Travel memories..

To travel from New zealand to anywhere is a long journey.
A stopover is always an exciting thing to do.

Josie and I stayed three nights in Hongkong
and enjoyed ourselves so much,
if we'd returned home after three days we'd have felt content.
This was however just the beginning of six weeks of travel,
just a rest in the long journey to The Uk and Europe.

So many people, so many high towers.
A night ride out on the harbour was awesome.

We also took a boat ride during the day.

red lanterns for luck.

We loved the food and Dim Sum is our big favourite.
We were the only non-chinese in this restaurant.
A sure sign of real Chinese food.
We later ate Dim Sum in Chinatown London  and  Chinatown  Victoria, Canada.

The Night Light show was a wonderful way to end a happy time in Hongkong.
We felt refreshed after a 10 hour flight from New Zealand
and felt ready to face the 13 hour flight to London.

I'm Home!! The traveller returns.. notes for you from a 'little papery thing'...

There's a pale moon rising
and I have itchy feet

friend Josie and I are
heading off around the world

two more sleeps and we'll be gone!

I've finished reading
Colleen McCullough's
The First Man In Rome
and my head is full of Romans and Barbarians
and bloody battles..

so it is..
on the road to Rome for us!

Catch you in Rome old moon!

I wonder whether I'll get to a computer on my travels.
If not...
catch you on my return blogging friends!

a journey 'round my sister..

when I see
the pine trees
down
Matakawau Road


past the little village
just beyond
the kauri bush

when I see the placid harbour
the sky
the rolling hills

the child in me is
coming home

again

the camber of the road
and every twist and every turn
are sheltered deep within my heart it seems

this is the very corner
where we lived
hehind those trees
much smaller then

and every inch of paddock
creek
puriri
punga fern

wraps around me like
a comforting
old coat

but the house
the garden
and the orchard
like us
the family
have gone

but wait..

I travel to the very end
of Matakawau Road
and there
in a cottage by the sea
lives
my
sister
and her man

so the journey to my heartland
is not in vain

there is love here
that enfolds me
like a handmade woollen rug

there is a blessing here
of quietness
and the salty smell of sea

and every corner
of the cottage

is
a shrine
to life and love

and
creativity
beautifully
expressed..

little shrines
of
peacefulness



and
longheld
simple faith

a sustaining
place of

of love
and family

it always is the little things...

it always is the little things

it always is the little things
that matter

like the little snowflakes soft as down
that fluttered and danced
and
astonished
us
in lands
where snowflakes
never fall

until today

and these delicate little dancers bewitched us
and made
the six o'clock news

it always is the
little things
that matter

Tell me...

tea leaves in my tea cup
at my sisters..



Any readers of tea leaves out there?

An overseas trip?
?
?
Ha ha.. I see a shoe and is that the Eiffel Tower?
Methinks an adventure is looming!!

Road trip North..

An early morning road trip
on a cold and foggy morning..



the Waikato River
in winter glory

mists
naked willows
and
swift flowing swollen waters..

a cold sleety rain
in a stinging wind
and the wild west coast breakers roar
along the peninsula

rainbows to tell that
all is well

indeed all is well
for
trips end is a cosy fire
and
homemade muffins
 hot tea
and
sisterly love

..a little taste of Kiwi joy...

Brigid..

take the dead winter reeds from the lake.. weave a cross of Brigid...

for this is
August
the last month of winter
Brigid Day

light the candles
to celebrate the returning of light

candlemas
the season of milk
newborn calves and lambs
and wobbly legged foals

this strange warm season we've had
scarcely cold
spring flowers appearing early
daffodil gold of the sun
snowdrops white of the milk

I take milk white paper

and cut out dancing maidens

to dance beneath the winter moon

milk white maidens

to welcome the lengthening of days
and the returning of the sun

may our hearts be light
and rejoice!