Mid-March 2015

Ahhh, it's that time of year again.

End of January 2015

The return trip back home after leaving Hayli at the Christchurch Airport presented an opportunity to make a diversion through Arthur's Pass to Hokitika and then to brother Marty and his partner Tricia's newly acquired patch of second-growth bush  near Lake Kanieri.

 He has acquired some small bits of machinery to assist with clearing some of the section.

He reports nearly 500 mm of rain in a recent week, and subsequently has managed to get the 'dozer stuck a couple of times. Those guys that live on the Coast would consider our annual rainfall here of about 1,250 mm merely as a light dew!

Mid January 2015

Time for a farewell to her summer friends before returning to her Pacific Paradise.

 A final feed for her fowl friends.

Hayli with Comet, named not because he was fast, but for the fact that he was Hayli's!

So good bye to her farm friends and a 5-hour drive to Christchurch to catch the plane back to Fiji. First, though, a visit to Orana Park before going to the airport.

Our Fiji girl quickly made friends (with the appropriate vegetative bribes) with some fairly tall inhabitants.  Sorry, Hayli, no room on the plane for this one.

 To make a start on her wildlife photo collection, she borrowed my camera for these shots.

After we had farewelled Hayli into the care of Airport staff, we were obliged to wait until the plane had taken off before we too could leave for my brother Marty's place on the West Coast enroute for home. Imagine our consternation when the Customs Hall was cleared of all people and four aeroplanes flying internationally, and the Hall, were searched for an electrician's misplaced screwdriver. Flights were not allowed to resume until the errant screwdriver was tracked down. It was eventually found and flights were allowed to proceed and we were able to leave for the Coast. 

Things have changed somewhat. When my father owned and operated a small airline business in the 1950s, his lady employee checking off passengers into the company's Dominie at Haast, said to them, "Hang on a tic,"  picked up her .303 rifle and dropped a couple of deer on the other side of the airstrip where they had wandered from the adjacent bush.

January 2015

Of such are childhood memories made. Hot sun. Cool water. Interesting rocks, and plenty of cousins to share it all with. Elephant Rock on the far right.

During the recent school holidays my wife and I were blessed with having four of our 10 grandchildren come and stay with us for a few days. One of them remarked that she was disappointed that Granddad wasn't keeping up with his blog, as she frequently referred to it  to see what we were up to.

So, with her gentle chiding ringing in my ears, I will endeavour over the next few days to catch up a bit.

January 2015

Our Fiji-domiciled granddaughter riding the back of Elephant Rock, in the Motueka River.

A German lady, sunning herself on the river bank whilst keeping an eye on her children, on observing her swimming technique, was astounded at her ability and broke into spontaneous applause. 

Indeed, she swims like a trout!