Happy Birthday (again) ...

...and then it was time for ANOTHER birthday!

Olivia is now a teenager (goodness help us all!!) Yep, 13 years old - really, WHERE does that time go??!! Here is how we celebrated...

Actually, we started the day with some indoor rock climbing at the AC Baths complex in Taupo. We took a couple of carloads of Olivia's friends (AND her sisters!) and everyone had a great time climbing. There are some fearless girls in this group!!

 After a couple of hours of climbing an apetite had been worked up so it was off to the lake front for some fish n chips 'al fresco'.

 The day was gorgeous, although there was a brisk breeze, and the view across the lake was just as gorgeous. Taupo certainly can turn on a great day!

 And here are all the gorgeous girls!

 Of course, no meal at the lake front is complete without the extra 'guests'! Luckily we had enough food for everyone :)

 Then it was back to the AC Baths for a swim and hydroslide...oh, and a play on an inflatable structure!

Eventually we made it back to Tokoroa where there just happened to be a cake waiting :) This year Olivia chose a Cookie Monster-themed cake (I have NO idea why!!)  but it was SO easy to make so I wasn't complaining :) 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our second teenager!! Love you, bub xxx

Girls on bikes!

One Sunday in early June we decided to do a short cycle trip for a couple of hours. We loaded up the ute with all the mountain bikes and packed enough food to last a week!! We started our journey keen and eager, with loads of smiles!

 We conned Jeff into driving us all to Waimangu Valley where we would start our ride. It took approx. an hour to drive there through some lovely countryside between Tokoroa and Rotorua.

 Waimangu Valley is a hidden paradise! It is a beautiful valley in the middle of nowhere with geothermal activity and bush walks. We topped up with a delicious early lunch at the café (yeah, just HAD to save that food we packed in case of emergency!!)  and decided to leave exploring Waimangu Valley for another time as we were all keen to get underway.

 OK, so we were doing the trail backwards from what I had read in a book so got a little "directionally challenged" when we first left Waimangu. Jeff eneded up driving us about 8km up a road that it turns out, we should have been cycling on! Oh well, we still had...ummm...over 20km to do!! :p

 

 Once we found the sign that reassured us we were in the right place, we set off! This was the only time we were all together until the food stop as both Olivia and Briar had to be leading and spent all their time being "first"!

 

 

 
The track was fantastic for cycling on...mostly it was tarsealed and reasonably flat so very little effort required. The photo above was the only 'hill'!! So a great ride to do for beginners as there is no offroad action (although you are OFF ROAD!)

 

We stopped about 2/3 of the way along to eat our food :) Except we hadn't really worked up much of an apetite so we ended up feeding the rooster and hen that had obviously been dumped on the side of the road and left to fend for themselves. They had found the perfect spot though, in a  large rest area where loads of people must stop as they looked very well fed and certainly weren't shy!!

 

I forgot to get a 'finish' photo but we ere all still smiling-yay! We finished at Waipa Mill end of the Redwoods on SH 5 so we didn't have to brave the Rotorua town traffic. Jeff picked us up and took us for a couple of pizzas and some sushi, and we all agreed our girls bike day out was a success!! :) 

Easter 2014

 

So..every year we head off at Easter to a new destination chosen by one of four from the Pengelly family. This year was my youngest brothers turn to choose and we ended up in Ohakune. Ohakune is approx. two and half hours drive from Tokoroa, nestled on the southern slopes of Mt Ruapheu. It is a small village that comes alive during the ski season when it is a bustling centre for après-ski activities!

 

A lot of towns in NZ have something they are known for and Ohakune is known for its carrots! :)

 
 
Mum, Vaughan and I enjoyed a lovely 2km walk along a stream right in town-it ran the length of the village and was very pretty!

 

 

 

 
There are numerous tracks and trails and, of course, a spot of geocaching was on the cards.

 
 
We found the most gorgeous 'gnome home' geocache-too cute!!

 

 

 
 We stayed mid-April before all the snow and enjoyed a fabulous three days exploring the area.
 
 

 

 

 

 
 
 
Jeff, Caitlin, Olivia and I ventured up the mountain road where we found a lovely one hour walk to a waterfall. The track was easy walking and was well worth the gorgeous view at the end! I just love waterfalls!

 

 

 

The Gash family spent a lovely afternoon at the Waiouru museum about 30 mins south of Ohakune. This museum is an absolutely in-depth collection of memorabilia relating to all the wars NZ has (unfortunately) had to  participate in. It is quite moving and emotional wandering around the displays and you get a very real sense of conditions and atmosphere at times. :(

On our way back to Ohakune we stopped off at Tangiwai. This is the site of a terrible train disaster; in fact, the biggest in NZ history. On Christmas Eve 1953, a lahar came down Mt Ruapehu damaging a bridge structure in its path. Unfortunately, not  long after, a train travelling from Wellington to Auckland came over that bridge. Due to the damage, the bridge collapsed plunging the train into the river. 151 died and many were injured on a bleak Christmas Eve :(
The memorial is a very sobering site!

