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Vintage Heroes by Alex Gross

2012-01-30T19:59:00.000+13:00

Alex Gross collects vintage "cabinet card" portraits. He likes to transform some of them into super heroes and other recognizable figures, leaving the original face peering out of its new persona.

His quirky re-imagining of these vintage portraits has given him a lot of press lately from various outlets including designboom, craftzine, and junkculture.

Some commenters over at Craftzine were concerned or downright upset about the idea of Alex painting on original vintage photographs. To them, Alex gives the answer below:

"Yes, I paint on the real cabinet cards. I scan them hi res first so i have a nice record of them as they were. As for how i can destroy art, I don't look at it that way. I have been collecting cabinet photos for over a decade now. I have hundreds, possibly thousands. When you find stack upon stack of them at some flea market or antique store, being offered for a dollar or two, and being purchased by virtually no one, you begin to understand that these photos are being lost to changing times. These are pictures of people's families. How did they even end up in a flea market in the first place? The sad truth is that most people don't seem to care about them anymore.

I care about them and I love them deeply.

What I am doing to them is giving them a new life and people are actually looking at them again. What's more, my fundamental rule is to not obscure the face. Whatever i do with them, people can still see the person that is in the picture. It's all about their likeness. Sometimes one will be so amazing that I cannot paint on it because I am afraid to ruin it. So I save those.

What's more, I often come across doubles, since I buy from some of the same sellers. So in many cases, the photo itself is not a unique object.

I understand how you feel, but I like the fact that dozens upon dozens of cabinet cards that I have embellished now hang upon walls in peoples homes, instead of in dusty piles in the back of flea market stalls."

I agree with him, but I'm also very happy to hear he makes a high resolution backup of each photo. I've been trying to digitize my old family photos, backing everything up both for easy access and in case the originals are damaged. I wonder if any of his subjects will be identified by their descendants, now that his work has brought these photos out of hiding? It's a nice idea.

Left: Wonder Woman Right: The Lone Ranger

The cabinet cards will be on display, along with nineteen new mixed media pieces in Gross' solo exhibition 'Product Placement,' at Jonathan Levine Gallery in NYC beginning February 25th, 2012.

Images © Alex Gross at alexgross.com

Okains Bay

2012-01-29T09:32:00.001+13:00

This week the Norris-Arnold family took us on a day trip to the Banks Peninsula, that crazy looking piece of land jutting off the Canterbury region. We spent the day going from beach to campground, surrounded by beautiful landscapes and a few friendly families with small children.

Sam worked on his sunburn.

The campground has a zip line, or flying fox as they're called here, and Sam waited his turn in line with the kids to ride it a few times. Don't worry, it only looks like he's kicking a kid in this photo. If you want to see him in motion, go here.

Sandwich Artist

2012-01-28T11:44:00.002+13:00

These simple sandwiches spotted at Low Commitment Projects brought a smile to my face. Some don't look particularly tasty, but all are a little edible masterpiece.

The Mondrian is my favorite.

All images from Brittany Powell at lowcommitmentprojects.com

Let's Talk About Nails.

2012-01-27T12:31:00.000+13:00

New Years Eve party nails

Fun fact: I grew up biting my nails down to stumps. My entire immediate family did, and we're all recovering nail biters. After kicking the habit for a while in high school, I finally stopped for good in 2007 by wearing fake nails for about 3 months. They were thick and comprised of nasty chemicals, but that's not what stopped me from biting them, pathetically enough. They were just so beautiful. I painted them bright, neon colors and couldn't stop staring at them. I knew I had to get some of my own.

Luckily for me, after the fake nails came off, my real nails grew in strong and thick. They even feel like fake nails. How could I have been biting these babies off all these years? I felt like I cheated myself growing up.

Now I have a new addiction: painting my nails.

Sometimes I suspect Sam thinks I'm crazy for liking nail polish as much as I do, but to me it's such a easy way to brighten my wardrobe and cheer myself up. Fingernails are the perfect tiny canvas for bright colors and crazy patterns I might not otherwise wear.

Before we left for New Zealand, I gave away most of my polishes. I kept a few, contained in an old whisky tube for safe travel in my suitcase. I've been having slight polish withdrawals while we've been traveling, but I'm holding up alright. I still like to ogle those little bottles of colors in the pharmacies, but when they retail as much as $24.99 a bottle, it's easy to resist.

Conversation hearts nails - all Essie colors

Sometimes my nails are inspired by things I see around me, such as conversation hearts, a piece of jewelry, or even scissors. Sometimes they turn out kind of weird or over-the-top, but I enjoy experimenting.

Purple mountain majesty nails

It amazes me that this is now what I call having "short" nails.

Mmm, shatter polish.

The rare and much coveted Gosh Holographic polish

When I'm more settled, I think I'll get ahold of some nail art pens and try some tribal nails.

What about you? Been doing anything crazy on your nails lately?

Keads on Facebook

2012-01-25T20:29:00.000+13:00

Some of you have told me you check the website daily. Some are subscribed by email. For those of you who like the links I share on Facebook, I have good news: as of last night, keads.com has a fan page.

Become a fan if you want instant updates from the blog to appear in your Facebook news feed.

Terrariums & Planters by Score + Solder

2012-01-25T10:04:00.000+13:00

Words can't express my love for these terrariums and planters from Score + Solder, inspired by the forms of crystals. Desert plants are a love of mine, and combining them with crystals is more than I can resist.

From his website:

A traveling gypsy, Matthew Cleland makes all his beautiful pieces by hand with skills passed down through ten generations and continued today by this magician. With a flask in one hand and a soldering iron in the other, he brings you one of a kind pieces of art.

All Score + Solder terrariums and planters are handmade to order using glass and lead free solder. Terrariums come with a kit including instructions, rocks, sand, activated charcoal soil and a crystal. International orders do not come with soil due to customs regulations.

All images courtesy of Matthew Cleland's website.

Inspired: Street Art by Remed

2012-01-24T10:19:00.000+13:00

Today I'm feeling inspired by the French artist REMED. If you haven't seen his work before, check it out at his website or on his flickr photostream.

His use of color, typography, pattern & form makes every piece jump off the wall. Besides mural work & street art, he keeps busy with painting, drawing & sculpture.

Birds in Okinawa, Japan. Photo fromｆぐoaxial's photostream on flickr.

From the press page of REMED's website:

“REMED is a spin-off alter-ego of the artist Guilo who initially gained fame with his Moroccan-influenced paintings of bearded men. That heavily-patterned style mixed with a yen to create art on any available surface led Guilo to create the REMED persona to distinguish his new characters and symbols from previous work. What sets him apart is the focus on his own evolution and a minimum of deep message. He’s doing his own thing, and it’s nice to come across that particular kind of passion in the graff world, the pure joy of creating regardless of outside influences”

New York Bagels in New Zealand

2012-01-23T09:43:00.002+13:00

Earlier this week I posted about my first attempt at bagel making. Today I perfected the art! I used the dough and most methods described here, with a couple small differences.

First, I used a bread machine to make the dough. Perhaps it's lazy of me, but I used that time to prepare the toppings and do some dishes, so I don't feel bad.

I've got the bagel rolling method down pretty well now. The first time I had too much flour on my surface, and the ends didn't stick together as well.

The other modification I made to this recipe is to add 3 Tbsp sugar to the boiling water.

For a topping, I used minced garlic (3 cloves this time), flax seeds (linseeds), sesame seeds, salt (less this time!), poppy seeds, and sunflower seeds.

The dough recipe I used last time picked up the toppings better, but this time they didn't stick as well. I coated both sides this time to make up for the difference. An egg wash might have been better for getting them to stick, but I thought they tasted delicious anyway.

One of my favorite things about New York bagel shops is the assortment of cream cheeses. From jalapeño to strawberry, from lox to sun dried tomato, there's something for everyone. My favorite has always been vegetable, and I decided to recreate it. I threw in some finely diced carrot, green onions and jalapeño for a bit of kick.

On the lunch menu for today: Still warm bagels fresh from the oven, with veggie cream cheese, Sam's famous egg patty, and fresh greens from the garden.

Happy Birthday, Larbear!

2012-01-22T22:29:00.001+13:00

Everyone say happy birthday to my dear, sweet dad Larry! He's the best dad in the whole world (don't argue with me; you will lose) and I miss him lots.

I thought I'd take this opportunity to post some of my favorite vintage Larbear photos, plus one of us at my wedding. Thanks for always being there, Dad!

The last photo is by David Clarke.

A Ring For Every Occasion

2012-01-22T13:19:00.000+13:00

I'm excited to announce that Sam's younger brother Harrison will be arriving in a few short weeks for a two month stay in New Zealand! Most people laugh and say, "I wish," when I ~~command~~ invite them to visit us, but Harry really knows how to deliver.

Sam has been preparing by stocking up on supplies for a gold panning tour of the south island. He envisions us finding enough gold to make a second set of wedding bands to go behind our titanium rings. Ideas like this remind me how lucky I was to find him. (There's a striking gold pun in there, but I'm going to pretend I didn't see it.)

Even if this hopeful dream falls short, and we find only flakes, I know we will have fun. Still, I have found myself thinking about rings lately, and then I decided I should write a post about some of the amazing rings I've come across in the past few months. Most of them are out of my price range, but there's nothing wrong with dreaming, right?

The Standouts:

With gemstones and bold forms, these are the rings that shout "Look at me! My hands are covered in awesome!" I am pretty sure I would hurt myself on the spiky one, though.

Rutilated quartz rings by Babette con Dohnanyi

Clockwise from top left: 14K gold hexagon ring by Caitlin Mociun $295 ($185 silver), Turquoise triangle ring by Caitlin Mociun $1800, Amethyst point spiked ring by Christi Billups, 14K iolite ring by Ariel Gordon $725

Low Profile Bands

My mom had a ring like this when I was growing up. She like it because it didn't get in her way. I liked it because the tiny stones went all the way around.

Left: Custom band by Caitlin Mociun Right: 14K diamond band by Kate Szabone $895

Classic vs. Modern:

How could I possibly choose between them? There's something about a cluster ring that will always make me swoon. On the other hand, the matte silver finish and the way the uvarovite garnet looks like a tiny patch of grass makes this modern ring another favorite.

Left: Vintage Sapphire and diamond cluster ring from RubyGrays $5460 Right: Gretel ring by Marta Sanchez Oms

The Quiet Beauties:

With texture and shape, these two make an elegant statement. Both look like great everyday rings.

Left: 14K Nora ring by J. Lingau via Catbird $430 Right: Hexagon Ring with Champagne Diamond by Satomi Kawakita

The Bling:

I can't post about rings without mentioning one of my favorite etsy shops, GarnetGirl by Madelynn Cassin. I have a "rock fetish" ring from her shop and whenever I wear it I can't stop staring at the way the sky blue gem catches the light. I love the sparkle against the matte finish of the silver.

There are so many beautiful pieces in her shop that I'm constantly ogling, but here are three in particular that have caught my eye.

Left: 14K moissanite halo ring $2498, Matte 14K London blue topaz ring $495, 14K palladium morganite solitaire ring $1498

DIY Postcards

2012-01-20T17:40:00.001+13:00

Kia Ora!

Good postcards are hard to come by. Postcard racks are filled too often with bad graphic design, lame fonts, or photos that aren't representative of my travels. After almost 5 months in New Zealand, I still haven't seen a kiwi bird.

What's my solution? Make my own!

I ordered photo-safe postcard backs from The2Buds, then I got some photos printed at Mak's Photo Lab in Christchurch. I'm glad I chose a local shop with a good reputation, because my photos came out crisp with true colors, and I was able to select white borders and a matte finish. White borders give photos a crisp, professional look, and a matte finish is always best, in my opinion, but especially when making postcards. Nobody wants a postcard to arrive with grubby fingerprints all over it.

The postcard backs I bought are thick enough to give good support, with strong adhesive on the backs. My photos were a hair longer on one edge and shorter on the other, so I trimmed off the edge of the postcard back that hung over.

I made this batch of cards clean & simple, but I started thinking I could add my own text and have them printed the same way. Then I threw these together: one simple, and one inspired by vintage travel postcards, both using my photos.

