Holidays... Just the way life should be.

Bella crocheting at 'French Farm'.

LeBon's Bay.

Sunset from where we are staying in Akaroa.

Hanging out with a pretty cool duck at 'The Giants Garden', which is an amazing mosaiced garden and I have many more photos to show you at another time.

I have been trying to upload photos desperately for the last few days but the wifi connection we have bought from the ether is just so slow I keep despairing and turning the computer off. The holiday is swimming along beautifully. The kids are sleeping like logs, eating reasonably well and behaving like mischievous angels. I know I am gushing but can anyone remember our ill-fated strawberry trip to Whakatane?
We are now in Akaroa which is a little seaside village settled by the French and still has very strong affiliations with France. Reading between the lines, it would be fairly accurate to interpret this means a lot of eating has been going on.

My friend Bella has taken to crocheting like a mad spider and has been busily hooking ever since she picked up her hooky needle a couple of days ago. Thanks to Lucy from Attic 24, it has been so easy to teach her and so much fun for me to have another converted to the cause.
Tonight is our last night with Tim and Bella so I had better hop off the computer and talk to them, you know, so they might travel again with us one day.

Funny little thing, Bella really likes her food too and just admitted to writing three pages about dinner out last night in the divine little restaurant we went to.

Wanaka, Arrowtown, Lolly Shops and Other Places.

In Arrowtown, we found a lolly shop...
The boys loved it for its sugariness, whereas for me, it was pure colour inspiration.

Playing in the Autumn leaves.

Wanaka, or as the boys were chanting in the camper van, "Wanaka, Wanaka, Wanaka, Wanaka"

You know how it is, Lake Wanaka, pyjamas, snow capped mountains, stones to skim.

Yea, I am fully alive again with access to wireless internet - only joking??..??... We are now at Lake Tekapo and have decided to stay on for a couple of days as we need to dig our heels into a patch of earth, read books and have a little bit of pondering time. I am also desperate to do crocheting and colour thinking so some down time will be heaven.

Our friends from Australia, Tim and Bella caught up with us in Arrowtown (one of the most beautiful places on earth) so now we have an on road caravan of camper vans with lots of walkie-talkie communication between the two hulking vehicles (in particular Archie to Tim and Bella. "Bella and Tim, are you receiving... dead hedgehog to the left").

Wanaka was astounding, Queenstown a bit impenetrable with children and a big camper van and Mount Cook amazing. Bella is keen to learn how to crochet and then I think we might have a hot pool swim and visit Mount John Observatory tonight.

So nice to be back even if it is a bit of a dry holiday rundown. Lots of love, Kate (the greedy holidayer) xxooxxooxx.

How to keep warm in the south island...

Warm, hand knitted jumpers (by Gran-Gran) and hats help to keep Hugo snug.
Archie finds hats and hoodie jumpers are a good solution.

Keep in mind, the skies may be blue but we are staying very close to this glacier.

Standing close to one another gets a bit of a warm glow happening.

Jonno in his new beanie and standing next to his big brother Todd. They were told to put their arms around each other but Jonno wasn't so sure.

But see, don't they look so much warmer now?

Yes, cuddles are the best way to keep warm in the south island!

We are travelling further south tomorrow, off to Wanaka then Queenstown and Arrowtown. I am not sure if we will be intercepting wireless reception along the way but will keep in touch when we can, even if I have to stand on the campernvan with a coathanger stuck to my head. Hot pool swims this afternoon, more knitting and an early night. All our love, XXOOXXOOXX.

Wool and an Easy Hat Recipe.

These are my new holiday wool purchases. I don't even need to knit with them, just sit the on the grass and lie with them dreaming of all we could be.

Jonno's beanie has just been knitted air force style. It is the easiest hat I have ever made. Cast on 80 stitches in 12 ply onto 5.5mm, 16 inch circular needles and knit taking care not to twist when joining the cast on row. Then knit until it is roughly the right length when the brim is rolled up (Roughly 24cm). Knit 2 rows together every 7th stitch for one row and then knit 2 together every following 6th stitch on the second. Bind off, turn inside out and sew up top seam. Sew in tails. Make the person wear aviator sunglasses and salute them. This hat has been adapted from a pattern written by Mark Thrailkill for Ravelry who encourages it to be shared throughout the world - what a star.

