It looked like a humpback whale to both the Maori and Captain James Cook, who charted New Zealand for the first time in the far-back 1780s for the British Admiralty. The Maori called it Motuhora and the captain, Whale Island. I lived at Bryans Beach, Opotiki for many years, and the island was central in … More Whale Island in Bay of Plenty
We volunteers met at the kohanga, the hut where the supplies are kept for the pest eradication project for the Aongatete Forest Restoration. We’re put in groups of 2 or 3, allocated a line, a track along which the bait stations are located, load the supplies into a backpack and with the track plan in hand, … More A Walk on the Wild Side – sort of
It was supposed to be a rat-station baiting day in the forest, but a previous check by volunteers found only two rats had been caught! The forest was safe for the birds this time around. Instead, we volunteers would have a walk and a barbecue. Meeting at the kohanga, literally te reo Maori for nest, … More Two Good Keen Girls
Te Aroha snuggles beneath the moutain bearing the same name on the Waikato side of the Kaimai range which divides the Bay of Plenty from the Waikato. Hot springs emerge from a fault line at the base of the bush-covered mountain. The small rural town surprises me with the number of large fancy Victorian/Edwardian buildings; … More Te Aroha – the mountain of love and a surprise Edwardian town in the Waikato
Have you ever wished to get away from it all, get into nature and escape into solitude? Probably, and I’m there now for two weeks, minding a garden and a B&B for friends. Ohiwa Harbour between Whakatane and Opotiki, New Zealand, is a magical place to retreat and reflect. What force of nature draws … More Wilderness as therapy
Exciting stuff! I’ve just picked up my first book from the printer. i’m now an Indie author, self published and independent. It’s a fairy story in a chapter book with a real live person working with the fairies to sort out their soil problems, the same problems that farmer’s have. Here’s the cover – Doctor … More Doctor Peter’s Good Earth Magic – my first book out now
I’m house sitting with a stuffed grizzly bear in a small rural town called Katikati in the western Bay of Plenty New Zealand. I’m here for five months over the winter and spring, from June to October. I write children’s stories. I paint landscapes and I explore. This is an exploration story. Katikati is a … More Exploring the outdoor art murals in Katikati, New Zealand