So... who wants a postcard from New Zealand? Leave a comment below. If you want a particular photo from my flickr photostream, post a link in your comment.

Boiled Bagels

2012-01-20T03:05:00.000+13:00

I lived in New York for 5 weeks on Criffer's couch. Technically, that could be called visiting, but I consider anything over a month living. I also lived with bagel snobs in college, including Jersey-born Sarah, who took me to NYC for the first time, and Manhattan-born Maia, who introduced me to the term "bread circles."

Bread Cir•cles noun

1. An inferior bagel that has not been properly boiled, lacking the interior/exterior texture of a true bagel. See also: Roll with a Hole.

For these reasons I, too, have become a bagel snob. I'm also a pizza snob, but that's another story. The life of a bagel snob living in Midland, Texas is a sad one. For the past few years, I have lived at least 5 hours away from a decent bagel in any direction, and any excursions to large cities have required forward planning and internet scouting for a true boiled bagel.

I'd like to take a moment to plug Rockstar Bagels in Austin, Texas. The owner, Joe Humel, is very nice and helped me in this quest on more than one occasion.

Back to my sad story. The saddest, most depressing part about it is that I made bagels tonight and they weren't too hard and taste pretty accurate for a first attempt. I can't believe I could have been doing this all along!

With practice, this bagel snob will never suffer the unsatisfied craving again. I might, however, suffer weight gain from this newly available supply.

I've dubbed these an "almost everything" bagel, because we didn't have onion flakes on hand. I used sea salt, poppy, sesame & sunflower seeds, and fresh minced garlic. We also don't have cream cheese, but I'm going to have to remedy that tomorrow.

In case you're wondering, I used this dough recipe (in a bread maker) and this method. I think I will try the second website's dough recipe next time to see if I like it better. The egg wash was unnecessary, as the just-boiled bagels were damp enough to pick up the toppings.

The first website said to poke holes in a ball of dough to get the shape, but I went with the technique below, as the guy on the second website used to work in a NY bagel shop. It's 4 seconds long and sideways, but I found it helpful.

I'll keep tweaking the recipe and let you know what magic combination I come up with.

UPDATE:
See the perfected recipe here.

Bug Under Glass by Kevin Clarke

2012-01-19T23:00:00.000+13:00

My years of working at the RISD Nature Lab made a huge impression on me. I am drawn to natural history museums, and I've got a small collection of animal skulls at home as well as a growing mineral collection. In my dream house there is a room of built in curio cabinets to house my collection.

Of course, contrary to many pieces of historical taxidermy, I would prefer my collection to be naturally harvested. Enter Bug Under Glass, or B.U.G. (I see what you did there.)

This fantastic little business out of San Francisco creates insect mounts from ecologically sustainable insects, which in turn can play an important role in rainforest conservation. Insect farming allows indigenous populations to make a living off of the rainforest, while at the same time providing a powerful incentive to protect it.

Like museum specimens, these archival quality mounts are sealed for protection, chemical free and UV protected for a long life. Every display comes with a vintage museum style label describing the insect on the back. They are hand numbered and registered to you, not mass produced.

I'm lucky to own a blue morpho butterfly from his shop, and I've given a few to friends and family over the years. Kevin has always been very nice, with that small business touch that makes me feel appreciated as a customer.

Butterfly maps from the B.U.G. Etsy shop.

From Kevin's Etsy profile:

I am a San Francisco-based insect artist and biologist that believes every insect has a story and my art helps narrate their unique tale. I enjoy experimenting with different styles and techniques in order to bring one closer to these amazing creatures. After working in entomology departments in Africa and San Francisco and earning a Master’s degree in Conservation Biology that focused on insects, I turned my attention to a business that embodies my three passions; insects, conservation and craft.

Top row, L to R: lanternfly, orange leopard lacewing butterfly, walking leaf insect, green winged cicada Bottom row, L to R: yellow winged walking stick, jewel frog beetle, red flasher butterfly, painted blue weevil

Which one is your favorite? I have a hard time choosing between the lanternfly and the blue weevil.

All photos courtesy of Bug Under Glass and © bugunderglass.com

Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo Sauce

2012-01-18T13:24:00.000+13:00

Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo Sauce

Adapted from Bigoven.com

• 10 ounces pasta

• 1 large red pepper

• 1 head of broccoli, chopped into medium pieces*

• 2 cups heavy cream (I used 1.5 cups cream, some cream cheese and milk)

• 2/3 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

• 2 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed

• 1 pinch salt

Preheat oven to 400ºF/205ºC. Wash the pepper and place on cookie sheet or foil in the oven. Roast for 25-30 minutes, turning occasionally with tongs to blacken each side.

Immediately after removing, place in a covered dish or bag to steam for 10 minutes, after which the skin will peel off easily. Skin & remove seeds and stem. Do not rinse, as you will lose the delicious smoky flavor.

Place the pepper in a food processor (or use a hand blender like I did for fewer dishes to clean!) until it has reached a paste-like consistency. Pour into a saute pan.

Steam broccoli and set aside.

Over medium to high heat, heat up the roasted red pepper paste, cream, garlic and salt. Let reduce, making sure not to allow it to boil over. After 7-8 minutes, slowly add most of the parmesan cheese, stirring constantly, until the desired consistency has been reached. Lower the heat to medium and add in the cooked pasta and broccoli. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired. Salt & pepper to taste.

*You can also use cooked chicken breast or other vegetables instead of broccoli, but I think the broccoli and alfredo sauce go together perfectly.

Playing House

2012-01-17T01:17:00.000+13:00

Vintage alpaca love

Long neck

We're not only house sitting at the moment; we're dog sitting a very sweet old bird dog named Bella. Last week the family discovered she has renal failure, so we're making her very comfortable and trying to make sure she's eating enough. She's a bit feeble, but still feisty enough to sneak into the alpaca paddock behind me and frolick through the garden when I'm collecting zucchini.

Before leaving town, Kate showed me what produce was coming up in the garden and told me to help myself. We're particularly fond of these red-streaked "dragon tongue beans," which are tasty eaten fresh from the vine or prepared like green beans. Thank goodness for all this fresh produce, because everything else I've been making is not so healthy...

Snicker Doodles: a classic recipe that never gets old.

I've been taking advantage of the opportunity to bake, not just cookies but bread! I've never made bread before, so this is a big step for me. The truth is, Kate has a bread maker, so I took the easy way and made the dough in the machine. When we stayed with the Matla family in Otaki, Sonja made the best focaccia bread I've ever had, and I requested the recipe. She helpfully sent it along, and it came out beautifully. I took a fresh baked loaf along to a barbeque we attended on Saturday, and it all disappeared with glowing reviews, as did the snicker doodles.

Focaccia
From the Panasonic Breadmaker Recipe Book

2 tsp Surebake yeast (don’t use ordinary dried yeast)

450g white flour
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp milk powder
1 tsp salt
300ml water

Make dough according to bread maker instructions. When ready, roll the dough into 1 large or 2 small rectangles. Place on a greased tray, cover with greased cling wrap and leave to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

2 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried rosemary or 1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme

Dimple the top by pressing evenly with your finger well into the dough. Combine the above and brush onto dough. Bake in a preheated 200ºC / 390ºF oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

This fragrant loaf makes the whole kitchen smell tasty.

Since the focaccia success, I have moved on to a focaccia-inspired calzone, using a pizza dough recipe I found online. I stuffed the calzone with ricotta, fresh spinach & zucchini from the garden, leeks, pesto, tomato sauce & red peppers. After weaving the thing closed, I rubbed the top with a small amount of the same olive oil & herb combination used on the focaccia. When Sam saw my masterpiece, he professed his love for me.

Then he asked, "aren't you going to put in the mozzarella?" and I realized I forgot the ingredient I was most looking forward to! It was sitting on the counter, taunting me. It was too late to unfold it, but I stuffed the mozzarella into our slices after baking, so it all worked out. The ricotta and veggies made it taste like a lasagne pie.

We had a few days' break from work, so I painted my nails pastel colors, inspired by the gardens around the house. We're going to be house painting tomorrow, so I don't expect they will last long!

I also fell in love with a little chartreuse car I saw in the grocery store parking lot. Chartreuse doesn't work for everything, but I do love it on a car.

Rhubarb Blueberry Crisp

2012-01-13T13:08:00.000+13:00

Gardens in New Zealand are teeming with rhubarb, one of my favorite vegetables that I never use. Our lovely hosts Chris and Paula sent us away with a large bunch of their crop, so I decided to do some baking.

Growing up, I had never heard of rhubarb. It wasn't until I lived in Scotland that I became familiar with the tangy and delicious dessert, rhubarb crumble. When you're looking for them in a shop, the stalks look a bit like pink celery. While they are technically a vegetable, they are used like fruits, usually in baked desserts like this one.

Usually I see recipes for rhubarb & strawberry desserts, because the strawberry (ahem, and lots of sugar) balances out the tartness of the rhubarb. I rather like the sour flavor, so I went with blueberries, which are also tart in their own way. With the crisp topping and ice cream on top, I think it's just perfect.

Rhubarb Blueberry Crisp

Filling:

• 2 cups rhubarb, chopped into 1 inch pieces

• 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen (if frozen, defrosting is not necessary)

• juice of 1 lemon

• 2 Tbsp demerara or raw sugar

• 1 Tbsp brown sugar

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Topping:

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup melted butter (use 1/4 cup, then add more if needed for mixing)

• 1/4 cup flour

• 2/3 cup oats

• 1/4 cup chopped nuts (I used almonds and walnuts)

• 1/4 cup ground flax seeds (I didn't have a grinder, so I used whole seeds on top of the filling instead)

• zest of 1 lemon

• 1 inch finely shredded fresh ginger

• 4 Tbsp demerara or raw sugar

Preheat oven to 390ºF/200ºC.

Combine & toss filling ingredients in baking dish. Stir topping ingredients together in mixing bowl, then break into small lumps on top of the filling to cover. Bake for 25-35 minutes until topping is golden brown and filling bubbles. Serve warm, topped with ice cream. We used Tip Top's boysenberry ripple, and it was a great combination.

Pumpkin, Bean & Corn Stew

2012-01-12T12:30:00.000+13:00

This stew is an old favorite of mine, and I've made it twice in the past few weeks to rave reviews. I've been making this stew for years, but I forgot about it for a while, so this is the first time I've made it since meeting Sam.

It's great with butternut squash, but pumpkin works just as well as I discovered in New Zealand, where I haven't seen many butternut squashes. Pimientos are available here, but for $8 a jar, I discovered it is much cheaper to roast a red pepper, and the taste is just as delicious.

Pumpkin, Bean & Corn Stew

Adapted from Food & Wine

Serves 6

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 2 onions, sliced thin

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 1/2 tsp paprika

• 1/4 tsp cayenne, up to 1 tsp if you like it spicier

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 2 Tbsp drained chopped pimientos (one 4-ounce jar) or 1 roasted red pepper (see below)

• 1 cup canned crushed or diced tomatoes in thick puree (from a 15-ounce can)

• 1 pumpkin (about 2 pounds), peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1-inch dice

• 1 1/2 cups water

• 2 tsp salt

• 2 cups drained and rinsed canned kidney beans (one 19-ounce can)

• 2 cups fresh (cut from about 4 ears) or frozen corn kernels

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (optional)

If using red pepper instead of pimientos, preheat oven to 400ºF/205ºC. Wash the pepper and wipe with a small amount of olive oil. Place on cookie sheet or foil in the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes, turning occasionally with tongs to blacken each side.

Immediately after removing, place in a covered dish or bag to steam for 10 minutes, after which the skin will peel off easily. Cut into small pieces, removing seeds and stem. Do not rinse, as you will lose the delicious smoky flavor.

You can start on the stew while the pepper is roasting. In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, cayenne, and oregano and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Stir in the pimientos or red pepper, tomatoes, pumpkin, water and salt and bring to a simmer. Cook the stew, covered, stirring occasionally, until the squash is almost tender, about 15 minutes. Uncover and simmer vigorously until almost no liquid remains in the pan, about 5 minutes. Add the beans and corn and cook until the corn is just tender, about 5 minutes. Garnish with basil.

