Ancient and Modern

Today, the 166th day of what is my sixth longest streak of daily running (okay; there have been 10 or so days when I walked the whole way but....) I went back to Western Park. Because it is nearby, it is one of my shorter routes and helping my wonderful S rouse herself (after another two days of bad migraines) to attend early morning yoga cut the time available. The alternative shots to Tueday's blip, were of course not repeatable. Class 101 in blipfoto.

At the northwestern corner of the park is a collection of sculptures, one of which is featured in my choice for today. The title I have chosen carries multiple messages, not the least my past involvement as a choir member at an Anglican Church when a student. We used the "Hymns Ancient and Modern". A rather dim and distant memory, but recalled on seeing this picture which includes a modern church (in the middle of the shot) for an ancient religion, which is now in my past.

Western Park is considered to be Auckland's oldest park, situated in two merging gullies which run downhill to the sea (now several kilometres away due to land reclamation) from what was once called Te Rimu Tahi ridge (the 'lone Rimu tree ridge' in Maori). The current configuration dates from 1879, when it was officially opened on 17 November following a competition for the redesign.

Much more recently, renewed tree planting, improvement works following the original design and the installation of artworks by sculptor John Radford near the Ponsonby Road entrance have occurred. The three sculptures represent pieces of buildings that once stood in Auckland, sunk into the ground in the manner of ancient ruins.

The sculpture, the church, and even the Sky Tower in the background combine within themselves the old and the new.

My personal rejuvenation through return to running, and to photography, and then the combination through blipfoto, made this an image impossible to resist.