It rains again, and again...and, y'all guessed it...again. however this bodes well for my blogging as sunny days (and those with light rain) are predisposed toward playin outdoors. Also, it is fantastic for the farm, as later this season it will inevitably get hotter and drier. From a growing standpoint, the more the merrier...the christmas lyrics here should be: let it rain, let it rain, let it rain!
Life on the farm has been swimming right along. i've learned more about specific herbs, weeds, and native plants than most sane people could ask for (which may insinuate something about me...) The other day Paul took me for a wee (that's little to you crazy Americans:) nature walk and identified all the native plants, trees, ferns. It was super rad to nerd out with someone over how insanely amazing plants are and I can feel that Paul has the same appreciation, wonder, and bewilderment for the super structure of nature and its intricacy as i do! Think we spent the better part of an hour gasping at the huge misteltoe high in the beech trees and getting giddy at the symmetrically lined spores of the back sides of the crown fern leaves. Nerds...100% certified. The other night we picked elder flowers which are currently in bloom on the trees all around and used them to start making elder flower brandy and wine, Michelle has told me these flowers are also quite scrumptious as fritters! Can't wait till McD's starts serving those up hot :P
This past weekend was quite fun and an interesting social study in small towns. It all began with Georgia's piano recital Friday night, in which she performed amazingly well with her renditions of a few christmas carols in both solo and duet fashion. Between feelings of nonstalgia as learners plunked out classic piano tunes and pure amazement at proficient performances of complicated pieces...let's just say I had bout the cheesiest of grins across my face the entire show.
The family took me to Garston (pronounced Gaw-stunn), where they used to live, for a friend's birthday party. Although we arrived late, the excitement had just begun! Let's just say, the night didn't end till the wee hourse of the morning (and that's only if you count 4am as wee) and the finishing touch of the evening was African dancing, which is more like high bouncing aerobics with hand clapping when performed by kiwi women late at night...now i see how Michelle stays in such good shape...actually that's more the morning yoga at which she schooled my poor hamstrings, oy!
The next day was beautiful and we spent the day playing socialites and visiting the family's friends in the area and having tea (which really means having snacks...and usually tea or coffee as well). Learned a lot about Garston and its inhabitants that day, more than would be smart to post on any internet site i'd think. After that weekend, i think i could write a short novel about the going-ons in the lives of those in the area, from weddings that shouldn't be and whose land has the best water to unbeknownst children and which son ran the family farm into the ground. Let's just say, not only American small towns have their town character, town drunk, and all other labeled appointments.
What WAS quite interesting was to be a semi fly-on-the-wall during most of these conversations; able to listen and observe all participants and reactions without having to be ready with any additional input; also to observe what types of people could discuss topics, life events, world issues...and who was completely stuck to the topic of outright gossip and only able to discuss the lives of others, whether in judgemental ways or not. But ALSO, wondering at how much of gossip is functional in small towns; how much is avoidance of learning the hard way who will poison your water if you get on their bad side...Think on that one why don't ya ;)
I also spoke with one of the "town characters" at a BBQ, a rather ragged older gentleman with crazy white hair and beard and intense look about him, probably from spending most of the time in the bush hunting and completely separate from people; our discussion turned to the states and he told me how many states, such as california and parts of the west coast, have been under the watchful eye of many new zealanders (weird to not just say kiwis, but i'll give it a go:)and influential in their environmental laws and attempts at breaking from national government standards. huh, i thought, really small town garston dwellers are aware of The Terminators legislative moves? Good on ya mate!
In other news, the weekend also involved a magnificient mountain/river drive up the Roberts range and a bit of river play, where i swear i found the world's hidden supply of the best skipping rocks ever shaped by flowing water...ever. seriously. no really i mean it.
We also snagged a smart little doug fir amidst a wee thunderclump (that's a 'small quick downpour' to you non kiwi speakin folk ;) so i've got my fair bit of christmas cheer...and the grand smell of fir needles, mmmm fantastic.
And just so no one feels left out of the farm gossip loop, we are down one rooster on this farm. After misbehaving repeatedly, he was no longer a surviver, got kicked off the island...by means of a 22...Like Paul says, 'where there's livestock, there's dead stock.'
cheers!