I didn't have fresh basil this time, so I added dried basil along with the other dried spices instead.

Even though it is summer in New Zealand, I've been craving pumpkin lately. I can't help it; I've always craved pumpkin from November to February! This recipe is more of a winter recipe, but it's just as good in the summer if you don't mind heating up your kitchen. Last night I had it with a green salad and Monteith's Summer Ale, a gingery beer that complimented the sweetness of this dish.

Little helpers

2012-01-12T10:31:00.000+13:00

We've been working on the exterior of Kate & Jason's house this week, and we've had some eager little helpers in their sons & their sons' friends.

Sam and I couldn't help but smile when Nico trotted out in his blue coveralls and gumboots, carrying a toolbox, and declared, "I'm here to help!" These kids are so cute and it's making me want kids of my own more than ever.

Inspired: Wood collages by Richard Pearse

2012-01-11T10:50:00.001+13:00

Cowshed (L) Naki (R)

I've always loved salvaged wood collages, and these pieces by New Zealand artist Richard Pearse are blowing my mind. According to the biography on his website, Richard currently lives in a shed in Patea, South Taranaki.

L to R: Mount, Riddle, Raw

His pieces are meticulously cut and glued together using salvaged wood. I don't know about you, but I'm having a hard time choosing a favorite. I will add this to the list of reasons why I want a woodshop in my future home.

Pieces from A Series of Indecision

Detail of Mint (L) and Ruby (R)

Ruby, 2011. Work in progress

All images courtesy of Richard's website. His work is for sale at the Swedish gallery Krets.

Botanic Gardens therapy

2012-01-10T10:41:00.001+13:00

When I'm feeling down, the Botanic Gardens always cheer me up.

With so many beautiful plants and flowers in one place, birds chirping and ducks quacking, how can you not be happy?

Farewell friend

2012-01-09T11:29:00.000+13:00

This week I've had to say goodbye to my oldest friend, Mikey Hamm. I don't remember exactly how we met, but one of my earliest memories is hiding in a bush with him around age three. I thought we were going to get married, but I couldn't picture Mikey as a grown up, so I would imagine his little boy head sitting atop a grown up body in a tuxedo, standing at the front of the church. When his family moved away for a few years, I cried.

Though we weren't close in junior high or high school, I was happy we rekindled our friendship as adults. He was a little less blonde as an adult, but just as sweet, with an outgoing, cheerful and silly attitude and a legendary red moustache. We laughed a lot about the past and celebrated our adult lives, from my marriage and travels to his big move to New York. He was so excited about life, and I'm still in shock that he's gone. I thought we'd have years yet to rebuild the friendship that dwindled in our teenage years. I thought he'd be a hilarious old man.

When someone is taken from you suddenly, it makes you realize how precious life is. Appreciate your loved ones, and tell them how much they mean to you. You never know when it might be too late.

Greetings from 2012

2011-12-31T23:25:00.000+13:00

We're 18 hours ahead of Texas time, and I am happy to report that all is well on this side of the date line. We went to a family barbeque with our hosts Chris, Paula, and their son, Noah, where we introduced armadillo eggs to a few brave kiwis.

After reading our friend Natalie's blog this morning, I was inspired to post a recap of our year in photos. It's making me nostalgic, and I can only hope 2012 will be as wonderful.

2011 has been a pretty great year, and we said hello to it with Sam's family in Charleston, celebrating his brother Harrison's New Years Day birthday (happy early birthday, Harry!) January came to a lovely close when we flew to San Francisco to spend a few days with some of our best friends. From coast to coast, it was a great month.

Christmas tree bonfire in Charleston

Silly photos in San Francisco

We didn't have to wait long to see our friend Brady again, because he flew out to Texas in February for a week of desert fun.

With Brady in New Mexico

March and April flew by as we prepared for another trip to Charleston when Sam's sister Sarah wed Ted at the end of April. We also prepared for a bigger trip as our working holiday visas were approved for New Zealand!

Jam session in Charleston

In May, I found a horny toad for the fist time since I was a kid! Later that month we had another animal encounter, this time with two stray dogs and a lamb who turned up outside our apartment early in the morning.

This summer, Sam's family was able to visit us in Texas from South Carolina. It's only the second time our families have all been together, and it was a happy reunion. We packed as much West Texas into the trip as we could in 10 days, from the sand dunes of Monahans to cowboy hat and boot shopping at Pee Wee Dalton's.

In August, our last days in Texas flew by, and we seemed to be almost entirely focused on our move. In no time we were on a plane to Los Angeles, where we spent a few memorable days with friends. From LA we flew to Auckland, where we spent the first half of September. Next we went to the Northlands and worked on an alpaca farm, meeting nice people along the way and thoroughly enjoying our new way of life.

In October we passed through Auckland again on our way to the Coromandel Peninsula, one of our favorite places in New Zealand so far. From the Coromandel we moved south to Rotorua, Taupo & Palmerston North on our way to Wellington. After an unexpected visit to Otaki we made it to the capital.

With "fall" came updates from friends about the chilly air, pumpkin pies and family time and we really started to miss home. As much as we love New Zealand, I don't think we could make this distance permanent.

From Nelson to Kaikoura to Christchurch, December has been a good month in great company. We've dabbled in house sitting and experienced our first earthquake. We had the three year anniversary of the day we met. Has it really only been three years? For that matter, has 2011 really been just one?

This year we've gone from one side of the world to the other, loving it all. I hope your 2011 has been wonderful, and I hope your 2012 is even better.

One of my favorite memories this year was babysitting my cousin Hannah,
who turned 2 today. Happy birthday, Hannah! Don't forget us!

Halloumi Kebabs

2011-12-31T09:24:00.000+13:00

For as long as I've been making them, my halloumi kebabs have been making people swoon. At every barbeque or pot luck, they disappear and are replaced with oohs, ahhs, and requests for the recipe. The recipe is so simple and easy that I know it by heart, making it easy to share. Although they're a hit at barbeques, I prefer to make them in the oven, rather than on an open grill, in case some halloumi fall off. Thou shalt not waste halloumi.

If you're not familiar with halloumi, it's a cheese from Cyprus. But not just any cheese! Halloumi is the "cheese that grills." Rather than melting and becoming a mess, this salty, rubbery cheese made of sheep & goat's milk softens and browns around the edges. It is usually packaged in its own brine, like this. Look for it in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store, and if they don't carry it, ask. That's what I did at HEB in Midland, and they've carried it ever since.

Ingredients

1 box (punnet) cherry tomatoes

1 medium zucchini, chopped into 1/2 inch half moons

1 red, orange or yellow bell pepper (capsicum) (I like orange for the color), cut into 1 inch cubes

1 package halloumi cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes (smaller pieces are more likely to break apart when skewered)

1 small handful fresh chopped cilantro (coriander), or if you're a cilantro hater, try mint or oregano

1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil

salt & pepper

Tools

Metal or wooden skewers

Marinade brush (I bought a silicone brush for easy cleaning as I make these so often)

Glass or metal trays for basting/roasting (they don't have to be as deep as the ones pictured below, but they need an edge to keep the marinade in)

Directions

Skewer the halloumi and vegetables and place kebabs on baking dishes. Add the halloumi slowly to avoid breakage.

In a small bowl, mix cilantro, salt, pepper and olive oil. Use a brush to apply the marinade, turning the kebabs to coat all sides. Make more marinade if you need it. Marinade for 2 hours, occasionally reapplying the marinade that has dripped into the pans.

Preheat your oven to broil/grill and place the baking dish on the top shelf of the oven. Broil for a few minutes until cheese is golden brown, keeping an eye on them to make sure they don't burn. Expect some sizzling and smoking while they cook.

Enjoy! As always, let me know if you've tried it.

I've been doubling the recipe for a while, because there never seem to be enough of these at large parties. I think another good party idea would be to make them bite size on toothpicks, but I haven't tried it.

A double recipe marinating

¡Jalapenos!

2011-12-30T16:18:00.003+13:00

Sam & our host Chris brought home a small bag of jalapenos a few days ago from a farm stall down the road. I was thrilled, because they were the first fresh jalapenos I've seen in the four months we've been in this country.

We're going to a New Years Eve barbeque tomorrow, so we decided to pick up a few more jalapenos for "armadillo eggs," the Texan appetizer involving stuffing jalapenos with cream cheese, wrapping them in bacon & grilling them. (I prefer mine sans bacon!) We'll also be bringing my friend Allison's "Rockin' Guacamole," now a favorite recipe.

When we got to the farm stall, there were no jalapenos in sight. Chris suggested going to the door & asking if they had any more in the garden. Unfamiliar with farm stall etiquette as I am, I didn't realize we could do this, but I agreed.

The woman at the door told us to keep going down the driveway to the "packhouse" and ask the guys to help us. We followed, and behind the trees was an enormous commercial greenhouse. One guy took us in, where we were immediately greeted with the invigorating smell of thousands of peppers growing. Mmmm!

Single file, the four of us made our way down an aisle lined with huge jalapeno plants bursting with peppers, filling up a bag with the fattest, most stuff-able jalapenos we could find. We were pleasantly surprised when he charged us $5, as we had been expecting it to cost double.

This made me one happy Texan!

P.S. Wellington the cat sends his love.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T11:53:00.002+13:00

We woke up this Christmas morning and went to a tiny -I'm talking living room sized- white church for a morning service. Since then, we've been lazing around talking to family and listening to music. I think I'm about to go make some famous Covington cheese wafers, but with walnuts instead of pecans. Wish me luck!

Sam eating my head.

We're keeping it pretty simple this year, and it's nice, but we sure miss our friends and family back home! I hope you are all enjoying your time together. Hug someone from us today.

I gave Sam Tabasco sauce for Christmas. He likes Tabasco sauce, as you can see.

Shakin' & Bakin'

2011-12-25T00:00:00.002+13:00

We're back at Chris & Paula's now!

Yesterday afternoon, while lazily surfing the web, I heard an approaching train. Then I realized there are no trains nearby, right around the time I noticed the house was shaking. The ceiling swayed from side to side, glass windows distorting images of the sunny yard as their frames contorted.

Sam and I looked at each other across the room, mouths open, before I snapped my laptop shut, leapt off the sofa and said, "C'mon, get in the doorway!"

Sam jumped off his stool, glanced at my laptop in my arms and decided to bring his along too, but forgot it was plugged in and got pulled back for a moment. He quickly joined me in an adjacent doorway, where we stood, shock painting our faces, watching the kitchen pendant light swing back and forth.

It continued for a minute or so before the large quake dissolved into wee tremors. After those faded I still felt like the room was churning while I found my land legs. Bella made some confused noises from the yard that made me wonder what dogs think of earthquakes.

Amazingly, there was no damage. No pantry items or picture frames fell from their shelves, no glass shattered, and thankfully the walls did not crack, as the Arnolds just finished repairing the cracks from the last big quake. Everything seemed normal around us once again, so I assumed it must have been on the small side as far as earthquakes go.

We are lucky Kate gave us a rundown on what to do in case of an earthquake before she left us to house sit. When I noticed we had no power, I knew to fetch the portable radio from their bedside table to hear the news. From this we gathered that the quake had been much worse in the city center and in the Eastern suburbs. It was a 5.8 or a 6, according to various sources. Thankfully there were no deaths, but some areas have been devastated with damage and liquefaction. It's very sad, because the people of this area have been through this time and again during the past 15 months and they were hoping the end of the year might bring about some peace. Instead they've been hit with another large earthquake 2 days before Christmas.

Last night was nice, though. Sam and I made a HUGE batch of sushi rolls and feasted with the Arnold family when they got home, followed by my homemade L&P cake (a spin off of 7-Up cake).

Jason & Kate have 2 adorable boys, Lui & Nico, who took turns overwhelming us with cuteness. Whenever Jason ate wasabi, he would do a little spicy dance in his chair, which dissolved the boys into giggles. Lui & Arnold are very adventurous eaters for 7 & 9 year olds, much unlike I was at that age. It's so cool, and I hope my kids are like that.

Naughty Toby kept climbing in the car when we carried in a load of stuff, but he was too cute to scold.

