Taking a look at recent, positive, uplifting, news stories and yarns, from New Zealand and all around the world, to bring a smile and a bit of cheer.
Centurion dials back competitive streak
After reaching 100 years of age, croquet master Neville Sandiford decided it was time to ease back on his competitive streak – even though he was still the reigning croquet doubles champion at his rest home in Kāpiti.
Mr Sandiford is still active – playing croquet regularly, as well as bowls, walking, and swimming.
“‘When I turned 100 I said “slow down boy” so I don’t do any competitive work now. I just go down for a game.’ Taking up croquet in 2002 was his wife’s idea, he said. ‘As soon as I took hold of a mallet and hit one ball … I knew that was for me.’
“He became so serious about the sport he had his mallet made to measure by an expert in Hawke’s Bay. Asked what was the best thing about his age, he replied: ‘The best thing about being 101, well, 102 coming up.'” (Source: “Croquet champion eases up on rivals after turning 100,” April 16, www.rnz.co.nz).
5 stars – reaching 100 years of age is an achievement all in itself but staying active and finding the joy in games – that’s a huge upside!
The Kiwi love affair with feijoas
I once lived in a house that had an abundant feijoa tree in the garden. Whilst I’m no huge an of the fruit myself, my coworkers were and I would take heavily laden bags to work, where anyone could take what they wanted. That tree seemed to always be heaving with fruit.
Feijoas are not native to New Zealand – their origins are in many countries in South America – but they are a firm Kiwi favourite – to be eaten as fruit or preserved as jam or chutney.
I read an article this week about Kiwis living across the ditch and the efforts they go to to find their favourite New Zealand fruit.
“Piera Maclean, who has lived in Melbourne for a decade, longs for the taste [of feijoas]. ‘Normally at this time of year in New Zealand everyone’s having feijoa crumble all the time and making cakes. They’ve got so many. Whereas here it’s like if you find three, you know you’re feeling very lucky and it’s the best day ever.’
“Maclean has seen them selling on Facebook Marketplace for about AU$15 (about NZ$16.10) a kilo, but when she was hit with a feijoa craving while in a fruit shop, she paid far more. ‘I picked a few out thinking these will probably cost me but might not be too bad. When I took them over, she said, oh, that’ll be $2.49 (AUD) each. I paid $7.50 (AUD) for three medium-sized feijoas.'” (Source: “Why do we love feijoas more than anyone else in the world?” by Simon Wraight of RNZ, April 17, www.stuff.co.nz).
5 stars – I have enduring memories of a neighbour when I was a kid coming around with homemade feijoa jam that everyone in the house apart from me would devour. I know that many, many Kiwis make great use of feijoas and they are a very firm favourite.
Moose migration a huge ratings win
Six years ago a live stream of the three week migration of Swedish moose attracted one million viewers – last year that figure had jumped to nine million. This year the number is expected to be higher and many are attracted to the slow action where very little seems to happen.
“Given the state of the world, a three-week-long, round-the-clock live stream of a few hundred moose gingerly crossing the Ångerman River in northern Sweden to reach their summer pastures could be just what viewers need. The show’s latest edition launched a full week early on Tuesday because of warmer than usual spring weather. “There are a lot of moose about,” the producer, Stefan Edlund, told SVT. ‘They’re waiting for us. We’ve had to adjust. But it should be OK.’
“The show – and its success – are part of a growing trend for “slow television” that some argue was pioneered by the late US pop artist Andy Warhol, whose 1964 film Sleep showed the poet John Giorno sleeping for five hours and 20 minutes.” (Source: “Millions tune in for three-week live stream of Sweden’s moose migration,” by Jon Henley, April 15, www.guardian.co.uk).
0 Comments