I think I am quite happy to become a professional holidayer. Walks, looking at stuff, eating yummy (healthy) things, reading, napping, playing with the kids. It's just so good. The views above are from Uncle Todd's house, the Franz Joseph Glacier in the bottom photo. On an even clearer day Mount Cook is easily visible and I had a little glimpse of it this morning as I was bobbing about in the spa on the veranda.

This morning we headed off for a walk up to the glacier. We didn't quite make it to the icy bit as it was a very long walk and the boys were entertained enough by the streams and waterfalls along the way... and finding gold, green stone and silver.

Yes, so lots of reading as well, I have just started 'Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' although I didn't make it very far today before falling into a deep sleep next to Hugo. Archie accidentally woke us at 3.40pm which I was extremely grateful for. Now they are splashing in the spa. A roast is in the oven and I think a new knitting project is calling out. Tomorrow we are planning a swim at the glacier hot pools. Holidaying is definitely for me.

Beach Knitting and Pikelet Eating.

My knitting came to the beach. It was very well behaved and didn't even go swimming.
This is the wild and woolly beach at the back of Uncle Todd's farm. Can you even begin to imagine this as your backyard?

Thinking of the lovely Vanessa with all of the rocks and pebbles everywhere.

Drop scones (pikelets) on the beach. We forgot plates and so thought some flat rocks would be perfect. I would know like an entire dinner set.

Hugo thought it was pretty good.

Just a little note as we are all a bit tuckered after a big day on the beach and the journey to get there (lots of river crossings). Jonno's brother Todd is the luckiest person on earth with his own beach at the bottom of the farm. Not a swimming beach though, but a good rug up, have a fire and collect stones kind of a beach.

I walked some of the way back and have come into the house a little cold. Jonno has dinner ready, his very best cottage pie and my stomach is growling.

Mum, thank you so much for your email - I am having trouble getting them out but please keep sending them to me. XXOOXXOOXX.

Butterflies, Bays, Boats and Trains.

Hugo and his little friend.

Searching for sea glass at Governors Bay.

Going through Arthur's Pass on the Trans Scenic Railway.

Busy drawing. Archie is desperate for us to give him a green stone necklace for his birthday and so has been busy making various designs. The cross above he named 'Sacred Slumber' which I think Jonno was experiencing in the background.

When I woke this morning, the first thing I saw were the white points of mountains saying 'Hello'.... oh yes, and 'Happy Easter'. As I am writing this, we are snuggled up drinking cups of tea on Uncle Todd's farm in Franz Joseph. Native stands of forest are poking out of the mist here and there and snow capped mountains and glaciers are standing quietly in shrouds of cloud.

We can't wait to begin exploring the farm but it is so lovely having a slowish start to the day. Christchurch was wonderful and we had a lovely day on Friday, visiting Governors Bay (in the water photos above) for a picnic. The pebble beach turned out to be rich with sea glass so we spent most of our time fossicking.

Hugo was very tuckered out by the end of the day and came down with a little virus that had him with temperatures all night. He had found a damaged Monarch butterfly earlier in the day and this little creature kept him company when he was lying on the couch, unable to move.

Yesterday we crossed the south island on the Transcenic Railway and were completely spellbound for the entire 4 hour journey. The boys barely moved and Archie (having loved the Eragon series) kept explaining all of the magical creatures that would be at home in all the different wild and snowy habitats we passed.

Time to sign off, Happy Easter Sunday!!! XXOOXXOOXX.

Christchurch and a smidgen of punting.

Punting along the Avon River with a little gentle contemplation of the big wide world.

The Arts Centre - the boys were blown away by it. Someone was have music lessons way off in a high tower, their operatic performance spilling down into the courtyard. Hugo stood underneath and sent his voice curling up to meet it 'AAAggghhhhuuuuuuuhhhhhaaay'.

Dandelion water.
Stripy roses in the Botanic Gardens.

Just a little hint of something to show you in another post... be excited.

Christchurch is the best!!! We are having the most amazing time with tram rides, punting along the Avon, exploring the arts centre, a tiny bit of shopping which I will write about more later and general over excitement and mild hysteria. Today will be a little quieter with a picnic and boat watching. Maybe some warm drink drinking too. Happy Good Friday, XXOOXXOOXX.