Catching the Magic

Travels in New Zealand and beyond, going back to 2003!

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Writing

Lyrical Sunday – Daylight

October 1, 2012October 3, 2012 BritMumInNZ 8 Comments Lyrical Sunday, Sarah, Writing

The sun dipped down at six thirty on Saturday night, with a sunset to warm me to the core, leaving winter nights behind – and knocking on summer’s door. The clocks took us closer, as we slept, waking to a new time & a season of promise. My mood that’s felt depressed, since May’s darkening […]

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Gateway to the Outdoors – [a poem for Lyrical Sunday]

August 15, 2012 BritMumInNZ 3 Comments Lyrical Sunday, photography, Walks, Writing

Our gateway to the outdoors is guarded these days, By children who test us in various ways. We start with encouragement and gentle persuasion – Trying to resist bribery and coercion. We are often surprised by who resists – And struggle to find the solution to enlist. Eventually, after tears and raised voices, We all […]

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Wet Wednesday in Welly

August 8, 2012August 16, 2012 BritMumInNZ 2 Comments Alice, Art, Charlotte, Sarah, Sophie, Writing

Scorching Bay in the rain – Some may say it’s not the same – But for those of us young at heart – Dancing in the rain is just the start. In Welly a rainy day, without wind, is special – It’s a Dr Seuss day of Up for Umbrellas! But hands free is better […]

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Lyrical Sunday | BLUE

June 3, 2012June 4, 2012 BritMumInNZ 4 Comments Lyrical Sunday, Sarah, Writing

Blue like my grandparents twinkling eyes – Forget-me-knots, blue-bells and summer skies. Blue like Paua shell, on the sandy shore – Blueberries, oceans and the TARDIS door. Blue like veins, seen running under pale skin – Royal Blue. Union Jack. Ties me to my kin. Blue of Scotland and my mother’s eyes – Lavender, rosemary […]

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A Kiss with PURPOSE

May 28, 2012May 29, 2012 BritMumInNZ 3 Comments Dan, Sarah, Special Days, Writing

I wrote this poem with a special anniversary in mind. Dan and I will have been married thirteen years on Tuesday 29 May. We’re in this for life and I shall never forget the kiss that sealed our wedding vows. A kiss of purpose. © Sarah Lee, 2012 ____________________________________________

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Lyrical Sunday: Numbers

May 13, 2012May 13, 2012 BritMumInNZ 6 Comments Dan, Lyrical Sunday, Sarah, Writing

It’s a strange thing to be aware at ten of wanting to slow down time, when most of my peers couldn’t wait for it to race by. I still wanted to play Indians in the copse near my house, take off on adventures, climb trees, build dens & jump ditches. At fourteen I had to […]

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Photo A Day MAY | My Kitchen!

May 11, 2012 BritMumInNZ 4 Comments photography, Writing

My kitchen is a place of experiments, play dough, chalk scribbles, arts and crafts. It’s a place of baking and breakfasting, preparing and cleaning. It’s seen days of babes being washed in the sink – and water splashed in a flood over the floor. Games of ‘sink and float’ in baking bowls – and flour […]

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Book Spine Poetry for Lyrical Sunday

May 6, 2012 BritMumInNZ 5 Comments Lyrical Sunday, Sarah, Writing

Latte Junkie has set a really fun exercise for this week’s Lyrical Sunday. The idea is to make a poem using the titles of books. I’ve had quite a lot of fun doing this with my oldest daughters over the past week – turning books on their side and putting titles together to make a […]

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Look what I found in Wellington… A Love Letter!

May 2, 2012May 2, 2012 BritMumInNZ 9 Comments Art, Learning & growing, Sarah, Writing

I was sat on a bench by the bucket water fountain on Cuba Mall, Wellington, sipping a latte in the sunshine, and watching my children play on the little playground. I had been feeling quite shaky and flat emotionally. My youngest daughter, Alice, is two and her sleep has been somewhat erratic of late. It […]

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Week in the life | Friday & Things I’m Loving

April 27, 2012January 29, 2013 BritMumInNZ 12 Comments Learning & growing, Loving & Not Loving, Sarah, Writing

It’s been a strange week of documenting every slice of life for ‘Week in the life‘ – but great to reflect and observe our life too. Today it’s raining. I’m tired. Alice was awake for a couple of hours in the night (again) – over stimulated probably – late to bed (she’s making up for […]

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Lyrical Sunday: If I could…

April 22, 2012April 22, 2012 BritMumInNZ 3 Comments Lyrical Sunday, Sarah, Writing

If I could swap with Alice for a day – I’d wake with a smile, no cares in my way. I would run around in my Birthday suit, knock over my soup and play on a flute. I’d paint my teddy-bear with jam and cream, dance till I got dizzy and fly in my dreams. […]

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Lyrical Sunday (on a Monday): Friendship

April 9, 2012April 9, 2012 BritMumInNZ 7 Comments Lyrical Sunday, Sarah, Writing

With my sister currently in New Zealand I have really been thinking so much about the amazing connection we have – not just as sisters – but also as friends. We’re also seeing a whole new path unfurl before us – as we unite to give three special girls all the support we can muster, […]

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Wild at Heart: Lyrical Sunday

March 19, 2012March 19, 2012 BritMumInNZ 4 Comments Lyrical Sunday, Writing

‘Wild at Heart’ The house physically sways, like a tree in a storm. Wooden beams, made to flex in an earthquake, take the force. The tin roof magnifies the sound of every broken branch, twisted with the whistle of the wind. I’m glad of the refuge that is my home. The comfort of wind chimes […]

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A poem for my mother & my mother-in-law xx

March 17, 2012March 19, 2012 BritMumInNZ 11 Comments Dan, Loving & Not Loving, Sarah, Special Days, Writing

Take a walk with me, and see what I see. The early autumn sun casts its shadows – yet the sweet breath of summer lingers on, in my home, near the bay, balanced on hills. Sweet peas I still find in my garden fine. I inhale their scent; too soon they’ll be gone. Memories of summer […]

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