of them all. 

My horse panel quilt

We were so pleased that so many of our members took the challenge to show and share their hobbies with everyone.   Thanks so much to all who took part.