https://giveitaburl.com/2022/09/04/monkey-bar-mania/2022-09-07T13:03:02+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2022/07/19/his-bread-is-buttered-on-the-family-side/2022-07-19T13:03:16+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2022/07/08/pet-fish/2022-07-17T04:25:17+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2022/06/06/covid-release/2022-06-06T07:02:26+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2022/05/30/dear-diary-isolation-weekend/2022-05-31T12:15:43+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2022/05/29/contagion/2022-06-04T23:56:21+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2022/05/17/good-things-come-in-small-packages/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/dsc04681.jpgdsc046812022-06-02T14:25:19+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2022/05/09/sibling-negotiations/2022-05-09T05:33:52+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2022/04/27/capable-cake-maker/2022-04-28T00:11:30+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2021/09/04/lock-down-to-do-list-day-16/2021-09-04T05:37:31+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2021/08/27/trot-to-the-pot/2021-08-28T07:09:47+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2021/08/22/covid-lockdown-round-2/2021-08-23T01:38:19+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2021/08/06/ages-and-stages-2/2021-08-22T01:13:21+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2021/08/06/new-beginnings/2021-08-06T14:34:08+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2021/06/13/heads-up-parenting-required/2021-06-14T00:29:02+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2021/05/24/naming-ideas-please/2021-05-29T03:10:18+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2021/05/10/education-for-life/2021-05-10T13:25:09+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2021/04/01/kiwi-education/2021-04-03T19:01:15+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2021/03/26/autumn-spring-delight/2021-04-03T18:52:22+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2021/03/21/rejection-specialist/2021-03-23T08:47:44+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2021/03/01/gillespie-pass/2021-03-17T23:05:30+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2021/02/27/delight-of-the-day-2/2021-03-17T23:01:01+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2021/02/23/opportunity-costs/2021-02-24T08:52:58+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2021/02/09/on-aging/2021-02-09T13:47:18+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2021/02/04/north-island-tiki-tour/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/img_6835.jpgIMG_6835We passed Tongariro in the cloud on our way back south, left the campervan back at Palmerston North, and spent another night in Wellington before taking the Interislander ferry back to Picton.2021-02-06T01:41:57+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2021/01/22/incest-explained/2021-01-22T22:22:10+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2021/01/14/whanganui-river-journey/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/christmas-dinner.jpgchristmas dinnerCouscous and ham for Christmas dinnerhttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/swimming-john-gould-hut.jpgswimming John Gould hutNot as cold as south island rivers!https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/christmas-stockings.jpgchristmas stockingsWe'd already opened the christmas presents at home before we left, and we decided to open stockings a couple days early too...I think we were all in need of some CANDY to weather the rain. 2021-01-22T03:03:35+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/10/28/ode-to-seven-years/2020-10-28T17:36:12+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/09/26/yellow-is-the-colour-of-happiness/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/wp-1601108911283.jpgwp-1601108911283.jpg2020-09-26T10:29:19+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/09/17/delightful-mini-spheres/2020-09-17T10:54:42+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/09/12/belated-delight-of-the-day/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/wp-1599799836878.jpgwp-1599799836878.jpg2020-09-12T10:03:49+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/09/11/nerdy-delight-of-the-day/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/wp-1599797220083-e1599797365749.jpgwp-1599797220083.jpg2020-09-11T09:34:33+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/09/04/kissing-the-tulips/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/wp-1599189534306.jpgwp-1599189534306.jpg2020-09-04T03:45:36+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/08/24/nudging-the-comfort-zone/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/wp-1598171880838.jpgwp-1598171880838.jpgWhen we arrived at the hut it was basking in afternoon sun. We had a snack and a cuppa, and headed up the valley towards that snowy mountain. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/wp-1598171867602.jpgwp-1598171867602.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/wp-1598171849023.jpgwp-1598171849023.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/wp-1598171801700.jpgwp-1598171801700.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/wp-1598171788754.jpgwp-1598171788754.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/wp-1598171744934.jpgwp-1598171744934.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/wp-1598171733272.jpgwp-1598171733272.jpgCreek icicles! https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/wp-1598171701194.jpgwp-1598171701194.jpgThe hut was unexpectedly busy for a winter weekend; of the 16 bunks, 13 ended up full. Around one table that evening we had cool range of accents, and countries of origin. Chinese, Canadian, German, Kiwi, Dutch, Zimbabwean, American and Australian. The next morning the fire's warmth was all gone, and we waited for the sun to crack over the hill before setting off on our day adventure. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/wp-1598171689514.jpgwp-1598171689514.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/wp-1598171661176.jpgwp-1598171661176.jpg2020-08-24T13:03:38+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/08/07/tramping-re-imagined/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/mossy-creek-sm.jpgmossy creek smhttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/teena-tree-sm.jpgteena tree smDryad Teena!https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/sawing-wood-sm.jpgsawing wood smLuckily, on our afternoon walk we passed a tree that had been blown down a few years ago, its branches held safely above the forest floor. We eyed it up as good fire wood https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/fire-sm.jpgfire smhttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/candlelight-dinner-sm.jpgcandlelight dinner smhttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/wp-1596700530951.jpgwp-1596700530951.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/wp-1596700530768.jpgwp-1596700530768.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/wp-1596700530342.jpgwp-1596700530342.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/wp-1596700530490.jpgwp-1596700530490.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/wp-1596700530669.jpgwp-1596700530669.jpgWe spent a little time collecting fallen beech branches for the fire. New Zealand beech is a different family than north american beech. It might technically be a hard wood, but my experience collecting it to burn is that it's nearly always squishy saturated with water. The dead branches must do a fair bit of rotting on the tree itself, and when they fall they encounter deep moss on the forest floor where they 2020-08-07T09:36:43+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/08/05/caressing-the-cherry-blossoms/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/wp-1596619924065.jpgwp-1596619924065.jpg2020-08-05T09:39:37+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/07/31/mt-herbert-under-blue-skies/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/wp-1596098504821.jpgwp-1596098504821.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/wp-1596098474732.jpgwp-1596098474732.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/wp-1596098457197.jpgwp-1596098457197.jpg2020-07-31T23:44:19+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/07/24/paint-the-roses/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/wp-1595565330427.jpgwp-1595565330427.jpg2020-07-24T04:57:24+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/07/19/snow-on-the-mountains/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/wedding_235.jpgWedding_235This July marked our 15 year anniversary.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/wp-1595040761643.jpgwp-1595040761643.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/wp-1595040763429.jpgwp-1595040763429.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/wp-1595040761750.jpgwp-1595040761750.jpgJeremiah skied down from the top while I walked down on snow shoes. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/wp-1595040761855.jpgwp-1595040761855.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/wp-1595040763665.jpgwp-1595040763665.jpg2020-07-20T22:31:37+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/07/18/bongos-illustration-prompt/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/wp-1595039573394-e1595039653714.jpgwp-1595039573394.jpg2020-07-18T02:35:12+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/06/14/lock-down-art/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/wp-1592125415752.jpgwp-1592125415752.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/wp-1592125209793.jpgwp-1592125209793.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/wp-1592125190179.jpgwp-1592125190179.jpgSCWBI put out an illustrator's prompt during the lock down--"2020-06-14T19:20:14+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/06/10/prickly-delight-of-the-day/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/wp-1591777318469.jpgwp-1591777318469.jpgPerhaps it was reading about Mrs. TiggyWinkle as a child, or perhaps it's because I respect porcupines and skunks and all peaceful, unhurried defensible creatures of the world, but I have a special place in my heart for hedgehogs. The English settlers 2020-06-10T08:34:50+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/06/02/and-the-mountains-still-remain-especially-mole-tops/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/wp-1591086668184.jpgwp-1591086668184.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/wp-1591084319260.jpgwp-1591084319260.jpgAs we turned down the valley, the shaded bits had hard frosty ground, and we expected the hut to be in a cold pocket near the creek. But whoever situated this little hut had winter sun in mind--it caught the last of the afternoon's warmth through it's window and when we poked out heads inside it was toasty warm. Unfortunately, it was also occupied by three sleeping bags, and there were only 4 bunks. Shucks. We amused ourselves for a few minutes trying to guess the nature of the party who would return there that night--there were foot traps hanging in the porch, but also a bag of Hummingbird coffee, and a couple Harrington's pilsners stashed below the step. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/wp-1591084278443.jpgwp-1591084278443.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/wp-1591084262137.jpgwp-1591084262137.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/wp-1591084228416.jpgwp-1591084228416.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/wp-1591084190769.jpgwp-1591084190769.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/wp-1591084160065.jpgwp-1591084160065.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/wp-1591084149411.jpgwp-1591084149411.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/wp-1591084102842.jpgwp-1591084102842.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/wp-1591084086209.jpgwp-1591084086209.jpg2020-06-03T09:10:52+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/05/28/5404/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/wp-1590655797621.jpgwp-1590655797621.jpg2020-06-02T07:44:00+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/05/20/the-temperature-scan-gauntlet/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/wp-1589953114897.jpgwp-1589953114897.jpg2020-05-22T12:40:40+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/05/18/back-to-school/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/wp-1589794776021.jpgwp-1589794776021.jpg2020-05-18T09:48:02+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/05/14/obscurity-to-brilliance/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/wp-1589426104732-e1589435818283.jpgwp-1589426104732.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/wp-1589426069264.jpgwp-1589426069264.jpg2020-05-15T12:46:25+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/05/13/49th-day-of-social-isolation/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/wp-1589356945621-e1589357034686.jpgwp-1589356945621.jpgMolly's emotional curve has been, shall we say, more curvacioushttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/wp-1589326213368-e1589353226477.jpgwp-1589326213368.jpg2020-05-13T08:09:29+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/05/12/changes-afoot/2020-05-12T13:36:56+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/05/09/hagley-once-again/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/wp-1589003319211.jpgwp-1589003319211.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/wp-1589003299849.jpgwp-1589003299849.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/wp-1589003231954.jpgwp-1589003231954.jpg2020-05-09T09:32:04+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/05/08/surprisingly-delightful-leaf/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/wp-1588925379720.jpgwp-1588925379720.jpg2020-05-08T08:19:00+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/05/07/the-computer-is-wrong/2020-05-20T06:03:36+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/05/04/mud-pies/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/wp-1588581134086.jpgwp-1588581134086.jpg2020-05-04T09:05:37+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/05/03/drama-queen/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/wp-1588395549891.jpgwp-1588395549891.jpgHe might not look like a convincing secret weapon, but he can wheadle and cajole https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/wp-1588395400845.jpgwp-1588395400845.jpg2020-05-03T08:47:14+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/05/02/the-coffee-shuffle/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/wp-1588397383828.jpgwp-1588397383828.jpgTitled "The Coffee Shuffle," I picked this picture up in a store in Washington State probably 12 years ago. I love how ecstatic those women are over something so simple as a hot cup of coffee. Now this week as we've moved to Level 3, and for many of us socially isolated life hasn't changed much, there is one major development; restaurants and cafes are open for takeaways. Let's all dance the coffee shuffle!https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/wp-1588395467593.jpgwp-1588395467593.jpgNow this week as we've moved to Level 3, and for many of us socially isolated life hasn't changed much, there is one major development; restaurants and cafes are open for takeaways. Let's all dance the coffee shuffle!2020-05-03T07:50:46+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/04/lockdown-lazy/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/wp-1588316114289.jpgwp-1588316114289.jpg2020-05-01T09:09:11+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/29/breaking-isolation/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/20190701_074037.jpg20190701_074037There have been a lot more cars on the road as construction work starts again, and I added to the traffic as I made my way to work at Zealandia on Tuesday morning. 2020-04-29T23:18:40+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/27/social-isolate-day-33/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1587972200984.jpgwp-1587972200984.jpg2020-04-27T07:30:25+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/25/social-isolation-day-31-overconfidence/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1587761626745.jpgwp-1587761626745.jpg2020-04-25T08:40:06+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/24/social-isolation-day-30-home-school-and-tgif/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1587681701105.jpgwp-1587681701105.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1587681701029.jpgwp-1587681701029.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1587681679918.jpgwp-1587681679918.jpgStill, I'm glad it's Friday.  These days I start the day with no real plans besides facilitating breakfast, wiping the counter, getting the kids started on home school lessons, feeding morning tea, wiping the counter again, more school, lunch and obligatory counter clearing, then perhaps more school....and I'm always surprised when 2:00 hits and I haven't done any of the non-essential things I could enjoy doing at home. 2020-04-24T08:56:39+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/23/social-isolation-day-29-parents-recovered/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1587634478174.jpgwp-1587634478174.jpg2020-04-24T21:36:51+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/22/social-isolation-day-28-halswell-quarry-habituals/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/20200422_154507.jpg20200422_154507.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1587544669878.jpgwp-1587544669878.jpg2020-04-22T09:13:29+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/21/social-isolation-day-27/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1587445990602.jpgwp-1587445990602.jpgDelight of the Day: a vase of flowers. I don't normally pick flowers for inside because I don't spend a lot of time in the house, and they soon fade. But one day I accidentally broke one of those gaudy pink blossoms (2020-04-21T05:23:28+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/19/social-isolation-day-25-squirreliness/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1587275020200.jpgwp-1587275020200.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1587274994823.jpgwp-1587274994823.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1587274974822.jpgwp-1587274974822.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1587274913197.jpgwp-1587274913197.jpg2020-04-19T14:33:21+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/18/social-isolation-day-24-solace-in-art/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1587187645256-e1587187977775.jpgwp-1587187645256.jpg"I feel like I'm not actually achieving anything I'm supposed to, but kind of half-assing it," my friend Carrie text yesterday. She's trying to work from home, along with her husband, while her three young kids are also at home. Craziness. I'm not trying to work from home like many women are right now, but Carrie's text certainly struck a chord. I feel like I'm only half getting there for much of my life. Career, kids, marriage, and self-health....some people say you can have it all but I certainly haven't figured out how. Now that the career has come to a grinding halt I suppose I could be the domestic queen, but I'm lacking the motivation.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1587187326095.jpgwp-1587187326095.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1587112314175-e1587188060505.jpgwp-1587112314175.jpgInstead, I've focu2020-04-18T05:42:02+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/17/social-isolation-day-23-candid-conversations/2020-04-17T11:15:09+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/16/social-isolation-day-23-home-school-teething/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1587017375365.jpgwp-1587017375365.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1587016965566.jpgwp-1587016965566.jpg2020-04-17T20:55:11+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/15/isolation-day-22-skin-in-the-game/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1586935209232-e1586935466432.jpgwp-1586935209232.jpg2020-04-17T20:57:08+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/14/social-isolation-day-21-brewing/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1586853871402.jpgwp-1586853871402.jpgDelight of the day: the smell of fresh hops. It's not exactly fruity, not really florally, but sweet-pungent anyway. Milo climbed up to reach some of the higher flowers and as he stripped them little sticky droplets of the yellow goo that holds the hop oil rained down, along with spent flower petals. The hops are past their prime, but the kids enjoyed making "beer" nonetheless. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1586853871512.jpgwp-1586853871512.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1586853871313.jpgwp-1586853871313.jpg2020-04-14T09:18:33+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/13/in-remembrance-of-better-times/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/img-20200224-wa0005.jpgIMG-20200224-WA0005I practiced my map reading skills, trying to figure out how far along the valley we had come by comparing the slips and the river clearings on the map to what we could see....not that I really needed to, the trail was well marked. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/img_8142.jpgIMG_8142Brrr! It's warm when climbing but chilly when we stop!https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/img_2616.jpgIMG_2616We had planned another trip up there for next weekend, but we've had to flag it with the Covid19 shut down. We'll go back....we may have all had the virus by then, or NZ may succeed in quashing it....but the mountains are still out there. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/img_2578.jpgIMG_2578Then they warmed up in their puffies!https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/img_2490.jpgIMG_2490While we hiked the other girls went for another frigid swim.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/img_2398.jpgIMG_2398The other three girls spent a leisurely morning at the hut (Bruce is the hut warden) and set off not 30 minutes before us....still, we didn't catch them until lunch time. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/img_2329.jpgIMG_2329Then we stopped and taped them on. In fact, we tended to those shoes frequently for the rest of the day. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/img_2326.jpgIMG_2326Just after lunch the soleson Jue's shoes started to come loose. We stopped and tied them back on. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/img_2319.jpgIMG_2319We lunched at West Sabine hut, another flash DOC hut, and the junction with the Tearoa trail. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/img_2314.jpgIMG_2314Sometimes the trees opened up to grassy river flats or we climbed over scree that had fallen down the mountain side. If there weren't multiple avalanche warning signs, I'd say it'd be a great track for the winter. 2020-04-14T09:10:00+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/11/social-isolation-day-18/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1586593047538.jpgwp-1586593047538.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1586593047713.jpgwp-1586593047713.jpgSide note: Cirque du Solei https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1586593047695.jpgwp-1586593047695.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1586593047679.jpgwp-1586593047679.jpg2020-04-11T08:33:59+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/10/social-isolation-day-17/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1586506907188.jpgwp-1586506907188.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1586506522765.jpgwp-1586506522765.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1586506522706.jpgwp-1586506522706.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1586506340420.jpgwp-1586506340420.jpgWe've seen several yards with tents up in them, so Jeremiah helped the kids set up their tent this afternoon, and they've just cozied up inside. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1586505716007.jpgwp-1586505716007.jpg2020-04-10T08:23:35+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/09/socially-isolated-day-16/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1586419763640.jpgwp-1586419763640.