Category Archives: New Zealand

Bella Day 23

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Today was a landmark day for Bella. For the first time she summed up the courage to go down our stairs.

Up until today we always knew that if Bella was upstairs, that’s where she would stay – largely out of trouble. And Poppie knew that to escape the constant ambushes all she had to do was head downstairs.

This morning Bella turned up downstairs unannounced. Clearly nowhere in the house is safe anymore.

At 12 weeks, Bella is learning a huge amount. She now understands and responds to her name, knows where and when to line up for a meal and understands what the word “no” means. She is starting to pay attention to Jean and I but clearly her role model is Poppie. Whatever Poppie does, Bella copies and wherever Poppie goes the wee girl isn’t far behind.

I managed to capture Bella’s second stair descent on video.

Winter arrives 3 days early

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Yesterday the first cold southerly blast of winter arrived. The temperature dropped from around 15 degrees to 7 degrees. Snow fell in the Southern Alps and on the volcanic plateau in the North Island closing roads and causing general chaos.

And snow fell on the hills around Wellington. When we woke this morning and looked out the window, the view across the harbour included an early season dusting of snow.

Today is a beautiful sunny day but the temperature is hovering under 10 degrees in the shade. Thankfully the wind has gone and things will continue to improve towards the weekend – when winter officially starts.

Snow across the harbour

Snow across the harbour

Bella Day 7

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Bella disgusted

After a week we are starting to get a routine going. The routine is Bella chewing everything while we spend huge amounts of time outside trying to get her to “go toilet”.

Already the mats are looking a little ragged around the edges and feet – any feet – are fair game for chewing and chasing.

Our slightly chewed Poppie – ears and tail mainly –  has worked out that height is the answer. Bella can’t jump up on to couches or beds yet so Poppie spends a lot of time on the bed or the couch – much to Bella’s disgust.

Welcome Bella

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We have a new member of the family. An 8 week old puppy called Bella. She is a Bichon Frise cross Poodle and is, according to Jean, as cute as a button.

Bella has spent two days settling into home and already our routine has been turned upside down.

Poppie the dog doesn’t quite know what to make of her but is certainly making sure Bella knows she’s second in line.

Rosie the cat has spent a lot of time outside – voluntarily – but I suspect their showdown will come soon. Curious Bella with all the innocence in the world versus smart Rosie with claws.

And, of course, Bella is already the most photographed dog in Wellington.

The Zephyrometer at work

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Zephyrometer on a windy day

Today the first winter southerly ripped through Wellington bringing rain and wind and more rain. A few posts ago I talked about the piece of wind sculpture called the Zephyrometer. Today it was being worked to the limit.

A time to remember

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Poppy on grave 2013

April 25th is ANZAC Day. The day that New Zealand remembers soldiers who have died in past wars.

A few years ago it looked like the significance of ANZAC Day was waining as the number of veterans of WW1, WW2, the Korean War and the war in Vietnam slowly declined. But as the younger generations have grown up so has the respect for the sacrifices made by the men and women who fought in these wars.

Dawn parades take place all over the country and each year the numbers grow as the sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters and even great grandsons and daughters of veterans march and remember  the places and times that kiwis fought and died.

In 2011 our trip south through Italy to Positano involved, as it usually does, a stop at Cassino, the site of the battle for Monte Cassino. Located about an hours drive north of Naples we visit the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery located in the town which has one quiet corner where kiwi soldiers lie.

If you haven’t already read the blog post, please do.

A great vintage

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Grapes 2013

One of the advantages of a long, hot and dry summer is that the country has many happy vintners. The 2013 vintage is shaping up as a cracker right across the country so if you’re a fan of New Zealand wine keep an eye out for some fabulous treats.

At our place we share a very old vine with our neighbours. Over the years it has spread it’s way down the boundary fence and now covers about half the length bringing that Italian feel from our back yard right down to the front door.

Every year it produces eating grapes and usually they are, how would you put it – sour, really sour. This year the long dry spell has been their saviour. Rich and sweet they have been a hit with our friends and rellies – so much so that friends planned  a pick and run mission last weekend to clean out the last remaining bunches.

As a result, our grapes may not be up for grabs this year but any bottle of wine from New Zealand with 2013 on the label will be worth grabbing – believe me.

