Friday saw us bid farewell to our little cottage and we hit the road again, this time bound for the Hogg family farm in an area called the Manawatu. We stopped for coffee and a date scone at the Mount Bruce nature reserve and sat in the sun watching a native bird called a takahe feeding (you can just make him out in this picture but he's got his head in the seed box).
The drive onwards to Feilding, Laura's nearest town, was picturesque and we passed through a beautiful gorge from one side of the mountains to the other. We drove past Laura's high school, then her first school before reaching the farm in time for lunch. Laura's mum, Judy, fed us well and we spent the afternoon sat by the pool, slipping in every half hour or so to cool off. It was very hot - about 26 degrees with no wind. Afternoon tea with homemade cakes meant we got a bit of shade under the umbrella then Laura and I took two of the dogs, Lucy and Jess for a walk in the fields. They enjoyed playing with each other, Jess crouching down low in the grass, staring at Lucy who invariably paid her little attention. I had a weird moment where I thought I should take a picture of the dogs for T, before the realisation hit me. It's hard knowing that I can't go home and tell him about this trip. He'd so enjoy hearing about it. I hope he's somehow here with me.
This area reminds me a little bit of Northumberland. Big skies. Rolling hills. Fields. Pine forests. Sheep and cows. It was nice staying at Laura's house. Her parents were very generous and welcoming and I immediately felt at home in their home. It was also nice seeing where Laura grew up and observing the influences that have contributed to her being the person I know her to be. When you meet people as an adult, it's sometimes hard to imagine their childhood and their family. It's not always you can get to see this 'behind the scenes' aspect of their lives and I feel fortunate to have been invited to do so. Angus, Laura's brother, came round for dinner and we all enjoyed a delicious meal of barbequed lamb and salads washed down with several bottles of New Zealand wine.
This area reminds me a little bit of Northumberland. Big skies. Rolling hills. Fields. Pine forests. Sheep and cows. It was nice staying at Laura's house. Her parents were very generous and welcoming and I immediately felt at home in their home. It was also nice seeing where Laura grew up and observing the influences that have contributed to her being the person I know her to be. When you meet people as an adult, it's sometimes hard to imagine their childhood and their family. It's not always you can get to see this 'behind the scenes' aspect of their lives and I feel fortunate to have been invited to do so. Angus, Laura's brother, came round for dinner and we all enjoyed a delicious meal of barbequed lamb and salads washed down with several bottles of New Zealand wine.
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