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Wednesday, December 29, 2004

Picking berries.

Yesterday was a beautiful day here in Hawke's Bay, so Glenn and I woke up early and rode our bikes out to the Berry Farm. There they grow all types of berries; gooseberries, currants, raspberries, boysenberries and tayberries (kind of like a raspberry/boysenberry mix) and boy are they good. The berries are cheap if you pick your own so we picked about three icecream containers full. I think we have about half that amount left. They are so good on your cereal in the morning. Glenn likes them on his peanut butter sandwiches--now thats what I call Real Fruit Jam.


Glenn loves those boysenberries! Posted by Hello

Here I am picking raspberries, pick a few, eat a few... Posted by Hello

Monday, December 13, 2004

Our Hike around Te Mata Peak

Sunday was a blustery day but we decided we needed to get out and go for a hike. We had heard a lot of people talk about Te Mata Peak which is just outside of Havelock North about a thirty minute drive from out house. So we decided that would be our destination. What a lovely place it was. We found lovely areas of little daisys and saw some fantail birds playing.


Posted by Hello
This was another unusual flower we saw. We could not figure out what type of bush this was it had these pretty purple flowers, three pronged leaves and a green round shaped fruit that dangled from the branches.


We were wondering if it was a type of pepper plant. Posted by Hello
As we came off the mountain side we entered a small grove of redwood trees. This gave us a nice break from the sun.


Posted by Hello
As we continued our hike around the mountain side we stumble on some New Zealand wildlife.


The land that makes up this park is privately owned and still used for grazing.Posted by Hello

Some beautiful views from our hike around Te Mata Park. Posted by Hello
At the top of Te Mata Peak, there was a great view of Hawk's Bay. If you look closely at the picture I made a red dot close to where we live. If you click on the picture with your curser it should get big enough for you to see the dot.


Napier is the area that jutts out into the ocean. Posted by Hello

Sunday, December 12, 2004

Trip North part 5

As per usually we were not in a big rush to get over to Coromandel Peninsula, so we took our time and even took a little detour for a soak in hot mineral water in Miranda. After our soak we made our way to Thames where we figured we would spend our first night on the Peninsula since it was getting late. The first hostel that we stop at was not very appealing and we thought maybe we should try to get further up the Peninsula to another place mentioned in Lonely Planet. Unfortunately this was not to happen. We were about fifteen or so minutes outside of Thames when Glenn said I think there is something wrong with the car. Coromandel is known for its windy and narrow roads. But we found a place to pull over and pop the hood to see if the oil was low or something. We had a little trouble earlier in the trip with our oil getting low. This did not seem to be the problem but the wire connecting to the battery was pretty loose and I forgot to pack my tools. Glenn was getting pretty worried about this and his worry increased when we got back in the car and tried to start it up. Nothing! Well I decided it was time to flag down some help. So I got out of the car and waved down the first car to pass by. They had some tools and tried to help by tightening the wire to the battery but this still did not seem to get the car going. We thought Glenn could get a ride into town with them but they were driving a van full of kids and pets. I figured we could just flag down someone else. Megan had also gotten out of the car at this point and we both were flagging cars down. The next guy to stop was driving a truck. He pulled out his jumper cables to see if a jump would get the car going. The car did start this time and we waved goodbye to the guy. But as soon as we all got in the car it died again. Again we piled out of the car and tried flagging down people. Our next helpers were a French couple on vacation driving a van with fish painted all over the sides. They were more helpful then anyone. The husband tried everything--filling the battery's water up and fiddling with the jumper cables but nothing seemed to work. We decided Glenn needed to go back into Thames and call AA (also known as Triple A) and get someone out to help. The French couple only had room for him to ride in. We told him we would wait or get another ride in. At this point I thought it would be better if we tried to get a ride into Thames so we flagged down some more cars till we found one that was going into Thames. We piled in with our backpacks and hoped that we would be able to find Glenn in Thames. Luckily the nice folks that picked us up took us to the first service station in Thames. There we caught up with Glenn, who was getting in the AA tow truck heading out to get our car. I am sure the people that gave Megan and I a ride in thought we were a little nuts, as I jumped out of the car and ran to catch Glenn before he left to get the car because I had to give him the KEYS to the car. Phew! We told him to meet us back at that first hostel we had gone. We thought it was our best option as we had no car and it was raining. The car was towed to Thames and would be taken to a mechanic on Monday. It was Saturday. We were able to get a rental car though because we had AA Plus so the next morning after checking out of the hostel and having breakfast we were on the road again in our rental car. That day in our rental car we made it to Whitianga. There we checked into a hostel known as the Cats Pajamas. This hostel had a nice warm homey feel a very pleasant change from the cold creepy place we spent the night before. When we arrived the owner was recruiting guests to help here decorate the living space with Christmas decorations. By the evening there was a sparkling Christmas tree and tinsels filling the room. That night we tried to go to a cafe called Eggscentric, in Cook Beach just a five-minute ferry ride away. But the cafe was closed for the evening because there was a band playing that night and tickets were sold out. Though we were not able to eat at the cafe we did enjoy their sculpture garden in their front yard.


