NZ Treasures.....

Treasures bought.....

Treasured family......

Treasures of the sea.....

Landscapes and flora to treasure....

Fauna to treasure.......

Geothermal landscapes to treasure.....

New Zealand treasures.....

A montage of New Zealand memories to treasure forever.

-xxx-

Santa has been......

Christmas Day....oh joy.....oh happiness......presents......it's true then, Santa can and does find you, if you're not at home. A few days earlier though, the Angels went out on the farm on a very special mission with Grandpa, Grandma G, K & D....a search party even.....to find THE most perfect Christmas tree.....they looked at this one, wondered about that one, checked all around this one, measured that one.....until it was declared THIS ONE was THE P E R F E C T one......it was cut it down......transported ever so carefully on the tractor and trailer back to the house.....they checked it's size again....not too tall, not too short......just PERFECT......wedged it securely in a bucket of water laced with a special tonic concoction of aspirin and sugar......to keep it healthy don't you know......and finally, with Grandma G overseeing proceedings, the Angels decorated their P E R F E C T Christmas tree.....their very special mission was complete.......and now Santa had been and left the finishing touches......

Radiata Pine - Traditional NZ Christmas Tree

And here is T H E man himself......Santa......

Santa

looking rather slim on it, it has to be said......must be that long and very tiring journey all the way from the North Pole! Notice the dubious looking refreshment in his hand......looks can be deceiving though.....it is actually a Simpsons can filled with sweeties......hehehe.

Stockings were opened.....the gazebo and sun umbrellas were set out.......dinner was prepared and set to cook............at last, it was time for a glass or two of bubbles, and some serious present opening......it was a big affair compared to what we usually have......there were many of us......Big Lad, Little Lad, Big Miss, Little Miss, Grandpa and Grandma G, and two of my sisters.....K and her husband D, and B, her husband J, and their children H & C, and of course, Me....wow that tots up to 13.....that makes for manic present opening all at once!!!....and there were presents galore.....and lots and lots of sweeties.....some very spoilt people if the truth be told!

Getting hungry by now you say.....absolutely......dinner was ready to be devoured......it was a full on cooked Christmas roast with trimmings......followed by Christmas pudding, trifle and the obligatory NZ pavlova with lashings of cream, fresh fruit salad, and ice cream.....all enjoyed outside under the welcome shade of the gazebo and sun umbrellas.....it was 28C after all......

Christmas Day Dinner Gazebo

Yep, the weather really got it right for the day......in fact, it was the best Christmas day weather for 37 years! Usually there is rain hanging around, and New Zealanders long for a sunny Christmas day like we here in Britain long for a white Christmas.


Absolutely glorious it was.......but I have to say......very, very different to how a winter Christmas feels.....in fact, it felt quite odd without the gorgeous, gentle, glow of candles and fairy lights, without a roaring fire to warm your cockles (not that we are lucky enough to have a real fire in the UK), without the aromas of orange, cinnamon, and clove, without warm mince pies and mulled wine, without that feeling you get of being all cosy and rosy inside, while it's cold and hopefully snowy, outside......don't get me wrong......it was splendid to enjoy again after so many years, and for the Angels to experience for the first time.......but there is just something sooooo right about a winter Christmas.......and if we are ever lucky enough to return to NZ to live, I would most definitely have to have an additional mini Christmas celebration on winter solstice day, just to enjoy those magical feelings of a winter Christmas.


A  H U G E  thank you to everyone for making our summer Christmas celebration so wonderfully different!

-xx-

Native flora and fauna....

We were given a most useful and interesting Christmas present.....a family entry ticket to Zealandia.....a very special nature sanctuary right in the centre of Wellington..... there are only a few creatures kept in cages.....just these few Green Gekos, and a small clutch of baby tuataras to prevent them being eaten by the bigger ones.....instead, there is a very special predator perimeter fence to keep out the unwanted.....primarily rats, cats and stoats.....while inside all manner of native birds, insects, and animals roam totally free. There are even kiwis roaming free, but as these are nocturnal birds, you need to go on a special night time excursion, so alas, we missed out on seeing these little treasures running live. But we saw plenty of other native creatures.....

The Wellington Green Gecko which only lives in the southern half of the North Island, and is distinguished from the Auckland Green Gecko by it's yellow soled feet.....

Wellington Green Geko

Tuatara reptiles......known as living fossils.....they can live over 100 years.....they were around with the dinosaurs.....they haven't changed in 225 million years......and they are only found in NZ....can you see the little fellow there....camouflaged right in the middle of the picture?

Baby Tuatara

They are mostly nocturnal reptiles, and cold blooded, but they sometimes like to bask in the sun to warm up.....just like this one here......

Medium Tuatara

The Kaka.....one of NZ's three native parrots.....lives in native forests......

NZ Kaka

And the Tui.....a native bird belonging to the honeyeater family....they feed mainly on nectar from native flowers.....and live in native bush.....

NZ Tui

It may not be native, but Little Miss was chuffed when I found this little green walking stick and placed it on her hand.....

These are just some of the diverse and exotic creatures that can be found in NZ.....the plants and scenery can be pretty impressive too.....

Unfurling frond of the Tree Fern

Tree Fern

Little Miss

Zealandia is situated in a valley that comprises the original concrete water reservoirs for the Wellington region .....now decommissioned due to earthquake risk. This is the little inspection tower which is reached via a small bridge, and has been renovated using the original colours.....

Inspection Tower

Here's the inspection tower and little bridge.....notice just how close suburbia is.....

It is hoped that this area, which is now fully enclosed, will be restored to something of it's former state over a 500 year timeframe.....the time it will take for the forest to regain its former diversity and structure.....WOW, that's a long time.....

View from the lookout platform of one of the two dams and lakes.....

It was such an amazing place, and an ideal introduction for the Angels to some of New Zealand's native flora and fauna.....with a picnic lunch and the sun shining again, it was an interesting, educational and fun day. Thanks A.....it was awesome!

-xx-