Aquaculture Migrants

Miss A turns 7

2008-12-03T22:29:00.000+13:00

Thirteen children and the weather turned to custard. Plan B, let them play inside and fish off of the balcony for toys. It worked (barely).

Cruisin'

2008-12-03T22:03:00.004+13:00

Looking Home

2008-12-03T21:48:00.004+13:00

Pretty in Pink

2007-12-06T22:29:00.000+13:00

Miss A's room is redecorated at last!

Masters of Mount Maunganui

2007-12-06T22:26:00.000+13:00

Reunited

2007-12-06T22:23:00.000+13:00

It was great to see these four together after two years of living in neibouring countries. Two years is a big chunk of their lives but they still remember one another and are the best of friends.

Disco Weary

2007-09-09T22:37:00.000+12:00

Disco Queens

2007-09-09T22:31:00.000+12:00

WhattaSlide

2007-09-09T22:25:00.000+12:00

Just around the corner in our neighbour's paddock is this fabulous water slide. The local kids know about it and politely ask for permission to turn the water on. What a little treasure!

Dancing Princesses

2007-09-09T22:19:00.000+12:00

Brenna enjoyed performing tap. Now she is involved in soccer, swimming, and piano. And she sings constantly!

Shirley Temple x 4

2007-09-09T22:16:00.000+12:00

A few months ago these girls tapped their toes off to a full house. All for the sake of a lollipop.

HouseGuests...

2007-08-12T20:09:00.000+12:00

... are welcome here. If you also enjoy hosting houseguests I
suggest you follow our example and invite professional chefs to stay with you!

YUM!!

2007-08-12T20:02:00.000+12:00

Thank-you John and Kim!

Time Flies...

2007-08-02T22:29:00.000+12:00

Ooops, I lost track of the time. I have posted a few photos taken this year. I'll fill in more of the gaps soon. Really. I will. No Kidding.

They're off...

2007-08-02T22:23:00.000+12:00

We are proud to count ourselves as bona fide members of the local yacht club. The club house is just around two corners from us and provides a lovely setting for parties and yoga classes. Here some of the membership are watching a small regatta and celebrated the start of the race with a champagne breakfast.

Va Va Varooommmm!!

2007-08-02T22:07:00.000+12:00

One of our neighbours' owns this lovely bike. Its a Hardy? No, Harley Davidson. (2004 Screaming Eagle). Anyway, he had occasion to treat us to a ride. He gave the girls a ride around the block and took me on a tour up the coast. What a great way to experience the scenery!

Soup's On

2007-08-02T21:57:00.000+12:00

The Maori people that manage Hell's Gate have a sense of humor.

Stinky

2007-08-02T21:55:00.000+12:00

This is Hell's Gate, just outside Rotarua. Volcanoes have greatly enriched the soil in NZ and contributed to its lushness and beautiful landscape. In some places the thermal activity is evident right under your nose. Bubbling hot pools of sulfurous water and mud decorate an intriguing moonscape. A fascinating walk. We visited last January.

Mt Ruapehu in Summer

2007-08-02T21:47:00.000+12:00

This was shocking! We visited North Island's only ski hill last summer (January 2007) The black volcanic rock and zero trees was stark and alien to us. We have yet to try skiing there. It has been quite a warm winter and skiing is poor throughout the country this season.

Brave Bellies

2006-11-30T21:11:00.000+13:00

We were introduced as baby belly dancers. Some of the boldest from my beginners belly dance class performed in public for the first time a couple of weeks ago. It has taken me this long to work up the nerve to look at the photos.
Mine was not the biggest belly. It was not the best belly. But it was a brave belly.

Lost in Space

2006-11-04T11:16:00.000+13:00

That's Brenna on the far right. They are doing a space rap they wrote themselves.

Dawn

2006-11-04T10:12:00.000+13:00

Alana was but one of many stars on stage. The school puts on a huge production every other year. We are still being complimented on Miss A's performance.

Kiwi Ghouls

2006-11-04T08:49:00.000+13:00

The budding entomologist's new pet

2006-10-23T17:52:00.000+13:00

Just A Quick Nose To Say...