Megan as Aphrodite. Posted by Hello

Glenn's portrait what amazing likeness! Posted by Hello

Trip North part 6

In Whitianga we went to bone carving place were we were able to carve our own necklaces. This filled up our morning as it took about three hours to finish one necklace pendant. Each necklace started out with a flat slice of bone on which we copied a Maori design of our choice. Then with a tool like a dentist drill we shaved off the excess. The next step was sanding to give the edges a smoother look and feel. There were three stages of sanding from coarser to smoother. After sanding we polished the bone with a piece of cloth. We were all quite happy with how our necklaces turned out. We then hit the road again. We hoped to stop at Cathedral Cove and make our way the down the rest of the Peninsula and back to Thames to pick up our car—with a newly built alternator. Outside of Hahei the town closest to Cathedral Cove Glenn said I think there maybe something wrong with the car, as it started to make a fun sound. We pulled over to the side of the road and popped the hood. The oil was low and it seemed the coolant was low as well. Instead of flagging down cars this time we thought we could make it to the nearest town Hahei. The car coasted into the first petrol station we saw. The guys there were not mechanics but thought it could have blown a head gasket. Again we called AA our car was ready and running so the AA guy, Frank said he would come get the rental car and bring us our car. It would take about an hour and a half. As we waited we went down and explored Hahei beach, and this was beautiful. The sand was pink from shells that had been tumbled by the ocean waves and the water was a turquoise blue that I had only seen in pictures. After playing on a rope swing and soaking our toes in the water we headed back to the car for lunch. Just as we arrived back to the car Frank drove up with our car on the back of his tow truck. We paid him for the work and said our goodbyes to the old rental car.


Beach at Hahei pink and blue. Posted by Hello

Trip North part 7

As time was passing quickly and we wanted to get to Papamoa Beach that night, we decided we did not have time for Cathedral Cove. Besides Glenn was ready to get off the Peninsula with the car still running. Megan had some friends of the family she wanted to visit that lived in Papamoa so we made our way there. Glenn could not wait to see a straight road. We arrived in Papamoa just around dinnertime and what a meal we were served. Ivan was of Italian descent and opened an Italian Restaurant in Sandpoint called Ivan’s. He and his wife and Nancy had moved over to New Zealand about three years ago. She was an amazing cook. The table was full of dishes from BBQ beef, roasted chicken, pasta with red sauce, bread, fried portabellas and mixed green salad, I am sure there was more but I just can’t remember. We had a nice walk on the sand dunes after dinner and again a deep night sleep on soft beds. Glenn had to get back to work that day so we had to leave early after having our breakfast of fresh strawberries and muesli with cream. Our car made it home and we unpacked it quickly so Glenn could get to work. We hope to make it back up to Coromandel Peninsula as it is stunning and there was so much more to see. Although next time we might take the Bus.


Megan, Glenn and I on our way to Papamoa Beach Posted by Hello

Trip North part 1

Today marks my month back in New Zealand, and boy has it been a busy month. It seemed our dinner parties were one after another and then we were off to Auckland to pick up our friend, Megan. Glenn bought a car while I was back in the States and you won’t believe this but the car was almost as much as our bikes. Actually the car was less then the cost of both our mountain bikes and yes the car does run. Our variegated green Toyota Cressida actually runs pretty well though it could use a paint job. We started out on our adventure North with Courtney, a friend we made from the states that needed to get to Auckland to meet up with her family that flew in for a visit to New Zealand. On the Thursday the 2nd of December we hit the road in our green machine. It was a relaxing trip and we made a few stops to stretch our legs and take a look at a few of the shops along the way. Glenn even got to catch up with some old friends.


