As the sun set on 2014, after an inclement day of weather in Wellington, New Zealand, we gathered at one of our neighbour’s homes, along with other lovely folk in the community that we are blessed to have in our lives, sharing this parenting journey. Pizza and puddings was the perfect combination, with fireworks at […]
Between Christmas and New Year we’ve had some perfect days; the kind that leave a person feeling completely content at day’s end and very grateful to have a loving, healthy family, living in a peaceful pocket of the world. As I write, on New Year’s Eve in New Zealand, on the last day of 2014, the […]
The colour of summer is blooming in the coastal sand dunes around New Zealand. This hardy, introduced Ice Plant, the Hottentot Fig, blooms along the coastline in startling beauty. Its colour stands defiantly bright, on even the wildest spring days in Wellington; scattered along walkways and through coastal dunes, as the wind bustles on through. […]
‘Pack the wet weather gear!’ everyone warned – and, as we drove from Lancashire to Pwhelli, on the coast of Northern Wales, the brooding clouds suggested we’d need them. Hills and castles appeared and disappeared as we drove the winding roads to our destination, Hafan Y Mor Caravan Holiday Park. But we need not have […]
We stumbled across a lovely playground in the centre of Copenhagen on a hot summer’s day. A paddling pool invited the children to splash around and cool down. Ride-on bikes lay about for children to freely play on. A welcoming hut had toys outside, akin to a pre-school, but all the toys were for passing children […]
I took my three daughters on the ‘Hop-On Hop-Off Copenhagen‘ bus tour (though we didn’t do much hopping; as the children were very happy on the open air top-deck of the double decker bus). If I wasn’t managing three children of different interests, ages and sensitivities, I would have spent all day hopping on and […]
It’s normally at this time of year, in New Zealand, that I’m rugged up with a Pinot Noir, glaring at a flickering candle and wishing I was somewhere warmer. There’s a certain romanticism of tucking up and hunkering down for winter – but it wears off pretty quickly (unless of course there’s a ton of […]
Daylight saving ended on Saturday, at the close of a legendary summer, leaving Wellington still in drought – but far from thirsty (the bars and restaurants in the city have reported their best summer in years – same with the ice-cream sellers!). There was only one way for me to mark the last day of […]
These past hot months, of the most incredible summer New Zealand has seen in decades, has been intensely wonderful. We’ve enjoyed endless evenings of playing out till dark, and days with windows flung open to let air fill the house. We’ve not had to layer up in months, our skin has been free to breath, […]
So much to love this week – but then the sunshine and continued light evenings make it very easy! Loved seeing young Alice write the first letter of her name in the sand at beautiful Lyall Bay… Sophie had a fabulous play at the beach with Alice too. I love Sophie’s enthusiasm for the water […]
It’s too hot for many words (and too hot for clothes!), so here’s a few captures from my day… The most beautiful school run, along Wellington’s south coast. With hubbie away, I’m on duty, leaving the house before 8am to make it to school on time for 8.20am. My non-schooling daughters joining their big schooling […]
Today was all about water. It started with a bath – when Miss 2, Alice, discovered an old Thomas Tank Engine bath toy (in much need of a scrub) and persuaded me to run a bath (and scrub the toy), which we then wallowed in for half an hour. After the bath she wondered into […]
Lots of creative fun in the house this week, as well as enjoying having Grandma & Granddad over from the UK. Loved painting young Alice’s face and watching her reaction to my artwork on her face! Loved the photos Grandma & Granddad took of a trip into Wellington on the bus, with Charlotte & a […]