2006-09-26T22:13:00.000+12:00

It smells good here. We have been sniffing around the back yard trying to figure out what smells so good. With so many spring blossoms it has been hard to pin down, but we are pretty sure it is the orange blossoms. A bit like Earl Grey Tea, only better. Mmmm......

Not The Botanical Gardens

2006-09-15T07:51:00.000+12:00

If you read Wendy's blog (see my links) you will have been treated to her terrific photography at the Royal Botanical Gardens. This is my response, taken from the window at the back of my house.

For the Maritimers

2006-09-11T21:17:00.000+12:00

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The Princess Ball

2006-09-10T22:04:00.000+12:00

On Friday, the girls and I attended the Princess Ball. This was a fund-raiser for a local school. All princesses, and only princesses, were invited. What a terrific night for mums and daughters! When we entered the hall we were presented with a goblet of sparkling apple juice. A live jazz duo entertained us and tables were laden with cheese and crackers and lovely decorations. The lighting was soft, the balloons were pink and the princesses (130 of them) were all beautiful.

Princess Prep

2006-09-10T22:03:00.000+12:00

Princesses Must Manicure

2006-09-10T22:01:00.000+12:00

These Princesses Can Macarena!

2006-09-10T21:59:00.000+12:00

Princess Pals

2006-09-10T21:57:00.000+12:00

Royal Delight

2006-09-10T21:53:00.000+12:00

For this princess, the best part of the ball was the marshmallows!

Points of View

2006-08-29T09:23:00.000+12:00

This is a picture of the view from the back window of my house, looking past the neighbours place. "So what?" you ask. Well I just noticed today that if I craned my neck just so I could see a rocky prominence (Centre, back of photo). This is significant because the rocky prominence has a name and is a major landmark in this area. In fact, my street is named after the prominence: Prominence View if you get my drift. All the time I have lived here, I have wondered why the street was so named when it did not actually provide a view of said prominence. I am somewhat relieved that we do indeed have a view of the rock. However, I am disturbed it took me 6 months to notice it.
I'll post a better shot of the rocky outcrop later.

They Danced the Night Away...

2006-08-27T13:20:00.000+12:00

On Friday night, the Home and School Committee hosted a Disco at the primary school. The children were invited to attend from 5:30pm to 7:00pm. As you can see, a conga line was started and the kids were having great fun. That's our Brenna in the blue and yellow clothing. More than 160 kids came out to dance, buy glow sticks and purchase "American Hot Dogs", popcorn and dilute juice. The committee members worked hard, serving the food and keeping the children safe but it was well worth the effort. The kids had a night to remember, and the committee has another $900 or so in the bank.
When I returned home at 8pm, I felt like I had stayed out past last call and was exhausted. I was shocked to find out it was only 8 and not midnight.

Wallflowers

2006-08-27T13:18:00.000+12:00

The Maori Queen is Dead; Long Live the King

2006-08-21T10:33:00.000+12:00

Today is a historic day in New Zealand. The Maori Queen, who died last week, is being buried today and her eldest son has been named as her successor. For more information, please check this link http://nzherald.co.nz/maoriqueen here.

Dancers' Delight

2006-08-19T23:00:00.000+12:00

A Night at the Ballet

2006-08-19T22:43:00.000+12:00

We have just returned from a "Showcase of Dance", presented by the girl's dance school. That's Miss A and Miss B in the foreground, video to follow in a few days. The girls attend a half-hour weekly dance class in which they are learning ballet, tap and modern dance. I'm not sure how they can learn all that in one lesson but it seems to work. The girls both enjoyed the production and the performances of the other students, some of whom are very accomplished.

Random thoughts on Winter in Northland

2006-08-12T22:09:00.000+12:00

As you can see, our bananas are coming along nicely. It is the citrus we need help with. Andrew has been making marmalade and grapefruit juice and taking buckets of mandarin oranges to the office. I have been making orange muffins, fruit salad, lemon filling with crepes and Buck's Fizz (OJ and champagne). If you come to our house, you leave with a lemon. The neighobors are not coping any better, their lawns are covered with dropped oranges and lemons.

Speaking of lawns, ours needs a mowing. That's one of the drawbacks to the winterless climate. The grass keeps on growing. (Try to control your tears, please.)