These great characters where made out of papier-mâché and were sitting in front of a cool little gift shop somewhere between Napier and Taupo.
Posted by Hello

Trip North part 2

Auckland was just another city nothing to exciting but we were only there for a short time. It reminded us a lot of Seattle with the port and there is even a space needle to go up and take a look at the city from a bird's eye view. That night we were invited to stay with one of Megan's friends. Megan did not know we were going to be there the night before she arrived but she had given us the number of the women, Virginia, that was going to pick her up at the airport the morning of the 3rd. Once we arrived in Auckland we gave Virginia a call and she told us to come out to her place for dinner and a good night sleep. It was a pleasant evening and we had a great time going for a walk, playing music and talking. The bed was so soft and comfortable we both fell asleep fast. I woke early around 5:30 am to go with Virginia to the airport to pick up Megan. Who did not actually get out of the gate and through customs till around 7am but it was good to see her safe and sound in New Zealand. After resting and cleaning up we headed further North to the Bay of Islands. Again we took our time along the way stopping at places of interest. One of which was a little artsy cafe where we had a delicious muffin and hot chocolate. The structure of the cafe was made using a stucco technique by a local artist. It felt like a little hide out because there were little alcoves with tables and chairs but the whole cafe was completely open to the outside air and temperature.


Me at the entrance of the artsy cafe. Posted by Hello

Trip North part 3

We made it to Paihi later in the evening and found a great little backpackers lodge known as the Pickled Parrot. That night we had sometime to walk around the town. It seemed to be a touristy town, lot of restaurants and hotels lined the streets, but there was quaintness to the town as well. That night we decided we would take a sailboat ride out into the harbor the next day. We were able to book a boat through the hostel and they gave us a great recommendation. The next morning we woke and had our breakfast excited to get out to the harbor and wait for our boat to arrive. Around 9:30am the Gungha pulled into port, this would be the sailboat we would ride on today. Our captain, Mike, was from Canada. He had been a commercial fisherman there but had been in New Zealand for twenty or so years and started up his sailing business. His wife as a great crew member and help with the business. She made sure we were satisfied with delightful snacks through out the day from orange slices to popcorn. What a great day for a sailboat ride it was sunny but the wind was good. There was also just the right amount of people on the boat. We did see some tourist boats that were packed and had a guide speaking over a loud speaker, “chooshk to the left of the boat you can see...” On the sailboat we just listened to the wind and the water as we cruised around the bay. Around noon we stopped in an inlet for a walk up a hillside that had a great view of the harbor and islands. Though it was a pleasant walk and a great view we were not able to enjoy it as much as we could have if we had worn shoes. The captain told us in a very sincere voice that we would not need shoes, "it is an easy climb to do bare foot." We decided after burning our toes and the bottoms of our feet that he may not have taken into consideration how hot it was that day and how hot sand and wooden steps covered in metal wire could get. I have never enjoyed soaking my feet in cold ocean water more then I did that day.


We tried yoga to ease the pain of our hot feet. Posted by Hello

Beautiful view of the Bay of Islands. Posted by Hello

Trip North part 4

After our hot toes walk we got back on the boat and got ready to go snorkeling. We all got fitted with wetsuits and snorkel gear and jumped off the back of the boat into the crisp water. The water was a bit murky so it was harder to see things even so I did see quite a few fish and sea urchins. Although it was back on the boat that we saw the best wildlife show. In the inlet there was a group of gannets diving in the water for fish. Gannets are a white and black colored bird with a pinkish tan colored head and look somewhat like sea gulls in size and shape. But their fishing style is quite unique and entertaining. The gannet will be soaring through the air and then suddenly turn into a nosedive and splash into the water. After a few seconds blupp out of the water they pop like a balloon. Our captain, Mike, told us they actually do not know how to swim so they fill their neck with air and this is how the emerge from the water. The only other sea life we say was the fin of a little shark. We had a great time though and even got to help out with sailing the boat or hoisting the sail. With a full day of visiting with people on board we decided to go for a drink at a great little place one of the girls found at the end of the busy restaurant strip. She spoke highly of the special—sangria (a fruity wine mix) and salad so we all ordered this and enjoyed the evening company of new friends.