We said goodbye to the Arnolds this morning and returned to Chris & Paula's for 2 more days of house sitting. We've had a few small shakes throughout the day, but nothing like yesterday. We plan to spend Christmas day baking, cooking and skyping with family in the US.

I hope you're all having a merry Christmas!

Gourmet Grilled Cheese

2011-12-24T08:47:00.000+13:00

I'd like to take a moment to share a tasty recipe with you all. My mom and I have been making these for years, and I can't remember where she found the original idea. I've made all sorts of variations lately and I've found that it's a pretty flexible recipe.

There are five basic ingredients: bread, a soft & creamy cheese, jam, nuts, and onions. You might be thinking, "jam and onions?!" but trust me on this one. After you've tried it, you may scoff, but I don't think you will. It's that good. Listed below are the original ingredients in bold as well as substitutions:

This time I used wholegrain bread, leeks, colby, walnuts & raspberry jam

Ingredients

Sourdough bread (I have made it with wheat and wholegrain bread with success)

Muenster cheese (this is almost impossible to find outside of the US. Any creamy cheese like colby, havarti, etc. works. Port Salut is the closest match I've found to muenster overseas, but it's creamier and therefore messier. Brie would probably be a delicious, melted mess)

Chopped Green onions (also called spring onions) (I've found leeks work well, or even red onions in a real pinch, sliced very thin and pre-cooked)

Chopped Pecans (or walnuts)

Raspberry Jam (I've never had to substitute this, but blackberry jam might be nice)

Butter, preferably at room temperature

Directions

If using leeks or red onions, melt a small amount of butter on a large skillet over medium-high heat. When I say a small amount, I mean use the smallest amount you can get away with. Sautée the onions until they are cooked, then remove them from the pan and reduce the heat to medium.

While the onions are cooking, or if using green onions, while the pan is warming up, lightly butter the outsides of two slices of bread. Trying to apply cold butter to bread is always a bad idea. You'll either tear the bread or end up with more butter than you need. If your butter is not at room temperature, you can skip buttering the bread and butter the pan instead.

You can even skip the butter altogether and toast them on the skillet instead, but this sandwich is meant to be sinfully good, so I've never tried it that way and I make no promises about the tastiness. Gently place the bread butter side down onto a cutting board.

Spread raspberry jam on the inside of one slice and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Add onions, whether green or cooked. Add thinly sliced cheese to the other side to cover.

These directions will be unnecessary to anyone who has made a grilled cheese sandwich before, but here they are:

Put the sandwiches together (nut/onion side on the bottom for less mess) and transfer to the warm skillet with a spatula. After a few minutes, gently turn the sandwich to avoid nut and onion loss, and continue until cheese is melted and the bread is toasted to your preference, in my case golden brown.

Tip: if you like your grilled cheese with a lighter toast, cook at a lower temperature. This allows the cheese to melt without burning the bread.

If you use leeks, may they be less woody and tough than this one was!

House Sitting

2011-12-21T19:21:00.001+13:00

For ten days, Sam and I are house sitting for two families. The first gig is on the south side of Christchurch, on what is called a "lifestyle block" or "farmlet." We are taking care of Bella, the elderly bird hound, 7 alpacas, 15-20 chickens, and a partridge in a pear tree. Okay, I made up that last one.

I've never given much thought to owning chickens before coming to New Zealand, but now I see it as a must for our future home. Chickens are curious and cute, not to mention productive! Kate & Jason get an average of 15 eggs a day from their free range birds, and they sell the extras to neighbors and friends. And as they live with a family of vegetarians, these chickens have a nice retirement ahead of them when their laying days are over.

Where Sam goes, the chickens follow.

The alpacas have been freshly shorn, leaving them looking leggier than usual. I especially like the legwarmers of wool left at their ankles.

Holy alpacas

In the evenings, we have been visited by the cutest (and only) wild hedgehog I've ever seen.

We have been blessed with some beautiful days, and today we got out in the garden for a while.

Next we will be house sitting for Chris & Paula, who hosted us last week. They're a very cool young family and we had a lot of fun during our week with them. We'll be HelpXing with them for a few more days after house sitting, into the new year, so they'll be our first hosts of 2012.

Sam added handles & casters to this produce cart for Chris & Paula

Sam enjoyed doing some handyman jobs for Chris & Paula, while I worked on scraping, sanding & repainting a bedroom in their house. He got to use his new table saw, which he built* using scraps at Bill's workshop in Nelson. He can attach his portable Skilsaw to the underside and it magically becomes a table saw!

*My husband is awesome.

Christchurch

2011-12-18T10:11:00.002+13:00

Graffiti by local artist Tony Cribb on the Knox Presbyterian Church

Christchurch, or CHCH as it is often abbreviated by locals, was hit by a series of devastating earthquakes this year, leaving 181 dead and much of the cityscape damaged. Historical buildings, businesses and homes still sit in ruins, awaiting repairs that might take years.

Sam and I stayed in a small town outside the city, coming in to explore a few times last week. I was shocked at the extent of the damage on our first day in town. Large areas of the city center have been fenced off, and some streets are like ghost towns, with weeds growing up among damaged buildings awaiting demolition or repair. We were able to see much of the damaged area along a fenced pathway, where we were herded along with other gawkers and locals.

Near the area that has been fenced off, there is a temporary retail shopping mall made of colorful shipping containers. The atmosphere is very festive, with outdoor cafes, lots of flowers everywhere, and buskers performing in the streets. I left Sam watching a street performer setting up his arena while I wandered around.

When I came back, Sam was part of the show! He and 3 others were helping the mullet-proud performer onto his eight foot unicycle.

On Sunday we visited the Riccarton Sunday Market, a massive flea market at the Riccarton Racecourse. While we perused the stalls, cottony white fluff floated down from the trees, and a woman onstage sang "White Christmas" and "Let it Snow."

It almost felt like winter.

Head in the Clouds

2011-12-17T22:01:00.000+13:00

I've never been the type to let nature pass me by. I'm constantly admiring plants, rocks, and the sky, sometimes taking photos to remember them with. Thanks to the internet, I have a cloud bucket list.

Lenticular Clouds

Often mistaken for UFOs, lenticular clouds are normally aligned perpendicular to the wind direction.

Clockwise from top left: Unknown, Unknown, Chris Picking, J.D. Rufo, Unknown.*

*If you know who took these photos, please let me know so I can give credit!

Mammatus Clouds

Technically, I could mark these off the bucket list, as I've seen them not once, but twice. They're so striking, that I would love to see them again, especially now that I have a better camera!

Clockwise from top left: Leroy Kromis, Jorn C. Olsen, EOS20, Vitaliy Piltser.

Kelvin-Helmholtz Clouds

Their familiar shape, like a cartoon wave, comes from forming along boundaries separating air masses of differing moisture and temperature moving at different velocities. Their quirky name comes from British physicist Lord Kelvin and German physicist Hermann von Helmholtz.

Clockwise from top left: Brooks Martner NOAA/ETL, Outdoorsie, Benjamin Foster/UCAR

Morning Glory Clouds

No one is sure what causes these rare cloud formations which can stretch 1000 km, or 620 miles. Perhaps they are the source of the Maori name for New Zealand, Aotearoa, which translates to "land of the long white cloud."

Clockwise from top left: Daniela Mirner Eberl, Mick Petroff, Tex Battle*, John McInnes

*Quite possibly the coolest name I've ever seen.

Have you seen any of these amazing cloud formations?

Charles Goldie's Maori Portraits

2011-12-15T11:15:00.000+13:00

Charles Frederick Goldie is one of the most famous and controversial artists from New Zealand, although I had never heard of him before coming here. When I first saw his Maori portraits, I was drawn to them, and I think many others have the same reaction.

Ina Te Papatahi was one of Goldie’s favorite models and the above image is one of his earliest portraits of her. Goldie sought out elderly subjects, particularly those wearing traditional moko (facial tattoos). I don't know what it is about this painting that I love so much, but I suspect it's the contrast with my own cultural upbringing. An elderly woman with a facial tattoo, smoking a pipe? It's something I'm not used to. I like that about it.

I also find his portraits haunting. There is something sad about most of his subjects, evoking a sense of loss. Goldie was convinced the Maori were on the brink of being wiped out, or assimilated by the pakeha*. He saw his work as representative of the last surviving members of a dying culture.

*Pakeha is the Maori equivalent of "gringo," just so you know.

Goldie's work is seen by some as racist, but many Maori appreciate his paintings of their ancestors. Other critics complain he did not branch out enough, that his work was repetitive. Personally, I think he could have benefited by represented the Maori in different ways, more representative of the culture as alive instead of as a relic.

Left: Ina Te Papatahi Right: Charles Goldie at work

For once, a smiling portrait! But why is the only smiling man dressed in the European fashion?

Read more about Charles Goldie & his work here.

Inspired: Vintage Photorealism

2011-12-14T22:10:00.000+13:00

If you know me, you know how I feel about vintage, classic cars and antiques. Something about the colors and shapes of old things draw me in, along with the patina and charm they have acquired over their long life. On top of that I'm a sucker for photorealism, so when I saw Christopher Stott's oil paintings, I knew I had to share them here.

I also like the simplicity of these still life paintings, which could even be called object portraiture. They remind me of the way I photograph items for my vintage shop: clean, front-facing and centered, almost like a museum specimen. For many people, these objects have lost their relevance and are now being relegated to junk shops and flea markets in favor of shiny, new replacements.

Celebrate the past and check out all the images at his website, and some work-in-progress shots on his flickr page.

All images courtesy of Christopher Stott.

Southward Seals

2011-12-13T12:06:00.002+13:00

This Saturday, Sam & I drove from Nelson to Kaiapoi, outside of Christchurch. It was the longest leg of our road trip so far, taking over 6 hours including stops. The scenery was nice through the Marlborough region, and along the scenic coastal drive. Our favorite part, however, was outside of Kaikoura.

Looking down at the rocks along the water, I thought I saw a seal. Upon closer inspection, I decided it was probably just a piece of driftwood. A minute later, however, I spotted what was definitely a herd of seals. I made Sam hastily pull over for a closer look. I've only ever seen them in the wild from a boat in the highlands of Scotland. I've never been able to walk up to them before.

We climbed down the short cliff to get closer to them. A couple of times we got too close and they bared their teeth, causing me to squeal and run away. Not that I was being chased; the seals were too lazy for pursuit.

The highlight was discovering the baby seals, clustered in a small group with some females.

Baby seal nursing

The Christchurch region is also supposed to be a great place for whale watching and swimming with dolphins, and even spotting penguins, of which New Zealand has 6 species. I'm going to keep our zoom lens handy and hopefully we'll see some more wildlife.

Not-So-Sunny Nelson

2011-12-07T23:01:00.001+13:00

Nelson, known for being the sunniest place in New Zealand, has been mostly cloudy and pouring rain since we arrived, but we've still managed to enjoy ourselves. We've even had a bit of sunshine. We're in good company with Bill, our HelpX host, his deaf old dog Bear and his feisty chicken Fuifui Moimoi. Fuifui was named for a rugby league player, in case you're wondering.

Fuifui stalking around Bear while he gnaws a fresh bone.

The animals get along well, even when cooped up on the veranda to avoid the rain. They're friends, but Bear will still growl at Fuifui when she tries to steal his food.

Bill is a joiner who specializes in building sliding doors and windows, and Sam has enjoyed helping him in the workshop and learning from someone who's been doing it for 20 years. I've been on domestic duty, cleaning and cooking. Bill has good taste and lots of fresh veggies, so cooking has been fun. I even baked my first chicken, which turned out very tasty! I prepped it with a dry spice rub and baked it with onions and garlic, which caramelized nicely.

Bark hanging from a Eucalyptus tree on Rabbit Island.

Yesterday we had a bit of sun, so we decided to go explore the other side of Nelson, and maybe stop at a cafe on the beach. The closer we drove towards Nelson, however, the worse the weather got. The rain gave us a great excuse to explore an antique shop we spotted. We couldn't afford to buy, but we enjoyed taking a peek, and the owner of the shop was very friendly. Below are a couple of my favorite things from the store.

Natural history book from the late 1800s

Two original oil paintings of Maori chiefs. I was curious about the note "Last of the Cannibals."