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1586419718182.jpgwp-1586419718182.jpg2020-04-09T08:21:59+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/08/socially-isolated-day-15-cheating/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1586334942693.jpgwp-1586334942693.jpgI don't think it's cheating, really, to go to the skate park.  It's not roped off after all, and the playground most certainly is. But there was almost no one else there..... My grandfather had a saying for these situations: "Don't trouble trouble, until trouble troubles you." https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1586334752329.jpgwp-1586334752329.jpg2020-04-08T21:05:04+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/07/socially-isolated-day-14/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1586233671202.jpgwp-1586233671202.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1586233539628.jpgwp-1586233539628.jpg 2020-04-07T05:55:15+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/06/social-isolates-day-13-clothes-are-optional/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1586163949578.jpgwp-1586163949578.jpg"You wanna play Floor's Lava?" Milo queried. Naomi did, and for some reason it looked like more fun without clothes. Now that we're home all day, every day, I don't bother making the kids get dressed unless they're going outside the yard.2020-04-06T09:14:12+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/05/social-isolate-day-12-of-nonessentialism/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1586074393472-e1586074442873.jpgwp-1586074393472.jpg2020-04-06T09:18:11+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/04/socially-isolated-day-11/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1586035418909.jpgwp-1586035418909.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1585996187720.jpgwp-1585996187720.jpg2020-04-04T22:14:07+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/03/socially-isolated-day-10/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1585898152115.jpgwp-1585898152115.jpg2020-04-04T22:33:48+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/02/socially-isolated-day-9-what-day-is-it-anyway/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1585812008103-e1585812490415.jpgwp-1585812008103.jpg2020-04-04T05:43:55+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/04/01/socially-isolated-day-8/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1585715710902.jpgwp-1585715710902.jpgPost wash, Milo spent a good hour airing out his willy, lol. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1585715710992.jpgwp-1585715710992.jpgIt was a nice warm afternoon, not even windy, and the kids got started washing off the chalk they hand-printed on our house bricks a couple months ago. The game progressed from washing the bricks to throwing buckets of water at the wall to spraying the hose in the air to spraying the hose at each other. This is why we have two kids--this afternoon the comradery worked out well. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wp-1585715711095.jpgwp-1585715711095.jpg2020-04-01T07:42:32+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/03/31/socially-isolated-day-7/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/wp-1585638491510.jpgwp-1585638491510.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/wp-1585638446396.jpgwp-1585638446396.jpg2020-03-31T07:41:57+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/03/30/social-isolation-day-6-social-capital/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/wp-1585550622810-e1585553062542.jpgwp-1585550622810.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/wp-1585550580890.jpgwp-1585550580890.jpgAnother successful day in isolation. Milo, despite the appearance, is actually happy. He's practicing his touch typing....in front of the heat pump, and apparently he didn't feel the need for clothes. 2020-04-01T15:27:49+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/03/29/social-isolation-day-5/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/img-4836.jpgIMG-4836.JPGhttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/img-4840.jpgIMG-4840.JPG2020-03-29T07:05:35+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/03/28/social-isolation-day-4-two-years-is-a-long-time/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/untitled.jpgUntitled2020-04-04T05:46:58+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/03/27/social-isolation-day-3/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/wp-1585292906972.jpgwp-1585292906972.jpgSomehow2020-04-04T05:47:24+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/03/26/social-isolation-day-2/2020-03-26T19:37:28+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/03/25/social-isolation-day-1/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/wp-1585169936629.jpgwp-1585169936629.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/20200325_160301.jpg20200325_160301.jpgI parked the car in the driveway. The could hear my Chilean salsa music going full blast, and the 2020-04-04T05:49:25+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/03/25/delight-of-the-day-nz-government-mandate/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/nz-govt-covid19-website.pngNZ govt covid19 websiteDo you see the 1st item on the list of "Ways we're uniting against Covid19"? Yes, take another look. It's the national government encouraging kindness.2020-03-25T13:40:38+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/03/24/delight-of-the-day-cold-water-warm-sun/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/wp-1585034487906.jpgwp-1585034487906.jpg2020-03-25T03:29:57+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/03/20/delight-of-the-day-unexpected-fragrance/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/wp-1584673970172.jpgwp-1584673970172.jpgOur language is pretty poor in fragrance descriptors, but it if we had a word meaning "tantalizing blush" or "come hither and linger," it'd be about right. Alluring, inviting one to linger. It's the Delight of the Day.2020-03-24T06:48:21+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/03/16/delight-of-the-day-mint-green-lichen/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/wp-1584248486905.jpgwp-1584248486905.jpg2020-03-16T08:03:42+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2020/03/14/delight-of-the-day/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/wp-1584177095467.jpgwp-1584177095467.jpgThe sudden lift, swooping up from a steep rise in the mountain bike trail is Delightful. I took 3 rides down the mountain bike park this afternoon, and the tracks smelled like warm pine needles in the sun.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/wp-1584175976358.jpgwp-1584175976358.jpgThe silky feel of Naomi's honey-golden hair, as I braid2020-03-15T12:11:04+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2019/12/26/quail-island/2019-12-26T08:32:59+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2019/11/10/sometimes-youre-the-windscreen-sometimes-you-are-the-bug/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/img-20191110-wa0006.jpgIMG-20191110-WA0006.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/img-20191110-wa0003.jpgIMG-20191110-WA0003.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/img-20191110-wa0004.jpgIMG-20191110-WA0004.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/img-20191110-wa0010.jpgIMG-20191110-WA0010.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/img-20191110-wa0001.jpgIMG-20191110-WA0001.jpgJeremiah got the gate combination from DOC, and we decided to drive in as far as the Rav4 would go, then bike the rest of the way to the hut.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/img-20191110-wa0008.jpgIMG-20191110-WA0008.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/img-20191110-wa0002.jpgIMG-20191110-WA0002.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/img-20191110-wa0011.jpgIMG-20191110-WA0011.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/img-20191110-wa0009.jpgIMG-20191110-WA0009.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/img-20191110-wa0005.jpgIMG-20191110-WA0005.jpg2019-11-18T10:47:26+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2019/11/18/if-my-teacher-was-a-witch/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/img_20191112_102923.jpgIMG_20191112_102923Turns out the publicity of winning a writing competition--the author visiting one's classroom--was almost as good as the pizza and ice cream. Almost.2019-11-18T08:20:37+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2019/11/10/revelatory-nights-sleep/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/20191110_095908.jpg20191110_095908.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/20191110_095633.jpg20191110_095633.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/20191110_091318.jpg20191110_091318.jpg2019-11-10T14:04:34+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2019/10/13/school-holidays/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/20191005_114051.jpg20191005_114051.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/20191008_111255_004.jpg20191008_111255_004.jpgOne day we went into the big city centre playground. "I'm bored," Milo whined, "can you buy me a slushy?" What?! Kids can be simply soul-destroying. "I've taken you to the Biggest Playground in the Southern Hemisphere (as they say), AND brought along a friend for you. Your boredom is NOT my problem." https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/20191008_133510.jpg20191008_133510.jpgThat afternoon we came home and had a couple hours of intensive drawing--that's my style school holiday!https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/img-20191009-wa0004.jpgIMG-20191009-WA0004.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/20191010_083613.jpg20191010_083613.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/20191010_115507.jpg20191010_115507.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/img-20191013-wa0006.jpgIMG-20191013-WA0006.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/img-20191013-wa0007.jpgIMG-20191013-WA0007.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/img-20191013-wa0008.jpgIMG-20191013-WA0008.jpgWe got her rollerblades for her birthday. She'd been asking for them consistently for some months now. I was a little bit worried that she'd take one fall and decide they weren't for her, but she stayed in them for almost the whole day. I'm looking forward to happy skating hours in our future. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/img-20191013-wa0004.jpgIMG-20191013-WA0004.jpg2019-10-20T14:14:20+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2019/09/23/biking-stour-river/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/out-sunny-skies.jpgout sunny skiesWe finished out ride under sunny skies. when we got back to Christchurch, we learned that Saturday there had been downright wet, and Sunday morning had been drizzly. It makes the trip away that much sweeter to have escaped the bad weather!https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/manuka-hut-lunch.jpgmanuka hut lunchWe made it to Manuka Hut for lunch, and decided to keep moving to Double Hut, not far up the valley.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/tube-repair.jpgtube repairIt was after a very wet foot ford that Sally had to stop to repair a puncture. The tire was tough to get off the rim and we felt ridiculously accomplished when we had the job finished, successfully.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/sunny-day-departure.jpgsunny day departureSince we had biked up the river valley the day before, the way out was a gentle downhill, almost imperceptible, except to make the biking a breeze.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/somber-landscape.jpgsomber landscapewe zippedhttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/snug-photo-spot.jpgsnug photo spotSnug photo/lunch spot, before the wind picked up.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/sally-at-hut-door.jpgsally at hut doorIt was a bit drizzly on our way back to Manuka Hut, so we were happy to arrive (again).https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/river-ford.jpgriver fordWet foot ford, but not too soggy.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/river-ford-3.jpgriver ford 3Hurray!https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/river-ford-2.jpgriver ford 2Dry foot ford!2019-09-29T15:14:30+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2019/09/01/winter-blue-skies/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/img-20190901-wa0000.jpgIMG-20190901-WA0000.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/img-20190901-wa0001.jpgIMG-20190901-WA0001.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/img-20190901-wa0002.jpgIMG-20190901-WA0002.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/20190831_114709.jpg20190831_114709.jpg2019-09-01T10:08:34+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2019/08/22/tiny-triumphs/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/p1140559.jpgP1140559.JPG2019-08-22T09:48:08+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2019/08/12/architecture-of-a-holiday/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/20190718_143639.jpg20190718_143639.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/20190725_100844.jpg20190725_100844.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/20190720_111917.jpg20190720_111917.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/20190720_092658.jpg20190720_092658.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/20190719_094034.jpg20190719_094034.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/20190718_110823.jpg20190718_110823.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/20190716_080216.jpg20190716_080216.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/20190709_191121.jpg20190709_191121.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/20190709_191008.jpg20190709_191008.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/20190708_212210.jpg20190708_212210.jpg2019-08-18T14:27:20+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2019/07/02/microscope-magic/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/broad-mites-e1562050688665.jpgbroad miteshttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/broad-mite-egg-e1562050724972.jpgbroad mite eggLook in the centre of the photo for the translucent precisely speckled egg.2019-07-02T10:37:19+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2019/06/03/transformed-by-white/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/20190603_122234.jpg20190603_122234.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/20190603_113816.jpg20190603_113816.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/20190603_101403.jpg20190603_101403.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/20190603_094028.jpg20190603_094028.jpgWe refurbished some old pairs of gaiters and waterproof pants for the kids, and headed for the white hills. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/20190603_131432.jpg20190603_131432.jpgThe highlight of the day wasn't actually sledding, it was building. As the sun spent time on the snow it became a bit more maleable, and https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/20190603_124232.jpg20190603_124232.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/mvc-013x.jpgMVC-013XAnother picture of a pair of cheesy grins, just for sh__s and giggles. Today I strapped on my snowshoes and trudged up the hill, eliciting a friendly comment from a woman that "I must be from somewhere cold." She had never seen snow shoes before. Yep, there's much fun to be had in the snow. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/mvc-009x.jpgMVC-009XOur dear friend Mr. Kennedy has recently shared some photos from our childhood, and among them was this one, a snow cave we made at Sunnymeade circa 2002. The top layer of girls is Jennifer, Sarah, Susanna and Rebecca. 2019-06-04T19:53:50+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2019/05/31/memorable-memorial/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/10-sylvan-picnic.jpg10 sylvan picnichttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/rensselaerville-waterfall.jpgrensselaerville waterfallhttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/picnic-thatcher.jpgpicnic thatcherhttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/nyc-from-library-steps.jpgnyc from library stepsMy major impression of NYC is that it's HEAVING with people. Surprise, surprise. And on such a lovely spring day, everyone was out enjoying the day. This view is from the steps of the NY public library.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/mom-at-ny-botanical-garden.jpgmom at ny botanical gardenhttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/lake-kids-rocks.jpglake kids rockshttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/kelsey-apartment.jpgkelsey apartmenthttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/jack-in-pulpit.jpgjack in pulpit2019-06-02T12:55:22+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2019/04/22/girly-plaits/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/20190423_082134.jpg20190423_082134.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/20190423_082227.jpg20190423_082227.jpg2019-04-22T23:11:52+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2019/03/28/kiwi-crate-obsession/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/20190423_084208.jpg20190423_084208.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/20190418_130613.jpg20190418_130613.jpg2019-04-22T21:40:05+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2019/01/15/christmas-on-the-otago-rail-trail/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/20181225_083048.jpg20181225_083048https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/20181225_120337.jpg20181225_120337Christmas day proper we didn't bike. It was 30 degrees C, and we went playing in the nearby Taieri river. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/20181225_131203.jpg20181225_131203Sand banks are hours of fun.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/20181225_204242.jpg20181225_204242https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/20181226_094823.jpg20181226_094823Boxing Day we resumed our ride.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/20181226_094656.jpg20181226_094656https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/20181226_095059.jpg20181226_095059https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/20181226_131334.jpg20181226_131334https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/20181227_084715.jpg20181227_084715https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/20181227_092622.jpg20181227_092622Oddly, if one kid was throwing a wobbly, the other seemed to behave like a saint. Naomi had increasingly frequent stuck spells where she didn't want to get on the bike or get towed, and Milo was usually the one to coax her forward again. Here she is, in full pout, hackles up. 2019-01-15T16:19:01+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2018/12/11/wobbly-ballerina/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/20181210_170709.jpg20181210_1707092019-01-06T08:04:30+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2018/10/23/garden-nostalgia/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20180911_093150.jpg20180911_093150https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20180911_093633.jpg20180911_093633https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20180902_140548.jpg20180902_140548https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20181019_105613.jpg20181019_105613https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20181019_105643.jpg20181019_105643https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20181019_105750.jpg20181019_105750https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20181019_105855.jpg20181019_105855https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20181019_110027.jpg20181019_110027https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20181019_110118.jpg20181019_110118https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20181019_110147.jpg20181019_1101472018-10-24T11:09:57+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2018/10/18/woman-of-leisure-day/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20181015_151050.jpg20181015_151050https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20181016_111503_richtonehdr.jpg20181016_111503_Richtone(HDR)https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20181016_101156.jpg20181016_101156https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20181016_111725_richtonehdr.jpg20181016_111725_Richtone(HDR)2018-10-26T06:13:18+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2018/10/13/sometimes-motherhood-is-sweet/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20181008_140444.jpg20181008_140444The hut is perched on the side of a hill overlooking the town of Little Riverhttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20181008_145500.jpg20181008_145500https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20181008_172910_richtonehdr.jpg20181008_172910_Richtone(HDR)https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20181008_180529_richtonehdr.jpg20181008_180529_Richtone(HDR)https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20181008_180643_richtonehdr.jpg20181008_180643_Richtone(HDR)https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20181009_084709.jpg20181009_084709https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20181009_091223.jpg20181009_091223https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20181009_100851.jpg20181009_100851https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20181009_115939.jpg20181009_115939https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/20181008_125823.jpg20181008_125823Sally is a geologist, so you can see why she's happy. The little gem and mineral museum at the end of the dead end road is really worth a stop. The book there said that agates are formed in the voids left by gas pockets in lava. Water laced with minerals finds its way into these bubbles and slowly deposits crystals. Agates wash up at Birdlings Flat as they are eroded out of the mountains, washed down the Rakaia River and tossed up on the beach. 2018-10-13T07:08:04+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2018/10/01/brilliance-of-winter-mountain-tops/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180922_1234161.jpg20180922_123416https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180922_112703.jpg20180922_112703https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180922_112740.jpg20180922_112740https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180922_121757.jpg20180922_121757https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180922_122558.jpg20180922_122558https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180922_141519.jpg20180922_141519https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180923_105239.jpg20180923_105239https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180923_110207.jpg20180923_110207This climb had less snow than the previous day, as the slope was facing the sun.  The ridge was dry, and wide enough to feel safe from the scree fall to the west and the snowy slope to the east.  These ridges are jagged, the mountain rock being easy to fracture and break apart, not smooth like the hard granite of the Adirondacks.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180923_110544.jpg20180923_1105442018-10-11T10:12:59+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2018/09/24/the-end-of-an-era-and-beginning-of-the-next/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180920_120807.jpg20180920_120807https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180920_113238.jpg20180920_113238https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180920_103507.jpg20180920_103507https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180918_105449.jpg20180918_105449https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180911_105238.jpg20180911_105238https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180911_103700.jpg20180911_103700https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180911_103055.jpg20180911_103055https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180904_114946.jpg20180904_114946https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180904_114854.jpg20180904_114854I'm not much for pageantry or ritual, but I was quite impressed with how special the send-off was at playcentre. Steph, the coordinator who has been there since Naomi was a new born, gave her a thorough "feel like a big kid" send off. She got to wear the special Maori feather cloak (symbolism a bit lost on me, but special nonetheless), and show everyone through her learning story journal. We all sang happy birthday in English and Maori, and she chose five "fairy claps" from the group. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180904_093830.jpg20180904_0938302018-09-25T01:04:18+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2018/09/09/snowshoe-excursion/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/img_0480.jpgIMG_0480We left our snowshoes at this pole just where the snow abruptly ended; no need to carry them down to the hut and back up again the next morning. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180819_131058_richtonehdr.jpg20180819_131058_Richtone(HDR)https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180818_132547.jpg20180818_132547https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180818_132643.jpg20180818_132643https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180818_144350_richtonehdr.jpg20180818_144350_Richtone(HDR)We reached the intense green of the beech forest again, and descended just as much as we had climbed on the other side, down to Cristobel Hut. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180818_161001_richtonehdr.jpg20180818_161001_Richtone(HDR)It’s a nice little DOC hut in a clearing on the river, and no one else was there.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180818_161049_richtonehdr.jpg20180818_161049_Richtone(HDR)https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180819_102205_richtonehdr.jpg20180819_102205_Richtone(HDR)https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180819_104529.jpg20180819_104529At the saddle we again marveled at the expansive view, appreciated by us alone, and crunched down the now-hardened snow to the bush line. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180819_104713_richtonehdr.jpg20180819_104713_Richtone(HDR)2018-09-09T14:22:39+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2018/09/04/get-used-to-disappointment/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180717_130242.jpg20180717_130242https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180712_144956.jpg20180712_144956Milo was miserable during this Kaikoura walk. Not that there was anything physically wrong with him, but lousy attitude is enough to ruin a walk. “Milo is getting away with utter disrespect. He’s acting like he’s a little prince, and it’s working for him.” My dad, with the benefit of a fresh viewpoint, sees the situation and calls me out on it. We spent the walk strategizing https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180712_140351.jpg20180712_140351During the second week of school holiday we drove up to the Marlborough Sounds via Kaikoura. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180711_174453.jpg20180711_174453https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180710_125259.jpg20180710_125259https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180710_101802.jpg20180710_101802https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180709_154134.jpg20180709_154134https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180706_211035.jpg20180706_211035We took them to a Crusaders rugby game, only to have their hosts fall fast asleep on their laps! We had parked blocks and blocks away, and as the crowd tromped down the bleachers and my too-big-to-carry children snored away on their grand's laps, my Dad looked up at me. "I don't know what we're going to do," he stated, in some consternation, as I wondered if Uber drivers would pick up the cargo from the stands. In the end Milo woke up enough to walk, and by the time we reached the car even Naomi was chirping away on my back completely capable of moving her own legs ( though opting not to do so). https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180703_154708.jpg20180703_154708While they https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/20180702_163928.jpg20180702_1639282018-09-05T05:23:31+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2018/08/12/oh-momentous-day/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/20180812_092350.jpg20180812_092350https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/20180812_193811.jpg20180812_1938112018-08-12T09:30:25+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2018/06/22/bubble-me-rainbow/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/20180616_131838-1.jpg20180616_131838-1The humid winter conditions were perfect, and Naomi got the hang of bubble creation, as well as the destruction of popping.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/20180616_131836-1.jpg20180616_131836-1Birthdays--theirs and others--are a highlight of the childhood years. These giant bubbles were at a recent party. They are so alluringly strange; quivering iridescent blobs floating genteelly about the yard until pounced upon by little girls in fancy dresses. 2018-06-22T07:34:18+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2018/06/10/people-soup/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/20180602_152531.jpg20180602_152531The hut residents looked us over and quickly.  'The hut is FULL!" they declared cheerfully.  "Absolutely chocker!" https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/20180602_161003.jpg20180602_161003https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/20180602_170707.jpg20180602_170707https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/20180603_075005_lls.jpg20180603_075005_LLShttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/20180603_081010_lls.jpg20180603_081010_LLShttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/20180603_081019_lls.jpg20180603_081019_LLShttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/20180603_095021_lls.jpg20180603_095021_LLShttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/20180603_114327.jpg20180603_114327https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/20180603_131635_richtonehdr.jpg20180603_131635_Richtone(HDR)https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/20180603_141303_richtonehdr.jpg20180603_141303_Richtone(HDR)2018-06-13T21:52:14+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2018/05/29/amelias-ballerinas/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/20180502_161449.jpg20180502_161449https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/20180523_160158.jpg20180523_160158"Alright Ballerinas, we're going to pick up our knee, and make a bubble!" She has the whole mob of pink dainties doing her bidding, even if one has decided to wear her tutu as a bra. I'll say it again: She's brilliant.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/20180516_160212.jpg20180516_1602122018-05-29T07:34:18+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2018/05/07/flotsam-and-jetsam/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/20180507_163814-e1525669071182.jpg20180507_1638142018-05-13T09:50:29+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2018/03/29/this-is-motherhood/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/20180329_103435.jpg20180329_103435There are good times and bad times to parenting. The trouble is that the bad times are so much more memorable.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/20180329_161156.jpg20180329_1611562018-03-29T07:20:25+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2018/03/14/golden-weather/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/20180311_102352.jpg20180311_102352https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/20180310_181027.jpg20180310_181027Last weekend was also the Chinese lantern festival in Christchurch. The Avon river was swarming with dragons, gaudy floating lilies, and people slurping asian food from cardboard take-away containers. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/20180310_120000.jpg20180310_120000https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/20180314_162919.jpg20180314_1629192018-04-10T20:39:57+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2018/03/13/a-new-compatible-family/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/boys-hunt.jpgboys huntThe guys got out on a hunt, first bringing the boys for a little while, then going out on their own after dinner. No meat was gathered, but they got a good walk in.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/kids-fishing.jpgkids fishingThe kids plunked their lines in the water and got some imaginary nibbles. They're addicts in the making. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/kayak-club-on-arnold.jpgkayak club on Arnoldhttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/rav4-on-taipo.jpgRAV4 on Taipohttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/20180304_074806.jpg20180304_074806I lack a real group photo for this trip, but here are the kids. Aaron is 8, Jessica is 4. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/kids-coloring-at-dillon-hut.jpgkids coloring at Dillon huthttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/taipo-river.jpgTaipo riverThe plan was to drive upstream into the hut, let the wives paddle down, and collect us at the bottom on the way out. But we were also joining the whitewater canoe club for their Sunday morning paddle so the timing worked out better to do our paddle Sally is a much better paddler than I, https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/capsize.jpgcapsizehttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/girls-in-hut.jpggirls in hut2018-03-14T18:20:34+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2018/03/04/when-siblings-go-right/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/20180227_162441.jpg20180227_1624412018-03-04T17:50:17+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2018/02/26/weight-of-inertia/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/20180226_201618.jpg20180226_201618Low tech map of recent travels.2018-03-04T07:33:54+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/12/01/obnoxious-americans/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/20171201_172918.jpg20171201_172918In that spirit, I'll change the topic. 2017-12-01T16:03:58+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/11/28/dommett-lodge/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/23915678_10214580700333933_3026244366216225111_n.jpg23915678_10214580700333933_3026244366216225111_nEmma and Ian have a real four-wheel-drive truck, but our Rav4 made it ok.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/23844445_10214580700533938_2070314778864373849_n.jpg23844445_10214580700533938_2070314778864373849_nAs it was, we spent a bit of time in the hot tubs. It was misting that first night and I don't like getting my face rained on, so I pulled out the umbrella, much to the amusement of the others. Makes perfect sense to me. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/img-20171126-wa0000.jpgIMG-20171126-WA0000https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/20171124_142721.jpg20171124_142721https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/20171124_153249.jpg20171124_153249https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/20171124_172427.jpg20171124_172427https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/20171125_101049.jpg20171125_101049https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/20171125_100918.jpg20171125_100918https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/20171125_105911.jpg20171125_105911https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/20171125_113315.jpg20171125_1133152018-07-21T08:12:40+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/11/08/mission-wharfedale-by-bike/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/20171028_143411.jpg20171028_143411Wharfedale hut (aside from being impossible to spell), is off Lees Valley. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/river-crossing.jpgriver crossinghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/jeremiah-swims.jpgjeremiah swimsThe water looks nice, doesn't it? It was "fresh," as they say here. Translation: COLD. Jeremiah gamely jumped off the rock three times before I got a suitable photo. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/ready-to-ride.jpgready to ridehttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/monkeys-in-hut.jpgmonkeys in huthttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/milos-bushed.jpgmilo's bushedhttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/naomi-rides-with-daddy.jpgnaomi rides with daddyhttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/thumbs-up-milo.jpgthumbs up miloActually, nothing really went wrong. The track https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/20171028_113238.jpg20171028_113238https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/20171028_183505.jpg20171028_1835052017-11-09T01:32:39+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/10/27/schooldom/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/20171026_130250.jpg20171026_130250https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/20171026_130400.jpg20171026_130400https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/20171026_094930.jpg20171026_0949302017-10-27T12:50:37+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/10/23/kiddy-weekend-in-christchurch/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/20171021_120606.jpg20171021_120606https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/img-20171021-wa0000.jpgIMG-20171021-WA0000https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/20171020_171854.jpg20171020_171854https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/20171021_120547.jpg20171021_120547https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/20171021_120632.jpg20171021_120632https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/20171021_122540.jpg20171021_122540https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/20171022_131213.jpg20171022_131213https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/20171023_112827.jpg20171023_1128272017-10-23T08:24:52+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/10/13/four-year-old-week/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/20171011_154747.jpg20171011_154747https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/20171012_071508.jpg20171012_071508https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/20171012_105307_2.jpg20171012_105307_2https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/20171012_115012.jpg20171012_115012https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/20171012_145209.jpg20171012_145209https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/20171012_135122_lls.jpg20171012_135122_LLShttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/20171012_183501.jpg20171012_1835012017-10-14T13:07:58+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/09/25/unseasonable-taste-of-summer/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/20170923_105332.jpg20170923_105332https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/20170923_105344.jpg20170923_105344See that gorgeous trunk that looks like a crepe myrtle? It's the fuchia https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/20170923_121411.jpg20170923_121411https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/20170923_130854.jpg20170923_130854Jeremiah packed the barbarque and we charred some sausies for lunch. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/20170923_132846.jpg20170923_132846https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/20170923_135450.jpg20170923_135450https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/20170924_123732.jpg20170924_1237322017-09-25T08:04:42+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/09/21/a-slight-stubborn-streak/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/20170921_145900.jpg20170921_145900It really wasn't short sleeve weather so she eventually decided to come inside and bang the broom on the door in consternation. Without the purple sweater, I might add. I guess she won that one. Milo came home, wanted a snack, and that little change of subject seemed to snap her out of it. She was giggling just a minute after his entrance, plotting peanutbutter on banana with chocolate sprinkles. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/20170921_144651.jpg20170921_144651Some la-ti-da experts say you should never leave a kid to themselves when they tantrum, that you should stay where they can see you so they know you haven't abandoned them. Hum, hope that's working out for them. Needless to say, I don't ascribe to that belief. I checked on her from time to time, but it's not like I couldn't hear exactly where she was. As could the neighbors. And their neighbors. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/20170921_144504.jpg20170921_1445042017-09-25T13:50:34+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/09/18/can-we-come-in-please/2017-09-18T22:17:07+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/09/10/what-are-those-kids-up-to/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/20170905_191951.jpg20170905_191951https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/img-20170910-wa0000.jpgIMG-20170910-WA0000Milo won the rugby player of the year award for his team, and boy, is he proud. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/20170831_153808.jpg20170831_153808https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/20170903_194817.jpg20170903_194817https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/20170907_133736.jpg20170907_133736https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/20170909_121531.jpg20170909_1215312017-09-10T09:41:58+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/08/20/occasionally-stay-at-home-motherhood-is-golden/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/20170817_083601.jpg20170817_083601https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/20170817_105303.jpg20170817_105303The forecast for the day was lovely, so we headed up to Hagley Park to check out the daffodil bloom. They're starting!https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/20170817_111003.jpg20170817_111003Naomi knows the term "selfie." Such a 21st century child!https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/20170817_112947.jpg20170817_1129472017-08-21T07:40:05+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/08/20/rugby-season-finished/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/20170812_100944.jpg20170812_100944https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/20170819_095016.jpg20170819_095016https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/20170819_095326.jpg20170819_095326Our team (Thunderbolts!) are on defense in this photo. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/20170819_101839.jpg20170819_101839The kids played their last game of the ripper rugby season this weekend--stellar weather for it too! Here they all are, with their Classic Kiwi names: Jackson, 2017-08-20T08:14:49+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/08/17/testing-testing-nz-medical-system/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/20170810_093632.jpg20170810_093632https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/20170810_093609.jpg20170810_0936092017-08-21T07:38:52+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/08/14/alaska-distilled/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/dinner-mark-maria.jpgdinner mark mariaOver at Mark and Maria's house for dinner one evening, we admired all their Alaska artwork on their walls. They have amassed quite a collection since we were there five years ago. It's neat to see how they celebrate their local community, whether it was in Owego, NY (where we met them) or whether it is in Soldotna, AK. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/homer.jpghomerMoms and youngers stayed back on the beach, admiring the boats.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/homer-spit.jpghomer spitHomer Spit is about two hours from Sterling, the halibut fishing capital of the world. Ben has a beloved boat he dragged to Alaska all the way from NY, and he had been working on getting it going the whole time we were there. Just at the end of our visit the engine was given the thumbs up and all twenty of us hove off with two campervans, a boat, a truck, a car and a ton of fishing gear for an overnight at Homer.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/halibut.jpghalibutThe next morning a second shift went out early and this time they found halibut. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/girl-cousins.jpggirl cousinsSo there we have it, Alaska distilled. Cousins. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/fish-scraps.jpgfish scrapsThe local authorities at Homer provide very nice fish cleaning stations and big bins for disposing of fish scraps. I suppose if the scraps are left around it becomes a major bear hazard. I think all these unsavory parts go to the land fill.....tells you we live in a country where people have plenty to eat. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/fish-pride.jpgfish prideFish.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/fish-haul.jpgfish haulNo halibut on that first run, but they came back with a good haul of salmon. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/family-shot-portage-glacier.jpgfamily shot portage glacierCheese! Nana, Papa, Aunt Missy, and us at Portage Glacier. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/exit-glacier.jpgexit glacierCheese again! This one is Exit Glacier, and one of the most interesting things about it is that along the access road to the tourist parking lot are signs that show the end of the glacier in the late 1800s and through the 1900s. It's been shrinking rapidly. It feels a bit funny to be posing with big grins in front of what is essentially an endangered species, gleefully ignoring the rising ocean and the part we just played in it, flying half way around the world on a big jet. 2017-08-16T05:16:18+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/08/08/michigan-lake/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/20170709_131844.jpg20170709_131844Lounging on the boat! There's Milo, cousin Duncan, Aunt Gretchen, Dara (Aunt Susanna's partner), and Aunt Susanna.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/diamond-lake-house.jpgdiamond lake houseThe house was a sprawling lake cottage, built in the 1800s and added on to ever since, a comfortable wood-paneled abode (with wifi and Netflix!), with nooks and crannies for everyone. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/playground-aunt-becky.jpgplayground aunt beckyOne morning Rebecca and I took the kids to a little local playground, dodging the rain drops.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/slide-grain-elevator.jpgslide grain elevatorThose grain elevators make a bit of an unusual backdrop for a playground.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/kids-cranium.jpgkids craniumWe played kids' Cranium several dozen times, until Milo declared himself the master of the frog jumping challenge.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/smores-becky.jpgsmores beckyS'mores in all their gooey glory.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/smores.jpgsmoresEvery American summer vacation includes s'mores!https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/steamy-lake-michigan.jpgsteamy lake michiganWe went to Lake Michigan another afternoon, this time to a town beach (hence the crowds). It was the strangest weather I've ever seen--fog off the lake, but very hot out. Almost like steam. It was bizarre. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/carosel.jpgcaroselThere's a carousel at this beach, and ice cream stores...and we visited both. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/anniversary-beer.jpganniversary beerOur 12th anniversary rolled around while we were there, and we went to Bell Brewery in Kalamazoo to try a flight of their beer. 2017-08-08T15:03:36+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/08/06/chicago-harro-highlights/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/sunnies-kelsey.jpgsunnies kelseyAnd bought them cool sunnies.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/dinner-omi-house.jpgdinner omi houseWe ate family dinners (those are Harro-sized portions, most definitely). https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/omi-abi-kids.jpgomi abi kidsAnd generally enjoyed being a family unit. Grandparents rock. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/playground-bartlett.jpgplayground bartlettAnd we went to playgrounds (Aunt Becky loves playgrounds too).https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/spray-park.jpgspray parkBack in suburbia we went to spray parks (Aunt Becky loves spray parks).https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/baking-kelsey.jpgbaking kelseyAunt Kelsey baked with the chillens. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/trump-tour.jpgtrump tourTrump Tower. It's real. It's gleaming. And it's sitting proudly along the picturesque Chicago Sanitary Canal that was so polluted that its direction of flow was reversed so that it no longer enters Lake Michigan. Hum. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/icecreams-navy-pier.jpgicecreams navy pierBen and Jerry's Ice Cream for all. Do you know that they don't sell kiddy cones or even single scoops? If I had been smart I would have paid for a double but asked for just a single for the kids. But maybe the realization that one CAN have too much ice cream to eat is a healthy thing for kids. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/chicago-piggyback.jpgchicago piggybackWe were back in Chicago for a couple days after the Michigan lake house, and spent another day in the city, this time with the kids. Lucky chicky, getting a ride from Abi.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/chicago-playground.jpgchicago playgroundMaggie Daley park is similar to Margaret Mahey playground in Christchurch, but bigger. I was glad we had a high adult-to-child ratio here, seems like it would be an easy place to lose a kid in all the fantastic tunnels and towers and slides. 2017-08-09T04:02:40+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/08/05/flying-with-kids/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/skycouch.jpgskycouchhttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/auckland-night.jpgauckland nighthttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/auckland-playground.jpgauckland playgroundhttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/auckland-playground2.jpgauckland playground2Our flight from Christchurch to Auckland was mid afternoon, and rather than sit around the airport for six hours waiting for our evening flight to Los Angeles, Jeremiah organized a bus into Auckland. We hit up a playground for the kids.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/traveling-heavy.jpgtraveling heavyhttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/american-flag-customs.jpgamerican flag customs"Welcome" and "US Customs and Immigration" don't normally go hand in hand, and the friendly verbage lost a little of its bounce as we descended the one-way escalator to the winding line https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/air-travel1.jpgair travel1https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/loaded-car.jpgloaded carWe sent my mom a heads up on the quantity of luggage we were toting by way of a photo of our car on the way to the airport. I like the idea of traveling light....but I also like the idea of bringing presents back to family and friends, and then returning with new clothes from America. We were definitely NOT traveling light.2017-08-06T02:01:16+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/07/19/what-happened-to-june/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20170621_162651.jpg20170621_162651Luckily for little siblings, there is a playground near the rugby field. Naomi is fearless in her climbing. Fortunately, she's also quite capable.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20170626_161958.jpg20170626_161958https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20170626_101358.jpg20170626_101358https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20170621_185903.jpg20170621_185903Even Milo got into the dress-up mode. This will be a good picture to pull out on his 21st birthday. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20170621_162449.jpg20170621_162449https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20170619_152544.jpg20170619_152544https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20170610_184910.jpg20170610_184910Winter is a good time for fire-building. One of the hunting brotherhood set this competition up--because what is a gathering of guys without a competition? They had identical lathe-smoothed logs to start with, which they reduced to piles of kindling with axes. Fires were to be started with flint, and the winner was the first one to burn through their string. Jeremiah won. It's good to be married to a pyromaniac. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20170605_122316.jpg20170605_122316https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20170604_143735.jpg20170604_143735Speaking of Naomi, we celebrated a major accomplishment with a flower-topped cafe treat--the end of night time diapers. Hurray! No nostalgia over the diaper phase. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20170530_143111.jpg20170530_1431112017-07-19T23:49:36+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/06/02/a-tramp-with-our-weatherproof-brits/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170527_114625.jpg20170527_114625The composting toilet was very civilized, and didn't smell, despite heavy usage. The only improvement I'd suggest would be to turn the window to the view side. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/molly-emma-walking.jpgmolly emma walkingA family weekend, more enjoyable all-round with friends.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/group.jpggroupHere's the whole gang, ready to roll out.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/sad-face-naomi.jpgsad face naomiBed time for Bonzo. We put the younger kids to bed in the top bunks and took out a deck of Quiddler and a bottle of beer for the evening. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/hut-entrance.jpghut entranceIt was only an hour's walk to the hut, but the blustery sky was starting to glower and spit, and it was good to duck inside--still warm from the previous residents. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/kids-starting.jpgkids starting"I know a really great hut, up on the Banks Peninsula, an easy walk in for kids--want to book it for a weekend with the families?" It was probably three months ago that Ian suggested the plan. This particular DOC hut is so enormously popular that it has a booking system, so you must lock in a weekend trip well in advance, and you can't reschedule in the event of rain. Good thing we were going with the Weatherproof Brits. Come rain, hail, cloud or shine, they will cheerfully follow through with the plan.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170528_094231.jpg20170528_094231A short walk into the hut means we can really go luxurious with the breakfast. Sausages and eggs with cinnamon rolls (again, complements of the wood stove). https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170527_100853.jpg20170527_100853First off, one must wear one's best pink attire for hiking. Fashion makes for happiness.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170527_111744.jpg20170527_111744It doesn't matter that the pink gets covered up in red wet weather gear--it's what's on the inside that counts. These totara trees aren't flexibly blowing in the wind. They are permanently deformed, buffeted by near constant wind until only the shoots that emerge on the leeward side survive. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170527_133603.jpg20170527_133603It turns out that logs make good fort building materials, and the kids contentedly set up shop. Adults drank coffee, I knitted on a hat. 2017-06-02T10:20:06+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/05/25/capable-kids/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170401_104827.jpg20170401_104827And it turns out that Milo's good at rugby. He's focused. He's competitive. He's coordinated. And at this age, that makes him good. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170524_163638.jpg20170524_1636382017-05-26T06:44:22+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/05/11/chill-out-mom/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170509_073330.jpg20170509_0733302017-05-12T05:54:52+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/05/07/alpine-again-hawdon-to-edwards/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170507_153600.jpg20170507_153600https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/google-earth-trail.pnggoogle earth trailAnd I really did want to do that hike.  I've been eyeing it for a couple years now, ever since I walked in to the hut by myself one warm summer evening and peaked up over the edge of the trees to the alpine meadow beyond.  It had been sunny and calm, idyllic conditions that rarely happen in the mountains, and the little tarn with the path wending through the tussocks had been so inviting....  The book said the route continued over a couple mountain passes and then down into a valley beyond.  It would entail two nights out and lots of climbing, and a hitch hike at the end.  It would be a good one to do with a capable mountain man like Jeremiah.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170506_104834.jpg20170506_104834It was frosty in the shadow of the mountain when we turned up to the alpine meadow this time, and we waited until rounding the next bend and reaching the sun https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170506_115306_richtonehdr.jpg20170506_115306_Richtone(HDR)https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170506_173748_richtonehdr.jpg20170506_173748_Richtone(HDR)https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170506_161815.jpg20170506_161815https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170506_152734_richtonehdr.jpg20170506_152734_Richtone(HDR)https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170506_141855_richtonehdr.jpg20170506_141855_Richtone(HDR)https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170506_132633.jpg20170506_132633At the end of the meadow the trail drops off abruptly to this massive scree field below. This is on the Divide, the watershed between the east coast and the west coast, and also the location of the biggest fault line in New Zealand. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170506_130826_richtonehdr.jpg20170506_130826_Richtone(HDR)2017-05-07T19:52:15+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/05/04/the-world-keeps-turning-turning/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170425_120724.jpg20170425_120724https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170425_120643.jpg20170425_120643https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170425_123453.jpg20170425_123453https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170425_133603.jpg20170425_133603We basically spent the whole day roving from one climbing tree to the next, occasionally adding to our collection of pretty feathers and leaves and petals while stopping frequently to eat peanut-butter-honey sandwiches. As we were heading at last to our car we passed an elderly couple strolling along. "Four?" the old lady asked. "Yes, but two are mine and two belong to a friend," I responded. "Oh, that's easy," she gloated. "I had five." I smiled and nodded, but inwardly fumed. What was that snide comment meant to accomplish? Does it make her feel more respected to make me feel less so? https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170425_133800.jpg20170425_133800School holidays have once again come and gone. I coped better this time. Other moms talk about the relaxation of the school holidays, a break from the scheduled life, contented home days....it all sounds so nice. Except that it doesn't work for Milo. And what doesn't work for Milo won't work for me either. You see, a bored Milo very quickly becomes an incredibly naughty Milo. And a mother beset by a tyrannically rude six year old quickly reaches the end of her tether. This time I made a plan for every day that he and I were home together. We were lucky that the weather cooperated, and our plans involved some nice outtings. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170427_105645.jpg20170427_105645https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170427_134731.jpg20170427_134731We splurged on treats from She Chocolate after our walk, always a nice ending to the morning. The only problem is that it leaves an electronic banking trail betraying to Jeremiah that we've been having decadent sweets. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170427_112537.jpg20170427_112537https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170429_114342.jpg20170429_1143422017-05-04T02:42:02+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/04/24/exercising-the-little-trampers/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170422_133218.jpg20170422_133218Milo uncovered a Weta, a special Kiwi bug (wait, that sounds funny....a NZ bug) that I've never seen in the wild before. It had these four very neat little palpaehttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170422_154941.jpg20170422_154941https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170422_152526.jpg20170422_152526I can't finish an alpine hike without a tribute to the tough plants that live up there. "It's a nice day today," I told Milo, "but tonight these plants are going to freeze, and last week they were whipped around by the wind, then they get baked dry by the blistering sun." This one is a little coprosma, believe, and with the alpine form all the branches are hidden under a tight mass of leaves, making it look like a moss with pearls. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170422_134244.jpg20170422_134244https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170422_120616.jpg20170422_120616https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170422_132309.jpg20170422_132309https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170422_131620.jpg20170422_131620https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170422_120444.jpg20170422_120444Mid way up the hill there was a pile of rocks. No pile of rocks will be left to molder in peace when a 6 year old boy could action them! https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170422_124250.jpg20170422_1242502017-04-26T08:33:43+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/04/23/the-first-fish/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/fullsizerender.jpgFullSizeRenderIn the past there has been significant friction between Milo and the others, but Milo behaved himself this weekend, making the parents' time that much more relaxing. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170414_085139.jpg20170414_085139https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170414_115452_lls.jpg20170414_115452_LLShttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170414_115229_lls.jpg20170414_115229_LLShttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170414_115408_lls.jpg20170414_115408_LLShttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170414_120045_lls.jpg20170414_120045_LLShttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170414_120115_lls.jpg20170414_120115_LLShttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170415_095707.jpg20170415_095707https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170415_095946.jpg20170415_095946Saturday dawned gloriously and we went with Ben and co. to some fishing ponds near the Waimea River. (Ben is Jeremiah's hunting buddy who lives in Christchurch, but was up with his family the Grandparent Homestead near Nelson.) https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170416_101135.jpg20170416_1011352017-04-23T21:02:29+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/04/11/green-mountain-therapy/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/dsc01908.jpgSONY DSCNo matter about the Ghosts of Cannibals lurking nearby. We lit a fire and passed a cheerful evening. Did you know that Old Man's Beard lichen makes an excellent fire starter? https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/dsc01902.jpgSONY DSCAcross one bridge sits a little clay man on a stone (yes, he has man parts), laughing at you as you bounce across the bridge. Whatever he is made of weathers pretty well; I remember him there from a couple years ago!https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/dsc01894.jpgSONY DSCThe St James walkway has very luxurious swing bridges. We crossed two of them. You don't take bridges for granted on NZ tramps, as may of the trails involve wet-foot crossings!https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/dsc01891.jpgSONY DSCThe Lewis Tops walk continues for a few miles over this ridge line. There is a hut up here somewhere, a tiny "bivouac" two-bunker. About 12 hours after starting you eventually reach a bigger hut in a valley (so the map says). I'm going to come back some day and do it. Some gloriously still day. Maybe the wind stops up here on occasion? It was remarkably chilly up where the clouds were skimming low and we were glad we had decided NOT to tent up here. But I'll be back. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170409_104818_lls.jpg20170409_104818_LLShttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170408_120938_richtonehdr.jpg20170408_120938_Richtone(HDR)It was hard to turn around, but turn around we did. "The path goes ever, ever on...over grass and over stone....and I must follow, if I can...." JRR Tolkien.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170408_112850.jpg20170408_112850https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170408_112723.jpg20170408_112723https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170408_120715.jpg20170408_120715https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170409_080755.jpg20170409_0807552017-04-12T15:11:48+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/04/05/the-last-of-the-autumn-sun/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170405_163709.jpg20170405_163709We left the beach reluctantly--the forecast for the week ahead was for chilly rain, and so far it has come true.2017-04-05T04:44:04+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/04/04/the-gender-divide/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170404_095229.jpg20170404_095229.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170402_095821.jpg20170402_095821.jpgOn Saturday I took Naomi to Rapaki beach, while Jeremiah took Milo fishing. We got there a bit early (I forgot about the time change!) so we had to wait a bit for the tide to recede and expose the warm springs. We sat side by side in the calm air with the sun warming our backs, Naomi quietly munching a snack, with me just quiet. It was peaceful. Life would be different with just Naomi. I resisted the urge to text Jeremiah and find out how HIS time was going. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170402_100054.jpg20170402_100054.jpgcheese!https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/20170402_112808.jpg20170402_112808.jpgEventually another family turned up and Naomi gained a playmate. But since they were Iranian and didn't speak much English, the quiet morning continued.2017-04-04T09:06:16+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/03/28/bonus-pet/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/20170328_184357.jpg20170328_184357.jpgI have a pet cat. Well, she's sort of my cat. She lives outside, and I feed her. I also got her spayed, which is a bit of an intimate thing to do to a cat that doesn't belong to me...so I suppose she's mine. Her name is Jenny. Genevieve, but we call her Jenny. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/20170301_205917.jpg20170301_205917.jpgI don't know if the hedgehog is a he or a she, nor does it have a name (yet). But if the food bowl is left2017-04-04T10:00:57+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/03/23/the-days-of-our-lives/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/20170317_215346.jpg20170317_215346.jpgEvery night Naomi tucks Nina and Scarlett into the safe wall-half of her bed, while she sleeps precariously on the outer half. Strangely Milo, who has never been very affectionate to his stuffed animals, has started to copy her. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/20170317_154241.jpg20170317_154241.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/20170322_165649.jpg20170322_165649.jpgGardening is a patience-testing activity for a child. Just a week after Milo planted his lovingly-watered carrot transplant he was asking if it was ready to pick. Thankfully, he soon forgot about its existence until this week, and it really WAS ready to pick. There's a very proud gardener. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/20170321_143959.jpg20170321_143959.jpgNaomi's latest social development is play dates--both hosting and being invited. They're entirely more peaceful affairs than Milo's play dates; no wrestling, no racing. The biggest controversy is over who wears the pink dress-up. I left Naomi at her friends' house for two hours one afternoon, while I worked cozily on the computer and sipped a coffee. I used to have interludes of quiet like that EVERY DAY while Milo napped. It really is true that you don't know how good something is until you lose it. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/20170316_085514.jpg20170316_085514.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/20170318_100649.jpg20170318_100649.jpgHere's one of the many forts Milo's building these days. Hurray for removable couch cushions--they're the main structural material for most of the creations. "You know, when I was your age, I used to LOVE building forts too," I told Milo. "Were you good at it?" he wanted to know. "Yes, I was good at it." I don't objectively remember how good at it I was, of course, but that's besides the point. Milo seems to think that daddy's good at building things and mommy's not, an unfair judgement which I'm doing my best to shift. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/20170318_113134_lls.jpg20170318_113134_lls.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/20170315_161035.jpg20170315_161035.jpg2017-03-23T13:06:13+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/03/21/a-breath-of-highish-air/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/20170319_103335.jpg20170319_103335.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/20170319_103322.jpg20170319_103322.jpgLook at that autumn outlook over the port hills. 2017-03-23T00:18:27+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/03/09/guess-this-plant/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/20170309_190745.jpg20170309_190745.jpgWhat are these, can you guess? I can't decide whether it's an obvious question or a good puzzler. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/20170309_190802.jpg20170309_190802.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/20170309_200309.jpg20170309_200309.jpgUp close view--you got it? Hops. For beer. Yum. Actually, I just did a tea out of them to see what they really taste like minus all the malt, and they're BITTER. That's the point, I guess. They do smell nice at any rate! And now, after spending 30 minutes harvesting one plant, I spent the next 30 minutes watching you-tube videos of hop harvest machinery. Mechanization, it's a wonderful thing.2017-03-10T16:34:42+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/03/07/english-is-cruel/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/20170307_203006.jpg20170307_203006.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/20170307_203045.jpg20170307_203045.jpg2017-03-07T07:52:14+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/03/06/cycling-the-st-james/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/doc-map.pngdoc-mapDOC's map shows the cycleway, 64 kilometers of mountain biking through the sweeping Waiau river valley. We concluded that the difficulty of the ride was exaggerated somewhat in the description--DOC must feel responsible keep inexperienced bikers from getting in over their heads. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/hill.jpghill"Phew, finally the end of that hill!" The hardest part about most of the hills was the loose surface, making getting any traction really tough. In other words, we walked our bikes up these bits. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/bike-retrieval.jpgbike-retrievalLaura is hands-down faster than me when it comes to down hill or flat riding, and is really good a handling her bike over loose rocks and around curves....but even she ditched it into a bush one time. Thankfully manuka is a softer landing than spiny matagouri, and she came out with only a small bruise. I took a spill on the way down the first pass and was duly cautious for the rest of the ride, so all in all we didn't get knocked around too badly. That's a win for the mommies, whose bodies don't heal as fast as the kiddos anymore. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/valley-overlook.jpgvalley-overlookThe river valley was spread out below us. It's good to be in the back country. Makes us feel rugged. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/bridge-load.jpgbridge-loadStandard bridge crossing warning....looking at the drop below I was inclined to be obedient and not put the bridge under undue strain. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/swing-bridge.jpgswing-bridgeI like crossing rivers on bridges, and thankfully the two times the trail crossed the sizeable Waiau, there were beautiful swing bridges, complete with steep descents and accents on either side. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/waiau-river.jpgwaiau-riverThere's a 100k cycle race that uses this track each year, but those bikers have to cross the Waiau river and go up the side valleys a couple times. Laura was tempted to try it....I not so much.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/grassy-ride.jpggrassy-rideGrassy river flat biking is fast! https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/lake-guyon-turn.jpglake-guyon-turnMorning tea spot! I had thought we'd be huddling in a hut sheltering from drizzle for our stops, so the sun was certainly a pleasant surprise. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/maling-pass.jpgmaling-passThe track starts with a climb up a four-wheel-drive road to Maling pass. The forecast had been for showers, clearing during the morning, so we rugged up and brought our hats and puffies and changes of clothes in our backpacks....but the day turned out fine. "Blue skies and never a cloud, the sun dancing on the water." 2017-03-06T21:47:30+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/03/01/a-stubborn-streak/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/20170219_112450.jpg20170219_112450.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/20170219_104948.jpg20170219_104948.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/20170219_104630.jpg20170219_104630.jpgNaomi is lovely. She really is. She 2017-03-01T18:48:47+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/02/24/remember-rock-candy/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/20170220_151423.jpg20170220_151423.jpgand pink ones for Naomi. How stereotypical. I think the idea of a super-saturated solution was lost on Milo and I'm SURE it was lost on Naomi. Never mind. Some day in science class the concept will be mentioned and maybe they'll harken back to those 2017-02-24T07:59:22+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/02/18/when-a-rainy-weekend-is-good/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/20170215_161725.jpg20170215_161725.jpgThe fire on the port hills started Monday night--we heard the fire engines wailing past the house while we ate dinner. On Tuesday morning we surveyed the plume of dense grey smoke moving up the dry hillsides, and cursed the warm norwest wind that drove it on. By Wednesday the wind turned easterly and turned the blaze https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/20170215_162843.jpg20170215_162843.jpg2017-02-18T01:03:43+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/02/09/wanaka-weekend/2017-02-11T03:34:26+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/01/31/in-the-closing-days-of-the-school-break/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/img_20170124_150716.jpgimg_20170124_150716.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170115_135030_richtonehdr.jpg20170115_135030_richtonehdr.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170131_110426.jpg20170131_110426.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170131_111427_2.jpg20170131_111427_2.jpgToday playcentre was back on for Naomi but Milo's school hadn't yet started, so big brother came back to playcentre. A hot day, we made a water slide. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170111_165448.jpg20170111_165448.jpgOne hot afternoon after work we made hats in the fort bushes, just enjoying the lack of goose bumps even in the shade. The mosquitoes enjoyed the easy access afforded by our summer attire as well. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170115_145935_richtonehdr.jpg20170115_145935_richtonehdr.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170114_164123.jpg20170114_164123.jpgAlso on the weekend docket was some blueberry picking. We've been back to this blueberry farm every year we've lived in Christchurch. The blueberry season is extraordinarily long, I think primarily because the summer isn't super hot so the berries ripen more slowly than the furious pace of ripening in NY berry patch.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170115_150610.jpg20170115_150610.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170115_134356_richtonehdr.jpg20170115_134356_richtonehdr.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170117_143643.jpg20170117_143643.jpgThe Kid Swap boys were occupied for two full days building a fort in the bushes. Thank God for a wild green yard with overgrown giant camellia bushes--it's super for kids, and unusual in the city. 2017-03-10T16:19:51+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/01/17/titorangi-in-panorama/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170105_144914_richtonehdr-e1484622505870.jpg20170105_144914_richtonehdr.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170106_110814.jpg20170106_110814.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170104_175752.jpg20170104_175752.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170103_160340.jpg20170103_160340.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170107_112529_richtonehdr-e1484623781593.jpg20170107_112529_richtonehdr.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170105_161958_richtonehdr-e1484623088525.jpg20170105_161958_richtonehdr.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170107_202245_richtonehdr-e1484623417273.jpg20170107_202245_richtonehdr.jpgThe main draw to Titorangi is for the fishing, and the fishing improved for our fisherman once our buddies arrived with their boats to occupy the bach next door. They arrived with a passel of kids. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170107_095807.jpg20170107_095807.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170103_203852.jpg20170103_203852.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170107_204540_richtonehdr.jpg20170107_204540_richtonehdr.jpg2017-01-17T03:34:36+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2017/01/01/anakiwa/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170101_191316.jpg20170101_191316.jpgBack at the house Mark and Steph played games with the chillens while dinner was being prepared. They may have been toying with the idea of having children of their own, and we consider it our duty to give them enough child-fix for the foreseeable future. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170101_175924.jpg20170101_175924.jpgActually, maybe Mark gives Steph enough taste of kid-dom as she can stand anyway. Here he is taking aim at a strutting quail admiring his reflected plumage windows. The quail got pegged with three nerf bullets and still didn't vacate the premises. We concluded that it's not a very smart bird. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170101_194344.jpg20170101_194344.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20161228_100532.jpg20161228_100532.jpgWe're at the end of the sound, at the tidal flats (photo here is high tide). When it's calm we can take a kayak out and see the sting rays cruising the shallows, look for whatever it is that they eat, presumably. They're super cool and also super creepy. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20161228_141915.jpg20161228_141915.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20161229_090525.jpg20161229_090525.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170101_132903.jpg20170101_132903.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170101_153027_lls.jpg20170101_153027_lls.jpg2017-01-01T08:53:27+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/12/27/christmas-down-under/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/20161227_164441.jpg20161227_164441.jpgKelsey once gave me a pin-on button that read "I like poetry, long walks on the beach, and poking dead things with a stick." It's true. On our first walk out from the Anakiwa bach we found this dead sting ray. I was more interested in it than Milo (did you know they have one large long bottom tooth??), but he was keen to get the rest of the crew to see it. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/20161227_174753.jpg20161227_174753.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/20161227_162012.jpg20161227_162012.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/20161227_143036.jpg20161227_143036.jpgTwo late nights and two early mornings set us up perfectly for sleepage during the second day of windy-road driving, and we arrived in Anakiwa rested and with all the stomach contents in place. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/20161227_115921.jpg20161227_115921.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/20161226_103402.jpg20161226_103402.jpgEvery year I think Jeremiah can't fit another thing into the car, but every year we manage to bring more paraphernalia with us at Christmas. This year he had a roof box, a bigger car, and a bike rack, and we're still chocker. Poor Naomi threw up in that green bucket three times on the way up to Nelson, and though we've got barfing-on-windy-no-stopping-place roads down to a science, we still soiled the princess dress. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/20161225_113909.jpg20161225_113909.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/20161225_111900.jpg20161225_111900.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/20161225_090600.jpg20161225_090600.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/20161225_081415.jpg20161225_081415.jpg2016-12-28T17:51:57+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/12/19/encore-monarchs/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/20161216_162416.jpg20161216_162416.jpgThe chrysalis's sat wobbling on their stems on the dining room table for over a week before the first one turned translucent and we could see the orange and black monarch folded up inside. It hatched while Milo was at school, and we https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/20161219_165054.jpg20161219_165054.jpg2016-12-19T16:03:33+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/12/08/3843/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/20161207_070030.jpg20161207_070030.jpgMaybe I should translate this note Milo whipped off for his buddy Charlie yesterday before school. "I hate you Charlie. I do not like it when you push me in the nut. This is how I do not want to play 2016-12-08T02:00:03+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/12/06/the-red-coats-are-swarming/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/20161201_112823.jpg20161201_112823.jpg2016-12-06T01:22:11+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/11/29/and-shes-off/2016-11-30T21:36:47+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/11/29/the-trouble-with-monarchs/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/20161129_160540.jpg20161129_160540.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/20161129_160836.jpg20161129_160836.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/20161129_161042.jpg20161129_161042.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/20161129_161128.jpg20161129_161128.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/20161129_161300.jpg20161129_161300.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/20161129_161416.jpg20161129_161416.jpg2016-11-29T21:40:50+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/11/16/november-14th-earthquake/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/kaikoura-road.jpgkaikoura-roadThere's a scenic road that runs along the east coast of the south island called Route 1. It's a state "highway," believe it or not, and a major trucking route. Jeremiah and I have a philosophical disagreement over the longevity of this road. I think it'll fall into the ocean within the next few 100s of years, whereas Jeremiah has more faith in the engineering prowess of humans and thinks that we'll keep fixing it. Optimist versus pessimist. I wonder how long it'll take to fix it this time. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/seabed-lift.jpgseabed-liftThe tectonic plate on the Australian side is sliding under the plate on the east side of New Zealand, uplifting the southern alps, as well as parts of the coastline. Kaikoura has had big uplifts in the past, as the various "shelves" you can see on the coastal walkway attest. This time we got another one--one report said there were areas where it popped up 6 meters! (that's nearly 20 feet) That will certainly be a nasty surprise for resident paua.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/route-1-kaikoura.jpgroute-1-kaikouraMan-made stuff looks pretty weak in the face of geological forces.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/route-1-landslide.jpgroute-1-landslidemore road distruction. Amazingly, no vehicles were squished. The advantage of a midnight quake, perhaps.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/train-tracks-wiggle.jpgtrain-tracks-wiggleWiggle wiggle.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/route-1-kaikoura-truck.jpgroute-1-kaikoura-truckThat trucker got lucky!2016-11-30T08:34:13+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/11/13/when-you-meet-the-parents/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/20161113_084406.jpg20161113_084406.jpg2016-11-13T06:39:00+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/11/12/life-lessons/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/20161112_191149_lls.jpg20161112_191149_lls.jpg2016-11-12T12:38:50+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/11/11/and-the-cats-came-back/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/20161108_154940.jpg20161108_154940.jpg2016-11-11T09:10:46+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/11/08/deceitfulness-of-youth/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/20161009_122506.jpg20161009_122506.jpgVideo game noises filter through the curtain. She's ensconced with a friend's DS, illicite https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/20161009_122455.jpg20161009_122455.jpg2016-11-10T08:35:10+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/11/07/visiting-grandparents/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/dscn3182.jpgdscn3182The Whiteheads are in NZ visiting their daughter who married a Kiwi and lives in Auckland with their two grandsons, close to our kids' ages.  They were to be in Christchurch for one day before heading out on a whirlwind south island tour, so we snaffled them up for the afternoon, trotting them up and down the Harry Ell trail in the port hills before bringing them home for hard-earned dinner.2016-11-07T23:05:56+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/10/29/flower-children/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/20161027_164402.jpg20161027_164402.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/20161027_160737.jpg20161027_160737.jpg2016-10-29T22:00:24+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/10/19/feline-solidarity/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/20161016_090252.jpg20161016_090252.jpgI checked on her all day Sunday, visiting her after dinner to tell her that I had put fish scraps in the compost bin. It must be stressful to have to hunt or scavenge your food every night, especially knowing she was scavenging for three. She was perpetually there with those kittens, whether they were eating or sleeping. I felt a pang of sympathy for the boring life she must be leading right now, trapped in the role of motherhood—and a single parent to boot. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/20161016_090158.jpg20161016_090158.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/20161016_090208.jpg20161016_090208.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/20161016_090219.jpg20161016_090219.jpg2016-10-22T20:53:13+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/10/16/the-excitement-of-three/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/20161015_121034.jpg20161015_121034Despite dire weather forecasts from earlier in the week, Saturday turned out wonderfully for a beach birthday party. We invited about six other families to join us at Rapaki for a bbq, most of whom had never met before, and proceeded to have a lovely compatible time. We missed the Summerfield family who have moved back to England. Emma accused me of being posh with my beach coffee fixings (espresso maker, real cream), but perhaps subconsciously I was just trying to fill Ian's role. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/img_5080.jpgimg_5080"Huzzah!" I really have no idea what threat he was mustering with this pose, but he was enjoying himself.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/20161015_124625.jpg20161015_124625Dirt cake! It's wonderfully portable in a beach bucket, and still a novelty in NZ. And with pink gummy worms to top it off, who can go wrong?https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/20161012_155516.jpg20161012_155516.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/20161012_180816.jpg20161012_180816.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/20161014_152112.jpg20161014_152112.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/20161015_122940.jpg20161015_122940.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/20161015_115027.jpg20161015_115027.jpg2016-10-29T21:41:05+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/10/09/wow-world-of-wearable-art/2016-10-09T10:51:53+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/10/07/dude-weekend/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/dude-scene.jpgdude-sceneThe canals are an impressive series of water channels from dams at the ends of the great glacier lakes on the eastern side of the Alps to hydro power plants. NZ gets 50-60% of their electricity from hydro schemes. Well, now if you've got vast quantities of fast flowing pristine cold water, what else is that good for? Enterprising farmers started salmon farms. Now where is the best salmon fishing in the country? Right next to the salmon nets, which occasionally break.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/rosman-fish.jpgrosman-fishHere's a man hugging a fish. Rosman.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/high-country-trout.jpghigh-country-troutFourth and final Man Holding Fish shot. This one is a brown trout from a high country lake that Ben got fly fishing.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/cattle-on-bridge.jpgcattle-on-bridgeTo round off the weekend, here's a quintessential Kiwi scene. Cattle stopping traffic on the state highway.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/fighting-fish.jpgfighting-fishYet another man hugging a fish, but this one wants to get away. Mark.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/big-baby-fish.jpgbig-baby-fishHere's another man hugging a fish. Jeremiah. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/weighing-in.jpgweighing-in"Whew, that's it's real weight, mate. I ain't touching the net!" The men admire a 20 lb fish, a trout in this case. The rainbow trout have decided that right under the salmon nets is pretty good pickings, so it was mostly trout that they caught this weekend. Massive fat trout.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/salmon-farm-fishing.jpgsalmon-farm-fishinghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/fish-on.jpgfish-onFish on!https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/releasing-tackle.jpgreleasing-tackleSometimes the tackle is thrown so close to the salmon farm that it gets snagged in the fence. In this case a wonderfully sympathetic worker unsnagged the hook and released the lure right where Mark wanted it. 2016-10-09T07:27:54+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/09/30/i-do-too-plant-seeds/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/20160928_162321.jpg20160928_162321.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/20160930_120751.jpg20160930_120751.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/20160930_120806.jpg20160930_120806.jpgNever mind that 2016-10-01T01:41:10+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/09/22/independence-days/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/20160918_074903.jpg20160918_074903.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/20160922_113609.jpg20160922_113609.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/20160909_150951.jpg20160909_150951.jpgMilo seems to be entering a new era of independence. Along with making his own breakfasts, he has been walking himself home from school as well. His buddy Ash (on the blue scooter) is 2016-09-22T07:10:09+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/09/13/a-five-year-olds-guile/2016-09-14T08:25:26+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/09/13/just-one-minute/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/20160904_191057.jpg20160904_191057.jpg2016-09-13T20:01:07+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/09/03/the-world-keeps-on-turning/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/20160903_075111.jpg20160903_075111.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/20160903_133332.jpg20160903_133332.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/20160903_113643.jpg20160903_113643.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/20160828_150402_richtonehdr.jpg20160828_150402_richtonehdr.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/20160901_090428.jpg20160901_090428.jpgThe forecast was for a "fine" day, meaning sunny and warm, but in the misty back yard that promise seemed unlikely to be fulfilled. "You wondered what it was like inside a cloud," I reminded Milo. "This is it. Cold and clammy." How do you suppose those minuscule drops line up like perfect pearls on the spider strands? https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/20160828_142946.jpg20160828_142946.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/20160828_150259_richtonehdr.jpg20160828_150259_richtonehdr.jpgInstead of the Pale Green Pants with Nobody Inside Them, we have the Bright Pink Gumboots with Nobody Inside Them. The kids are amazingly cold tolerant when it comes to winter beach water, and Naomi decided that no boots were better than wet boots after a surprise wave filled them with water.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/20160901_072932.jpg20160901_072932.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/20160901_111847.jpg20160901_111847.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/20160901_112022.jpg20160901_112022.jpg2016-09-04T15:21:52+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/08/26/if-you-dont-have-anything-nice-to-say/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/lumbar-mri.jpglumbar MRIHere's the whinge: Somehow I have a “bulging disk” in my back pushing on a nerve, causing pain from my hip to my toes. See that black thing between the vertebrae? It’s supposed to be a tidy little balloon staying neatly between the bones, not a jelly-filled donut with the jelly squeezed out.2016-09-03T07:18:43+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/08/18/cheap-travel/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/20160806_112919.jpg20160806_112919.jpgMaybe I'd enjoy cooking if I could use such pretty dishes. I eye them with envy, but at our house we just serve our plates off the pans on the stove....I can't quite justify the expense for beauty's sake alone.