Life on the farm has been swimming right along. i've learned more about specific herbs, weeds, and native plants than most sane people could ask for (which may insinuate something about me...) The other day Paul took me for a wee (that's little to you crazy Americans:) nature walk and identified all the native plants, trees, ferns. It was super rad to nerd out with someone over how insanely amazing plants are and I can feel that Paul has the same appreciation, wonder, and bewilderment for the super structure of nature and its intricacy as i do! Think we spent the better part of an hour gasping at the huge misteltoe high in the beech trees and getting giddy at the symmetrically lined spores of the back sides of the crown fern leaves. Nerds...100% certified. The other night we picked elder flowers which are currently in bloom on the trees all around and used them to start making elder flower brandy and wine, Michelle has told me these flowers are also quite scrumptious as fritters! Can't wait till McD's starts serving those up hot :P
This past weekend was quite fun and an interesting social study in small towns. It all began with Georgia's piano recital Friday night, in which she performed amazingly well with her renditions of a few christmas carols in both solo and duet fashion. Between feelings of nonstalgia as learners plunked out classic piano tunes and pure amazement at proficient performances of complicated pieces...let's just say I had bout the cheesiest of grins across my face the entire show.
The family took me to Garston (pronounced Gaw-stunn), where they used to live, for a friend's birthday party. Although we arrived late, the excitement had just begun! Let's just say, the night didn't end till the wee hourse of the morning (and that's only if you count 4am as wee) and the finishing touch of the evening was African dancing, which is more like high bouncing aerobics with hand clapping when performed by kiwi women late at night...now i see how Michelle stays in such good shape...actually that's more the morning yoga at which she schooled my poor hamstrings, oy!
The next day was beautiful and we spent the day playing socialites and visiting the family's friends in the area and having tea (which really means having snacks...and usually tea or coffee as well). Learned a lot about Garston and its inhabitants that day, more than would be smart to post on any internet site i'd think. After that weekend, i think i could write a short novel about the going-ons in the lives of those in the area, from weddings that shouldn't be and whose land has the best water to unbeknownst children and which son ran the family farm into the ground. Let's just say, not only American small towns have their town character, town drunk, and all other labeled appointments.
What WAS quite interesting was to be a semi fly-on-the-wall during most of these conversations; able to listen and observe all participants and reactions without having to be ready with any additional input; also to observe what types of people could discuss topics, life events, world issues...and who was completely stuck to the topic of outright gossip and only able to discuss the lives of others, whether in judgemental ways or not. But ALSO, wondering at how much of gossip is functional in small towns; how much is avoidance of learning the hard way who will poison your water if you get on their bad side...Think on that one why don't ya ;)
I also spoke with one of the "town characters" at a BBQ, a rather ragged older gentleman with crazy white hair and beard and intense look about him, probably from spending most of the time in the bush hunting and completely separate from people; our discussion turned to the states and he told me how many states, such as california and parts of the west coast, have been under the watchful eye of many new zealanders (weird to not just say kiwis, but i'll give it a go:)and influential in their environmental laws and attempts at breaking from national government standards. huh, i thought, really small town garston dwellers are aware of The Terminators legislative moves? Good on ya mate!
In other news, the weekend also involved a magnificient mountain/river drive up the Roberts range and a bit of river play, where i swear i found the world's hidden supply of the best skipping rocks ever shaped by flowing water...ever. seriously. no really i mean it.
We also snagged a smart little doug fir amidst a wee thunderclump (that's a 'small quick downpour' to you non kiwi speakin folk ;) so i've got my fair bit of christmas cheer...and the grand smell of fir needles, mmmm fantastic.
And just so no one feels left out of the farm gossip loop, we are down one rooster on this farm. After misbehaving repeatedly, he was no longer a surviver, got kicked off the island...by means of a 22...Like Paul says, 'where there's livestock, there's dead stock.'
cheers!
1 comment:
I am loving reading all about your adventures down under! However - when you get time, I would love to see a post on what exactly you are doing there (big picture), how long you are there, who the family is that you're staying with, etc. I could make several guesses - but would love to hear the real facts!
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