Glenn hoisting sail. Posted by Hello

Me as sculpture Posted by Hello

Monday, November 29, 2004

A No Turkey Day

Well we finally had our Thanksgiving celebration. It just worked out. We had invited Courtney, an American friend we had met through EIT to dinner Sunday night. Then we got a call from some of Glenn’s friends from the University of Idaho that were passing through so we invited them to dinner that night as well. It turned out to be a pleasant evening. We had garlic mash potatoes, kumara (a New Zealand sweet potato), stuffing, veggies, fruit salad and free range chicken—we have yet to see turkey in the grocery store but occasionally we see wild ones roaming around. For dessert Courtney made a delicious sweet kumara pie. Good food and good company what more could you ask for Thanksgiving.

I have been back in New Zealand approximately three weeks from my trip back to the states. What a busy few weeks it has been. I told Glenn yesterday I feel like I just got back because we have been doing something every night with visitors over for dinner or going to some ones house for dinner. It has been fun. I have tried to use any spare moments to work on the ceramic work I have been making out at Taradale Pottery studio. Yesterday, I unloaded my first firing—I have much to learn about glazing. The work was not bad but not spectacular either but I am still inspired to learn more and try some new things.

Last Thursday and Friday Glenn and I attended a Maori conference with Rose Marie Pere, a Maori woman that has written a great deal about Maori health practices and beliefs. The conference was quite invigorating and gave us a look at Maori culture. It was not a typical conference meeting—where you sit in uncomfortable chairs in a stuffy room and listen to someone talk extensively about what they know. Each morning before Rose began talking a prayer was sung in Maori, and not just one person sang this song, everyone in the conference sang it together. Then throughout the day someone would begin a Waiata (a song) and the rest of the room full of people would join in. Rose was not the only one that spoke in the conference either she insisted that each person in the room would have a chance to introduce themselves. So after she spoke for a few minutes she pointed to someone on one side of the room and said lets start with you. That person stood up “Kai ora” (a Maori greeting), said their name, and then proceeded to tell where they came from--their father’s tribe and mother’s tribe, what they did for a living and how many kids they had. It was an extensive introduction. I asked Donna, the woman that had invited Glenn and I to the conference, if this was traditionally how Maori introduced themselves. She said it was done this way because often time’s people would discover that they were related to someone or could relate to that person in someway. It was true people actually listened to each person’s introduction and responded. I had two men come and talk to me about having been to Idaho or known someone from Idaho. The Maori language is quite beautiful and I was reminded how musical it is and loved to watch the women’s hands dance the words of the Waiatas.

This week we are off to see the North part of the island, first up to Auckland to pick up our friend Megan and then maybe the Bay of Islands, which we have heard is quite breath taking. Hope to bring back some great photos.

Tuesday, October 05, 2004


We went to an orchid show this past weekend. I filled up my memory stick with pictures of the various flowers. Each flower was so original and with such striking colors. The rest of the weekend we were pretty lazy just relaxed around the house and did some cleaning up. The weather has been fluctuating from sunny to cold, rainy, windy, yuck but I guess that is what spring is all about sometimes. The one thing that is constant is that the weather is always changing so you must dress in layers or get stuck in a rain storm with your bikini on:) Posted by Hello

Friday, October 01, 2004

The story of my Snazzy Hair-Do and Jacket...

So had a few people asking me about my hair and my jacket I did not expand on the pictures that I posted, I guess now is the time. The hair-do was a free deal. There was a sign outside one of the many hair salons in Taradale reading "Looking for Hair Model." The girls in the salon told me they were needing someone that would not mind getting their haircut and styled for a final exam. The day of the exam I showed up at a salon in downtown Napier and met the girl that would be cutting and doing a perm on my hair. This was the first perm in my life. There were approximately six other girls that were there taking the test and six other girls getting their hair re-shaped. The feeling in the salon was tense, but my stylist was great and she passed the test with flying colors. It is pretty weird having curly hair but this style is pretty fun and easy to manage so it will be my New Zealand look.

The jacket was an early birthday present to myself from Anne S. a cool designer that is from New Zealand and hires New Zealanders to make her clothing designs. It reminded me of my mom as well. Maybe we will make a pattern off this one and make one for her. :)

This one is the one I think I will be keeping:) Posted by Hello

Here are some individual shots of the jewelery. Posted by Hello

Here is a collection of the necklaces and pins I have been making. Posted by Hello

This is a sculpture that I made recently it is not yet fired but I wanted to get it documented just in case. Posted by Hello

Thursday, September 30, 2004


Here is me typing at the computer. Posted by Hello

There are scattered tree trunks on the beach that make marvelous shapes.  Posted by Hello