Wellington from on high one sunny Saturday… Family time in the beautiful natural sanctuaries that Wellington holds dear. Appreciated, loved, protected and nurtured by many that care… Delighting in Alice’s awe of nature and forever expanding our own knowledge and appreciation. Special time with our big school girl on Monday, who loves learning with a […]
Charlotte
Silent Sunday: Fun in the Laundry Basket
Running with Passion
Memories of school day athletics for many are ones best left in the recess of the brain. But for our local school I think there will be quite a few happy memories stored away. The weather was perfect and the children came onto the field with a spring of excitement. They’ve been practicing their cross […]
The Loveliness of Nature to Nurture
As I strolled through Zealandia with Alice this morning, I reminisced on the pre-school days when I used to bring Charlotte and Sophie to explore. I watched their little sister noticing words for the first time and so eager to learn in nature’s beautiful surrounds. Nature really is the best place to nurture. And as […]
Things I’m Loving
This week I’ve LOVED being able to open our home to a dear friend of my sister’s – Pam, when she needed a rest from the traumatic Christchurch earthquake and continuing aftershocks. I’ve loved feeling the love of my sister through her and seeing my own children light up in her presence knowing she’s connected […]
Into the School Groove
Term time routines are all go here. The girls even have a dedicated calendar in the kitchen reminding us when their school library days are, what days they need to have trainers for cross country running, when guitar lesson day is for Charlotte and piano lesson day for Sophie (both new hobbies this term for […]
Night Poems: Lyrical Sunday Week 9
It’s Lyrical Sunday time! A poem from Grandma & Granddad in England, as well as 7 year old Charlotte, this week. NIGHT By ‘Chicken’ Grandma & Granddad in England Stars shine out, the moon is full When we go to bed at night We take a peep to see the sight Of dark – But […]
Answering ‘What if?’
I knew when we first came to New Zealand that the land was geologically and historically young. The folds of the hills looked to me like the wrinkles of a new born child. As a geographer I knew all too well the physically volatile nature of New Zealand’s land. But the danger always felt distant. […]
Theme for Week 9 of Lyrical Sunday: Night
The theme for Lyrical Sunday this week is ‘Night‘. Charlotte was inspired by a poem she read in ‘School Journal‘ (Part 1. Number 2. 2009). Here’s the poem that has inspired this week’s theme. Can’t wait to read what you come up with! Come and link up on Sunday 27 February. Have You Ever? Have […]
Expressions from the beach
It’s been a few days of children’s Birthday parties, fun at the beach and the zoo. Sunday evening, before dinner, was the best of all… just us at the beach (I’m trying to stay focused on the magic and not the extra washing we brought home with us and sand in every crevice of the […]
The new Queen Elizabeth departs Wellington: Bon voyage!
The new Queen Elizabeth visited Wellington harbour today, gliding in gracefully an hour ahead of schedule as the sun was rising. It is the second-largest cruise ship to be built by Cunard, the largest was the Queen Mary 2, launched in 2004. We gathered in Seatoun to farewell her as she departed Wellington harbour, sounding […]
Togetherness
After six weeks of togetherness we farewelled Chinese Grandma & Granddad on Valentine’s Day. They dropped off Charlotte & Sophie at school and said a brave good-bye. In the afternoon, Dan, Alice and I took them to the airport and had one last coffee together. We don’t know when we’ll meet next, but hopefully it […]
Things we’re loving…
It’s been a busy week getting used to school being back, Alice walking and enjoying the last week of Chinese Grandma & Granddad being with us (they fly home on Valentine’s Day). Thankfully Charlotte & Sophie have LOVED school this week (makes for a very happy Mama!) and we celebrated the end of the week […]
Things we are loving…
This week has been one of immense change. On Thursday the long, summer holidays came to an end. Charlotte and Sophie walked up to school (for Sophie the first day of her school life!) with school bags in hand. They were both full of first day excitement and both happy to be there. Sophie was […]