Catching the Magic

Two Brits in Aotearoa bringing up three little 'Kiwis'. Our children: Our future. Haere Mai!

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poetry

Poetry from the mountain

August 31, 2018August 31, 2018 BritMumInNZ Leave a comment Header, Poetry

The higher altitude suits my mood at least for a day or two I’m not missing the ocean or the salty sea breeze there is a clarity to the air here I feel high on its vibe gliding down the snow cloaked slopes riding the volcano with a smile from my heart I feel so […]

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Lavender scent on a whisper of air – poetry on a Sunday

November 20, 2017November 20, 2017 BritMumInNZ Leave a comment Header, Lyrical Sunday, Poetry, Sarah

  Relaxed in a hammock, I smile, watching my seven year old daughter, a florist for a moment, carefully cutting roses from the garden, clutched in her fist. The thorns she is wary of, bees she accepts for without their buzzing, there’d be no roses footsteps are left with care, leaving no debts roses arranged, […]

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The Glass Jar

April 5, 2017April 5, 2017 BritMumInNZ 2 Comments Poetry

THE GLASS JAR   Daylight saving has ended the earth has turned on its axis days have shortened nights are long and when the clouds set in – with incessant rain the darkness tries to pull me along. . I turn to the glass jar a recipe of strength to ward off the blackness.   […]

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Paws #NaPoWriMo

April 3, 2017April 3, 2017 BritMumInNZ Leave a comment Our pets, Poetry

PAWS Floorboards marked with mud and sand telling stories of the land; adventures in the rain muddy tracks, sodden fields blades of grass sticks and twigs – all brought in on his paws. Days of sunshine spent on beaches sand on beds and couches, remnants of a day well spent. Grass spurs from country walks, […]

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Autumn mushroom #NaPoWriMo

April 3, 2017April 3, 2017 BritMumInNZ Leave a comment Poetry, Seasons, Writing

MUSHROOM On the edge of the forest path, defiant to the shortening day, the fungi’s startling colour stood, bold red, with white spots, under which a fairy ought to play. It stood in stark contrast to the greens and browns, tree roots, rotting leaves and muddy ditches. Autumn could not be ignored and the mushroom warned not to […]

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Gone bush | Prose for Thought

July 8, 2016July 8, 2016 BritMumInNZ 4 Comments Header, Poetry

I’ve been really enjoying having my youngest daughter around at home a lot more and we have been spending time reading books out loud and drawing, taking bush walks and playing around on the piano, doing head stands and dancing, essentially being in the moment, together, and it’s been wonderful. I think all this ‘play’ […]

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Winter days | seeking light | #Prose4T | #ThePrompt | Sun

July 3, 2016July 8, 2016 BritMumInNZ 3 Comments Header, Poetry, Sarah

I feel the light pulling me out, from the dark enveloping me, I’m clinging to the dappled rays, focusing on their offer of warmth, as the cold air creeps around me. It’s a battle of light and dark, winter’s steely grasp on my hand, leading me into the tunnel. Bright chinks in the darkness save […]

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I must be a runner now… a poem

May 23, 2016May 28, 2016 BritMumInNZ 2 Comments Poetry, Running

There’s days when I’m not convinced, that I’m really ‘a runner’ now, and then I have a crazy moment, where not even the weather can stop me. I used to drive past runners, on inclement days, and wonder, ‘Why?!’ A part of me admired their determination, but on the whole, I thought they were crazy… […]

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In between the ages – a poem

May 12, 2016May 12, 2016 BritMumInNZ 4 Comments Header, Poetry, Relationships, Sarah

In between the ages, is where I am right now, as they write the pages, that their young lives sow. Their grandparents live a time that treasures every moment – knowing life is no mime, but to live in the present. I sit in between, silently observing, holding tight, with hands keen, hoping for smooth […]

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School holiday crescendo #NaPoWriMo #Prose4T

April 22, 2016 BritMumInNZ 2 Comments Poetry

It’s school holidays here and so my usual hobbies are naturally taking a back seat. Not much time for writing and running, but the day 17 prompt on the 2016 National Poetry Writers Month website caught my interest yesterday. The prompt was; ‘Find, either on your shelves or online, a specialized dictionary. Now write a poem that […]

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Shadow of the evening sun

April 15, 2016April 15, 2016 BritMumInNZ Leave a comment Header, Poetry

Playfully, the shadow led her feet, On a merry dance, in the soft grained sand, Illuminated by the glowing sun. The shadow tall, a stranger to meet, And yet, their merry dance, with nature’s band, Was in perfect step, accented well, By the evening light, of the glowing sun, Playing till dusk, when, then, her […]

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Dear Feet… #AprilLove2016

April 12, 2016April 12, 2016 BritMumInNZ Leave a comment Poetry, Sarah

Dear Feet, I am grateful to you, for all the miles we’ve travelled. I am happiest when treading the earth with you. There have been times, trapped behind an office desk, when I’ve felt your restless sadness. You aren’t the kind of feet, that like to be still for long, from the moment I could […]

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Dear Hunger… #AprilLove2016

April 12, 2016April 12, 2016 BritMumInNZ 2 Comments Poetry, Sarah

Dear Hunger, I shall never forget the way you looked, expressed on the lips of my first child. The milk she sought was slow in coming, after a prolonged and difficult birth. After several weeks and long, painful nights, of little sleep and endless nursing, her hunger was finally satisfied – but the weight of […]

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Dear Imagination… #AprilLove2016

April 11, 2016May 7, 2016 BritMumInNZ 4 Comments Alice, Poetry

Dear Imagination, I see you every day in my child’s eyes, in her creative play and questions, in the songs she sings and stories she tells, straight from the heart, with natural ease. Her mind has no limits, she can travel through changing dimensions, shape shifting her body through time and space. Today, on the […]

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Welcome to the ramblings & photographs of a British expat Mum living mostly in Wellington (aka *coffee capital of the world*), New Zealand, since 1997.

This blog is a way to preserve sanity whilst raising children, capture the magic in the chaos, and share tales with family, friends, fellow parents and expats.

Along with my British born husband we have been bringing up our three Kiwi born daughters in the land of sheep, kiwi fruit and fine wine, since 2003 (with a brief 16 months living in Santa Barbara, California - where we home educated our daughters). We both first landed on New Zealand soil in 1996 (hubby) and 1997 (myself) - as fresh graduates from the UK wanting to live and work overseas... our 'OE' turned into something a lot longer and more life changing than we could ever have first anticipated!

Thank you for stopping by (if you would like to know more visit the 'About' page!).
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Recent Posts

  • Walking the Paekākāriki Escarpment Track February 1, 2021
  • Patuna Chasm | A river walk like no other! January 24, 2021
  • One week into 2021 January 10, 2021
  • Festive greetings from Aotearoa! December 23, 2020
  • Term 4 and winding down to the last days of school for 2020 December 1, 2020
  • ‘HELLO’ November 24, 2020
  • A spring holiday in Wanaka and Queenstown’s outdoor playgrounds! November 1, 2020
  • End of Term 3! October 2, 2020
  • Before the pandemic! ‘Six’ the musical in Sydney September 26, 2020
  • I miss her, Mum, even though she’s not gone. July 23, 2020
  • Our ‘bubble’ of 5 million has done it! June 9, 2020
  • Reflections on coming out of seven weeks of lockdown in New Zealand May 13, 2020

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The Toll
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The Toll
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Dear Evan Hansen
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