Simply can't afford to live in NZ

[selchie]

Originally Posted by MotherBear

One of them is about attaching files and, if you click on Manage Attachments, you can browse to your desired attachment and do the necessary. It's a bit like the photo uploader.

Thanks. I haven't played with the more recent photo uploaders, though I'm sure I would figure it out with enough time and concentration. Sometimes my brain just wants to freeze up when presented with yet another set of new instructions.

Moggy - I was just admiring your photos once again. If ever you get a dramatic shot of the hills in photo #4 (e.g. lighting, sky), I'd love to try painting it. If I were better at creating drama out of my head, I'd give it a go with the one you've posted. Photo #1 also has possibilities.

[MotherBear]

Nothing wrong with being rich
5:00AM Tuesday April 10, 2007

The rich are getting richer in New Zealand. Statistics NZ's latest survey of wealth distribution finds that we are getting steadily more "unequal". The richer half of the population now owns 95 per cent of the nation's wealth, up from 93 per cent at a previous survey in 2001. The richest 10 per cent own more than half the wealth, having increased their share from 48 per cent in 2001 to 52 per cent in 2003-04 when the latest survey was taken.

These figures will be seized on with a vengeance in university social science faculties and recycled for the next few years in every piece of research on our collective condition. The numbers will cause palpitations in the ranks of a Labour Party that has been in power for seven years now. The Government will say the figures do not catch the impact of its welfare package, Working for Families, since 2004, but social scientists will say those wage supplements have only widened the disparity for beneficiaries and low paid workers without children.

More here .

[Dawn]

Originally Posted by moggy

It isn't lavender, it is vipers bugloss, known locally as blue borage. It looks pretty but it is a noxious weed.

When I read this I began to wonder about uses as I know that borage is a medicinal herb and look what I found out.

Botanic.com
Viper's Bugloss was said of old to be an expellent of poisons and venom, and to cure the bites of a viper, hence its name. Coles tells us in his Art of Simples:
'Viper's Bugloss hath its stalks all to be speckled like a snake or viper and is a most singular remedy against poyson and the sting of scorpions.'

Pagan News
[i]Vipers Bugloss[i]Could this be the one herb missing from the named 'Anglo Saxon nine' Bugloss comes from Bug (which meant terror, disgust or on occasion, insect) and Loss which came from loathe, destroy, destruction. In other words it is the destroyer of the Viper's nasty venom. It can be used as a tonic, an antiseptic and adds milk to the breasts of lactating women. It can ease pains in the loin, back and kidneys. And it is potent against adder venom!

Medicinal herbs
Diuretic, demulcent and pectoral. The leaves, especially those growing near the root, make a good cordial on infusion, which operates by perspiration and alleviates fevers, headaches and nervous complaints, relieving inflammatory pains. The infusion is made of 1 oz. of the dried leaves to a pint of boiling water, and is given in wineglassful to teacupful doses, as required.

And last of all........
Eating the leaves is said to stimulate sexual desire. ;)
But don't go rushing out to harvest it all Moggy
Use with caution, there is an unconfirmed report of toxicity. :o

There could be an entrepreneurial opening there Moggy. You'd have to suit and boot up to harvest it and look out for the bees but....well? Oh and I also read that sheep like it, some NZ farmers rotate their sheep in time with vipers bugloss flowering time. Got any sheep?

[moggy]

Originally Posted by selchie

Moggy - I was just admiring your photos once again. If ever you get a dramatic shot of the hills in photo #4 (e.g. lighting, sky), I'd love to try painting it. If I were better at creating drama out of my head, I'd give it a go with the one you've posted. Photo #1 also has possibilities.

Send me your email address, I have taken loads, this area is just so photogenic, I would be flattered if you painted any - only condition would be if someone said wow that photo is good and I want to pay thousands of dollars for it, that you give my contact details :) (and back in the land of reality lol)

[moggy]

Dawn
bugloss is too much of a pain in the neck (and toes and feet) to even think of a use for it. It is not too bad if you keep the paddocks mown. That was one of the problems we had, we were hand mowing 10 acres and couldn't keep on top of it.
Sheep (we had six) will eat it, if they have to, but prefer grass and only eat it if they really have to. Also we are in the early stages of setting up a campsite and we need to get rid of it out of the two paddocks we plan to use and even when mowed it is unpleasant to kneel on. Not only that, I am perpetually having to weed it out of the borders and veggie patch.

[selchie]

It sounds like an eradication effort is in order for the bugloss, Moggy. Is it a pest because it seeds so easily, or does it have tough roots/runners?

I'll send my e-addy soon. Of course I would give you credit for the inspiration, and compensation if ever I sold the painting for something more than time and materials. You never know what might happen. I just realized that I actually have potential painting projects piling up. Usually I'm scrounging for inspiration. If only I could get all my chores done, I'd have time to become a famous artist

[moggy]

It seeds easily and it has a long tap root and if you try to pull it out the leaves tend to pull off rather than pull the root out.
I wasn't suggesting payment from any painting you do, that is purely your own work, only if they wanted to copyright of the photo and I was only saying that light heartedly. Actually if I liked it, I might be seriously interested in buying it. It would be great to have a picture of a view from our place

[Dawn]

Sounds like the bugloss stuff is a real pain in the.........well anything it touches really! You don't want that on your campsite! Is this a new venture then - sounds interesting.

Selchie can you upload any pictures of your paintings on to the site? I'd like to see them.

[MotherBear]

Originally Posted by Dawn

Selchie can you upload any pictures of your paintings on to the site? I'd like to see them.

Dawn, I don't know if you'd already joined the forum when Selchie posted these .

Now I've already posted those, Selchie can't fob us off with them again and she'll have to show us a whole new lot.

[Dawn]

WOW! I'm impressed! I love the photographs, I'm into this digitally remastered stuff, just had some done of my dancers for a programme and I love them. How talented you are, you should find plenty of inspiration in NZ Selchie - good on y mate!