A bit later, Sam and I were thirsty, driving down the road to Rabbit Island. We saw a sign for fresh fruit being sold at a stall next to a farm. We bought a bag of green kiwis for $1.50 and a bag of golden kiwis for $2! Then we ate seven of them in the car.

I can't speak for all Americans, but I had never heard of golden kiwis before coming to New Zealand. I've only ever seen the green ones. Having tried both, I love each in their own way. Green kiwis are more sour and tart, while golden ones are a bit sweeter and have another level of flavor, almost like a kiwi blended with a mango. Mangoes and kiwis are my two favorite fruits, so naturally that flavor appeals to me. You can see a difference in the shape of golden kiwis: they're a bit longer and skinnier, with a pinched, puckered end.

Sam carved this little happy kiwiman with pocket knife.

Bill's house is still unfinished inside, but his HelpX cabin is finished and very comfortable. It's also painted one of my favorite colors! The shower is on the porch, with two opaque walls facing the house and a glass wall overlooking the valley. I've never showered like this before, but it's pretty cool.

The cabin is surrounded by trees and native birds. We've been waking up to the sounds of tuis and bellbirds, along with others. Both the tui and the bellbird have an interesting range of sounds, some of which evoke bells, whistles & lasers. Listen below:

Tuis (audio from the DOC website)

Bellbirds (audio from the DOC website)

There are 4 sheep in the paddock surrounding our cabin, so more than once I've accidentally made them jump by opening the door quickly.

We're also sharing the cabin with a small stick insect.

The view from Bill's yard

We leave Bill's on Saturday, when we head to new hosts outside of Christchurch for a week. After that we'll be house sitting for 10 days, including Christmas, before heading to Oamaru & Dunedin. For those of you reading this from the US, I hope you're staying warm!

A Ferry Nice Day

2011-12-05T08:59:00.001+13:00

Cook Strait, which divides the North and South Islands of New Zealand, is known for being one of the most dangerous and unpredictable waters in the world. We crossed on a beautiful, sunny day with calm waves. A man we met on the ferry told us the water sometimes crashes over the vehicle deck of the ferry, but winds traveling in opposite direction from the water calmed it considerably.

Us with the South Island at our backs

Beautiful blue water!

Though our destination was the South Island, for most of the journey we were not heading south. In fact, by the end of the day we found ourselves further north than Wellington, outside of Nelson. See the ferry route on the map below, reposted from the Bluebridge ferry website.

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Two boats passing

When we arrived in the Picton Harbor, a docked cruise ship greeted us. It literally greeted us, with hundreds of people on deck waving and calling to us. It was very surreal, and it made us smile.

The ferry landed at 5pm in Picton and we drove two hours to Bill's house outside of Nelson via a winding scenic road along the sounds and then some misty mountains. Our day was pleasant and uneventful, but Bill's son informed us there had just been a strong earthquake in the strait, shaking Picton and Wellington. A narrow miss!

Nice Folks

2011-11-29T20:40:00.001+13:00

We landed on the South Island on Saturday, but Anne & Roy gave us yet another reason to return to Wellington. They're so warm and hospitable, with such lovely interests and friends, it was hard to leave.

Anne's hurdy gurdy

We were lucky to be able to accompany them to a Christmas party for the local "folkies" in Pukeroa Bay. Everyone packed into a room as best they could and one (or sometimes two) at a time, the musicians played a song until everyone had a turn.

The music ranged from Christmas songs to a ballad of an Australian prostitute. It was amazing to be surrounded by such talent. During some songs, the room at large began to sing along, voices surging around us like a choir. The Christmas songs were especially moving when sung as a group.

The next night, we went to Mojo Invincible, a cafe in Wellington, for an open mic session emceed by Roy. Sam participated again and we all had a nice time. I shot some video but I won't be able to put it on YouTube for a while due to limited internet usage.

HelpXing along with us at Anne & Roy's was Mary Claire, a very nice Irish girl my age with whom we might spend Christmas in Christchurch!

Roy also deals in classic cars, and we had the chance to visit his showroom in Lower Hutt. Wow! If you know me, you know I love classic cars, old graphic signs and taxidermy, so I fully appreciated his decor.

He has a '57 Chevy with 88 miles on it. The interior is one of my favorite colors.

Sam's favorite, naturally, was this classic Mercedes.

Roy even has a taxidermy moa! Moas are extinct flightless birds from New Zealand up to 12 feet tall. Roy's moa is not just any moa. It's the one that used to be in the National Museum in Wellington before they expanded into what is now Te Papa Museum. There were three in the lobby: two parents and a juvenile, and Roy's moa is the momma bird. Moas were hunted to extinction by the Maoris before Europeans arrived, so the model is actually made of cement and dyed seagull feathers.

Works in progress.

We also found time to stop by the Botanic Gardens in Wellington. I love Botanic Gardens; they're always full of such nice plants.

My new favorite tree: Euphorbiaceae, Acalypha hispida, (Red Hot Cat’s Tail), India

Another new favorite: Gesneriaceae, Columnea gloriosa, (Goldfish Plant), Costa Rica

Goodbye, North Island! We'll be back.

Wellington

2011-11-29T19:40:00.001+13:00

Wellington is just as nice as I thought it would be. Sam and I have only been in the city twice, but we did a fair bit of exploring. We both think it looks like a great place to settle down after we see the South Island, unless we find a place we like better down there.

Our hosts last week lived in a very neat rural property with lots of rock walls, gardens and trees. They also have bee hives! Here they are introducing a new Queen that just arrived in the mail.

One of our trips into town took us to the Underground Market, an arts and crafts fair held weekly underneath a park on the waterfront. Having it underground is a great idea because Wellington gets pretty windy.

After the market, we walked down the waterfront to Te Papa, the National Museum of New Zealand. It's a big museum for such a small country! We didn't have time to see everything, but we saw a lot of taxidermy kiwis, keas, and kakas. They have an "Earthquake House" where you can sit through an earthquake simulation. I've never been in an earthquake before, but I had a very vivid dream a few weeks ago that felt so real I almost thought it was a memory at first. I'll let you in on a secret: I think my dream earthquake was more realistic than the museum simulation. There, I said it. Sorry, Te Papa. My imagination knows no bounds.

Te Papa also houses a record-breaking motorcycle that Sam has been wanting to see since he was 18, almost entirely hand built by a New Zealand man named John Britten. When I say hand built, I don't just mean hand assembled. Sam says he wants to write a blog post about it, so I won't say too much more. On a related note, you should watch The World's Fastest Indian with Anthony Hopkins, about another Kiwi innovator who built, or rather frankensteined, a motorbike in his garage.

This bike is constantly surrounded by drooling men. I left Sam there for about 30 minutes to moon over it.

HUGE walk-on satellite floor map in Te Papa. We could see all the places we've been.

Sculptures outside of Te Papa

Even the sidewalks in Wellington are interesting.

We're currently staying with Anne & Roy, a wonderful couple in Plimmerton, 25 minutes outside of Wellington. They're very kind, and they're active in the NZ folk music scene, so they know our host Sue from Palmerston North. Last night Anne and her friend Phillipa played the hurdy gurdy while Sam, Roy and I talked about classic cars, among other things.

Sam is presently in the music room jamming with Roy, who is originally from Ireland and who is primarily a singer. We've been invited to a Christmas party on Thursday, and an open mic night on Friday, and Sam will be participating in the music making. Luckily, he's been able to find guitars at most places we've been, plus a few other neat instruments here and in Palmerston North. Even I've been eying the banjo-uke with a wistful eye.

I'll make sure to take some photos of the music making and I'll try to post again before we leave the North Island on Saturday!

Sale this weekend at Harbinger Co.

2011-11-24T10:50:00.001+13:00

Harbinger Co. out of San Francisco has long been one of my favorite Etsy shops, ever since I first spotted their laser cut bamboo jewelry. Their bold, graphic style belies a light, delicate material that doesn't weigh down the earlobes. Within a week of buying a pair of earrings for myself, my friend Hillary sent me a pair in the mail. What can I say? She knows what I like.

The shop has since expanded its range to silver & gold jewelry as well as prints and laser cut boxes. Lots of well crafted products, all made in the USA!

Vacation Earrings: When you live out of a suitcase, you have to be selective.

The reason I'm writing this post is because I get the Harbinger Co. newsletter, and they're having a 20% off sale this weekend only. I get a lot of comments and compliments on my bamboo earrings when I wear them, so I wanted to share this offer with my blog readers. With the discount you can justify buying a pair for yourself as well as a friend.

Use coupon code GeeThanks11 at checkout.

Otaki on the Kapiti Coast

2011-11-23T22:48:00.001+13:00

A couple weeks ago, Sam and I were looking for hosts in Wellington rather unsuccessfully when an email appeared in my inbox inviting us to stay in Otaki, an hour north of Wellington. We decided to go, and we're so happy we did because we met a very nice, hospitable family! The Matlas have a small olive orchard, an appliance repair business, free range chickens and two very friendly dogs. We were pleasantly surprised to find our cottage behind the house has its own kitchen and bathroom. The family was so easy to get along with and we had a great time.

One of our HelpX projects was building and painting a new egg sign to sit on the road outside the house. Sam constructed it with a shelf to hold eggs and a money jar, while I handled the lettering. The sign itself is coated with blackboard paint, with space below for Sonja to add olive oil & other produce when she has it.

Sonja took me to a local heirloom rose garden full of amazing flowers. My favorite roses were the ones with the petals packed to bursting. I've never thought much about having roses in my future garden, but after seeing how Sonja has incorporated them into her garden I have changed my mind.

Some of the work hardly felt like work at all! I got to help Sonja pick elderflowers from a shrub down the road and make elderflower cordial. She sent us away with a bottle (as well as muffins and olive oil-too kind!), but I haven't tried it yet because it needs to sit for a week or two. I also got to bake two desserts for Tim's birthday, including sticky date pudding. I'm not a fan of dates, but sticky date pudding is delicious. Somehow I left without the recipe, but once I get it, I'll share it.

Aside from the dogs and chickens, the Matlas have a family of white doves whose hotel is outside the cottage. Sam built a dividing wall inside to separate the apartments and end some family feuds, as well as a set of steps for Sonja to reach the back door.

On our way south, we drove Jolene out on the beach (cars were allowed!) to see Kapiti Island. It was a chilly, windy day, with choppy water and only a few scattered birds enjoying the beach. Sam started doing donuts but I made him stop. Boys.

Occupy Etsy

2011-11-23T17:03:00.001+13:00

I've been thinking a lot about the upcoming holidays. Sam and I don't know where we'll be yet, only that we'll be somewhere in the South Island of New Zealand, celebrating our first Christmas in the height of summer. It will be a frugal year for us, and our first Christmas away from our families.

Obviously Christmas is not just about presents, but if you're in the giving mood, I recommend buying from local or independent artists and craftspeople. Not only does the recipient get a nice gift, but it's a perfect way to give back to small businesses and neighbors at the same time.

I haven't been on Etsy much in the past few months, mainly because I don't want to be tempted, but I went there today and saw a few things that caught my attention. First, these vintage ornaments from Hindsvik in Canada. They remind me of a few ornaments we have from my dad's childhood: fragile, glass and brightly colored like candy. I love those ornaments and I would love to have some more like them one day.

I'm a sucker for screen printed cards, the colors grey and green, kraft paper envelopes & funky patterns, so this notecard by Deadweight in Toronto is just the sort of thing I'd send someone for Christmas.

Another new favorite are these laser cut snowflake ornaments from TimberGreenWoods in Wisconsin. They're made from sustainable timber harvested from their family farm.

I already own a few pairs of paper bead earrings from RosaRenee, but this pair is my new favorite from her shop. On a side note, I limited myself to a few favorite earrings for this trip, and one pair is from RosaRenee. They're great when you want a big, lightweight earring.

Last but not least, I want to feature a cool scarf from barkdecor out of Boston.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends, and I hope you all enjoy your holidays! Perhaps we will be on the beach this Christmas, or enjoying an outdoor barbeque. We shall see.