As someone from the Northern Hemisphere, I find it startling when my friends complain of the bitter Antarctic wind. Although we are feeling settled here, I still think of north as colder and and July as summer. That is, I'm still a bit confused.

The girls have made a few minor concessions to winter. They often carry a jacket to school in their backpacks, but they are still barefoot.

Although the climate is mild, the houses are not well insulated. Thus, we find we are colder here than we were in Canada. I tend to cook more meals that require baking in the oven or cooking on the hob so that I can also warm up the kitchen. The girls often ask for a hot breakfast and have asked me to buy thermos flasks so they can have hot lunches at school.

Outerwear is very important. When planning what to wear the other Saturday night when we attended a social at the Yacht Club, I chose an outfit based on which coat I would be wearing, as I anticipated leaving it on all evening.

Yet for all the chill and rain, most of the winter has been lovely. Most days of the week I can get a load of laundry dry on the outside line...if I put it out early enough. Pearl and I go for daily walks on the beach, where she has the important task of chasing the seagulls and oyster catchers off of the sand.

And spring is in the air already. Daffodils have already bloomed and pollen from the trees dusts our car every morning.

Today is the one year anniversary of Andrew's arrival here in New Zealand.

We're Back

2006-07-31T14:28:00.000+12:00

A few days after we returned from our trip to Canada we celebrated Andrew's 50th and our friend's 40th. (That is not me belly dancing!)

Life continues to be great fun here. I'll try to catch you up over the next week...many apologies for getting out of the blogging habit.

Falling into Spring

2006-05-22T17:01:00.000+12:00

We are leaving our wet autumn weather for awhile and travelling back to Canada for the last three weeks of spring. I am unlikely to post anything until our return in late June. (This is a piece of Alana Art).

The Thinker...

2006-05-22T16:56:00.000+12:00

"I think this is too much work!"

Peeling the Paper off the Walls

2006-05-22T16:52:00.000+12:00

Its going to get a lot worse before it gets better. We have half the paper peeled, the paint colours chosen and the kitchen cabinet doors have been taken away for resurfacing. I figure in 10 years time the place will be perfect!

Girl's Day Out

2006-05-13T21:05:00.000+12:00

Today, the day before mother's day was a terrific girl's day out. The local recreation centre organized a bus tour of some markets and a winery. Half of the women who went are my friends from the home and school committee. We spent the whole day shopping, eating and drinking and, of course, laughing. This is an example of some of the ceramic work at a pottery market we visited. I left with an umbrella stand for my front hall.

Miss A's Welcome Certificate

2006-05-13T21:02:00.000+12:00

On Alana's second day at school there was an assembly where she was welcomed to the school with a certificate. Much to my surprise, she walked up on stage, shook the teacher's hand and stood there while others were welcomed.

Her Fluffiness

2006-05-13T20:58:00.000+12:00

Our designer bundle of fluff is cuter by the day.

Orange You Glad Its Not Too Harsh an Autumn

2006-04-30T20:03:00.000+12:00

The citrus season is starting, I'm still wearing shorts every day and according to the locals we are into late autumn. The shorter days and occasional cooler nights (12 - 14 C) remind me of Canada in August. We all went kayaking today and water off our beach was still warm enough to swim. Miss B was rolling off her boat several times.

Andrew

Yes, we have some bananas.

2006-04-30T19:55:00.000+12:00

Ribbon Dancer

2006-04-28T12:50:00.000+12:00

A little long, but I thought I would use it as a test.
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Happy Birthday Big Girl!

2006-04-16T10:36:00.000+12:00

Kindy Graduation

2006-04-16T10:28:00.000+12:00

Here is Miss A on her Birthday. Last day of Kindy. She starts school after the holidays. Mommy is proud and weepy.

Princess A and Two Loyal Servants

2006-04-16T10:22:00.000+12:00

At Last, I'm a Soccer Mum!

2006-04-16T10:16:00.000+12:00

Miss B finally agreed to join soccer and she loves it! She has practice once a week and games are on Saturday morning at 8:25 am in Whangarei. Where will this madness end?