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/20160806_112953.jpg20160806_112953.jpgWhat is https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/20160806_113030.jpg20160806_113030.jpgYogiji's Food Mart is in South City Mall, tucked in the alley behind Warehouse Stationary and Hunting & Fishing. In front of the store the pavement is cracked, and inside the shopping carts are antique. I don't mind, the ambiance just all adds to the authenticity of the experience. I've never been to India, but in my imagination it's a little bit like walking into Yogiji's. It's pungent. It's colorful. The radio plays music that doesn't use the western 8-note scale. Fellow shoppers speak a fluid-sounding language that I don't begin to understand.2016-08-18T03:20:41+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/07/24/pretty-in-pink-2/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/20160723_105511.jpg20160723_105511.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/20160717_131322.jpg20160717_131322.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/20160720_182853.jpg20160720_182853.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/20160723_085203.jpg20160723_085203.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/20160723_103948.jpg20160723_103948.jpg2016-07-25T04:00:26+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/milos-view/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/20160716_163818.jpg20160716_163818.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/20160501_1558381.jpg20160501_155838.jpgWhat could be better than getting towed around like a naked princess in her carriage? Being that princess's chauffeur, of course!https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/20160325_174120.jpg20160325_174120.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/20160325_130607.jpg20160325_130607.jpgThe fascination with what's inside their pants is in full swing. For some reason, Milo and his buddy decided that pumping cold hose water down their shorts would be delightful. They tried both the front and the back application, with Naomi in full cooperation. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/20160327_121109.jpg20160327_121109.jpgYogurt drink makes the best milk mustache ever!https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/20160327_140646.jpg20160327_140646.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/20160321_064823.jpg20160321_064823.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/20160322_154145.jpg20160322_154145.jpghttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/20160324_085041.jpg20160324_085041.jpgEvery morning when I get to school there's an assignment for me to do on my white boardhttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/p5011129.jpgOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI am super excited about our upcoming visit to Omi and Abi's house. Mom told me we'll be taking THREE planes to get there, so I built a plane with my legos. It held together because it has a strong foundation, just like Daddy recommends. 2016-07-16T07:47:48+00:00weekly0.6https://giveitaburl.com/2016/07/11/mom-why-do-kids-say-damn-it/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/img_3044.jpgIMG_3044The playground...where all best tidbits are learnt. 2016-07-11T09:06:19+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/07/10/it-happens-to-every-mother-eventually/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/20160628_141425.jpg20160628_141425True Calculation Number Two (just for the record...): They eventually always sleep as well. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/20160630_101514.jpg20160630_101514I didn't have the wherewithal to turn and snap her photo as she stood blubbering in the grocery store, surrounded by a retinue of concerned citizens. I can rest assured that there will be a next time, unfortunately. In lieu of the genuine photo, here's another of my gorgeous girl--she was sitting on the top step preventing any other child from accessing the balance beam. 2016-07-11T09:01:02+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/06/29/black-sheep-black-sheep-have-you-any-meat/2016-07-10T00:17:10+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/06/27/dibble-dibble-dibble-dop/2016-06-28T11:52:07+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/06/23/eerie-jollies/2016-06-28T20:39:41+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/06/09/refresher-tramp/2016-06-10T01:55:11+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/05/29/death-row/2016-05-31T21:37:03+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/05/28/i-love-pink-and-purple/2016-05-28T12:53:36+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/05/20/a-good-wee-boy/2016-05-23T09:31:40+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/05/14/a-sentimental-tribute-to-autumn/2016-05-16T19:03:22+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/05/05/they-must-have-run-out-of-chocolate-bars/2016-05-05T14:16:55+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/05/02/mayhem-without-chaos-within/2016-05-02T13:38:59+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/04/28/holiday-zoo/2016-04-28T21:20:04+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/04/21/the-power-of-mms/2016-04-27T09:17:37+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/04/10/back-seat-conversations/2016-04-11T15:29:21+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/04/09/farewell-to-the-godwits/2016-04-09T13:35:41+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/04/05/how-to-earn-a-trophy/2016-04-06T16:24:43+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/03/29/marriage-training/2016-03-30T01:07:00+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/03/24/i-do-it/2016-03-27T08:14:22+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/03/17/the-beginning-of-an-era/2016-03-18T21:35:19+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/03/12/arrowtown-marathon/2016-03-13T05:09:10+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/03/11/catlins-green/2016-03-12T14:38:53+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/03/02/for-the-love-of-grandparents/2016-03-02T18:26:42+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/02/11/grandparents-in-the-house/2016-02-26T16:37:55+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/02/07/weve-made-it-5-years/2016-02-09T02:46:25+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/01/30/fishing-fiends/2016-01-30T14:16:29+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/01/18/twas-a-misty-moisty-morning/2016-01-19T01:21:10+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/01/10/does-he-have-an-off-button/2016-01-20T15:19:37+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2016/01/06/totaranui-christmas/2016-01-06T08:43:43+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/12/22/off-to-the-beach/2015-12-22T17:09:19+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/12/21/currants-are-red/2015-12-21T23:08:49+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/12/03/the-joys-of-kid-dom/2015-12-03T03:23:27+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/12/01/when-the-people-make-the-hike/2015-12-01T11:49:57+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/11/25/tekapo-times/2015-11-25T20:21:50+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/11/19/well-hung/2015-11-19T12:30:59+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/11/14/im-in-love/2015-11-15T13:27:07+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/11/13/glimpse-of-summer/2015-11-13T20:41:14+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/11/07/camp-wedding/2015-11-09T22:58:31+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/10/30/self-segregation/2015-11-01T02:50:09+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/10/29/bringing-home-the-bacon/2015-10-29T23:25:10+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/10/21/dead-fish-fun/2015-10-22T14:32:27+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/10/21/theyre-game/2015-10-21T13:42:07+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/10/14/sylvia-tops/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/20151011_075751.jpg20151011_075751There was one space left in the 10-bunk Nina hut, to my relief, and I spent a cheerful evening in the company of some remarkably cordial teenage boys and their dads. I didn't know 15 year old males did anything but grunt, but these guys pleasantly surprised me with their friendly conversation. They even asked me if I was a "professional" tramper. Ha! What flattery! Nope, I am a foreigner, but I'm just a mom out for the weekend. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/moss-fur.jpgmoss furI spent the next two hours looking at moss and beech leaves and scratchy trunks up close. At first I appreciated the lush greenery. Then I remembered that I don't like bush whacking (or "bush bashing" as they call it here). At certain moments the branches seem malevolent, snatching at my hair and snagging my ice axe. I would find a deer trail only to loose it again. I guess deer aren't stupid enough to climb straight up hill.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/doc-map.jpgdoc mapNina Valley and Sylvia Tops. The hike looked pretty good as described in South Island Weekend Tramps. Most solo weekend tramps mean backtracking back to the car, but this one would be a loop. On the outward leg I'd following a "route" over the Sylvia tops, stay at a tiny hut on the saddle, and walk back out the valley the next day. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/looking-to-tops.jpglooking to topsI looked carefully along the trail for any sign of a side path. It's not a DOC track, so I doubted there would be a sign. At a deer trail I cut over to the river flats and got a good look at the beech-cloaked ridge I had determined to climb. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/river-ford.jpgriver fordThe river ford was tame (dry undies!), but COLD. I wonder how many hours ago that water was snow. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/grumpy-selfie.jpggrumpy selfieBah, good riddance to that thick forest, I'm finally out in the thin lichen-clad alpine beeches.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/out-of-forest.jpgout of forestI chose my lunch spot carefully, rearranged my tattered hair, and settled down in the sun with a view.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/cup-o-tea.jpgcup o teaAnd enjoyed a restorative cup of tea!https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/tops-panarama.jpgtops panaramaHere, now, is my terrain for the rest of the day. The patches of snow weren't ice-axe-and-crampon worthy, but it was comforting to think that the extra gear had added to my weight training. I followed the tops of the hills around the basin, stopping frequently for snacks. There were no footprints in the snow; it must have been a while since anyway was up here. It's a good feeling. Who doesn't want to be strong and capable and independent? And for a brief moment completely free of responsibility for the welfare of others. My tired thighs reminded me that I'm not a bionic human, and the last decent climb on the map before heading down to the saddle kept me from getting too cocky. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/lichen.jpglichenI guess the bare exposed rocks are cheap real estate, so someone is going to live there. Lichens are super impressive!2015-10-15T07:50:48+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/10/12/happy-birthday-naomi-2/2015-10-14T06:30:16+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/10/04/hagley-in-spring/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/kids-climb-magnolia.jpgkids climb magnoliaWe zipped through the extensive daffodil plantings under the tall oaks and petted the furry ranunculus blossoms in the alpine garden before Milo announced the inevitable: "Mom, I'm hungry!" Of course you are. Never mind that breakfast was a scant hour ago. The feeding doesn't seem to parse out into simple meals, but instead morphs into a continuous bonanza of cheese, grapes, peanutbutter-and-jelly, and banana. You'd think they'd get tired of the old stand-bys, but they don't seem to. After our food we wandered over to this climbable magnolia to put it through its paces. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/kaka.jpgkakaAptly named "Kaka beak," these red flowers are a New Zealand special. I couldn't drum up much interest in these pendulous beauties among the little people, unfortunately.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/hagley-flower-bed.jpghagley flower bedIt's finally spring, and it seems to have finally warmed up. My sincerest condolences to our northern hemisphere family and friends who are entering the Dark Days of Winter just as we're chortling about spring. You'll get your own cackles come June, when we're shivering and you're beginning to tan. We got up to Christchurch's central park (Hagley) one day last week to oogle the blossoms. Milo stopped to admire this flower bed--"You do want to take a picture, don't you Mom?" Of course I do. Kudos to the gardener who dreamed up the kaleidoscope combination of red polyanthus, pink bellis, orange poppies, yellow wall flower, and bright blue forget-me-nots. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/bug-hunting.jpgbug huntingA log full of bugs was much more interesting. I get it. I find the quick sunlight exposure and the frantic scuttle for the safety of the dark a pretty good show myself. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/naomi-looking-bugs.jpgnaomi looking bugsNaomi, true to her sweet nurturing nature, was most interested in the "babies." I'm not sure how exactly she logic-ed the worm-like beetle larvae as cute, but she pointed enthusiastically as they made their escape. "BayBies!" 2015-10-07T03:12:12+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/09/20/arboria-kaleidoscope/2015-09-21T15:47:42+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/09/17/my-kind-of-pet/2015-09-17T00:47:47+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/09/06/shifting/2015-09-07T12:44:35+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/09/06/bagel-snobbery/2015-09-08T13:04:00+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/08/14/kids-curry-and-chaos/2015-08-15T14:09:15+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/08/04/hurunui-hot-springs/2015-08-06T06:56:06+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/07/30/sheep-marbles-at-the-quarry/2015-07-30T15:04:31+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/07/13/top-of-the-world/2015-07-14T06:10:13+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/06/28/snow-in-the-mountains/2015-06-30T00:37:36+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/06/25/ages-and-stages/2015-06-26T17:02:20+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/06/18/through-the-letter-slot/2015-06-25T02:55:12+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/06/24/frost-fairy/2015-06-24T12:32:00+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/06/08/kids-at-castle-hill/2015-06-08T13:41:32+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/05/31/people-often-ask-why-do-you-do-it/2015-05-31T20:39:13+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/05/22/kiwi-as/2015-06-01T04:47:32+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/05/07/kaituna-with-six-legged-drive/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/naomi-balance-bike.jpgnaomi balance bike2015-05-07T06:22:55+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/05/04/kakanui/2015-05-04T13:00:44+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/04/30/life-is/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/milo-hen-drawing.jpgmilo hen drawing"This is a mommy rooster and her eggs. She's picking up the baby rooster. The X is the egg that already hatched." We've moved into the realm of story-drawings, and Mom is enjoying it. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/naomi-tumbletimes-rings.jpgnaomi tumbletimes ringsGiggle giggle! I don't need words to tell you that I'm feeling strong and capable and LOVING IT!https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/img_5372.jpgIMG_5372Life is odd....at least we humans display strange taste when we decorate with animal heads. This particular one is going on Rosman's wall after a successful hunt the guys did a few weeks ago. 2015-04-30T23:38:00+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/04/08/glamping/2015-04-10T03:01:42+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/04/06/on-to-plan-b/2015-04-06T08:23:02+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/03/19/annihalation-of-the-flies/2015-03-21T08:24:09+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/03/11/floundermania/2015-03-13T07:05:35+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/03/05/swiss-cheese-landscape/2015-03-10T00:46:45+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/02/20/all-play-and-no-work/2015-03-10T01:00:17+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/02/15/i-like-the-snow/2015-02-15T22:11:27+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/02/09/i-dont-feel-any-different-being-four/2015-02-10T15:09:04+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/02/03/transported-to-winter/2015-02-03T03:19:21+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/01/13/blueberries-for-naomi/2015-01-13T23:06:01+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/01/10/tour-of-canterbury/2015-01-11T18:10:35+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2015/01/08/old-history-christmas/2015-01-09T17:12:25+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/12/30/eat-local-sea-catch/2014-12-30T15:59:43+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/12/15/quiet-in-the-woods/2015-02-05T06:29:05+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/12/14/pep-and-shazam/2014-12-14T19:54:12+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/12/09/hanmer-hot-springs/2014-12-09T18:30:54+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/12/04/cow-investments/2014-12-04T14:55:08+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/11/24/the-culture-exists/2014-11-27T08:21:09+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/10/29/balance-bike-on-the-st-james-cycleway/2014-10-29T22:20:28+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/10/15/birthday-hike/2014-10-15T08:33:51+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/10/13/happy-birthday-naomi/2014-10-14T12:27:41+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/10/08/its-a-kids-world/2014-10-08T14:10:28+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/10/08/learning-by-wobbles-and-tots/2014-10-13T07:30:50+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/10/06/kaikoura-legend/2014-10-06T07:30:42+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/09/28/for-love-of-a-grandfather/2014-09-28T19:42:36+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/09/26/plants-are-awesome/2014-09-27T19:54:10+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/09/25/me-too/2014-09-25T16:15:39+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/09/07/a-happy-fathers-day/2014-09-07T13:00:27+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/09/05/from-winter-to-spring/2014-09-05T14:14:06+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/08/31/ummm-it-smells-right/2014-09-01T14:08:15+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/08/17/peak-hill-challenge/2014-08-21T05:56:55+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/08/14/a-kid-like-me/2014-08-14T11:07:36+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/08/12/in-celebration-of-family/2014-08-17T09:14:54+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/08/07/america-is-large/2014-08-09T02:17:06+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/08/07/a-study-in-playgrounds/2014-08-08T13:59:34+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/07/20/season-swap/2014-07-21T18:55:27+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/07/08/life-sized-tinker-toys/2014-07-08T12:12:49+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/07/08/you-know-youre-old-when/2014-07-09T07:53:56+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/06/24/hiking-whine-mt-cry-oxford-whinge/2014-07-01T21:02:07+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/06/17/milo-my-ears-are-full/2014-06-18T10:15:33+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/06/16/winter-in-christchurch/2014-06-16T16:50:39+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/06/03/frosty-boots-in-chamois-territory/2014-06-05T07:46:13+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/05/30/princess-milo/2014-05-31T11:31:42+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/05/28/pomeroys-chateau-avon-embankment/2014-05-29T02:04:51+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/05/22/clearwater-barrens/2014-05-23T06:51:46+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/05/22/little-boys-dream/2014-05-26T11:09:27+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/05/20/taniwha/2014-05-20T23:15:28+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/05/10/two-cuppa-hike/2014-05-11T21:48:25+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/05/04/farm-at-the-end-of-the-road/2014-05-08T08:18:42+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/05/03/fun-with-electrons/2014-05-04T07:55:18+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/04/23/cyclone-remnants/2014-04-23T19:26:59+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/04/19/smuggle-that-budgie/2014-04-20T06:40:33+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/04/19/teatseal-and-stubbies/2014-04-19T12:35:29+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/04/12/rainy-day-week-play/2014-04-13T10:48:46+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/04/06/nana-and-papa-come-to-town/2014-04-06T14:33:57+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/03/24/naomis-first-hair-cut-courtesy-of-milo/2014-03-26T02:36:32+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/03/23/pigs-beer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DIGITAL CAMERA2014-01-27T14:31:19+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/01/21/first-day-at-preschool/2014-01-21T14:34:08+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/01/15/my-beautiful-baby/2014-01-15T14:38:42+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/01/15/south-of-the-south/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/looking-for-birds.jpgOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAhttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/kayaking-with-naomi.jpgOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA2014-01-16T13:58:17+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2014/01/02/summertime-christmas/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/milo-blueberries.jpgOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAhttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/crafts-with-audrey.jpgOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAIt's a long drive up to Wharariki, so we stopped overnight with our friends the Jordans. Audrey and Milo had almost as much fun as Molly making Christmas tree ornaments at their place.2014-01-03T16:50:27+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/12/18/kid-dom/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/kids-wrapped-up.jpgOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA"Whappa me up too. Mom!" Milo begged. So here we are, two little peas in their separate pods, grinning from ear to ear.2013-12-19T15:22:36+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/12/13/they-say-the-time-flies/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/naomi-two-weeks.jpgNaomi two weeksNaomi was two weeks old in this photo, Omi had arrived a few days previous. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/naomi-cheeky-smile.jpgNaomi two monthsNaomi has turned into a chubby two-month-old with a cheeky grin. They say the time flies.... I must be getting older, because now I'd have to agree. I remember Milo's infancy dragging a little, puttering around the house in a New York winter, staring out the window, a tad bit bored and feeling guilty over the sentiment. I was happy to return to work when maternity leave was over. This time I'm savoring the days more, enjoying this little chickie. 2013-12-15T16:14:13+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/12/12/sandy-rest-stops/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/molly-naomi-dunedin-cliffs.jpgnaomi mollyMy charge at this beach was simpler--keep the immobile baby warm, shaded, fed and happy. Maybe I'll look back at these photos in a few years and see a family resemblance in our faces, but right now it's just too close for me to discern. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/milo-sandy-toes.jpgsandy toesHere, after all, is the real reason we stop at beaches. Look at those happy toes. Most of that sand makes it back into the car with us too.2013-12-13T00:55:36+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/12/11/runners-are-nutty/2013-12-12T13:22:26+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/12/10/what-did-you-dress-him-in/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/milo-in-pink-with-ella.jpgmilo in pink with ella"What did you dress him in?!" Jeremiah exclaims, frowning. Well, in this case he dressed himself from the dress-up wardrobe at our friends' house....who have three girls. As of yet he has no cultural bias against pink, which I think is fantastic. Plus I find Jeremiah's disgusted response predictable, fascinating and ridiculous all at the same time. 2013-12-12T06:38:42+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/11/29/freedom-on-two-wheels/2013-11-29T15:34:17+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/11/26/mommy-kiddy-weekend/2013-11-29T07:57:43+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/11/20/omis-heads-home/2013-11-20T15:43:08+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/11/17/grannies-kiddies-and-wine/2013-11-20T01:01:03+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/11/14/drive-walk-drive/2013-11-20T01:00:04+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/11/06/mud-and-chocolate-a-two-year-olds-paradise/2013-11-06T22:13:03+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/11/06/castles-and-punchbowls/2013-11-06T22:20:02+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/11/04/1770/2013-11-04T10:44:25+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/11/04/kaikoura-with-the-kids/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/beach-treasures-milo-omi.jpgbeach combingI could spend hours beach combing, finding intricate sea urchin shells and bright orange crayfish legs to clutter up the shelves of our house.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/omi-milo-kaikoura.jpgthumbs upThumbs up Omi and Milo!2013-11-04T11:49:49+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/10/26/first-major-break-down/2013-11-04T03:14:02+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/10/25/special-times-with-omi/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/milos-omi.jpgomi's portraitI like taking pictures with Mommy and Daddy's camera, and I'm getting much better at it too! I point the camera at my subject, check to see that they're in view, hold the camera still, press the button, then say "Good One!" Don't you think this is a Good One of Omi?2013-10-26T03:24:34+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/10/20/long-awaited-arrival/2013-10-20T12:47:49+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/10/20/pretty-in-pink/2013-10-22T14:23:47+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/10/17/big-brother-love/2013-10-20T01:06:08+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/10/12/bada-bing-bada-boom-baby/2013-10-15T22:23:34+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/10/11/the-waiting-game/2013-10-11T22:14:31+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/10/08/welcome-to-the-commonwealth/2013-10-08T21:12:48+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/10/05/olive-grove/2013-10-06T12:19:33+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/10/02/short-fat-and-hairy/2013-10-02T14:03:49+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/10/02/1676/2013-10-02T15:35:11+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/09/19/raw-country/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/jeremiah-milo-at-tekapo-house.jpgOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA2013-09-19T14:24:20+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/09/07/quest-for-snow/2013-09-12T14:27:36+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/09/07/whitebait-squirmies/2013-09-07T08:45:48+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/09/04/milos-milo/2013-09-07T13:35:05+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/09/03/sun-soaked-weekend/2013-09-03T16:04:02+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/08/27/1625/2013-08-28T08:43:45+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/08/25/sheep-rule/2013-08-25T14:55:44+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/08/25/mussel-man/2013-08-25T15:01:33+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/08/20/1575/2013-08-25T08:26:17+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/08/15/learning-language/2013-08-15T12:19:21+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/08/13/a-guys-weekend-in-mountain-goat-country/2013-08-17T22:09:08+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/08/08/one-year-in-new-zealand/2013-08-09T08:13:01+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/08/08/bassinet-struggles/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p8071286.jpgbassinetChatting to some Playcenter moms (or Playcentre Mums, as they say here), someone asked about accommodations for the new baby. I had been thinking along the lines of a blanket-lined clothes basket to start out, but that must have seemed a bit roughish to them because one of the other moms generously offered the loan of their bassinet. I graciously accepted, having in my mind's eye the plain woven basket my parents had as a bassinet for us. The clinking and clanking inside the hefty bag was the first hint that this bassinet was not to be such a simple affair. I pulled it out one evening to have a look and two college-educated adults spent the next 1.5 hours puzzling over its assembly, with Milo's enthusiastic "help." Not that there are lots of pieces either..... After 3 or 4 restarts we finally got it looking like a photo we found on the internet.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/photo.jpgmilo in bassinetMilo was so anxious to try it out that we let him curl up in the top part just once. It's really the silliest bit of frilly white laciness imaginable, but I'm ridiculously pleased with it.2013-08-08T08:38:43+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/07/26/1527/2013-07-26T14:28:44+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/07/26/morbid-hood-ornament/2013-07-26T14:33:05+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/07/24/retreat-to-mt-doom/2013-07-24T22:16:11+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/07/21/lights-in-the-park/2013-07-26T08:21:31+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/07/16/girls-weekend-at-hamner/2013-07-17T00:45:28+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/07/07/hughs-hinewai/2013-07-07T08:35:28+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/06/26/does-the-moon-get-wet/2013-06-26T21:15:46+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/06/23/a-craving-for-snow/2013-06-23T09:00:08+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/06/20/ginger-beer-bubbles/2013-06-20T07:55:05+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/06/20/pooptastic/2013-06-20T07:48:20+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/06/09/mt-somers-in-the-snow/2013-06-11T07:52:33+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/06/04/my-little-joker/2013-06-05T14:15:11+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/06/04/seal-mania/2013-06-04T21:10:22+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/06/04/dodging-rain-at-nydia-bay/2013-06-12T15:47:02+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/06/03/eat-local/2013-06-03T04:50:24+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/05/31/instant-winter/2013-06-02T22:07:32+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/05/28/window-washer/2013-05-28T18:12:07+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/05/21/winter-wet/2013-05-28T01:02:01+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/05/12/a-weekend-at-the-farm/2013-05-15T18:42:44+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/05/07/teddy-parenting/2013-05-07T03:11:07+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/05/05/super-daddy/2013-05-06T07:35:48+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/05/05/1319/2013-05-05T18:30:14+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/05/05/cushion-theater/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/rowdy-daddy.jpgrowdy play with dadI like it when Daddy comes home, puts down his iphone, and rowdy-plays with me! It's Friday, which means that Daddy's beard has grown since Monday. We were sitting at the table and I put my hand on Daddy's cheek and told him it was Rough, then put my hand on his head and told him it was Smooth. I put my hand on my own head and said "Hair," meaning I have hair where Daddy's head is smooth. Daddy called me a "Little Squirt" and decided that we needed a little rowdy play before bed. I'm alright with that!https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/pbj-delight.jpgPBJ delightMy favorite lunch is a toss-up between a peanut-butter ("Burrr" I call it) and jelly sandwich and yogurt ("Yurt"). We chose a sandwich yesterday for the bike ride because it's more portable, and stopped at a chapel and cemetery to eat lunch. I'm an expert at eating all the good parts and leaving the barren crusts for Mama. 2013-05-05T07:32:18+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/04/28/tender-or-ruthless/2013-04-28T09:18:55+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/04/27/walking-from-poop-to-poop/2013-04-27T08:56:45+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/04/24/fussy-little-bugger/2013-04-25T04:57:33+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/04/24/turtle-pillow/2013-04-24T15:07:09+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/04/14/kiwi-slang/2013-04-14T08:42:26+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/04/14/adrenaline-forest/2013-04-14T07:59:59+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/04/09/fishing-trip/2013-04-11T07:54:29+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/04/04/zealandia-horticulture/2013-04-06T19:37:43+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/04/02/hunting-chamois/2013-04-02T12:49:11+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/04/02/the-price-of-parenthood/2013-04-02T12:47:07+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/04/02/tomato-squish/2013-04-05T13:05:23+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/04/02/fly-mania/2013-04-02T04:59:44+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/03/18/crusaders-rugby/2013-03-19T01:06:59+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/03/18/safari-zoo/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/tristan-milo-zoo.jpgtrister milo zooJeremiah went hunting last weekend, so Milo and I met a friend at the Zoo, a "safari-style" walk through of mainly large African animals. Tristan and Milo are looking at the giraffes from afar, but earlier we had been quite close to them. With their wide heads atop long agile necks they reminded me of dinosaurs. 2013-03-18T07:02:03+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/03/14/mount-aspiring-hut/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/milo-caught-fly.jpgmilo caught flyAll that grass made nice bug-stalking territory for Milo. To our astonishment, he actually caught a fly all by himself, and even zipped the door closed. He was so proud! 2013-03-14T13:11:40+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/03/14/tourist-traps-in-cromwell/2013-03-14T16:07:44+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/03/12/queenstown-adventure-sports/2013-03-12T23:23:27+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/03/12/kepler-track/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/milo-backpack.jpgmilo backpackWe did suggest that if he wants to do things himself, he might like to carry Daddy's BIG backpack....but after the photo shoot, he decided that he' best leave that task to Dad.2013-03-14T01:26:28+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/02/27/playcenter-pals-2/2013-03-30T22:45:06+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/02/24/venison-sausages/2013-02-25T09:56:49+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/02/21/mamas-little-boy/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/legos-and-train.jpgserious legosBuilding a tower is serious business. Mama helped get the bridge structure going (since Daddy wasn't home yet), and I embellished it with flowers and a tall asymmetrical tower. 2013-02-21T16:44:07+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/02/17/lake-clearwater/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/milo-on-floor.jpgself portraitHere's Milo's self portrait, using the camera timer up in the living room of the bach. The camera provided a long stint of amusement on the drizzly Sunday morning. 2013-02-18T16:19:11+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/02/11/buller-gorge-run/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/milo-eating-cookie-dough.jpgOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA2013-02-11T18:21:24+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/02/10/cookie-monster-bash/2013-02-23T13:11:56+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/02/07/waitangi-day/2013-02-07T00:16:56+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/02/06/bean-picking/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/zoning-with-movie.jpgzoning with movieMommom and Poppop sent me a new movie, so I watched Hermie while Mama puttered around in the kitchen. Fascinating stuff. 2013-02-07T03:11:59+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/01/28/packhorse-packdaddy-hut/2013-01-28T16:14:22+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/01/24/christmas-in-january/2013-01-24T14:56:16+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/01/24/vege-patch/2013-01-29T01:47:22+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/01/22/think-like-a-stag/2013-01-22T16:04:30+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/01/19/kiwi-campground-buskers-style/2013-01-19T21:52:09+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/01/16/picnic-and-play-in-the-park/2013-01-18T18:16:39+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/01/16/blueberry-pie-and-happiness-hormones/2013-01-16T21:31:59+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/01/14/we-eat-meat/2013-01-16T20:55:02+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/01/13/january-blueberries/2013-01-13T03:47:15+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/01/13/back-to-basics/2013-01-16T20:57:07+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/01/10/shebakiki/2013-01-10T02:54:41+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/01/10/doc-warning/2013-01-10T03:22:40+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/01/07/castles-in-rocks/2013-01-08T17:40:28+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/01/07/arthurs-pass/2013-01-07T18:43:52+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/01/06/water-water-everywhere/2013-01-08T19:14:06+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/01/06/lake-rotoiri/2013-01-07T18:13:59+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/01/06/nelson-mountains/2013-01-06T14:58:29+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/01/05/abel-tasman-christmas/2013-01-06T15:01:57+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2013/01/06/kid-dom-respite/2013-01-06T00:57:53+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/12/22/the-great-christmas-packing-saga/2013-01-08T01:00:49+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/12/17/daddy-day/2012-12-17T15:01:04+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/12/17/mama-milo-hike/2012-12-17T14:57:57+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/12/10/hot-sun-banishes-winter/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/milos-page-splashing.jpgmilo splashingKicking up water with my toes is so great! This water is particularly nice because it's warm, and there's a nice long run-way to splash uninterrupted. I suggest splashing to everyone to make them Happy. 2012-12-12T08:16:35+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/11/19/hapuku-hut-in-kaikoura-range/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/milo-stirring-stream.jpgMILO STIRRING STREAMThe view? Who cares, when we have WATER to play in! Milo's actually very good about sitting on the bank and throwing rocks, rather than wading into the fast-moving current. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/milo-grinning-with-stick.jpgMILO GRINNING WITH WALKING STICK"Look at ME, Mama! I'm a big boy and I'm going down to the stream to throw some rocks!" I remember the pleasure of playing in creeks as a kid, watching the water hump up around stones, the eddies moving my floating leaves back upstream. Milo loves it all. 2014-07-02T07:34:32+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/12/03/marlborough-marathon/2012-12-10T04:15:09+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/12/10/plan-c-lake-coleridge/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/molly-and-milo-in-sand-hole.jpgmolly and milo in sand holeFor most of the day the lake was glassy smooth, a rare no-wind day in New Zealand. Towards late afternoon the wind picked up and a few minutes after this picture was snapped, our warm little water hole was swamped by waves. That explains the driftwood "tide line" and beach-like appearance of the lake edge. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/milo-playing-in-sand.jpgJeremiah fishingMilo spent the day as "Daddy's Little Buddy," happily playing in the sand while Jeremiah fished in the lake, sporting his new Cornell hat from Abi and Omi and his snazzy red sunglasses. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/milo-and-daddy-with-fort.jpgmilo and daddy with fortJeremiah built a fort with Milo to cast a tiny bit of shade, decorating it with grasses and seed heads. When I returned Milo showed me proudly the part that he built.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/cornell-hats.jpgcornell hatsA box came from Omi and Abi the other day, and when Mama opened it there were some more paper-wrapped things, plus this red hat that just fits me! I LOVE my new red hat because it's just like Daddy's. It has a big white C on the front. C is for Cookie, as anyone knows who watches Sesame Street. My hat also says "Cornell," and I'm not sure what a Cornell Cookie is, but it must be super good!2012-12-12T14:59:50+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/11/27/godley-head-hike-with-a-new-friend/2012-12-03T01:30:08+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/11/24/biker-dude/2012-11-26T18:31:16+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/11/23/over-the-toilet-bathroom-creation/2012-12-03T21:08:21+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/11/22/lest-you-think-lifes-all-smiles-and-giggles/2012-11-22T13:23:33+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/11/21/poke-poke-beans/2012-11-21T14:12:58+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/11/10/packhorse-hut-walk/2012-11-10T13:51:42+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/11/09/victoria-park-with-the-ladies/2012-11-09T05:05:52+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/11/08/backyard-splish-splash/2012-11-13T01:36:51+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/11/06/playcenter-pals/2012-11-08T18:21:28+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/11/04/snowy-mt-oxford/2012-11-05T08:29:58+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/11/02/venture-capitalist-wanted/2012-11-03T13:26:31+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/11/01/the-munted-city/2012-11-02T16:15:07+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/11/01/babies-at-birdlings-flat/2012-11-02T06:34:39+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/10/27/6-hour-bike-blast/2012-11-01T10:38:17+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/10/25/flaming-azaleas/2012-10-26T02:07:52+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/10/24/plant-buddy/2012-10-24T20:06:12+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/10/22/marlborough-weekend/2012-10-23T14:07:27+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/10/14/driftwood-cooking-at-napenape-beach/2012-10-14T20:13:04+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/10/11/cats-live-in-wisteria/2012-10-14T18:46:45+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/10/09/puddle-stomping/2012-10-09T14:24:59+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/10/07/okains-bay-weekend/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/cleaning-mussels-with-daddy.jpgCLEANING MUSSELSWere they worth it? Mama likes collecting them and Daddy likes both eating and collecting them, so yes, they're good.2012-10-09T00:30:44+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/10/07/halswell-quarry-walk/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/halswell-quary-walk2.jpgMILO WITH SHEEP Milo and Mama went on a walk on Friday to the old Halswell Quarry where much of the stone of the famous Christchurch buildings (fallen down since the 2011 quakes) was mined. The track wandered up through a sheep pasture where Milo got to practice his Bahhing. Not sure what his plan was for that stick, but at least it did not get near a sheep. 2012-10-09T00:26:19+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/10/03/willowbank-critters/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/wallaby.jpgwallaby"Willabie Wallaby Woo, and Elephant Sat on Sue!" That's the Raffe song we enjoyed growing up. I didn't know what a wallaby was, except for a nice rhyming word in a silly song. In real life they are just about as silly, sort of a cross between a giant squirrel and a kangaroo. The sign informed us that their babies live in their pouches for 5-11 months after they are born. Sounds like a massively stinky pouch to me!https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/silky-chicken.jpgsilky chickenAlong with some New Zealand native animals and random neat exotic animals (lemurs, parrots, emus), one section of the preserve had farm animals. Milo got to practice his barnyard animal noises.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/milo-sleeping-at-willowbank.jpgmilo sleeping at willowbankAw, the little guy is zonked out. That also meant Mama didn't have to buy him ice cream like the other kids got (you can see Maggie with hers in the background). https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/eel-feeding.jpgEEL FEEDINGIt's school break ("holiday") right now, so yesterday we went to Willowbank with our American friends that live in our neighborhood. Willowbank is like a nature preserve/petting zoo, and while you don't actually pet the eels, the kids do feed them. They like minced meat, and they eat off spoons. Creepy! 2012-10-07T08:13:57+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/10/02/milo-scribbles/2012-10-02T22:10:06+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/10/02/calendula-worms/2012-10-09T14:48:11+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/09/30/godley-head-track/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/p9280328.jpgEND OF SUMNERThis weekend we drove out through Sumner to Godley Beach, a walking area managed by the Christchurch City Council. Driving through Sumner was dramatic itself--it's got to be one of the ritziest suburbs of the city, but it was hard hit with the earthquakes. Some sections of road are edged by shipping containers to protect traffic from rocks and houses falling off the cliffs. One place we looked up and the houses were half there, half gone. The rock the port hills are made of is rather porous, old volcanic material, and some of the best houses with the amazing views on cliff edges didn't fare too well.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/sheep-on-cliff-edge.jpgSHEEP ON CLIFFThese lambs think that they're goats, climbing around on the cliff edges. Milo, of course, was delighted to see them. He thinks all animals say "baahhh!," and here in NZ he's almost correct. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/geranium-with-milo-and-jeremiah.jpgGERANIUMYes, the boys look great, but take a look at that red flowering bush on their left. It's a GERANIUM. I guess it never gets that cold right here next to the ocean, and they grow as perennials. I'm going to rush out Monday morning bright and early and buy myself some bright red ivy geraniums for my flower boxes!https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/godly-head-track.jpgGODLEY HEAD TRACKThe trail was officially closed following the Feb 2011 earthquake (for fear of falling rocks), but we followed all the other footprints around the sign and enjoyed a section of the track. We'll come back later in October when it's open. 2012-09-30T21:04:59+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/09/29/duck-eggs-and-green-sausage/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/jeremiahs-quiche.jpgQUICHEShaw's don't often wax poetic, but Jeremiah got pretty close while eating this quiche. This morning we went to the Riccarton farmers' market and Jeremiah picked up a "second class dozen" (that means 10) duck eggs and Bobotie sausage. This evening he whipped up a quiche that tasted great. Honestly I'm not a connoisseur of eggs, I couldn't tell by taste that they were duck eggs. But we enjoyed them (and the food story) heartily at any rate! 2012-09-30T07:05:32+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/09/26/youtube-sesame-street/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/watching-sesame-street-on-you-tube-e1348650776509.jpgwatching sesame street on you tubeI'm not sure who is enjoying Sesame Sreet on youtube more, Mama or Milo. Mama I think. We take full advantage of the addictive youtube feature where they suggest what other videos you might like....we're on the Sesame Street song kick from the '80s right now, clips I remember watching. "Du-op, du-op, Hop!" by Kermit is still in my head. 2012-09-26T10:19:44+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/09/24/building-dexterity/2012-09-24T02:05:29+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/09/24/hiking-woolshed-creek-no-sheep/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/woolshed-creek-hut.jpgWOOLSHED CREEK HUTWhat you can't see in this picture is the outhouse, but even that was well built and minimally smelly. You can hear the brook even inside the hut.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/woolshed-creek-hike-molly-milo.jpgWOOLSHED CREEK HIKE SIGNThis past weekend we hiked around the Mt Somer area, up Woolshed creek to the DOC hut there. That means we didn't have to carry a tent, and we had a heated place to cook! Molly carried Milo, his diapers and clothes, while Jeremiah carried all the rest of the paraphernalia.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/woolshed-creek-coal-mine.jpgCOAL MINEStarting in the mid 1800's, miners tried to make a go at digging coal out of the earth. The mine is still there, closed off, and some of the steep tracks they made to carry the coal down to the train. Ug, what a cold, dirty, nasty way to make a living. For some reason, plants don't seem to grow back around the mine site, so it'll take a long time (in people time) for that scar to heal over on the landscape. I guess in geological time it's still just a blip.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/wiggly-bridge-in-rear-view.jpgWIGGLY BRIDGE IN REAR VIEWMany trails don't have bridges where they cross creeks, and Kiwis say they just walk though the water, shrugging off freezing wet feet as a fact of hiking life here. We're not so convinced, and as pansy Americans we still adhere to the sacrament of dry boots while hiking. We LOVED this bridge, not only because it prevented wet feet, but because it WIGGLED. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/view-over-tussock-to-canterbury-plain.jpgTUSSOCK GRASSESI think these tussock grasses were native to the area, so I imagine that these hills were grassy instead of wooded before people came along. It's kind of hard to imagine the natural look, actually, since just about every nook and cranny is changed to grazing land if it's not so steep that sheep and topsoil fall off the slopes. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/tussock-grass-sky-and-mtns.jpgTUSSOCK GRASS SKY MTNSCheck out those clouds! It's cold when they cover the sun and warm when they pass. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/teaching-milo-about-hot-stove.jpgTEACHING MILO ABOUT HOT STOVEMilo seems to have remembered the hot wood stove at home, he respected this one well. "Hot" is one word he does say, and he used it well, making sure everyone knew that the stove was hot.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/snowy-mtns.jpgSNOWY MTNSMore scenery....we just can't help ourselves. There were two guys at the hut who had carried in their skies, looking for a snowy slope to hike and ski down. They didn't find any that were accessible from the hut, but we enjoyed talking to them anyway. Both are from Dunedin, south of Christchurch, and one invited Jeremiah to call him up when he wanted to go hunting down there. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/shadow-wiggly-bridge.jpgSHADOW WIGGLY BRIDGEThis is a good time NOT to have a fear of heights! https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/moss-woolshed-hike.jpgMOSSThe soils up on these particular hills aren't very fertile, with damp heavy clay soil, lacking nutrients. Mosses don't seem to mind though! The lichens and mosses are most impressive, making their living where other plants can't, at least not until their actions have helped weather the rock and improved the soil for other plants to get a toe-hold. I like them. They seem to be happy enough with the "make do with less" mentality.2012-09-29T15:22:02+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/09/18/christmas-in-september/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/moving-truck.jpgMOVING TRUCKUncle Ted and Aunt Gretchen said when our shipment of household stuff came it would be like Christmas. They said you'd forget what you had packed and when you opened it up you'd have lots of pleasant surprises. At the time I thought "yeah, probably, if you're old and forgetful and really into dishes.. I'm not." But they were absolutely right. Maybe I am old and forgetful, and if not dishes, then I'm really into colorful throw rugs. We've been in New Zealand for 6 weeks now and it feels GREAT to eat at a dining room table and sit on a sofa.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/movers-working.jpgMOVERS WORKINGThe carefully polite movers hauled everything inside, threaded the couch through the tiny living room door, and began assembling chairs, tables, and beds. All the hardware to put our bed together was missing, but at least Milo's crib pieces came through alright. I offered the guys cookies for their break time and they didn't know what I was talking about. Cookies are called 'biscuits' here, makes them sound a little healthier...or like a doggie treat. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/handlens.jpgHANDLENSOf all the nice little things that I unpacked today, my 10x hand lens tickled me the most. I completely forgot that I had packed it, and I had been wanting it too. It must have been an afterthought on the packing end, since it was tucked away in the kitchen box. Now I can see the fern sori (delicate little spore holders) close up! Oh my, I'm a hopeless nerd.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/bagels.jpgBAGELSBagels, a success! Milo thinks so too. Kiwis don't seem to have fresh bakery bagels and Jeremiah likes them for breakfast, so I've been trying out recipes and techniques. These are the best so far. Dough sits in the fridge for a day, then bagels are formed, they rise, they're boiled, then baked. Baked on parchment paper sprinkled with cornmeal, after the first batch I tried left all their bottoms on the pan. 2012-09-20T15:24:43+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/09/15/garden-city/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/milo-sniffing-daffodils.jpgMILO IN DAFFODILSFriday Milo and I went to Hagley park for a few hours, the big central park in Christchurch that sports extensive botanical gardens and a lovely section of spring daffodils growing under tall beech trees. Milo smells flowers by blowing on them. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/milo-sleeping-in-tree-ferns.jpgMILO SLEEPIGN IN FERNSMilo really appreciated all the New Zealand native plants neatly labeled in the botanical garden. He found the stroll very relaxing.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/fern-nest.jpgFERN NESTWill I ever get enough of these luxurious ferns? Probably not. I love the new baby fronds coming up. They're enormous, it's like a nest of dinosaur eggs.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/cherry-blossoms1.jpgCHERRY BLOSSOMSAlong with the daffodils are rows and rows of blooming cherry trees. Spring flowers seem to last a long time here, as the weather is still pretty cool. Daffodils have been blooming for about a month.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/cabbage-tree.jpgCABBAGE TREEThis "cabbage tree" is a signature New Zealand plant. Doesn't look much like a cabbage to me, but Maori used to dig up the roots, grind them, dry them and eat them. That was before Europeans brought potatoes which were much easier to cultivate, cook and store. When my NZ plant encyclopedia arrives with all our stuff I'll learn the plant family to which it belongs.2012-09-18T07:53:26+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/09/13/fulton-hogans-view-of-christchurch/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/christchurch-from-the-air.pngchristchurch from the airJeremiah got this picture at work showing all the vacant lots where buildings have been taken down after the Feb 2011 earthquake. Fulton Hogan is a big construction company (or destruction, as the case may be), and the photo was taken from their corporate helicopter. Whole city blocks are gone, and you can actually make out the colorful container mall just to the right of the remaining tall buildings. There are residential neighborhoods that will look like this too, once the insurance is straightened out and the houses are demolished. I guess it's easy to see why there's lots of engineering (and construction work) to be done here. Anyone want an adventure? They're hiring. We've heard a few first-hand accounts of the earthquake, all the residents remember their particular details with clarity. What this photo doesn't show is the "liquefaction" the earthquake caused and all the damage to the underground water and sewer systems. Huge sections of the city are built on old swamp, as is the case with many cities in the world. In these areas the silty soils acted like a mud pie in the quake, turning to liquid and allowing buildings and roads to sink while sewers floated. Residents have reactions that run the gamut from traumatized to humorous, and no doubt we'll continue to hear their stories for years to come. 2012-09-15T01:25:47+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/09/12/christchurch-container-craze/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/p9070199.jpgCONTAINER MALL 3You can even stroll down the mall promenade with your arm around your partner at the downtown container mall. Side note: kiwis seem to have "partners" more than spouses. Our American friend, trying to fit into the local scene, once referred to his wife as his "partner." ONCE is the operative term here--he got an ear-full from his WIFE. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/p9070196.jpgCONTAINER MALL 2The mall even has a two-story coffee shop with lots of big glass windows (single pane, to be sure). The parking garage behind looks like it made it through the quakes. Kiwis call these things "car parks," which in my mind always conjures up images of smiling vehicles careening down slides and bouncing on teeter totters. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/p9070195.jpgCONTAINER MALL 1Most of the buildings in downtown Christchurch are demolished by now (because of the February 2011 earthquake), but the open lots made room for a "container mall." You know those dingy mundane metal boxes that sit on trains, trucks, and barges? Christchurch retailers have cleaned up and dressed up these metal boxes and positioned them into a colorful outdoor mall. 2012-09-12T00:09:12+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/09/10/domestic-triumphs/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/decorated-bee-boxes.jpgDECORATED BEE BOXESI spent yesterday evening decorating the bee box shelves with pretty paper from the stationary store, and I'm tickled pink with the result. When I asked Jeremiah how he like them he looked up from the computer for a sec, testified to their colorful nature, and resumed his web surfing. The truth is he wouldn't care if he lived in a black and white cave, but he has been married long enough to know that a cursory approval is necessary. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/bread-with-butter-and-honey.jpgBREAD WITH BUTTER AND HONEYDomestic delights--fresh baked bread with honey and butter....in containers from the second hand shop of course. I can't remember if we shipped bread pans or not, but I finally figured out a nice looking loaf without a pan, courtesy of baking paper, cornmeal and careful dough folding. Yay, a triumph! 2012-09-11T11:22:51+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/09/10/hinewais-caretaker/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/fern-hinewai.jpgFERN TREEI don't know what the New Zealand flag looks like, some boring iteration of the Union Jack. But I do know the flag of the All Blacks, the Kiwi rugby team, because everyone flies it, wears it, and loves it. It's a fern. Strange symbol for a tough rugby team but appropriate for New Zealand. This picture is looking up through a tree fern. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/p9080223.jpgHINEWAI GORSE FAMILY PHOTOAwww.... Nothin' more to say about that photohttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/p9080222.jpgBEECH HINEWAIThese are giant old beech trees in Hinewai. There's similar to our beech in north America, but taxonomists have recently split them out into their own family. As lovely as this forest is, the really interest in Hinewai is Hugh, the caretaker. I regret not taking his photo! I'll get the portrait on the return trip. Hugh is the caretaker of these trees and the whole reserve, and he lives up at the visitor's center. We puffed up the hill and found Hugh bouncing along sporting short shorts and carpenters' knee protectors, with a flannel shirt, knit cap, full white beard and twinkly blue eyes. He knows every plant and animal in that reserve by name, class, family, genus and species. And he loves them. He's just like Old Tom Bombadil that Tolkien writes about. "Old Tom Bombadil is a merry fellow, Bright blue his jacket is, and his boots are yellow. None has ever caught him yet, for Tom, he is the master: His songs are the stronger songs, and his feet are faster."https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/p9080216.jpgHINEWAI GATEThe fence keeps the livestock out of Hinewai, and that's the point of the reserve. It contains one of the last virgin stands of trees on the Banks peninsula. You climb the style and jump back 150 years in time to what New Zealand was like before all the trees were cleared for pasture. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/hinewai-reserve.jpgHINEWAI RESERVEHinewai reserve is tucked between the arms of the hills, in a particularly wet spot of the Banks peninsula. You can tell where the reserve starts because that's where the trees and gorse begin. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/wild-sheep-mb.jpgWILD SHEEPThree lone sheep were hanging out at the saddle of the hill. Domestic sheep all have docked tails, but these girls had tales hanging down to their hocks and look like they haven't been shorn in more than a year. I wonder if they are escapees. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/jeremiah-milo-purple-track.jpgAKAROA HIKE PURPLE TRACKThe Banks Peninsula is a humpy ancient volcano (now dead), eroded down to moderate height but still with steep slopes. It's just southeast of Christchurch, making it a handy hiking spot for weekends when the southern alps are wet and nasty (this past weekend). We drove to Akaroa, the last town on the road, and from there hiked up hill, past dozens of sheep (of course, what else?) and over to Hinewai Reserve.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/p9080237.jpgSNIDE BUSHWalking back down the hill we passed this creepy grove of dead scorched gorse, looked just like Dr. Seuss' Snidebush. I'm assuming they were intentionally burned, since they're invasive plants here. The only line I could recall from the "Pale green pants with nobody inside them" story was "I went to pick a peck of Snide in a dark and gloomy Snide-field that was almost nine miles wide!" Looked for the pale green pants madly pedaling a bike, but only saw a dead sheep. 2012-09-10T20:43:58+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/09/08/canterbury-rugby-union/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/rugby-canterbury-vs-wellington.jpgrugby canterbury vs wellingtonJeremiah here, yes I am still alive...... We did not head away for the entire weekend, the weather this weekend is a bit fierce, a strong "norwester" came through on Saturday which brought very strong winds, 25 kts sustained and gusts up to 45 kts. kept us down off the mountains. a friend who holds season tickets to the local junior rugby team, invited me to a Rugby game, a very fast paced game with no halftime shows, no pads, very tough guys, molly thinks I am tough, but I am sure I would not make it through one scrum without being broken to pieces. We will enjoy many more games as rugby is an integral part of the Kiwi culture.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/img_0061.jpgRugby Unionhttps://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/img_0056.jpgrugby union_22012-09-08T14:24:24+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/09/07/plant-pick-me-up/2012-09-07T13:28:33+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/09/06/playground-manners/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/milo-and-maggy-at-playground.jpgmilo and maggie at playgroundSharing is easy when there are too slides! The playground is providing all kinds of practice at taking turns and using good manners for both kids. The little girl is Maggie, youngest daughter of Jennifer and Eric, Americans from Phoenix who live around the corner from us in Halswell. Jeremiah and Eric work in the same building, and the very first weekend we were at the new house they invited us over for a hot soup dinner (it's winter here, remember). You'd think that here in a new country we'd be all about meeting Kiwis, but actually it's really great to have American friends. It's funny how comforting it is to complain about the high prices and crumby housing with someone who understands.....but we also do some constructive appreciation of good Kiwi things. Hum, let me think..... I'll get back to you on the good things once I make a list.2012-09-06T13:32:40+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/09/03/kaikoura-weekend/2012-09-04T20:50:13+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/09/03/diggin-graves/2012-09-06T00:05:25+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/29/toby-pays-a-visit/2012-08-30T14:50:38+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/27/banks-peninsula-summit-track/2012-08-28T12:42:15+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/27/70-checketts-ave-home-for-the-next-12-months/2012-08-27T22:31:36+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/22/enveloped-in-spices/2012-08-25T10:29:33+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/20/no-good-very-bad-day/2012-08-22T11:12:00+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/18/international-banking-blues/2012-08-21T19:19:50+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/18/genuinely-sunny-day-at-the-port-hills/2012-08-20T20:11:34+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/17/a-break-on-the-playgound/2012-08-17T12:21:58+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/13/hurray-for-christchurch-city-libraries/2012-08-16T00:30:45+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/12/drippy-cold-rain/2012-08-12T23:43:41+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/11/lyttelton-farmers-market/2012-08-12T07:00:30+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/09/i-love-organics/2012-08-11T08:36:49+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/09/college-decorating-skills-come-in-handy/2012-08-09T10:30:45+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/07/green-still-means-go/2012-08-09T23:41:02+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/06/remnants-of-christchurch-city-center/2012-08-06T12:51:57+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/05/hotel-christchurch/2012-08-05T02:03:25+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/05/kauai-estate-coffee/2012-08-05T01:54:49+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/05/it-rains-in-the-tropical-rain-forest/2012-08-05T01:47:16+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/05/hawaiian-botanical-garden/2012-08-05T06:41:42+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/05/milo-at-the-beach/2012-08-05T01:24:35+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/05/kauai-hawaii-for-the-first-few-days-in-august/2012-08-05T06:39:59+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/05/anchorage-airport-july-30th/2012-08-05T00:42:32+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/05/july-29th-last-hike-in-kenai/2012-08-05T00:41:02+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/05/july-28th-tsalteshi-trails-run/2012-08-05T00:22:28+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/04/july-28th-meeting-cousin-john-harro/2012-08-04T12:49:16+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/04/july-27-dip-netting-on-kenai/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/salmon-heads.jpgSALMON HEADSDuring dip-netting season, salmon heads and egg sacks litter the beach, waiting for high tide to clean up the mess. It looks like whole-scale slaughter until you remember that it’s also a major food source for Alaskans, just like venison was for New Yorkers a generation ago. And those salmon are just running upstream to die anyway….after they lay their eggs and release their sperm. 2012-08-04T08:24:38+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/2012/08/04/swatting-mosquitoes-at-fuller-lakes-july-25-alaska/https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/path-in-birch-trees.jpgPATH IN BIRCHI don’t think of birches as strong trees back in NY, but they’re one of the hardy survivors here in Alaska, along with cottonwoods and alders. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/monks-hood.jpgMONK'S HOODI’m not sure why we don’t have mountain meadows filled with wildflowers in NY like those in Alaska. Maybe it has something to do with the succession after a glacier recedes, with grasses and flowers growing where the soil is still too shallow for trees to shade them out. These dark purple monk’s hood are stunning, and wild bees push themselves way up under the hood to find the nectar.https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/lichens-and-heather.jpgLICHENS AND HEATHERUp above the meadowy wild flowers are the short heather and other springy short plants that cover the tops of the mountains on the Kenai Peninsula. The white lichens make the upper slopes look peppery white from a distance. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/columbine.jpgCOLUMBINERedish-orange columbine next to light purple wild geraniums are a lovely combination that we saw a lot while hiking. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/milo-jeremiah-at-camp.jpgMILO JEREMIAH AT CAMPMilo usurped my seat, ate half our corn bread, tried to fall into the water, and was generally cute and perilous all evening. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/milo-in-camp.jpgMILO IN CAMPJeremiah followed Milo around like a mother hen as Milo tripped and fell his way around camp, scattering our belongings, and posing for photos. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/molly-milo-in-backpack.jpgMOLLY MILO IN BACKPACKWe only did one over-night hike while in Soldotna—we dragged all our camping gear with us so I figured we had better use it! We swatted mosquities up to a shallow glacial lake called Upper Fuller and set up our tent on a pretty rock outcrop….still slapping bugs. https://giveitaburl.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/camping-tent.jpgCAMPING TENTWe zipped ourselves up in our tent at 8:30….it was light out but we were tired of slapping mosquitoes, and anyway we hoped Milo would fall asleep. At 11 pm he was still going strong, bumbling around the tent, smooshing his face against ours, batting our heads, entirely too wound up to sleep. So I held him down by his sweatshirt while he screamed, and finally slept.2012-08-05T00:53:16+00:00monthlyhttps://giveitaburl.com/about/2015-02-14T17:57:58+00:00weekly0.6https://giveitaburl.comdaily1.02022-09-07T13:03:02+00:00