Taupo & Palmerston North

2011-11-11T16:08:00.001+13:00

Cloud factory, aka a Geothermal Energy Plant

The internet has been playing hard to get for the past week and a half, in case you noticed the lapse in blog posts. We spent a week in Taupo with a family that runs a kennel & cattery on their property. I could definitely operate a cattery, but the incessant barking makes the kennels less appealing. Sam and I had fun, though. I went on a baking spree and picked up a new cookie recipe that we quite like:

Chewy Lemon Crisps

125 gram butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sliced almonds*

1. Preheat oven to 175ºC or 350ºF. Line two trays with baking paper.

2. Cream butter & sugar together until light & fluffy.
3. Add egg & beat until well combined. Stir in lemon rind & juice.
4. Sift flour, baking soda & baking powder. Fold into mix.
5. Drop heaped teaspoons onto trays with 5cm of space between. Sprinkle almonds on top.
6. Bake 10-12 minutes each tray.

*If you don't like almonds, dust with icing sugar after baking instead.

Leaving Taupo, we could see the peaks of Tongariro National Park to the south.

Jolene amongst "The Mounds" in Tongariro National Park.

We stopped at Mordor on our way to Palmerston North. The rocky landscape was rough, but it wasn't as bleak as Frodo & Sam found it, with white topped mountains and blue skies. The drive into the park was dark and cloudy, but the peaks were well above the cloud cover. The drive out of the park was all downhill and did not require the engine what so ever. We coasted out the entire 13 km, reaching nearly 110 km per hour (about 70 mph).

Our hosts in Palmerston North live in a somewhat isolated river valley outside of town. Their house, across the river from the road, is only accessible by a foot bridge and a half mile driveway beyond it. Sue drove down on a quad bike to collect our suitcases. In case you're wondering how they built the house, as Sam did, they used to have an SUV which they bounced across the low, rocky river until it eventually collapsed from taking such a beating to its underside. The house itself is off the grid, using a wind turbine, solar panels, and occasionally a generator for power.

Sue & Ralph are a neat couple; Sam enjoyed playing with Sue's guitars and other instruments and discussing alternative energy with Ralph. We enjoyed going out with them to a couple social dinners with their friends and families, and we spent a few hours exploring the property and scaling one of the hills behind the house. My feet got soaking wet on that hike, so Sam agreed I can buy some galoshes, or gum boots as they're called here. He was lucky enough to fit into some waterproof hiking boots our first host Olive was trying to get rid of.

We are now in Otaki, about an hour north of Wellington on the Kapiti Coast. It's a pretty small town, one that we didn't intend to stop for, but Sonja and Tim sent us an invitation on HelpX that looked too good to pass up. We're only here a week, but we could easily stay much longer. The family is very nice, and they have two friendly dogs, white doves, chickens and a grove of olive trees with which they produce their own oil. Our cottage is by far the most self-contained accommodation we've had through HelpX, with its own kitchen, lounge, and bathroom. The work is great, too! In addition to our HelpX chores, Sam will be doing a bit of paid work, a first for us on this trip. All in all, life is good.

School of Mines & Rotorua

2011-10-30T22:40:00.000+13:00

We spent our last day in Thames exploring the School of Mines with Richard and Tony, the father of our host Patrick. I was very keen to see their mineral collection!

The minerals were the initial attraction, but the tour of the school turned out to be excellent as well. It was interesting to learn about the local gold mining process, and how gold is extracted from quartz.

Laboratory in the School of Mines

Sam and I have been traveling down the country exploring different cities to decide where we might want to live out the remainder of our visa. There are some beautiful places outside of Rotorua, but the city itself smells awful due to the hydrogen sulfide emissions from the geothermal activity. I'm not really sure how to describe the odor. Rotten eggs? Burnt fireworks and feet? Something dead? What really excited me about the area were the geothermal attractions and hot springs, but most turned out to be commercial and too expensive for our budget, so I was disappointed.

However, the area is beautiful and we've managed to have a great time so far. We are staying at the Lyons Lakestay on lake Okareka, and our hosts Cheryl and Steve are very nice. Also, the air is fresh and clean here away from the city. We've been on a couple hikes, and tomorrow we're going to check out a free hot spring on the way to our next hosts in Taupo.

It turns out Rotorua has a forest of California redwoods down the street!

We found a colorful pond in the redwood forest, but it smelled putrid.

After a morning of squatting to clear out an overgrown garden and an afternoon hike through the redwoods, my legs were very sore. Regardless, we spent today walking as well, around the nearby Blue Lake.

I think the lesson here is that even when something disappoints you, it's sure to have some redeeming qualities. Such as ducklings.

My life's to do list

2011-10-27T21:37:00.000+13:00

Sam and I spent a couple days in Matarangi, on the north end of the Coromandel Peninsula, with a CouchSurfer named Scott. The drive up the coast of the peninsula was beautiful, even though Sam likes to drive around curves faster than I do. Much of the highway leading north snakes around the coast, and the places where the road turns inland are just as nice.

We explored Matarangi a little on our first day, but it's a tiny place, so it didn't take long. The next day, we decided to check out Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach on the east coast. Cathedral Cove has been on my life's to do list for years, and we heard about Hot Water Beach from some friends we met here.

The hike to Cathedral Cove is well worth the trip. The path passes by Gemstone Bay and Stingray Bay before leading uphill into the bush and back down to Cathedral Cove.

Stingray Bay was almost empty, and we had fun exploring its cool rock formations and caves.

Cathedral Cove was breathtaking in person. We were disappointed to see the famous archway roped off, due to the recent danger of falling rocks, but like a few other rebels, we went through anyway. After all, if the arch is collapsing, we might never get another chance!

The view from the other side of the arch was even better, and we had it all to ourselves! I am so happy we made the trip to this little corner of New Zealand.

Next we ventured a few kilometers down the coast to Hot Water Beach, where a pocket of geothermal activity beneath the sand warms the water. Tourists flock to this small patch of sand to dig their own hot spring. If the water gets too warm, waves from the ocean cool it down. You're encouraged to bring a shovel, but we simply adopted an abandoned pool.

On the drive home, we passed through Whitianga, where we saw the van below. It amused us to find it here, instead of back home in Texas or South Carolina. Yee haw!

Next stop: Rotorua.

Treasure hunt

2011-10-25T18:49:00.000+13:00

Sam, Richard & I went hiking, or "tramping" as they call it here, in search of a good spot for gold panning. While the boys panned, I poked around in search of crystals, and of the three of us, I found the most booty.

I found a very nice river rock lined with crystals on all sides. It was much too large for me to haul away, but Sam is a good caveman husband, so he decided to pry it out and break it apart by smashing it down on rocks in the riverbed. Now we have some very nice specimens to take home with us!

I wish I had waterproof hiking boots. We had to wade through water up to our ankles on the trail.

We hiked around in search of old mines after leaving the riverbed, but we didn't find any. We did find some more interesting crystals, though. One eroding hillside was made entirely of quartz floating in clay, and another area had crumbling chunks of sulfur & galena.

The view from Patrick & Christiane's house at sunset.

We left Thames today, and it was hard to say goodbye. At least we're going back in a few days on our way down to Rotorua. We'll be at the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula for the next two days with a CouchSurfer named Scott. We spent the day driving up the gorgeous coastal road to Matarangi and exploring the beach. Matarangi is a very quiet place, too isolated for me to want to live here, but very nice to visit. The internet is limited here, so I probably won't blog again until we've moved on in a few days.

More crystal pictures coming soon!

Location tagging

2011-10-25T08:21:00.001+13:00

I want to point out a new feature on the blog. I've begun location tagging my posts, so you can see where we are on a map. Some posts feature more than one location, so I chose one. You can find the location at the very bottom of the post, underneath the share buttons.

A location will only appear if the post has been tagged.

Clicking the link will take you to google maps, where you will see our location pegged. Cool, huh?

Thames

2011-10-23T21:34:00.000+13:00

Sam and I arrived in Thames on Monday. Thames is at the base of the Coromandel Peninsula, known for its history rich in gold mining. So far, Thames is our favorite little town in New Zealand. The little shops lining its town center are eclectic and quaint, and the conifer-coated mountains springing up around it remind me of Colorado. Perhaps it was because of the street market today, but the whole town has a great community vibe that we both appreciate.

We've been staying with a wonderful couple, Patrick & Christiane, who have made us feel at home and who have a great attitude about HelpX. Patrick's parents live in the adjacent house, and they have both been very kind as well. Some of the work has been hard, but my shoulder and arm muscles are feeling the satisfied burn of being used for something other than slouching at a computer, so I am grateful. When you can't go to the gym, dig a ditch!

The food has been excellent and full of flavor, and we have been able to contribute to the meals as part of our work. I've missed cooking & baking! Today I made a leek & chard tart and a large salad for dinner, and hokey pokey cookies* for dessert, using a recipe from Christine, our host on the alpaca farm. Hers were better, but I'm sure mine will get better with practice. Christiane made a delicious dressing for the salad using fresh herbs from the garden.

*The cookie recipe at the link isn't exactly the same as Christine's, but it's close and it explains kiwi "hokey pokey."

Lots of fresh chard to use in the garden. Over here they call it silverbeet.

Their house is down a quiet road outside of the city, surrounded by birds of all kinds. I've seen a family of California quails, tuis, eastern rosellas, a silvereye, a pheasant, a kingfisher, and many more that I've heard but can't identify. The birdsong symphony is yet another reason to love this place.

A tui feeding in a kowhai tree upside down.

Tuis have a very interesting song. Listen to it below:
Tuis (audio from the DOC website)

One of the many California quails living on the property. I never knew how fast they move!

This photo was caused by condensation on the camera lens, but I liked the way it turned out.

Sam made plans to meet up with Richard, an online friend, who lives on the Coromandel Peninsula. We called him when we first arrived at Patrick & Christiane's to find out where he is located on the peninsula, and in a funny coincidence, he lives just down the street. We went out together for a pint a few nights ago, and tomorrow the three of us are going gold panning. The next blog post might be titled Eureka, so wish us luck!

Moving South

2011-10-18T14:44:00.000+13:00

I'm been a bit behind on the blog, because our internet connection has been up and down on the road. A lot has happened in the last few days! We drove south from Whangerei on Thursday, stopping along the way at a cheese shop and spending more than we should have on some very fine cheeses. One, a walnut cheese, reminds me of pecan-crusted cheese balls from Smith family Christmas gatherings. Being a cheese lover is an expensive habit, so after this moment of weakness we have resolved to return to our frugal budget.

We worked 2 days for a lovely couple on the north shore of Auckland, doing a few chores in the yard such as mulching, clearing away creeper vines and stacking wood. Roger & Suzy were both very sweet, but Suzy was under the weather while we were there, so we didn't spend as much time with her as with Roger. We also met their son and one of their daughters, who brought along her adorable twin 4-year-old girls. At one point, the girls were looking at a family photo, taken at a wedding. "There's grandma, nobody, nobody, grandpa," one said, pointing at the people in the photo.

"So if you don't know their names, they're a nobody?" I asked.

"Yes," they agreed with a giggle. I pointed at Sam and myself.

"So who are we, or are we still nobodies?" After a moment's thought, they looked at each other, giggled some more, and said, "You're still nobody!" in those cute little kiwi accents.

Rainbow and Rangitoto, a volcano at the entrance to the Waitemata Harbour.

We spent an afternoon walking down the coast of the north shore from Forrest Hill to Takapuna, exploring volcanic rocks exposed by low tide, examining shells, and chatting with a friendly woman and her grandson whose dad lives in Austin.

After Roger & Suzy's, we went to stay with another Susie, a CouchSurfer, in West Auckland. West Auckland is beautiful, with its tall hills overlooking the city. We decided to head into town on the first night with Susie, so Sam could meet up with an online friend from Coromandel. We ended up missing him, but we checked out the scene at the "Occupy Auckland" movement that had begun that day.

The next day, we drove to our first West Coast beach in the country, Piha. The drive was beautiful, carrying us through the Waitakere Ranges and Auckland Centennial Park. Eventually we came to a lookout over the beach. Lion Rock sits in the middle, dominating the scene.

Taitomo Island at low tide.

The west coast of New Zealand is known for its black sand, caused by the iron content derived from the ancient volcanoes in the area. While the sand doesn't look very black in my photos, it looked dark underfoot, and the tiny black particles seemed to adhere to my skin more than normal sand.