Only 20 days of water left

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Dry Lake Bed of Mojave Desert

Wellington has been experiencing a drought. It has been a dry summer and with no rain in the last 6 weeks all outdoor garden watering was banned a few days ago.

By  Sunday we were down to 20 days of water left in the reservoirs around the city.

Presumably once that’s gone we will be forced to drink wine and bathe in champagne. And friends, any spare bottles of Perrier you have sitting in the cupboards, please send it this way urgently.

If you sense a little cynicism in this post it is only because I am a Wellingtonian and I just knew that the good weather couldn’t hold out forever. Yesterday and today the rains arrived.

Good news for the garden but bad news for the Wellington water supply – apparently. Because the catchment area streams and rivers have been so low and full of dust and dirt, the recent rain washed all this muck with it and became too dirty to be purified by the Wellington water system.

So the irony is that after 2 days of solid rain we have 2 less days of water available. Now, where’s that champagne?

Windy Art – where else but Wellington

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One of the things I enjoy about Wellington is the amount of public art around the city. I’ve already blogged about the writers walk along the waterfront – the snippets of kiwi writers works carved in stone scattered here and there for people to discover. But there is so much more.

On the way to Wellington airport are a series of wind inspired works, each one making a unique statement about Wellington’s defining climatic condition and each animated by the wind in a unique way.

Here is the first in a series of shots of the various Meridian Wind Sculptures stretching between Evans Bay and the airport. Zephyrometer is a work by Phil Price erected in 2003. It is a giant “windometer” which often reaches close to horizontal in strong southerly winds. Something every Wellingtonian will have seen over the last 10 years.

The second sculpture is Andrew Drummond’s Tower of Light. The stronger the wind blows the faster the rotor on top revolves and the more neon tubes light up powered by a generator in the rotor. If you are driving into the city from the airport and see all the rings illuminated be prepared for a rough time.

The fleet is now complete

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356 Outside Gate

A week ago I picked the 356 up from the Powerhaus with refurbished brakes, a tuned engine, new battery and new “stop it leaking oil onto the road” thingies.

The last time I drove it was onto a transporter heading to the Powerhaus before Christmas. All four brake drums had seized so it was more dragged than driven. It was a sad sight.

But now it’s back and better than ever. All it needs now is a wash and wax and it’s back to showroom condition.

February is birthday month

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Birthday Cake 1

At our place birthdays happen in February.

Both Jean and I celebrate the passing of another year in February with birthdays just 4 days apart. Both our mothers celebrate birthdays in February as does an assortment of rellies scattered throughout the month.

Last night we celebrated Jean’s birthday with candles, cake, flowers, champagne and balloons – and a visit from the “Louis V” fairy with a new handbag-matching wallet.

What more could a girl want?

A car for a summer’s day – thankfully we’re having a few.

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Summer has hit with a vengeance and the forecast for the next week is sun and lots of it. An ideal chance (in fact the only chance) to dust off the Porsche 550 replica and put some miles on the clock.

When one long, hot, dry day is followed by another, the complete lack of a roof is no longer a problem.

The more I drive it the more impressed I am with the way it handles and performs. I’m especially impressed by the way it pushes my eyeballs to the back of my head every time I accelerate on a straight and then pops them out on stalks when I brake.

Luckily it also goes around corners – but always with a slight sense of menace that next time, if I’m not careful, it could end badly – in the harbour or over a bank.

Tonight it got photographed just as the sun was setting parked outside the house.

Finally a sunny day in Wellington

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Storm Arriving

After a spell of rain and bad weather, yesterday started as a sunny Wellington day. It turned ugly in the afternoon – in about 30 minutes. From our place the view of the southerly front rolling in was quite dramatic.

The year that was

Gallery

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This gallery contains 41 photos.

Everywhere I look the last 12 months are being reviewed – news, sports, politics – the best of, the worst of – clearly this is the time of year for reflection. Never being one to miss a trend, here’s our … Continue reading →

Home again

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Poppie asleep on Minnie

After just over a week on the road we arrived home last Thursday. It had been a great break but we were all exhausted.

A huge thank you to the whole Pohara team who are now, once again, spread all around the globe.

Pohara panorama - 5 shots stitched together using Photoshop

Pohara panorama – 5 shots stitched together using Photoshop