New Layers on Old Connections

 We have just returned from a 4 day sojourn into the Wilderness - Far North.  Past Kaeo.  To reconnect with Precious Friends from the Past (PFP's).  Some friends you don't see for years and then, Bam!  When you do reconnect, it seems like time has stood still and you can take up the conversation where last you left off.  There's no explaining to be done, you have history. Like the threads in the tapestry of life.  Theirs are the weft, yours the warp.  Woven together in the pattern of living.  Stories combining at certain points to create the picture of life.

The view from our hotel room at Waipuna

Given that these PFP's live 6+ hours away from us, it is not surprising that we haven't seen them in 12 years.  Those years were filled with simply living, taking in all the little challenges that life throws at you.  Job.  House. Garden.  Children.  And distance.  These all conspire to keep us from connecting on a regular basis.  So Mike decided, it was Time to Reconnect.  To break up the journey, we stayed over in the Waipuna Hotel in Auckland (Mike gets a special rate as he often goes there for business).  Pure luxury.  The penthouse apartment.  Stunning.  Attention to Detail.  The bathroom had a walk-in shower and the bath was a Japanese Sitting Bath. Deep.  Unfortunately, we had to choose, so could only experience the fantastic shower - didn't get to try out the bath!!  

It was great to experience a little bit of glitz, even if we did stay in and make our own stir-fry for dinner (our preference).   Our home was left in the care of our daughter and her Cook Island friend, with the proviso that they could chill, eat anything, watch anything - but, no parties!  All great there.  Their biggest task there, besides feeding the cat, was to rinse the olives soaking in water, every day.

Extra Large Double Bed with ensuite bathroom

Loved this sense of Opulence.  We even had thick white bathrobes to wear!!  Note the shadow of self in reflected glass.

Lounge, dining and kitchen nook.  Everything you could ever want, and more.

So somewhere after Kaeo, we took a dirt road that seemed to lead on forever, further and further away from civilisation, until finally, we reached a number on a wire gate, that indicated we had hit our mark.  Of course.  To be expected.   Far, far, from the Madding Crowd.  Arriving finally, at Av and Ian's place after 4 and a bit LONG hours of driving, it was like coming home to family.  Even if we hadn't been there before, we still felt at home, instantly recognising that people make their homes feel the same, wherever they go!  You recognise furniture from a previous home.  A style befitting their character.  And of course, their home is truly in the wop-wops.  Far Gone.  Gone Bush.  Awol.  I have always said that the definition of "Isolated"  in the Oxford Dictionary, should be, " Av and Ian's place"! 

Our family who share different DNA.

I have often joked that with some of my own family members, we are simply strangers who share the same DNA.  Truly.  Life circumstances decreed we lived separate lives and our parents were the only connecting happenstance.  Some people, I find, you share a deeper bond with, despite the fact that there is no blood connection, only one of the heart.  Enough said.

The vista from the top of the farm.

We coffee and tea-d whilst filling one another in on the events of our lives over the last 12 years. Then they aspired to take us on a tramp to view the farm in all it's glory.  There is no accident they called it "100 acre Wood".  It's pretty much all regenerated natural NZ bush.  And so steep in places just to make a stroll turn into a hike.  A-huffing and puffing, after 20 minutes I was pleading to turn round so we could go home and drink more tea.  They laughed at my joke. I wasn't joking.  This was just a stroll for them, in the NZ bush. For me, a hike in the Hindu Kush. A hike of epic proportions for someone who tries everything in my means to save the planet but makes no excuses about jumping into my trusty little Toyota for any small excursion.  Onwards and upwards I hyperventilated until we reached the top of the summit!  What a view.  I am sure I would have appreciated it equally, by viewing a photo though.  Not for me the exertion of energy in pursuit of natural splendour.  Why, I get a thrill out of watching a Nature Series documentary on TV.  And without much more exertion than pausing the TV and padding over to the kitchen to make a cuppa!  I'm definitely the armchair nature addict.

Trusty old farm fence posts.

Little Magic mushroom in the woods.