Sam gives Jolene a checkup in Piha after some funny noises.

We finally came to a consensus about the name (and gender) of our car. I liked the name Priscilla for my down-under chariot, but Sam liked Max for some reason. Sam didn't like my suggestion because our former landlord was named Priscilla (or Prissy, as she called herself), and I didn't like Max because this car is a female! On the drive down from Whangerei, Sam solved our disagreement by suggesting Jolene. Now we only need to get Dolly on the iPod to christen her and it's official.

Sam and I left Auckland on Monday, stopping along the way to visit our first HelpX hosts, Graeme and Olive, and their current house full of helpers. As we drove south of Manukau City, I turned to Sam and said, "Every second this car moves forward is the furthest south we've ever been on Earth."

We landed in Thames, at the base of the Coromandel Peninsula, and settled in with our new hosts, Patrick & Christiane. It's been great so far, and they're big fans of ethnic food, so it seems my curry cravings will be sated. We started out last night with a spicy green curry. Christiane and Patrick thought it was a bit too hot, but I thought it was perfect. I realize I've been missing my hot Texas food. I've been checking all the grocery stores for fresh jalapenos, to no avail, and I even bought a jar when I found it, though I prefer them fresh. Before you start feeling sorry for me and try to mail some over, be warned that customs does not allow fresh food into the country, especially anything with seeds. Goodbye, jalapenos. See you next year.

Abbey Caves

2011-10-14T01:07:00.000+13:00

If this pony was mine, his name would be Fabio.

Our visit to the Abbey Caves proved to be every bit as wet as I expected, and much more muddy! Reaching the caves entailed traipsing down a long, thick trail of deep, slippery mud. Sam decided the best course was to go barefoot, while I did a bit of light trespassing, jumping the fence to walk through a grassy field of grazing ponies. I'm proud to announce I didn't slip and fall!

Sam did, though. I tried not to laugh, but it was one of those comical banana peel falls.

The areas around the cave entrances are very lush and, when we went, loud with the sound of rushing water. It's amazing to be somewhere so different from the summer we spent in West Texas.

Once we reached the caves, it was clear we wouldn't be able to go in very far. They were flooded and the rocks were slippery. I began kicking myself for leaving my headlamp in Texas, but the truth is, it seemed too dangerous with or without it. I've been wanting to see the larger and more well known Waitomo Caves since watching Planet Earth years ago, and I recently found out they're quite costly. The Abbey Caves are free and I really wanted to see some glow worms! The most we saw were a few teaser stalactites, but I'm sure there are other free caves in New Zealand to explore.

Although we couldn't explore the caves, we enjoyed the walk. The caves are surrounded by dramatic volcanic rocks, eroded into interesting shapes and scattered as though sprinkled from heaven. They stand out nicely against the bright green grass.

Sam decided to hide in the photo below for a "Where's Waldo" shot. Can you find him? Click through to Flickr to view it full size. Strangely enough, in the larger version he looks as if he's been photoshopped in.

There were two of these little fantails chasing each other around us. They have a very funny way of flying while keeping their fantail on display. I couldn't get a very good photo, so I kept walking, and when I was walking across the field away from the trees, one of the birds started circling me, doing its happy flying dance within arm's reach. I didn't know why until I read this:

"Our fantail is one of the friendliest birds in the forest. The reason? When you walk you disturb lots of insects and our fantail loves eating insects. They don’t just follow humans though, they’ve been known to tail silvereyes, parakeets, whiteheads and saddlebacks."

Sam and I left the Blue Heron this morning (the staff there are so lovely!) and drove down to North Auckland to settle in at our new hosts' house. We'll be here for two days, then with another Auckland family for two days, then moving on to the Coromandel Peninsula. More about that later, though, because it's very late and I need to get some sleep!

From Pahi to Whangerei

2011-10-12T12:39:00.001+13:00

Pahi was beautiful most days, although very rainy a few. We made steady progress on Elaine & Grant's house, and had a lot of funny conversations between the six of us.

Sam and I went for a walk around the small peninsula of Pahi one afternoon. While walking, a happy little dog I decided to call Pepe emerged from the woods and followed us home, entertaining us along the way.

We were interested in the Kauri Museum when we first heard of it, but when we found out it would cost $25 a person to get in, we decided to skip it. On Saturday, the day we were to leave Pahi, Grant heard the museum was offering free admission in celebration of Settler's Day, so we stopped in before heading to the Blue Heron.

The Kauri Museum is named for the kauri tree, which is New Zealand’s largest and most famous native tree. The kauri is a type of conifer which grows in the subtropical northern part of the North Island. They can reach massive sizes and live longer than 2,000 years. The museum has rooms full of things made from kauri wood, from sculptures and wall hangings to ornate furniture. They also have historical items from the logging & gum-digging culture surrounding the kauri industry. For Settler's Day they had all sorts of special events on, including a log splitting contest with burly ax men, arts & crafts, butter churning, etc. They also have an entire room in the basement dedicated to their collection of kauri gum, the fossilized resin of the kauri trees.

Sam was interested in the wall of chainsaws, while I found some interesting collections of antique bottles.

The Vintage Tool Collectors Club had a room with things on display, and Sam and I met a very nice man who built an amazing tool chest with many different panels that could be opened to reveal even more tools below. Every tool had a special cavity built to hold it. I think Sam and I could have talked to him for hours about tools, travel and craftsmanship. He told us if he hears of any joinery apprenticeships, he'll let Sam know.

Finally, after a lovely afternoon at the Kauri Museum, Sam, Tom, Emma & I drove to the Blue Heron, Grant & Elaine's holiday park outside of Whangerei. On a side note, the Maori pronunciation of WH is an F sound, so Whangerei is pronounced Fawn-ga-ray. After visiting the pharmacy in town, I joked to Sam that if I owned a pharmacy in Whangerei I'd name it The Wharmacy.

The Blue Heron is even more beautiful in person than in photos. Bright red "flame trees" line the small peninsula where we're staying. I had the opportunity to do a different kind of work than I've done so far through HelpX, taking photos of the holiday park for Elaine & Grant, and designing a cover for the digital release of Elaine's book.

We're staying in the cabin on the left, which was converted from an old refrigerated shipping container.

On Sunday we were blessed with a beautiful sunny day, so Sam and I went to Ocean Beach with Emma & Tom. We haven't been to a beach properly since we got here, and we had a lot of fun exploring the rocks while Emma & Tom soaked up some sun. It was too cold for us to swim, but I did get my feet in the water a bit.

After Ocean Beach, we drove through Whangerei looking for the Whangerei Falls. We didn't find them, but we did find a nice canopy boardwalk through the Kauri Forest, which ended at a smaller waterfall.

Today we're going to check out the Abbey Caves. It's been pouring rain on and off, so I'm pretty sure we're going to get soaked. Lucky for me I found a second pair of tennis shoes in a thrift store for $5, so I can afford to get wet feet. If you're reading, this Maia, happy birthday!

The Kaipara Harbor

2011-10-04T22:34:00.002+13:00

Nearly finished, with only the fence remaining.

During our last two days at Naturally Alpacas, we transformed a small patch of grass and dirt into a large vegetable garden for Christine. It was hard, satisfying work leveling the ground, building the frames and moving the dirt and gravel into place. I want one for myself someday!

The before picture!

Alpaca family portrait

Friday morning we said goodbye to the alpacas (they didn't say much in return) and headed south to our new hosts. We drove leisurely, stopping along the way a few times and running out to see the Pacific Ocean when we saw we were close to the beach on the map. Before you get jealous, it was very cold and windy, so we ran back to the car pretty quickly. Parked near us we saw a purple & white van with three "chooks" pecking around it. At first, we thought this van was traveling with them and had let them out to stretch their wings, but I've since been told that people dump roosters when they no longer want them, which is why they are clustered at rest stops.

Lunch on the road: avocado, peanut butter & honey sandwiches with a Dr. Pepper!

Elaine & Grant are a very funny couple who don't seem rooted in one place. At the moment, we're all staying at their "bach" in Pahi, on a small peninsula in the Kaipara Harbor. We're working on a larger house they've purchased around the corner, which needs a lot of work to make it habitable. So far I am stripping out old trim and drywall, or "gib board" as they call it here, Sam is moving doors around and building cabinets, and an English couple, Emma & Tom, are clearing out overgrown plants and building a retaining wall behind the house. Elaine & Grant also run a holiday park in Whangerei called the Blue Heron, where we might stay a bit next week.

After work, Sam and I went to a nearby pub with Emma & Tom. The bartender gave Emma & me our first round free, and later a woman came by to share a tray of delicious homemade "sticky date pudding" (Free? Go on then!), so it was a very nice experience.

Sam, Emma, Tom & Elaine having morning tea on the deck.

Elaine & Grant let us borrow their kayaks today!

I would like to take this opportunity to warn arachnophobes that New Zealand is crawling with spiders. I have seen hundreds already: brown ones, black ones, well camouflaged ones wondering why I was causing an earthquake on their fence post with my hammer, and more Daddy long-legs than I could possibly count. I'm not particularly scared of spiders, but I find comfort in the knowledge that hardly any spiders in New Zealand are dangerous to humans.

On that many-legged note, goodnight!

Inspired: Thread Paintings by Cayce Zavaglia

2011-09-29T22:55:00.000+13:00

I'm blown away by the photorealistic embroidery of Cayce Zavaglia. I'm a big fan of Chuck Close, and her bold portraits have a similar presence, though mixed with the softness of thread in a way that makes them unforgettable.

L: Self Portrait by Chuck Close | R: Carol by Cayce Zavaglia

From her website:

I still consider myself a painter and find it difficult not to refer to these embroidered portraits as “paintings”. Although the medium employed is crewel embroidery wool, the technique borrows more from the worlds of drawing and painting.

Initially, working with an established range of wool colors proved frustrating. Unlike painting, I was unable to mix the colors by hand. Progressively, I created a system of sewing the threads in a sequence that would ultimately give the allusion of a certain color or tone. The direction in which the threads were sewn had to mimic the way lines are layered in a drawing to give the allusion of depth, volume, and form. Over time the stitches have become tighter and more complex but ultimately more evocative of flesh, hair, and cloth.

My work unabashedly nods its head to the tradition of tapestry and my own love of craft. Using wool instead of oils has allowed me to broaden the dialogue between portrait and process as well as propose a new definition for the word “painting”.

The texture and depth of this jacket is incredible.

I do think her process works best on older faces, as they tend to hold much more texture (and hair, in some cases). Her technique relies on her ability to sculpt the threads as she works, so it's all done by hand. She's entirely self taught in the art of embroidery, though trained in drawing and painting.

Teo, Zavaglia's most recent portrait.

You can see all of Cayce's portraits on her website, or read an in-depth interview with her at Mr X Stitch.

Naturally Alpacas with Christine & Steve

2011-09-26T23:45:00.000+13:00

When I spoke to Sam about the next leg of our trip, he said, "but I never want to leave!" We've both been enjoying our time on the alpaca farm very much. Sam and I discovered we love building fences on the grassy green hills of New Zealand, surrounded by loud mouth steers, wild pukeko and curious alpacas.

Christine & Steve are lovely hosts, with a good sense of humor and, like our last hosts, a very productive lifestyle. Look out the kitchen window when you wake up, and you're likely to see Christine in a pen, wrestling an alpaca into a harness for training. The food here is amazing. Christine used to be a chef, so we're eating very well. Steve is a photographer, specializing in bird photography. The farm is on a state highway, and they run a shop here where they sell Steve's photography, Christine's fiber arts (made from alpaca wool, of course!), as well as artwork from other area artists and some knitting supplies. I'm thinking of taking up knitting again, even more so as I write this because it's chilly in the room with the internet connection.

One of the many beautiful views from the farm.

Aside from fence building with Steve and Sam, I've been able to give Christine a hand harness training a few of the young alpacas. It was very funny watching them react to the harness like our cat Sea Bass. Fleur was a drama queen, sitting down and refusing to budge, but Pip won the prize for silliness when he managed, in his flailing tantrum, to get his front elbow hooked around his neck, unable to get himself free. Christine seemed to get all the jumpers, bucking and kicking to free themselves of the wretched leash.

