After one of the warmest April’s on record in New Zealand, May has started with a taste of the winter season yet to unfold. Blustery winds and horizontal rain battered Wellington. But, the sun kept shining through the dramatic, fast moving, cloudscape to reveal rainbows of light on the hilly topography that surrounds Wellington. After […]
Lyall Bay
Easter Saturday Sunshine in Wellington!
Wellington put on a show for Easter Saturday. It was an incredible day of sunshine and no wind. Perfect for entertaining Auntie Claire and enjoying some action in the outdoors. We enjoyed an action packed day on the waterfront. She went out on a kayak with Sophie, whilst I kayaked with Alice. Out on the […]
Things I’m Loving: 500 Sandcastles
They appeared overnight on the beach at Lyall Bay. The once flat sand came alive. Over 80 people brought buckets and spades, to work under the night-sky, to leave a surprise. People stopped and stared in awe. Children ran down on to the beach to explore. Castles with moats and turrets… Magical castles with crystals… […]
Do what you love, one day a week: Paddle boarding!
After my last attempt, in less than calm waters and with a few adrenaline pumping wipe-outs, I went out on the board again this week. It was beautifully calm in Lyall Bay on Sunday. Barely a ripple of a wave broke on the shore. I found my feet quickly and plunged the paddle deeply into […]
Do what you love, one day a week: Hit the surf!
I paddled out over the break waves, further than I’d gone in years. Normally I’m with my feet in the sand, or ankle deep with a toddler wrapped around my legs. I’d done my share of watching for today. I’d fetched the chips, togged up the big girls, waved them off between the flags on […]
LOVED the feel of summer in the bay on 11.11.11: The Gallery
11/11 is always a day to stop and remember. To remember those that fought and lost their lives so we could be free. 11.11.11 marks the 93rd anniversary of Armistice Day. The last day of WWI. More than 100,000 New Zealand soldiers served overseas for what is still remembered as the Great War. Exactly 16,697 […]
Fathers Day 2011
The man of the house had a jolly good time this Fathers Day, bestowed with creative gifts, hugs and giggles from day break to sun down. He got treated to breakfast in bed, glorious sunshine, a family scoot to the bay and back, before an avo on the waterfront, scoffing gelato, sipping a mocha and […]
Wordless Sunday: Motion
____________________________________________________ I really wish I’d had my decent camera with me today, as there was so much ‘motion’ at Lyall Bay, with kite-surfers, sea-gulls, airplanes and my girls running on the beach. I had to make do with my phone camera, but still had fun trying to capture the motion. This week’s theme for ‘Wordless […]
Silent & Wordless Sunday
Full Moon & a mid-winter dip!
Glorious weather, from the warmest Autumn on record, has rolled into Winter (though we’re warned to make the most of the sunshine whilst it lasts!). My daughters didn’t hold back when the sun came out in warm splendour yesterday. They had such fun frolicking in the surf at Lyall Bay, skipping seaweed and throwing a […]
You know it’s the school holidays when the weather does this…
It’s that time of year when the weather toys with us and we flit from board games and bagels to ice-creams and boules at the speed of a flying frisbee in a southerly gale. Last night the chest of board games was dusted off, hardly touched since last winter. Charlotte and Sophie reveled in the […]
Silent Sunday
The Gallery – One Word – BEACH!
How lucky are these children?! They have NO IDEA! The WHOLE school spent the day at the BEACH today! There were sandcastle competitions between ‘Whanau’ groups, boogie boarding (classes taking it in turns to avoid total mayhem in the surf!) & picnics with obligatory sand in sandwiches. We all had a blast! Little Alice got […]
Expressions from the beach
It’s been a few days of children’s Birthday parties, fun at the beach and the zoo. Sunday evening, before dinner, was the best of all… just us at the beach (I’m trying to stay focused on the magic and not the extra washing we brought home with us and sand in every crevice of the […]