Chaser Bins aren't just for farmers

My farm friends will recognize this.  I didn't know this piece of equipment had a name, but it does.  It's called a "Chaser Bin".   Of course the ones I saw back on the farm in my younger days weren't nearly as fancy as all that.

Anyway, the point being that I am used to seeing these things on the farming end, on the front end of the food logistics chain if you will.  Seeing the bins in the fields getting loaded or traveling on the country roads.

Here, at least in this instance, the bin is being used to unload a freighter.  The bin is placed next to the ship.  There is a truck under the bin.

 

In the above, the ship's cargo crane is currently pointing to the right, the scoop is down in the hold.  The next shot shows the full scoop swinging over to the bin.

and the scoop is emptied into the bin which serves as the filter to load the truck.

I'm pretty sure the terms I have used to describe this work are not the correct terms, but you get the idea.
I believe the cargo is salt.   There is a big salt processor down the road - piles of salt in the yard.  On my walk to work I saw the trucks unloading at the salt processor.

Having always been on the "producing" end of the cycle (farmer in the field using chaser bin), it was interesting to watch and think about the other end of the cycle.... product arriving at destination.

A Long Walk

We had Jan 1 and 2 off from work.  On Jan 1, most of the stores were closed.
On Jan 2, I walked 3.5 miles to an outdoor mall area.  That was a long walk just to check out a sporting goods store for clothes.  I did find some cool "fitover" sunglasses.  They fit over prescription glasses and don't look horrible.  I will likely buy some but I haven't yet.
I had lunch, and walked the 3.5 miles back.  At least I am getting a lot more natural exercise than I ever have.  I am appreciating the stories mom & dad told about walking to/from school but at least I don't have to endure the walk in a Wisconsin winter.

I took this picture walking over a bridge probably 2+ miles into the walk:

The lump in the distance is Mount Maunganui.  Yes, "the mount" that I have taken pictures at the top of.  Doesn't look so big now, does it?   It's just that i was probably about 5 miles away.

On my way, I also saw something that will look very familiar to folks back home.

Yup, looks like a little old Ford tractor.  It was not a Ford, or at least not branded as such here.

Goodbye 2012

OK, so I am still a bit behind.  It is officially 2013... HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I still have to finish my 2012 postings.  ...just one more post... just one...

I saw another cruise ship leave port.  It was an overcast day but still worth the walk to the wharf to see it.  It may be the biggest ship I have seen.

Of course Moosie had to go out and work on the tugboat, it keeps him busy and out of trouble.  He feels very important.

Notice the big dark vertical mark mid-ship?
That is an elevator shaft.  Yes, really!
I saw the elevator car going up just as the ship was leaving.  Pretty neat for the people in the elevator - to be looking out while the ship is leaving.  Such amazing things we humans have accomplished.


Anyway,  ..... to officially close out 2012...  a couple of gorgeous sunset pictures:

Goodbye 2012, Hello 2013.

Moosie's Mountain Journey

Moosie had been begging and begging for me to take him on a hike up the mountain so finally I did on December 17.

He watched a freighter docking and hoped to someday work on a tugboat.

He took a rest on the picnic table at the top of the Mount.

and posed for a picture (good thing he didn't see what was behind him!)

he enjoyed the view...

more posing, he wanted to make sure grandpa saw what fun he was having

enjoying the view again

OH NO!!!   Moosie sees the guy in the sky and now he wants to fly too!!

I distracted him with a beer...

don't tell Moosie... Ginger Beer is non-alcoholic..

He took a snooze while I watched the guys in the sky

In the above picture, on the mountainside you can see a few people.  This is the point where the guys strap on their para-sailing gear and step off into the air.   I wanted to get closer so I picked up Moosie and carried him...  He squirmed and I set him down for a picture and to look at the view.

I put him back in the pack (a "moosie pack") and went along to where the para-sailers took flight.  I saw one take off.  A guy was tandem flying with another guy (assume a tourist or friend).

The one with the blue chute has 2 guys, and the yellow chute is 1 guy.

Moosie was squirming too much, he wanted to fly.  Since I could not let him, we moved along and he enjoyed more of the scenery.

He enjoyed the pretty Pohutukawa trees on the way down the Mountain.

Back on flat ground at Pilot Bay, Moosie enjoyed watching the boats being put into and taken out of the water (of course, he squirmed because he wanted to go sailing too).

But he was tired from his journey so I took him home for a nice nap.

Flowers at Christmas

In the US, the traditional Christmas flower is the Poinsettia.
In New Zealand we have the flowering Pohutukawa trees.  These trees can get really large like the one behind my apartment building.  There are a lot of Pohutukawa trees where I am.  The trees hold a place in NZ history as well.

I was told to make sure I walked around the mount to enjoy the trees when they bloom before Christmas.  I walked around the mount on Dec 15:

a blossoming tree

 a blossom up close

 and more views from the walk, it was a lovely day.