News
September 2006: Balls, Hearts and Blossoms
The past winter was not too cold, and notable for its lack of snow. While the ski fields around Queenstown and Wanaka had a bumper season, we in Dunedin had only the odd small scattering of snow.
But first, here is an interesting tidbit concerning Willem's students.
Occasionally a student will feel very grateful towards Willem for being kind and helpful, as we know the man, and will then present him with a small gift. The Asian students are particularly inclined to demonstrating their gratitude with what are sometimes exotic gifts, like foodstuffs we cannot bring ourselves to consume.
One of the more interesting items was a set of Baoding Balls in a beautiful satin-covered box. The Chinese student whose grandfather bought Willem the therapy balls (also called stress balls) has sent some information on them and the city where they were traditionally made. It appears that "Baoding balls" is the best name, since "Baoding" is the name of the city.
The production of Baoding Iron Balls dates back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and it has been made meticulously by Baoding handicraftsmen through the ages. Originally the Baoding Ball was a solid iron ball, but later it was designed to be hollow and containing a sounding plate. Of a pair of Baoding Balls, one sounds high and the other, low.
It is regarded as a treasure necessary for the aged to build up physical strength and remove diseases. According to the traditional Chinese medical theory "Jingluo" the ten fingers are connected with the heart and other vital organs. The iron balls can stimulate the various acupuncture points on the hand, resulting in the unimpeded circulation of vital energy and blood in the body. It allows the vital energy and blood to function in harmony, makes the muscles nimble, the bones strong and the mind sober. What more could one want?
Lisa is well into her second year of studying Psychology and German, and having loads of fun at the same time. Recently there was this "Alice in Wonderland" party and we had to get very inventive to produce the Queen of Hearts costume Lisa envisaged. The gown was easy - simply sew a few red satin hearts onto the skirt of the gown we made for the school farewell ball. Lisa made the crown and sceptre, while Leta had to push the limits of her abilities to make a red satin cape with regal stand-up collar and trimmed with black fur. The party was a blast and, as you can see, the Queen looked very good too!
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Click on the thumbnail picture to see a larger image.
The feeling that spring is in the air arrived a couple of weeks ago when the weather turned sunny and warm, that is to say, even up to 19 degrees from the usual winter 8 or 9 degrees Centigrade. Most spectacular at the moment are the cherry blossoms. Here are a few pictures taken on campus near Willem's office.
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And that reminds me of the floods we had during April this year, which turned the Waters of Leith into a raging torrent. Compare the following picture with those in the series above. It was also taken in front of the Clocktower building in much the same spot. Yes, it is quite remarkable.
And now we'll leave you with a last glimpse of springtime in our garden. Enjoy!
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