Gala Day, March 18

2006-04-16T09:52:00.000+12:00

The Home and School Committee (PAC) hosted a Gala Day at the Primary School March 18. This is a major fundraiser for the H&S. It was a terrific day with entertainment, activities for the kids and arts and crafts for sale. A few unfortunates were placed under arrest and incarcerated. In order to raise money for their bail they agreed to participate in certain undignified activities such as parading around with clown make-up on. This is the principal of the school, carefully guarded by a local member of the police force.

Gala Art

2006-04-16T09:51:00.000+12:00

A Star is Born

2006-04-16T09:47:00.000+12:00

Two lessons under her belt and Miss B is performing tap dance in public. Misses B and A started dance lessons in early March. The weekly 30 minute class is half tap and half ballet. Brenna felt she was catching on quickly so she chose to join the performance group at the Gala Day.

Tribe Mirh Imah

2006-04-16T09:44:00.000+12:00

We were honored to have the Belly Dancing troupe I train with entertain us at the Gala Day. I haven't learned enough of the dances to perform in public. Maybe next year.

Eggcellent!

2006-04-16T09:31:00.000+12:00

Miss B enjoyed her school's swim sports day in March. Here she is in an egg race. She placed second in backstroke and third in freestyle. The school, like most NZ schools has its own pool. The children swim everyday possible in terms 4 and 1 (November to April).

2006-04-12T21:36:00.000+12:00

Here is the scene:

Kathleen is off chairing her first home and school committee meeting. I have the girls (all three). After the requisite negotiations of five more minutes on the computer for complete cooperation getting ready for bed I have just flossed number two’s teeth and helped her brush. The parental brushing was a chore as she had supposedly brushed for 2 minutes but spent the entire two minutes talking with the brush hanging out of her mouth; poor brushing, worse diction. So I asked her to go pee and the tearful shouted response was "wwhhyyyy are you allllwaysss asking meeeeee to do everything twice...I juuuuuust wennnnt peeeeeee". Now the expression 'just' is relative so I gently but firmly insisted. Through the tears Miss A had just hoisting her royal personage onto the throne when I asked her if she went pee since I flossed her teeth (which actually was just five minutes earlier). "Yessssssss, sniffle whine! " "Ok", I responded "you don't have to go". But I neeeeed to go! End of conversation.

Andrew

The Adventure Continues: Pearl

2006-04-10T22:21:00.000+12:00

Ooops, I was away from blogging far longer than I intended. However we are back and still having a terrific time here. Our latest excitement is over puppy Pearl. We picked her up yesterday and couldn't be more pleased with our choice. Pearl is a third generation labradoodle (labxpoodle). She is eight weeks old and already seems like part of the family.
It is autumn now but still lovely weather. I managed to get a couple of loads of laundry dry out on the line today so I'm happy.

Another Sunset

2006-04-10T22:18:00.000+12:00

This one was taken from the deck of our new house.

My Visitors From Canada...

2006-04-10T22:13:00.000+12:00

We had a terrific time in March when a longtime friend of mine, her son and her neighbor visited for two weeks. They managed to see more of New Zealand than I have seen in my six months here. They also brought supplies for us, including a case of KD, a litre of maple syrup and a litre of Heinz ketch-up. Guess who influenced that list.

...And They Brought Food!

2006-04-10T22:10:00.000+12:00

The girls just couldn't get enough time with this young man from Canada. He like insects just as much as they do. They had lots in common. They are seated around our dining room table in our new home.

House of the Queen of the Maori

2006-04-10T21:56:00.000+12:00

When Andrew had a work trip to Hamilton in February, we tagged along. Our motel was actually situated in a little village just outside of Hamilton. The village is steeped in Maori history and features this house that once was a home to the "Maori Queen". I love the mix of European and Maori style and architecture.

Hamilton Gardens in February

2006-04-10T21:51:00.000+12:00

This intriguing sculpture is near the entrance to the Hamilton Gardens. The sculpture looks like a large throw but is made of what appear to be rocks somehow strung together on metal rods. Very intriguing.
The gardens are a significant attraction in Hamilton. One surprise was there was no entry fee. They are very pleasant to walk through and the girls thought it was well worth it. I was a bit critical of some of the gardens, but then, I wasn't paying for them.