The river that floods in any heavy downpour, and the morning swimming hole for the Brave-Hearted

Apparently Av does this "little hike" every day, sometimes 2x a day.  For fun!  Oh, and then, for that extra little cherry on top, she hops into the icey-cold river to cool off.  Paradise for some. Sheer unadulterated torture for the likes of me!  But they say, opposites attract!  We have known these friends for a lifetime.  And to add perspective to this amazing daily ritual, Av is 70!  Hard to concieve, for the likes of me, who 20+ years her junior, is such a comfort-cookie!

Watsonia blossom at the river

Taupo Bay is a half hour away for a dip in the chilly ocean

Tracking sea birds.

Weathered sand dune bollard stands sentry-duty

The lonely little shack that reminded me so of my father's place standing on the banks of the Mbomvu River, Coffee Bay, South Africa

Our friends house is all cottagey, wood panelling and once-was-a-church.  Apparently, it was rolled on logs accross the river, and dragged up to it's current location.  After being flooded a few years back, they raised it 2 meters above ground, on stilts, only to be flooded again, by half a meter indoors!    They share their home with a rescued dog from Africa, called Taliqua, and 5 or 6 tame ring-necked doves who come and go at feeding intervals.

Feeding time

Mike having a dove cuddle

Taliqua and dove

What a wonderful time to re-connect.  Reminds me of the oath taken at a wedding, "To love, honour and cherish".   A friendship is like a union of souls.  Even if we don't live together, there will always be a place for these special people in our heart.

Autumn leaves

Particularly apt thought

Connecting with Life's little Blessings

A gift from ex HelpxChange, Amy.

I can't believe my good fortune!  2 weeks holiday!  Yay.  I've been waiting for this for 13 weeks!  I have my usual lists of TTD (things to do).   
The first day's list was flat-out ignored in favour of Blobbing.  Given that it was raining a fair-dinkum flood outside, I did not feel very guilty at all.  Did a bit of this, A bit of that.  We sat and watched 2 day-time movies.  Yep, we are serious movie watchers, in danger of running out of viable viewing matter. We have historically hired videos from our local video store, then our son worked there for 2 years and we had the great benefit of watching movies he would bring home for us, for free.   When he moved away to Hamilton, we supported an online video hire outfit for a year.  But then we thought, hey, why not offer our local video store owner our support instead, if he could match the online membership deal.  Realising that he could count on our regular business, he immediately agreed and now our money stays local. That's sustainable business.  Connecting with local business.

Fly my Pretty Dragon.  Detail on our garden shed door.

Sometimes, I get so busy on projects that I have to force myself to stop, look around and enjoy what we have already created.  Breathe in the beauty all around.  So armed with my camera, I captured some images that remind me of little moments of  beauty created over the last few years.  And admired some of the "artworks" that already enrich our home and lives.  These are are random items that connect me to a person, or place.

Home-crafted  stepping stones

A week has already passed since I started to write this post, and in between,we spent a couple of days with very dear old friends in the Far North, whom we had not seen in 12 years. Precious memories of Connectedness.

Wall plaques created by our children when they were pre-teens

Capturing the sign created by a HelpxChanger, and the reflected garden in the window of the shed

Today I spent the day in the presence of like-minded women.  All healers.  All reflexologists. We gathered to simply celebrate time together sharing ideas, stories, opinions and treatments.  Wonderful stuff.  Moments of Inter-Connectedness.  

Imagine a group of doctors getting together to share stories, ideas, swap prescriptions and drive away feeling uplifted and fulfilled?  Hmmmn, interesting idea.

Wha???  Well, spot the poop.  Hedgehog poop.  Yay.  They are nocturnal so
this is the closest we should get to a healthy, happy hedgie.  The things that make me happy!

The garden has been producing 5-7kg of feijoas, daily, for the last 3-4 weeks.  I am exhausted.  Just the picking is a half hour job every evening!  The local backpackers have been happy recipients, along with the bags going to kindy every day for grateful little people. And then there's the guavas, and chillies, by the bowls-ful.  I am ready to move on now.  Bring on the citrus. There is also a big bunch of bananas ripening up.  I have my eyes on them.  We have been thrilled to be able to pick some figs - after battling avian thieves who eventually had their fill of figs and went on to other culinary delights.  Much to our delight!

