Waiotapu Volcanic Wonderland, Waikete hot pools Saturday date with my husband

People come from all over the world to visit Rotorua and its volcanic surroundings. 

 As a local I think that some of us forget about what beautiful places there are to visit within a very short drive. 

 My husband Graham has lived in Rotorua for over thirty years and he has never been to Waiotapu.

I couldn't believe it.

I have been here about five times and most recently because of the Rotorua Camera Club, due to it being such an amazing place to gain potentially award winning photos.

 I don't think a lot of  local people are aware that if you take two forms of ID, one showing your address, you can get in for free.

 

The whole family could, I think, as long as they had ID. 

 




This is a saving of around $39.00 per adult.
The place is really well maintained and the walk is a good seventy minute work out. 

 Graham and I went around 3.30pm and just got in because they close the gates at quarter to four. 



 We were there until 5pm. You must be out of there by then. 


 I went deliberately later so that I could catch the shadows of the setting sun.
It is best to avoid the middle of the day if want great photos. 



This is the champagne pool and everyone in the world takes shots of it. 



Using different filters in Nik software.



It's so beautiful and it changes a lot according to the light

It is lovely standing beside it and feeling the heat come up onto your face from the boiling water.


  I love taking shots of the earth and Waiotapu, it is so interesting

 
 I like the soil samples they are so vibrant, like mini worlds of wonder
 
 The oranges are so vibrant




 The pool is this colour and in some cases more lime
It's called the Devils bath


 I love the quaint looking signs at Waiotapu, it's quite inventive and tells a story.
You get a good handout that tells you all about the pools, features and history.


 The moss is incredibly green here.


The Kanuka trees

have a vibrant almost sinister sinewy way of growing here. 

This little fantail flitted around in a friendly manner.

They are hard to get shots of because of the speed that they move. 

We then went to Waikete Valley Hot pools for a swim  

Here is the water being cooled down

We often go to the private pools so we don't have to wear bathing costumes , this  is the view 

Here is my lovely man looking relaxed

 And sleepy.

It was time to go and we had a lovely Saturday afternoon and evening date/adventure.

Creative Quote of the day
 

“The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes

 us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings

peace to our minds. And that's what you've given me. That's

what I'd hoped to give you forever” 

― Nicholas Sparks 

So if you are a local or a visitor from out of town go to Waiotapu these school holidays.

 You won't be disappointed.  

School holiday mosaic projects for families and individuals. 

$75.00 per person for 3 hours. 

Come and make you very own glass mosaic shape to take home as a reminder of your stay. 

Monday to Wednesday and Friday mornings from 9.30 to 12.30

374 Clayton Road, Rotorua.

Phone 3463435 or email jkeen@clear.net.nz for bookings. Limited to 6 people per session. 

Surrounding yourself with Special people.

There's no doubt about it.
 Being with certain people makes me feel  happy.



They fill me  with the power of possibility.
They are bright, shiny and encouraging and I am a better person for knowing them.

It is also true that the opposite is apparent.



They may not even say anything that's obvious but their negativity wraps around  like a thick blanket of fog.




The trick is to recognise them and stay as far away as possible.
You don't want anyone or anything disrupting you from your trajectory.



If you are really sensitive, I don't think you can just shut off and toughen up.
To do so would deaden your creativity.
People have been known to become really ill by being around toxic souls so you owe it to yourself to protect yourself.  
You need to surround yourself with white light before you see them and wish them the best in your mind.



Deflect their negativity from you and above all don't ever buy into their passive aggressive power plays.

Luckily I have a lot of people around me who are light shiners.
My pupils are really amazing and of course my husband and some lovely friends ( some of whom are animals), who are treasures.

So I am blessed and all is well with the world.



 This is an article from the Oprah Winfrey site which  illustrates it in detail.
Some people bring unexpected lightness and comfort to your life.
They crackle with energy, practically electrify you with their presence.
And then there are those who leave you feeling stressed out.
Or guilty.
Or exhausted down to your very last molecule.
I call them energy vampires, and obnoxious or meek, they come in all forms.
The sob sister, for one, always considers herself the victim.
The world is always against her, and she'll recount every horrible thing that has happened to her, wallowing in every perceived slight.
The charmer is a constant talker or joke-teller who has to be the centre of attention.
The blamer, on the other hand, doles out endless servings of guilt.
 And then there's the drama queen, the co-worker who claims she almost died from a high fever or the neighbour who lives in extremes of emotion—life is unbelievably good or horrifically bad.

No matter which type of energy vampire you're dealing with, you're allowed to walk away.
 Many of us find this really hard to do.
We're afraid of being thought of as impolite; we don't want to offend people.
But there are plenty of ways to remove yourself from a killing conversation.
When leaving isn't an option, you can still maintain your energy level by making a few minor adjustments.