Alana's Favorite Garden: Indian

2006-04-10T21:48:00.000+12:00

Miss A liked the orange flowers here. The white tile looked lovely but was hot!

Miss B's Favorite Garden: Italian

2006-04-10T21:45:00.000+12:00

We had a delightlful morning exploring all the gardens, chasing ducks and so on.

Electric Girl

2006-04-10T21:42:00.000+12:00

The Hamilton Museum included a science and technology display with lot of hands on activities for the littlies.

One Monkey

2006-04-10T21:38:00.000+12:00

The kids play area was as big a hit as the animals.

My Favorite Zoo Animal

2006-04-10T21:35:00.000+12:00

We had just turned a corner on the path through the Hamilton zoo and we were delighted to discover the giraffe enclosure and a lovely view of the hills in the background.

Much Ado About Nothing

2006-04-10T21:31:00.000+12:00

This white rhinos were an interesting feature at the Hamilton zoo. The three on the left were ready to take on the one on the right, but after much snorting and stomping they all decided it was just to hot to bother about.

Missing in Action

2006-03-04T09:22:00.000+13:00

(Yes Sandy, we are still here). We are moving this weekend and will be cut-off of broadband for a couple of weeks. Check back after March 14 for more updates, including our trip to Hamilton, our new house and visitors from Canada.

Town Basin (Quayside) Whangarei

2006-02-12T22:53:00.000+13:00

The girls spent all afternoon climbing Mount Parahaka. We stopped in town on the way home and they still found somthing to climb, but now they don't even have shoes on.

Mt Parahaka from Whangarei

2006-02-12T22:48:00.000+13:00

This is a view of Mt Parahaka (middle of the background) from the town basin. The town basin is full of lovely sailboats and features giftshops and restaurants. An oasis of beauty in a city that has many unattractive areas.

Stairway to Heaven?

2006-02-12T22:39:00.000+13:00

Well, it wasn't heaven, but the war memorial at the top of Mt Parahaka might make some think of life after death.
This is part of Ross trail, which leads to the top of Mt. P. The trail follows a stream through subtropical forest. It was shady and cool. The sound of cicadas was almost deafening at the start of the walk. Apart from cicadas, we saw a lot of fantails (birds) flitting about. Brenna thinks she saw an eel in the stream. The trail was only steep in some parts, had a few bridges across the stream and was a delightful walk. About 40 minutes bottom to top. The splendid view and a few jellybeans made the hike worth all the effort.

Whangarei From Mount Parahaka

2006-02-12T22:35:00.000+13:00

This is part of the view of Whangarei from the top (about 250 m high) of Mt Parahaka. The hill is part of a large reserve park and can also be accessed by road. We hiked up the trail. We are so proud of Alana for walking all the way to the top on her own two feet, without complaining!

First Stop

2006-02-09T20:22:00.000+13:00

We went camping for the long weekend and enjoyed a lovely circle tour of part of the North Island. We travelled west to the town of Dargaville, set on this river. After exploring the local park and stocking up on a few supplies we headed north, along the west coast of the island and camped in Wapoua Forest. We then carried on north to Hokianga harbour, followed the harbour east to Rawene, and travelled the rest of the way south to our home on an inland road. The scenery at every point was nothing less than spectacular. It seemed fitting to spend the Waitangi Day weekend exploring our new country.

Ahoy Mates!

2006-02-09T20:17:00.000+13:00

Our quick stop for cold drinks turned into a long stop as the girls had to explore every inch of this delightful structure.

Whale Jawbone

2006-02-09T20:14:00.000+13:00

This whale bone has been left in the sun to bleach. It is part of the scenery at this lovely riverside park in Dargaville. One thin strip of wire secures it to thewall and the other fragments are propped up, loose, beside it. I wonder that no one has taken these.

Saw in a Kauri Stump

2006-02-09T20:07:00.000+13:00

Kauri is no longer logged in New Zealand. But the stumps are often found buried in swamps and used for carvings and decorative bowls and platters.

A Glimpse of the Tasman Sea

2006-02-09T20:05:00.000+13:00

No Cows Here!

2006-02-09T20:02:00.000+13:00

This is Waipoua Forest, on the west side of the North Island. About 2 hours drive from our home and a welcome relief from the bare farmland. We camped two nights at a Department of Conservation campground.

