Huts

Last week I bought the book Huts by Mark Pickering subtitle - Untold Stories from Back Country New Zealand. Have to admit haven't hardly touched it, its next on the pile though. Looks good, nice layout and great pics.

I'm still reading Gordon Roberts about to get stuck into High Country Four Seasons which has been sitting on the bedside table for a month now, gets dusted along with the ornaments once a week, has become part of the furniture. Got a friendly reminder from the library yesterday, so renewed it for another month.

Been a rollercoaster ride for the start of the year. Made redundant from my job of five years last day was on the 27th January and as one door closes another opens. Start a new job this week so very happy about that. My hours will still afford me precious writing time and some space to meet up with friends that I havent seen for awhile.

I decided to have a two week hiatus from the Frank book and edit another story I wrote last year. Completely different genre, a novel length manuscript of around 60,000 words. So I've been hammering the keyboard, and got a good first draft finished today for some writing colleagues to critique.
There is a connection as there's a Frank character in the story. I enjoy writing fiction based on family, and friends and even people I don't particulary like, writing them into solid and believable characters. I observe a lot and take mental notes and or write down keywords in notes on my iphone - all to draw from later. Sometimes a person or something someone says can be the germ that starts the story. Doesn't have to be much only inspiring in some way and the story grows from there.

I now have two unpublished novels, the other has been doing the rounds with publishers for a year now; however more and more these days I'm beginning to look at self publishing for this particular genre. There are some pretty awesome success stories of people self publishing, uploading their work to Amazon or Kindle books for example, so I need to look into that, could be the way to go.

Its back to transcribing interviews from this week and searching the land for any more of Frank's photos and stories. And can't wait to start the Hut book. Leave you with a photo of a hut somewhere in the south island I think. If you know where it is let me know... and here's two of my favourite hut links:
http://www.fishnhunt.co.nz/forum/YaBB.cgi?action=print;num=1163108251
http://www.remotehuts.co.nz/

Received this e mail today from Kevin Whitelaw...thanks Kevin.

Hi Louise,  The hut you seek clarification on is in the upper Esk Valley, Canterbury. Early N.Z.F.S. hut a classic really and seldom visited owing to the station and its isolated site. Andersons Hut was constructed I think 1956 making it one of the first Forestry huts. Place to be on a beaut kiwi night when about to look for a deer. Cheers and warm wishes  Kevin.   

Gordon Roberts Wildlife Photographer

The last few weeks I've been looking through Gordon Roberts books, the New Zealand wildlife photographer. His quote on Frank being the inspiration for taking up photography is in my first post. In both books Game Animals of New Zealand and High Country Four Seasons Gordon mentions Frank in the introduction. 
I've interviewd Gordon, he's a wealth of knowledge, very passionate about the project and one of my key people for answering any questions I may have  on the finer aspects of being a hunter turned wildlife photographer.

In the introduction for Game Animals Gordon writes  how he spent a winter's night in the Hunter Valley with Frank and Wattie Cameron. At that time he was early on in his hunting career and hunting professionally for the New Zealand Forestry Service. That night in the hut a discussion started on stalking and photographing wild animals. Gordon maintained all one needed to be a good photographer was to be a good hunter, Frank and Wattie weren't in agreement on this. Camera skills and other attributes came into it.
Gordon soon realised all this with his early years photographing wild animals, but he persevered and also got a lucky break when he was employed as a guide for John Johns the NZFS senior photographer.
He told me his hunting skills and knowledge of tahr country helped him to get the job and working with John set him on the path that led to a successful career as a wildlife photographer. He also said he never forgot that night in the hut with Frank and Wattie and the lively discussion they shared.

I especially love the photos of the tahr in Game Animals, I love all the photos! But my favourite is a shot on page 111 of a bull tahr. He's a very handsome specimen, and is looking directly into the camera, his thick coat swirls about his chest and a ridge of bristly hair sits up on his back, maybe these are indicators that he's clocked Gordon?
The captured movement of the coat adds a dramatic contrast to his fixed gaze and the craggy rock face setting. Its a sublime photo and I find myself turning to that page often to study it and immerse myself in the various textures and atmosphere.

So right now I'm fascinated with these animals, especially after some You Tube searches watching them run up and down unbelievably steep  mountain sides with ease. They are true masters and mistresses - love the nannies too - of their lofty domain. 

Gordon says photographing tahr is the most demanding due to their challenging alpine habitat and he decided some years ago to focus on these animals. (P8 introduction Game Animals).
The last section of the book shows this commitment to securing stunning shots of tahr in some unbelievably difficult situations and locations. Viewing these fine photographs with many shots showing heads turned to the click of the camera or the animals displaying a posture that indicates they are sensing something just beyond the bush line. I feel as if I'm right there trying hard not to be heard or scented. Stunning.

I borrowed both books from the library, so if you want to see these great photos and haven't they shouldnt be hard to find.

Quakes, Word Counts and Happy New Year

I was in Christchurch for the two big earthquakes on December 23rd. The 5.8 and the 6, very frightening and unsettling for everyone, especailly how they just kept on coming, it was a fitful sleep that night, and the next.
Mum's house was built in the late 1950s, with a weatherboard exterior and since the first big one on September 04, 2010 it's stood strong with no major damage. The old chimney was removed last year in fear of it toppling, apart from that the old gal's looking after me mum. 

I spent a week there and besides the big quakes I experienced well over 50 "daily energy releases" as they are so named on : www.christchurchquakemap.co.nz. This is a University of Canterbury website with up to the minute data and animated quake maps. Check it out if you're interested.

All this jiggling about didn't upset my appetite. Had a fantastic sunny Christmas day out on mum's back lawn eating and drinking and eating and more eating and drinking...okay you get the picture.

I'd asked mum to write out some memories from her childhood days particularly anything relating to the boys. She recalls stories of Frank and George making their own bows and arrows and shanghais. They caught birds and rabbits and went eeling down in the creek by the house.
The older brothers teaching them hunting skills also, and many days spent trekking over the King Country hills near their home.

Some of the other stories that are emerging from my interviews and from studying the photographs illustrate how all the brothers showed great skills in the wilderness (I know I've already stated this previously) and how climbing, surviving and hunting came naturally to them - aside from growing up rurally and being exposed to these outdoor environments early in life there's also the fact that they were predisposed to being adept in these situations.  I believe from past generations, its in the genes. They were newly migrated family and the brothers, particularly, Vic, Frank and George left home and gravitated to the South Island mountains to hunt professionally into a similar situation to the mountainous terrain of inland Croatia where the family came from.

My grandparents moved to NZ in the early 1930s. The eldest brothers and one sister: Joc, Al, Vic and Mary were born in Croatia. My mum Helena was the first born here in 1933, then Frank in 1934, George 1935, and Margaret was the last born in I think 1937. I'm looking forward to finding out more about the Erceg's and their origins back in the old country regarding all of this.

Other news: I visited Jack Wildermoth while in Chritchurch. He's now in a rest home. His memory is failing him but those stories from the past are still there. He's tall and trim with thick brushed back hair set into place with - maybe he uses good ol fashioned Brylcreem, probably has all his life. He would've cut a fine figure in suit in his day, you can still see that in the way he carries himself, the way he sits and holds his head. It makes me think about how fit these guys were and some like Jack, continued to look after themselves all though life.
I asked him if he suffered from many aches and pains, a little he said. I can't thank him enough for his time and sharing, and his great sense of humour. I enjoyed our time together, it was very special. Bless you Jack.

Transcriptions of the interviews are going well. 20.000 words and counting. Will keep you informed of progress and Happy New Year to you all, hope 2012 is a good one.