I love it when people talk to me while out walking.
This young man stopped and leant on the bridge beside me
as I was taking photos and chatted about the river.
His name is Brent and he was on his way to work. He told me
his Nanny's house in Whakatane has been flooded twice this winter.

This beautiful lady is Rangi.
She said "Kia ora" as I walked by, so I stopped for a chat.
She was waiting for the bus to take her to her daughter's for the day.
I told her she looked lovely and she laughed and said "It's my moko, eh."
(Her moko is her tatoo.)
She explained she 'is' Waikato and Tainui ( her tribes)
and her moko is because she follows the Maori King and for her ancestors.
"My mother was from England,"she said.
I asked could I take her photo.
She looked at at the first photo.. "Too sour!"
So I took another and that was better she thought.
We wished each other a happy day and on I walked.
What a lovely meeting with a lovely lady.

I noticed the new billboard reminding artists to get making their tree
for the Christmas competition.

'All we are saying ..is give trees a chance..'
I went on singing the the words to myself.

well, I thought.. here is a tree that has been given a chance.
The sign on it says.. heritage tree.. not to be removed!
I like that.
As I walked on I imagined putting a sign on each person..

"I am a heritage person..treat me kindly with love"

The river could do with a sign too
"I am a heritage river..
treat me kindly..
I am your life .."