Alpacas are always lifting a leg to scratch themselves. These two make a coordinated effort.

Alpacas and steers aren't the only animals on the farm. The Harts have a small (no pun intended) herd of Miniature Highland Cattle, which are nearly as broad as their larger cousins, but much stumpier. Three of them are pregnant, near bursting, but they're due in October, so we won't get to see any babies unless something happens in the next few days.

Paris, one of the two residential Siamese cats. Nicole is camera shy.

We had yesterday off, so we visited Steve at his photography booth at the Kerikeri farmers market, about 20 minutes away. We were pleased to find the most reasonably priced cheese we've seen in this country so far, from a neighboring farm and cheese factory called Mahoe Cheese.

After the farmers market, we ventured north to Whangaroa, which we randomly chose off the map. It's a tiny place, and eventually the road going north ended abruptly at the gate to a driveway and a strange sign.

We were interested in a rock we saw towering over the town, so we tried to get closer. We found a sign indicating a hiking trail leading to the summit, and we headed up.

A drizzling rain spat down on us for most of the ascent, but once we reached the very top of the rock we were given a respite. The views were beautiful, but I have the feeling once we've been to the South Island, this hill and its views will look paltry.

Friday morning we head to our next hosts' house in Pahi, in the Kaipur Harbor. We'll be there for 2 weeks, helping Elaine & Grant with various projects at their home and their holiday park in Whangerei, along with a few other HelpXers. Life is good!

Last days in Mangere

2011-09-21T10:30:00.000+12:00

Sam cuddling with Karmin

Sam and I have had a wonderful time with our first HelpX hosts, and I'm looking forward to meeting our next few hosts, too. Tomorrow we'll be heading north to an alpaca farm outside of Kerikeri for a week or so before going to work for a lovely couple in Pahi who own a holiday park in Whangerei. Those of you who know me know how much I love camelids, so the alpaca farm has me very excited! I haven't been up close to one since we hosted "Alpaca Day" when I worked at the RISD Nature Lab.

A llama I befriended in Texas on the drive to Austin.

Tonight we're attending an event called Pacific Night, where the Prime Minister, a few Members of Parliament and a whole lot of Polynesians will be congregating to eat, socialize, and watch rugby. I need to go paint my nails!

Auckland Botanic Gardens

2011-09-11T12:10:00.001+12:00

The weather was perfect this Saturday, so Sam and I hit up the Botanic Gardens. The orchid show on site was a happy surprise and led to me taking more flower pictures than I should have. I can't help but be inspired by their alien shapes, succulent texture and vivid colors! Below is a small sampling of the photos I took, with more on my flickr page here.

They have a whole area devoted to threatened species, and the placards next to some specimens stated that they were grown from cuttings from the last remaining plant of its kind found in the wild, in an effort to save it.

One such threatened plant, the Kumarahou. Ants are this plant's seed spreaders!

We didn't finish exploring the Gardens, because we decided to save some for another day. When you enter the garden, you drive under a tunnel of vines which are currently dormant for the winter. I noticed the placard says, "Wisteria," so I'm sure it will be a beautiful sight when we return and they're in bloom.

I have been experimenting with making photos look vintage. I call this one "vintage creeper."

I'm so glad we went when we did, because it's rainy today and the weather forecast says we have a few more days of rain ahead of us. Sam and I are going to spend the day planning our road trip once he's finished cuddling Karmin on the sofa. Olive gave us the weekend off as a treat, but I'm thinking of doing a little work after all, so I can have a day off when the weather is nicer. I hope you are all having a lovely weekend!

A chaotic night out

2011-09-11T01:24:00.002+12:00

This Friday night we decided to brave the crowds in downtown Auckland to check out the festivities surrounding the opening game of the Rugby World Cup, New Zealand vs. Tonga. Parts of it were fun, but I'm still not sure it was worth the hassle. Our original plan was to meet up with our CouchSurfing friends, Jess & Fletch, but the main venue filled within 20 minutes of opening, when we hadn't even left Mangere.

We decided to drive to Greenlane train station and ride in from there, but as we were misguidedly walking down a dead end street to get to the platform, a couple getting into their car outside their house offered to drive us into town.* What luck! Rob & Jo were lovely to offer, and they dropped us off closer than I expected. It seemed our evening was off to a brilliant start. The crowds were thick all around the downtown area, so we decided to get sushi at a quiet place where Sam and I had lunched a few days earlier. Dinner was delicious, but unfortunately involved a miscommunication on the staff's part that led to a less than pleasant ending to our meal. At least Elise & Sylvain weren't charged the $24 extra for the upgrade our waitress had given them without asking.

*Sorry, Mom, I know you told me not to accept rides from strangers.

We tried fighting our way through the street crowds to catch a glimpse of the big screen, but it proved too laborious and we decided watching the game at a pub would be more enjoyable. Most bars had lines out the door, and when I finally found one with no line, the bouncer said he wasn't letting anymore people inside. Immediately after he said it, 3 people came out, so I offered, "3 out, 3 in?" and he accepted, even letting our 4th slip by.

The Library Bar, as it's called, turned out to be a pretty cool place, with eclectic vintage decor, shelves upon shelves of books and lots of comfy seating.

We had a drink and played a couple games of Jenga before deciding we really should head to the train before the NZ/Tonga game ended.

As it turns out, the train system was in total chaos and nobody in official uniforms seemed to have a clue what was going on. Throngs of people were crushing into the station, with lines halfway down the block. We slipped through near the front, but still had to wait around an hour to get on a train. We were surrounded by many friendly people, and one very unfriendly (and drunk) couple who harassed us until a gentle giant of a Polynesian man wearing a French flag as a cape stepped in to intervene. God bless him.

Right as we reached our station the power went out on the train, so I hope all the people we were riding with didn't have to wait long. We were relieved to be on our way home at last. What a mess!

Mangere with Olive & Graeme

2011-09-10T19:32:00.002+12:00

We have settled nicely into our temporary home in Mangere East, a suburban area not too far from the airport in Auckland. It's also known as "cedar lodge," because the long driveway is crowded with skyscraping cedar trees, and as "Faulty Towers," by Graeme.

We are working on the house for a few hours a day in exchange for accommodation and Olive's delicious home cooked meals. Olive almost always says, "Just don't ask for the recipe," not because it's a closely guarded family secret but because she creates her culinary concoctions from throwing together whatever is on hand, adding as she goes when she thinks it needs a little something. Leftover lunch melts into the pot for dinner, transforming into something entirely new. I like her style.

Preparing for a sunny outdoor lunch on the back porch.

Their house can best described as eccentric, with high ceilings, lots of stained glass, unfinished projects strewn higgledy-piggledy in the yard, and plenty for us to do. Some areas of the interior remind me of a church. Olive's word for the house is "hard case," which she tells me means amusing, but unusual. I have to admire the way she and Graeme have made the house their own. Her fully customized kitchen has shelves and drawers precisely to suit her needs, and she had to argue with quite a few builders to get it the way she wanted it. Sam would have done it for her in a heartbeat; he's a big fan of shallow shelves that leave everything in view, as he's likely to forget about something if he can't see it.

Our priority at present is a two room flat on the side of the house, which, when finished, will house two Filipino sisters who live here in a small room but who are so quiet I have not yet seen them. Elise & Sylvain, a couple from France, are also staying here and are helping us work on the house. They're on a working holiday as well, and like us they will soon be leaving Auckland to embark on a country-long road trip, once they can acquire a campervan.

The work on the house has been a piecemeal effort from Olive, Graeme, and the many HelpX helpers they have hosted for the past 3 years. Some of the work was done well, and other areas have been problematic. Sam initially stressed about some of the previous work, but Olive told him to do the best he can and don't worry about it; that's the nature of having helpers from all different backgrounds.

Joining us around the house is Karmin, the Bengal (Bengals are domestic cats bred with Asian Leopard Cats), whose loud howl announces she is ready to receive your veneration and affection, or else that she is ready to be let out. And back in again.

Much of the food we eat here is grown in the yard: the mandarins, lemons and spices from trees and fruits and vegetables from the garden, provided they are not first pilfered by the pukekos. Pukekos are cheeky, ungainly birds about the size of chickens, native to New Zealand and "known for their bold scheming and determination," according to Wikipedia.

The iconic New Zealand Silver Fern, as seen in Olive & Graeme's yard.

There's a lot of beauty here. It's easy to forget that we're in a suburb, in a huge city like Auckland. This house makes me want to cuddle up and read a good book, which I've finally found time for after months of wanting to. I'm reading Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder, the true story of Dr. Paul Farmer's works in Haiti to heal and educate the Haitian people. Pete, a couchsurfer we hosted in Midland, gave it to me when he passed through on a bicycle to raise awareness for Dr. Farmer's organization. If you haven't read it, you should. I'm not even halfway through, but it's very eye-opening.

Cruising in Auckland

2011-09-06T09:38:00.002+12:00

For our first two nights in Auckland, we stayed with a cool CouchSurfing couple named Jess & Fletch. They live in an area of town called Kohimarama, yet another Maori place name that I found hard to pronounce at first. On Saturday, our third day in town, we went for a drive in their 1964 Impala "Yank Tank," as Fletch called it. I've never seen a car with pillarless windows before. We had them down for part of the drive, but had to roll them up again when it got chilly.

We drove around the coast, passing St. Heliers, Mission Bay and Okahu on our way to town. Then we checked out some of the new construction surrounding the Viaduct area of downtown, where preparations for the Rugby World Cup are in full force. On a side note, the opening ceremony for the RWC is Friday, complete with fireworks and a huge street party expected to draw a crowd of thousands. After that, we crossed the Harbor Bridge into Takapuna for an ice cream. Why is ice cream so tempting on a cold day? We huddled around the car to shelter us from the chilly wind while we ate it, staring down the posse of sea gulls who surrounded us like thugs.

When I asked about a hill I saw, Fletch decided to take us there. We couldn't drive to the top, as it was closed for construction, so he took us to another hill called One Tree Hill. The eponymous tree was cut down by Maori activists, and the hill is now nicknamed (N)one Tree Hill.

The drive up to the hill winds through lush green hills dotted with sheep, and, as September 1st is the first day of Spring, many lambs.

The views from the top were stunning, but we only stayed a few minutes because it was very cold up there. Jess and I put our purses in the trunk, or "boot," or safekeeping, and apparently someone saw us because when we reached our next destination we discovered someone had tampered with the lock on the trunk trying to get in. We were shocked, especially because we were standing right above the car and we were only gone for a few minutes. Even though New Zealand feels like a safe country, "It only takes one ratbag." (I'm quoting Dianne, the nice woman who helped us open our bank accounts here.)

In other news, we have moved to our next hosts' house for a couple weeks, and we're settling in nicely. We found this host through a site called HelpX, which allows travelers to work in exchange for accommodation and food. We're working 4 hours a day, or 24 hours a week, on a small flat in the house: plastering, sanding, painting, tiling, etc.

Last but not least, Sam managed to acquire a station wagon for our road trip, which I can't wait to start planning! Hmm, what shall we name our new car?

More about this place later. I need to get to work!

Los Angeles stopover

2011-09-04T07:49:00.002+12:00

We made it to Auckland!

Saying goodbye to Sebastian was hard, but I think he's loving his new home with my grandparents. He was pretty confused at the end, when our apartment was emptying out and he was running out of hidey holes.

We only had 2-3 hours of sleep before our flight to LA, so we weren't much company for my mom and her friend Cindy, who were on the same flight as us to Albuquerque. Eventually we made it to the boat in Marina del Rey.

One of my favorite things about LA is the plethora of vintage cars. I was very excited to find this Falcon at Elysian Park.

If you find yourself in the LA area, make a trip to the Getty Museum, which has amazing views of the city.

They also have a gorgeous garden with lush plants and flowers.

Sam and I walked around Venice Beach and discovered it got its name from the amazing canals hiding behind the streets. I filed away a lot of ideas for future home & garden design.

Eventually we said goodbye to our friends and the boat and caught our plane overseas. More about that later, though. We're about to head to a car fair to see if we can get ourselves some wheels!