Footloose and Fancy Free, Celebrating 25 years Round the Vines

While 2020 and Covid dampened the dreams of those who were looking forward to walking or running around the vines, 2021 came up trumps, the 25^th year of brilliant organisation and commitment from the Martinborough School Committee and the community. 

In the words of Charlies Angel’s, Beth, Anna, Jeremy, and Catt who came from Taupo especially for the event, “We really did not know what to expect but the organisation, enthusiasm, regularity of wine (sorry, water!) stops, volunteers, music, wine selection and the amazing spot prizes just blew us away.  It really did put the Fun in the Run!  We’ll be back for sure next year and are already working on the costumes.”

There are 25 platinum supporters for the event which ensures the Prizes are highly sought after, including a night for two at Wharekauhau Country Estate. Major supporters are Dusty and Lulu, Palliser Wines, Masterton Shoe Clinic, Thermatec, Ata Rangi, Foley Wines, More FM, Peppers Parehua, Lamb Peters, Devotus, Aspect Architecture, and Powershop. Many more Martinborough Businesses support the event, by gifting prizes or helping on the day. Over $50,000 was raised this year, which will go towards installing a sports turf at Martinborough School.

With over 1,500 entrants either walking or running 10km or 21km the organisation needs to be thorough.  Drinking stations along the route offer both wine and water. Live music energises the crowds and provides the party atmosphere. The Square is closed for the prizegiving where everyone convenes after the event. Teachers, parents, and local businesses all get involved. Costumes remain a highlight. Where else would you find an experienced 21km athlete running in a banana suit?  … Continue Reading

Write your memories next month at Martinborough Library

Librarian Ali getting a sneak peek of a big shipment of great new books that arrived at the library . Come and check out the selection of new fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, picture books, DVDs!

Library also welcomes a big shipment of new books—come find your next read!

We’re all full of memories, big and small—everything from ‘That was the year I fell in love’ all the way down to ‘Tuesday lunch was a ham-and-cheese toastie.’ The memoirist’s trick is finding a way to weave these big revelations and crunchy (literally!) details into a single, vivid narrative. As the novelist James Salter once famously noted: “Life is weather. Life is meals.”

Come learn how to write your own life’s weather, meals, and everything else at How to Write a Memory, meeting Tuesdays 31 August and 7 September from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. at the Martinborough Library. The two-session class, taught by Dan Keane, Bringing Reading to Life Champion for the Wairarapa Library Service, will give aspiring memoirists some powerful tools to begin crafting their own memories on the page. Keane is a former AP correspondent and writing lecturer at New York University Shanghai whose work has been published in Harper’s, McSweeney’s, and The Washington Post.

In the first session, Five Minutes to Life, we’ll explore the interplay between vivid single moments and a larger life narrative. In the second, Potatoes and Vodka, we’ll practice balancing physical details with the emotions they provoke. In preparation for both, we’ll read short excerpts of brilliant memoirs on the library shelves to discuss their technique. … Continue Reading

SOUTH WAIRARAPA TRAMPING CLUB – ZEALANDIA

11 of us (plus Freddy) met at Zealandia at 10am. Although misty as we drove down, Wellington was dry, cloudy, calm and mild.

We started up the main track, past the lake, which is being drained for cleaning and removal of perch, turned left up the Valley View Track, and then on to the Perimeter Track. This route gave us views through the pest-free mesh fence out to the city and harbour on our left, and bush on our right. Croaking and squawking kakas circled round above us, in and out of the treetops.

We had morning tea at a dilapidated table and seating area. 18 month old Freddy offered to share some baking, carefully placing a box of biscuits on the table. He looked so mournful about this that we all said No thanks, which cheered him up tremendously! 

We climbed on up beside the fence, detouring slightly into the bush and out again by the wind turbine, turning slowly above us despite the apparent lack of wind. As we ate lunch beside the perimeter fence, we felt rather like caged zoo inmates, as walkers, runners, and mountain bikers passed by on the outside.

The Eastern Firebreak Track took us down a cleared spur into the bush again, where we were surrounded by wonderful birdsong. We paused from time to time to focus on tui, bellbirds, saddlebacks and stitchbirds flitting and feeding amongst the trees. After crossing the Upper Dam we followed the main track back to the visitor centre, and were back at our cars after a good 4 hour walk of approximately 7kms.

SWTC welcomes new members! Phone or email Ed and Juliet Cooke, 06 304 9497, or efjac@xtra.co.nz. See our Facebook page and website.

Under The Martinborough Stars

Image credit: NASA.

Have you ever wondered where the constellations came from? Do you know your Crux from your Musca? Or Scorpius from Pavo? Who got to name them?

Humans are very good at seeing patterns in just about anything. Clouds. Toast. Rocky outcrops on Mars. Wherever we look we see a shape, pattern or a familiar face.

Way back in time, the first peoples across the globe were staring at these strange lights in the sky. They moved slowly throughout the year and you could remember you had to do something when you saw a particular one rise or set. They were pretty handy for planting, navigating or working out the times of the year.

Some of these bright lights could be seen in recognizable shapes, like crosses, triangles, squares and squashed squares. Look at any star map and you will see these simple shapes everywhere.

You could add these shapes together, so then you could create all sorts of familiar shapes. These stars became dogs, people, snakes or rivers (particularly good if there were no crosses, triangles or squares nearby) and stories were linked to them so you could remember their place in the sky. … Continue Reading