A long hot January

As I'm sitting here in the shade of a tree, thankfully, writing this blog I'm amazed at how fast this month has gone .... and how hot it has been.  Only the last week or so to be truthful have been that hot for us as we have baked in our little tin can. ;)  Nothing that river swims, cool drinks and the shade of a tree hasn't sorted though.

At Shag Point ... can't get much closer to the sea I think1

We began the New Year in All Day's bay, just south of Oamaru, which is a great spot right on the beach.  Themselves loved being out on the beach all day although it was in jackets, gumboots and hats due to a freezing wind blowing the entire time!  After this we took some time to see a few sights that we missed last time down there like actually going inside Larnach's Castle, Totara Estate, Hayes Engineering and St Bathan's.  It was a lot of going back in time and seeing how life used to be for some inspiring and enterprising early settlers.

Our set up to beat the heat in Oturehua - Hayes Engineering 

Enjoying a cool drink in St Bathan's

Then it was back to Mum's in Canterbury so that we could get a new radiator (we had to be filling and emptying bottles left right and centre on our little trip south) and a COF.  It was also a chance to head into National Archives to do a bit more family research and then out to Staveley to see the photos they had out there of  Mum's family. It was great being able to go out there with Mum and to see where Michael Fagan lived. As more comes online the dots are beginning to be joined and it makes me realise I need to re-write the information I have before it gets forgotten .... it is definitely a labour of love and one I really enjoy though ;)

Themselves at Nan's with Midnight the chick

Himself cooking tea - Tince Pie (Tofu minced up)

Cass Station inbetween Porters and Arthurs Pass

Making the most of the local flying fox and swings in Cass

COF in hand we then headed over to the West Coast to catch up with friends and family.  Jasmine had her 11th birthday over there and both kids had a fantastic time catching up with all their home-schooling friends over there.  It is wonderful when you can just meet up with people after ages of little contact and start from where you left off!!  Despite the influx of mossies and sandflies that always appear I do love the Coast and always feel like I've come home in a way. The scenery is some of the best in NZ and the people are a breed unto themselves.  We even got to do some gold panning with a random guy called Possum Pete who got chatting to us!  Not many places that happens anymore that is for sure.

Gold Panning with Possum Pete in Kumara

Herself's birthday picnic

Coming up the coast and into Nelson we have had some great spots to camp up and some awesome rivers for the kids to paddle, swim, explore and play in.  Our favourite though has to be the swimming hole in Murchison where we cooled off before bed on a 33 degreee day.

Coming over the Taramakau Brige - the last rail and road bridge in NZ. The new old is being built now.

View from our door at Tiromoana (just north of Fox River)

Seal Colony at Tauranga Bay

Even as I write this themselves are finding kēwai (fresh water crayfish) in the stream beside us in Wai-iti Domain .... I love watching them explore and discover in this way and so grateful to have our home close by too ;)

Well I'll love you and leave you there until next time.
Arohanui
Y