One sunny Sunday over these marvelously, long summer hols (which, sigh, are soon coming to a close… term starts back 4 February), we went to one of our favourite places, The Saddleback Cafe. Nestled in the rural Ohairu Valley, it is such a tranquil place to escape Wellington City (not that it’s really the kind of city one needs to escape from!).
A stones throw from suburban Johnsonville, on the winding road to Makara Beach, the Ohairu Valley is home to farms, rural life-style homes and a number of horse stables. Sophie absolutely adores horses and her bedroom ceiling is decorated with posters of ponies. Neither Dan or I rode much as children, just the occasional trek on holiday, so it is quite special she has developed such an interest at an early age. We’ve held off on formal lessons (she’s only just turned three after all!) but she delights in the rural life of the Ohairu Valley and hiring a pony for a half hour trek round the arena at the Capital Riding Academy (adjacent to the Saddleback Cafe).
Whilst Dan led Sophie around the arena Charlotte and I delighted in the wonderful food at the cafe, which is always so warm and welcoming. We spotted eels for the first time in the little stream that runs around the cafe and were even more delighted to see a sign saying we could purchase eel food at the cafe! So… after Sophie had finished her ride we fed the eels!
The Long-fin eel has lived in New Zealand for 80 million years. It is New Zealand’s top freshwater predator and therefore important to the biodiversity of our waterways.
Since the mid-1800’s the Long-fin eel has been so undervalued that if we do not start to appreciate this fascinating fish it may soon become endangered species.
The eel – An ancient gift from the gods
For fascinating information on New Zealand’s eels, click here!
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Wow! Your blog is amazing! I’m ready to move to New Zealand! I’ve been poking around a little bit and your photos are just amazing and everything seems to beautiful there! I love your idea of doing collages. I saw that I can do that in Picasa so I might have to “steal” this concept from you — once I figure it out of course.
I’m so glad you visited me so I could visit you! Forget New Jersey — I’m ready for New Zealand!
Thank you so much Jenners, you’ve made my day! I do my collages through Picasa too – only recently discovered them and it’s so much quicker and easier than uploaded tons of individual photographs (though of course it’s nice to do that sometimes too!).
How wonderful to see those eels swimming free…so many wonderful things to see and do amongst the nature of New Zealand….one for a visit one day.Lovely photographs too….what a wonderful Summer you are having….we are forecast snow for Monday….but trying to be positive….it does look so beautiful when it has fallen silently in the night!!
Brrrr, wrap up warm – but enjoy too! It really is magic when it falls in the night – the girls would LOVE it! xxx
eels are a bit snakey for me.
*shudder*
i have eaten freshly caught and smoked eel though – during my childhood some eels got stuck in the net i think? or maybe on the longline?
anyway, they weren’t too bad lol X
Aye, a little creepy for me too! I was just glad I could watch them from the edge, knowing they were there, and not have one surprise me in a stream!