Our preserve cupboard stocks are looking really good, with oodles of bottles of fig jam, cherry guava syrup, guava jelly, feijoa puree and jam, Canadian dill pickles (gherkins), bottled peaches, peach jam, beetroot relish, basil pesto, bottled beans, saurkraut, plum jam and plum chutney.  I've given plenty away, with our student children taking a fair share.  The freezer is also chocka-full of harvests from fruit to veggies to munch through the winter months.  I am a few days off of bottling our year's supply of olives, after 30 days of daily soaking in fresh water.  Yay!  Intimately Connected to our food supplies.

Daily harvest of Feijoas

Chillies and capsicums

Figs - hooray!

Red cherry guavas

Over the past few weeks, I have enjoyed a little needlework , making little felt Christmas ornaments.  It was triggered off by finding a bag of felt, hundreds of years old, left over from other projects!  Okay, not quite hundreds, but old.  All the uckie colours left over.   I sent my 2 sisters some in the mail but unfortunately, in True African Spirit of Enterprise, they have not reached intended destination.  Oh well, maybe some postal workers needed to brighten up their Christmas trees.  Below are the ones I made for our own tree.  I didn't particularly set out to make them, I just wanted to use up the felt but so enjoyed the process that I made quite a few in the process.  They are padded with thin strips of old throw-away socks.

Humpty Back Camels

So let the new projects begin........... I'm fast running out of time!

Sacred Spaces and Multicultural Celebration

No, it's not my living room.  I wish!  It embodies everything I admire...... theatrical, colourful, homely, imaginative, a touch of gaudy kitch.  Love it!  We were at the Historical Village on 17th Avenue in Tauranga to see the Cultural Festival and chanced upon this cozy little barn. It just beckoned to us and once inside, I was suddenly drawn to the whimsical corner which embodied such a homely feel.  There was a work space, exhibition zone and this little social corner.  Well done to the people who crafted this lovely space.

At home, blending in.  Spot the author.

What struck me was that this amazing space was created by discarded junk.  Things that people no longer needed, and they were lovingly grouped and placed to create the loveliest of welcoming spaces.  There were a couple of stage props, probably rescued from the theater at the top of 17th Ave.  Out front, we discovered a yarn-bombed piano to tickle the ivories on.  While in this sacred place, we heard many people take a seat and start to play.  Some sophisticated tunes of well-seasoned players, and other simpler, child-common tunes that everyone learns to play whilst young and enthusiastic, like "Chopsticks".  The whole place quietly screamed: "Gypsy Rose".  Inspirational.

Soft, warm tunes tickling the ivories

Right at home among all this gypsy paraphernalia

Social commentary artwork hanging on the wall

The work spaces were divided by discarded wooden pallets.  Perfect use of an item destined for landfill.  It was possible a half hour later when my long-suffering husband reminded me that we were really there to see the multicultural festival that was taking place a few feet away from this little barn.  Reluctantly, I peeled myself away to check out the colour and flair of all the ethnic groups that make up Tauranga.

An arty chess set awaits players

This was one of my eye candies.  I couldn't get enough of it.

Man-behind-bars, aka Long-Suffering Husband

The multicultural festival was all I remembered it to be 10 years ago.  Loud.  Busy.  An assault of the senses as stall holders jostle side by side for business as they ply their cultural culinary trade.  We walked the sustenance ranks and decided upon Nepalese lunch, followed by Cook Island dessert of poko, a sweet jelly-like dessert.  The festival stage was filled with ethnic groups doing their thang, with noisy MC on loudspeaker encouraging the crowd to clap enthusiastically.  All just a little too much for me.  Some entertainment looked authentic, but I somehow cringed at others, like the pale-skinned women with long hair wigs doing sexy belly dance moves in their glamorous middle-eastern see-though caftans!  Just doesn't do it for me.  Go to the classes, enjoy, but keep it there or in the bedroom.  

(Note to Self:  Party Pooper!)