Another wonderful Easter weekend exploring an area we have never visited before. I really enjoy discovering towns in NZ that we haven't stayed in before. Easter is a highlight of my year. Oh yeah...the chocolate is pretty good too :)

Happy Birthday...

Well, it is that time of the year again...Birthday Season! Three birthdays in 3 months-one every 6 weeks. How's that for planning? :) We just get one organised, done and dusted then it is on to the next one!
First up is...Briar!

This year we are doing "odd-numbers" so Briar turned 11 in April. She had an afternoon party with 3 of her school friends.

 
 
 

They played party games like 'Pass the Parcel', 'Treasure Hunt' and 'Apple Bobbing'.
Apple-bobbing?? you might ask! Well, Briar's "theme" for her party was blue & green so we had food, decorations and even games to reflect the theme (apples=green!!)

Finding food was an interesting exercise but I think we did OK-the table looked amazing! I wanted to serve little mince savouries topped with 'green' mashed potato but got told NO! :( Oh well, I think there was enough to eat as it was...

She had a great afternoon and that was birthday number one out of the way...next up is Olivia!

Haymaking

Thanks to a long fine summer we had no problems getting our hay done this year. In fact, the biggest problem is finding a contractor who wants to take on 'lifestyle blocks; - they are only ever a few acres and more fiddly than they are worth to get cutting and baling machines into, I think.

However, we finally found someone who made short work of the job... Here are some photos of the action...

one day it was cut...

 

 

 the next it was turned ...

 

 

then on the third day it was baled!

 

It is always a great feeling to see your hay baled ...

 
 

 

and in the shed - 42 bales of stock feed for winter!! And it's great how the neighbours all pitch in and we get the job done so much quicker...we did three blocks this year and all enjoyed a beer afterwards!!!

 

And continuing on with the theme of summer, here are a couple of photos of the beautiful lillies and gladiolis I grew this year.

 

 

 

 

 

Over The Moon

Yes, I am "Over The Moon"...well, more specifically I am AT Over The Moon...Dairy Co, that is! I started working for the Putaruru-based company on Feb 3rd as a 'Sales and Admin Support' person. I kind of have 3 strands to my job...first, I am an administrator for the NZ Cheese School which is a sister company to OTM and runs cheesemaking courses for DIY home cheese makers as well as professional courses for industry-based people. I take registrations and handle enquiries, set up the training room prior to a course, order supplies and generally promote the NZCS. See here  for the website.

The second part of my job is to provide support to the Sales Manager. I take phone and email orders from customers and help get our cheeses out into the public for consumption. Our cheeses only have a limited shelf life so we are always looking to move the cheese to prevent as much wastage as possible.

Finally, I spend one day a week in the deli. This is the retail part of the company and is a fantastic showcase for the beautiful cheeses. I spend Tuesdays in the deli, providing tastings of certain cheeses, selling the goodies on offer like macadamia brittle, chutneys and dressings from Peplers, fruit pastes and spreads, and Dundee cake and many other delectable delights! Plus, I have finally learnt how to make coffee!! yay, I am so stoked...I have always wanted to be a barista...OK, not properly trained but I can now knock out a decent flat white or latte...woohoo! Here is the link to the website for Over The Moon. 

I absolutely LOVE my new job...life is EXTREMELY busy now but I am so happy to be working. I love my varied workload, my work colleagues are great and it is great to feel productive and useful! My boss is amazing and very accommodating...I was even able to attend a one day course in my second week at work! I learnt how to  make a cheddar-style cheese and am now hooked. I want to learn how to  make other types but am now too busy working!!!!??? O h, the irony! :)

Anyway, here is a photo of some mozzarella I also got to make...and the resulting use of it.

 

Yum, a classic salad, and all from our garden or fair hand!

Mount Maunganui

During the summer school holidays, I found myself in Tauranga, more specifically at the Mount. Alone...without children...nothing to do...a beautiful day...all to myself!! Woohoo!!!!

I decided I would climb to the summit of Mt Maunganui as it was MANY years ago since I had last done that. In fact, I'm not 100% sure I have actually been to the top before...

 

There's my goal-the summit!

 

 

It's been a long, hot summer...

 

 

and there were lots of people enjoying the Mount.

 

 

The tracks were easy to walk and well maintained.

 

The views got better and better the higher up I got...

 

 

I had forgotten how much Mt Maunganui had grown over the years.

 

 

Yay, I made it to the top...

 

 

...it was a busy place to be!

 

 

There was a memorial but I didn't get to read it because there was a family picnicking right near it and I didn't want to  intrude! I felt awkward enough taking the photo!!

 

 

Back down...certainly easier than going up! But it was a fabulous walk and I met a couple of lovely people to chat with on the walk down which just made my day that much better.

I'm so glad I decided to do the walk rather than go shopping.