Author: BritMumInNZ
Butterflies, Smokey Bear & Woodsy Owl at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
It was an unusual overcast morning, with cooler temperatures than we have become accustomed to in southern California. We didn’t realise, until we arrived at our destination, that this would work in our favour. We’d planned to meet up with a friend and her sons at the butterfly exhibition at the Santa Barbara Museum of…
The Sky
In a few weeks time we will say farewell to a year of Californian blue sky. It’s as though you could walk into a paint shop and pluck that exact colour off the shelf. It’s been practically unchanging all year – apart from at sunrise, sunset and night-time. Having grown up in England, followed by…
Living out the last of our Californian days
It’s been a wonderful first week in our last rental home in California. We have one month in total here. It’s a beautiful home, with a lovely swimming pool, chickens in the garden, a great tree swing and in a friendly neighbourhood. A great place to finish up over a year of living in Santa…
Silent Sunday
Silent Sunday
Kiwi Kids Hit the Beach in Santa Barbara!
We’ve enjoyed some wonderful moments at the beach in Santa Barbara this week. I often head out for a run when hubby gets home from work, finishing up on the beach, where he then meets me with our daughters. Our youngest two are joining in with a children’s sand race at Ventura Beach soon, as…
32 sleeps till we fly back to our home in New Zealand!
The past fortnight I’ve been preparing for our move back to Wellington, New Zealand. So much stuff! Having had three daughters learning from home for an entire year there was a lot to sort through; books, stationery, toys, dress-ups, science equipments, outdoor toys, art supplies… the list goes on and on! I was relieved when…
Driving through Wales & a stop over at Cardiff Bay
We left the caravan park in north Wales on a Saturday morning, after a wonderful family reunion and holiday at Hafan Y Mor Holiday Park, taking the whole day to drive to Cardiff in south Wales. There were no three lane motorways, just single lanes of traffic, flowing in both directions, the whole drive. It…
The Photo Gallery: World Photography Day
How do you choose one photograph to summarise a year? World Photo Day is celebrated every year on the 19th August, (but to understand more head over to the website and escape into a thousand images from around the globe). Between August 19-26 the website opens for submissions and, for me personally, it’s a wonderful moment in the year to…
At home with my folks, Hampshire, England
It’s been a fortnight since we returned from the UK to the US. We are heading back to New Zealand to live at the beginning of October, but for now we’re in limbo; between the two places we love. I haven’t felt like writing anything much, but have tried to fit in a little reminiscing about…
A coastal run in North Wales
Whilst holiday in North Wales I was delighted to escape out for a couple of runs along the gorgeous coastline that borders the Hafan Y Mor Havan Caravan Holiday Park. If the pull of spending time with my family hadn’t been so strong I would have strapped on a backpack and disappeared for a whole…
Instagram love – a poem
There are days when it’s hard to leave the house not worth exchanging p-jays for a blouse. To motherhood I surrender, with love – yet the coop I escape from, like a dove. Adventures I yearn for, without a care just my own body and soul laid bare. To Instagram I fly, fleetingly so –…
Exploring Portmeirion Village in North Wales
In an exquisite natural location of breathtaking beauty sits the artfully designed village of Portmeirion in North Wales. During our week’s stay in North Wales this was one of the highlights. Travelling in a large family group, a blend of aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins, can make finding a day-trip to suit everyone a challenge…