Natural resources for these costumes

There was a stall representing our home country, South Africa.  3 middle-aged men standing over a gas barbecue (since when??) braaing (actual term for SA BBQ) vleis (meat) and boerewors (literal translation.... farmer's sausage).  As vegetarians, the smell of searing flesh forced us to give a wide berth to avoid all contact.  So we never did get to feel at home. Ethnically speaking, we feel more of a pull to the Indian stall.  Or Nepalese.  Close enough. 

And the moral of the story:  it was a great outing.  I went to see the Multicultural festival but ended up falling in love with a barn.  You never know what life will throw at you!

Alpacas in the Olive Grove

A 5L bucket of black olives is quality checked by our little fluffy friend

'Tis the season for olives.  Mike asked our local olive oil maker, Bert, if we could pick some of his.  In  typical small-town-hospitality style, he told us he wouldn't be home on Sunday, but we were welcome to go onto his land and pick olives.  The instructions were simply to pick from the third row of trees, from the road.  We arrived and were bemused by our welcome party.  A long-necked sheep!  Wait a minute, it's an alpaca!  What a wonderful sight!  Bert forgot to tell us about his pet!  This little gal imprinted on Mike and decided to follow him closely for the duration of our picking session.

Hello, Little One.  Mike called her Opal.

Curioser and curioser, and then....... a kiss!

Sniffing and smelling everything

We left a box full of our bottled preserves and fresh produce for Bert, on his doorstep.  It is a good principle to live by, to exchange goods.  We have so much we can trade!  And it is great to give people food that you have too much of!   Earlier in the week, we took a bagful of feijoas and guavas down to the local backpackers. It was dinner time for them and I knocked at the front door.  It was opened by a Spanish lass.  I gave her the bag and told her that we had too much fruit and couldn't eat it all.  The bag was to share among the residents.  She seemed genuinely taken aback that a stranger should give food away.  But pleasantly so.  We will take another bag tomorrow.  

After having so many foreign travelers share our home and lives, we feel drawn to any foreign accent we come across.  I have to exert restraint lest I come across as a mad woman.  Mike and I went to the movies last week, and there were 3 young foreign travelers in the seats in front of us, I wanted to touch them on the shoulder and ask if they were okay or needed anything.  When I shared that later with Mike, he laughed and said he felt the same way!

Sticking close to Mike

Opal taking a little snooze at Mike's feet

Cutest little Earthling!

Back to Bert's, what a fantastic morning we had, the sun was shining, the trees were chokka full of olives; green and black. First we picked a bucket of black, then a bucket of green.  We had a cuppa tea from our flask, in the sunshine, while our little fluffy friend sniffed and nuzzled us.  We marveled at the generosity of our host, who asked for nothing in return.  People would pay for the privilege of just picnicking in the olive orchard.  300 olive trees.  Rows and rows of them.  A magical place.

Olives in the morning sunshine.

Olives ripening

Olives are a Super-Food.  They are high in  anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.  They can help decrease blood pressure due to their monounsaturated fats, and are thus also good for heart health.  Olive benefits have been demonstrated for the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, nervous system, musculoskeletal system, immune system, inflammatory system, and digestive system.  Research has also shown olives to be good anti-cancer food, because they are high in antioxidants and protect our DNA integrity.  In fact, for more info as to why you should eat olives daily, read this.

Mystical Olive Grove

Our little buddy made a series of continual bleatings, like a lamb sneeze.

As we were finishing up our morning tea break, we looked up and to our surprise, discovered a dozen other alpacas had snuck up on us.  A couple of them seemed to have these curious rabbit-like teeth.  I have read that alpacas are mainly used for their soft fleece which is likened to a cross between merino and cashmere.  Their bigger counterparts, llamas, are typically beasts of burden.  Alpacas were introduced to NZ in 1987 and we at last count, numbered 12 000.  They would make the most awesome pet!

Hello, there Big Fella!   

Odd-looking creatures remind me of Mr Tumness in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Surrounded by fantastical creatures

Beyond the gate lies a mystical kingdom of strange creatures and great beauty

A 5L bucket of green olives

Now we start the 30 day curing process.  I submerge the olives in water and change it every evening.  For 30 days.  Then we bottle them.  How exciting.  I will have to gift Bert a bottle of olives!