January 2022

It’s hot! And most people are out and about enjoying all the things that Summer has to offer with little thought to the winter months. But Carlos Ter Huurne, owner of Ignition Firewood, a Drury-based firewood supplier is always thinking ahead and knows that if you buy your wood now you will benefit from it in a number of ways once Winter descends. “Summer is the best time to buy…

The earliest recorded New Year’s celebration according to many sources is thought to be in Mesopotamia, a historical region of Western Asia around 2000 B.C. The celebrations actually occurred during the vernal equinox in mid-March — as this was considered the start of the new year by the calendar at the time. It was an elaborate eleven-day festival that would probably put our…

A lot has been made this year of teamwork, and New Zealanders as a general rule are very big followers of teams. When it comes to choosing someone to present and sell your home in this current market, it makes sense then to choose a real team who understand each other and compliment each other’s strengths to make sure you get results that exceed your expectations. Ryan and…

Nestled in the countryside of Waiuku near Kariotahi beach is a hidden treasure if you are looking for a perfect wedding or party venue that will provide you with a celebration that exceeds your expectations, without the huge costs. Dellrian Gardens, is a botanical oasis set amongst 17 acres of outstanding gardens and farmlands that can see you meandering down pathways, along the…

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year and hope you had a relaxing and enjoyable Christmas. Welcome to 2021. WHERE TO EAT GUIDES If you need a copy of our latest Where to Eat Guide – then call the Business Association on 2988996 and we can post one out for you. MURALS IN TOWN We now have over 25 murals in town and we have an Art Trail Map which you can download from our Website…

From beautiful wedding areas, private functions, birthdays, business meetings, gatherings with friends, coffee groups, celebrations of life and any special occasion, there is always a reason to celebrate at Red Shed. The wide range of stylish, delicious food is cooked fresh on site and can be enjoyed both takeaway or dine-in in our relaxed rural setting. Open from 8.30am through…

In the lead-up to the 2020 general election, the Prime Minister announced Labour will bring the target of 100% renewable electricity generation forward five years to 2030. Renewable electricity You’ve probably heard the terms renewable electricity and green electricity used a lot lately. While there are subtle differences, both terms refer to the fuel source used to produce…

The year started on a high with the housing market still fizzing from the lockdown of April 2020 and the market was busy. People returning to New Zealand looking for their haven fueled by the reduction in LVR’s which saw an unexpected surge by investors taking advantage of the buying power this gave them. 2021 has seen a reversal in the type of buyers when the removal of the…

Ensom Funeral Services recognises that each family’s needs are different and, with that in mind, they take the time to prepare a unique and fitting tribute and farewell. It is the emphasis on providing personal advice and assistance to grieving families that sets Ensom Funeral Services apart. The friendly and professional team at Ensom Funeral Services has been part of the…

As this is written, we are “enjoying” the continuing uncertainty of Covid but now with the all-new government imposed traffic light system. Anyway, it’s been sad but totally understandable to see various events coming up either postponed or canceled. I would dread being an event promoter right now playing the guessing game of what level we could be at as to whether or not an…

There are lots of ways of measuring how New Zealand is doing, and none of them is perfect. We stack up very well on measures like life expectancy, unemployment, infant mortality, and car ownership. Not so well on the quality of our education system – an area where we have been going backwards in recent years, at least in comparison to other developed countries and many of the…

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover used its black-and-white navigation cameras to capture panoramas of this scene at two times of day. Blue, orange, and green color was added to a combination of both panoramas for an artistic interpretation of the scene. On Nov. 16, 2021 (the 3,299th Martian day, or sol, of the mission), engineers commanded Curiosity to take two sets of mosaics, or…

The Commonwealth of Australia was founded on January 1st as six former British colonies became six states with Edmund Barton as the first prime minister. The commemoration was declared at a ceremony held in Centennial Park in Sydney, after a process of deliberation, consultation and debate involving majority votes across all of Australia. Not everyone was allowed to vote, however…