We have just returned from a long vacation ‘back home’ in New York. `The weeks were filled with a relaxing stay on Fire Island, visits with friends and family, time in Manhattan. It was relaxing, busy, warm, sunny and beautiful. I had some of the best moments in reflection during runs – in the sand, […]
Category: New Zealand
Walks by the sea
On most days, Weston and I walk on the beach. We’ve been blessed this winter with the majority of days being filled with crisp, bright sunshine. I have a tradition of collecting a seashell each time I run, and now have added looking for beach glass each time she and I walk. This haul was […]
Spring is in the air!
I have tried to grow strawberries for the past 3 years. Each time we get small little berries from the dozens of plants we put in…I dream of making strawberry jam (my favorite) and having an abundant crop, but each year I lose that battle. I am trying a few new techniques this year and […]
Winter harvest
Rod has taken over the potato planting – and we’ve had our first harvest this year! It is so fun to serve these to the guests as they really do have a fresh flavor and we are so prideful that they are grown onsite. It still amazes me that we can grow crops during the […]
Roar of the engines
We had guests arriving last week who rented out the whole House for one night. When I asked them what time they thought they’d arrive, they mentioned that they were on a ‘bike tour’ so would likely be late afternoon. I assumed that a ‘bike tour’ meant mountain biking…so when we were sitting having a wine […]
Soaking it in
We are in the midst of an epic summer in Taranaki. Officially, our region had the most hours of sun in New Zealand for January. While they are statistics, for me, I’ve finally made it a point of enjoying what our region has to offer, rather than just telling guests about our amazing beaches, cafes […]
Kiwi Christmas Trees
These beautiful Pohutukawa trees took my breathe away on the walkway during my run yesterday (or they were my excuse to stop and rest a bit.) They are in their full glory during Christmas time here and we are lucky to have them lining a good part of the walkway. I am learning new ways […]
Hearts wide open
[youtube=http://youtu.be/hQlVmvXAGLI] These lyrics perfectly describe the emotions of being an immigrant here in New Zealand. Tonight I am feeling for you, under the state of a strange land… The adventure of living in a new country, and one I love as much as New Zealand, is equally balanced by the sheer overwhelming feeling of […]
Like Sands Through the Hour Glass…
Two year ago, we arrived in New Zealand. The journey here was 39 years in the making for me and as some one who hates to travel light, I brought all my wonderful, well earned experiences and ‘baggage’ with me. In the months prior, I moved out of my flat in London, stayed in a […]
Winter Wonderland…
Winter has arrived! This is only my second one here in New Zealand and each morning I’m still unsure of what to expect. At night, we light the fire, and the house is warm and bright. We’ve also changed over our breakfast menu. No more avocados in our “Full Kiwi” we’ve added hash brown potatoes […]