Fern Tree

2006-02-09T20:00:00.000+13:00

Miss A Leads the Way

2006-02-09T19:59:00.000+13:00

Our New House...

2006-02-09T19:53:00.000+13:00

Don't worry, this does not demonstrate the standard of living in New Zealand. As we prepared for our first camping trip, we forgot to pack the fly for the tent. The first night, it did of course rain. We were protected by a vinyl table cloth over the top of the tent, but decided not to risk it for the second night. Fortunately, the campsite also had some cabins. We stayed in these two for the second night. The campgrounds were lovely. A large field near the river was set aside for tents. The cabins were close to the communal kitchen. A lovely trail through the woods led to a pinic area and swimming hole. Hiking trails were also accessible. At night we figured out where the southern cross was and fell asleep to the hooting of Moreporks (an owl that crys "more pork!").

God of the Forest

2006-02-09T19:51:00.000+13:00

We spent a lot of time looking at large Kauri. We found that living out in the farm area, we were really missing large trees and forest.

God of the Forest

2006-02-09T19:49:00.000+13:00

Obligatory Photo of Sheep Crossing the Road

2006-02-09T19:45:00.000+13:00

The fellow on the tractor was assisted by two dogs.

Hokianga Harbour

2006-02-09T19:41:00.000+13:00

This is a view looking north, up Hokianga Harbour. As we did a circuit north, on our way home from camping, we travelled along the Harbour (right side of photo) to Rawene, before turning south to go home.

And This Is Pretty Too

2006-02-09T19:39:00.000+13:00

Sand Dunes at Hokianga Harbour

2006-02-09T19:36:00.000+13:00

These dunes represent the southernmost point of ninety mile beach. Charters take people across the water so they can toboggan on the sand. That is the Tasman sea to the left of the picture.

Hi Wendy!

2006-02-09T19:31:00.000+13:00

As we were travelling north on Waitangi Day (New Zealand's national day, 06 Feb) we found a lookout with a view of the Tasman sea. We stopped and waved and said hello to Wendy and Mark and the kids. Well, as Miss B will tell you, I was the only one silly enough to try to yell "Hello Wendy!" across the sea. This point shows the sea just at the entrance to Hokianga Harbour.

Rawene

2006-02-09T19:23:00.000+13:00

Rawene is the third oldest township in New Zealand. It features some well-maintained historical buildings and a ferry across the harbour to the northen-most part of the North Island. I liked this set-up as an old Maori canoe sits in front of the whitemen's church. Church name is also clever.

We enjoyed lunch at the Boathouse Cafe. It is an old boathouse, right on the water that has been done up as a restaurant and gift gallery.

Waiwere Boulders Nature Park

2006-02-09T19:18:00.000+13:00

On our way home from our camping trip we took a detour to see the Waiwere Boulders. The property owners have built bridges and railings to form a lovely walk through forest, along a river and all through these fascinating basalt formations. The boulders look like limestone and, apparently, are the only basalt rocks known to have eroded in this fluting pattern. The girls loved the hour long stroll as we were provided with a map featuring rocks that looked like various animals. They were thrilled everytime they found one and raced off to find the next one.

In Case You Were Wondering

2006-02-09T19:15:00.000+13:00

Local Wildlife

2006-01-31T14:55:00.000+13:00

2006-01-31T14:53:00.000+13:00

The Weather and Other Conversations

2006-01-31T08:12:00.000+13:00

Frankly, this post is expressly for the purpose of starting a new line of comments as I am too lazy to continue scrolling through all the comments in Paradise Lost.

We had a quiet long weekend at home and did not take any brilliant photos. Continued to enjoy the local beach and cleaned the garage (Yippee!!!). I have the girls home with me for one more week, then school starts on 7 Feb.

NB: The first comment to this post is a reply to Lindsay Lobe's last comment in the "Paradise Lost" posting.

Paradise Lost

2006-01-24T12:57:00.000+13:00

So it isn't always perfect here. It is a comfortable 23C outside but it would be hard to stand up straight in that wind. The girls and I are hunkered down watching the BBC 1990 version of the Chronicles of Narnia. Great rainy day entertainment.