Recognize the Signs
One of the first things to do is to recognize when you're being drained, and that begins with tuning in to your physical reactions.
Is there a tightening in your chest when a certain person enters the conversation?
  Do you feel tired when you hang up the phone after speaking with someone?
Does your head ache, or do you feel what I call "slimed" when another guest at a cocktail party starts talking to you?

Take a Deep Breath
The moment you feel zapped—or hemmed in, or stressed out—I recommend taking a breath.
Breathing is a wonderful way to centre yourself.
Just follow the breath and tell yourself that you know what's happening and you can deal with it.
 It's important to remember our individual power.
 I know from working with patients that we can lose it easily.
The minute somebody comes in who's bossy or blaming, we feel diminished and tense up.
 If we can focus on the breath, or on an image of a striking sunset or a view from a mountaintop, the tension will drift away.                    


Use Your Energy You can also use some of your own subtle energy to counter the effects of an energy vampire.
Visualize a protective white light around you: an energy shield.
You can still hear the person who's yelling at you or blaming you or pushing herself into your sphere, but she won't cut into you so viscerally anymore.
 You've created a buffer zone, where her negative influences can dissipate.

Set Boundaries
Setting boundaries is another way of protecting yourself; you draw a line saying, for instance,
"This is what I can do for you, and this is what I can't."
 You don't have to convince the vampire of the rightness of your stance.
Getting defensive simply adds to the negative charge of the encounter.
 You want to remain neutral.
When someone starts pushing your buttons, and you start sizzling inside, you've got to make the decision not to react.

Step Back
I also suggest you step back and think about what type of people aggravate you, because I believe that one law of energy is that we attract what we haven't yet worked out in ourselves.
 If I'm a very angry person, I'll find myself surrounded by angry people.
By paying attention to the people who seem so draining, you might discover something you need to address.
It has been my experience that once you've worked through a particular issue, you're no longer worn out by that kind of energy vampire.
 And the vampires, robbed of a source, move on to more easily drainable audiences.                    


Creative Quotes of the week
Surround yourself with positive people and you'll be a positive person.

Kellie Pickler

Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher.

Oprah Winfrey

The people you surround yourself with influence your behaviors, so choose friends who have healthy habits.

Dan Buettner

 Keying into your creativity can make your heart and mind sing.
The key is to do it often.
Creativity classes available, Monday to Wednesday and Friday.
 email jkeen@clear.net.nz
Phone 346-3435

 To book special time out for yourself to make some lovely mosaics and paintings.

Magic Book By Rhonda Bryne

I have been receiving emails from Rhonda Bryne about her book Magic.

She is sending me instructions for 28 days on how to bring miracles into my life.

My miracles are having enough money to go to Italy and America next year and to teach people overseas art lessons for money every year. 

Plus having amazing relationships, health, energy, peace and happiness.

Also to have full classes for mosaics and painting of happy caring wonderful and uplifting clients.



Plus happy uplifting adventures 

I would like to keep on producing more paintings  and mosaics that sell well



 I would also like a tidy, clean and fully renovated house.

The secret to attaining all this is to live with an attitude of gratitude.

Each instruction that Rhonda send me helps me to focus on areas that  I am grateful for.

It is so easy to slip into the negative at this time of year in New Zealand when the weather becomes cold, dark and rainy.

It is so easy to be put off by the passive aggression, indifference and negativity of people, especially if you are sensitive and artistic.

But this book helps with your relationships so that if these people come into your orbit their energy will be deflected and you won't   be put you off your course. 

You will attract positive, upbeat and effective people who by their shining light will help you get to the next level so that you can help others.



These are my dreams and goals  for the next 28 days.

Every time a negative thought about something or someone enters my head I am going to counter it with something I am grateful to them or it for.  

I am also talking to my pupils about this and some of them are coming along on my journey with me.

This is exciting because when you teach others and spread the good word, you really get a chance to make magical things happen.

"I like going to Janet's after school art classes because we have fun and we can do what we like instead of being told exactly what to do all the time." Anneke



"I like Janet's art classes because they are fun and I am able to find time to express myself creatively and have some time out."
 

At the end of the 28 days I am going to honour Rhonda by buying her book and recommending other people also buy it.


Creative Quote of the week
Over­all I really enjoyed this book and I feel more at peace inside. I have wit­nessed some pos­i­tive bless­ings in my life, have more love and sup­port from fam­ily and friends and over­all have grown I feel as a per­son. I have become a bit more hum­ble, less self­ish and learned to be thank­ful for the world I live in, the peo­ple I am sur­rounded with and the love from above that shines on me everyday.

If you would like to join me on the journey for 28 days 
Ring me on 346-3435 or email me and we can organise a series of creative exercises for you around the practises of this book.

Email jkeen@clear.net.nz for classes Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.